New reloaders.....

[Demi-human]

there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

For the Handloader, there is nothing more to life other than chasing Bigfoot.

And I’ve found him more often than not.

Don’t quit yet. Ha. It’s not like you’ve even started to quit! Save your handloading accoutrements in a dry box and wait for primers to become available. One day you’ll be walking down some sporting goods shop’s aisles and spot a box of primers. You’ll remember your stuff, buy them and be all set.
It’s not like it’ll go bad waiting.

Or, sell your stuff in the Reloading Buy, Sell and Trade section here.
Help a fellow member out and rid yourself of burden!
(And leave less competition for primers for me! Muhahahahaa!)

 

[jonas66]

@flatsticks: geez, why quit so soon? Or why call it quitting, anyway. Just put the stuff away for now and come back to it later, if nothing else.

I mean, admittedly, I have my worries about whether we'll get back to anything like what we used to call normal anytime soon, but we might.

I knew for most of my adult life that I would eventually become a handloader, it just took forever to get around to it. I started collecting brass 8 years before I started.
I began studying in earnest almost a year before I bought any gear or components. I read everything I could get my hands on.

And here's a thing: when I started, (november 2019!) I remembered the ammo panics of the Obama presidency, and what happened to the markets after Sandy Hook-- and I listened to the old-timers here and elsewhere.
I bought cheap and stacked deep. I made it a rule to never miss a good deal if I could at all afford it. Even if I could only get a little bit of something here or there, I did it when I could.
I have not regretted that yet. Sometimes I wondered if it made sense or if I was being silly.
Now here we are and I'm set for several years and only wish I had done more when I could have.

My point is that this is probably only a setback, and what you have acquired or purchased is all hard durable goods that will store well for a long time. Nothing is likely to be any easier to get or less expensive in the future - what you have is a good investment in the hobby, or practice, whatever you want to call it.
Start processing brass- read, study, watch videos. Bum primers. Make your own. There are so many facets to reloading and they all deserve attention.

This practice is for me endlessly fascinating as well as practical. I can't imagine giving up because primers are currently expensive and difficult to find.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[jonas66]

@Demi- you beat me while I was writing a book!

For the Handloader, there is nothing more to life other than chasing Bigfoot.

Right?! I remember hearing guys joke about whether they reload to shoot or shoot to reload.
Now I know, now I know!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Appreciate the insight that you all bring to the table. I have ended up with 2,000 small pistol primers as I have run low on 38 special bullets and look forward to reloading those in addition to the 223 and 6.5 creedmoor
Like one other poster said I would be willing to trade some small pistol primers for the small rifle primers and large rifle primers that I will need ( just ordered another gun and bullets will not be easy to find )
Located in PA in the Scranton area if anybody is local .
Look forward to learning what I can from the members here .

—-
I’m slap out of srp and close to out of spp but I did luck into a good supply of Hornady 357” 158gr LSWC hollow point and some lrp. I’m in Florida but if I can help a brother out up north without having to drive across the ga fl line I’m willing to try. Drop me a message and we’ll figure something out.

 

[MFInc]

Just got into it. Don't have quite everything I need. Just wish I would have sooner before the rush. I want to shoot a lot though when I want and not have to worry about conserving good factory ammo.I was fortunate to find some primers about 2 months ago.

 

[ballman6711]

I was at bps today and a box of 50 44 mag rounds was 47 dollars plus tax. There is no way you could not save a pile at those rates. I shoot 357 and those were not a available at any cost.

About two weeks ago I picked up a box of 480 Ruger for $40 (twenty rounds). I can load twenty rounds for about $17 using new brass, or about $7 if I take the cost of brass out.

Flatsticks, don't give up. Think of it as a hobby and have fun with it. Primers are available right now at premium prices, but will be available again soon at fair prices. Read, research, and learn while looking for supplies. See if you can trade some of your current supplies for someone else's primers. Be patient and treat it as a hobby, not a necessity.

It's a hobby worth getting into, although now is a tough time to start. But if you're patient, you may find it worth your time.

chris

 

[ballman6711]

I want to shoot a lot though when I want and not have to worry about conserving good factory ammo

With a bit of time and experience you'll make ammo as good or better than factory for less.

chris

 

[Warpiece]

Well looks you can add me to the quitter list . bought the stuff I needed except the primers that I can not find . shortest reloading career ever . wasted money on powder and components only to never get one load worked . suppose I can donate the stuff somewhere . hate quitting anything and never have but this just isn't working . hope the other newbies fair better. there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

I'm in Hamburg PA, not sure how far away you are, maybe an hour or two. I have some SRP and LRP I would be willing to trade to at least give you an opportunity to see if you like it enough to ride out the shortages. If that sounds something you'll be interested in doing, send me a pm

 

[jonas66]

With a bit of time and experience you'll make ammo as good or better than factory for less.

I have a shootin' buddy who's always been a much better shot than I am.
He took a dim view of my new hobby last year. Dangerous. Unsafe. Unreliable.
Then he found out that 4.2 grains of 231 under a Zero 230 fmj turned his sloppy Tisas into a 45 foot ray gun.
And then he saw what I -- a less than average shot-- was doing with 3.8 grains of n310 under a hand cast 200 grain rnfp out of a 4.25" pistol at 50 foot.
AND then he found out that load cost me about $2.57 per box of 50.

I loved that day.

 

[Dudedog]

Well looks you can add me to the quitter list . bought the stuff I needed except the primers that I can not find . shortest reloading career ever . wasted money on powder and components only to never get one load worked . suppose I can donate the stuff somewhere . hate quitting anything and never have but this just isn't working . hope the other newbies fair better. there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

Don't call it quits yet.
Yes times are hard right now but they should get better. Wait it out and be prepared for the next time this happens.

 

[jebova2301]

Well looks you can add me to the quitter list . bought the stuff I needed except the primers that I can not find . shortest reloading career ever . wasted money on powder and components only to never get one load worked . suppose I can donate the stuff somewhere . hate quitting anything and never have but this just isn't working . hope the other newbies fair better. there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

I hate telling people that I think they are making bad choices, but I think jumping out now is an incredibly bad choice.

Take a step back and just think about this for a few moments. You have everything you need, aside from primers. If you get rid of it all, where are you going to be during the next panic? In the exact same boat as you are, now.

Alternately, you can just store the stuff and wait for availability to come around, and start stockpiling. Then, when the next panic comes around, you are in excellent shape.

I'm saying this from experience. I decided to get into reloading right after sandy hook happened. Things were rough, and finding powder was a real challenge. When I couldn't find powder, I just kept buying more bullets and primers. Finally, when powder came up, I bought some. A lot, actually. For the past few years, I was constantly buying supplies. Since this whole thing started, the only thing I have bought is a box of federal large rifle primers, since I started reloading for a mauser my grandpa brought back from ww2.

Yes, getting started right now can be tough, but the juice is worth the squeeze. Even if you decide to get rid of it, what other real alternatives do you have right now? Pay the exorbitant price for ammo in today's market? You might as well just keep on the prowl for primers and then you are ready as soon as you find them.

 

[GaryL]

I have been told by various people that reloading is unsafe, not profitable, ect... you will blow yourself or the gun up but after reading many websites and especially this one, I don't see the issues. Follow the load charts, cross check data, start low and never get complacent.

You're on the right path. The only thing I would add is double check your powder drop. I use mirrors and lights on my press to see into the case before placing a bullet. I also tend towards powders that fill the case to make a double charge more than obvious.

Nice to see the new members on the boards.

 

[stillquietvoice]

I started handloading at 13, back in 1978. Started with 12 and 20 ga shotshells, progressed to rifle and pistol cartridges. Over the years I've found I make better ammo than most factories van mass produce. I've gone through some hard times trying to procure components, family obligations, bills, and not a lot of extra money has made it so I can't stockpile much inventory, but all of my equipment has paid for itself many times over and my buddies wonder how I can still get out and shoot once a week, a little less with virus going on. Stock with it times right now are tough, but will improve.

Just as an incentive to wait it out I'll show you these
This is my 243 at 200 yds going a load workup with h4350 and 100 gr hornandy interlock spbt.


And my 7mm08 at 300 after installing a new Burris ff2 4.5-14x42.

 

[jmorris]

OP, that’s the way I feel, would rather light a candle than curse the darkness but I already had everything I need.

A sustained increase in reloading activity will increase production at some point vs riding the waves of overstock, everyone is full to bare shelves panic.

Not to mention they will be more invested in the shooting sports than others that just bought a gun because they thought they were going to be banned. That makes them more likely to vote too.

 

[GaryL]

Well looks you can add me to the quitter list . bought the stuff I needed except the primers that I can not find . shortest reloading career ever . wasted money on powder and components only to never get one load worked . suppose I can donate the stuff somewhere . hate quitting anything and never have but this just isn't working . hope the other newbies fair better. there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

I don't know your situation, but if you can wait, you will find the components you need. You could go from actively searching to passively looking - i.e. when time permits, check the sticky at the top of this board, check a couple supplier sites, when you're in a gun store, take a moment to check out the components area.

A couple other guys mentioned they are willing to help out new guys in need of components. During the last shortage, one of our long time members started a pay it forward thread https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/pay-it-forward-in-reloading.698208/
Maybe it's time to get it going again. I could spot someone a 100 primers if they are in my area.

For many of us, this isn't our first rodeo, and it's the same thing over and over. The only thing about the "end of the shortage" is that when components start showing up, they are snapped up fairly quickly, and it seems to take a long time to recover. New reloaders need components, high volume reloaders need to restock, and many people are making sure they never run short again. And about the time everything settles down and components are on the shelf, at a slightly higher price that makes them less attractive, political theater steps in and suddenly those components are very attractive, and poof, the next shortage begins.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Never needed to reload but do on occasion. I have a hefty supply of ammo and dont shoot that much just enough to maintain a modicum of proficiency. I’m not looking to be a high speed low drag operator.

I have 3 presses, a few lbs of powder and a couple hundred bullets and I save all my brass. I have been collecting primers like a social disease for around a decade now. I think I have around 20 thousand of various makes and sizes. Even ones I will never need. Before you start screaming hoarder....and you would be right in a way.....I bought 10000 at once at a swap meet for pennies on the dollar so I have not really contributed to the “shortage” in that regard since I bought them second hand.

 

[rfwobbly]

I have been told by various people that reloading is unsafe, not profitable, ect... you will blow yourself or the gun up but after reading many websites and especially this one, I don't see the issues. Follow the load charts, cross check data, start low and never get complacent. Hope to continue reloading until health or wife stops me but she likes ammo too much for that to happen.

IMHO your view of humanity is skewed. Don't get me wrong, I love people and try to help where I can through local soup kitchens, thrift stores and ESL programs.

However, if you think the average shooter/reloader lives on THR, then you are mistaken. The intelligence present on this forum is NOT alive and well in the general community. Exhibit A is the Reddit Reloading forum. Reddit is like Wikipedia in that all the information is there, but instead of the most relevant information showing up first (as with Google), users vote the information presented up or down with a "Like" button as on Facebook. So each post is then subject to the whims of their 51,000 reloading subscribers. If your response is too technical, like a suggesting to "use your calipers to measure", then you are quickly down voted by reloaders that believe calipers aren't required.

But that's not where it stops... 1) Users are free to express themselves any way they want. There are no restrictions on language or content, because, factual or not, 'every person's view is valuable'. More often than not, wisdom is trampled to death. 2) Those who shout the loudest (usually using 3 and 4 word opinion-based posts like "F** that S**") carry the day. It's really the digital version of Antifa bullying. Opinion trumps fact. Power to the people; even if the average IQ is 89 !

If you really want to see the 'average' modern reloader, then spend a week on Reddit. It's truly scary.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

If you really want to see the 'average' modern reloader, then spend a week on Reddit.

---
No thanks. My faith is in Humanity, not people.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
- Agent K

 

[jebova2301]

If you really want to see the 'average' modern reloader, then spend a week on Reddit. It's truly scary.

It may be a little scary, but it is also sometimes comical(in the sad clown way). For the best in cringe, check the r/****tyreloading subreddit. That one will give you some real head scratchers. Even if you have made some mistakes in the past, the mistakes on there will make you feel like you are on the verge of perfection.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

We have all seen the effects of all the new first time gun buyers on gun and ammo supplies. I know two life time shooters just getting into reloading for the first time. One has had a press in storage for twenty years.
I have helped him some getting started with primers. Is it possible that new loaders are also a sizable part of the current component shortage.
I think it would be awesome to get tons of people new to reloading. I have only been reloading for two years and am loving it. This shortage has seemed like a perfect storm, I hope there is a bright lining of new loaders.

---
This is exactly why I opened up two new threads - "How old is too old for a reloading manual?" and "Who keeps a personal 'Pet Loads' book?" - I get asked a lot by newbies about how to get going with reloading. rfwobley's right: there's a lot of bad information out there in the world of the internet. When some smarter people get burned by that bad information, they go looking for good information. Not-so-smart people get discouraged and give up or join the chorus of idiots and parrot the childish rants. As a sober person, I get asked for my opinions - like I'm sure most here do - partly because I'm good friends with the owners of three gun stores and they refer customers to me; also though, because I'm patient and willing to help people out if they seem nice and sincere in their efforts. Even if we can't all agree on what "best" we do better that rants and stupidity. Good references and best experience + judgement-based opinions is all any of us have to offer - even if me or someone else here isn't giving people the "best" advice, at least we're giving them "better" advice, I suppose.

One of the first things I tell any new reloader is, "Documentation is your friend."

 

[flatsticks]

Appreciate all of the advice by people who have seen and done it all in this hobby/ passion. . can't stand being a quitter and never have been , just really frustrated at the moment ( more than I could ever have imagined ) to be so close but yet so far . right now is my slowest time of year no fishing, hunting , yard work or golfing . guess I cant understand why the stores dont limit quanities on a hard to get item . we had that done with Lysol and with my wife a nurse we really had to look to find any . My Dad has lost all of his huntng partners so he only has me now and I believe he would not have went out for deer if I did not go with him. . Lost my Mom suddenly and trying to spend as much time with him and learn as much as I can , which includes his reloading knowledge. somebody mentioned the thread with the components , that thing has been my online life for months and not sure that is healthy .looking at Armslist I see all of these primers but people can't ship them because of the hazmat deal and I get it . at a standstill I suppose . at least with Golf I could go work on my technique if I was struggling withthe game . learned the most and gotten so much betetr at golf from the times when the game was the hardest .

 

[ballman6711]

learned the most and gotten so much betetr at golf from the times when the game was the hardest .

The game is hard right now. Use this time to learn the most. Read, study, research and learn, and set up your bench, press, and dies, and make a few dummy rounds.

Lost my Mom suddenly

I'm truly sorry for your loss. I'm going through issues right now with my GF of about twelve years, ruptured brain aneurysim in Sept. She came home to me Nov 3rd, and it's been tough going but I'm learning and not giving up on her or us.

Don't ever give up on your family, friends, or dreams. Spend time with loved ones, but always make time for yourself.

IF you quit now, you'll never know what you may have been able to do. Be patient, ride out the storm, and start loading when you can find the primers you need.

chris

 

[jimmyvegas29]

I feel like part of the shortage is from an influx of primer buyers that dont even reload buying up primers to take advantage of the current prices. Most of us doing that have been doing this a while wont pay those prices, but new reloaders who are desperate enough will and that just fuels the prices. There is no shortage of primers on gunbroker, armslist, local/regional gun trader websites

 

[BCR#1]

Well looks you can add me to the quitter list . bought the stuff I needed except the primers that I can not find . shortest reloading career ever . wasted money on powder and components only to never get one load worked . suppose I can donate the stuff somewhere . hate quitting anything and never have but this just isn't working . hope the other newbies fair better. there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

CHILL out dude. You were happy to get 2K of SPP a little over a month a go and now you want to throw in the towel cause you can't find any SRP? I don't load small rifle so I don't know if it's safe to do because of a softer cup but will a SPP safely work in a 5.56 case?

Bill

 

[Bat Rastard]

Well looks you can add me to the quitter list . bought the stuff I needed except the primers that I can not find . shortest reloading career ever . wasted money on powder and components only to never get one load worked . suppose I can donate the stuff somewhere . hate quitting anything and never have but this just isn't working . hope the other newbies fair better. there has to be more to life than chasing a ghost , unicorn , bigfoot whatever you want to call it .

Don't quit. Wait it out.