Burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice, shame on me!

[lrgoodger]

Well, I figured it out. Whoever said, "We have seen the enemy, and he is us," was right. I got burned once four years ago in the reloading supplies shortage. I didn't get burned this time, but I came really close to running out of a couple of key components.

My wife and I shoot about 600 rounds a month at matches. Heck, I've got 400 rounds loaded up for Terry's match in Wisconsin this weekend, and that's just one match! That's a lot of powder and bullets, so my decision was to keep a full season's supply in reserve at all times. That means at the beginning of a season, I should have 2 seasons worth on hand. That way I can ride out another event like this for a year if it takes that, to get my stocks back up. I think a lot of other frequent shooters have come to the same conclusion, and all of us stocking up for that extra season has no doubt had a hand in contributing to the shortages.

No one has unlimited funds, so when all who have decided to put that extra season's supply away have gotten stocked up, things will level out again. Thanks to Dave's prompting to "look everywhere" (Midway sold out in an hour before I could place an order, Powder Valley didn't have them, and I only found one source) I did find my 180 g Berger hybrids and I am set through next summer now for those. Now if our custom 30 cal bullet makers could just get some jackets!!

 

[vtmarmot]

I buy stuff thinking I'll use it and then I get interested in another rifle or type of shooting and the components sit there. It's especially true of hunting related stuff. I reason that when I retire, I'll eventually shoot most of it up, or give it to someone to get them interested in shooting. I have quite a bit of stuff now and not enough time to use it up.

 

[tsyarnall]

I pulled this up just to remind those that might have forgotten, and to warn those who are just learning, that these things continue to run in cycles. Look at these posts almost seven years ago. Good thing I haven’t gone back farther, yet.

 

[jelenko]

It's a bit of a two edged sword.
On one side history has taught to keep extended supply of components.
Experience has also taught us that sometimes a change will be needed and we can wind up with a lot of unused stuff.

 

[DocBII]

Pogo said it and it's still true. Comic strip from the 50s and 60s. Wish I still had the printed book collections of the early strips my father had and we wore out as kids.

DocBII

 

[farmerjohn]

I don't know about that more than you need stuff, after seeing M1 Cclips going for 5 bucks a piece I'm kinda proud of sealed cans of 8rd bandoliers and the sealed spam cans of 30 carbine in 10rd stripper clips I've put back over the years. The way things are going you never know....
John

 

[lightman]

I got caught in a shortage early in my adult life. New job, young family, just getting my feet on the ground, and I couldn't afford to really stock up. I'm sure most of you have been there. I vowed to not let that happen again. Now days I try to keep an election cycle worth of components on hand.

 

[SEM]

I buy stuff thinking I'll use it and then I get interested in another rifle or type of shooting and the components sit there. It's especially true of hunting related stuff. I reason that when I retire, I'll eventually shoot most of it up, or give it to someone to get them interested in shooting. I have quite a bit of stuff now and not enough time to use it up.

I have found that my treasures and like new supplies are no longer such, a perfect condition like new duck coat with every bell and whistle is worth nothing to anyone 200.00 bucks worth of 0.00.... (its only about 20 years old wore it 3 times cant give it away) My kids who all hunted fished and really enjoyed target shooting are to wrapped up in there cell phones now, So I adopted another daughter she is now 30, So I avoided diapers and proms etc., She is now a real outdoors gal fly fishing guide shooter hunter and now WANTS me to teach her how to reload she was my sons first girl friend almost my daughter in law... I think she'll end up with all my stuff !!

Oh back to the point, she wont need to buy any thing for a LONG time

 

[DocBII]

Link to Pogo cartoon:

https://anticap.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/pogo1.jpeg

DocBII

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I stock up a little at a time.. Every trip the the gun store and I bring a few things back. Especially if they are at a good price. Like primers I found at Sportsman's for $2.39/100. These were Win, CCI and the good Fed's. Yeah I bought more than a few thousand.