Has it ever been this bad?

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
8,405
Location
North Central Wi
I’m a new reloader. Being warned I stocked up on the normal stuff that goes pretty early. Powder, and primers.

Now I can’t even find a box of hunting bullets..... just the bullets. Gone.

Iv heard of the shortages, but have they ever been this bad?

I am glad I got into reloading at the time I did though, I’d be screwed otherwise.

On a side note visiting gun broker is about enough to make a guy sick. Product notifications that I missed, immediately on gunbroker for 500% markup.
 
Last edited:

archp625

WKR
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
2,124
Location
St. Joseph, Missouri
I started reloading about a year ago. I thought it was bad then. I was able to secure some components to get me by. I am in the process of switching bullets based on animal performance this past season. Its been hard. I was able to scrape up 384 bullets. I'm hoping to get out this weekend to start the process.
 

Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,299
Location
N CA
This is the worst I have seen, even worse than Obama years. I am seeing stuff pop up every day, you just have to be quick with your order. Sign up for accounts everywhere to help get you through the process faster.
 
OP
L

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
8,405
Location
North Central Wi
I should state Iv also been able to find things here or there. Iv got a good pile of stuff. I can’t find a 6.5mm hunting bullet for anything anymore though.
 
OP
L

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
8,405
Location
North Central Wi
Are you interested in Hornady 147 ELD-M's. I may have some available after this weekend.
I’d be interested

Iv been looking for 135 or 140 bergers
140 147 or 143 hornady.

I wish I would have had the change to buy a bulk load of bullets months ago but I was busy spending all my extra on powder and primers.

Iv got 2 creedmoors to feed. Luckily I have enough 140 hybrid targets to get me through the shooting season with minimal extra for practice
 

archp625

WKR
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
2,124
Location
St. Joseph, Missouri
I’d be interested

Iv been looking for 135 or 140 bergers
140 147 or 143 hornady.

I wish I would have had the change to buy a bulk load of bullets months ago but I was busy spending all my extra on powder and primers.
Once I see what I can do with some 156's I got ahold of Ill let you know about the 147's.
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
690
Location
Reno, NV
It's not that bad at all. It was worse during the Obama years.

In the past 30 days I have purchased Varget powder, 140 grain 6.5mm Berger VLDs, 50gr Hornady V-MAXs, 6.5 Creedmoor brass, but passed on H4350 as I already had enough to last me a few years.

It's out there, you just have to keep your eyes peeled and be ready to buy at a moment's notice. Also, I never pay higher than 5% above normal prices and I use Powder Valley as the standard.
 

Wvroach

WKR
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
677
I think 2013 was worse for ammo but it didn't hit the hunting rounds in my area much just 223,7.62,9mm,22lr this time around seems like it's non discriminate and people are buying everything. As others said stock up when the getting is good.

I don't think you can ever have enough though if your a competitive shooter or do any sort of training you deplete supply quickly. Have to do a lot more dry fire drills now.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2017
Messages
1,283
I got into reloading during the Obama craze so I feel for those getting into it now. It’s about the same this time around. Eventually it slows down. People aren’t shooting more, and likely they are shooting much less due to concern about component scarcity. Eventually they’ll run out of room to hoard components. Don’t panic when you can’t find what you need right away. Just sign up for alerts and buy when stuff becomes available and you’d be surprised how much you can amass even in times like these.
 
OP
L

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
8,405
Location
North Central Wi
I see the varget.... problem is I have enough of that and xbr on top of that. I need bullets and h4350 but I just can’t seem to get lucky with it.

Also a bad time to get into shooting matches. Last year wasn’t all that bad but I feel for the guys who are not really prepared this year.

Both hunting buddies cant find a single box of ammo around
 

Shrek

WKR
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Messages
7,066
Location
Hilliard Florida
Try walking into some local gun stores. The online stuff is getting picked off by resellers almost instantaneously but there’s supplies hitting shelves too. I wasn’t there but my friend was just telling me he found the 6mm Bergers he’s been needing along with a good selection of other bullets. I just found 8lbs of H4350. It’s bad but there’s supplies trickling into stores.
 

MThuntr

WKR
Joined
Apr 10, 2015
Messages
1,088
Location
SW MT
I'm pretty well stocked. Last fall Federal had a reloading rebate and I stacked that with a Midway birthday pricing. I think I have enough primers to withstand this mess.

I'm glad we recruited the new shooters and hunters this year but these types of shortages/demands usually increases prices. It seems every time this happens prices jump 25-50%...seriously on the last of my $18/1K brick CCI primers
 

Brendan

WKR
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Messages
3,875
Location
Massachusetts
I should state Iv also been able to find things here or there. Iv got a good pile of stuff. I can’t find a 6.5mm hunting bullet for anything anymore though.

Go buy from Hammer. Expensive, but worth trying out copper. I just picked up some of the 123 grain absolute hammer to tinker with and had them delivered in about 2 days.

From my end, I'm all set with rifle stuff, and can shoot lower volumes out of my .44 mag. But, I'm wishing I had gotten myself a progressive rifle/pistol setup, and even a nice shotshell setup and the components to go with it. Rewind 6 months ago, and I looked at it as "Not worth it" for 9mm and skeet loads. Now I'd like to have the flexibility.
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
9,732
I started in 2014 and haven't seen it this bad before. At least you had a half hour to buy powder when it became available online in previous short times.

I'm glad ive got enough powder and primers to make it through my hunting barrels at least, might be a bit short on projectiles though..
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
1,731
Location
Boundary Co. Idaho
Disagree.....never seen it like this. Lived through primer and powder shortages. But I've never seen the shelves bare of BULLETS. And not just 6.5 and .224. Odd stuff is cleaned out. 338 isnt terribly popular across the board. Or .257 for the most part. All gone.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2019
Messages
883
Midway dropped 140 & 215 Bergers this week. I was able to get a few hundred.
I’d be interested

Iv been looking for 135 or 140 bergers
140 147 or 143 hornady.

I wish I would have had the change to buy a bulk load of bullets months ago but I was busy spending all my extra on powder and primers.

Iv got 2 creedmoors to feed. Luckily I have enough 140 hybrid targets to get me through the shooting season with minimal extra for practice
 
Top