Too late to Start reloading???

Primers--primers--primers these are the Achilles heal of reloading. You can scrounge brass, substitute many OK but not best propellants that will work, and make your own bullets. Things will come back eventually but we will see higher prices for sure. Wait for things to level out and slowly build up stock as best you can. Hopefully you have one or more reloading books, look in them and see what bullet weight/sizes work and what propellants are common. Make a list, same for primers. At a minimum you will need a couple handgun propellants and one rifle one. I often have a single propellant for each load I build to get the most out of each load and bullet weight and you might eventually as well. I have a couple friends that reload and only have three propellants they use. You need to research and make your own choices.

Do your research, look at what people are using for mild and modest 454 and +P 45 Colt. It may take a few different powders to get the max out of the 454 but if your goal is to have ammo to shoot and have ammo during rough times moderate level, accurate loads I am sure can be put together. Same goes for .357 and .44 Magnum some powders like 231, Unique, 2400 can be used to make some nice loadings from mild to wild. Most people just load .38's and .44 Special for those calibers that keep us shooting. Nice thing about the .357 and .44 is that lead bullets do a great job keeping the cost down and allow you to reach most of the potential of the calibers while being able to make softer shooting Special alternatives. I am not up on the .454 as I have never loaded for it, I will defer to those who have, I do think that .45 Colt might be a nice place to explore, hell a 255 -300 grain lead bullet at 1000 fps is no joke and may be an economical happy place.

That being said, brass is around as are bullets, powder is in dribs and drabs but its out there. The worth more than gold item right now is primers, if you can score them without taking out a mortgage loan you might have a chance. Good luck. Most of us have been experimenting, my new term is "Depression Era Reloading". Not that I have run out, I am however, becoming very conservation minded.

You are never to late to start reloading. You just have to know that right now reloading supplies are in the same boat as ammo. It's in very short supply and resellers are asking ridiculous prices. Supplies are actually being held hostage by the high demand for factory loads so until that demand eases we won't see a lot of reloading supply. But there are several things you can do. First start studying. Learn as much as you can from as many sources as possible. If you have friend that reload ask if you can join them and pick their brains for information. Decide what equipment you want to use. Start hunting for the components that you need. Most of the time you will come up empty handed but occasionally you will get lucky. Things will come back then you will be prepared.

If you don't have ammo or you don't have reloading components period, you are going to pay a lot of money for stuff to stay shooting at all. That is plain and simple and factually stated. The only other option is that the only thing you do with your time is look for said ammo and components for when they come in stock at places and it takes a lot of time and effort to look for these things.

Too late? It's not too late if you have unlimited money or unlimited time to throw at it!

FROGO207 said:

Primers--primers--primers these are the Achilles heal of reloading. You can scrounge brass, substitute many OK but not best propellants that will work, and make your own bullets. Things will come back eventually but we will see higher prices for sure. Wait for things to level out and slowly build up stock as best you can. Hopefully you have one or more reloading books, look in them and see what bullet weight/sizes work and what propellants are common. Make a list, same for primers. At a minimum you will need a couple handgun propellants and one rifle one. I often have a single propellant for each load I build to get the most out of each load and bullet weight and you might eventually as well. I have a couple friends that reload and only have three propellants they use. You need to research and make your own choices.

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also... don’t be tempted to sell your stock!
trade, barber, beg, steal! just don’t make it worst by selling!

Huntolive said:

.......A couple questions getting started:
What primers and powders do I need for:
454 and 460 Mag
357 Magnum
44 Magnum
300 WM
308
243
..........

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Huntolive said:

Although cost saving is a motivation to reloading it is not main reason to start.
In all honesty the main reason is:
To be Able to Get Ammo Period when insane situations like current one arrive as I know they have and will again.
I don't know if I'll ever fall in love with reloading that much but it seems like a near necessity at this point.

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In your case, it seems that reloading is just a short-term solution to a long term problem.
The only reason reloaders can build ammo in times of shortage is because we stocked up on components in times of plenty. You can do the same thing by stocking up on factory ammo in times of plenty. Right now, both factory ammo and reloading components are in short supply. You could weather this drought, buy factory here and there for the nest six months, and then stock up on factory ammo when the sales happen next year. There is a pattern to these shortages. Severe shortage followed by a time of surplus and sales. You could take the money you are going to spend on reloading equipment and put that toward factory ammo. Either way, you are going to have some significant money tied up in inventory (ammo or components or both) to weather the next shortage.

It's never to late to start enjoying life !

Start planning researching your needs now. Hopefully by August/September time frame things will be loosening up.

OP, one thing you can get now, if you don't have it already is a good reloading manual or two. The section with the recipes will answer the questions of which primers for which cartridges. 357 Mag uses a small pistol or a small pistol magnum primer -- depending on the data and the powders used. The load data will specify this. For the others 44 Mag uses large pistol or large pistol Magnum, depending on data and powder. 308 and 243 are large rifle.
Again, depending on powder and temp conditions, large rifle magnum may be recommended.

But, you should really get familiar with a manual while you search for components. -- it will also give you insights on what powders you should be searching for.

And lastly, a manual will also answer your question on the bullets for each caliber and any overlap between them.

I agree with @mstreddy about manuals. Very important to know what works and have a list at hand. Search the internet religiously. i was very green at reloading. I had several sites, Powder Valley, Midsouth Shooters, Natchez, to name a few that I would check with frequently back in '13-'14. Came out well ahead without getting robbed by the time the panic subsided.

Huntolive said:

So I wish I had gotten serious about reloading two years ago when there were stacks of AR-15s for $500 and primers collecting dust on the shelves.
But no one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition or a pandemic followed by a democratic election and paramilitary uprisings
I have friends and neighbors who reload who have all the equipment all I would need is a couple sets of dies and I always collect my brass from multiple calibers of Big bore revolvers and hunting rifles from 243 to 375 Ruger.
I have an unopened gallon of quality powder, brass in most caliber I shoot but only bullets for 45 Colt and 454 casull and maybe a hundred large pistol primers and small rifle primers and I believe I have the dies for 454 .

I realize buying ammo for under a dollar around in a decent caliber is unobtainium but so are bullet ingredients like primers.

So where should I get started and how can I get the components at a reasonable price?

Or should I just wait and conserve ammo and rely on what I have stockpiled for the next year?

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In the exotic fruit tree collector circles we say: "The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago... the next best time is today" IMO, sound advice in many endeavors.

Other than some high prices, acquiring bits and bobs like reload manuals and the knowledge within them as well as searching sources like Craig's list and auction sites for equipment is a good idea. Not EVERYONE is gouging, some just want to liquidate or update.

Starting hand loading / reloading and wanting to make a thousand rounds in 5 calibers you mentioned is IMO not a good plan. So with ONE caliber (you already have powder) what a couple of packs of 100 primers or bullets cost (IMO) even at stupid prices will teach you a LOT about the process. So yes, start today, resign yourself to take it slow, learn a lot, get what you can, when you can. Or... do nothing but wait like many others will for better prices, AND the inevitable next panic buying spree and ask the same Q's whether to start reloading.