Does reloading change your "stash" levels?

[Dnaltrop]

My stash has gone to next to nothing, not that I could keep much of a stash in the first place.

At night finished shells take on a magical life of their own, and dance slilently through the air to whisper in my ear while I sleep.

"Shoooot us... We're so SAAAAAaaaad here in this dark box.... SHOOOOOOOOOT usssssssss......"

 

[codefour]

Thanks to a good friend that introduced me to reloading and all the helpful members here, I have not bought a factory round in two years since I started loading my own.

Now for stashes, I try and keep a full .30 cal ammo can for each caliber that I shoot regularly. I blast through 9mm like it is water, but I load it for 1/4 the cost of WalMart new stuff.

I also like to have a lot of prepped brass on hand. For instance, I have a five gallon bucket of .308 and .223 that is clean, sized, and trimmed waiting to be loaded. The same goes for handgun brass with the exception of .357 and .44 Mag brass. I probably have three gallons worth of those.

And for components, I like to keep at least enough compnonents on hand to load at least a thousand rounds of a particular caliber. In some cases, a few thousand rounds worth of components.

I do rotate the loaded ammo. I do not want the loaded ammo at the bottom of the can to get stale....

Am I "nuts?" Probably, but I shoot so much more since I started handloading. And why not, that is why we do this hobby.

 

[Wildbillz]

Being able to load and having the supply on hand was the only thing that allowed me to be able to shoot during the last big ammo scare. I did have to brake down and buy one box of 380acp when I bought a LCP as I didn't have brass or bullets to load for that one. Other then that, the scare never affected me. If I wanted ammo I went out to the reloading bench and made a box or two. Now I will be needing to do a bit of stocking up in the next year or so here though to replace some of the things I used.

I would like to try to keep enough supplys to reload all the brass I have about 10 times.

I will be hard pressed to buy some of these.

Pull down USGI 147grn FMJ. They are all most as much as buying new comercial ones.

Pull down powder. Price has driven it up to the point that I will most likly buy new stuff and not worry about the age of what I am getting.

Brass, seems all brass has a little gold mixed in it. Or you would think so by the prices of it.

Primers are avalibe and prices are fair for right now. Just need to decide what brand and how many.

Cast lead bullets. I have not be able to find a good local source so I will have to order from the net. Not a bad thing just going to drive the price up a bit.

The hard part is getting all the $$$ togather to pay for all of it.

Reloading is also a great way to build up your ammo stash. Just load it and store it till needed. I keep my eyes open and pickup all the unwanted brass that I can at the range. I use to get a lot of 9mm for nothing. Now more and more guys are picking it up and selling it or reloading it.

Just my .02 on it.
WB

 

[MrOldLude]

I don't intentionally stash anything. I reload until one of my supplies is depleted. Usually, it's brass.

 

[USSR]

Reloading simply changes your stash from loaded rounds to components. Things you can do to lower your cost: First and foremost, cast your own bullets. Aside from that, buy your components in quantity for online retailers such as Powder Valley, Wideners, and Graf & Sons. Regarding buying milsurp bullets, powder, and brass online, you missed the boat; the prices went up substantially in the past 5 years, and there just isn't the savings there that there once was. I would suggest looking for deals on the various forums for once-fired brass, as they can be found there with some searching.

Don

 

[4895]

My stash level has increased since I started reloading. Since I was a small boy, I've almost always had about (300) .22lr ammo, (50) 20 gauge shells, and (100) .30 M-1 carbine ammo.

When I started buying rifles and pistols, my stash would go up to maybe 200 rounds per caliber, less in rifle.

Now that I reload, I tend to keep more brass and bullets than anything else. I'm going to build a magazine for primers and powder, but keep less than I would like. I mostly buy in 1 lb. cans.

I have never had more than 1000 rounds loaded up for a single caliber, but that is a far cry from 300 .22lr shells. Now, as someone mentioned, I try to keep components so that I can make changes as necessary and not have a stash of 200 or 300 rounds of .30-06 that could shoot better with different components. Instead, I keep the brass prepped for loading in my spare time and record in a log book what loads do ok. I have not experienced that MOMENT where you shoot a 1 hole group with any handloads....yet. The ranges are bit of a drive for me and free time isn't so free these days.

 

[James2]

Just wondering how you guys feel about it and if your "min/max levels" changed after you had reloading capability?

Yes, those levels certainly did increase after starting reloading.

 

[Waywatcher]

How about if you shoot 900 and stash 900. Is that acceptable?

In my opinion, not as good as using 1600 for practice and storing 200, etc.

 

[mgmorden]

I don't "stash" much ammo. I like to keep at least a box or so of ammo for anything that I have so that if I wanted to go out and shoot it I always can, but other than that I don't stockpile ammo. I do often stockpile components though. That allows me to buy in bulk but I don't tie up my components into loaded rounds until I need them. With my luck I'd load a few thousand 9mm and then get into a revolver phase and have no primers left .

 

[Hondo 60]

Reloading has definitely increased my stash levels.

I used to only keep 100 or so rounds on hand for each caliber I own ( 7 calibers).
I now have many, many times that for each one.

 

[thump_rrr]

I began reloading at the same time as I began to shoot so reloading hasn't changed my stash levels. It has however enabled me to seek out specials on bulk purchases.
I generally keep 5000 primers of each type in stock.
I also purchase my bullets in lots of 5000 for pistol and 500 for rifle with the exception of .223.

I generally keep 2000 rounds of pistol ammo loaded per caliber just because I hate changing calibers for a few hundred rounds.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I have a fair amount of ammo loaded, some manufactured, most hand-rolled. I'm sure others have much more on hand than I, yet others may not have quite as much.

As of the past few years I have been shooting less (like barely ever), so the ammo stays the same. I know what my guns will do and that is the most important thing as far as I'm concerned.

I would like to take some course sometime, some kind of defense course.

 

[tahoe2]

I like to keep about 400 rounds on hand for each of my rifles(9) and 600-1000 for each of my handguns(4) and about 500 for each shotgun(3). I probably have 2000 in components(1000-rifle & 1000-handguns). All my shotgun ammo is store bought. Oh yeah + 2000 of .22's

 

[Hogpauls]

Before I started reloading I had 2000 factory rounds for each caliber. Everytime I'd find a good deal I'd pickup a box or two and put them into an ammo can. Now I only load rounds that I will shoot and I like to keep 1000 (minimum) for each caliber. As far as components I like to have enough to load 5000 for each caliber. I'll still buy factory if and when I see the price is right.

 

[OldTex]

My stash of ammo has increased a little, but my stash of components has grown exponentially. I'm pretty sure I have a lifetime supply of brass in most calibers.

 

[Bush Pilot]

I don't keep huge quantities of loaded ammo around, maybe 2-3,000 for each of my main calibers. I do keep components stacked to the ceiling and a bench full of Dillon presses, it's just as good as having the loaded ammo ammo IMO. That reminds me, I have to go run off 500 rounds of 10mm before tomorrow morning.