The bubble WE may be living in...

[AJMD429]

I don’t shoot as much as I’d like to, so I haven’t bought much ammo over the past few years. I reload for the two or three cartridges I shoot the most and I don’t even shoot those enough that I felt the need to keep that many components on hand at any given time. Many of us are probably like that, having sufficient stock to meet our needs, and not really interacting with the retail market very much.

My friend was asking about getting starting in reloading, and I was talking to him about the lee ‘Classic Loader’ since his primary cartridge is 38 special. I referred him to the Leeprecision.com and midwayusa.com websites to look at that tool versus the various other entry level presses.

Have any of you guys looked at that stuff lately...?

To my amazement, midwayusa.com did not have any reloading press is in stock other than the $2500 and up production type of presses. Leeprecision.com lists every one of their classic loading tools as ‘out of stock’....

This makes the firearms and ammunition panics from 12 years ago pale in comparison. To the extent that it is a barometer of social unease, it would seem that many people feel a huge storm is brewing.

[Grizz]

almost everything worth having is out of stock wish i had had majored in foresight i am aware that my little air rifle would feed us in a pinch Oh Bother

[Sixgun]

With the exception of the inner circle of the CFR and the high command of the world's governments, no one knows anything...it's all speculation. But......as time wears on, the speculation appears to be slowly turning to truth....at least it is to me.

It's all panic and last I heard, not many people actually want to die so they are taking on the Boy Scout motto.....fast. -----006

[Scott Tschirhart]

That is a very interesting observation. I have not shopped for reloading machines in many years but it seems that this would be an accurate barometer.

[.45colt]

The covid hit all manufacturing of every kind, and the supply chain was interrupted all year. I retired a year and a half ago , then went back cutting meat one or two mornings a week . last year after the virus hit the stores were severely impacted by the amount of meat of any kind that was available. the customers had to get used to hearing " it's out of stock " and it was a BIG change for people who never had to worry about seeing a full meat counter every day.
The whole summer went by with no usual big steak sales of any kind , no cheap ground meat . and be leave Me I was surprised to see people pay book price for meat when they couldn't shop a sale ad. for the first time in 48 years I didn't see whole bone in pork loins at a give away price on New Years.
I "hope" things can return back to normal sometime soon.

[Larkbill]

Lee Precision lists everything as "out of stock" mainly because they have committed to supplying their dealers before selling direct.

I decided I wanted to cast some bullets for my Rossi .45 Colt rifle and found though Lee listed the mold I wanted as out of stock a simple search turned up multiple vendors online who had it and even at prices below MSRP.

That said, there is definitely more demand than supply. I inherited and was given two caches of reloading stuff including some equipment. Between Craig's and Marketplace I moved almost $1000 of stuff that duplicated things I already had. I talked a bit to most of the buyers and out of the 6 only one was an experienced reloader. No one else admitted to being first time gun owners, but the others were beginning reloaders.

Luckily both caches included some powder, primers and bullets. Most was in calibers I already worked with except some .40 S&W and .45 ACP. That stuff I gave to my brother and a shooting buddy.

I also scored a 20. ga MEC 650 for myself at a good price off Marketplace.

[765x53]

almost everything worth having is out of stock wish i had had majored in foresight i am aware that my little air rifle would feed us in a pinch Oh Bother

Stock up on pellets while you can. Pyramyd Air is out of stock of many styles.

[OldWin]

The real issue as I see it, is that when anything is in that much demand, and in that short of supply, it isn't long before people will steal and kill for it.

Hang onto your hats kids! Tinfoil or otherwise.
The ones who are slow to recognize a situation for what it is, are soon in a very bad spot. History has proven this over and over.