Was Reloading components hard to find during the "ammo shortage"

[1SOW]

At the local stores with reloading components, the shelves were virtually empty, especially primers. Some powders were available.

Honestly, "WE" caused part of this problem by "stockpiling" very large numbers of critical components, like primers. I heard a number of stories at local ranges and LGS stores of people buying unbelievably large numbers of reloading supplies. Ammunition was treated the same. A friend attending a police academy, had to personally contact an Academy store manager, to be able to get enough 9mm ammo required for his training.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

At the local stores with reloading components, the shelves were virtually empty, especially primers. Some powders were available.

Honestly, "WE" caused part of this problem by "stockpiling" very large numbers of critical components, like primers. I heard a number of stories at local ranges and LGS stores of people buying unbelievably large numbers of reloading supplies. Ammunition was treated the same. A friend attending a police academy, had to personally contact an Academy store manager, to be able to get enough 9mm ammo required for his training.

While I agree we had a hand in the shortage you really can't blame everyone for doing so. When Clinton started his anti-gun talk most of us didn't pay attention and then he put that 10 year ban in place. When Obama started talking EVERYONE listened and didn't want to get caught short. Agreed, many did go overboard but like Walkalong I collected components over time and didn't buy 50,000 primers all at once. Same thing with ammo, I was buying over time and never bought more than a case at a time but didn't get caught short there either.

 

[USSR]

One man's hoarder, is another man's guy with foresight. Guys, this is kinda like the stock market, you buy when the price is low. Personally, I think the whiners who cry "hoarder" are just a bunch of cry babies who can't see the forest for the trees. Just MHO.

Don

 

[1SOW]

I think the whiners who cry "hoarder" are just a bunch of cry babies who can't see the forest for the trees. Just MHO.

Are you old enough to remember the "Johnny Carson" talk show.
One time, he did a piece meant to be humor. In the piece he told of an imminent "toilet paper" shortage. Well everyone that didn't catch that it was humor, ran out and bought up all the toilet paper in all the stores. Some used trucks to haul it. The store owners were baffled.
Well, guess what.
There really was a shortage, for a while. It was self-induced. It made the news.

If you read the post, I said we "contributed" to the shortage, not that we caused it. When I talked of some buying ridiculous amounts, I was referring to HUGE quantities. A lifetime of shooting supplies for the average shooter. This was happening all over the country at the same time. Combine this with a huge military increase in demand, the political atmosphere and key lead mining problems (in Australia and one other I believe) and many were left holding empty guns.
I stocked up some too, and was able to shoot through that time. I now try to stay a year or more ahead.

 

[GW Staar]

A Good idea. An even better idea is to stay a year ahead with food and water.

 

[Old krow]

Just curious if lead, primers, and powder may be harder to find if the upcoming election causes another run on ammo

It will probably be similar.

Some of us stocked up over time to be ready. That is not hoarding.

For the most part I think that the majority of hand loaders are hoarders, at least when it comes to ammo and components. Maybe "hoarder" isn't the best word to use to describe the folks that bought during the panic. If you have 50k primers, whether you accumulated them over the years or in one pop... you might be hoarding them.

However, the point shouldn't be lost and panic buying is bad. There's usually plenty of time between panics to stock back up and ride the next one out.

If the Dems win again......expect the same.

Do you think after the drought in 09 that people will wait to see who gets elected before buying? Let's hope that toilet paper isn't on the "panic buy" list this time.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yes, I'm old enough to remember that Johnny Carson bit and what happened afterward. That was a trip alright... It was "War of the Worlds" all over again. (no, I'm not old enough to remember that one!)

 

[Walkalong]

You might be a reloading hoarder if ................ (insert your definition)

I am an old Boy Scout. I believe in being prepared. That means being stocked up on things.

An even better idea is to stay a year ahead with food and water.

Exactly.

So, what amount of powder, or primers, is "hoarding".

I have about 75 primers and half a bottle of powder around here somewhere.

 

[USSR]

If you read the post, I said we "contributed" to the shortage, not that we caused it.

And I'm "contributing" to the current high gas prices by filling up my tank. I cannot blame the contributors. The ultimate blame for the cause of the panic buying rests with the voters in 2006 and 2008.

Don

 

[cfullgraf]

Let's hope that toilet paper isn't on the "panic buy" list this time.

Fortunately, toilet paper does grow on trees--so to speak.

I over heard an AR component vendor at a gun show last weekend say that sales are starting to pick up.

Maybe just because it is just tax refund time.

 

[mahansm]

I would suggest that with another election coming soon, primers/powder in stock in most locations, and Mr. "O" running again, that it might just be a good time to put in some stock up orders.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Could you imagine if there were a similar panic run on food?

Stock up Scouts.

 

[GW Staar]

Could you imagine if there were a similar panic run on food?

Stock up Scouts.

I can do more than imagine. In 1970 I was in Vicksburg Miss. for a couple of months. They had a teamsters union strike in while I was there. The grocery store shelves were bare in 3 days. I watched two women beat each other up over the last loaf of bread at a Piggly Wiggly Super Store....true story. I saw that and turned around and walked out. Been stocking a years worth of what keeps ever since.

We don't have to wait for a war or disaster to have serious problems.

I have about 75 primers and half a bottle of powder around here somewhere.

I'm afraid take ammo/component hoarding the same way as you, Walkalong.
I do have 5 or 6 1000 count boxes of CCI primers. (reaction to the Obama effect when I couldn't get any. I have maybe 6 small boxes of bullets of various calibers. (Hell, my grandsons and I, shoot it up nearly as fast as I can buy and reload it.) Powder......don't like to store too much powder....makes me nervous. Yeah I know, not an explosive....it just burns real good! I have maybe 10 1# canisters of various kinds. That's the top of my form, I'm afraid.....last week I had zero bullets.

My goal for this year's election? Before it all disappears again? I would really like to add to my "huge" stash, enough to keep loading until the next panic wears off.

 

[USSR]

Quote:
I have about 75 primers and half a bottle of powder around here somewhere.

I'm afraid take ammo/component hoarding the same way as you, Walkalong.

I guarantee you, Anthony is being facetious.

Don

 

[Rockfish61]

It is interesting to note that there were more than 16 million NICS approvals for the purchase of a firearm in 2011.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/020212state-totals_1998-2011-2.pdf.pdf

That is the most on record for any year so far.

The population is economically stressed and we don't see any of the people in Government, or currently running for office, that will make things any better any time soon. I don't think it will take much at this point to send them all back into the buy all you can, while you can mode again. I think it will be much harder to find components, ammo and guns in the very near future. IMHO

 

[Beat-tu]

I got curious and graphed the NICS data for Texas. I choose election month instead of inauguration month for the highlights.

Tom

 

[Neutered10mm]

That graph looks like people buy their guns just in time for Christmas ... oh the irony!

 

[Old krow]

You might be a reloading hoarder if ................ (insert your definition)

I am an old Boy Scout. I believe in being prepared. That means being stocked up on things.

Don't take what I said as to mean that I disagree with your philosophy. In fact, it's quite the contrary. On the other hand, I don't think that the term "hoarder" accurately describes the mentality of waiting until the disaster hits to buy "preparation supplies." I was merely making reference to the posts that indicated that it was "stockpiling" or "hoarding" that made the 09 shortage happen.

A Good idea. An even better idea is to stay a year ahead with food and water.

Could you imagine if there were a similar panic run on food?

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you want to look at it, I live on the Coast and most folks around here do keep food and water on hand. The argument of "what amount is enough?" could easily made and probably never won, but, most have something stashed. However, I have seen a run on supplies that left WM's shelves empty before, to include water, batteries, etc. The Boy Scouts got a couple of things right

 

[Walkalong]

I don't think that the term "hoarder" accurately describes the mentality of waiting until the disaster hits to buy "preparation supplies."

Yep, it's called "unprepared".

Now on the other hand, if you have little walk ways through your house between all the powder jugs, primer boxes, ammo boxes, bullet boxes, buckets of brass, etc, you might be a hoarder.

From my earlier post.

So, what amount of powder, or primers, is "hoarding".

We could debate that until the cows come home, and we would still all disagree.

 

[Old krow]

So, what amount of powder, or primers, is "hoarding".

I'm not sure that it matters, and even if it did it's entirely subjective. If the alternative is buying the when the components start getting scarce and the prices start climbing I'll be perfectly content being a hoarder. Although, I doubt that I have what you do, I' pretty sure that I have at 50 primers and a bottle of water though. I spent the rest of the money on toilet paper.

 

[Walkalong]

TP! I knew I forgot something.

When I die, and my kids go through the shed, they will be asking each other, what in the heck did dad save this for?

 

[USSR]

TP! I knew I forgot something.

When I die, and my kids go through the shed, they will be asking each other, what in the heck did dad save this for?

Or, they will say "Well, I guess that confirms it - he was full of it".

Don

 

[Walkalong]

Probably.

 

[mgmorden]

Primers were. Most everything else was easy enough to find.

Just as part of a big purchase I bought a case of 12,000 small pistol primers a while back. Those should last me at least a while. The only others I use are large rifle primers which I use MUCH less frequently (mostly for reloading hunting ammo) and I've still got 700 or so of those which should last a while.

Truth be told though if the election goes badly I'll probably try to buy at least another 10k small pistol. I need to just make sure that I have enough to make my reloads for matches as if I had to buy factory ammo as the prices it was going for during the last shortage, I'd have to give up competitive shooting.

 

[OldTex]

Kids in my family call me 'Uncle Bubba' already. Wait till they open up a few cabinets here and there. And I'm nowhere close to some folks I know in terms of stockpiles.

I learned my lesson in the Clinton years when I was shooting competitively and had basically no stores put back. I started stocking up about 2 years before Bush's last term ended and was glad I did. I'm in fair shape now except for projectiles. You can break the bank buying those nowadays even without a rush.

I agree that some of our shortages are self-fulfilling prophesies. Like someone said above, just imagine how bad it would be if the stuff really did hit the fan.

And Holder did say the other day that they wanted to reinstate the AW ban. My fear is not so much what the Congress passes but what these guys today will do via presidential or agency decree.