Shooting "guilt" is finally getting to me...

It really bums me out to admit this, but the guilt of shooting is starting to get to me.

Let me explain a bit...

After late 2012, I basically stopped shooting until around late summer of 2014. With prices going insane, I felt absurd shooting what ammo I had for fear that there wouldn't be a time when I could replace it...or, at least, replace it for what I considered a "reasonable" price.

Fast forward to now. I now reload, but all of us know how that scene is going at the moment. Materials are scarce, insanely expensive, or non existent.

I've been shooting steady all summer and while I still have all kinds of reloading supplies...I'm beginning to get the "guilt" when I reload and go shooting. I'm contemplating cooling it for the time being...which really stinks as shooting and reloading is really my only hobby. My buddy stopped shooting completely last spring. He doesn't reload and mostly buys/shoots in real time so he has no real stores to draw from.

Either way...mostly rambling, wondering what others are experiencing.

*EDIT*

I think that some of you have misunderstood what I'm trying to say here. I do not feel guilty that I have shooting supplies and others do not. I feel a crummy since of guilt when I shoot up my own stores when I'm uncertain when I'll be able to restock.

 

Buy it cheap, stack it deep.

...or load it/stack it, if you reload.

I'm shooting less, that's for sure, but I know that stopping completely means my skills are likely to take a hit.

 

No guilt here. I am shooting up my supplies that I bought when prices were low and enjoying myself. I don't intend to buy anything ammo related this entire year except some match 22LR.

 

Who are you making feel better by not shooting?

Enjoy the fruits of your planning and foresight and investment as long as you can. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.

 

I laid in a reasonable supply when there was availability, and had started spending less time on centerfire and more on rimfire, so that ammo stock got pretty beefy before the the recent pandemic panic began. I had a great summer at the range shooting rimfire, and I expect with a new can on the way, that will continue.

 

You can never have too much it seems.

 

You should never feel guilty about planning ahead and enjoying what you have amassed. Whether it’s shooting, painting, photography, fishing, whatever; you like it, you planned for it, go enjoy it guilt free .

Others had different priorities, and that’s ok. They freely chose their path, and in your friends case it’s biting him a bit. Don’t shoulder his issue, it’s not fair to you.

Like the ant and the grasshopper fable tells us; whether you work and plan ahead or not, sooner or later winter comes...

Stay safe.

 

You only live once. Do what you love to do. If shooting makes you happy, as long as you're not hurting anyone or yourself (financially, too), DO EET.

 

The smart folks reload.

I haven’t bought factory ammo in many years and have had enough reloading components to last the last of my lifetime and then some. I also have nearly a pallet of rimfires, something on the order of 100,000, that I’ve been steadily buying since the 1980s.

 

I have enough disposable income that I purchased reloading supplies ahead to reflect 5 years use at current levels and "enough" to tide me over if things go wonky. IF things change in the future I will also slow down and only shoot what I can as I restock and when it hits a critical level may stop altogether. Also i have air guns and lots of ammo for them to practice with covid in mind so I dont have to travel.

 

Even though I have a good supply of ammunition, and reloading supplies, especially 22s that I used to burn through like piss through a tin horn, I’m reluctant to shoot much of it incase winter lasts a long time! I will probably do most of my plinking with my air rifles

 

At least you’re still pulling a trigger!

Stay safe.

 

I'm shooting every chance I get and don't feel the least bit of guilt. I had foresight enough to plan ahead. For those that didn't I consider that to be their problem, not mine. Maybe those that got caught with their ammo pants down will learn a lesson from this like I did during the big O's term in office. I didn't run completely out of anything but I was really glad when the supply began to loosen up.

The only pain I'm feeling ammo wise now is 22 mag. I had no idea the 22 mag bug would bite me late last year and I'm in short supply on that front. I had some old stuff left that may get me through the pinch or maybe not. If not I'll just lay it aside until the time comes when I can get resupplied.

 

After the last two panics, moving to property I can shoot at, and the California Legislature deciding they would require a background check on all ammo sales, the wife and I decided we'd not get caught short ever again. We budgeted some of our fun money to buy ammo. When we got a little extra, we bought a Cannon Wide Body RSC and shelved it so we could stack ammo boxes three deep. It took about 18 months of "record low prices" to acquire about ten years supply of the ammo we prefer. It was relatively painless, and gave us peace knowing that we had it. Our adult children thought we were going a little overboard - they don't think so now. We weren't expecting the insanity we are now witnessing, we were scared into being smart.

 

I haven't done any shooting in this year.

 

Each year I shoot less rounds per hour of shooting so the diminished expenditure/increased returns has prepared me wonderfully for inavailability/high cost issues.

Guilt? None whatsoever.

Todd.

 

I get this feeling every time I shoot, thinking about all the poor souls who aren't able to shoot as much as I've been able to. It's not really guilt though, it's more a warm and fuzzy feeling. It's comfort in knowing I was more prepared than some folks.

 

I am shooting less but not due to anything involving market ridiculousness. As a father I just don’t have the time. I have the stuff to reload a couple hundred more of every caliber that I load, only things I’m short on is 32pistol bullets and light 30 caliber bullets for 30 carbine. I have had a couple guys ask about reloading, and one of them has gone as far as to buy some stuff in preparation of coming by my house on a weekend for reloading 101. He only shoots rifles so I will probably get him going on 38spl before we dive into his 7mag. He had saved cases thank goodness, and I have plenty 7mm bullets so he bought some of those and primers from me. He found dies and powder. The intent is to load about 20 rounds as a ladder to see what his gun likes best and then load until he runs out of powder or cases. Not sure which will come first, should be pretty close.

 

Everyone who shoots knows, or should know, that ammo shortages are cyclical.

If others didn't stock up, as has been discussed many times here, and no doubt other sites, when ammo was cheap before the pandemic, that's on them.

No need for guilt on your part. Personally, I'm not shooting because I'm too chicken to go to an indoor range. lol

 

Reminds me of an Emily Dickinson poem.

Some say a word is dead when it is said.
I say it just begins to live that day.

(forgive me - ex English teacher)

SHOOT THE GUNS!

 

Since I’m casting and reloading most of what I shoot ive never been much of a high volume shooter, i put a lot of time into each round and I see it as a bit of a waste of the effort put forth to shoot it all up really fast. I’ve been shooting less this year as a way to conserve resources but I still go. I just tend to take less ammo with me than I used to, and definitely don’t feel guilty about shooting my ammo just more “protective” of it

 

I shoot primarily at my home range with family. Will continue whenever the whom strike me. Slowed down as I am more of a fair weather shooter anymore. I don't take much fun at 20 degrees and wind a blowin.

 

All I need is a few more bullets. Primers, brass and powder I have.

 

I wish I knew of somebody close by for some reloading 101. I feel like a jackass because I had the chance a few years back to get some reloading gear. A coworker of mine was planning to move when he retired and said he wouldn't be doing any more reloading and said I could have his reloading gear he said he'd had for over 40 years. I was planning on buying all new and I never got around to it. That was a mistake. I would love to have that gear right now.

 

I go to the range with full ammo cans .

I've gone with friends that show up with their kid and one 50 rd box of 9mm.

They go through their box in a few minutes and start eyeing my stuff. I used to share but that has ended.
If someone needs a box for self defense I will help them out. But the days of you and your kids shooting handfuls of my ammo are over.

I feel no guilt but I understand what you are saying.