Guidelines to use after the "Great Component Shortage"

Yeah Planning ahead for shortages or as a hedge against price increases is a great strategy IF you can spare the funds. To that end those that have limited funds need to figure out a way to stretch their available cash to allow small steady purchases. I remember not having two spare pennies and the proverbial pot when Clinton was in office and learned then that self reliance was paramount. I now am more stable financially but still will try to help those that are caught in the same trap today. I just remind them to pay it forward and teach the others so we as a nation will always have shooting sports available for future generations. I have stated that in normal times 2-3 years ahead was enough to get me by but now I am thinking like it should be 10+ years and all aspects like brass and bullet casting as well. Sigh----we all learn as we go.

"So, what are some guidelines you plan to use to "restock" for your reloading in terms of components when the "Great Shortage" comes to an end"?

Same as the last shortage and the shortage before that and ...

Whenever I am out and about (this weekend I was in Columbus, Ohio so hit Cabelas) and I see something I use I just grab it, be it bullets, powder, primers, brass or whatever. I see someplace has H335 I grab a pound or two. Not that I need H335 but as long as I use it and it's there I grab some for future use. This component stuff has a long, long shelf life and I am fortunate in that I can buy things when I see them available.

Haven't been affected by a shortage in decades and don't plan to be.

Ron

Thank you bds this is another great thread

Big bore revolver brass is not available off the ground for free, and it's not cheap. Also, anyone loading for SD in any caliber might be well advised to use new brass.

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Ah, but once-fired brass is available for a very reasonable price, and when you amortize the cost of the brass over the number of reloads your will get from it, brass cost comes into the same cost range as primers and powders. The only new revolver brass that I have ever bought is for my .45 Colt, and then it was only because I wanted Starline brass for high end loads

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That's a good argument, when fired brass is, in fact, available, which is catch as catch can.

I like Walkalong and ReloadRons idea, just buy a little extra when you buy. I dont need to give myself goals to build to because I'm that guy thatll be sweating everytime I use 4 ounces of powder, worrying more about being off my quotas than enjoying myself.

valleyforge.1777 said:

I could never understand why my local gun shops sell primers in the little 100 count trays. Particularly for pistol primers, but even for rifle primers, who the heck bothers to reload but only makes 100 rounds at a time and then goes back to the gun store to buy another 100 primers??

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LOL. I guess I see what you're getting at but Ive bought them 100 at a time. If Ive got 80$ and Im about to purchase 2 LBs of powder, I'll grab a sleeve or four of primers also. Because you know I have to spend every available dime in the gun store, i dont want to have any money left over, that'b a shame

My strategy has been a little different. I'm a cheap bastard. I hunt around for a great deal, usually buying in quantity to get the best price and make the shipping price worth while. Doing this makes local Box prices seem stupid. Then I'm set for a few years on that need.

joeschmoe said:

I don't think outright bans are a serious threat. Thanks to Supreme Court cases that make clear that a right to arms is a protected Constitutional right. That must include ammo or else a gun is just a paper weight. There are other ways that the other side can make life difficult for us; restrictions, complicated licensing schemes, costs, shortages, access, availability, etc. They can make it "hard" but not impossible.
This last shortage was a "perfect storm" of commodity shortage, economic downturn, weakening dollar, panic buying, etc.

Even if we assume (pray it's not) two or three times as long, more severe and coupled with some draconian laws and bizarre licensing schemes... eventually we must still be able to legally acquire guns and ammo. Federal law, the Constitution and the Supreme Court are on our side.

I hope this shortage has taught everyone that they need to stock up on everything you need when the getting is good. For the very wealthy or well connected nothing is ever unobtainable. For the rest of us... shop smart when the time is good and hang tough through the bad times.

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I hope that this is true, but I think that banning some component of bullet manufacturing and turning guns into paperweights is just what Obama has in mind. I have been expecting this to come after the November elections.

Hold on! I saw that Gahunter used 16 pounds of pistol powder this year...at 5 grains a shot that is 22,400 rounds in 6 months, 3733 rounds a month. 44,800 rounds a year! Wow, no wonder we can't find pistol powder, how many more are there out there that shoot like that? Wow! I wish I could shoot 861 rounds a weekend every weekend. I would need at least two part time jobs!

Doesn't matter if that's what he has in mind, his heart or deep in his soul. To quote him “I am constrained by a system our founders put in place.” The SCOTUS specifically threw out trigger lock or disassembly requirements as unconstitutional because a gun that was not functional was an unconstitutional burden if the gun cannot be used as intended. There are specific limits to Federal power.

Pain in the ass? Yes. Ban? No.

I got into reloading a little more than three years ago. I didnt shoot nearly as much then, but I had set the number in my head to be a years worth of loaded ammo, and a years worth of components so I could ride out any governmental hiccups. Its been nearly two years and I was able to scrape by. granted I had to give a few new powders a try but I did find some great new loads and new favorite powders.

Now Im working up to a 18 months worth of loaded ammo and would like to get to 3 years worth of components as money allows. By no means hoarding but Id like to get another 20k primers and a couple large jugs of powder.

My new goal is 4 years worth but i'm thinking about making it 8 years worth. My time period is directly related to Presidential Term limits.

I don't stock up hardcore. I have about 5-10k primers and 10lbs of powder.

I have enough rounds loaded up for SHTF or for SD.

I run out and supplies run dry I quit shooting and do something else.

I have other things to do in my life besides shoot.

I enjoy shooting and loading, so I take steps to ensure my continued practice of both hobbies.

I like to keep actual numbers to myself. The current shortages are not affecting my shooting due to careful planning on my part. I pay attention to past shortages, and I'm old enough to remember several of them.

This current clown was still wearing his red diapers when the first one hit in the '60s, so it's not that unusual.

I try to keep enough loaded ammo to last a few years of shooting. I buy reloading components a little at a time. The trick is to match all your supplies. Keeping levels of primers, powder, and bullets the same is the goal. No need to have 10,000 primers if you only have 3 lbs of rifle powder or only 1000 bullets. I inventory occasionally and write down a shopping list of what I need to add. Then I keep a look out for deals on say bullets or powder that I need to raise inventory levels. Luckily or good "smarts" on my part I've stayed ahead of "crunch times" when Klinton's or "NObama's" have been in office or when the public panics. I've been managing inventory for over 30 years and reloading has allowed me to keep ahead. I do like the most of us get depressed and anxious when powder or primers are unavailable, even when I have a decent supply. It pays to buy in bulk when components are available. Depends on the amount of shooting you do per year as to how much inventory you need. Like mentioned a 6 month supply is not adequate when components are unavailable, UNLESS, you don't plan to do any shooting for extended periods. Who knows what one's inventory needs to be in todays world? It's similar to betting on the stock market?

BDS -- you give some food for thought...
I agree with several here. I wasn't quite caught by the 2008/09 shortage or this "Great" one. I have always been one to buy either in bulk or a little at a time to shore up my supplies. It helped me in the 2008 shortage as I was able to shoot and wasn't too worried with the empty shelves and the overpriced sources. Same with this time around, I can ignore all the empty shelves, not panic and not have to buy at the increased panic prices.
As ReloaderFred put it

What I have on hand is nobody's business but mine, and the amount of ammunition I can produce is also nobody's business but mine.......

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But suffice to say, it is quite liberating and satisfying to be able to continue shooting while others are scrambling for ammo.
For a long time, every time I went to WalMart for groceries, etc, I'd go by the ammo counter and buy a couple/three boxes of some ammo, 9mm, 22LR, etc. For bulk buys I would shop for deals, sales and shipping promotions. Before you realize it, a nice stash is built up.

being new to firearms, and reloading - I got lucky as I didn't exactly get caught with my pants down in this - I took a major gamble at the time and bought some bulk supplies based on "most commonly used" stuff I found searching threads. Under normal circumstances, buying 8# of pistol powder before you've discovered what your guns shoot best when you're starting out isn't the best plan, but it worked in my favor - this time.

I am with the others that say a 2+ year supply is pretty good. It's what I'll shoot for when things ease. odds are that - even in a shortage like now - within 24 months you should be able to find at least one batch to reorder.

I know a fellow reloader that is determined to never get caught short again. I think he bought about 30+# of red dot over the past few month. and god only knows how many bullet's and primers are stacked up.

Myself, I took on a couple odd handyman jobs to pay off the credit card bills while stocking up. Ended up being a double "win" for me, since I was working a few side nights, and not shooting or having opportunities to spend other monies - the cash flow improved a little faster than what I expected. Downside being I also spend a number of weekends and nights where I worked 16+ hours a day - only being home to sleep.

Don't misunderstand, if I were as serious as some of these guys, I'd be stocking up, too. That's just being practical, you can't argue with that. especially if you're running a business.

I got caught with my drawers partway down this time. Not all the way down mind you, but kind of like those of a teenager you might see with his hat on sideways .

I guess I foolishly figured that I was far enough ahead of the curve getting into reloading when I did, that there would be reloading components available, no problem. I was not nearly as clever as I thought I was . It didn't take long for others to come to the same conclusion as I did, when the ammo disappeared off the shelves a few months later. Now, I stock up on/replenish the items that are currently available for purchase and will buy the items that are not available when they do show up.

A four year supply would seem appropriate, I think. It gives one the time to figure out the political climate, where the current regime in power is headed and would allow one to get through the next panic/shortage.

The trick is to allocate the amount of funds that "She Who Keeps Tabs On The Checkbook" will approve of and not impact the current budget. While it is certainly easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission, neither is all that desirable. Nickel and dimeing the CE-NO, is sometimes a more reasonable and productive approach. This is where the extra 100 round boxes of primers,bullets and 1 lb canisters of powder become the items of choice.

Sure, a bulk order of components is cheaper. However, getting this much money allocated into the budget for one expenditure by a rather short sighted CE-NO can be problematic at best. Buy what you need and slip in a little extra for the kitty on each trip to the funhouse. As others have mentioned, it adds up!

This year has brought a few changes in our home. Though I have plenty, my plan is to figure out what we shoot the most and have 2-4 years on hand. And have the same for the neglected calibers.

Having found my favorite powders, those will get a few more years more ahead.

Unless of course, I find some hard to turn down deals.

And thanks for the awareness thread!

As a note, one part of the plan is to stock up with an inventory to cover the shortages, but the other is to have a plan to replenish those supplies.

During this last shortage, i kept my eyes open and jumped on some components that became available. If prices were excessively elevated, I would pass, but at a small premium, it was worth it to me to buy some.

Not necessarily to increase inventory but at least to replace some of what I had consumed in recent times.

It has been helpful this time as the shortages have persisted longer than many anticipated.

Of course, as inventories become available, folks may have been over buying which has caused the shortages to continue.