With a couple of new rifles, pre-panic, and one post-panic, I would really like to start reloading.

Obviously, I have nothing yet, and as you all know so well, there is not much available to buy right now, at sane prices, that is.

Is it too late to get into reloading?

Starting from scratch there is a lot to buy, much less stockpile.

After about a month of looking, and not seeing the supply chain able to fill or even partially fill the shelves, I am beginning to think the reloading dog is just not gonna hunt in the near or intermediate future.

What do you guys think?

When I started reloading, casting, tinkering with new and different loads, bullets. I was poor, two baby daughters, small town with very little to offer tools, components, etc. Have you seen 'Lord of the Rings'with Gandolf?
That's the way most shooters looked at reloaders. The run of the mill shooter bought a box of ammo every hunting season, maybe three or four boxes of shotgun shells and two or three boxes of 22 LR.
Those that did reload had common every day bullets from Speer, target bullets from Sierra and big game bullets from Nosler. Powder from IMR, Hodgdons, some times surplus, (knew a guy with a 50lb keg of IMR 4895) some stores bought powder in 50 and 100 pound kegs and sold the powder by the scoop into a paper bag.
When I need/wanted a case trimmer I needed to special order it at the local store.
S&W model 29s were unvailable because 'Dirty Harry' had hit the big screen and every guy with withered testicls needed to have one.
Where this is going this sort of mania is not new, it will pass.
Use your time to learn your equipment, read everything you can find about reloading etc.
Have fun.

Jim

There is no shortage of supply coming off the lines or any kind of limitations. It's all a false panic brought on by us. When people get all they need, supplies will continue to come in, and eventually dealers will be trying to get rid of stuff, and people that bought too much will also try to get rid of some. Prices will probably be forced lower than they have been in quite some time.

Powder and primers are the main thing now, but people probably have stacks of powder that is going to go bad before they use it. Primers will be fine if stored properly.

It's never too late.
If you really want to start cheap and load just what you need you could start with a Lee kit. It requires a hammer and a block of wood, and cost just over $20 looking around. I have one for .223 and it works fine. Slow but works fine.
I'd suggest a trip to a pawn shop after you've done some homework on what you want. Look in classifieds, etc. and maybe pick up a used setup. I purchased a used single stage RCBS Rockchucker "kit" from a guy that had gotten a progressive for Christmas. I paid way less than half price, and am still using it more than twenty some years later. I have gone to a digital dispenser/scale combo and love it, but bought other items on sale as I collected up stuff. I didn't go buy everything at once in one shop.

Look at what you want to load. Is there one powder that would work for a couple of them? Buy bullets on sale, (may be a while) when available, buy powders that cover a broader spectrum, and spend time reading some reloading manuals. When you have a good understanding of the manual, you will understand how to set up your dies, and reloading will be less trouble than you think.

Having been a reloader and bullet caster for many years I was going to chime in here but BigNate nailed it.
Just keep looking at used stuff once you know what you are looking for and be patient. It is never too late.
You may want to ask friends if they are into reloading. I'm always willing to have someone come over for an evening to do some loading.

The latest push for gun control isn't the last, as much as I wish. After Big Ears got in 2008 and many years of talking about reloading, I said this is the time. When the supplies got back on the shelves, summer 2009, I walked into Sportsmans and spent right under 4 gran on powder, primers, brass, and some bullets; they gave me 10-15% discount too. I had bought my reloading equipment by mail from Brownells just a couple months prior. That got me in business. I've continued buying mostly bullets & brass, and some primers & powder when I get into gun shops. I've got more than I'll ever use the rest of my days and know in my heart my grandkids won't want for reloading supplies come hunting season. I've also built my own back porch bench with chrono & 100 yard targets; I really enjoy shooting more than ever before.

If you mainly shoot rifles, I'd start with one specific bullet diameter, say .308 and begin with all your 30 cal guns. For me, it's 30-30, 308, 300 win mag, 30-378, ect; they all use the same bullet and many similar powders & primers; you probably got the brass already. Don't get too over board with all the concentricity & extra tools the bench shooters need, on and on; you'll never have enough money for that. Stick with the basics.

I started 5 years back, now got several ammo cans of primers, right under 75 lbs of a Whole bunch of different 1 lb flavors of powder, lots of brass, and around 150 little boxes of bullets on my reloading bench shelf;;; and I continue to think about the what I need addiction. It builds up quick, ya just got to start at it rather than buying new guns all the time, no joke. It's super satisfying and you'll never worry about shortages ever again, nor will your kids.

Way back in late 80's, early 90's, I was buying cases of win Q3131 white box for $179/thou and so were all my friends; we about fought over it when it come in at gun shop. The wifey thought I Had lost it. I also bought a whole bunch of 22 shells. Look where we are at now, .556 selling for 7-8 hundred, 22's nowheres to be found. I haven't bought any of either in over 20 years and my grandkids won't either. Nowadays, my wife doesn't even regret it and agrees I done good way back then, ha ha, that's the best part.

Start with some basic reloading equipment that you find used. When the supplies fill the shelves again like they will, stock up. You never know when they might start taxing ammo and reloading supplies with sin taxes that will make it unaffordable for the average Joe like me and you.

Shooters Pro Shop, get signed in, they have nosler products quite reasonable for the reloader

Buy brass direct from Starline

I purchase some from local online lists, get some real deals. Also yard sales.

No, it's definitely not too late. Get going ASAP. If you can't find equipment from the normal online stores such as Natchez, Cabalas, etc. then order from the manufacturer. I recently needed a set of pistol reloading dies - not to be found anywhere from the normal suppliers. Ordered direct from RCBS. No pain.
I also needed cases and bullets for this firearm so I ordered bullets direct from Sierra and the cases from Starline. There was a slight backorder on all of the items but everything came thru fine. I can now use the handgun.
RCBS equipment and their "no fault" replacement/repair policy is second to none. Get started now, prices will only go up in the future.
Good luck,
Bear in Fairbanks

You have received some great advice from the above. Used gear found at gun shows is usually in satisfactory condition. Take along someone who reloads and can help you.

As far as a manual, the one to buy first that I always recommend is the Lyman. It covers more bullets and powders and isn't brand-specific like most of them are. Definitely read their beginning chapters before buying anything.

Went to the Tulsa Gun Show which is one of the biggest in the nation. Found powders, primers, and most, but not all bullets. Several dealers who I knew told me that stuff is slow in coming, but it is coming down the pipeline.
Start loading.

Thanks guys, a lot of great points.

I am all in!

Really scouring the web looking at supplies. Just had a guy from Craig's list try to sell me a used but functional RCBS partial master kit for $500. Can get it new for $319 w/rebate. I was expecting $150 max based on condition and missing components. I guess once the sharks smelled blood....search continues!

Never to late. Just keep looking around, things will become available in time. My LGS got in some 45APC brass a few weeks ago so I picked up 200 rounds. After looking for 4 months, Sportsman's Warehouse started getting some different powders in. Picked up 2 pounds of HP-38, the counter guy asked anything else? I said how about some large pistol primers, he produced 1000 CCI large pistol primers. Oregon bullet company shipped out 1000 Laser Cast 200 grain SWC's, Only took ten days.

I certainly could have used more components, but hey, I picked up what I really needed, things are improving.

Now if I can find a S&W 686 Plus, I will really

What caliber of dies are you going to need, I am cutting back on work in the shop and will have some dies for sale. In the past I have always had a set of dies to match every chamber reamer so I could always load ammo for testing the rifle.

Had some good luck the other day.
Shooting a rare cartridge has some advantages.
I hate half moon and full moon clips for shooting 45 acp cartridges in a revolver. A number of years ago I bought 1,000 empty cases from Starline, 45 auto rim. Loaded a couple hundred and put the remainder away in a safe place. When I wanted some new cases to load I could not find them so I bought another 1,000.
Well a divorce and a change in address I could not find either box of 45 auto rim brass so bought another 1,000.
Put that box away and found the other two.
So my shooting pard is shopping at the local shooting supply store and came across a bag of 45 auto rim brass purported to hold 700 cases at the price of $30.00. He called and asked if I wanted it the brass, of course I said yes.
It turns out the bag of brass holds 1,700 cases.
Well I sold a buddy 300 cases at $10.00 per hundred.
Had something of a similar nature with 405 Winchester brass.
Keep your eyes open and your friends informed bargains and treasures are out there to be found.
Jim

It's never too late, but what is going on right now is the real deal. The democraps/ libs are going to shoot their wad in the next 4 years and go all the way.
Like others have said, look around even for powders, etc. you can trade almost any thing right now, provided it is usable.

quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cline:
There is no shortage of supply coming off the lines or any kind of limitations. It's all a false panic brought on by us. When people get all they need, supplies will continue to come in, and eventually dealers will be trying to get rid of stuff, and people that bought too much will also try to get rid of some. Prices will probably be forced lower than they have been in quite some time.

Powder and primers are the main thing now, but people probably have stacks of powder that is going to go bad before they use it. Primers will be fine if stored properly.

+1 The same thing happened four years ago when President Obama was elected the first time. It's just panic buying. This too shall pass. When stuff starts to become available again, prices will drop for awhile because guys have so much stuff stocked up. One guy on AR bought 500 Hornady 9,3 bullets and he doesn't even own a 9,3.

quote:

Originally posted by jcinnb:
With a couple of new rifles, pre-panic, and one post-panic, I would really like to start reloading.

Obviously, I have nothing yet, and as you all know so well, there is not much available to buy right now, at sane prices, that is.

Is it too late to get into reloading?

Starting from scratch there is a lot to buy, much less stockpile.

After about a month of looking, and not seeing the supply chain able to fill or even partially fill the shelves, I am beginning to think the reloading dog is just not gonna hunt in the near or intermediate future.

What do you guys think?

I just looked at several of my favorite reloading sites -

They are "Out-of-Stock" on most presses and kits!!!