What to do when you have more than a lifetime's worth of components and no time?

[Land Owner]

Casting, loading, shooting, and cleaning take an incredible amount of time, which is NOT a complaint. If I started casting now, and continued until I exhausted my supply, there would be no time left for loading, shooting, or cleaning (I think).

When any one side of that four legged table seems inexhaustible, and for me, three sides now ARE independently inexhaustible in the remainder of my lifetime, I am faced with the reality of "fish or cut bait". I really need to find a shooting buddy I think.

[MrWolf]

I hear ya. Divorce will be finalized later this year, all papers signed. I am also on a Disability Pension. Just getting the new place set (bank owned) and getting basics down hasn't left me with much play time. Keep saying this summer I will have the pole barn finished and make my own shooting range. Dang pain keeps getting in the way. Can't wait for warmer weather. Good luck

[RogerDat]

It is harder to "fit in" shooting time. One can slip over to the bench for some casting or reloading pretty much any time. Many times even if it is for just a little bit to do a single task. Shooting for many involves a bit of planning, packing, and travel. That time commitment just naturally makes it harder to fit in.

Much of the year it is dark after work or work and dinner. That leaves the weekend which is also when the chores and family activities compete for the time.

It does help if one enjoys all the different activities so that some time spent casting or reloading provides some of the same recreational value as time at the range would.

The one part I find frustrating is having a load or changes I want to try that require the bench time, the range time, then back to bench. I'm lucky to have a neighbor where I can do some of that but I don't want to abuse his generosity. Also the range is short. The other thing I have found (and maybe you have too) is that there is a limit to how much pounding I want to experience in one trip. I find that it is very easy to take more than I will really enjoy shooting. Magnum, to mil-surp, to slug gun, to auto loaders means some of us will pay for that in the joints the following day. Much better to go more often and take less than it is to go infrequently and try to jam it all in to that one trip.

[fredj338]

Why I reload on a Dillon progressive, after more than 350K rds over 40yrs, I do not enjoy reloading. Casting I do like, something medieval about it. I try to shoot every weekend, IDPA or practice. I used to hunt a lot more, but it required a lot of travel, which is also time consuming & expensive. At the rate I shoot now, about 10K rds a year, I can blow thru my components in about 4-5yrs if I don't keep up. Lead supply, about the same.
The good news is the stuff you have today will be there tomorrow when you might have more time. IT doesn't go bad & almost always cost more in the future.

[Markopolo]

For me, the hunt is fast food, and basically a requirement. I really like it, and there is nothing like getting way out there alone in the perfect quiet sneaking along. And of course there is also a lot of enjoyment for me in the winter in my workshop assembling, playing, and casting. I love it all.. end to a means, and a joyful means and end. I love it all.

[NWPilgrim]

I probably have enough of some components to last the next 20 years but most are just at the 5-10 year level, hopefully before my expiration date! So I am still buying.

I have a son in law who is an avid shooter and reloader so I know anything I leave behind will go to good use, especially since he will be getting much of my firearms as well. In a few years my grandkids will be old enough to shoot more regularly so some may be going their way as well. No worries of any waste.

[cwlongshot]

Haha wish I was closer my friend!

CW

[Land Owner]

CW - I wish that were true too! David's demise has unseated me to no good end.

[dverna]

I have a lifetime supply of components. I have two "extra" Dillon's (1050 and 550) that I have not even set up yet...LOL.

Shooting went down after I retired and moved north as I do not compete like I used to. But it will pick up this year as we are setting up a "portable" bullet trap to shoot pistols and cast bullet rifles off the back porch. That will be for 7-25 yard ranges. Also setting up a permanent 50 and 100 yard range off the same porch.

Not sure I will get to it, but might put in a 200 yard range as well. Living rural has many advantages, and I only have two full time residents within 2 miles.

Need to reclaim my lead as I only have 3000 lbs of 92-6-2 and Linotype...enough for about 140,000 bullets and I am too cheap to fire over $4000 of lead into the ground.

[truckjohn]

Time to start casting fishing sinkers my friend. 2 and 3 oz bank sinker molds suck up a lot of lead in a short period of time..... It's only 2 or 3 drops per pound of lead.

That solved my sinker supply problems... Buyiing them at $8.00/lb was getting old when I had wheel weight lead staring me in the face.

[Pilgrim]

Been a long time since I've posted. Lots of reasons why, but...being older and hopefully much older to come, I have a life time plus supply of pretty much everything. The only thing I might run out of is LP primers. I've probably got 2 - 3000 pounds of wheel weights, another couple hundred pounds of linotype, probably 10 or 15 pounds of pure tin, and about the same of 95-5 solder. The 95-5 goes a long way when you only add about 10% 95-5 to WW. Air cooled that alloy gives me ~ 14 - 15 BHN. I pretty much use that alloy for everything. Powder, counting surplus as well as canister, there must be about 100 lbs. in my stash. Primers = 10,000 + between all of the flavors. I think the most likely use of this stuff will be loading for freedom fighters when the leftist crowd force the confrontation. Hate the thought, but... Pilgrim

[samari46]

Back problems have reduced my shooting times. Went to a good doc and had x-rays taken of my back. Got the update from him and have spurs growing up against the nerves which give really bad pain. Not on narcotic pain meds yet as I have to get an mri done. Back went out twice last year and wasn't a cake walk. Was an operating mechanic for ten years and a supervisor for 20 (glorified mechanic) and now the crows come home to roost. Want to get so's I can do more around the house and at least do some shooting. After the mri we should have a better plan. Unfortunately what with the other meds I'm on and being a type 2 diabetic and copd doesn't sound like a prime canidate for surgery and at 72 doesn't help any. Frank

[Bird]

I only started casting bullets a couple of years ago, and made up my mind then that I was only going to cast for a couple of rifles, mostly 45-70 because bullets were expensive, and the 30-30 because I shoot a lot of them.
All other rifle calibers and pistol calibers, I will buy bullets. Actually, I bought jacketed bullets many years ago at very affordable prices. Casting for pistol, 44, 357 is not worth it for me considering the cost of molds and lead, and time consumed.
If I had stacks of lead and a large collection of molds, I would sell most of it off, and start buying bullets, at least for pistols and and the more common rifle calibers.
If your hobby is casting, then stay with it. If your hobby is shooting, then go shooting.

[cwlongshot]

Sorry to read Frank... I know that tune...Similar boat here, back issues SUK.

CW

[RogerDat]

Back problems have reduced my shooting times. Went to a good doc and had x-rays taken of my back. Got the update from him and have spurs growing up against the nerves which give really bad pain. Not on narcotic pain meds yet as I have to get an mri done. Back went out twice last year and wasn't a cake walk. Was an operating mechanic for ten years and a supervisor for 20 (glorified mechanic) and now the crows come home to roost. Want to get so's I can do more around the house and at least do some shooting. After the mri we should have a better plan. Unfortunately what with the other meds I'm on and being a type 2 diabetic and copd doesn't sound like a prime canidate for surgery and at 72 doesn't help any. Frank

Often the surgery to remove a bone spur can provide some level of immediate relief and long term can be even better. I had it and went from unable to stand without pain for 5 minutes to a 30 minute or so time before sitting down to get a break is necessary. Back still bothers me a bit, and can get pretty cranky if pushed but the starting point of discomfort is much better.

You have to make your own health decisions but I would weigh it (and present any demands to the doctors) as a quality of life issue. The pills that will reduce that pain have a short effective life. You take them they help until they don't and you have to take more or stronger. That has a pretty low limit for how long it will work. Also the side effects can be unpleasant, as can withdrawal.

You can take an aspirin or Tylenol for a broken wrist, it will help but the wrist is still broken and the pills don't really make it any better. Bone spurs get bigger not smaller. Yes 72 isn't a spring chicken but once past 60 the age most people die at is 86. Average includes children and young people which pushes the average life expectancy lower, into the 70's. Once past 50 or 60 that median or average shifts a lot, into the mid 80's and above. So a decade or more of pain vs surgery at 72.

As I said your call and each persons health picture is different. Surgery might be riskier for you for example. But it pisses me off when the medical profession uses age without considering folks really have a lot of living to do with the conditions they are being told they are "too old" to address.

Rant over, good luck.

[RogerDat]

Wife says if you want to do something then you will. If you want to shoot then you will shoot, if you want to cast etc. I'm a little short of lifetime supply of primers, and sometimes it can be a hassle to fit replacing powder into the budget but I don't think I'll run out.

With a bit of warning I might sell off some lead etc. No one wants to deal with all that after I'm gone.

[Hardcast416taylor]

My problem is I have WAY TOO MUCH lead to mold, WAY TOO MUCH powders and other loading componets and no friends or relatives left to help me use the stuff in the time I have left. Sure, I have the `GIMMIE` people that just want me to feed their greed and `shoot it up quick` hobby, but I`ve showed the door to a lot of them. I`ve even had some of this latter type want me to just plain out give them my guns!Robert

[Land Owner]

I was given a half ton of lead. I scrounged another half ton of WW's (free). I have economically acquired 2% by weight in tin for all of the lead and WW's combined. I really like 49/49/2 percent - Pb/WW/Sn.

I retired in January. My knees are deteriorating. Getting from the chair to the kitchen is a pain. Replacement is on its way. Not soon enough. The Death Committee at the Medicare Insurance Provider are in charge of quality of life.

The demise of my reloading/shooting/hunting mentor in 2017 sucked the air out of me. Casting is visceral, makes sense, and is enjoyable. There is no one here at this time with whom to commiserate in order to restore outdoor health and happiness.

Through the remnants that I kept from two hunter/caster/reloader estates (~40 additional short and long guns...31k primers...58#'s of various powder...10K of 22LR...5 presses...50k+ brass cases (in my calibers)...and so much more) I have amassed more than a lifetime of components and equipment - certainly more than with which to accurize my guns. An earlier era of "jacketed bullets" has left me more than comfortable for bottle necked cases. Casting molds on hand give me significantly more than a lifetime of boolets in rifle and handgun calibers.

Moving two hunting and reloading estates in 6 months, plus dealing with his self-inflicted death, was a trial by fire. I flamed on with enthusiasm and burned out in the resale of gun & ammo, and furniture moving. It was BRISK, too brisk, and mid-level priced to sell. I no longer want to think about storage units, boxes, postage, payments, notifications, face-to-face, credits and debits, ebb and flow, etc. Those have left me scorched as it was a FULL TIME job while I juggled a full time job.

Like the end of a show, having stood for hours in front of a 50k-watt bank of speakers at a heavy rock concert, with ears ringing, the taste of smoke in the mouth, and every inch of the body vibrating from the woofers, it has left me wrung out! I need a beer...and time to reflect a bit.

[Markopolo]

Wow Mr. Land Owner... you are in my prayers sir...

[Bent Ramrod]

Yes, the joys of reaching senior citizen status. Old friends gone or too infirm to shoot any more. Or onto other interests. Aches, pains and health conditions we never gave a thought to in our youth.

My mother had a list of all the family illnesses committed to memory that she could recite any time, but except for cataracts, all my own aging “issues” have come from Life’s Practical Joke and Surprise Party Departments. Never saw ‘em coming.

Aching back, buzzing feet, bad eyes and a memory like a sieve is all I can remember right now. But, as old Omar Khayyam put it so well, “Let us make the most of what we yet may spend.”

If you want a practical suggestion, though, get a gang mould, a big bottom-pour pot, a Star lubrisizer and a Dillon Progressive. Then buy a submachine gun. Friends who have these items can make a huge pile of reloading components and supplies vanish like desert snow.