stocking up on supplies?

[Axis II]

I have a load for my 223 so will definitely be buying a lot of primers and powder for that.

I have several other calibers I will be loading for such as 45-70, 44mag, 223rem that will be strictly hunting guns or ammo. 9mm and 223 will be shot at the range a bit.

with the 2 yahoos we might have for president and me not being into reloading when we had the last shortage would you guys stock up on a lot of powder, primers, etc for guns that will only be shot for hunting purposes?

I have probably 100 rounds of 45-70 factory rounds I have maybe shot 20 for sight ins and hunting and the same will probably go with the 44mag.

I just cant see having a lot of stuff sitting around for guns that don't get shot a lot but according to a couple buddies I should.

does powder ever go bad? I don't want to buy a lot of 45-70/44mag stuff and end up selling the guns and now stuck with a mess load of powder and stuff or have an issue with say one powder and primer and have to switch.

I will get good loads for everything before I buy in bulk but I just want to make sure I'm prepared. each payday I've been buying a brick of primers, a lbs. of powder, some brass, bullets,etc.

here's my plan and I would like your thoughts...

I found a load of h335, cci mag primers, 55gr v max for my 223rem that shoots almost 5 shots in a dime at 100yrds. IMO this will be my go too load for that bullet so I bought a brick of cci450 primers and payday will be buying 8lbs of h335. sound like a plan?

I finally purchased 1lbs of hp-38 and a brick of cci 500 primers for 9mm. I'm not too worried about accuracy as long as they cycle and hit a man target for training. should I wait until I shoot this load before buying more cci-500 primers?

I have yet to order dies for the 45-70 and 44mag but would like to get primers and brass first before it flies off the shelf. should I start with 100 primers of each to see what it likes or jump right into a couple bricks?

Would you focus on stocking the stuff in going to shoot more like 9mm/223 or make sure I have even of everything?

any other suggestions appreciated.

 

[adcoch1]

9mm and 223 are cheap, plentiful, and also the two quickest to re emerge after the last ammo shortages. So keep a component supply of those based on your shooting preferences, but keep in mind the cost savings is low. But 45-70 and 44 mag are both expensive in factory offerings and quite affordable to reload. I load for 44mag, and the cost of reloads are 1/4 the cost of factory ammo. And i am shooting up some 40yr old powder in rifles that performs the same as the current powder. Shelf life is long, so stock up the stuff to make that hunting ammo. Besides 44 is really fun to load!

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[thomas15]

As far as the CCI primers go buy them it they work in your guns. I know that some will argue this point but with my revolvers which have light competition triggers, the only primer that is reliable are Federals. But, my other handguns eat CCI primers all day, every day. So yeah, get some. How many is some? For you to decide. 10K may seem like a lot to you now, this time next year it might seem like a little.

 

[VoodooMountain]

Stock what you shoot is all I can recommend. Quantity is relative to the shooter but if you can stock enough to last you a year or two you are well ahead of the game.

Always make sure a load will meet your criteria before stocking up

Primers for semi auto pistols have always seems interchangeable to me. I'm not good enough to tell if there even is a difference and they have all gone bang for me.

 

[Cheesemaker]

It all depends on how much you shoot.
8lb of powder is good for 2,240 25 grain charges. How long will it take you to shoot 2k+ rounds? For hunting - I think it will last a while.
I see no reason not to have a year or so worth of components on the shelf.
Don't forget bullets - these are often the most expensive part.

 

[Axis II]

I would say with 9mm 1k a year, 223 1k a year. I went to the range yesterday and shot maybe 100-125rds of 9mm. 223 I've shot about 100-125 so far this year.

That 8lbs of h335 would last me about 2years. i didn't reload in the last shortage but sure did shoot and it was a pain to find 100 rounds of 9mm just to recertify with for work. I was paying $20-22 for blazer 9mm. I don't want this to happen again.

 

[RPegram]

I got caught with my pants down early 2013 and have decided that will not happen again. I try to keep enough components on hand to last 2-3 years. As far as I know, primers will never go bad if stored dry. Powder will eventually degrade, but it takes decades. I have some Green Dot, Unique and Blue Dot that is probably over 30 years old and it shoots great. If you shoot lead, bullets for pistols should not ever be a problem. You might have to wait a few weeks for a delivery, but they are available. Even with the last shortage, I never waited over a couple of weeks for a delivery from Missouri Bullet Co. Because of this, they have my business. Primers were non-existent, therefore, I've stocked up. Powder, hit and miss, therefore, I've stocked up.

 

[Toprudder]

Yeah, I was just getting started in reloading when the last "big scare" happened. Don't want to get caught short again.

I think I have enough powder and primers to keep me busy for a few years. Those seemed to be the hardest things to find during the shortage. I just placed an order for bullets that should top off my inventory enough for maybe 3 years. Ideally, I would want enough to last through 8 years of a liberal administration.

 

[bocefus78]

I also started during the 2012 panic. I swore once stuff was available, I was buying 20 years worth of components albeit slowly. Prices are low, availability is high, therefore one should buy as much as the budget allows. I promise, you will look back and say "man, I should've bought more of that/those back when I could/it was cheaper."

The stuff lasts a very long time. Buy it cheap, and stack it deep. I'm at 20 years worth for pistol powder and primers, and close to 10 years worth of rifle supplies.

 

[X-Ring]

I have enough components to last me at least 20 years. Maybe longer, if I reduced my shooting. I will not be caught short of anything ever again. Most recently it was powder that could not be found, before that it was primers. Next time it might be bullets or brass or back to primers. Whatever it is I am stocked up.

 

[tcoz]

My feeling is that it's hard to have too much on hand. I was also caught short the last time and had to stop reloading and shooting for about six months. That won't happen again.
If you buy too much you can always sell it.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

For the 47-70, since you already have 100 rounds if factory ammo I would buy an additional 100 pieces if brass, 1000 projectiles, a box of 1000 LRP and enough powder to load 1000 rounds. Having the ability to load 1K 45-70 hunting rounds should keep you through the longest shortage our nightmares can imagine. I would say the same should hold true for the .44 Magnum.

 

[thomas15]

My personal rule for living: "See powder, buy powder".

 

[mdi]

Ohihunter's plan sounds OK. He had a good load and is stocking up on components for that load. I've done the same with my favorite guns (Large primers, a few pounds of WC 820 and a whole lot of lead for my .44s and small primers, a few pounds of Universal and 1,000 JHP for my 9mms). I will occasionally use some of my stash but I have other components to "play around" with. For several years I would buy a brick of 22s whenever I happened by my ammo store, a bit by bit process and now I have about 12,000 rounds of 22 lr ammo. I don't know what all my components cost or what my reloads cost as I reload because I like to...

 

[nettlle]

During the 2013 shortage I could find powder and primers if I looked hard enough but it was sometimes 6 months before I could find it. So for me a six month supply would be the bare minimum. I have far more than that now because I grew weary of searching for it every day.

 

[SwaneeSR]

Like others, I maintain a set level of primers and powder. As I use it I purchase more when I see it and rotate my powder stock.

If or when things get bad again, I will stop loading shotgun shells for trap. Otherwise I should be set.

Right now I am Working on rifle loads for this Fall deer hunting in 6.5x55se.

Don't panic, but stay stocked.

Swanee

 

[rjbmjb]

I keep a 2-3 year supply. Like a lot of others, I was caught off guard in 2013. I buy most of my components from a local gun store and I am a "regular" customer. During shortages, the owner reserves a portion of his stock for regulars, so I am able to buy components and ammo when others can't. Over the last few years, I have bought thousands of rounds of 22LR from him for $30 per brick.

I could have saved a few dollars by buying online when it is available, but so far I have been able to get everything I need locally. I know that some stores increase prices during shortages, but this is not one of them.

 

[Grumulkin]

does powder ever go bad? I don't want to buy a lot of 45-70/44mag stuff and end up selling the guns and now stuck with a mess load of powder and stuff or have an issue with say one powder and primer and have to switch.

I just cooked up some loads with IMR 3031 I bought when it went for $16.44 a pound; it worked great and I've used 30 year old powder that worked just as well. If stored in a cool, dry place, powder lasts a LONG time.

here's my plan and I would like your thoughts...

I found a load of h335, cci mag primers, 55gr v max for my 223rem that shoots almost 5 shots in a dime at 100yrds. IMO this will be my go too load for that bullet so I bought a brick of cci450 primers and payday will be buying 8lbs of h335.

Eight pounds of a powder and 1,000 primers that works for you? That sounds like a very good plan.

I finally purchased 1lbs of hp-38 and a brick of cci 500 primers for 9mm. I'm not too worried about accuracy as long as they cycle and hit a man target for training. should I wait until I shoot this load before buying more cci-500 primers?

If you have a run-of-the-mill 9mm like most of us do, i.e., not some pimped up target/competition gun, I highly doubt you'll see any appreciable difference in loads that are dependent on the primers you use.

I have yet to order dies for the 45-70 and 44mag but would like to get primers and brass first before it flies off the shelf. should I start with 100 primers of each to see what it likes or jump right into a couple bricks?

I would jump right into a couple of bricks.

Would you focus on stocking the stuff in going to shoot more like 9mm/223 or make sure I have even of everything?

Let's put it this way. I learned my lesson back in the 1990s when rumor had it that components were going to be engineered so they would go bad after a few years (primers specifically). I have had no shortage during any of the subsequent scares.

You, of course, have to decide what works for you. Depending on the brand and how hot your loads are, straight walled cases could last for 20+ reloadings so if you have 100 of them, that would be 2,000 rounds of pleasure.

Some powders are also more versitile than others. For instance, Longshot and Blue Dot work well for a variety of good handgun loads and heavy shotshell loads. RL-15, Varget and IMR 4064 work well in a variety of rifle cartridges.

It's a bit hard to predict what will be in short supply. During the scares, 223 and 9mm ammo wasn't easy to find even though it's common. Rimfire ammo was gone even though it's common and I haven't seen 17 Mach 2 ammo on the shelf for years. On the other hand, I was able to buy dies, brass and bullets for 40 S&W with no problem. In general, I think you're best going with fairly common chamberings and especially those used by law enforcement and the military.

 

[Axis II]

Thanks guys.

I'm paying 2 credit cards off next week so going to be able to buy a lot of stuff with that payment money. I noticed that one time the store i go to is packed with stuff and another its empty so i wanted to stock up but do it the right way.

 

[tcoz]

Fathers Day sales are going on right now so it's a good time to buy as there are quite a few deals out there. Cabelas again has free shipping over $99, $20 hazmat fee (everyday) and CCI primers for $26-28/1000.

My stock up list in order:
1) Primers
2) Powder
3) Projectiles
4) Cases if mine have been fired multiple times.

 

[Axis II]

I just cooked up some loads with IMR 3031 I bought when it went for $16.44 a pound; it worked great and I've used 30 year old powder that worked just as well. If stored in a cool, dry place, powder lasts a LONG time.



Eight pounds of a powder and 1,000 primers that works for you? That sounds like a very good plan.



If you have a run-of-the-mill 9mm like most of us do, i.e., not some pimped up target/competition gun, I highly doubt you'll see any appreciable difference in loads that are dependent on the primers you use.



I would jump right into a couple of bricks.



Let's put it this way. I learned my lesson back in the 1990s when rumor had it that components were going to be engineered so they would go bad after a few years (primers specifically). I have had no shortage during any of the subsequent scares.

You, of course, have to decide what works for you. Depending on the brand and how hot your loads are, straight walled cases could last for 20+ reloadings so if you have 100 of them, that would be 2,000 rounds of pleasure.

Some powders are also more versitile than others. For instance, Longshot and Blue Dot work well for a variety of good handgun loads and heavy shotshell loads. RL-15, Varget and IMR 4064 work well in a variety of rifle cartridges.

It's a bit hard to predict what will be in short supply. During the scares, 223 and 9mm ammo wasn't easy to find even though it's common. Rimfire ammo was gone even though it's common and I haven't seen 17 Mach 2 ammo on the shelf for years. On the other hand, I was able to buy dies, brass and bullets for 40 S&W with no problem. In general, I think you're best going with fairly common chamberings and especially those used by law enforcement and the military.

I tried the h335 and cci450 in the 223 and can almost shoot 5 in a dime size sticker at 100yards so thinking this is my go to powder/primer. I have benchmark in a LBS to try it but haven't been able to. My thinking was if h335 was unavailable I would go with benchmark.

My 9mm is a run of the mill M&P full size. I have the 1lbs of hp-38 and cci 500 for it. have yet to load any of it so not sure how it will perform. Thinking about getting more hp-38 and cci 500 but part of me says wait and see how it does first.

I don't any bullets yet. but will be stocking them here soon once i have a couple k of primers and such.

 

[tcoz]

Buy some bullets now but dont worry too much about stockpiling them. I would instead put that money into primers first since you know what youll be using, then into powder secondly. HP38 will likely be GTG in your M&P and I'd be willing to bet youll also stick with H335. I'm guessing that those two powders are used in combination by more 223 and 9mm guys than any other combination.
Accumulate at least a two year supply and rest easy...i hope.

 

[emb]

I got caught in the last 2 shortages and vowed I wouldn't get caught again. So, I regularly keep my stock of components topped off.

 

[Axis II]

how was bullets to get when all this happened?

 

[PCCUSNRET]

how was bullets to get when all this happened?

You couldn't find most popular bullets for 22 or 30 caliber rifles. I had no problem finding bullets for my 270 and 7mm magnum. I could find no primers and none of the powders I prefer to use for .223's a 308's. I have now stocked up in powder and primers and buying bullets as I can find and afford them. I am retired and try to get to the range once a week when possible. I shoot mostly .223 and 22-250 bolt action rifles so trying to stock up more bullets for the rifles than those I used primarily for hunting.