Latest Information on Ammunition.

[JBP55]

Here's What the Ammo Shortage Revealed About the Industry

 

[Ellis1958]

There is a link from the OP article concerning primers that is interesting.
https://www.outdoorlife.com/cartridge-primer-technology-developments/

What caught my eye is that Federal is changing the formula for its primers. How this will affect us in the reloading world is to be seen.

"Though tinkering with existing lines of ammunition that have a long-standing reputation for quality and reliability is generally a no-no—particularly when it comes to primers, which fall under the “if it ain’t broke, don’t you dare mess with it” category—Federal is planning on switching all of its centerfire ammunition—rifle, pistol, and shotgun—to Catalyst primers over the next five years."

 

[john17427]

Looks like CCI spearheaded catalyst priming so I'd expect all the Vista Outdoors brands to adopt it eventually. Probably Remington next.

 

[70mikenike70]

Here's What the Ammo Shortage Revealed About the Industry

Ok I normally don’t read articles… Especially looooong ones…. But I decided to read this one while I can’t fall asleep and it was really interesting. I would rather listen to something like this on YouTube, but it was a good read. The entire shortage is ridiculous, but that’s why I stick to the absolute most common calibers as in mostly NATO calibers. You know they will always be churning that stuff out… Stick to what you know, stay within practical limits of what you can afford and keep. I live in Southwest Louisiana and when I go to my local range I see all these dudes with their huge cartridges blasting their shoulders off. It’s comical. I’m like “bro what are you hunting?” Oh I’m getting me some whitetail deer…. Maybe a hog or two…. I’m looking at them like they are crazy…. You are shooting a crack barrel 35 wheelen dude. Or a 7mm Ultra with a 3-9-30 scope…. I’m trying to be respectful to them but I can’t help but bust out laughing. They ask what I’m shooting and I’m like “oh just my Ruger SFAR in 308…..” Then they ask what are you hunting? Must be squirrels with that little thing…. Look if a 308 can’t drop a whitetail deer out at 600 yards which is ridiculously too far to be shooting in Louisiana, then you need to get closer lol. I can see hunting up in the northern parts of America for moose or caribou with a 7mm Ultra but not in Louisiana. I’m way off subject here, but these manufacturers are not putting out any of these exotic loads and won’t be for a while. Fine by me because my 308 can do just as good as all these other crazy calibers. That’s like trying to find 30-30 right now. You just can’t. That’s a fun load to shoot but a 200 yard gun just isn’t worth it. I will be honest though, I should have bought all the 50 BMG ammo that academy had for sale this past year…. But the chances of my wife letting me buy a monster of a rifle before I pay her car off is pretty slim…. So if anyone wants to gift me a Barret I would sure take it… The problem is we have these old skeezers camping at our ammo stores and buying it right off the trucks. Most normal sportsmen just go in to buy what they are gonna use at the range but can’t get it because it’s all gone. Paw paw is draining his retirement for ammo he won’t live long enough to shoot…. Ok I think I stirred some people up… Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show folks… Just remember we are all in this sinking boat…. Jesus will be returning soon and all that ammo will be useless!!! Have a blessed day.

 

[3fifty7]

Ok I normally don’t read articles… Especially looooong ones…. But I decided to read this one while I can’t fall asleep and it was really interesting. I would rather listen to something like this on YouTube, but it was a good read. The entire shortage is ridiculous, but that’s why I stick to the absolute most common calibers as in mostly NATO calibers. You know they will always be churning that stuff out… Stick to what you know, stay within practical limits of what you can afford and keep. I live in Southwest Louisiana and when I go to my local range I see all these dudes with their huge cartridges blasting their shoulders off. It’s comical. I’m like “bro what are you hunting?” Oh I’m getting me some whitetail deer…. Maybe a hog or two…. I’m looking at them like they are crazy…. You are shooting a crack barrel 35 wheelen dude. Or a 7mm Ultra with a 3-9-30 scope…. I’m trying to be respectful to them but I can’t help but bust out laughing. They ask what I’m shooting and I’m like “oh just my Ruger SFAR in 308…..” Then they ask what are you hunting? Must be squirrels with that little thing…. Look if a 308 can’t drop a whitetail deer out at 600 yards which is ridiculously too far to be shooting in Louisiana, then you need to get closer lol. I can see hunting up in the northern parts of America for moose or caribou with a 7mm Ultra but not in Louisiana. I’m way off subject here, but these manufacturers are not putting out any of these exotic loads and won’t be for a while. Fine by me because my 308 can do just as good as all these other crazy calibers. That’s like trying to find 30-30 right now. You just can’t. That’s a fun load to shoot but a 200 yard gun just isn’t worth it. I will be honest though, I should have bought all the 50 BMG ammo that academy had for sale this past year…. But the chances of my wife letting me buy a monster of a rifle before I pay her car off is pretty slim…. So if anyone wants to gift me a Barret I would sure take it… The problem is we have these old skeezers camping at our ammo stores and buying it right off the trucks. Most normal sportsmen just go in to buy what they are gonna use at the range but can’t get it because it’s all gone. Paw paw is draining his retirement for ammo he won’t live long enough to shoot…. Ok I think I stirred some people up… Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show folks… Just remember we are all in this sinking boat…. Jesus will be returning soon and all that ammo will be useless!!! Have a blessed day.

You may not normally read articles but you damn sure decided to write one in this case.

 

[70mikenike70]

You may not normally read articles but you damn sure decided to write one in this case.

You got me rolling at almost 3am….. lol

 

[tbone]

I can't recall the source but a U.S. General was quoted saying that China has enough ammunition to last 5 years and the U.S. has enough to last about 5 weeks.

 

[Dishonored]

Ok I normally don’t read articles… Especially looooong ones…. But I decided to read this one while I can’t fall asleep and it was really interesting. I would rather listen to something like this on YouTube, but it was a good read. The entire shortage is ridiculous, but that’s why I stick to the absolute most common calibers as in mostly NATO calibers. You know they will always be churning that stuff out… Stick to what you know, stay within practical limits of what you can afford and keep. I live in Southwest Louisiana and when I go to my local range I see all these dudes with their huge cartridges blasting their shoulders off. It’s comical. I’m like “bro what are you hunting?” Oh I’m getting me some whitetail deer…. Maybe a hog or two…. I’m looking at them like they are crazy…. You are shooting a crack barrel 35 wheelen dude. Or a 7mm Ultra with a 3-9-30 scope…. I’m trying to be respectful to them but I can’t help but bust out laughing. They ask what I’m shooting and I’m like “oh just my Ruger SFAR in 308…..” Then they ask what are you hunting? Must be squirrels with that little thing…. Look if a 308 can’t drop a whitetail deer out at 600 yards which is ridiculously too far to be shooting in Louisiana, then you need to get closer lol. I can see hunting up in the northern parts of America for moose or caribou with a 7mm Ultra but not in Louisiana. I’m way off subject here, but these manufacturers are not putting out any of these exotic loads and won’t be for a while. Fine by me because my 308 can do just as good as all these other crazy calibers. That’s like trying to find 30-30 right now. You just can’t. That’s a fun load to shoot but a 200 yard gun just isn’t worth it. I will be honest though, I should have bought all the 50 BMG ammo that academy had for sale this past year…. But the chances of my wife letting me buy a monster of a rifle before I pay her car off is pretty slim…. So if anyone wants to gift me a Barret I would sure take it… The problem is we have these old skeezers camping at our ammo stores and buying it right off the trucks. Most normal sportsmen just go in to buy what they are gonna use at the range but can’t get it because it’s all gone. Paw paw is draining his retirement for ammo he won’t live long enough to shoot…. Ok I think I stirred some people up… Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show folks… Just remember we are all in this sinking boat…. Jesus will be returning soon and all that ammo will be useless!!! Have a blessed day.

35 whelen single shot rifles are used during primitive season, along with several other calibers of that magnitude.

Most guys I know hunting with a magnum rifle also utilize the same rifle on other hunts. So they bought once for both or multiple.
I’m fortunate, I have rifles in varying calibers and optics; so I could choose for whatever hunt type when I want to. Most are not, so the same rifle they use to take an elk or a oryx on an exotic ranch is the same rifle they use to hunt whitetail. That said, my chosen cartridge for almost all NA hunting outside of mountain goats and pronghorn is .300 wig mag. Sure my .308 can do it but my .300 win mag can do it better.

 

[john17427]

I was in Academy at Juban yesterday and the ammo shelves were packed with a variety in a lot of calibers. Several aisle end caps were full as well. No way I was going to pay those prices though. Maybe if there had been some Monarch 5.45x39 there I would have broken down, but unlikely I'll see that stuff again in my lifetime.

 

[falshooter]

A friend of mine I used to work with in the 1980's hunted mule deer in Colorado and whitetail here at the camp every year with a .243

He never failed to come back empty handed.

Shot placement is your friend

 

[Ellis1958]

Looks like CCI spearheaded catalyst priming so I'd expect all the Vista Outdoors brands to adopt it eventually. Probably Remington next.

Hadn't thought of that angle. I'm sure it will take a few years but the change is coming. No big. Load up a test set with the new primers and see what happens. Adjust accordingly.

Off topic. Been working up 45 acp loads. What is weird is that with some powders, 231, N310, WST, and Titegroup, all need another tenth of a grain when using Federal primers versus Winchester primers to match the same speed. The only powder I tried that didn't exhibit this behavior was Clays, both Australian and Canadian.

 

[Xeon64]

Looks like CCI spearheaded catalyst priming so I'd expect all the Vista Outdoors brands to adopt it eventually. Probably Remington next.

Iterested to see how long the shelf life is on these. I have primers from the 1970s that still work fine.