LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Another guy's too much is about the same as my just right.
Are Reloaders Hoarders?
- Thread starter AJ
- Start date
Ivan the Butcher
Member
What is funny, I tried to sell 9mm brass 4years ago, for 2 cents and no takers! I had 35 Reminton, 303 British, 308, & 30-06. Again No takers. I have people wanting 223 & 300 BO, but nobody want to cover my time in depriming and cleaning.
Somewhere I have over 300 41 Mag brass, I don't want money for it, I want to trade for something. The 20/30 somethings just want to pay money. I told a guy I take ammo, brass, bullets, any gun clips, Army patches, very old uniforms & hats, 1911 parts, knives, nails, screws anything but money. They do not understand what I am saying. Barter is an unknown word from the ancient tongue.
Ivan
Somewhere I have over 300 41 Mag brass, I don't want money for it, I want to trade for something. The 20/30 somethings just want to pay money. I told a guy I take ammo, brass, bullets, any gun clips, Army patches, very old uniforms & hats, 1911 parts, knives, nails, screws anything but money. They do not understand what I am saying. Barter is an unknown word from the ancient tongue.
Ivan
I have a bushel bag full of .223 and a bushel bag full of 9mm. this is outside of ominous quantity that I reload.......May end up taking it to the scrap dealer for $$$.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Will you be my friend lol.
Seriously, that's a cool thing to do. I'm sure they appreciate it.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
There are only a few public ranges where I live and all are controlled by the Fish & Game Commission. A few years back they removed all the trash bins and require all shooters to remove their targets and pick up their brass and take it with them. That dried up the free brass very quickly. 
"hoarder" implies irrationality to me.
After the 2008-2010 component blackout, keeping a stockpile and adding to it when possible seemed rational. After the 2020-2022 insanity, NOT stockpiling what you can, when you can, seems just stupid.
Remember the Boy Scout Motto: BE PREPARED
After the 2008-2010 component blackout, keeping a stockpile and adding to it when possible seemed rational. After the 2020-2022 insanity, NOT stockpiling what you can, when you can, seems just stupid.
Remember the Boy Scout Motto: BE PREPARED
Cdog
Member
My preferred name for what I am is "Scrounger."
Yea, I'm guilty of what I consider bargain buying, but as posted by Ivan, it can become trade fodder down the road.
When this latest primer shortage hit hunters I was able to trade at some local shops. Large Rifle primers for Large Pistol primers. Even trades. I had an excess of what they needed and they had what I wanted but wasn't willing to pay the exorbitant price for.
I offered to trade and some jumped at the offer. Other's acted like they weren't that interested, tried to get me to pay boot. As soon as I started for the door they came around. And yea, there's always the shops that won't even trade on anything. That's ok too. My LR primers don't eat a thing.
Since 2020 I've probably bought 25+ pounds of powder that I had never tried before. Turns out I like my purchases fine. 6 or so lbs of VV 3N37, N340 pistol powders @ $20/lb a couple of N150 rifle powder for around $25/lb. A 4lb container of W572 for $60. Yes I paid cash on the spot. This ain't bragging, only examples of me making myself feel a bit better about many things I know I overpaid for.
I have turned into a "prepper" of sorts too. I've bought manually operated versions of tools that I many years ago replaced with powered versions of. Assembling more portable loading kits.
Manual case trimmers, extra analog scales, etc.
My wife has been very good about my scrounging. She understands the "Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" logic.
As bad as my back hurts, I'll still bend down for brass much quicker than I will a coin.
Scrounger, yep that's me.
Yea, I'm guilty of what I consider bargain buying, but as posted by Ivan, it can become trade fodder down the road.
When this latest primer shortage hit hunters I was able to trade at some local shops. Large Rifle primers for Large Pistol primers. Even trades. I had an excess of what they needed and they had what I wanted but wasn't willing to pay the exorbitant price for.
I offered to trade and some jumped at the offer. Other's acted like they weren't that interested, tried to get me to pay boot. As soon as I started for the door they came around. And yea, there's always the shops that won't even trade on anything. That's ok too. My LR primers don't eat a thing.
Since 2020 I've probably bought 25+ pounds of powder that I had never tried before. Turns out I like my purchases fine. 6 or so lbs of VV 3N37, N340 pistol powders @ $20/lb a couple of N150 rifle powder for around $25/lb. A 4lb container of W572 for $60. Yes I paid cash on the spot. This ain't bragging, only examples of me making myself feel a bit better about many things I know I overpaid for.
I have turned into a "prepper" of sorts too. I've bought manually operated versions of tools that I many years ago replaced with powered versions of. Assembling more portable loading kits.
Manual case trimmers, extra analog scales, etc.
My wife has been very good about my scrounging. She understands the "Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" logic.
As bad as my back hurts, I'll still bend down for brass much quicker than I will a coin.
Scrounger, yep that's me.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
An ammo can with a pound of unique, one or two Lee Loaders, Primers and a bullet mold that serves both.
In the early 80's (as the Greatest Generation went to their reward) I bought this same thing many times over! A rusty toolbox with a single stage press, one or two sets of dies, an ink pad for lubing cases, pill bottles of primers & gas checks, a metal can of powder, a bullet mold and homemade powder dippers. Maybe bullets, maybe not. Most commonly in 30-06 and 38 Special. Never any loading instructions! The next generations or 2, kept or sold the guns but didn't understand homemade ammunition! It surprised me I never found a kit in any lever action cartridge, maybe those kinds of shooters spent time loading with the kids and grandkids.
Ivan
My name is CH4 and I am an opportunistic, reloading hoarder. I gather components when available and at what I think is a fair price, whether I need them or not. I look at it as more of an investment.
twodog max
Member
I am a hoarder of reloading components. I learned my lesson during the Clinton crime family first term in office when primers dried up. I stocked up on primers, powder and all other things first chance I got. I pick up all range brass that looks once fired. However this latest panic the range brass has dried up unless you are there to see it hit the ground. I did see a good number of .223 Federal brass last trip over but as I have thousands of those I will likely never use I left them for the next hoarder. LOL
I think from my observation in my area all serious reloaders are hoarders to some degree.
I think from my observation in my area all serious reloaders are hoarders to some degree.
I am a hoarder, pack rat, accumulator, etc. & I own it. Case closed.
Keep the faith Ivan. I think some of the younger crowd is starting to come around. I have a few locally that like to barter.
But I think this discussion is missing a key element. One reason I pile things deep is so that my heirs will have a supply. I worry about the future availability and affordability of components. I have taught my son and two grandsons how to hand load, and they know what I have stashed for them.
How many of you hoarders have a can for the brass that has split necks, deformed from a mishap seating the bullet, or any other problem during reloading? I do a lot of reforming brass into calibers that you can't buy brass for so my can has turned into the second 5 gal bucket! They will be in the truck on my next trip to the scrap dealer! I'm not hoarding, I'm saving the landfill!
jcelect
jcelect
Years ago when I finally started reloading 9mm, I didn't have much brass. I traded .223 brass for some to get started. Now I shoot weekly with a buddy who doesn't reload 9mm and he gives me all his once fired 9mm brass. I now have more than I would ever shoot in a few lifetimes and I still collect it. I suppose it makes me a hoarder, but I still have enough room in my basement to store more! If I found another local reloader that needed any brass that I have in surplus, I would gladly give them several hundred pieces to get started.
For a few years I was a volunteer RSO at an outdoor private gun club .
The pistol range was nicely sodded with golf course like sod and one of the rules was shooters had to pick up their brass .
I'd tell the shooters who showed up with nice factory ammo that if they didn't want their brass to just leave it and I would take care of it .
Well the range had a big brass picker upper that you pushed along like a lawn mower and it would clean up the firing line of brass in just a few passes . I now have 10 five gallon buckets of .38, 9mm, and .45 ACP brass . Any other calipers I just gave away.
The pistol range was nicely sodded with golf course like sod and one of the rules was shooters had to pick up their brass .
I'd tell the shooters who showed up with nice factory ammo that if they didn't want their brass to just leave it and I would take care of it .
Well the range had a big brass picker upper that you pushed along like a lawn mower and it would clean up the firing line of brass in just a few passes . I now have 10 five gallon buckets of .38, 9mm, and .45 ACP brass . Any other calipers I just gave away.
BrovoEchoSierra
Member
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2021
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We better all be hoarders these days. You cant have too much, unless you dont have a place to store it.
Remember..... hoarders have it on the floor in piles, collectors have it on the shelf.
Remember..... hoarders have it on the floor in piles, collectors have it on the shelf.
Years ago, one of the guys in our gravel pit shooting group had a .40 S&W something or other.
He didn't reload, so he would just leave the empties laying on the ground.
Nobody else had a .40 S&W, so we just left the brass there for somebody else.
Now I have a .40 Shield, plenty of factory and reloaded ammo and I can still see all those .40 S&W cases just laying there.
Hoarder...naw...weirdo...
He didn't reload, so he would just leave the empties laying on the ground.
Nobody else had a .40 S&W, so we just left the brass there for somebody else.
Now I have a .40 Shield, plenty of factory and reloaded ammo and I can still see all those .40 S&W cases just laying there.
Hoarder...naw...weirdo...
Baltimoreed11754
Member
I was loading 45acp yesterday from last Saturday's cas shoot and found one that was split. Thats why I have 3x 50 cal ammo boxes full of 45acp brass, most gifted to me. I'm only 72 and might have just enough to get by. But then you do loose a few each shoot too no matter how hard you look. Doing a Wild Bunch in April so I might loose a few then too. Whenever I see brass laying on the ground I see money, but then I pick up pennies, wheelweights, screws, washers, found a couple dollar bills last month. I always walk a different way when I walk back to my truck when it's in a stores parking lot. Pays to be observant.
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Old Corp
Member
If this was a poll - I'd probably say yes (a qualified 'yes' 
)
I still have a LOT of components purchased for the 'Prepare for Y2K' event.
I have a great stash of primers that would be considered almost free compared to today.
Much of my brass actually was free (from LE and public indoor range).
So, hanging my head in shame, will admit to being sort of a hoarder.
)I still have a LOT of components purchased for the 'Prepare for Y2K' event.
I have a great stash of primers that would be considered almost free compared to today.
Much of my brass actually was free (from LE and public indoor range).
So, hanging my head in shame, will admit to being sort of a hoarder.
