What has the current ammunition shortage taught you?

[Bazoo]

I learned something I already knew, but to a degree I didn't realize. That is that the government, governors republicans and democrats have enormous power over our lives. They lock you down and everyone obeys. I didn't realize just how much power they have. I don't feel free anymore.

[Ed K]

I think you are not evaluating cost of a powder charge and brass right. A 300 win mag uses a 70 gr. powder charge of powders not often found in multi pound jugs. That powder charge used to cost about 25 cents. Brass for 300 win mag even if you paid a dollar a piece and only got 4 uses from each piece of brass would cost 25 cents. For some loads/cartridges bullets are most expensive but powder is the next greatest expense, brass and primers much less so. Casting bullets flips this on its head but I doubt that 300 win mag. gets a lot of cast bullets.

Tim

Tim, please consider you may have read my post too quickly while I'll consider I could have used a better wording.

Brass: Big expense but amortized over many firings in the low-medium pressure rounds common among cast boolit shooters
Powder: #grains/round more commonly 5,10,20 or maybe 40 in the low-medium pressure rounds common among cast boolit shooters
Primer: 5 cents/round in the year 2020 inflated scenario originally posted
Lead for Boolits: How effectively can you scrounge?

So I fire a lot of big-bore revolver rounds at mid-range+ pressure. Brass lasts at least 10 rounds. with Starline 44mag brass @ $200/1000 that is 2 cents/round. Twenty grains of powder @ $25/lb is 7 cents. Add 5 cents for that primer and we are at 14 cents before scrounging lead. MidwayUSA sells 44mag ammo in a range from just under a dollar/round up to $2.50!

The point was the 5 cent primer has no ill-effect on the handloader's advantage. True, economics don't show the same advantage when considering belted mags launching j-words and my mention of it was an attempt to point out not everything shakes out numerically the same as loading 38 wadcutters. Still, with a range of $1.20 (PRVI) to $3.80 per round at MidwayUSA for 300 Win Mag there is still a big savings in handloading for it and the inflated primer pricing has little effect.

[chambers]

Been through multiple shortages, use an example of stock market: buy when things are cheap, sell when they are high( if you have excess). Being prepared for life's adventures is nothing wrong with, some people may call you a hoarder but better to be prepared than left out in the cold. It allows you to do what you want when you want.

[Gator 45/70]

Nothing ever changes. I would never use my last box of ammo or my last tray of primers for practice. Keep a reserve. I have a case of .223 and a case of 9mm that I hope to never use. I have 240 rounds of 7.62 x 39 that I have no gun for that I offered for sale at a reasonable price with no takers. I guess it will hang around for a while.

Tim

You on bayoushooters?

[Gator 45/70]

Kinda sad really,All these newb's coming into gun stores and buying just about anything and pretty much everything with no experience with a firearm...very little ammo and probably won't fire the thing,People are scared out there.
If you see a newb out there fumbling around with a new to them piece...Help them out a bit,Just for safety's sake.

[dtknowles]

You on bayoushooters?

I have not been there for a decade. I kind of got mad at them when they got us kicked out of the buffer zone. I used to have that place mostly to myself for years. They spread the word and an unsavory sort abused it so it got posted/closed. I just checked my user ID and password still work.

Tim

[Texas by God]

I’ve wasted ammo in the past, now I try not to. Today my youngest daughter shot about 40 mixed rounds of CB Shorts, Long rifle, Stinger, and one (1) Win. Rat shot from her new Ruger Wrangler and 4 rounds of .243 from her Stevens 200 and was ecstatic. So was I. She hasn’t fired a gun in a while but did great. My Remington 510 is getting used more than my Nylon 66 these days and the Red Ryder got reloaded. The only ammo I buy instead of reload is shotgun shells, 9mm, and of course .22 rim fire. Now I reload 9mm and shepherd .22s and shotgun shells so I won’t run out too soon. That’s how it has affected me.

[john.k]

Bazoo,governments have much greater power than to keep you indoors for a few weeks........in years past ,people were exiled /locked up for life because they had TB or leprosy ,under the powers of governments to protect the health of the community...I recall a friend of mine from army days in the 1960s had an absent father ,in a TB sanitorium.......which had high walls and gate houses to stop inpatients getting out ,or outsiders getting in.

[10-x]

Guess Im to old, been through much, all kinds of “ shortages”. Human nature is on full display coupled with the lack of knowledge of history. Sadly more and more folks will pay the consequences.

[WebMonkey]

I think, you might think this over again. If people are free to criticize you or agree with you then you have successfully defended the constitution. What is the phrase so often used? "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it. -- Voltaire (1694-1778)"

Tim

what i referenced is not simply disagreeing with me.
it is pronouncing a politically/socially correct position and measuring me against it.
then proclaiming me a bad person.
then using the government or any other platform to 'force' me to comply.

no reciprocity of the quote you posted.

(success or failure of the 1A doesn't cover the free trade arguments either)

so unfortunately, i'll have to disagree with you .

[Murphy]

I'm glad I started this thread. Shortages seem to bring out the best, and worse in people. Hopefully, others can learn from it by building up supplies once this one has passed. Having seen a few shortages, it has taken time but I have no concerns in regards to my needs for ammunition or reloading components, which isn't much.

As already stated by others in previous posts, some are just starting into reloading and casting and it's a rough go for them. They have my empathy as I have been there before. And then there are the others. They've seen this before, but failed themselves by not stocking up when things were at normal. Some will learn after this shortage, and as stated by some, others never will.

Murphy

[frkelly74]

I think most of us saw it coming months ago. I learned last time to watch for the signs of changes in the political winds. My worry is that maybe I was too optimistic any way. I do believe it is going to get bad, It is not that bad yet.

[Bazoo]

I learned I ain't got enough, though I've stocked maybe 3-4 years worth. Lack of money, not desire or knowledge being the reason I've not got more.

I've learned that it's better to have primer and no powder than the other way around. I've learned it's better to have plenty of primers and 22s for 8 guns than a limited supply for a dozen guns.

I've learned some of the people here have enough powder and primers to help those that for whatever reason are lacking, and that those folks will gladly sell but only at top dollar. I guess the lesson is there are very few that aren't ruled by the dollar.

I've learned that if you refuse to quarantine they will put an ankle bracelet on you and post a cop outside your house. Seen it on the local news.

[Bazoo]

I don't think it'll get bad. I don't think it'll be a civil war or whatever. I think they'll post Biden in the big chair and eventually primers will trickle back through, just like the Obama years. Hope I'm right (not about Biden, but it not being bad).

[El Greco]

When you can, when price and budget allows, stack deep, wide and high.

When you can't, don't shoot as much. Save your stash for if you need it.

Amen brother. It only happened to me once with Obama. Never again. Primers:Great. Powder: Great. Lead: great again. Ammo: fantastic. I’m not being ignorant, but when you get caught with your pants down, you learn. I was caught with less than 1000 primers and a couple of lbs of powder.

[Dusty Bannister]

I think one of the lessons some might be overlooking is the value of bartering. That can negate the inflated prices yet still get what you need. Shopping smart during the times between the shortages is certainly a good idea, and reducing consumption during shortages is pretty much just common sense. Well, at least for some.

[john.k]

Shortages are not caused by the shooters who always have 10k primers in store.....and do not need to rush any rumour of a few boxes...........No,shortages are caused by those who need 100 primers right now,and see 10k on a shelf and buy the lot knowing that many others will miss out due to their actions.

[dtknowles]

what i referenced is not simply disagreeing with me.
it is pronouncing a politically/socially correct position and measuring me against it.
then proclaiming me a bad person.
then using the government or any other platform to 'force' me to comply.

no reciprocity of the quote you posted.

(success or failure of the 1A doesn't cover the free trade arguments either)

so unfortunately, i'll have to disagree with you .

Disagree all you want. I agree that it is possible that some would be more likely fight to shut some people up than fight to maintain free speech. They probably did not take an oath to defend the Constitution. They probably want to change the Constitution, maybe repeal the first and second amendments.

I missed the part in your post where anyone or the government actually stopped you, forced you, to do anything. It seems it was all about talk. Oh, there is no free country. Countries restrict freedom, it is just a thing they do, we got a bill of rights because someone way back then knew that the country would take peoples rights away. It is what countries do. It is the Tyranny of the Majority in a democracy and it is just plain Tyranny in a Dictatorship. It is not so fun when you are on the wrong side of a Tyranny.

Tim

[dtknowles]

I learned I ain't got enough, though I've stocked maybe 3-4 years worth. Lack of money, not desire or knowledge being the reason I've not got more.

I've learned that it's better to have primer and no powder than the other way around. I've learned it's better to have plenty of primers and 22s for 8 guns than a limited supply for a dozen guns.

I've learned some of the people here have enough powder and primers to help those that for whatever reason are lacking, and that those folks will gladly sell but only at top dollar. I guess the lesson is there are very few that aren't ruled by the dollar.

I've learned that if you refuse to quarantine they will put an ankle bracelet on you and post a cop outside your house. Seen it on the local news.

Quarantine orders are no joke. Break quarantine and an ankle bracelet could be the least of your worries. $1000 fine is pretty typical and if you are a risk of repeating, jail might be in the cards. It is not just for CO VID.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tuber...b09bf44a9d9749

[dtknowles]

I learned I ain't got enough, ......
I've learned some of the people here have enough powder and primers to help those that for whatever reason are lacking, and that those folks will gladly sell but only at top dollar. I guess the lesson is there are very few that aren't ruled by the dollar...

I think you owe some members here an apology. Some members here have given away ammo and primers, not for top dollar but for free. I offered to sell some ammo for less than the lowest advertised price I could find. I see a lot of things on Swap and Sell for top dollar all the time other times I see people willing to give stuff away for the cost of postage.

Tim