Storing ammo vs. reloading as needed

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wiiawiwb

wiiawiwb

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I've been reloading .45 Colt and am using the brass left over from before I reloaded. I have about 250 cases. A typical day at the range will be 50-70 rounds shot. Once home, I wet tumble, dry, then reload the used cases. I almost never have any cases that aren't reloaded.

This has been working for me but I sometimes wonder if there is any benefit to buying more brass, making more rounds, and storing them. The upside is if there is ever a run on supplies, I have an ample amount of reloaded ammo on hand. The downside is I'm spending money to inventory ammo I won't be using right away.

I know there isn't a right or wrong answer here. I am just curious about the reasons why some people buy more brass only to inventory the ammo they make.
 
I only shoot at home and outdoors. I'm shoot a lot more during the summer months nd have a lot of chores around home during the summer also. I load extra during the winter months so I don't have to reload so many during summer.
 
I have about the same amount of .45 Colt brass. Maybe 300, not sure without checking, but I shoot it until it is gone then load it all at once. If all I had was that, it might be different, but I always have something else to shoot.

9MM, .45 ACP, and .223 are different, as I might load 500 or 1000 at a time. Other calibers are anywhere from 200 to 500 at a time.
 
I'm in the group that likes to have plenty on hand. Most calibers I load 100 rounds to a ziplock and pack em tight in a 50 can. My most recent method to my madness is to have two 50 cans for each caliber. I dip my range ammo out of the oldest one leaving the other can as a reserve. Once I eat through the first can, I reload all the brass and set it as my reserve ammo. Before I load up a 1000-2000 round can, I'll go out and crono the first 25 or so rounds before I get plugging away to ensure consistent velocity and accuracy.
 
Another reason that I have a lot of cases is that I have multiple different loads and bullet-types for each caliber.

If I were reloading only one caliber with the same load/bullet and shooting 50-70 rounds per outing, I might feel that 250 cases was all that I needed.
 
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I prefer to have plenty of ammo loaded so I can just grab and go when I can get to the range. But I always have at least 100 cases available for each caliber when I want to develop a new load.

Happiness is a lot of ammo. :)

Jeff
 
I resize, deprime, and clean brass as I shoot it. I store it in peanut butter jars and Tupperware. Quite a bit actually. I have several hundred rounds of many calibers ready to go. So I have a mix of ammo and brass. I don't like storing dirty brass however. I reload 26 calibers so there's quite a bit of stuff in the reloading room.
 
I keep a minimum of what I want to use at the next range trip loaded ahead for each firearm I have. Beyond that I have a pile of processed brass ready to load when needed. Processing that brass is what takes the most time. Further I keep on hand a supply of components equal to what I expect to shoot in the next 5 years. I would severely restrict my non necessary shooting if I were to fall below this amount at any time. No need to reload a large pile of ammo ahead, but to have the ability to do so if needed is necessary IMHO.
 
I have always had a certain number of cases that I load and I have a supply of cases for replacing lost or damaged cases.

I reload a few different cartridges that new cases get difficult to find even in the good times so when I see them, especially on sale, I buy.

Historically, for each cartridge, I'd have several hundred rounds loaded. When I get low, I replenish my inventory.

Of late with some cartridges that I never change the load, I have been increasing my inventory of loaded rounds to about a year's worth of shooting. It frees up time for working on other reloading projects.
 
I have reached 'The Golden Age' of my life, gold in my teeth, silver in my hair (what hair I have left), lead in my pants and my get up and go has gotten up and went, but I don't remember where or why...

Your loads have little value to anyone other than you. Your open powder is about the same.
Virgin brass, sealed powder, unopened primers and bullets have value, a lot more than opened or loaded.

So now the question comes down to how many rounds do you need/want until you load again. If you are 30 or 40 or 50 and in good health, load-em up. I've got more loaded at this point than I will ever get shot up, more so now that I have been moved to town. But that is another story.

If you are expecting a major zombie attack or some other major 'thing', load up some more.

I've got some loads that date from the mid 1970's. Maybe I should burn some up next time I get to go out :) Thanks of the idea.
 
Im starting to turn into a reloading hobbyist, even more than a shooting hobbyist.

If I have brass laying around, its at least all prepped and ready for when I do get to loading them. And if I have 100 or more cases of a caliber just sitting there...I cant sleep...gotta load 'em.
 
The only difference between plenty of loaded ammo on hand and plenty of supplies on hand is time.

If you're happy with your load, have the time now, and think you might get busy later, load it up.
 
What ever works for you, works for you. I wouldn't fault someone for their personal loading habits, there's more important pressing issues to be concerned with.

All joking aside, I don't usually keep a huge stock pile of reloaded rifle ammunition on hand, some, but not thousands of rounds. I've been evaluating information from others, and after comparing results I've had using ammunition that has been sitting around for a while, I've concluded that ammunition can go bad, and when it does, it can produce some super high pressures.

Bullet weld can develop rather quickly, and powders also break down, of particular concern in this respect is high powered rifle cartridges. Pressures can get catastrophically excessive when these conditions develop. One step I perform with bottle necks that have been sitting around for a while, is I'll give the bullets a real light bump, like .005", just enough to break the weld.

I don't get as concerned about handgun ammunition, maybe I should? But I don't recall ever experiencing a excessive pressure spike with old handgun ammo, I have and shoot plenty. I have a bunch of jacketed full throttle self defense loads, 9mm. .40, 38 spcl , .357 mag., the usual stuff. Some are more than 10 years old, and I don't give a second thought to grabbing a box, it always shoots normal. But I store my reloads in a dry cool environment, and I store them in MTM type cartridge holders. I do keep plenty of handgun reloads on hand. Combined, I probably have close to 3k of jacketed .357 mag. and +P jacketed 38 spcl. loaded up. I have a bunch of .40 and 9mm also. I also like to keep plenty of shotgun shells on hand, lots of slugs and buck, and some dove and quail shells also.

I guess I live by the belief that it's always better to have it, and not need it, than to need it, and not have it.

GS
 
Being retired I don't have much to do so I go shooting & do a lot of reloading.
I had to slow down this summer as I loaned my car to one of the grandkids to go to cop school & he will become one next month & I get my car back--the wife is into church stuff so her car is always busy. One of my sons that I went shooting with a lot had to go to KY for a MRI job ( with his family)
I usually keep about 10.000 rds of various calibers reloaded
I will be glad to get my car back.
Have fun.
H
 
I shoot year round, several days a week..I load hard fall and winter and rarely do spring and summer. If I recall correctly, I loaded 14 lbs of pistol powder last winter. I don't know the exact round count, but it was more than a box or two of ammo.
 
It's foolish to buy mass quantities of brass for speciality calibers you don't shoot in high volume.

Myself, that includes .218 Bee (300 cases), 25-20 WCF - (200 cases) , 32-20 WCF (250 cases), and .45 Colt (300 cases).

I keep processed brass and bullets on hand in sealed containers.

But very seldom if ever have them all loaded at the same time.

rc
 
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I've been a dedicated hand loader since 1970, and a brass scrounger since 1959 when I got my first gun. Over time I've accumulated all sorts of brass from all sorts of places and that includes buying it. Usually bought on sale but not always. Basically I can't pass up a bargain and brass left behind looks to me the same a money on the ground ... just can't resist picking it up.

Over the years I've accumulated a large collection of all manner of brass. Some I've given away when I find someone who needs what I don't load.

At my age, purchases of all things related to shooting and loading are done with the idea of passing it on to my kids. If the last 50+ years has taught me anything, its that all prices rise over time (I remember gasoline wars and 11.9 cents/gallon) and if you can get it now when it's "cheap" that may not be a bad idea.

Brass doesn't take up a lot of space, doesn't need to be fed, needs no maintenance medication, never needs petting or any other special kind of love and care ... it just sits there quietly until called upon. When my kids need it, it'll be there for them. Of course, if they can't buy powder and primers then my efforts have been for naught. But I can only do so much and brass is just one small part of a much larger plan.
 
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I unintentionally end up with rather a large inventory of reloaded ammo. I love to reload but unfortunately don't have easy access to a range, so the stock grows faster than I can use it up.
 
I keep plenty of favorite (proven) loads and some try-outs ready and loaded up. The favorites when my wife and I go to the range. And try-outs for when I go alone. And sufficient amount of components on hand for several years.

As to the OP, if the brass will last you a few years, I'd just replace it as needed. Or watch for a good sale on ammo in that caliber and stick it back for a rainy day. :)
 
I keep a standard amount of every caliber I shoot. The more I shoot it, the more I have loaded. For 308 I keep a 50 cal can to the top with plinking ammo. Usually 150 grain FMJ. I keep a 30 cal can filled with match ammo. Loaded for accuracy. Spare brass is de-primed, re-sized, trimmed if needed and stored. In fact almost all base is stored this way. Makes for fast loading when the time comes.

For 45 Colt I keep a 30 cal can filled with two loads. One 250 Hornady Jacketed and 250 grain lead RNFP. The rest of the brass is stored the same way.
 
Well I keep a stash of loaded ammunition but all in all it varies. The trees are giving up their leaves and a few frost have shown up on my lawn. They are talking a few 70 degree days this week and I hear the range calling to me. Range days will be numbered as it gets cold.

As winter sets in I tend to spend more time loading with a focus on my known loads that I like and always use. This winter a few thousand 308 Winchester and 223 Remington rounds will be loaded followed by some 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag and a few other lesser calibers for rifle. Then comes the 45 Colt, 44 Magnum and a pile of 357 Mag and 38 Special and some lesser calibers. Handgun is year round as there is the indoor range but my rifle, which I love, tends to be a little seasonal. :)

I do load some rifle during the spring and summer but only enough to see what shoots well and try new loads and powders. So for me it's seasonal with shooting thousands of rounds over the spring and summer and when winter sets in, loading thousands of rounds for next season. :)

I always maintain a large stash of hand loading components as we know how volatile that market can be.

Ron
 
After reading everything, I'm going to increase the amount of brass so I have at least 500 rounds of brass of .45 Colt which is what I mostly shoot. My inclination is to devote additional money to buying more powder, primers, and bullets so I have an ample supply of them in case of a shortage some time in the future.
 
I'm not a Handloader thus find no pleasure in the process. Being a Reloader and there is a difference. I reload in volume. As an example fill GI-30-Caliber ammunition can with 45ACP 230Gr-FMJ up to the top. Use it up then reload when depleted. The same process applies with 9mm-Luger.

As for rifle not so much as I've basically withdrawn from across the course match shooting on a regular basis.
 
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