ES13Raven Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I have not started reloading yet, but plan to at some point. I have been shooting Atlanta Arms & Ammo with no issues. I read that a lot of shooters are having trouble getting powder, primers etc. Would now be a bad time to get into reloading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Better now than never At least you can get some components now, I started reloading about a year and a half ago when there was nothing; today it's a little easier to get what you want, you just have to act fast It's not any easier to get loaded ammo is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biammo Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 In my opinion it is never a bad time to get into reloading ammunition. Is it more difficult today to find certain components than it was eight years ago, yes. But you can still find it. And when you do find it if you are able to buy in bulk or buy more than you need to stock up that is always a plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Not sure there is a bad time to start reloading but if there is it's now. Seems something is always in short supply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3djedi Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Factory ammo is much easier to get right now. I think most of the powder is going to the big ammo plants that's why it's in such short supply for reloaders. We're are the last on the list for the powder companies...... I started reloading about 2-3 months ago. Components were no problem but powder is a bitch.....The only powder I could find at first was 700x which is large flakes and meters very poorly for a 9mm.....not good for a new reloader. Then one day I walked into my LGS and found 16lbs of CFE pistol. Maybe you should keep using the factory stuff and start buying your reloading equipment and components as you find them. Also, buy a reloading manual and read that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugget Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Reloading is enjoyable and gratifying. I have observed many rifle powders becoming available in a more sustained fashion, but pistol and shotgun powder is still spotty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummm Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I have not started reloading yet, but plan to at some point. I have been shooting Atlanta Arms & Ammo with no issues. I read that a lot of shooters are having trouble getting powder, primers etc. Would now be a bad time to get into reloading? I'm in the same boat as you. Had been wanted to get into reloading, then Sandy Hook hit, and stuff vanished. Now it seems you can get primers and bullets with sufficient consistency, but powder is too sketchy. Imagine you're trying to work up a load, but you can't get any of the recommended powders. As a beginner, I'm not interested in going too far afield. Plus, I'd much rather spend my time practicing some competition skill, not scouring the net for those 5 minutes when PV has powder X. Then, imagine you do luck into a small quantity of some good powder. You put all that time & effort into getting it right, adjusting all these parameters, chrono-ing the load, making sure it runs and shoots accurately, posting here when some problem needs solving, etc, etc. You finally have a decent load, and you're able to focus exclusively on getting better at shooting. Then you start to run out, and that powder is nowhere to be found. Maybe you luck into another good powder, but all your work is worthless for this new powder, and you have to start all over again. If you find reloading enjoyable, it's perhaps not an issue, but I like shooting, not reloading, so while I'd put up with the minor hassles in exchange for the savings, I wouldn't put up with major hassles. I'm able to purchase ammo reliably, so not interested in pursuing something unreliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 It's not bad. As others have said, powder is the biggest issue, but even there, I picked up a new gun at a LGS, and he had Titegroup, CFE Pistol, Longshot, H335 and a handful of others, including some in 8# jugs...and Federal primers of all types, which I haven't seen in ages. Gun shows also seem to be increasing in powder availability.. Bullets, brass (if you need to buy some), and primers are in ready supply right now. You could always get your equipment sorted, press, dies, tumbler, scale, trimmer if needed, etc., and on the rest of the components, then check with LGS for powder, or wait for it to come up online. Get a list together, not necessarily of your expected 'ideal' powder, but of anything that will work and meter sanely (assuming you'll be using a progressive, or at least a powder measure vs trickling), and write them down in preference order, and take the list with you when you visit a LGS or gun show, and check on gunbot.net occasionally..even 1# of pistol powder will make over 1k rounds for 9mm..so you don't need so much to get started. Buy factory ammo until fully ready to go with a tested load..and if you do come across 8# jugs of a proven powder, I'd go for it, as it'll work, e.g. Titegroup, HP38 or Win231 for 9mm Minor, and be enough to get you well on your way. 8# should load over 10k 9mm, at which point we can all hope the powder supply has increased.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loneranger04 Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I find reloading enjoyable, especially pistol on my 550b but there are times that it's not that economical and for .223 it's getting close again on cost. I lose a lot of my brass at matches so by the time you add in brass cost then you're not saving much and prep on .223 brass is a PITA. With current cost of components it's .25-.28 cent a round reloaded and you can buy brass cased ammo here and there for $350-$375 per 1000 rounds. As labor intensive as it is for brass work it's not worth the savings. If you are able to recover most or all of your brass then you're saving another .07 a round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njl Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The trouble is the powder situation. Forget going to Bass Pro or Gander Mountain and buying a few 1lb jars to try out. If you don't have the gear for reloading yet, I wouldn't even buy it unless/until you're able to acquire some powder, and you'll likely just have to take whatever you can find that's appropriate for the calibers you want to load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeactionjackson Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Started reloading a year ago, took 2 month for my 550b to come in... so I used the time wisely snagging a few different pistol powders (8#TG, 4#Bullseye, 4#BlueDot, 4#Unique, 7#PowerPistol, turned out to be an awesome score ). I had already been saving brass for 6 months by the time my press arrived. Primers and bullets are readily available online for decent pricing. I've scored a butt load of rifle powder in the just the last few months. It's far easier to find, then the popular pistol powders. I shoot a few thousand rounds a month, and I felt reloading was consuming a little to much time so I purchased a s1050 for 9mm (much better availability, the press was at my house in a week or so). Still spend a fair amount of time relaoding, mostly case sorting/cleaning, but the actual reloading process is much quicker Bulk/Group purchases will be your friend, ordering a 1# keg of powder online doesn't make any sense with the hazmat charge you will encur. Lately I've been ordering powder for 2-3 other people, it helps.... spreading the hazmat charge across 30-40lbs really helps, same goes for primers. I order 10-20K min! ~g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Whether you should reload or not depends on: - how many rounds you need a year - how much time you have to reload - whether you want ammo customized to your needs - whether you'd like to "save money" (IFF you use enough ammo to overcome the initial buy-in cost). - whether you enjoy reloading your own ammo A temporary powder shortage doesn't affect any of those factors - powder is available if you look for it. So, I would NOT hesitate to get started reloading AT THIS TIME just because of a powder shortage, but I might stay out, depending on the answers to the questions above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blankenhole Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Better now than never At least you can get some components now, I started reloading about a year and a half ago when there was nothing; today it's a little easier to get what you want, you just have to act fast It's not any easier to get loaded ammo is it? I started around the same time and it has gotten better since then (at least in my area). I carry the same mindset, better now than never as well. Even if you can't get everything you need to load as much as you want, even a little is fun and satisfying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trekkie Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I just started. I've yet to find pistol powder, I ordered some and it didn't end up shipping, so I'm on a wait list. I did find some rifle powder at a Bass Pro for .223, so i'm going to reload that instead while I wait for pistol powder. Primers were in stock at my local Bass Pro so I got those there. Bullets I found at Xtreme, FMJ .223. The brass is my once fired stuff I've been saving for months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Ah, the good old days, when primers were $10-15 per thousand, TG and N320 was as plentiful as grains of sand on the beach, and bullets were handed out like "I voted" stickers on election day... its all out there, prices are higher and some stuff is harder to find, but its out there...believe it or not, finding bullets is harder than the rest...bullets you like that is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeactionjackson Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Whether you should reload or not depends on: - how many rounds you need a year - how much time you have to reload - whether you want ammo customized to your needs - whether you'd like to "save money" (IFF you use enough ammo to overcome the initial buy-in cost). - whether you enjoy reloading your own ammo A temporary powder shortage doesn't affect any of those factors - powder is available if you look for it. So, I would NOT hesitate to get started reloading AT THIS TIME just because of a powder shortage, but I might stay out, depending on the answers to the questions above. ^it really comes down to these few bullet points. If you are high round count shooter, then your will pay for your press in just a few months. I think it took me 4 months of shooting to cover the purchase of my 550b, the s1050 had a much higher initial cost, so it will take a bit longer to cover it's cost, however the time saved is huge. I can reload the same amount of ammo on the s1050 as I did on the 550b, but in 1/3 of the time.... which has it's own value. If you have good access to brass, then that's also a huge plus. Brass is generally the most expensive component of reloading, so a good supply/access is worth it weight in gold. ~g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighCountryStalker Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 If you want to reload, there is no excuse to not get started now. All components are available with a little effort. The excuse that factory ammo is more available now is putting off the inevitable, someday it won't be. If you think components will be easier to get then and you'll just start reloading when the next shortage hits... I'm sure you see the flaw in this logic. Take your time and gather up components as they become available. Nothing says you can't continue to shoot factory ammo while in the accumulation phase and you're collecting brass at the same time. I probably learned more about my firearms through the reloading process than I ever did just buying ammo and shooting. I've yet to meet anyone who says that getting into reloading didn't end up equating to shooting more than they did before. Once you have the components and you're sending them downrange you'll feel guilty spending factory prices on a box. I seriously doubt you will ever look back and regret having gotten into reloading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southernclimber Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Just starting as well and I didn't go to the range too often before but I will be searching out ranges now. I work midnights and so I have plenty of time, I enjoy shooting as much as I enjoy reloading right now. to occupy my time at night on my nights off and shoot cheaper I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sniper3 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Having no problem getting primers at all from my local gunstore. Bullets I get from Two Alpha supply who carries Extreme and offers free shipping and his prices are very good. Powder is always available if you want to pay the price on Gunbrokers. No matter which way you look at it , if you shoot alot ..............reload ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtychemist Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 If you've already spent months researching the pros and cons of reloading and why people choose a particular reloading setup then the next step is to buy equipment if you have decided it is something you want to do. I wouldn't get into reloading thinking it would be easier than buying ammo. I did it for the cost savings when I found I would have more time to shoot. It's also a long term investment and I enjoy it. It's a hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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