Are You Hoarding or Simply Stocking Up?

[CQB45ACP]

I posted a similar question on another thread, but it didn’t belong there, and I really would like to get some idea what other folks think on this very subjective scale.

We’ve beat the “economics of a shortage” discussion to death. Don’t need to hear it again.

Since no one knows who I am, I’ll reveal I now have about 6K SPP, 15K LPP, 15lbs of powder, 4K 45ACP boolits, and 4K 9mm. I also have about 3K loaded 45ACP and 1K 9mm. I continue to buy primers as they become available. I also occasionally buy bullets. Not buying powder right now.

I do not think I’m hoarding at all. You won’t offend me if you disagree.

In a typical pre-pandemic month I shot maybe 4K per. Much less now, but once I get the vaccine....

A very recent poster elsewhere on this forum just bought 20K bullets. I didn’t blink. Did you? Would I have if he had said 20K primers or 20 lbs of powder? I doubt it, but might have wondered how many he already had.

A year ago I would’ve thought California’s arbitrary 10K limit on primers was unnecessary but not outrageous as far as California goes. Now I believe it’s way too low UNLESS the state will assure availability of the next 10K (if you understand my point).

There are years old YouTubes of reloaders I would’ve called hoarders in the past. Not any more.

 

[forrest r]

What you have is $$$ in the bank.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I have enough for 5 good years or a lifetime of scrimping.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I maintain a heavy inventory all the time. It's just in my DNA I guess. I cruised through a shortage one time and didn't even know it was going on.
That was pre-internet.
If we want to preserve our way of life we have to have components to do it with. Once I'm at a comfortable level I continue to maintain that.
But I will not pay scalpers prices to maintain it. That's when I wait out the shortage and then build it back up when the episode is over.
This has worked for me for decades.

 

[Constrictor]

Why does it matter?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Why does it matter?

Why does anything matter?

 

[Ru4real]

Tomato, tomaaato.

I’m hoarding.

No, wait, I’m stocking up!

 

[mcb]

At this point I am using my stockpiled supplies bought when prices and supply was good to avoid the current high prices and short supply. I will buy if I find a deal on something I use but for now I am using my stores more to get through this sellers market.

 

[Bartojc]

I wouldn’t stock up at today’s prices. You ever heard buy low sell high ? If I found something at close to normal prices I’d buy. Just using what I had in stock now and waiting for thing to come back.
Jeff

 

[JDeere]

Let's just say I'm a shooter and stay prepared. Now if I could find some spp at a fair price I would be set. I never had the need for spp until I recently picked up a 686 for a good price. That's ok though srps work just fine and will have to do for now...

 

[CQB45ACP]

I maintain a heavy inventory all the time. It's just in my DNA I guess. I cruised through a shortage one time and didn't even know it was going on.
That was pre-internet.
If we want to preserve our way of life we have to have components to do it with. Once I'm at a comfortable level I continue to maintain that.
But I will not pay scalpers prices to maintain it. That's when I wait out the shortage and then build it back up when the episode is over.
This has worked for me for decades.

Thanks. My dna too. The easiest job I ever had was planning continuity of operations, just came naturally. But since I don’t have component or ammo shortage experience, lots of unknown unknowns as they say.

 

[Johnnyd]

I'm only buying what's reasonably priced. I buying bullets today that I won't be using until about 2022-23. I don't care that they won't be delivered until April.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I think folks are underestimating the coming pain and thus miscalculating this shortage and it’s length/potential permanence.

 

[AK Hunter]

It's only hording if you buy more than you could ever use. Mummm you could say I'm close to that.
But I would rather be a hoarder than without. In these panic times who can tell??

 

[stonebuster]

Four thousand rds per month=48K per year. 21K primers + 4K loaded rounds means you're under a six month supply. I think you need to keep buying and get busy reloading. As for myself, I hoarded Wal-Mart closeout ammo when it was so cheap it was silly and just recently started reloading. I'm stocking up on components as they become available as I don't think our situation is going to get much better anytime soon for a number of reasons. I'm also limiting my range trips and rounds fired. I realize now I was wasting a lot of ammo shooting after fatigue set in and I got sloppy.

 

[Erief0g]

Don't even want to put it in print.

I have a lot of supplies.. very much big supply...

It's evened out nicely powder, primer, projectiles, lead ingots. The ratio is pretty much in line with powder having the largest stock once all materials are used.

Used to say needed a two year supply to whether the storm. Never realized that this storm would also severely limit shooting. I think this whole year the wife and I only shot 6k rounds and that was on our ten day vacation in Pennsylvania.

 

[Random 8]

Right now, I'm having a good time using up stuff from my "random stuff" pile for casual shooting, saving my first line components for matches and hunting. Shortages are a time for me to consolidate the reloading room and expend old, one-off, picked up at a yard sale type of stuff, and practice my field position shooting. Sometimes I even find a real winner of a load by accident.

I am actively looking to add to some first line components at normal or near normal prices, even though I have 4-5 years worth in inventory. That probably counts as light hoarding. If I were still buying powder, that would definately be hoarding, as I have A LOT. Only reason I have a lot, is I got a really good deal on 3 of the primary powders I use at a time when my checking account was deep.

I try not to hoard, as I define the word. Buying more than one can reasonably use before entropy or future value vs inflation catches up to the supply. I find it very sad when a fellow shooter at our club dies, and the widow is selling off multiple 8 pound kegs of powder or bricks of .22 match ammo still from the 1980s. Somebody short of supply or cash could have put that to use long ago in lean times.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Four thousand rds per month=48K per year. 21K primers + 4K loaded rounds means you're under a six month supply. I think you need to keep buying and get busy reloading.

Don’t depress me. The only reason I have that much is the pandemic limited range time.

 

[AJC1]

Hoarding is a term used to describe a mental compulsion which negatively impacts your life. If you have a family member or friend with the problem you know exactly what it is. People here are bulk buyers because they dont want to be hindered by a troubled market or bad decisions of others. Having a commodity on hand with a long shelf life is no different than gold or other value Sink. Honestly the value of realoading supplies the price over time never goes down, although there are ridiculous price spikes.

 

[noylj]

Hoarding is what the other guy is doing.
I'm just stocking up, being a prudent person.
Of course, I did that during Obama's reign of incompetence, so I still have stock to last for a while. Was just being proactive, you know. So, if you have an issue now, it is NOT my fault.

 

[Johnnyd]

Its my opinion that you should have a good handle on what you use/need. I try and keep accurate records of what the family and I use. Without that you won't have a clue of what your inventory should be. I don't plan for a zombie apocalypse, civil war or SHTF situations but if you do add that figure to what your total. My thinking is my supplies will last me a while if anything happens.

After you know where you want to be start adding to your inventory when prices are reasonable. Keep records of what you paid. 45 ACP might be looking reasonable but from my records they are high. 9MM is spot on for price, surprising. I made a small order in Oct from a new to me mfg and liked the product and made a larger order yesterday.

I know we usually shoot 50k-65k a year. I know the totals we shot last week, last month and last year.

Know what powders can do double duty. Some shotgun powders work very well in handgun loads.

Know which primers can be substituted in your loads.

Don't buy something because it may be good to trade later for something you may need later. If you don't like scalpers its the same to me. Personally scalping does not bother me. I personally would not do it.

Do you know how much you normally shoot? Would you like that to increase, decrease or stay the same?

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I don't consider keeping a large inventory as hording, I consider hording as panic buying everything in sight after the shortage started. Buying things you will never use.
When there are lots of components on the market for everyone to buy and I still maintain my large inventory, no one accuses me of hording then, so why do people think I'm hording now?
I have plans for all my inventory and when I get to where I can't shoot any more, I will load up everything I have and give the ammo to my son.
He is not interested in reloading but is interested in shooting.
He will have a large supply so it won't go to waste.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Hoarding is a term used to describe a mental compulsion which negatively impacts your life. If you have a family member or friend with the problem you know exactly what it is. People here are bulk buyers because they dont want to be hindered by a troubled market or bad decisions of others. Having a commodity on hand with a long shelf life is no different than gold or other value Sink. Honestly the value of realoading supplies the price over time never goes down, although there are ridiculous price spikes.

Yes regrettably I be seen real hoarding and not just on TV. It’s a very sad thing. I should’ve used another term but was lazy. Thanks.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Hoarding is what the other guy is doing.
I'm just stocking up, being a prudent person.
Of course, I did that during Obama's reign of incompetence, so I still have stock to last for a while. Was just being proactive, you know. So, if you have an issue now, it is NOT my fault.

Nope not blaming you. My issue now is Walmart quit selling handgun ammo and I stared reloading because I didn’t want to buy truckloads of ammo at the gun show. Now I’d have to buy truckloads of components at the gun show.

 

[Thomasss]

Well, I like to use toilet paper and for 4 months there wasn't any in the stores until they started limiting it to 2 packs per person. Farm and Fleet started limiting 2 boxes of ammo/person and now there is some on the shelves. I have some powder and like to shoot for fun. I figure I have a 2 year supply in pistol and rifle. I am concerned about all primers I use and pick 'em up whenever they are available at the right price. A month ago I found Federal small pistol match @ $50/brick. Now I wonder if I should have bought 2. (Was limited 2 per person,) Arms List is showing local private sales of LR at $100/1000 or more. That is ((*&^%$&.