Back when loaded ammo was less than $300.00 for .223 Rem of 5.56 Nato per thousand I bought lots of ammo, .223, 30 Carbine, 38 Special, 40 S&W and my best buy was $185.00 for 5 thousand Aguilla 22 Long Rifle. One purchase was for Aguila Super Target ($185.00) for 5K and One purchase of Aguil Target ($185.00) for 5K. I already had probably 8k .22lr and 6k 22 Mag. I wasn't into reloading then and I shot a lot so I had a lot of empties. Then in 2013, I went in half with my brother in law on RCBS reloading equipment kit from Natchez for $285.00 with free shipping for RCBS reloading station with everything needed. I then made a box to keep everything in and then I noticed that you couldn't find powder or primers. I cleaned all my casings, about 6k of casings. I started to run low on ammo and have kept an eye on prices. I bought some Lil Gun for my 30 Carbine at $67.00 per pound and a reloader friend told me that I got ripped off and I let the place that ripped my off be known on all my reloading sites. He said that he used to buy powder for about $20-$30 bucks a pound. Primers were above an beyond the going rate but I went ahead an bought at the going price and when I see them on sale, I buy enough to last me a couple of years. Yes, I buy now because of all these idiots that are shooting up churches, schools, shopping malls and the like, I think the government might do something stupid to the lawful gun owners. I live in California and if I want loaded ammo I have to go through a FFL and they get a cut of the price plus I have to give a thumb print which I don't want to do. I reload so I don't have to jump through hoops put before me by people in power. I hope the government realizes that these shootings are not the guns fault but rather the person with the loose screws and itchy trigger finger and has a wanting to be killed by cop, which I hope they get before they take innocent people with them.