Bad Time To Start Reloading ?

[dpmcclellan]

I used to do a lot of reloading a few years back and was thinking of getting back into reloading for .308 for local shooting competitions. I have been looking around for components such as powder, primers and brass and it seems that no one has hardly anything available. Is this a bad time for people to start reloading ? Where are ya'll getting your powder from? Nobody has anything in stock !!!


Danny

 

[Victor N TN]

Just go to different shops and maybe a few gun shows and pick up components WHEN YOU FIND THEM. Everything has been hard to find for the last 3 years. It's getting better, a little anyway. But I just pick up what I find when I find it. I don't mean to sound like a smart alack or anything. But the truth is the truth.

Good luck.
Victor

 

[Brux]

Be ready to do alot of internet shopping,back ordering and whatever else it takes to keep you shooting.Sorry for the bad news.

 

[George Az]

It is a bad time to start, on the other hand, it is a good time to start and buy when you can. If you can get on a backorder notification list that will help. Stuff is out there, just hard er to find. The last couple of decades have been real trying times for shooting sports - from hi cap prices which were crazy, to the primer drought and then the AR build craze when stock mil-spec tigger parts went as expensive as drops ins.

The hard ones to find are .22 rimfire and powders now. So learn which of several will work, say RL 15/17/Varget/BLC-2 which will all shoot ok in some calibers. You are going to have to do your homework.

 

[samnev]

It's never a bad time to start reloading. Just a little more difficult now. Just back order a wait for items to arrive. hat's what I've done the last few years for 556 and 308.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

It's never a bad time to start reloading. Just keep shopping and buy what you can, when you can.

 

[40xs]

It's kinda like gasolene. It's not going to get any cheaper, but we're not gonna stop driving. I've been "turned off" by all the crap myself and have slowed down, however, factory bullets will continue to be expensive and intermittant on availability, plus, you never know when the libtards will finally get their way and ammo will no longer exist. So, yeah, start back reloading.

 

[dpmcclellan]

Thanks guys, I have a couple of Gun Shows coming up within about 2 hours from home over the next 2-3 months. I guess I'll hit those and see whats available there.

Danny

 

[oldfudd]

I think the best advice is to buy when you find it. If you to go to one place and expect to be able to pick up everything you need at one time, chances are you'll be disappointed. However, if you start buying components when you see them, you should buy then. Pretty soon you'll find that you'll have what you need. When things start to get low, start looking then to replace them, not when you're out. I'm fortunate in that my gun club tries to keep an inventory of primers and powders available. Consequently, when I start running low, I can pick up what I need if available, or go ahead and put my order in for future delivery. Its worked out well for me. Good luck.

 

[1idCat]

To quote my dad, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

It applies to reloading too.

Some components are as hard to find as unicorn horns. But buy what you can when you can find it, and work out a 'plan B' for the rest.

 

[Road_Clam]

I dove into reloading about a year ago simply because I got sick and tired of the ammo shortage. Now jump forward to present and the ammo supply is far more plentiful, to the point now where i'm seeing prices trickling down. Popular powders such as Varget, R15, and H335 a year ago was extremely scarce, but the non popular powders such as 4064, 2000MR, and Win 748 were in decent supply so I taught myself to load the "off brands" and have had excellent success. So like others suggested, browse the reload section at your LGS, and browse the forum for sale sections! Buy small amounts even if you don't need them at the time. I have enough varied powders and primers to load about 8K match rounds. I have about 3700 bullets (most of which I bought private sale on forums) and still buying stuff here and there so i'm all set if we are faced with another (and I hate to use the word) "panic"

 

[CH Luke]

Same experience this last couple years.
Powder and primers are the hardest to get a consistent supply of so be ready to get good developing loads. Then go to the local shops regularly and be ready to buy when opportunity calls. The best shops will put you on a call list for a short list of items.
Bullets at local shops in 100 counts, backorder online 500 counts.
Of course bolt not auto helps. LR guys seem to go through fewer rounds and it also seems the more serious they get the more time they take between shots. Challenge yourself to improve your efficiency.