Reloading supplies

[Quetico Bob]

double

What the heck is going on? Just got back from the big smoke including a visit to the gun shop.

Was going to pick up some reloading supplies, but there is none to be had and no indication of when they will be available. No 30 cal bullets, told to completely forget about anything to do with 308 and no large rifle primers anywhere in North America?

Great, so I build a press over the winter, figured I would get jump on ammunition for this coming hunting season and find this out?

Crap, I can’t even get brass for my newly acquired 30-06. But I guess that’s a moot point considering the bullet thing. Did however manage to get a set of dies for it but at about 40% more than the last set I picked up in the fall ($70 with tax today).

This has me flabbergasted, I mean I know I don’t get out much and tend to enjoy my own little world here in the bush but what the heck is going on?? They even told me “wait till you order a pound of powder” I have to order it?

Cheers, Bob

[JCHannum]

George has requested that we refrain from political discussions here, so I will only say that the depletion of ammunition and reloading supplies began in this country shortly after the November elections, and is continuing.

It seems to be feuled by a fear that there is going to be an attack on gun ownership, and that said attack will probably take the form of making the cost of ownership of ammunition prohibitive either through taxation or the imposition of serializing ammunition.

Primers are almost impossible to find except for shotgun ammunition. Live ammo in the more common calibers, likewise is almost unobtainable.

[Quetico Bob]

I do not understand how my OT would raise a political discussion and that was certainly not my intent. I do appreciate your response in risk of.

I sincerely had no idea of what was going on. Do we now just purchase, apparently, if available, factory @ $3 per round? Is their no other options? A simple yes or no is sufficient and I will research or PM’s would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Bob (aka MUSHROOM BOY)

[JCHannum]

Bob; It was not because of your original post that I included the caveat, but that the ensuing discussion could turn political.

I don't know what the situation in Canada is with gun shows, but here, most have brass available. Primers are something else.

I got some used brass from here a while back, I don't know export laws;

http://www.bluestarbrass.com/catalog/ofrbrass.htm

[Quetico Bob]

Thanks Jim, and understand the positioning.
Cheers, Bob

[andy_b]

the shortages are sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. a friend of mine runs a mail-order reloading supply business. he said he generally gets in components every week, but they sell out as fast as he gets them in. if someone orders something (small rifle primers are a big one right now), their order will probably be filled in a few weeks, but rarely will the item be in stock. if my friend puts an order in, he usually will receive what he orders. also, if someone wants 10,000 primers, most places are putting limits on them and will only sell 1000 so each customer can get them. this is for several reasons. in one instance a person was purchasing all of a certain component and then offering it for sale at their own store at a considerable premium because no other location had them. the reason no other location had them was because this person was buying all of them and reselling them!

anything in .223 or 9mm has been in very short supply due to a regional conflict in the middle east. that has been the case for a while and for those items you're pretty much stuck with what you can find.

andy b.

[OldToolmaker]

What cauht me totally by surprise is the shortage of Black Powder supplies. I intended to go out and do some BP shooting (Lotsa fun ) but there is no XXX and no #11 caps available. Apparently all production is going to Middle East?

[andy_b]

i doubt #11 percussion caps are being sent to Iraq.
on the BP front, it would not surprise me if the US govt has something to do with slowing down the supply. BP is an explosive and can have more creative uses than smokeless powder. also, i believe the "big guns" in warships and artillery are powered by BP. maybe the govt is stockpiling it for a use they have not publicly announced.

andy b.

[Mcostello]

You would think missiles would make BP obsolete.

[CLARKMAG]

The most comprehensive explanation I have read is here:

The Ammo Drought
by Jeff Knox
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2009/tle520-20090524-05.html