lessons from the fallout from the last 8 years - and some humor

[LiveLife]

I've been reorganizing the supplies I have collected and have come to a realization. I won't have to buy components again for more than a decade. perhaps longer in certain calibers.

I have seen people buy things in unprecedented volume. I understand stocking up and buying in quantity to save money, and have done so for decades.

Pay your bills first, pay your self second (Savings/retirement(Two separate things)), then see if anything is left for fun stuff you don't absolutely need.

My free money advise for the day.

And very good advise indeed.

I turned 51 this year and for almost 30 years, I have prepared for retirement WHILE enjoying my hobbies. I always paid my bills. I have contributed to 401K and now Roth IRA. To my surprise and due to 401K/Roth IRA growth over the decades, 401K/Roth IRA draw will way exceed my retirement pension from the government. Anyone who works at the minimum should contribute $5,000 yearly limit ($416 a month) into their Roth IRA for retirement and money left over each month into 401K - Believe me, you'll thank me when you turn 60 - My free money advise for life.

One of my many hobbies is buying foreclosures/distressed properties and doing slow rehabilitation while I lived in them as primary residents and additional houses as rentals. During the past 30 years, I have bought/sold several with the 7-9 year real estate cycles and at least doubled the price I paid on each and will continue to do so into retirement. Working on houses is a good way to keep your children busy/out of trouble and quality family time (at least for me ). To reward the "quality family time" they spent with me working on houses, I already bought our son (26) and daughter (18) their houses, both foreclosures paid off in need of work, and they will put to practice of rehabilitating their own houses and remodeling to their tastes.

Of course, during the past 30 years, money LEFT after retirement contributions and real estate investments went to fund my hobbies of USPSA match shooting, reloading, fishing, camping, BBQ, dirt bike/quad riding and 4 wheeling. With almost 500,000 rounds reloaded just for pistol calibers, I spent close to $100,000 in shooting/reloading cost over the decades with close to $10,000 spent just this year on stocking up on various reloading components, 22LR ammo and AR kits/parts/accessories at lowest prices I have seen in recent years.

Believe me, my wife and I gasped when we previously tallied our shooting/reloading expenses to almost $60,000 but I "reassured" her that I probably saved us over $100,000 by not buying factory ammo. After tallying expenses for our other hobbies of 4x4s, toy haulers, quads, etc. that far exceeded shooting/reloading expenses, we both deemed family fun experienced from our costly hobbies was PRICELESS as they created lasting fond family memories.

For me, lessons learned from almost 30 years of shooting and reloading are these:

• Cost of everything goes up over time and reloading components have very long shelf life
• I want to reload/shoot without having to hunt down particular components and buying when components are plentiful/cheaper is better
• I wish I bought double and triple what I stocked up during early decades because I could still be shooting $14/1000 primers and $40/1000 bullets - So now I buy double/triple whenever I can
• Consider using tax refund for "reloading fund" to buy components on sales
• Set aside money each month into "reloading fund" so you can stock up on components when really good deals are offered
• If you shoot a lot, cost of guns and reloading equipment is small compared to cost of components and real savings are obtained from buying bulk, especially bulk bullets in very large quantities of 10,000+
• Focus more on enjoyment of our hobby/passion instead of money which we cannot take with us. Precious time spent shooting with family/friends/neighbors/coworkers and curious/scared Democrats/liberals create lasting memories (many of my Democrat coworkers are now 2A supporters and CCW permit holders). Teaching liberals how to point shoot and realize shooting is fun and essential for self defense when 911 is not available to the point of supporting gun rights is priceless.
• Be friendly and generous with teaching the next generation of shooters and reloaders. I always cover the cost of ammo/components initially shot/reloaded by those new to shooting/reloading and "Pay It Forward" whenever opportunity arises. It creates great first impression by shooting and reloading accurate "match grade" ammunition over factory and fosters good will. And yes, PIF works and I have been rewarded many times over.

I do not consider what I buy as "hoarding" rather investing in reloading components.

20 years from now, I am sure we'll be saying, "Remember when primers were $20/1000 and bullets were $70/1000? I wish I had bought more."

 

[LiveLife]

my credit card points from reloading purchases bought me another gun.

Awesome!

 

[gojones]

I started in the mid 60's with a lyman 310 tool, 100 hornady 150 sp, a can of IMR 4064 and one tray of Rem 9 1/2 primers and a bottle mink oil for lube. A friend of my dad who shot matches gave me a pet load for my Remington 760 pump rifle and a collection of military match brass from Anniston, AL depot where some rifle matches were held. My hands and fingers would hurt after squeezing those 310 tongs for about an hour to load a box of bullets. I still have those tongs.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I usually agree with Walkalong but things may change in the future, at least for California.

Yes, there has not been any threat to reloaders and likely we may not see any threats made during our lifetime but how many "firsts" have we seen during our lifetime from antis' attempt to limit our freedom to enjoy our hobby of shooting? Too many I am afraid.

Starting in 2018, California will impose new restriction on ammunition purchase (both in person and online) requiring background checks with monthly quantity limits. This has turned many to reloading and just about everyone at work who owns firearms is now interested in reloading. IMHO the antis will be attacking reloading/components in time if they feel that will help their cause.

I'm certain that as soon as the Left realizes that reloading exists ( " What !? They can make ammo at the kitchen table ? That must be stopped !), there will be all the pressure you can stand.

I have a family member that is employed in a teaching position at a large Midwestern University - with all the implications that brings. When this family member found out I reloaded, the reaction was astonishment, followed by " what regulations apply to that ? Do you have to be licensed by the Gov't ?"

Watch for it in Kalifas, it's coming.

 

[Walkalong]

They know about it, it's just far down on the list right now.

 

[Dudedog]

But for nearly 2 years I was constantly watching 5 or so web sites for when they got supplies in

Yep remember that routine,
OK so I will take any powder that has listed loads for 9mm and .45 and .223...(fill in the blank here)
Forced me to try a lot of new ones, some I liked, some I didn't care for as much, all went bang and put holes in targets and in the process I found some new favorites.

Watch for it in Kalifas, it's coming.

No doubt, lets see we can charge $50 or $100 for a permit, maybe require a safety class,
Hmmm maybe ban progressive presses, they allow you to load to fast,
CA is just nuts, can't wait to retire and move to a free state.


Side note:
Never would have tried SR7625 and SR4756 if it hadn't been for that, now they are gone and I sort of miss them. (never did understand the SR Small Rifle on what our pistol/shotgun powders)