You've probably known other reloaders, but they are hesitant to reveal their disease in public. "While walking down the street on doctor's row, I hear, I'm Mike and I'm a reloader. HI MIKE."

There are a few different factors in play now.

- There is probably increased demand given the current mess we're in.

- However, COVID -19 also has an effect on supply, as production rates go down and the delivery of that smaller supply is delayed.

- Online suppliers are also being hit harder than local shops as more people are buying on line, rather than going out to shop.

As to the upcoming election, runs on guns and ammo only occur when the perception is that a conservative won't be elected. If you are correct in your view that this is a reason for increased demand, then it probably speaks louder than any poll.

I think its a fear factor for some & a miss perceived time factor for others. A bit of study removes eithervisdue from discussion, but I get it, some people just dont like doing their own thing. I have always like the autonomy of reloading. Casting/coating bullets just gives pushes it to another level. All I need are primers to keep all my handguns running.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I'm 65 and just started reloading in January so I guess an old dog can learn new tricks!

There must be a lot of us because every time I go to an LGS or online for supplies nothing is available.

Recently (before reading this thread) I started a thread on another gun related forum with the title:
Please Post Your Reasons For NOT getting into reloading - Long Ago

The reason I did this was because I was reading so many complaints about ammo prices, lack of availability etc. and a lot of the posts did not make sense.

Some were saying they couldn't find any ammo so did this mean they had little to no ammo as it was and were scrambling to buy a supply up?

Others said they had ammo on hand but were not going to shoot any until the availability came back. One said he was not going to shoot any of his current supply until prices came down again, referencing some of the inflated ammo prices he had seen.

My point to this is if one is a dedicated shooter why did you NOT get into reloading previously?

Well, the answers somewhat surprised me but the top three were:

Lack of space
Lack of time
Lack of interest

Some went into lengthy explanations about their responses and while I did my best to accept their answers (I did not respond to any of them - I let others do that) my consensus was a lot of them were simply not regular shooters or if they did shoot with any regularity their interest was limited to few calibers of inexpensive ammo (IE 9mm or 5.56)

As I have always maintained I got into reloading as an extension of my interest in shooting, to create accurate and specialized loadings such as reduced loads for certain calibers and to always ensure I have and adequate supply.

Gun owners may have 1 gun or a 1,000 guns. The owner of a 1,000 guns may reload and there is a smaller chance they may cast bullets. Bullseye shooters (estimate 90%) reload but they are 3%+ of the shooting population.

I don't believe that 50,000 reloaders have bought up all the powder, primers, and bullets that were in the distribution chain. A significant amount must have went to commercial reloaders. The range I reload at has sold 200 thousand rounds since mid-March. Ammo prices have not been raised but ammo is limited to 50 rounds per caliber per shooting bench. If a customer comes in with 3 guns, they can buy 9 MM, 38 Spl, and 40 S&W 1 box each at about $17 per box. Four people are reloading and we are barely keeping up with demand on three Dillon 650 presses plus my 550 at home. I provide "reloading relief" to the full time employees.

Disposing of "dropped & unfired" ammo has become a significant problem. It can't be resold, can't be thrown in the garbage, and can't sit in the back area in 5 gallon buckets. At the current availability of ammo and its price, it is hard to believe that people don't pick up their own fallen jacketed ammo. I sort, clean, and inspect the ammo. It works just fine in my guns, and I haven't reloaded for myself in 6 months of shooting 3 to 4 hundred rounds per week. If it wasn't for "work" I'd be in the Golden Days of my retirement.

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S&WHF 366

Four months ago, when I started seeing ammo getting scarce, I started stocking up reloading supplies. The good stock and selections at my LGS and the local Cabela's dried up, quickly. I went online and found most of what I wanted. Weeks later, I asked a guy at Cabela's what was going on. He said "Reloaders panicked and stripped our shelves. We tried to order, and suppliers said they can't get it from the manufacturers." I checked at the LGS on the way home, and their manager said the same thing. Makes me wonder if the major powder suppliers got emptied by the ammo manufacturers. I checked both again last Friday. Condition is still the same, at least in my area.

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Heavily armed old man.

The number is definitely going up. I sold a press this morning to a brand new reloader. The three folks that contacted me before the purchaser were all just starting out.
David

I have reloaded since the early 1970's,, and I live in an area where almost everyone owns at least a hunting rifle.

Well,, it is shocking how much free brass I have been offered over the years,, these guys have guns, but, almost zero reload.

My estimate,, MAYBE 1%,, TOPS! that is 1% of gun owners reload.

Casting bullets? Go look at the membership at the castboolits forum,,
maybe 50,000,, and not all of them cast,, I am a member, I do not cast.
(I joined to find a certain type of brass)
Their fund raising goal ~ $6,000,,, so far they are at $3,005,,,

Who would cast bullets, and not need that info at some point??

Heck, 100,000 casters for the entire country might be high,,

On the news last week, they said 20 million guns were sold in the first six months of 2020,,
I doubt that I can believe that statistic,, 20 million new gun owners,, this year??
At that rate, pretty soon, a LOT of 6 and 7 year olds will be applying for a concealed permit,,,

I've bought two rifles and three revolvers during this buying spree. Only one gun was "retail", a Ruger Single-Ten. And I reload for all but the .22 and one rifle - my new Mossberg 464 30-30 lever action. I intend to change that, when I find the components.

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Heavily armed old man.

I've worked in the medical field for the last 35 years. During the first 34 years, not once did I ever hear a female co-worker talk about guns. This last 6 months alone, I've had 4 tell me they just bought a gun.

The next question is always "where can I find ammo so I can go shoot it?". I just shrug and suggest a few on-line sites. I feel bad, because I've got plenty of ammo, but it's all stuff I loaded. I feel comfortable shooting my own, but I would never give reloads to someone else to shoot.

This rush to arms is worse than any I can remember. I hope sanity returns after the election. I have fears that it won't.

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What could possibly go wrong?

So with approximately 100M gun owners? 1% = 1M that reload....... that number sounds reasonable.

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"Your other right........."

I reload 32 short/long/magnum/327, 38/357, 44 special. Oddly enough I don't cast my own bullets... Maybe when I retire.