What I Have Learned For The Future

[MagnumDweeb]

After 2008 when i caught almost completely off guard I had only few hundred rounds of ammo laying around for each caliber with maybe a few exceptions like 8mm Mauser and 7.62x25 (I had a few thousand rounds of each at that point). Shortly into the 2008 panic I quickly grabbed up at least one thousand rounds of 9mm, .223, and .45 ACP.

When the panic subisded I was reloading for .44 magnum, .357 magnum, 9mm, .38 special, .308 Winchester, and .223. I made sure i had at least one thousand factory spare rounds laying around for each caliber. I got into reloading in a big way reloading at least a thousand rounds between all my calibers every three months (a big deal for me, maybe not so much for some of you). I always had at least a thousand spare primers around, a thousand projectiles, and plenty of recycled brass that had gone through the tumbler. I hadn't gotten into casting because I kept reading in various periodicals that it was hard to be economical with it, m mistake.

So now the 2012/2013 panic has landed and looks like it may start to ease off by June or July and things back to normal by November. If we don't get an AWB at the federal level, and we don't get a magazine ban at the federal level.

I've been only shooting reloads and that thousand primers (or more depending on the caliber) and thousand projectiles seems to disappear fast when you are only shooting a hundred rounds a month of a give caliber. I only get to go rifle shooting every few months so I still have plenty of stash and I gave into the panic right before it went ninety degrees so I have plenty of rifle and 9mm.

I finally got into casting but my plans to scavenge lead have been all but fruitless. So I was lucky enough to find a black powder shop (got into black powder) and they let me buy 1 lb ingots at a dollar a pop after I had bought a CVA (ASM manufacture) Revolver (was told it was an 1851 Colt Navy, no clue but a lot of fun to shoot the one time I got to shoot it). I bought a casting pot, molds for all my calibers, and thirty pounds of lead (yes my fiancee was most upset with me).

By the time I was done giving into my panic buying I had spent just over $4,000.00. I've got it, and all my credit cards today have a zero balance. I was caught flat footed and while i have a ton of ammo I feel like I could have done more.

Instead of buying more guns (at least till December 2013) I have chosen to buy a 3D printer and some machine tools, several mortar and pestles, get back into chemistry (was a hobbiest chemist in college when I was chem major before I became a legal studies major). I've made friends with all different sane sorts who want to do various firearm related legal projects.

But I have learned my lesson and am stockpiling the cash again to make my next big purchases in December 2013 if things calm down again (otherwise it'll just be black powder for me for awhile).

For the future:

Two thousand rounds of 9mm (factory)
Two thousand rounds of .45 (factory)
Two thousand rounds of .357 magnum (factory)
One thousand rounds of .44 magnum (factory, I barely shoot a hundred rounds every six months, partly why I still have over a thousand rounds sitting in the back of my closet)
One thousand rounds of .454 Casull (factory and reloads, it's expensive)
Five thousand rounds of .22lr (already have that but that's the minimum stock)
Two thousand rounds of 7.62x39 (factory, Wolf, Bear, Tula, no brass case)
Two thousand rounds of .223 (factory all brass case, maybe another two thousand rounds of steel case)
One thousand rounds of .308 Win (factory brass case, and maybe another thousand rounds of steel case)
Three thousand rounds of 8mm Mauser (surplus, maybe another three hundred rounds of reloadable brass case Priv Partizan)

I have one rifle in 30/30 but I've only shot reloads out of it since I've had it and the two hundred factory rounds I have for it have never been shot so I'll just stockpile enough supplies to reload a thousand rounds.

I showed my fiancee this idea on paper and she thought I was nuts, and even I can admit it's a touch intense. But while so many of my friends can't find ammo anywhere I've got plenty for the time being and now with shooting black powder I'm stretching my ammo farther, even if my fiancee hates having to shoot at an outdoor range.

I also plan to have at least five thousand primers for each caliber. 500 spare factory fresh brass for each caliber. And a spare 2,000 projectiles for each caliber. Plus all the powder to load a thousand rounds of each caliber. Thankfully I've already paid for the wedding in advance so my fiancee is so only so angry. We were able to reach a consensus that I wouldn't be allowed to buy more than two hundred rounds of ammo per month (except for .22lr) from Walmart, or buy more than two guns a year unless I sold some of my other two dozen plus guns and only replaced them.

I figure it will take me at least four months of calm purchasing to reach these levels and based on my 2012 receipts from various purchases (yes I keep my receipts) I'm looking at least $6,000 to get effectively stocked. Granted this is if everything calms down.

So I plan to stay out of the ammo and gun market (except for black powder) till at least December 2013. And when I jump back in, I'm going to do it with two feet. In the meantime I'm going to get into black powder and casting. Finally get back into archery (got an acre and a half in the backyard). Work on my various gun related projects and work on getting back into amateur chemistry (because homemade black powder can be fun when done in small amounts like less than fifty grains at a time [I know greybeards that do it, quite literally working in their mortar and pestles on their back porches while they watch sports on their TV that's inside the house, the first time I saw it I couldn't stop laughing].

So what have you learned going forward? Oh and I rejoined the NRA and donated a hundred bucks on top of it and am regularly writing my congress critters and using Popvox and whitehouse.gov at every turn.

 

[silicosys4]

I learned to cast my own bullets and reload in the last year, for almost every pistol caliber I have, and most of the rifle calibers I have.
I also learned to pick up 1k primers every paycheck whether I needed them or not. Sometimes LPP's, sometimes SPP, sometimes LRP's, etc....
I learned that $130 really isn't that much for 5k .22lr rounds.
I learned that if you spent $130 on 5k .22lr rounds because it was a good deal at the time, and tell the wrong person, that you are a "hoarder", lol
I learned that $75 spent on a video game will be worth $10 in a few months, but $75 spent on ammo will be $300 in a few months.

 

[Manny]

I was caught short on 9mm and .223 in 2008, so I stocked up on that & AR and Glock mags before this last go-round. Still got caught by surprise on how fast .38 +p and especially .22 lr went. Luckily got a decent amount for iqpre-panic pricing by moving quick and being lucky and also got powder
& primers but not bullets. Added a couple new arms in .22 LR and one in .357 when I saw how fast they were disappearing. Also added some 12 ga buckshot JIC along with a couple cases of 7.5 field loads.

In other words I spent a substantial chunk of money and worry that it wasn't more. Nonetheless, I feel decently ready and have learned some lessons I'll be following going forward.

 

[youngda9]

Why so many expensive factory rounds now that you can cast? You should be investing in lead, powder, and primers...along with molds and then you are self sufficient...and shooting CHEAP.

 

[rdhood]

I could write something similar to OP. I got caught off guard in 2008. Now I have about 15K primers stocked, about 20 lbs of powder, and a few thousand cases of each caliber I shoot. The only thing I didn't stock sufficiently is projectiles... only about 500 bullets of each.

Each time we go through one of these things, I work on the areas that need work.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

Because Youngda9 I'm a lawyer. I commonly work sixty to eighty hours a week for myself and my staff (those pesky people who demand paychecks and health insurance [i offered them either a big raise or a small raise and health insurance]). So that doesn't leave a lot of time to make my own ammo. At least on a price point level at least. Even when I work eighty hours a week between personal injury, appellate practice in family and criminal, family, and criminal I only get about thirty billable hours and only about twenty of those hours get paid on time (thank god for PI) or paid in equivalent from fixed fees. Partly why PI is so valuable to most firms with its occassionally large windfalls. Mind you that's not my money. That's my firm's money and after everyone is paid and the overhead is covered, taxes accounted for, I get to take a small chunk of that home, admittedly a very valuable small chunk.

So the more time I take to reload the less money I make. And I can't make enough ammo in one hour to account for $250. I've honestly thought about sticking some of my unpaid interns with de priming my brass and running tumblers at their homes but I don't want the employment law hastle. I'm up at six in the morning most mornings and I don't get to sleep till midnight. I at least get to take most of my Sunday off, and almost never work a Saturday unless it's an eighty hour work week.

I literally reload with a little mobile press I bought from Lee while my fiancee does her cross stitching projects for about an hour a night three nights a week. I plan to cast for a couple of hours each Saturday, twice a month.

I'm glad to see I'm not so alone. Hopefully others who were considering this line of thinking and thinking that it seemed strange and paranoid. Now see that it's not so terrible of an idea. Better prepared and never need it than need it and not be prepared.

Oh and I forgot to mention I'm going to take up Flintlock shooting. I'm going to Savanah Georgia in May for a cousin's wedding and he's so big into Flintlock that he makes his own flint from rocks he finds in nearby creeks and rivers so I'm going to put on my waders and sunblock and hopefully get myself plenty of flint.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

After 2008 when i caught almost completely off guard I had only few hundred rounds of ammo laying around for each caliber with maybe a few exceptions like 8mm Mauser and 7.62x25 (I had a few thousand rounds of each at that point). Shortly into the 2008 panic I quickly grabbed up at least one thousand rounds of 9mm, .223, and .45 ACP.

When the panic subisded I was reloading for .44 magnum, .357 magnum, 9mm, .38 special, .308 Winchester, and .223. I made sure i had at least one thousand factory spare rounds laying around for each caliber. I got into reloading in a big way reloading at least a thousand rounds between all my calibers every three months (a big deal for me, maybe not so much for some of you). I always had at least a thousand spare primers around, a thousand projectiles, and plenty of recycled brass that had gone through the tumbler. I hadn't gotten into casting because I kept reading in various periodicals that it was hard to be economical with it, m mistake.

So now the 2012/2013 panic has landed and looks like it may start to ease off by June or July and things back to normal by November. If we don't get an AWB at the federal level, and we don't get a magazine ban at the federal level.

I've been only shooting reloads and that thousand primers (or more depending on the caliber) and thousand projectiles seems to disappear fast when you are only shooting a hundred rounds a month of a give caliber. I only get to go rifle shooting every few months so I still have plenty of stash and I gave into the panic right before it went ninety degrees so I have plenty of rifle and 9mm.

I finally got into casting but my plans to scavenge lead have been all but fruitless. So I was lucky enough to find a black powder shop (got into black powder) and they let me buy 1 lb ingots at a dollar a pop after I had bought a CVA (ASM manufacture) Revolver (was told it was an 1851 Colt Navy, no clue but a lot of fun to shoot the one time I got to shoot it). I bought a casting pot, molds for all my calibers, and thirty pounds of lead (yes my fiancee was most upset with me).

By the time I was done giving into my panic buying I had spent just over $4,000.00. I've got it, and all my credit cards today have a zero balance. I was caught flat footed and while i have a ton of ammo I feel like I could have done more.

Instead of buying more guns (at least till December 2013) I have chosen to buy a 3D printer and some machine tools, several mortar and pestles, get back into chemistry (was a hobbiest chemist in college when I was chem major before I became a legal studies major). I've made friends with all different sane sorts who want to do various firearm related legal projects.

But I have learned my lesson and am stockpiling the cash again to make my next big purchases in December 2013 if things calm down again (otherwise it'll just be black powder for me for awhile).

For the future:

Two thousand rounds of 9mm (factory)
Two thousand rounds of .45 (factory)
Two thousand rounds of .357 magnum (factory)
One thousand rounds of .44 magnum (factory, I barely shoot a hundred rounds every six months, partly why I still have over a thousand rounds sitting in the back of my closet)
One thousand rounds of .454 Casull (factory and reloads, it's expensive)
Five thousand rounds of .22lr (already have that but that's the minimum stock)
Two thousand rounds of 7.62x39 (factory, Wolf, Bear, Tula, no brass case)
Two thousand rounds of .223 (factory all brass case, maybe another two thousand rounds of steel case)
One thousand rounds of .308 Win (factory brass case, and maybe another thousand rounds of steel case)
Three thousand rounds of 8mm Mauser (surplus, maybe another three hundred rounds of reloadable brass case Priv Partizan)

I have one rifle in 30/30 but I've only shot reloads out of it since I've had it and the two hundred factory rounds I have for it have never been shot so I'll just stockpile enough supplies to reload a thousand rounds.

I showed my fiancee this idea on paper and she thought I was nuts, and even I can admit it's a touch intense. But while so many of my friends can't find ammo anywhere I've got plenty for the time being and now with shooting black powder I'm stretching my ammo farther, even if my fiancee hates having to shoot at an outdoor range.

I also plan to have at least five thousand primers for each caliber. 500 spare factory fresh brass for each caliber. And a spare 2,000 projectiles for each caliber. Plus all the powder to load a thousand rounds of each caliber. Thankfully I've already paid for the wedding in advance so my fiancee is so only so angry. We were able to reach a consensus that I wouldn't be allowed to buy more than two hundred rounds of ammo per month (except for .22lr) from Walmart, or buy more than two guns a year unless I sold some of my other two dozen plus guns and only replaced them.

I figure it will take me at least four months of calm purchasing to reach these levels and based on my 2012 receipts from various purchases (yes I keep my receipts) I'm looking at least $6,000 to get effectively stocked. Granted this is if everything calms down.

So I plan to stay out of the ammo and gun market (except for black powder) till at least December 2013. And when I jump back in, I'm going to do it with two feet. In the meantime I'm going to get into black powder and casting. Finally get back into archery (got an acre and a half in the backyard). Work on my various gun related projects and work on getting back into amateur chemistry (because homemade black powder can be fun when done in small amounts like less than fifty grains at a time [I know greybeards that do it, quite literally working in their mortar and pestles on their back porches while they watch sports on their TV that's inside the house, the first time I saw it I couldn't stop laughing].

So what have you learned going forward? Oh and I rejoined the NRA and donated a hundred bucks on top of it and am regularly writing my congress critters and using Popvox and whitehouse.gov at every turn.

5,000 for everything but 22lr and make that 10,000.

 

[xsquidgator]

Sounds sensible to me. I wasn't caught totally unprepared in 2008, I did have time to see the vice jaws closing down and bought more reloading supplies.

I didn't see Sandy Hook coming, and actually I didn't see Nov. 6th 2012 going the way it did either. However, I remembered 2008 well enough to spend the summer building up a stock of commercial ammo and reloading supplies, and finished this before the election as a just-in-case thing. Good thing, too.

2008 and 2012/13 have hammered home the lesson to me, that you just don't pass up an opportunity to purchase something firearms-related that you're pretty sure you'll want eventually. I indulged most of those desires over the last 4 years, in a sensible way. I feel bad for the people who waited too long, but that's the way it goes.

I reload and cast, too. You'll be most glad that you cast if this continues. I'll shoot commercial ammo in a training class, but except for that kind of exception, for handguns all I ever shoot are my own cast boolit reloads.

 

[FROGO207]

I learned by observation that many people feel that the stores have limitless resources and will never run out of a popular product.:banghead:

I have prepared for the future for at least 50 years now. The minimum stock/supplies for reloading I will keep ahead is what I will anticipate using in the next two years. If I fall below this level I will stop consuming my supplies. I will also buy anytime the sales are in my favor or a special deal comes along that will probably not be repeatable in the future. Buying in bulk when the finances allow is a great hedge on price increases as well as avoiding these recent speed bumps of supply. Someday my heirs will have a windfall if they choose to foolishly liquidate the firearm related assets I now own free and clear

 

[plodder]

I won't waste thread space by including the entire OP as a reference, but after that enthralling narrative I must ask the question: "Why in heaven's name are you getting married?"

 

[Walkalong]

In the last week and a half I reloaded 1K .223, 1K 9MM, 450 .40, and 200 .32 Mag. Everything was purchased in the last five years, most of it two or more years ago, and all of it before November 2013. I am down to under 3K small pistol primers in my working stock though. I'll be disappointed if I have to break into my rainy day primers before this is over, but at least I have them.

I got caught with only a little stock when Clinton was elected. Never again will I be caught with nothing. I was ready in 2008 and was ready this time.

 

[wgaynor]

I too was caught unprepared in 2008. I learned my lesson though. I got into bullet casting for all my centerfire calibers, bought wheelweights by the 5 gallon bucket full at the tire shop, snatched up primers once a month by the brick, and bought surplus Industrial Pistol Powder in Bulk (Great for plinking with cast bullets).

I also scrounge brass at the range more than I shoot there.

That being said... with this new ammo crisis, I don't worry as much. Instead of shooting less, I shoot the same. I also load more than I shoot. Life is good.

 

[Akita1]

+1 dweeb; live in central FL as well - nice to know there's someone else close by with adequate supply like me; when it all goes to hell we can go shooting together.

Note: not as much brass on the floor at ranges these days...

 

[nosmr2]

I wasn't into guns in 2008. I've only heard the stories. However, my wife brought home a new purse last weekend, said she paid $200 for it. I asked her if she really needed that purse. She asked me if I needed the last gun I bought. I told her the next time she can sell a purse for more than what she paid for it used to let me know. That pretty much ended the conversation.
I really hate shopping at walmart, but it is the cheapest place in town. So every time I go, I buy a box of 9mm or 22 ammo. I saved some money that was spent on ammo and my pile grows a little. This was obviously before walmart ran out of ammo a few months ago.

 

[pty101]

The only thing I learned from this was to buy way more than I think I need. Unfortunately I wasnt able to really start getting into shooting sports until this year and even that was limit by work and funds. I've got a couple more firearms on list Im gonna get first but Im already starting to pickup brass and primers when I can find a deal for when I get a press.

 

[goon]

Life didn't have me in the most economically stable situation until now, so I wasn't as well prepared as I would have liked to be. I have resolved to have more of everything, as much of the stuff likely to be banned as I can afford, and to be sure that I am living in a gun friendly state.

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

I've learned to shop on the internet late at night, Thats when the stuff gets restocked on the websites and usually goes quickly, but if your fast enough, youve got it. I scored 2000 rounds of 7.62x39 from cabelas that will be here friday. 600 bucks... Money well spent in my opinion. I just got into shooting around two years ago, shortly after I bought my house. So I was relativly unaware that these things happen. Thank the man upstairs for my paranoia of my government and the poeple around me. Something inside me compelled be to buy 4 boxes to shooton range day, and buy another 4 to save. I can honestly say that im GOOD for ammo right now. But i dont feel comfortable shooting any of it, So im rapidly depleting my .22lr stores. I do have a bow that i got many years back, It would certainly need to be restrung at this point... and would need new optics too. Not to mention arrows as i have maybe 15 and theyre heavily used.

Makes you think about taking in a high powered air rifle. Something you could drop squirrels with if it ever came to having to eat them

 

[Kiln]

I plan on stocking up when the ammunition supply goes back to normal too.

Unfortunately I was pretty low on ammo from target shooting when the panic started and am stuck now with only a couple of mags for certain firearms.

 

[bannockburn]

I guess I have always been stocking up since I split a case of Chinese 7.62X39 with my brother over 20 years ago. Didn't even have a gun for it at the time but thought it was too good of a deal to miss out on. I always figured if the antis couldn't find a way to ban guns then they would find a way to come after magazines and ammo so I acted accordingly. Got into reloading and I have been stocking up on ammo and components (and magazines), over the years so that now I have quite a decent supply on hand for the time being.

 

[Manny]

I'm constantly amazed at folks who always have money to buy another gun, but have virtually no ammo for the guns they have. The same goes for magazines. I guess if you buy firearms for an investment or from a pure collecters standpoint it might make sense, but from a shooters point of view it makes no sense at all.

I started a new policy for myself, no guns without at least a case of ammo. I violate that only on limited use guns, a .475 Linebaugh & an impulse purchase .338 Winmag that I still haven't made up my mind will be staying or not. Of course it helps that I limit the chamberings of my firearms to a few common ones with just a few oddballs like the Linebaugh & the Winmag. .22LR, .38 Spcl+p, 9mm, .45 LC, .223 & 12 ga are the chamberings I have, with the ability to use .357's & .454's as well though I stock no .357 & limited .454.

I also will not own a gun with a detachable magazine without spare magazines. A decision made easy as I need only 3 different ones, AR, 10/22 & 9mm Glock.

Maybe I have a lack of variety when I go to the range, which some might find boring, but I have ammo & mags to shoot what I have.

 

[huntsman]

I'm not hung up on a max round count anymore instead I was buying when I found a good deal and bought as much as I could, now I'll try to maintain 5 box stock in each pistol caliber for plinking so I've got a bit of a cushion to shoot before I have to start the hunt again.

Reloading for handgun is still something I'm contemplating and buying more mags is a definite need to be addressed next.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

On the subject of mags I did get caught short. I bought the Glock 20 in the heart of this crises which leaves me with only the 2 mags it came with. We have another gun show this month so I will see if I can do some trading for addtional mags to fix my mag problem.