Stock up now ???

[TexMex247]

So, like most of us that have been doing this a while, I've seen the yo-yo market come and go over the years. Overall I'm pretty well set with my preferred selection of bullet and powder combos with most of my pet loads. All bought at reasonable costs.

Lately I've been seeing a steady rise in prices for powder and I'm not predicting anymore $8/box 9mm ammo around for a while. Although I have a few pounds already I'm wondering if now is the time to restock while it's still available ? Or do I wait it out and see if it prices relax a little in a year or so ?

I'm already ahead of things as far as primers and projectiles. It's just a question of powder availability and cost looking ahead.

Is anyone else in the same predicament?

 

[Bozz10mm]

If this ammo panic/shortage is like the last one that started right after Sandy Hook, we should see prices start to come back down and availability to go back up in 12-18 months. If you can wait it out that long then you're okay. If not, buy enough to get there and beyond. But I wouldn't recommend stocking up on a large amount right now.

Disclaimer: No one can see the future

 

[lonestardiver]

I think a lot will depend on the outcome of the election later this year....things may ramp up before then or immediately after.

 

[TexMex247]

I was reloading just before the Obama era and remember when primers were as scarce as hen's teeth. The election does add some x factor too.

I can get through a year easy but beyond that IDK. Hate the thought of having to shoot less.

 

[Rusty Gun]

At my current rate of consumption I have about 2 years supply. I am assuming 3000-4000 rounds of 9mm a year. I was buying powder and primers over the last year every time I had money and the opportunity. I found a little gun store in a small town that had powder and primers priced 10-15% less than the big city stores. So every time I drove though I picked up as much as my allowance allowed.

 

[IXLR8]

Don’t listen to them! I know where all the $20/box 9mm ammo is. You will never run out, or have to buy all of that dangerous reloading equipment.

 

[Dawico]

If I were looking to load up I would do so late this summer. Let everything cool down for now but buy before the election really gets heated.

That being said if you are okay with current prices and availability then it's always a good time to buy. You never know what may happen in the near future.

 

[V-Tach]

If polymer cased ammo replaces brass ammo...it will not bode well for hand loaders I fear..........

Not a fan of the idea for purely selfish purposes........

 

[pronstar]

If polymer cased ammo replaces brass ammo...it will not bode well for hand loaders I fear..........

Not a fan of the idea for purely selfish purposes........

I think polymer-cased ammo is on the same “within 10 years” timeline as cold fusion.

It’s always a decade away and never gets closer to the present.


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[Byrd666]

Give it a few to six months or so and things will start coming back to reasonable availability. Now will they be at earlier pricing, I highly doubt it. But they will, or should, come back down to a more "normal" cost.

 

[IXLR8]

They did demonstrate some almost unbelievable repeatability in many cases. However, I would like to see the same test after sitting in a tropical warehouse for 30 years...

 

[HKaltwasser]

If polymer cased ammo replaces brass ammo...it will not bode well for hand loaders I fear..........

Not a fan of the idea for purely selfish purposes........

I would be crewed too, my fluted chambers hate polymer case ammo. I tried some in 08 and the stuff gets stuck in the chamber after expansion. Brass is the only thing designed to run in these HK DRL guns and P7 series.
Guy and the LGS said it was the ammo of the future then. I haven't bought any since with the headaches that stuff gave me.

As far as getting stuff now, I say do it if you can find it at a decent price. Just wait until the MSM props up ol' Joe Baggs and he starts touting gun control leading up to the election. It may come back a little in the summer but it's gonna heat up before a full recovery and we'll see it wiped out for another 8 -14 months, couple that with the possibility of a return of a Fall time Wutangflu, it may be longer.
I'm still buying myself.

 

[Jungle George]

I'm starting to see components becoming more available. The prices have gone up a little, but not bad. Just takes a bit of shopping to find bargains.

 

[TexMex247]

Well with some prices hitting historic high points I recently caved and bought some more components. Another 4k 9mm bullets and 1k 357. Since these were still at the 9 CPR rate shipped I jumped on them.
Thank goodness I restocked spps just a few months ago. Looking around lately things look worse than the Obama panic times. I am seeing target fmj 9mm selling at over 70 CPR on GunBroker now. That's getting obscene.

 

[IXLR8]

Are you trying to start a panic? Ammoseek.com says 35 cents per round. For brass 9mm range ammo.

 

[TexMex247]

Nope. I regularly watch GunBroker auctions and saw 2 at over 350$ for 500 rounds. It was standard target stuff. Also, when I used ammoseek earlier, nothing was actually in stock.

 

[TexMex247]

Actually rechecked searches. Looks like 36cpr is out there but highly limited per day and with shipping price creeps up and up. Sadly I think the panic has already happened.

 

[IXLR8]

Plenty of S&W .40

 

[SQLGeek]

Another 4k 9mm bullets and 1k 357. Since these were still at the 9 CPR rate shipped I jumped on them.

Where are you buying bullets?

 

[Bisdak]

I’ve been through the ups and downs as well. After the Obama “scare” my approach was to have an on-hand steady supply of reloading components at 10-15k per caliber. With that I’m constantly stocking. And lately, my wife and two kids have been shooting with me. It’s been depleted. Right now components are hard to come by. We do not use our stand-by factory ammo which is at 1k per (common/military) caliber so when shtf, zombie attack or alien invasion we are ready.