Should I stock up on components?

[TurboFC3S]

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to reloading ... new to guns really. So I only have about 6 months of price history in my head. What I'm wondering is should I stock up on reloading components across the board? I haven't been able to find much historical price data on brass/powder/primers but I have seen that bullets have increased around 150% since mid '05. Do some of you guys that have been around longer than me know pricing of the other components from 2 years ago or so?

 

[bugs100]

If you can afford it go for it. Lately nothing stays at the same price long.

Don't forget it's not like milk and bread, reloading supplies last for ever.

 

[dmftoy1]

Depends on what your budget is and what volume you plan on shooting. I seem to alternate between rifle and handgun shooting . .got stocked up on .45 acp stuff and was shooting about 2k per month and then someone got me hooked on mil-surp and now I've been shooting those alot and I've got 3500 rounds of .45 acp all loaded up and ready for when I decide pistols are cool again.

 

[xring44]

I knew this was happening, I knew I should stock up, and did a little, wish I had taken every loose dime I had and bought bullets, primers and powder. My supply is running low and I hate the thought of paying todays prices, its outragious what componets cost these days.

Definately stock up, I see no decrease in price in the near future.

 

[TurboFC3S]

Well I'm in a fortunate situation right now where I could stock up like a madman if it's worthwhile. Of course that same money could be invested in other ways, but honestly I don't see much potential for the types of gains that we've seen lately in ammo and raw bullets. And better yet those are a lot more fun to buy than stocks

What I'm wondering mainly is what type of prices were normal for brass, powder, and primers around 2 years ago? Have we seen similar increases in those things?

 

[zxcvbob]

Turbo,
You're reloading for a 10mm, right? http://hi-techammo.com has surplus #7 powder for sale really cheap. I bought 16 pounds of it for $140 including the shipping and hazmat fee. Ordered it on a Monday, received it on Friday the same week. Their primer prices are not bad; I don't know if they will mix primers and powder on one hazmat, this was my first order with them.

Warning: the label says it is 5% to 10% faster burning than canister-grade AA-7.

I haven't tried it yet; I'm using up the last of my Blue Dot first.

 

[TurboFC3S]

Yea, 10mm is one of many I'm doing ... and even better, Hi-Tech Ammo is local to me! I'm planning a big purchase from him soon ... that powder deal is smokin!

 

[MarshallDodge]

The other day I found a receipt from twelve years ago - 500 Remington 124 gr. JHP's $35.00. Now I think they are going for over $100 per thousand.

Wished I had bought 5000 back then and thousands of other bullets.

 

[PotatoJudge]

It pays to stock up on components, but especially when ordering powder and primers because of the Hazmat fees. Find a good cast bullet supplier and stock up. Many of them have bulk discounts for something like 5,000 bullets or more.

When I started loading about 7 or 8 years ago powder was under $20/lb and my Nosler BTs were $20/100. Now they're $27 and $32 respectively. Winchester primers have gone from about $18-20 to $27-30 per thousand.

 

[Encoreman]

No don't hoard componets, it will only drive up the price for everyone else. Only buy what you can use this weekend. LOL If everyone had seen this coming, we would not be having this conversation. Mac

 

[Encoreman]

Sorry doubled and can't delete.

 

[The Bushmaster]

And when you run out...Don't come crying to me...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Stock up on as much as your budget will allow. Prices over the past year or so have easily doubled for ammo and most components.

A few examples, Oregon Trail Laser Cast bullets. A while back I was able to buy 1,000 158gr LSWC Laser Cast bullets for $52. The same bullets right now are $100.50/1000. Winchester Small Pistol Primers two years ago were between $17.99 and $17.99/1000, last year they were still available for $19.99/1000. Those same primers now are between $24.95 and $29.99/1000.

Everything that has to do with shooting and ammo is going up fast and there seems to be no end in sight.

 

[amlevin]

Most shortages and price spikes are caused by those that hoard. Buy what you plan on using over a given period of time. Add if you see a sale. If everyone were to go out and buy a huge quantity of components, that they may never need or use, then there will just be shortages on the shelves and the merchants can charge whatever they want. After all, they sell all they get, don't they.

Of course those that hoard, and don't use, eventually provide some nicely priced components at the gun shows.

 

[280shooter]

Buy reloading items have went way out of sight,When I was working I won't over buy,but i would buy what seemed alot when i was reloading for a certain gun or rifle,Now i'm down to NO,small rifle primers,and 400 large rifle primers,But I still have 700 or so large pistol primers, that i no longer need,and 3 boxs of 44 mag,cast bullets,But somewhere down the road I'll sell all my 44 mag,stuff,,
But Yes i wished i would have bought a few more 1000 primer boxs when I was working,Now I dont buy that much, being retired,Moneys not easy to come by,Well for lots of reloading stuff,

So if you have extra pennys,buy buy buy,toss it in ammo cans,But Buy

 

[Floppy_D]

If you have the cash, the best investment is in equipment. Get into casting as soon as you can. I save cash reloading, but I REALLY save cash by casting. I have a tire store that sells wheel weights @ $.40 a lb, and few that let me take free lead every now and then. Between me and a buddy, we keep a quarter ton of lead laying around, just in case. It's not getting cheaper. Also, I save lots of brass, more than I think I'll need. Worst comes to worst, it's over $2 a lb now.

Casting turned $37 for 500 bullets into $4.50 in lead for 500 bullets... making 1000 bullets paid for the equipment.

My 357 now eats on a 22lr food bill.

 

[MinnMooney]

This is the second post about the exact same question. I really hate to see panic buying and hording 'cause it becomes a self-fullfilling prophacy as someone in the other twin post said and it's true.
If you need 2000 primers during the next year, please don't deprive everyone one else of primers by buying up 20,000 "before the horders get there".

 

[socaldan]

You wanna see panic buying??
Wait untill November !!!

 

[Deavis]

Most shortages and price spikes are caused by those that hoard.

If you need 2000 primers during the next year, please don't deprive everyone one else of primers by buying up 20,000 "before the horders get there".

Life is a competition for resources. Compete or quit, don't complain that some are willing to do the former. I was thinking about only buying 25k of primers next month, I'll go ahead and buy 50k just because I can. Who shoots only 2000 rounds a year anyhow?

Of course those that hoard, and don't use, eventually provide some nicely priced components at the gun shows.

Economics at work, hold onto your money and cash in like an evil capitalist when those people sell thier non-perishable resource like a moron.

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

Most shortages and price spikes are caused by those that hoard.

That's just propagandist BS.

Shortages and price spikes are caused by an increase in demand that goes unfulfilled by a source of supply.

Why are more and more people reloading? Because factory ammo is getting more expensive.

Is factory ammo getting more expensive because it is being "hoarded?" Don't think so. It's getting more expensive because the freaking ChiComs are buying up too much or our own supplies (metals) and our own factories are using the metals to make ammo for military purposes.

I have always kept large inventories of primers, powder, bullets, lead, etc etc for over twenty years--and I'll continue to do so.

But I also shoot a helluva lot--and will continue to do so.

Jeff

 

[lgbloader]

Hey Deavis,

WOW!!! 50K of primers?? That would cost over $1,000.00 usd. Sounds like you have one hell of a set up. If you have pictures of your benches and tools and components, I would be interested in checking that out.
Me personally, I get a bit nervous if I have over 8K of primers in the Cave but I'm just paranoid that way. I keep a brick of each primer size as a back up to any loose 100ct boxes for that particular size/type. When I have to break into the brick, I go and buy another brick for a back up.

Cheers, Mate.

 

[TurboFC3S]

I didn't post this on ar15.com because I didn't want the typical ar15.com replies ... guess I'm not the only one who crosses over

I'm still really wondering what some specific powder prices were 2 years ago. And does anybody know what ... say 1000 once-fired .223 brass was going for 2 years ago?

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

I'm still really wondering what some specific powder prices were 2 years ago. And does anybody know what ... say 1000 once-fired .223 brass was going for 2 years ago?

Two years ago, I bought 10k of Wichester WSP primers for just under $200. Three months ago, I bought another 10k of Winchester WSP primers for $230.

However, ten years ago, I bought 20k of Winchester WSP and Large Pistol for just under $250. Cost has jumped almost 100% in just ten years.

It's only been in the last few years that I've noticed powder prices starting to jump up. But I buy in three, five and eight pound kegs and store (hoard, I suppose). I did pick up a couple of one-pound bottles of W231 and IMR 4350 for a friend last week and paid around $23/pound each for them. Seems like a couple of years ago, they were both around the $19.99 mark, but I may be wrong.

As far as the "hoarding" goes, I call it stockpiling and it's a practice that has served me well for many decades.

I stockpile parts for my airplane and boat that I know I will need down the road. Why not buy at today's prices rather than next year's prices for items I KNOW I'm going to need?

We do the same with other non-perishable things that we use a lot of of. Find them on sale, buy a lot of them, store them.

Tell you another secret, too. Businesses like to see inventory move rather than sit stagnant. Carrying inventory cost money and I'd highly suspect that the Powder and Primer Store did not invest in their building, staff their business, and pay all their overhead to keep items on the shelf to be a storage facility for reloaders.

They area business--a profit driven business. If I or my fellow Texan buy 20 to 50k of primers and 50 pounds of powder from them at a time, they're simply going to re-order to replace that inventory, plus they'll have made a nice, tidy little profit from that sale.

I've run into a few such shops in years past that "rationed" how much they would sell. Guess what? Most are closed up and out of business, and the two I know of that aren't changed their policies.

This isn't the old Soviet Union and we're not a socialist economic system where vendors decide how much you can or cannot buy. If you have the means/ability and want to buy in bulk, then you've got every right to do so.

Jeff

 

[jfh]

The guidelines I am using for reloading component buying are the following.

1. I'm assuming that metals prices will continue to rise--that is, speculation will come back under control, but the emerging third world buyers will keep up demand.

2. I think the Democrat Party may win well win big in November--enough to forget their experience of 1996 re the AWB, and pass an egregious GC bill, with hints being given in the late election scrum. The election win will drive our own demand buying, and the taxes will be piled on in 2009.

3. I've projected my shooting--rounds--on an annual basis, and I am trying to have enough component on hand for a two year supply.

Then, I may double that buying.

Is it hoarding? I suppose so--but some of us would call it precautionary, if we can afford to do it.

Jim H.

 

[coloradokevin]

Life is a competition for resources. Compete or quit, don't complain that some are willing to do the former. I was thinking about only buying 25k of primers next month, I'll go ahead and buy 50k just because I can. Who shoots only 2000 rounds a year anyhow?

Wow! That's a lot of primers...

I have to wonder though... Since NFPA says to store no more than 10,000 primers in the home, does this present the reloader with issues if we have a fire in our home?

I'd hate to have a homeowner's insurance claim denied -- in the tragic and unlikely event of a fire -- simply due to the fact that I kept more powder/primers in my house than fire code would allow.

Anyone have any experience on this, or knowledge of the problem?


On a personal note, I've never been into the "hoarding" method, as it has been called. I have a lot of hobbies, and they all cost money... Plus, money can only be spent once. I wouldn't mind having a nice stockpile of ammo, but I don't really have the resources to buy them in the quantity that I would like!

We all face that "hindsight is 20/20" thing... I wish I would have bought a lot more ammo at mid-90's prices, and those who bought a lot more ammo than I did back then often wish they bought even more. For that matter, I guess I could have stockpiled gasoline in barrels in my backyard, and it would have been just as valuable from an investment purpose?

Prices go up over time. Sometimes they are a bit artificially inflated (think home values), and in those cases they will tend to come back down. Given our current situation in the world (economy, war, US Dollar value, fuel costs, metal costs, etc), I don't think it is beyond belief to assume that ammo prices will come back down at some point (arguabley not to 1998 prices, but much lower than they are now).

So, for the time being, I buy a bit more than I need, but not a ridiculous amount (if I need a few hundred primers, I'll buy a brick of 1,000... If I need 500 bullets, I might go ahead and buy 1,000... but, I'm not rushing out to throw 100 pounds of powder and 500,000 bullets in my basement right now).