Most all of us have had a tough time the past few years, finding reloading supplies to purchase. In my area, after almost 3 years now, there is still no Alliant powder to be found.

And as most all of us have had to do, we looked for things that could be used for the calibers that we reload for in order to keep us shooting. I now have powders on my shelf that I wouldn't have/or tried, had it not been for the shortage we have gone through.

One of the LGS that I buy supplies from had a sale that started at 1:00pm today. People started lining up at the door at noon! 1 lb. bottles of all on hand powders were at drastically reduced prices (TiteGroup and 700X for example-$15.99 lb.; All primers $25.90/1,000).

I had been thinking all week what/how much I could afford to buy and not hurt myself financially just before Christmas. This was a REAL dilemma and I was losing sleep over it! So this morning, I took a quick inventory of all I had on hand and came to the conclusion that, except for adding 2,000 LP and 2,000 SP primers; I really didn't NEED to buy another 10 lbs. of TiteGroup ($159.90 + tax).

After struggling for the past few years to obtain what I now have in stock; I know I am set for the next several years-at my current rate of shooting. Did I WANT another 10 lbs. of powder? Oh yes, I did! Especially since it is even cheaper now than when I bought my last 8 lb. jug at $136.99 + tax! Did I WANT another 10,000-15,000 primers? At $25.90/K, you bet I did! I guess me and my conscience came to an agreement that we could get by without having to purchase more components at this particular time.

And you wouldn't believe how much 22 ammo I have passed over the past few months; and it's still sitting on the shelves even now. Anyone else finally come to a stopping point?

I finally said "I've got enough powder." Does that stop me from looking when I go into a store? NO! But the chances I'll actually pick something up is very small. Even though when I know I'm not going to buy any I still look.

My Achilles heel right now is probably primers. But I keep forgetting the take into account the 1,200 primed (but unloaded) 9mm cases I have on hand. LOL

I never feel like I have enough and I always look to see what I can fine. The reason I look is because I am not some one who goes to a shop and buys regardless of price. I will look and wait for a fair price. Have I done with out some thing for a period of time , Yes. But I try to stay on top of all of my supplies so there no panic buying at the last minute. I try to have at least a one year supply on hand.

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Not so Free in the Free State

Just remember that it's not going to be any cheaper in five years. I have reached the saturation point, but I still pick up a pound once in awhile if I'm beginning to use it at a faster rate than in the past.

I found that my .270 WSM shoots any 130gr bullet well over a max load of Rl-17. I bought the first 5lb keg I stumbled across, although I doubt I will ever put more than a couple hundred rounds down the barrel of the WSM.

I went two years without seeing any Rl-17. Now I have a lifetime supply. Or so I thought. Now I find my 7-08 likes it behind a 140 gr. Accubond. It never really ends.

Enough is relevant. If you shoot 12k rds a year, ya gotta have at least 2yrs so quite a bit more than someone shooting 1k rds a year. I am always a buyer at a good price. Primers at $26/k, I'm buying 5k & I already have a 2yr reserve +.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I set a goal a few years back when I was making some pretty good money to stock up on components so when I retire, with less income, for the 2nd time at 62 I will have most everything I will need for many years of shooting. I am close and need to double check my inventory if one can ever have enough. I cast my own bullets and shoot a lot of lead 158's so that is covered. Cases of primers and have been finding powder all along for years. I don't buy just to have it, needs to be a good deal or I walk away. Wait for deals on Xtreme bullets and other internet sales. I should never need to buy any 22 ammo as well.

Just in one of my LGS that I have not been in for sometime and he must have had every powder there is and multiple lbs of it. W231, 2400, CFE pistol, Alliant this and that, - if he doesn't have something it would be one not as commonly used. Around $22 - $24 lb. I haven't seen this much powder for a long time. I just don't "need" it.

I would like more primers, but powder, I got lucky and stocked up earlier this spring. The only one I am short of is 2400 but I have alternatives and frankly I am not burning a lot of it.

Right now I overbought SR4756 which is my go to power for 38/44 and 38 Super. I have around 64 lbs of it unopened, so that is probably a lifetime supply for me now. I do love it though as it was near perfect powder for those rounds.

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SWCA 1646

I agree, it's all relative to your shooting volume, and I would think you'd want to have at least a 2 year supply in case you have to get through a drought... Of course, I take it a little more seriously, and have a whole lot more than a couple of years worth stocked.

Even at this level, I still pick away at supplies, a brick of primers here, a jug of powder there, bullets when I've got some extra cash lying around. I don't have a crazy amount, but I probably have enough to be able to shoot for the rest of my life at a moderate rate. I haven't been able to shoot as much as I'd like to the last few years. If I find that I'm able to increase my shooting volume, I'll increase my supply buying to keep pace.

After the whole Clinton thing, I vowed to never have to worry about having what I wanted to shoot. I had no worries during the last 7 years, and have restocked over the past year, just in case the populace makes another mistake...

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me...

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NRA Life Member

In 1994 with Clinton's Gun ban, and primer scare, I loaded all my thousands of thousands of rounds of five different calibers. And I stocked away 20,000 primers ($10 bucks a thousand), thousands of extra brass (Starline brass and nickel) , bullets (at $12 a hundred) and powders (at $11 a pound), oils, patches and stuff. If all goes well my son will be set for some time in the future.

I now have 1000 bullets stashed away. I ordered from a number of companies to try different loads from my new pistol. Fortunately these people are making lots of coated bullets so I'll probably wait until BEFORE the election to buy a couple of cases of bullets.

I've got 30K of primers and about 8 lbs of powder which will last a long time at 3 grains per bullet.

I've about maxed the amount of powder that's recommended to keep in the house, so now it's bullets mostly and primers. I have a lot of cases but I'll always take more.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

We have a rabidly anti gun Lt governor here who is likely to replace Brown. Reloaders are definately not under the radar anymore & "they" have already tried a "safety tax" once & will most likely be back. Still stockpiling supplies, including lead/alloys when I find 'em cheap.

Oh I have more than a two year supply. I keep a standing two year min reserve. When I break Into that, I buy more. When buying say 1# test jugs, I always add primers to make hm worth it. I need nothing, but always buying something. I didn't skip a beat with the obummer shortage, added to my supplies in 08 & 12.
Having multiple powder choices for all you calibers is important too. Unless you have 40-50# of a fav, that fav could become scarce or no longer in production, so options are good to have. I added 8# of WST to my supplies in 12, thinking that would be enough to carry me thru 2yrs. Unfortunately, win wasn't making a lot of it & to save it for sanctioned competitions, I went to RedDot for practice ammo. Still looking for 8# WST, but did buy some 1# here & there. Since then found Ramshot competition, very close to WST, very accurate, very cheap & available. Good to have options.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I try to keep on hand at least a couple of years' supply of all components I use, but lately I have changed my shooting habits and some things I should have had plenty of are getting low while I have a slight excess of some things I have slowed in using. As interests change, it's hard to predict, so now I'm just trying to buy plenty of whatever I can find. I have had some success doing a little trading with others who have to match their supply to their current needs, so networking can be important.

One thing for sure... the prices on components and ammo don't seem to go all the way back down after a spike, so "investing" in available affordable components is probably a pretty good idea.

Froggie

You know there is also a nfpa reg for primer storage. I'm sure none of us violate those regs though.
Btw, prices never go down. If you are waiting for powder to go below $20/# or domestic primers below $25/k, you'll only kick yourself in 5yrs when they are higher still.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

When I have them ALL

Seriously, I have kept 2 years+ ahead of my usage for decades. I never felt this shortage.

I just kept stuff on back order until it showed up. If two back orders showed up at about the same time I let my shooting buddies buy what they want at my cost.

As a rule,, I like to keep a MINIMUM of 3 years worth of ammo/reloading components for every caliber I shoot. For something like my 6.5 Sweed, that may mean 300 rounds worth. For something like 38spl/9mm/45acp , that might mean 6000 rounds worth. ( 12-15000 for .22 lr.).
That said, I'll pick up components /rimfire ammo anytime I see something of interest at a fair price regardless of how well stocked I am at the time. I've never regretted having too much. Stored correctly, it doesn't go bad and none of it have ever gotten cheaper.

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Dave

Bullets. Other than that, I'm OK. Just need to crank up my casting, and scrouging for wheel weights.
But I'm always looking.......

I reload for six different calibers and like to keep enough components on hand for several thousand rounds of each. If I come across something I can use, even if I don't need it at the time, I tend to pick it up and stockpile (budget allowing). Tough to walk away if it's a fair deal or something you haven't seen on the shelves in a while.

This latest debocle is now 3 years old and things are still not at 100% normal. Much better but still room for improvement. So I think 3 years supply should be a minimum, more if your personal situation allows.

I agree with some posters, I always look for components, powder in particular. I believe things will slowly improve and I personally intend to experiment with several powders I have but haven't used yet. This summer I hope to do this.

In the by and by I will continue to stock up on primers and bullets.

I have acquired 20 lb of Unique and Bullseye powder...and acquired 20,000 primers and 7000 .38/.357 cast lead bullets from an on-line auction for a small fraction of the going price. That's probably a rest-of-my-life quantity.

You still don't have enough and you know it.

You can never have to much powder and too many primers.

When it hits rock bottom, and it will next spring, I'm a buyer.

We're in uncharted water here.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Your optimistic. Powder hasn't come back to 100% availability in most places. I doubt tat changes in 6m. Then demand will ramp back up as we near nov elections. Prices are about as low as you'll see them IMO. So I buy when I find stuff at a good price, today or tomorrow.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I agree Fred. If I could I would have 8 years supplies in the bunker by the next election. Powder is no problem and I'm closing in on primers but bullets are an issue.

I'm positioned to be able to independantly see through a 4-5 year reloading component/ammo panic. I learned a valuable lesson back in 2013 in the economic panic stricken world of anti-gun politics. I've been slowly buying small weekly purchases of powders, primers and projectiles. I'm good for about 23K rounds. Still not "good" IMO.... If I never see another stupid ammo panic , then I'm simply saving up for retirement... LOL

Bullets for rifles, a bit of an issue but for 223. I bought the gear to make my own from 22lr cases. I cast for all my handgun calibers & 45-70. With powder coating, I may be able to get useful accuracy in my 6.8 & M1. So bullets, But for my hunting & precision rifle, not a big issue.
For me it will always be primers. Tough to make your own & a bit tough to scrounge them in a shtf situation, though nothing is impossible.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

The retirement issue is often over looked. Even if you are 50, buying now, while you are working & have $$$, will pay off huge at 65 if you still want to shoot, which most of us will.
In 1990 primers were $10/1000. I was still shooting the last of those a couple years ago, I shoot almost every weekend. Now I pay about $30/1000. I'm sure that in 10yrs that will look cheap.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I did a quick calculation the other day and at my current usage, I have enough powder for the next 15 years. Primers and bullets-not even close. In 15 years, I'll be 73 and as much as I would like to think I'll still be around AND still shooting; well you never know.

So even though I'd still like to buy more powder, it just doesn't seem to be the thing I need to do (IMO). I am going to concentrate more on primers and bullets; in order to catch up with my supply of powder. My plan is to have enough supplies in 7 years (retirement) that I can enjoy myself with little-no cash outlay for ammo/supplies. That's the plan, anyway :-)

I never seem to have enough. Today I ordered 5000 more primers and 2000 Coated Bullets since it's Black Friday and they were giving a 15% off price.

One of the companies I like raised their price $6 per 500. I guess I'll avoid them for a while.

Closet full? Book case full? Shelf Full? More than a commercial retailer? It's just a plastic jug or a metal can looking for company .

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S&WHF 366

I try to keep my component inventory proportioned evenly. So I base my powder inventory on an average need of 38 grains of powder per round, and i'm at about 22K for projectiles. I'll let you do the math.

One of the guys at my IDPA club is 84, still shows up twice a month. I hope I am still doing that into my 80s.
Imo, you should have at least enough primers to match your powder supply. I have enough hunting bullets & powder to push those along. My handgun competition has spanned just about every form, currently IDPA, so I am focused on pistol powders & primers. I already have enough primers to match powder for the 223. Still always looking for a deal or sale.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

In the past 2 years of my reloading component purchases I have yet to see a "deal" on primers or powder. I pay $32 for a brick of primers, I pay about $26/lb for powder at my LGS (which I have come to respect as not price gougers). I do ocassionaly find good deals on projectiles from private sales on forums. You have to be careful , I've gotten screwed more than once by scumbags attempting to pass off premium match bullets with lesser quality unknows. I throw flags up immediately when a seller claims "SMK's packaged in bulk baggies" .

I just met a fellow at the conservation club range that was 81, but you'd never know just by looking at him! Still enjoys shooting and had a beautiful K22 that he was shooting! I can only hope to still be shooting at that age!