Is Handloading doomed?

[Purdy]

I am begining to think that our hobby may be doomed to extinction. There are no primers, no brass and very few bullets available, even through big internet dealers. "They" say there is no "conspiracy" about the "shortages" but I am beginning to have my doubts. How are things in your area?

[rwt101]

No primers-some powder but I cast my bullets

Bob T
Pigeon Forge, TN

[Cyrano]

No problem getting powder and primers around here; no problem with shot, hulls and shot cups. But if you want brass, you either have to buy it online or save and scrounge your own. None of the shops around here carry brass, but that's not a change; it's been like that for a couple of years at least. Some bullets at least can be had, though.

[Blackrock]

I made the rounds of several shops plus Sportsmans Warehouse in Tucson yesterday and while supplys are spotty they are still out there. Paid almost $39 for 1K of Win 209 primers and 25.29 for a # of Rel15 powder. Cabelas in Phoenix did have the Hornady XTP bullets I was needing for my .357 mag and .45acp last Sunday.

[Purdy]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

No problem getting powder and primers around here; no problem with shot, hulls and shot cups. But if you want brass, you either have to buy it online or save and scrounge your own. None of the shops around here carry brass, but that's not a change; it's been like that for a couple of years at least. Some bullets at least can be had, though.

Yes, there is all kinds of powder, primers, shot hulls, etc for the shotgun crowd. There doesn't seem to be any brass or primers even online for pistols or rifles though.

[.22guy]

Yep, handloading is doomed. Go ahead and send me all your reloading gear. I'll even pay the shipping!

It's really just supply and demand, simple economic concept.

[StretchNM]

Originally Posted by Purdy

.............There are no primers, no brass and very few bullets available, even through big internet dealers. "They" say there is no "conspiracy" about the "shortages" but I am beginning to have my doubts. How are things in your area?

I've kindly wondered about a conspiracy too, but I keep thinking that somebody, somewhere, would let the cat out of the bag if there were one, and I haven't even heard a hint of that. I mean, working at CCI, Winchester, Sierra, Hornady, Remington, Hodgdon, and on and on, there are reloaders, shooters, hunters, patriotic Americans who wouldn;t stand idle on the issue.... I don;t think.

Except for primers (there are Wolf primers, I just received 2k), there IS plenty of powder, bullets, and brass online. It comes and goes so you have to watch your favorite shops. If you're buying from gun shops in my area, you'll pay minimum $25 per pound of powder, IF they have it, but online it's plentiful and less than $20. I've been ordering a minimum of 5lbs and suffering the $22 hazmat, and I still come out ahead. Just last week I received 2lbs of Varget, which CANNOT be had here in southern New Mexico......nowhere...none....nothing! Our largest gunshop over in Las Cruces has been promising "Varget's coming....I've ordered it" for the last 7 months, and he hasn;t received a grain....not even a granule.

Gunshops are funny, maybe because I don;t quite understand this new "shortage" dilemna. If you ask when they're going to get some 4350, or Varget, or whatever, they all say "I don;t know. We'll have to see when the truck comes in". So you ask if they ordered it, and they'll say "Well yeah, but I don;t know if they'll send it", and on it goes. AND.... if you're not there when that truck rolls in, all you'll get is spilled grains stuck in the soles of your boot. It's crazy.

Maybe there's a conspiracy or some sort, but there's no evidence of it yet. It's a good one if it is!

Well...wait. I just thought of a true conspiracy of sorts, but not exactly what you're referring to. Last year the Sportsman's Warehouse closed in Las Cruces. Before it closed, of course, there was all this primer and powder and brass shortage, and they would say the truck will be in Thursday at noon, so when you got there the shelves would already be empty. Like something out of a sci-fi movie. Anyway......after it closed, I suppose an employee or two let the cat out. Remember, these large chains are full of employees who hunt, and reload, and shoot. Well, who got first dibs when the trucks came in? And when their lust was satiated, who got seconds? Their families and buds. Who got thirds? The shelves in the store, for the meager to maul!

[twtalbot]

Brass, Powder, and Barnes, Nosler, and Hornady bullets are on the shelves now but primers are still as elusive as frog hair-except for one dealer who has a good supply of Wolf and limits purchasers to 2000. Sierra and Speer bullets are also rare.

[ALR]

Originally Posted by twtalbot

Brass, Powder, and Barnes, Nosler, and Hornady bullets are on the shelves now but primers are still as elusive as frog hair-except for one dealer who has a good supply of Wolf and limits purchasers to 2000. Sierra and Speer bullets are also rare.

Where do you live?

[Bookman]

Primers are available around here if you're willing to pay the price: about $4 per hundred. 4 cents a primer is still cheaper than buying factory ammo.

Powder is no problem.
I buy most of my brass at gun shows. I have a ton of everything I need.
Bullets are still scarce and overpriced.

[runfiverun]

i'm seeing stuff in three different states, the prices are up and they are gonna stay there.
it's the new cost,you might see some places a bit lower than others but they will be higher.
we done this to ourselves,no conspiracy.

[jimkim]

There is no conspiracy. If you want to know where the primers are, just search the archives. When a person goes in a store, and buys "everything" in stock, it leaves nothing for the rest of us.

There are primers to be found, but I no longer post anything about where they are. When I have in the past they dried up very quickly.

Please don't PM me and ask where they are, I will just delete your message, especially if your one of the people that bragged about leaving nothing for the rest of us.

[DaTeacha]

Have faith, shooting brothers! My gun shop in Ashland has had a decent number of primers of most all types the last several times I was there. Fiochi's are $40 per 1500, the other brands are $40 per thousand. Some of the more popular powders are hard to come across, but they have alternatives that will work if you're willing to experiment a little. If more of us would start using powders other than Varget or 4895, those might be more available.

At the gun show today, there were primers pretty much all over the place if you were willing to pay for them. I got 500 cast 158 SWC .357 bullets for $23, and jacketed HPs were about $12 for 100. The shortages of a few months ago appear to be easing, but slowly.

AR parts are scarce, but completed uppers were there in pretty good quantity for around $400, including bolt and carrier. There were a couple of barrels only, but they were priced at $200. Lowers were from $120 on up. LPKs were around $60. You could get a complete package less stripped lower with either A2 or collapsible stock in an assortment of calibers for $550 to $650. I saw a mil-spec NIB Oly with A2 stock and metal fore end (no rails) for $600, including hard case. Set up with multi-position stock and quad rail fore end on a flattop, it was about $730.

[fishnfool1991]

i am not having any problems finding brass, bullets, and powder but primers are still hard to get like everyone else said. I think or at least hope things are gonna get better seems primers are comming in more here anyways

[Txhillbilly]

The only thing that I have found to be hard to find is the most popular powders,unless I want to overpay from a couple shops-They have plenty,they just can't sell it. I have bought primers at several local shops for decent prices,and just bought a couple bags of new brass/bullets last week and the shelves were pretty full of both.

[StretchNM]

Originally Posted by jimkim

........... When a person goes in a store, and buys "everything" in stock, it leaves nothing for the rest of us.

.........I no longer post anything about where they are. When I have in the past they dried up very quickly.
...........

Very wise, Jim. Sad, but true and necessary. I no longer post where I'm getting things either. I have in the past week or so, and regret it to some degree.

One thing is still bothering me: powder, primers, bullets, and brass dried up to varying degrees and, if nothing else, prices went up to stay up. BUT!.... guns have been selling like hotcakes too. How come they didn;t dry up and become scarce?

[PONTIACDM]

Primers and powder can be found here with a little effort.

[pathdoc]

Shop right round the corner from me whines about "worldwide primer shortage" (but their reputation is not exactly great with their fellows). Shop 60km down the road hands out boxes of a thousand (i.e. 10x100) and says "come back for more when you're done".

Yes, I'm Australian but 90% of our primers are sourced from CCI, Federal, Winchester etc. so your pain is our pain on that score.

Rumour of shortage ---> hoarding ---> actual local shortages ---> more hoarding and so on, IMO. YMMV.

[ShellShock]

In my area, it's as follows:

BlueDot powder = $24 / #
Small Pistol Primers = $34 / thousand
FMJ .380 bullets = $17 / 100
50 rounds of Prvi Partizan (.380) = $24

Let's face it, the conspiracy is that militias and gun nuts are hoarding everything they can get their hands on. I've gone to several gun auctions / estate sales recently and people were paying outrageous prices for half-lots of primers, powder, and brass.

Is it really that scary having a black president? Apparently it is. From what I've gathered, the simple minds that wear camo every day, but never actually served in the military, and never really hunt, have an issue with the skin color of our commander-in-chief and thus hoard as much as they can buy. It's sad really.

Personally, I think the NRA is having fun fueling the fires of paranoia. That doesn't really surprise me, considering it was founded the same year the KKK was declared an illegal terrorist organization. How's that for a conspiracy theory?

paranoia = hoarding -> shortage rumors -> hoarding -> actual shortage = increased paranoia

Rinse, and repeat.

[Big Dog]

The fact that bobo is black has naught to do with it -he and his Liberal-run Congress are rightfully seen as the most anti-gun pack of criminal hooligans in US history. Thus, too many folks panicked and started buying components (and ammo!) by the truckload - even though they didn't NEED it. Add in the unscrupulous vendors sending people to Wally's and other big sellers to scarf up palletloads of ammo before it gets onto the shelves. What little does trickle onto those shelves still gets grabbed by the still-panicked Joe Public.
We did this to ourselves alright. We know the Antis are loving it - we have done what they could not - made most ammo and components unavailable in many places! Guns did get scarce for awhile - but Joe Public can afford only so many Black Rifles with home foreclosure and job loss looming.......
So gun supplies were rebuilt quickly. Ammo is an expendable commodity, used up quickly by those accustomed to shooting several boxes a weekend. Many recreational shooters burned up their limited stash - then spread out like locusts to locate more. Same with the guys just getting into reloading.

I can get primers, powder and bullets online - not always the particular ones I like - but the alternatives are out there. I have NOT seen .22LR ammo at our local Wallys in a year now. THAT I do not quite understand. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough - I do still have a few 550 packs hoar.... uh... stashed away.