Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Is There A Varmint Brass Shortage Now?

I have bought several Varmint Rifles in the last 4 months and as per my normal procedure of the last 45+ years I went about buying around 100 pieces of NEW brass for each of them to start things out.
I have done so successfully exactly NO times with any of these Rifles - to date!
The calibers I have tried to find brass for are 243 Winchester, 22-250 Remington, 223 Remington, 7mm/08 and 25/06 Remington!
I have been dancing around robbing from my other Rifles dedicated brass "allotments" in these calibers and by scrounging USED brass on the second hand market so I can get load development and sight-in started!
I have even had to resort to a little "swapping" of brass with friends who have stores of unused new brass I need. But I am nowhere near the traditional 100 pieces of brass minimum for any of these latest Rifles I have bought.
On top of these purchased Rifles I have passed on buying a 17 Hornet because not only is brass unavailable but I have not been able to find loaded ammo in this caliber either.
I would be willing to suffer the indignity of buying factory 17 Hornet ammo and using that up then having brass on hand but again I can't even find loaded ammo for that caliber. And the Ruger 77/17 Hornet I've been wanting is still standing on the stores rack.
In addition to my woes I get at least two phone calls a week from out of state friends wanting me to sell them some of the brass I have in reserve or to see if the stores hereabouts have any 17 Fireball, 204 Ruger, 223 Remington, 22-250, 220 Swift, 243 brass etc etc etc for sale.
First it was primers, then powder, then projectiles and NOW it seems brass is in very short supply OR non-existent!
I mean what in the heck is going on?
Are folks in other parts of the country having trouble finding factory new brass on their LGS shelves?
Even at gunshows, brass, when it can be found, is sky high priced!
My close friend here in town "made the mistake" (according to him!) of buying a Remington 722 in 257 Roberts last fall - he has been searching ever since for new brass, then for loaded ammo now he has settled for trying to find used brass and he finally "won" and online auction for once fired used brass in 257 at $25.00 for 20 pieces - PLUS he has to pay the shipping on this "prize"!
Is there a shortage of Varmint type brass in other regions or are we here in the west just sucking hind tit?
One of my local friends is VERY concerned and angry about the current situation (lack of brass and projectiles in Varmint calibers) and has threatened to take up GOLF in the spring and summer instead of Varminting!
Maybe there is some kind of factory induced shortage - I can't figure out a reasonable reason why that would be other than to drive up prices/profits somehow???
It always something it seems anymore in the world of shooting.
Hoping for better times.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I should add, in full disclosure, that I have come across SOME of the very expensive Nosler brass in a couple of the calibers I am in need for - but again its so expensive I want to exhaust all options before having to use it.

Oh yeah, nothing new here. Preaching to the choir. I've given up finding new brass I need in any store, just trade or buy private party. Usually have to buy second hand brass and check the inside for seperation in between loadings. Lotsa fun all around.

There's little to no brass out there. The more common the caliber, the earlier it sold out. Last time I checked, the only thing I could find was .38-40 and .348 Winchester.

Uh ... edit: actually, if you know where to look, you can probably get Norma, Lapua, and maybe Nosler brass. Winchester, Remington, and Federal are harder to come by. There is some Hornady brass floating around.

The problem is not the suppliers, they're running at full capacity. The problem is shooters stocking up and hoarding more stuff than they can ever use. It's getting worse, not better. I've seen people buying stuff they can't use in hopes they can trade it to someone who needs it for something they really do need. It's madness, but we're the mad.

I've saved up money for another new rifle (Kimber Montana) but I'm not ordering until brass is available. In the mean time, yep, fishin'. Rather than new rifles, last year I bought two new Sage fly rods and reels. I have to confess to hoarding leader and flies ... just in case.

Tom

25.06 brass, no problem. LGS has lots on the shelf. Remington green bag. Problem is they are only coming out in 50 count bags now. Says that's the new norm. 38.99 a 50. Laughed my fat azz off cuz I have 3 bags that I bought 8 years ago kicking around the basement that cost me 25 bucks a 100.

243 rem, Win, Nosler got 3-400 of them new that I bought over the years. In fact just sold a green bag to a guy who's daughter had just got a new 243 and wanted to shoot. Gave him a deal, cost him the price on the bag from Cabelas 29.99

22.250 same deal. only I also got a 150 Noslers to go with the other 2 bags of Rem, and 2 bags of Win.

223 400 new Rem, 300 new Win, another 400 between Lapua, Nosler and Norma.

220 Swift 200 Rem. 300 Norma, down to half a bag of new Win.

Don't own a 7-08 so don't care, if I did I would be necking down once fired 308.

And my wife always wondered why if I didn't buy anything else at the gun shop, I always left with a bag or two of brass or a box or 2 of bullets.

VG...

Check out this internet ,location source...

http://www.gunbot.net/reloading/Brass/

plenty of available brass listed...

I'm one of those guys who is lucky not to really be short on anything I need having to do with brass...

of course I have benefited by learning how to make it last a long time also...

Seafire,
He wants the cheap stuff which right now is unobtainium. I haven't seen any Rem or Win in those calibers for along time now.
Except the 25.06 which I posted earlier. It was there yesterday. Rem green bag 50 count 38.99, which isn't what I would consider cheap.
The only reason you see that brass on gunbot is because people don't want to pay a buck + each, but it looks like the cheap stuff is only going to undercut that by a .25
My other thought is that he is hoarder, who is just on here whining about this while he has 5 or 10 thousand sitting around the house just like he complained and complained about not finding any 22LR all the while he states he's sitting on 26,533 rounds. LMFAO He counts every loose 22LR when he's got 40 + bricks. Now that's [bleep] in the head.

T O M -

Where did you find the .348 Win? PM please.

Purchasing even one less rifle would buy a lot of 22 ammo (or expensive brass), even at current Gun Broker prices. But it's easier to come on here and complain...

Varmint Guy, We were just in Casper yesterday, there is a Sportman's there, another good gun store, and in Glen Rock a reloading supply shop.. I did look fairly closely at two of the three's supply of brass, and I was shocked.. Very litte stuff on the shelves.. I was thinking of a .300wsm,but no brass.. So I have put that on the back burner..
In about two weeks or so, I think we will be making a trip to visit relatives... Usually, I hit every gunshop I come across.. There are several, that I know I will be visiting.. If you like, in couple weeks, pm me a list of what you need, and I will check as I travel...

Powder Valley has 4 out of the 5 calibers you stated in Nosler and Lapua brass. Granted it is not Remington or Winchester. I have found that the more expensive brass is far better in quality, accuracy and you get more reloads with it.

Just picked up 150 pcs of 270 win brass over at Powder Valley, for $22.70 per 50, fairly reasonable IMO!

Swifty52: That was sure nice of you to pass along that great deal to the young shooter wanting 243 brass.
Karma will repay ya.
And how do you like the Nosler 243 brass? Is it worth the current price?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Tp151: Thank you for that heads up - I am going to have to poop or get off the pot on purchaisng the more expensive brands of brass!
I have a pretty good sized Federal Tax refund coming to me soon and I may just have to swallow my pride and get on with it.
The VarmintWife wants to use the money for us to go on a cruise through the Panama Canal!!!
WTH!
She has always wanted to do this so I guess I will have to make her happy for once?
Thanks for the Powder Valley tip - I will go to their site and bookmark it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Seafire: I went to that site and they have some 243 brass I can afford and will get to work on it!
What an interesting site!
Thanks for the tip.
I have bookmarked it.
Some of the brass is indeed pricey but "beggars (like me) can not be choosers"!
I would still LOVE to hear any other folks comments on WHY this shortage is upon us?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintDumbAss,

No doubt you won't want to hear my comments, but here they are: The "varmint brass shortage" is caused by the same increase in demand that's caused all the other shortages.

Demand for loaded ammo is so high that the ammo companies are using just about all of their newly manufactured brass to make ammo. This is because they realize there are far more non-handloaders than handloaders--and if handloaders really want/need brass they can buy factory ammo and shoot it up.

Maybe you haven't noticed by the shelves of stores have been FULL of .223 ammo since sometime last summer--even Wal-Marts.

Plus, people are buying new guns at record rates. (Looks like you've been buying a few yourself, even though you apparently already have a bunch of varmint rifles.) And every one of those gun buyers wants enough brass and/or ammo to get through another buying panic.

Just visited the Ruger handgun plant in Arizona, which makes their autoloaders. They're making TEN TIMES the number of guns they did a decade ago, thanks to vastly increased efficiency, because of the increased demand. Not only do every one of those new gun owners want ammo, but the factory needs more ammo to test-fire each new gun.

Hey, Mule Deer this is good information, and nice to hear folks are buying guns at such a record rate.. Makes me glad to hear America is arming its self.. It is kind of a bummer about ammo and brass, but I am sure things will get better for us.. The more folks armed, the better America looks to me.. Thanks for the update.. Hopefully the REVOLUTION is on the way... ha, ha..

Yep, we're gaining!

It is a little disconcerting to have to look harder for brass, but it's out there if we're willing to pay for premium stuff, or buy factory ammo.

Oh, and by the way I picked up another 3 boxes (the store limit) of .17 HMR today for $12 apiece!

In a sick twisted way, I kinda enjoy the brass shortage.

It keeps me from overloading my brass, as I don't wanna open up primer pockets. Digging around through old piles of junk to find a few prize pieces of brass is now a fun pastime.

Basically, it makes me feel better about being thrifty, aka cheap.

$12 17 HMR??? I will have to look around.. Last thing I need is another rifle, but who worries about need???

My pal is the champion brass scrounger of our valley!!! Usually, he has a surplus of everything.. I just bum off of him..

I was in the Boise, Idaho Cabelas 12 days ago and they had two shelves full of 17HMR priced at $13.99 per box of 50. I no longer own a 17HMR but was still glad to see a good supply of ammo available.

drover