Brass to consumables ratio?

[ngnrd]

I'm just curious... Not considering your lower limit for how many rounds of any particular cartridge you feel the need to have loaded at any given time (I typically keep two or three range trips worth loaded, but have more brass than that), what is your average brass to bullet/powder/primer ratio?

Assuming all your brass was empty, how much bullets/powder/primers sitting on the shelf would keep you feeling comfortable with your stock on hand? Enough to make one batch? Two? 10? More?

Right now, I'm sitting on about a 1:3 ratio for just about every cartridge I load, and I haven't had any trouble maintaining that ratio - even in the peak of this panic. But, it seems like whenever I have what I think should be a healthy stockpile of consumables, I feel like I need to buy more brass. Then, when I get more brass, I feel like I need to stock more consumables. It's obviously a vicious circle... :banghead:

So tell me... what do you consider a reasonable ratio to maintain? Am I on the low end at 1:3? And does that ratio change based on usage (hunting round, plinker, SHTF prep, carry gun, etc...)?

 

[williamcrane]

I probably have 3 - 4 thousand .45 ACP and about the same in 9mm brass. I do not have enough primers or powder to load them all.

 

[FROGO207]

I keep 2 years anticipated usage of consumables ahead at minimum. My brass is de-rated at 1 failure in 10 every reloading cycle and I keep enough on hand for that rate. I also will stop range trips or switch to other calibers if stocks for a particular caliber drop below my comfort level. I do not load all that up ahead mind you but I have the primers/propellant/lead for them if I choose to do it however. I would rather my reloading be fluid and load what I need as I go.

 

[45lcshooter]

I try to keep accruing components, have plenty of rounds loaded for zombie day, with plenty of primers and powder to fill about 1 week of constant shooting.

Don't do much shooting, because I work to much and when its hunting season, one need 1 or 2 shots to see if rifle is still sighted in, then that's it, because I'm like most hunters, fall asleep in the woods. So I still have reloads to shoot from when I started reloading over 10yrs ago. Every now and then I'll go out and pop a round off to see if everything works

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

You are not on low end...

I believe a year or two should be enough like some of the above. Ngnd, I do not believe you are behind in the have enough category. In fact, I think there is something about some cartridges that make people more insecure and feel the need for more even after they drag in quite a bit. I am not sure how this works but believe those that have 30-06 and 30-30 must have a lot less need for high round counts, must be something about the hyphen?

I think you can relax a little and live with the brass you have for awhile. Later on if the prices fall you can go back to procuring more at that time. You do not need more brass unless all you have is full and ready to go, and then you could just shoot some and reload instead of going for more brass. So my opinion is you can live with the brass you own whatever the amount as long as it isn't all loaded. This probably makes you want to go out and shoot if you are normal. My first impulse is not to go out and buy more brass, I'd rather shoot.

 

[Motownfire]

For my handgun rounds I keep 4,000-5,000 primers on the bench, once I get down around 1,000 +/- I purchase another brick. As for bullets I do the same. Powder I typically purchase 8 lbs containers, once I get down around 1-2 lbs I purchase another 8lber. I haven't purchased brass in a few years, I re-use my brass.

For my rifle rounds I keep far less, my 30-30 & 30-06 are for hunting & the occasional back yard sharpshooter contest with my buddies.

 

[beatledog7]

I don't keep an inventory of components, but my back-of-a-napkin assessment is that I would run out of bullets for most semi-auto handgun cartridges (9mm, 357Sig, .40S&W, .45ACP) before anything else, and I would run short of brass for .380, 38SPL/357Mag, and most (other than .223 Rem) rifle cartridges. I'd just about break even on .223 rounds.

I could load my existing other than .223 rifle brass 3-4 times with the primers, powder, and bullets I have on hand.

Given the quantities of assembled rounds I have on hand, I'm not losing any sleep over any of this.

 

[Otto]

I have around 65,000 pistol cases and twice that many primers.
In rifle brass it's somewhere around 7000 cases with three times as many primers.
5 gallon buckets are all pistol.....Rifle brass are kept in 40mm ammo cans.

 

[ReloaderFred]

My supply is about what Otto's is, only I have three tumblers...... I try to stay a few years ahead of my needs.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[GLOOB]

The amount of primers and powder I keep is related to how much I shoot. This has pretty close to nothing to do with how much empty brass I have.

The amount of brass I have is highly related to 1. how long I've been shooting/scrounging that caliber, and 2. how common it is to find pickup brass in that caliber. If I have enough brass for 3 range sessions, I have enough brass in that caliber.

in 223, I can see the day where I have picked up so much brass, I have more brass than components. I'm pretty close, as it is. That's fine. I won't buy more components unless I start shooting more.

 

[cfullgraf]

So tell me... what do you consider a reasonable ratio to maintain? Am I on the low end at 1:3? And does that ratio change based on usage (hunting round, plinker, SHTF prep, carry gun, etc...)?

I do not stock reloading components based on the number of cases that I have. i figure how much I will shoot per a unit time and keep that level of supplies on hand.

As far as cases, I buy cases when I find them on sale and stock pile them for the future. The inventory varies by cartridge. I replace lost or failed cases into the reloading rotation as needed. When the new case inventory gets low, I buy more but I usually have found a deal on cases that this never happens.

I have no intention of loading up all of my empty cases, just load enough for the inventory I feel I need. That varies from a few hundred for certain rifle cartridges to a thousand or so for certain handgun cartridges.

In 2010, I anticipated the results of the 2012 elections and started to increase my supplies on hand. I have been weathering the shortages quite well. I hope to be able to replenish my supplies soon.

 

[-Gadsden-]

That's beautiful, Otto!

 

[gacajun]

I have around 65,000 pistol cases and twice that many primers.
In rifle brass it's somewhere around 7000 cases with three times as many primers.
5 gallon buckets are all pistol.....Rifle brass are kept in 40mm ammo cans.

Otto....man that picture of the brass is beautiful!

 

[1SOW]

For Pistols: I try try stay a year ahead on everything, but having problems getting bullet supplies replenished.

I ignored .22LR and THAT was a BIG mistake..

 

[witchhunter]

Otto, that is a pile of brass.... I took inventory a week ago and am down to 49,000 primers and just under 100,000 bullets in inventory. Thought I could use a few more of each, now I am certain of it. I don't have near that much brass though. Under a thousand each for my rifles. 2000 each for the short guns. (all loaded)

 

[TheSaint]

I've just started to delve into reloading this month for the first time. I've ordered 12,000 of both small pistol and rifle primers, 16 lbs of powder and casting equipment to make bullets out of my own molds, plus also ordered a bunch of plates and dies for the LNL. In total, I've spent about $3k just to get started this month alone. Only $600 of it has shipped, the rest is on backorder.

I'd like to order some 9mm and 223 pistol brass, but can't seem to find a really good deal on some once-fired. If anyone wants to offer a suggestion where I can buy in bulk (I'm thinking at least 500, preferably more like 1000-5000 or more) and save some dough, I'm willing to drop the money and consider it my initial investment. Any tips for the newbie guys?

 

[FROGO207]

It is out there, all you have to do is be willing to hunt around some and it is not that bad IMHO. Most of my brass has been discarded range brass collected over the years. The brass droughts seem to go in cycles also. I have more than enough on hand already to fuel my shooting needs for life.

 

[Searcher4851]

I never really did a ratio type evaluation of components to brass. I just always figure you can never have too much of anything. However, one can PAY too much, so when I find a good deal on something, I buy it whether there's a "need" for it in the near term or not. Some calibers I have enough for many years of shooting, and others, I'm down to maybe a year's worth of shooting of some components. I can just stretch those calibers out by shooting others in the mean time.
Keeping an overstock on hand has allowed me to help out some other shooters in these lean times, and has made for good trading stock as well.

 

[glider1]

After seeing what some of you guys have I guess I'm a light wieght. I like to keep 1000 loaded rounds of what I shoot alot of and 500 cases ready to load. I load for 8 handgun calibers but some of them like 41 mag I only have 2 or 3 hundred loaded rounds for. I guess I probably have 7000 loaded rounds right now and maybe components for another 3000, I'm getting low on components. I load as I shoot. Shot about 200 rounds yesterday so I'll load those before the next range trip. All of my shooting is just for fun, no competition, so I really don't go thru alot of ammo and I bounce around with calibers alot. I've started buying new brass because it's cheaper than used is going for and folks aren't leaving brass at the range anymore. They have become very neat, to bad.

 

[osage48]

Have you all considered buying brass, primers, powder, bullets, ammo, etc instead investing in the stock market? Stock market goes down, but I have yet to see these go down.

 

[dickttx]

Osage48, hello from another Okie (displaced for the last 30 years), from across the state from Osage country.
Not necessarily true about the investment. I bought some Ruger stock about a year and a half ago and last December their special cash dividend was enough for me to buy an SR1911COM.

 

[osage48]

dickttx, glad to hear you spent the money wisely! My wife asked me to buy a generator and some gold prior to Y2K. I ended up with a welding machine on a trailer and gold at $280/oz. She likes guns too. I got a keeper!

 

[David E]

I no longer concern myself with pointless ratios.

This latest madness gave me the kick I needed to finally LOAD my components into actual ammo ready to shoot.

Would you rather have 2000 loaded rds and components on hand to load another 3000, or 5000 rounds ready to shoot?

 

[dickttx]

Gad, I hope you are not hoarding that gold!!
Or planning to profiteer on it!!!
I am sure you will sell it at the price you bought it for, to someone who is needing gold and doesn't want to pay the ridiculous price they are asking for it now. Because no one saved them any.

 

[sfc_mark]

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