when to stop buying components?

A

axis223

New member
I'm new to reloading and only have 100 rounds under my belt and they shot good loading for 223rem.

My current supply is 100 55gr SP, 100 55gr FMJ-BT, 100 55gr v max bullets, 1/2lbs of h335, 1lbs of benchmark, about 70-90 Hornady once fired brass, 100 once fired rem brass, 30-50 mixed brass, 100 cci400, cci 450,cci br-4 primers.

I currently FL size but would like to try neck only.

I also have 9mm dies but no other components other than 500 brass.

Part of me says buy more brass for each Caliber this way I have it, buy a crap load of bullets for each and try several different powders.

when do you call it quits and stick with one thing?

you guys think I'm getting too ahead of myself?
 
You stop buying components when you run out of money.

I have thousands of primers and some powders from the 80s that still work great.

Keep them in a cool dry place and they will last almost for ever.

I would concentrate on primers and powder. Primers will be the first to go, if primers are controlled you control shooting. Powder is just important.

Save all your brass, consider getting some bullet casting equipment. When all else goes you will always be able to find lead.

Primers and Powder is the most important. You cant have too much.
 
You buy with your hobby budget, then stop.

Primers and powder are the key components. Then bullets, then brass.

You'll find that brass is the least of your concerns.

Buy in bulk, save money on unit costs.
 
What kraigwy said, in all probability I will not have to buy anything again, my 74th birthday is in a few weeks plus aging seems to slow down my want too. When you factor in the costs of components and aging I can use the money to travel and visit some places I've always wanted to see!! William
 
How much do you shoot? I'd look for at least a 2 year supply. Powder and primers are relatively cheap. I'd stock up on those since they are available for reasonable prices right now.

You can get brass for pretty cheap also. Most of my brass has come from factory ammo I've shot, but I've bought some once fired brass for a couple cents a piece for .44 and .357 Magnum.
 
most my brass has come from factory ammo but the shops around me want an arm and leg for cheap FMJ.

I plan on shooting maybe 50rds a week or every other week of rifle but I have to 223 bolt guns so that could be more and 2 handguns in same cal.
 
I agree with kraigwy. I won't spend the rent money, but it's my hobby and since I'm retired, I need to be "kept happy" and what better way than amassing components/ reloading and shooting?

Some folks think, mebbe rightly so, that it's a good idea to stock up on components with the current state of politics in America. I have. Not a lot at once, but a little bit here, a little bit there...
 
When all else goes you will always be able to find lead.
Click to expand...
The Doe Run Lead Smelter has closed. It was the last primary(lead obtained from lead ore) lead smelter left in the U.S. The only lead smelters left are secondary smelters that specialize in reclaiming salvage lead and supplying it to enterprises that still require lead.

When I was young lead was commonly used in cable sheathing, printing processes (several different type metals), soda fountains, plumbing, solders, telephone cable junctions (looked like an aqualung), wheel weights, fishing sinkers, downriggers (commonly referred to as "cannon balls"), x-ray shielding and plates, , Babbit bearings, sailboat keels, car batteries and a few things that I have likely overlooked. Nowadays, the only lead from the list of things containing lead that are still being used are car batteries but, virtually all the car batteries are of the "no maintenance" type so the lead is not usable inasmuch as it contains Calcium. Other than car batteries, the only other common lead source seems to be the containers for Radioactive isotopes used in nuclear medicine and many hospitals are now sending the containers back to be recycled so they are no longer available to casters.

In other words, easy access to lead is virtually a thing of the past. With no primary smelters in operation, the supply of lead will continue to diminish via attrition and supply and demand being what it is, the price of lead will continue to rise, likely making casting impractical.

My advice to someone who is thinking about getting into casting, is to first secure a large amount of lead...lest one be stuck with bullet casting equipment that one has no use for.
 
Stop buying components when the floor starts sagging, you don't have money for food, or you have to live outside in a tent.
 
Is the rifle bolt action or semi?
If its a bolt gun,it will be easier on brass,and you won't lose as much.
Everybody gets different results,but if you load to minimize case stretch in a bolt action,and don't load real hot,I'll guess you can get 7 to 10 loads before the necks split,though the paper clip test may reject them sooner.
Semi-autos are harder on brass,and you lose more.You might average 4 or 5 loadings plus factor losing 5% to 10% maybe.
Figure 280 loads or so per pound of powder in 223.Or 2240 for an 8lb jug of powder.
So,in a bolt gun,you could get the 2240 out of 300 pieces of WW brass.
2500 bullets,2500 primers,8lbs powder,300 brass.If you can double that,you can look at 5000 primers ,and two 8lb jugs of powder which,I think,would fit in one hazmat fee(Midway allows primers and powder on one hazmat)
Check Grafs,Natchez,etc..
You can get 55 gr Hornady FMJ BT's for around 12 to 13 cents each.They shoot pretty good.H-335 and Benchmark are good 55 gr powders.I don't load 55's,so I can't say what is best

If you load an AR,what is your twist?If it is 9 in or better,maybe try some 68/ 69 gr match boat tails.If you like those,Varget and 4895 are two powders to consider.They are versatile.
If you go to 75/77's,I'd lookat RE-15.
For feeding an AR,I might look to bulk Lake City or ,...once you learn culling,sorting,cleaning,trimming,swaging pockets and have the tools....maybe after while..you can get raw oncefired by the 5 gal bucket(3750 or so)reasonably cheap.You can spend more fore processed brass.
If its a semi,you might consider Mil Spec CCI primers.It has to do with sensitivity.
I expect we will look back on these times as the good old days.
It won't get cheaper or easier.
I'll keep the mods happy by not getting specific,but we do have a Presidential election coming up,and a less than ideal situation in the Supreme Court.
 
I have close to 3600 bullets (casting my own bullets helps that out A LOT), and almost 7000 pieces of various brass casings. I have probably about 4000-5000 primers, and maybe 12-13 pounds of powder. That may sound like a lot, but when you get down too it, it's really not if you shoot a lot. When do you stop buying? I'd say if you have enough components to load 5000 rounds per caliber, you have a pretty good stock of components. The problem is, if you use them, you have to replace them. ;)
 
Figure out what components work for you reliably, then calculate how much you shoot, then keep at least a year's worth of all four components (short on any single one and you are SOL). Three years is better. Ten is great if you're willing to live in a tent. :rolleyes:
 
Buy some brass. Not a train load, but a couple hundred cases of each caliber. Ammo manufacturers are also components manufacturers. So, for example, R-P brass has been like finding hen's teeth for a couple three years. Brass will eventually begin to become unusable in bottleneck cartridges, so you will want some on hand.

Primers are another component that has been sorta hard to find until recently. Same deal.

Powder---keep a two year supply on hand. Bullets--same deal.

I would bet my life savings that we won't see ammo and components taken off the market by the government. But I would double that bet that we will see our gun buddies and the scalpers empty the shelves if one certain candidate gets elected POTUSA. We will live through yet another self induced shortage. But in the mean time it is a major pain in the butt to put up with. Best be prepared.
 
Kraig is spot on, buy what you can, and keep enough on the shelf as a hedge against any possible shortage.

I got caught behind the 8 ball in 2012-13 after Newtown, and have resolved to keep several years supply on hand in case a similar panic happens again. I bought primers and powder first as the supply slowly returned and now and focusing on more lead in bulk and picking up all the brass I can find.
 
When I first started I tried 3 different powders & bullets same brand different weights. 1- thousand box of CCI BR2 Primers, 100 Remington cases. Settled down to one brand of power IMR 4064 Bullets 168gr.HBBT Sierra & A- Max.168gr. All the adjustments & tools, seems to never end.
 
If you plan to keep shooting, stock up NOW as much as you can afford, and keep on stocking up even when you think you've got too much.

Once you've lived through a powder or primer shortage like we've experienced several times in the last decade, you will know why I say this.

A couple things I would recommend is:
Pick up ALL the stray brass you can find, even if it's not one of your calibers. These can always be used to trade for brass you need, or you might
end up like some of us, and find yourself "needing" the rifle or pistol for the caliber of brass you picked up.
But, pick up everything. Lots of folks still leave their brass on the ground at the range, and if the range permits, scoop it up, but wait until
the person who shot it leaves....:p Take it home and stack it deep.

You can't make primers; well, most of us can't, so if for some reason primers were to become regulated or restricted, you are SOL.
So, when stocking up on components, give priority to primers, and powder as well, since most of us can't manufacture these items without a LOT of time and money.

Consider casting your own bullets. Old lead wheel weights smelt beautifully into cast bullets, and the cost to buy a lead furnace and molds
is not overly prohibitive. If you stock up enough lead, you can make bullets to your heart's delight, no matter the availability of commercial bullets.
 
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