What did you learn from the "Big Shortage?"

[rickyrick]

I've learned to horde ammo when I didn't used to.

I've learned to buy guns when I think about it instead of saving a bit.

I've learned that panics are a cycle now.

I've learned to watch media trends, I see a new one one coming soon.

Gun control legislation is being chipped in bit by bit now.

[A pause for the COZ]

I started reloading at the end of the last shortage. At the time powder was easy to find but no one had primers.

So when I saw this one coming on, I knew I could not afford to stock up on every thing.

So I figured powder would be easier to get and primers would be hard to find again.
So I stocked up on primers...


Wrong!!!
After an initial shortage primers were the 1st to become available again.
Some powders I have not seen in at least two years.

What have I learned???
#1 I will not wait until the next shortage to prepare. I will have at least a two year supply of all components on hand.

Couple of advantages to that. One big one is, you do not have to buy unless its on sale. I may have quite a bit tied up in components, but my cost per round is very very low.

Another good thing found, I was able to try out some powders that I had zero experience with. 5744 being one that has really surprised me. It really performs well in medium sized cases with cast bullets.

Another is CSB-1 bulk pistol powder. I have been getting very very good results in just about all my non magnum pistol loads.
As a matter of fact when most powders become readily available again.
The price on CSB-1 should drop like a stone. if and when it does.
I am buying it in volume.

Another lesson: I have switch over almost 100% to cast bullets loads for all my firearms. I still shoot jacketed but maybe at a 10% rate.

I cast my own and stock up on lead. I have about a 1000 pounds available and can cast what ever bullet I need when I need.
Just to give you an idea. That works out to 56,000 125 gr projectiles.
Plus I trap 80% of my loads so I get to re cast and shoot them again.

Not going to keep me and mine from shooting. Ever.

[Gunplummer]

I am not a pistol reloader, hunting rifle ammo mostly. I learned that the good old Remington Corlokt bullets I always used for 80% of my reloading are the best. I still can not get two types of them and the shelves are overloaded with the super dooper expensive bullets I always thought were junk. I have enough to hunt for years, but the occasional practice sessions at the range went out the window.

[Nick_C_S]

The last shortage; At the time powder was easy to find but no one had primers.

I wasn't involved in shooting during the previous shortages - so I wasn't around to see this.

I guess this (the quote) explains why primers dried up so fast during this shortage.

So it would stand to reason that next time powders are going to dry up first.

[TimW77]

"The Big Shortage was caused 100% by politics."

Have to disagree with this, although the panic was STARTED by politics, as Mike said "it was caused by panicy idiots!"

For the most part if everyone would have bought what they needed or just a little extra there would have been adequate supplies for everyone.


The panic didn't cause any real changes in my buying, my "standard practices" that I've been following for many years helped protect me from shortages.

First, at one time it seemed like I was trying to buy one of every different rifle & handgun in every cartridge then reload for all of them.

Solutions was to determine what were essential to me, guns, cartridges and types of shooting I really liked. Then sell the rest!

For me the Ruger 10/22 in .22 LR, AR-15 in .223R, M-1A/AR-10(types) in .308W and the 1873 Trapdoor/1874 Sharps in .45-70 were givens... To fill the gaps between these I wanted as few cartridges/calibers/guns as possible. These were the 6.5 Grendel/.260R and the .338-06.

There are always exceptions of course (For me this is the M-1 Carbine and Rifle, 8mm Mauser and Savage 99 in .358W).

Same with handguns, there is nothing a .45 Colt won't do that the .44 Magnum won't do better so they were gone. I had no need for anything smaller than a 9x19mm except a .22 LR.

Second, after reducing the types of guns and cartridges, I looked hard at components and reduced them. For handguns I use just 3 powders. If I had to I could use just 2 or even JUST ONE! When it comes to rifle powders I use 6 but 4 is doable. In addition I have a "substitute" for every powder.

Bullets are a little more complex. I only use one bullet in the .357 Magnum but need 4 for the .223R. For primers I use just 1 brand for each size/type but also have "substitutes" for them.

To save money I've always tried to buy in larger quantities whether gun related or not.

Combined, doing these things has made living through shortages much easier. Only thing I was ever very low on was LP and SPM primers. Never ran out but did get down to about 1000.

T.

[9mmSkeeter]

I got into reloading around June of '13.

Things were already in short supply but as a smart shopper I knew where to find things others couldn't. To this day people still ask me, "I can't find 22 ammo anywhere" and to that I reply "just open your eyes and clear your schedule one day a week, you'll get lucky, it's not that hard".

[Real Gun]

I learned that setting rather high minimum-on-hand quantities (as opposed to raw hoarding) is a good idea.

[wogpotter]

I learned that setting rather high minimum-on-hand quantities (as opposed to raw hoarding) is a good idea.

THIS^^^^^
Its just a question of adjusting your stock to meet the changing market. That isn't "hoarding" but responding to a change in the marketplace.

[FlySubCompact]

Main lesson from this last panic?

That millions of my fellow Americans will have no problem dropping $2000 on what would normally be a $700 AR-15, but can't muster $5's worth of gas to go vote the cause of the panics out of office.

(Sorry Mods if that is too "politicky", but that is the way I see it.)

[zincwarrior]

Quote:
My big take away is that people are panicky idiots.

Exactly
The whole "shortage" was caused by panic buying due to speculation

Agreed. I'd preface that "was" though. .22LR is still mighty scarce.

[gandog56]

That if a big time liberal has a chance to be elected president., stock up well in November!

I remember the shortages when Obozo got elected the first time. I stocked up well before the second time.

[Real Gun]

I learned that Congress said nothing about defunding the mega orders and strain on supply lines, when all the agencies decided they needed millions of rounds of battle grade ammo. They said nothing when imports were waylaid indefinitely at port without fanfare or explanation. When you have control and the media on your side, a lot of nefarious stuff can take place.

[GJSchulze]

The Big Shortage was caused 100% by politics. We all know this and we all know why

Actually it was caused by us because we were scared that the Dems would enact laws that would make it illegal to buy what we need, thus causing our supplies to dwindle. The "proof" of this was previous shortages.

What we have is a self fulfilling prophecy. The powder shortage was exacerbated by the Hodgden plant fire and talk of conspiracies.

When it comes to powder shortages, which are still ongoing, people didn't understand that manufacturing and supplying powder to stores is unlike other components. Because of bulk orders from ammo makers, I'm betting that the first priority, due to contracts, was to supply them before they made powder to send to wholesalers. This would also apply to primers. With so many different types of powder, they don't make them all at once. They make a supply of however many of the best selling powders, and then make a supply of the next group of best sellers. This kind of manufacturing schedule would affect primers less because there are fewer types.

Now, when they send it out to wholesalers, there isn't enough to send to all of them, so a whole bunch of stores are left out. Notice how no kind of powder showed up everywhere at once. At any one time, only some wholesalers received shipments of a particular powder. And when powder did show up in Internet stores, it was gone within 30 minutes. People realized that they really couldn't buy too much because it would last years or they could always sell it later. Looking at the auction sites makes it obvious that many people bought it so they could sell it at double or triple the price.

Because of all the lags built into the process, we are still seeing a lack of pistol powders and I suspect that this will continue for quite some time until everyone realizes they have enough.

[gman3]

It think that if one picks up a few things here and there to maintain a reasonable supply of what you need based on how much you use it when it is available, and if you are mindful to think about adjusting your usage during the times when things get hard to find, then you don't have the compulsion to be taken advantage of by the price gougers.

I have been able to get what I needed all along, (or an acceptable substitute)and didn't pay a significant amount more for it than I ordinarily would have. I do however have a lot of the same thing as far as feeding my guns, so my needs are not as varied. The only hard to find cartridge that I shoot is 7mm WSM, and I don't hand load for that one so I just pick up a box or two whenever I see it.

I am very close to having a lifetime supply of loaded rounds and brass for it, I always can find 7mm bullets, and I can use the same propellant in it that I use in my 25-06 hand loads, and some 30-06 propellants will probably be OK in it.

I have a gazillion .30-06 cases, from which I can make 25-06 cases. Same with 308 cases (what's bigger than a gazillion here) mondomillion maybe? So, as the logic follows, no problem with 7mm-08 if I have to go there. Same thing with propellants. 308, 7mm-08, 30-06, 25-06. There are powders that are useful in all of them(maybe not ideal) but I'm going to be able to go hunting if I want to, and protect my family without concern for not having any bullets.

If times are hard, the lesson is that I can have some self discipline, and not go shoot it all up at the range. Shortages don't last forever. Wait a time with patience, and some opportunistic buzzard will not be circling your wallet when you are at the store.

If nothing else, folks should learn to keep a reasonable amount of loaded rounds in reserve. If you don't have any to replace it, don't shoot it up. Then you will not need to wring your hands because you don't have any.

Its not likely that there is going to be a large scale combined arms/mechanized infantry assault on you home. If it were, what most folks have (by reading these forums) is not going to save the day, or even slow it down. Kind of like a bug on a locomotive windshield.

Oh, I forgot primers, since I don't have anything that uses small rifle primers, Large Rifle primers will work in every rifle I have id need be. 7mm WSM does not need to have a magnum primer last time I checked. I don't reload handgun except for .38 Spl. which I don't carry. Everything else I shoot as far as handguns I use commercial ammunition in. I don't like to carry with hand loads, and I like to practice with what I carry, so I try to keep a reasonable amount on hand. 9mm, and .45 Auto.

[1stmar]

That for rifle, I can get very good results with every caliber I reload for using only one powder....... Imr4064. 30-06, 308, 22-250, 223 and 35rem.

[res45]

I've been a handloader for 35+ years,I learned a long time ago and not just when it comes to ammo and reloading supplies that you can take nothing for granted as if it will always be there or available when you want it.

At any given time what you have on hand may be all you ever have or at least for a longer period of time than you want to or are willing to endure before it starts having an effect on your normal routines.

what I've learned from the past and previous shortages is that paying attention to market forces and political winds pays off as none of the shortages have had any effect on me at all.

I've also learned that picking up all that free brass at the range that nobody wanted when ammo was cheap and plentiful and nobody wanted to reload it provides most all the brass I will ever need for years to come.

I also learned that casting all my own bullets for all my handguns and rifles from all that free lead I collected over they years keeps me supplied with plenty of bullets. I have a good supply of J bullet as well bought in bulk years ago but they just stay in there boxes,no point in using them till there needed as the cast loads can do anything the J bullets can do for the purpose and ranges I shoot at.

I've also learned that keeping a stash of factory ammo which ever applies to you but in my case is the cheap steel case stuff for X39 and 54r put back that you just never touch is always a good idea. I reload both these cartridges and have for years with cast lead which is even cheaper than the 10 cents per rd. I paid for the steel case stuff.

The most important lesson you can learn from a shortage is if it happens once it can happen again and often times it tends to increase in the severity and length of time it last especially if the number of individual wanting goods and services grows.

ATK owns Blazer, CCI, Estate Cartridge, Federal Premium, Fusion, Speer and Speer Bullets, Bushnell, BLACKHAWK!, Eagle, Alliant Powder, RCBS, Champion Target, Final Approach, Gunslick Pro, Primos, Bollé, Outers, Hoppe’s, Uncle Mike’s, Butler Creek and Weaver Optics. ATK supplies defense products and systems to the US Government who do you thing is going to get first dibs on powder and components or the materials needed to mfg those products and systems.

[William T. Watts]

The only item I couldn't find were CCI 34 Primers for a Garand, now that I have them I still haven't shot the rifle. I guess it wasn't as important as I thought it was. Other than the aggravation about the CCI 34 primers I have not been impacted by shortages, I'll admit I don't shoot as much as I used too but all in all I have everything I need plus what I want so I'm good to go.. I have the brass I need, powder I need, primers I need, at 72 how much can I shoot?? William

[Clark]

The Nirvana song:
“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”

The veterans of Clintonomics [1994], Y2K [1999], and Obamanomics [now] :
"Just because hoarding is a mental illness doesn't mean you shouldn't."

[SHR970]

That when someone would ask for advice on loading a particular cartridge WAAAYYYYY too many people here said try (insert unavailable for the last three years powder here). Lots of folks would go shopping with the idea of a particular powder for a particular cartridge. They would be entirely disappointed that they couldn't find their powder of choice. They didn't have any idea what to do next.

When a friend decided to get into reloading during the last shortage, he went to the gun show with me to get supplies using the "I'll get this" mind set. I had a list of 6 suitable powders for his needs. While three people including him were dithering and stuck on stupid I grabbed a 4 lb.er of W231 and an 8 of IMR 4895. I got the last of both. My friend was happy to find out that
a) W231 would work for him
b) I intended to split the jug with him.

How many folks here tried powders that they wouldn't have considered before? How many learned that many of those powders have broad applications?

[Clark]

SHR970
That when someone would ask for advice on loading a particular cartridge WAAAYYYYY too many people here said try (insert unavailable for the last three years powder here)

When I started reading the one gun forum in the early 90s, rec.guns on usenet before www, what bothered me was...

"I can only get one out of 20 rounds to hit the paper at 50 yards. What should I do?"

"You need to weigh each charge, de burr your flash holes, chase the threads in your receiver, get a faster lock time firing pin, use only Lapua bullets, turn your necks, re crown your muzzle, get a one ounce trigger, have your action blue printed, lap your lugs, upgrade your steady rest, read the mirage, check coriolis effect, weigh and sort brass, get match primers, try a different powder."

With this quality advice, it only took me $10k and 1000 hours of effort between 1994 and 2002 to get my first 1" group.

Life it too short for an individual to do controlled test on every variable, so I would have to evaluate what to pick from the gun culture folklore.

[Nick_C_S]

How many folks here tried powders that they wouldn't have considered before? How many learned that many of those powders have broad applications?

Right here.

Accurate Arms #2, #5, & #7.

#2 is fantastic for 115g/9mm; and plated DEWC target loads for 38 Special - exceptional, actually. And 200g 45ACP.

#5 is pretty much awesome for most any semi-auto. And I had good success with it in 125g/357 Mag rounds.

#7 makes potent 180g/10mm rounds; 158g/357 Mag; & hot 230g/45 ACP.

Great stuff, Accurate Arms powders. I got a bunch of Nitro 100 too; but I'm still in the early load workup stages with it just yet. So far, so good. Burns nice n clean.

So yes, the shortage "forced" me to try other powders. Power Pistol being another one (although, I gravitate to Alliant powders anyway; so trying it was probably just a matter of time).

[wogpotter]

I learned that sometimes the maker of a particular powder will be the only one to recommend it for a certain caliber. That is not necessarily a good choice for that caliber.

I used H335 in a .303 because it was the only powder I could find for both .303 Brit & 7.62 NATO at the time & it was recommended in their reloading manual. Then, using their exact recommendations I discovered this little "issue with it" & had a bunch of click-bangs & click - no bangs.


It took quite a while to actually figure it out & it had me looking at things like case lube contamination. What a HUGE waste of time & effort.

[jetinteriorguy]

So, did you figure out what caused the H335 to clump up like this? I've got about 15 lbs of it left to use and don't want the same to happen if possible. So far I love it in my AR's. I've been loading it ahead of time but maybe should just store the components and only load for demand.

[wogpotter]

I don't think its a bad powder as such. Just that its an unsuitable one for the larger volume & lower pressure of the .303 British case.

I went nuts trying to figure it out then a search on this forum turned up a couple of people using it for .303 Brit & found incomplete & erratic combustion. After that a further search found even more with the same problem. The partially burned yellow colored clumps seem symptomatic of the issue.

The exact same lot of the same powder ran flawlessly in 7.62, so it seems to like higher-density & higher pressure uses.

[Marco Califo]

unsuitable one for the larger volume & lower pressure of the .303 British case

I disagree. Unless someone else can duplicate your result, AND explain the cause and effect, I think the photo indicates a contamination of the powder indicated by the partial, and perimeter only, discoloration.
I use pull down WC844 and H335 and have never experienced this.
Also, as I think you know, H335 is not the best powder for that round.