RepackboxLee PrecisionLoad DataTitan Reloading
WidenersReloading EverythingRotoMetals2MidSouth Shooters Supply
Inline Fabrication
Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 41 to 60 of 75

Thread: "Drawing a line" on how much to keep on hand. (re: Ammo & Reloading supplies)

  1. #41
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Central Iowa
    Posts
    1,427
    My goal is to have enough lead, powder and primers for 20,000 rounds. I'm pretty sure I'm not too far off. 200 rounds a week for a year will go through 10,000+ rounds in a year. I figure if something crazy happens I'll be set along with having enough supplies to continue practicing for a little while along with being prepared for whatever. I'd need more storage space to increase these numbers.

    Along with a nice pile of .22lr and a couple hundred factory rounds of each of the popular calibers I shoot and a couple hundred reloads for for each caliber I feel adequate.

  2. #42
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    England,Ar
    Posts
    7,687
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom W. View Post
    My ammo cabinet broke a shelf. Looks like another is going to. I don't have the shelf ( a huge book case ) that I had in Eufaula, and the one I bought wasn't as strong. I have about 500 rounds of everything that I load for. When I feel good I'll go cast boolits until I get tired and fill up steel ammo cans. I have one full of 9mm and one of .45 and don't have a .45. I gotta stop that. I have a bunch of .357 boolits as well as a large multitude of 148 gr. WC. It's relaxing, and I enjoy going and puttering, until I run out of brass. Then I gotta go to the range and unload a few.
    I have enough 9mm and .45 acp brass to win the zombie apocalypse single handedly........
    Tom, you can reinforce those shelves by bolting or screwing a piece of angle iron under them. I done a few of mine by using electrical strut. You can get it in different thicknesses, different finishes and with different size holes or no holes in the back. They have it in the electrical dept at Home Depot or Lowes. I like the galvanized finish in the 5/8 inch thickness. The box stores may not have many options but an electrical supply house will. Standard length is 10ft and its pretty cheap.

  3. #43
    Banned
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Casa Grande, AZ
    Posts
    5,526
    Well I am unsure as to who might be reading this thread with respect to federal or state government. Pretty soon they will try to establish a maximum number of rounds for each gun you own and probably in the neighborhood of a box or two at most. I will comment and say that I might have a minimum of a several thousands per gun. I do happen to know people that have a minimum of 10K per gun.

  4. #44
    Boolit Master FISH4BUGS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Inland from Seacoast New Hampshire
    Posts
    2,744

    I am a hoarder and I admit it

    Lead:
    2500+ lbs of ww's
    500 lbs linotype
    FMJ Bullets:
    223 55gr fmj: 6000+
    308 147gr: 3000+
    Powder:
    748: 32 lbs
    296: 16lbs
    231: 24lbs
    Primers:
    10,000 SR
    10,000 SP
    5,000 SPM
    10,000 LP
    10,000 LR
    Brass:
    223: 15,000+
    308: 5000+
    38: 5000+
    357: 5000+
    44 special 1000+ (I need more)
    44 mag: 3000
    380: 5000+
    9mm: 15,000+
    45 acp: 5000+
    22: 500 (who shoots a 22 anyway?)
    I should be OK for a while. Good thing I have a barn.
    Collector and shooter of guns and other items that require a tax stamp, Lead and brass scrounger. Never too much brass, lead or components in inventory! Always looking to win beauty contests with my reloads.

  5. #45
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    1,437
    Check your local fire code. Most limit you to 20lb of any powder in a residence with or without a magazine. Building and fire codes are how they will come after components.

    Lead storage is another. I had to be inspected annually by Denver waste water management to insure I was a non-discharged of lead into the waste water stream. The inspecter even made sure I was storing my solid lead indoors where rain wouldn't drain off of it.

  6. #46
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Somewhere in SE PA
    Posts
    9,989
    Quote Originally Posted by jdfoxinc View Post
    Check your local fire code. Most limit you to 20lb of any powder in a residence with or without a magazine.
    No they don't. It's 20#s in factory containers. 50#s in a proper magazine. Most fire code is tied to IBC which references NFPA guidelines.

    I don't understand why there is always misinformation about storage limits. The only way you can know is to find out what they are in your area. There are still plenty of places that don't have any code. And then you have the state of Maryland where you can't even have one eight pound jug in your house because it's over the limit.

    Code is one a way they could come after components. But it's definitely a don't tell anyone anything situation. Why would the local authorities know I was storing lead at my house? They wouldn't because I'm not telling and they have no cause to inspect my property.

  7. #47
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    377
    Quote Originally Posted by bedbugbilly View Post
    I'm in my "sunset" years - but I have often thought and am still thinking that a good quality "air rifle" might be a good thing to have. When we were kids there were the Sheridan and the Benjamans (sp?) that worked pretty well with a lead pellet. I am not well versed on what is out there today but thee seems to be some pretty decent ones. If reloading supplies, etc. started to dry up again, one would still allow a person to at least target shoot and plink and I'm thinking that the velocity out of some would certainly take care of small critters, etc.
    Lot of wisdom in this thought. The Decent multipump pneumatics are ~150-200 bucks now, generally limit you to the .177 and .22 caliber pellets. Torn between that and making the jump up to PCPs. More investment but then you can bump up to calibers you can cast for.
    "There are no solutions there are only tradeoffs" ~ Thomas Sowell

  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy
    hiram1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    arkansas
    Posts
    423
    1000 rounds for the guns i have per gun. and reloading toys for that much more but i shoot a lot to.
    We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control.

  9. #49
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Posts
    9,254
    Here's how to tell you have enough:
    1. The State Fire Marshall launches an investigation into how much ordinance you are keeping .

    2. The family has an intervention on you.

    3. Hoarders wants to do a special show on you , the top ten hoarders in America with explosives .
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  10. #50
    Boolit Master
    DerekP Houston's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    2,877
    I'm actually reviewing rounds for my CCW again, might be ordering a case each for my carry guns so I have consistent ammo for them. Was reviewing lucky gunner ballistics tests vs what I can get my hands on. It's killing me to look at the prices but i figure it will last much longer than it used to as "only carry" ammo vs everyday range fodder.
    My feedback page if you feel inclined to add:
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...raight-Shooter

    Thanks Yall!

  11. #51
    Boolit Master BNE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    SC
    Posts
    1,205
    This is a good question that I have not figured out my answer to...yet.

    I'm trying to have 500+ rounds for my assorted pistols, just so I can concentrate on one round and make a bunch without having to stop because I have none for my .38 etc.

    I'm soon to be 48. I hope to shoot a LOT more when the kids are out of the house and then when I can retire. So, I am not really passing up anything if the opportunity and the funds are available. Most of the things we use will last for decades if stored properly. I hope to be able to pass any left overs on to a grandchild some day.
    I'm a Happy Clinger.

  12. #52
    Moderator
    RogerDat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Michigan Lansing Area
    Posts
    5,751
    It is easier to make an ammo can or zip lock baggie worth of a caliber or type of cartridge as one operation. Getting set up, and the components ready and a supply of ready brass, scale adjusted for checking this load and just generally good to go makes me want to run with it once I start. If I figure I'll use 20, I would make 50 or 100. For commodity ammo I tend to think in terms of quart or 1/2 gallon zip lock bags. If I'm going to set up to load .38 WC rounds why not make 250 or more while I have seating die adjusted. And then back seating die out and do a similar batch of a different 38 bullet. I already have everything else set, so why not just adjust powder drop, adjust scale for checking, adjust seating die and caliper and keep on rolling.

    Same with casting. I'm on a roll so why not come out and do some more the next day? And the day after. One buys commercial cast lead bullets in boxes of 500 why would I make less than a box or two when I'm casting?

    I always like to have some cast, and brass available for reloading a few fairly quickly to try something out but in normal course I just believe in a well stocked pantry and figure the loaded cartridge is a superior way to store components. Up to a point. And as already pointed out that point is different for different people or even different calibers. 1000 rounds for an auto loader with detachable 30 round magazines isn't a lot. In 357 magnum it would be a bit of overkill, while 250 rounds wouldn't. None of this counts the odd & experimental stuff. 25 to try using a different powder, or different weight bullet, or seating differently. or different gas check. Seems I always have some of those odd lot loads around.

    If I'm dead I guess the kids can shoot my reloads, make their own, or buy store bought. I won't have any say or control over it.
    Scrap.... because all the really pithy and emphatic four letter words were taken and we had to describe this source of casting material somehow so we added an "S" to what non casters and wives call what we collect.

    Kind of hard to claim to love America while one is hating half the Americans that disagree with you. One nation indivisible requires work.

    Feedback page http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...light=RogerDat

  13. #53
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Somewhere in SE PA
    Posts
    9,989
    If I have a line I should probably write it down. I found eight fifty cal ammo cans full of 22lr yesterday. Completely forgot I had them. Only one of them was full of "Golden Turds". But there were many thousands of them. The others were mostly M22 which is the only ammo that works in all my 22s. Found a bunch of other cans as well mostly full of factory centerfire rifle rounds. One of them was the surplus DAG 308 ammo I knew I had but lost track of. I guess if you lose track of your supply you're over the line. Especially in my case because I'm highly organized.

  14. #54
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fargo ND
    Posts
    7,075
    Where do you draw the line? That seems to be the question.

    If you need it, and don't have it, and don't have the componants to make it, well your up that smelly creek with no paddle are you not?

    On the other hand if you have it and don't need it. Well someone would someday love to have it I bet.

    Still sitting on close to 30 lbs of Red Dot, more primers than I want to count, and a nice if not huge stash of lead. Brass in abundance in most flavors. 25 lb boxes of 9mm, .40sw, and .45acp.

    More .223 and 7.62x39 than I am likely to fill in my lifetime. Especially now that my shooting has slowed down.

    I got to get out of town, back in the country where I can on a nice day walk out the door and let fly. Getting too old, too much work to pack it all up, load it, drive to the range, unload it, shoot, pack it all up, load it, unload it, unpack it. Then I spend 2-3 days recovering. Then it is reload what I shot up time. Too much like work. Getting lazy in my old age I guess.

  15. #55
    Boolit Buddy

    crowbuster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    480
    No lines for me. Nuff said

  16. #56
    Boolit Master opos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    1,003
    Got what I go and it's paid for..my guess that in Nutifornia the prices and values will never go down again...regardless...with the new laws about ammo (and who knows about components) what "lives here" is just ducky and my close friends and few family that have any interest will get a nice present when I "take the train". When it comes to the Gubberment laying out the quantities that they feel are right...I'm probably going to look at that as the first "offer" in a long bidding war and nobody knows the final outcome

  17. #57
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    2,911
    Something like this should do it


  18. #58
    Boolit Master
    troyboy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Eastern VA
    Posts
    868
    It all boils down to consumption. You use what you use and plan accordingly. Really simple.
    "It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" Looking for an RCBS Ammomaster and H&R shotgun barrels regardless of condition

  19. #59
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    1,838
    When it gets to the point where I have to move because I'm out of storage space, then we'll talk.....

  20. #60
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    1,838
    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    If I have a line I should probably write it down. I found eight fifty cal ammo cans full of 22lr yesterday. Completely forgot I had them. Only one of them was full of "Golden Turds". But there were many thousands of them. The others were mostly M22 which is the only ammo that works in all my 22s. Found a bunch of other cans as well mostly full of factory centerfire rifle rounds. One of them was the surplus DAG 308 ammo I knew I had but lost track of. I guess if you lose track of your supply you're over the line. Especially in my case because I'm highly organized.
    Labelmaker, bro - gitcha one!

Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check