Have you shopped for reloading equipment recently?

[Tobra]

My wife was shopping for a new scale for her father for reloading. They told her everything was back ordered so it will be a while before it ships. Apparently, people in California are buying up everything they can prior to the end of the year. I intend to stock up on ammo myself, while I can still mail order it and don't have to do a background check on every purchase.

Has anyone heard similar stories?

[Arizona_928]

I bought a rcbs kit. Forgot which one, but it was on backorder. Took a 3+ weeks to ship. They are offering really good rebates so that won't help either way.

Maybe order a nicer scale that can go to a few Sig figs?

[Rick Lee]

Gotta make a roadtrip to AZ for this stuff. Dillon's factory and store are right around the corner from me and there's plenty of ammo in many stores. There's a guy with a warehouse space in Tempe who makes huge batches of reloads for very reasonable money too.

[Arizona_928]

Hmmm could you share your reload source? I would like some plinking ammo when I get back to AZ...

[flatbutt]

I visited Cabelas this week. .22 LR from an unknown to me manufacturer was $64/500 rds!

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I visited Cabelas this week. .22 LR from an unknown to me manufacturer was $64/500 rds!

Just like 4/8 years ago...follow the money imo.

.22lr is easily found here, but the big players are definitely manipulating supplies in order to keep demand up and prices too. Gander Mtn, Field & Stream, etc have plenty....I don't even bother checking at Wallyworld if there for fishing supplies, etc. ...they typically still don't have any.

I'm set...got all the CCI I need for $8/100 from Gander several months back as I was in the store several times over a two week period. There is NO shortage imo...
One day...only crappy stuff
Next day a table is rolled out with hundreds of boxes of CCI.
Next day...crap

Rinse, lather, repeat...

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

Hmmm could you share your reload source? I would like some plinking ammo when I get back to AZ...

You can get it anywhere, any gun store, any Wal-Mart, Dick's, Cabela's, even Ace Hardware (some Aces sell guns too). For bulk stuff I order online.

Edit: Sorry, just realized you meant for reloads. I have the card at home (I'm in an airport bar now). It's called Scorpion and it's on University in Tempe. He advertises on Backpage. Doesn't have a ton of calibers, but has the common stuff and it's quality and well-priced.

[id10t]

I've looked into reloading and just on component cost now I can't touch the cost of like-surplus ammo sold at Walmart. For 9mm and 762x51 at least. Can save some on 44 mag but at 50 rounds per year it still doesn't make sense for me.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by id10t

I've looked into reloading and just on component cost now I can't touch the cost of like-surplus ammo sold at Walmart. For 9mm and 762x51 at least. Can save some on 44 mag but at 50 rounds per year it still doesn't make sense for me.

What is "like surplus" ammo at Wal-Mart? I think they sell Wolf and Tula there, but that's as cheap as it gets for retail ammo. If you've been collecting brass for years, reloading should be a lot cheaper than the cheapest retail ammo. I'm just too lazy to bother anymore. Our local gun version of Pelican has lots of deals where people are selling tons of ammo they no longer have guns for. There's a good site, I think called Arms Wiki, that searches for the best ammo deals around and they really find them. IME, SGAmmo is best for bulk and cheap shipping.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I visited Cabelas this week. .22 LR from an unknown to me manufacturer was $64/500 rds!

Its half that here in OH, at Cabelas.

[Jeff Higgins]

Interesting. I had no idea the hobby of reloading was under any threat in California. So, who are "they" who told you reloading equipment is all back ordered? I see it all over the place on retail shelves here in Washington, from "big box" stores like Cabela's to my local gun shop. No shortage at all. Powder and primers are back as well. As a matter of fact, I see the hoarders bringing their stashes to the gun shows and advertising components and .22 ammo in our club news. I hope they wind up selling to the rest of us at pennies on the dollar - that there would be some sweet justice.

As far as the cost of reloading, yes, one can buy surplus ammo for less than one would spend to reload certain calibers. The real savings come when casting one's own bullets. Mine are essentially free, being that my lead comes from the local tire stores who are happy to dispose of their old wheel weights. Bullets are the most expensive component in any reload. Eliminate that expense, and .44 mag can be shot for less money per round than .22 LR. Besides, at least for handguns, we can cast better, more accurate, and more effective bullets than we can buy.

[Tobra]

"They" are the guys she ordered the scale from.

Starting in January in California, you will have to get a background check to purchase ammo and mail order ammo will not be an option. I don't know exactly what the rules will be for reloading, but can't imagine it will not be impacted.

[legion]

I buy reloading stuff pretty much every month. Widely available and cheap around here.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Check out www.slickguns.com

No shortage and everything is on sale.

Cheap plinking 22's are still .06-.07 everyday for a long while now.

9's are .20.

My last order of 115g 9's from Freedom Munitions were $ .186 with free shipping.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Tobra

"They" are the guys she ordered the scale from.

Uh... no kidding. That much was obvious. Maybe try another source? Or is it just so much more fun to jump up and down and wildly exclaim "they" can't get reloading equipment, so something must be happening?

Originally Posted by Tobra

Starting in January in California, you will have to get a background check to purchase ammo and mail order ammo will not be an option. I don't know exactly what the rules will be for reloading, but can't imagine it will not be impacted.

Hmmm... How about you check and see how reloading equipment will (or will not) be impacted before freaking out about it? I know that's not as much fun, but it is a lot more informative. Could save some money, too.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

What is "like surplus" ammo at Wal-Mart? I think they sell Wolf and Tula there, but that's as cheap as it gets for retail ammo. If you've been collecting brass for years, reloading should be a lot cheaper than the cheapest retail ammo. I'm just too lazy to bother anymore. Our local gun version of Pelican has lots of deals where people are selling tons of ammo they no longer have guns for. There's a good site, I think called Arms Wiki, that searches for the best ammo deals around and they really find them. IME, SGAmmo is best for bulk and cheap shipping.

The ZQI they used to sell @50c per end in 762 is NATO spec made in Turkey and in 9mm it was $8/50. Now Perfecta has the wally business. 9mm at 10/50 and 762x51 at 65c/end

Only Wolf ammo I shoot is 22lr - actually great stuff made by Lapua.

Cheapest I could find components for 9mm locally is 20c/end for primer powder and bullet. Not to mention tool cost, space requirements and time.