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

I started reloading ammo in 1953 . Over the years there has ben a few times when some items were in short supply but never as bad as it is now. Whenever the has ben a good sale on RF ammo ,brass ,bullets, primes, and powder I d get some. Whenever I decided to get a new rifle I often would get ammo and or reloading supplies before I got the firearm. Because back in the 60s I got a 308 Norman Mag rifle. I had to fire form 300 H&H cases until I could get Norma cases. Even reloading dies were hard to find. I m in good shape except I only have five boxes of 17 Hornet ammo and one box of brass. Five boxes of 17 H ammo and a box of brass has ben on back order since March 2013. I got the 17 H rifle in Dec 2013 . I got a box of 1,000 ea 20 Gr bullets so I can get by shooting prairie dogs this year.

If you factor in your time to reload plus component costs ... the best investment with any new rifle is x100-x200 factory loads.
Cheers...
Con

I am surprised that VG is shortsighted enough to only start out reloading for ANY varmint caliber with 100 rounds of brass.

I have been reloading small caliber rounds for about 20 years and never consider starting less than 500 rds of brass per caliber, per gun in that caliber.

All I can say is, you aren't a varmint shooter if you don't do batches of 500 pcs of brass for keeping the same lot number and Allow you to load in large enough batches to last a summer shooting, especially with all the varmint rifles you say you have.

And finding just now that brass is about as hard, no-actually harder, to find than the 22 lr ammo you complained about several months ago, shows you haven't a clue of the world around you.

Hold into thin air

Allen

VG

Not much at all in those cases that you mentioned in my area and I'm looking for a buddy also. I don't even walk down that aisle in the store anymore that has the brass in it.

I've just about regulated myself to only shooting my .223 varmint rig the past couple of years due to the brass shortage first in .243 and 22-250 as VG mentioned but then followed up by the powder shortage. I find plenty of range brass in 5.56/.223 and make due with that.

We've all learned a lesson. IF and it's a big IF things ever return to "normal" we will be taking advantage of the lower prices and buying those 8lb. powder jugs and bulk .22lr ammo and putting off some of the other purchases that make buying reloading stuff a choice.

I recently found out that Tulammo 223 brass is reloadable...

I picked up about 15 rounds of it at the range last week, that was mixed in with about 50 rounds of Lake City 223 brass... it was raining so I just brought them home and figured I would sort them where it was dry...

instead of throwing the Tula stuff out, I had Seafire JR ( with those young man's eyes) place a flashlight down the case mouth to see if there was one hole or two holes down where the primer goes...

he told me one, so I decapped one and verified it was so...

did the other 14 also, necksized them and bumped the shoulder back with a body die and then reloaded them...

it has that coating that comes on all disposable Russian Brass, but the primer pockets were pretty uniform, which all surprised me...

going to see how they shoot and function.. which I am sure they will be fine... so I am going to have to look closer at all of that 'disposable' brass on cheap Russian ammo...

Bracer: I agree times are tough for reloading components - there are either shoratges or prices are sky high.
Grin and bear it I guess?
I was 12 years old back in 1959 when I ventured into centerfire Rifle reloading - I taught myself how to do that.
I have been reloading ever since.
This latest "shortage" has me puzzled though.
I simply can't figure it out - why is it upon us?
Hoping for the best
VarmintGuy

Seafire: Good for you - always the innovator!
I hope that brass works out for you.
Be careful please.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Redhill: Your observations parallel mine.
And your hesitancy to "walk down the brass aisle" is felt by me as well.
I got "stormed out" of travelling to a gunshow and several "chain sporting goods stores" along the planned route - so I don't have a really fresh observation.
I have another gunshow "on tap" this weekend though.
Wish me luck.
I also hope things soon return to "normal".
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hemiallen: I have been reloading for more than half a century now.
Much of that reloading has been for my Varmint Rifles.
In fact I just counted them up on my online inventory and in Varmint Rifles alone I am reloading for 69 (sixtynine) Varminters - this does not include ANY of my big game Rifles!
In other words you simply do not know what you are talking about inferring that I am somehow out of the loop.
Indeed many decades ago I would buy a Varmint Rifle and pick up 1,000 pieces of brass for it.
Brass was much cheaper then and virtaully always on hand!
THEN... I would weigh every piece of brass seperate them into 3 weights keeping the middle 500 and then re-selling the lightest 250 pieces and the heaviest 250 pieces.
This worked well for some time in fact.
I don't think that is feasible in todays market - wouldn't you agree?
Nowadays I get more satisfaction/fun out of taking MORE Rifles along on my Colony Varminting jaunts and instead of taking a few Rifles with several hundred rounds of ammo for each I take LOTS of Rifles (sometimes as many as 14 or 15!) with 200 to 300 rounds for each.
Indeed I have many Varminters that have 500 pieces of brass still dedicated to them.
But over the last 10 years I changed my plan to having the 200 to 300 cartridges (pieces of brass) dedicated and on hand for each of my Varminters.
Again you simply have no idea of what you are blathering about!
And yet another ignorant statement you burp up is that "I just now found out about this brass shortage" - again your ignorance, immaturity and pettiness is glaring!
If you know where I can get some factory new brass in quantities of 500's in the calibers I am seeking PLEASE LET ME KNOW - otherwise keep your tripe to yourself!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG's Gun Museum.

I did a little on-line research on 10 factory varmint cartridges, using the MidwayUSA site, comparing the current availability of loaded ammo versus new brass:

.17 Hornet: No ammo or brass
.17 Fireball: Two brands of ammo, no brass
.17 Remington: One brand of ammo, no brass
.204 Ruger: No ammo or brass
.22 Hornet: No ammo or brass
.221 Fireball: Three brands of ammo, no brass
.222 Remington: Two brands of ammo, one brand of brass
.223 Remington: Three brands of ammo, six brands of brass
.22-250: One brand of ammo, one brand of brass
.243: Four brands of ammo, three brands of brass

Aside from the abundant .223 ammo and brass, there are 13 kinds of factory ammo available and only 5 kinds of brass. This tends to confirm my contention that manufacturers are using most of their brass for making ammo.

It also indicates that anybody buying a varmint rifle in anything other than .223 Remington or .243 Winchester (or some cartridge easily made from .223 or .243) is going to have a hard time obtaining new brass for a while. In most chamberings we'll have far better luck looking for loaded ammo.

That last sentence fits me to a "T". I bought a 220 Swift last year. The only brass I could find is in loaded ammo and darn little of that. But I have wanted one for a long time and finally got it. I may be seeing a trend too. Ruger now lists the #1 in 220 Swift again

Don't get your hopes too high about that light. It really won't get much better just because Ruger is now chambering the Swift again, there is still only 3 makers of brass WW, Rem, and Norma. Been that way since 04 when I purchased my first Swift in 20+ years. LGS where I bought it didn't even have a box of factory rounds in any of their stores due to low, low demand. Enjoy yours, I do mine.

I was being a bit sarcastic, but I do hope to enjoy mine as soon as I can. I need to get a scope now. The coyotes are getting bold here. A couple weeks ago they killed a fawn ~125 yards from the house. It really sets the dogs off which annoys my wife.

As soon as I can set in a supply I plan on buying several hundred cases so I won't have to worry about this for awhile.

I have had a couple hundred Norma on back order since first of dec. usually they show up about the end of March to the first of June. Not holding out any hope for Rem this year, and won't buy WW any more period. The last batch I got was pure junk.

LOL!

Your post subject was "is there a Varmint brass shortage now", and it is amazing you have to ask..... The answer is NO! it's been here for a long time, RIPVANWINKLE!
VG, my point is you are out of the loop when you just now realize what everyone else has known for a year or more, brass has been hard to get for as long as you started whining about 22lr being hard to get. It amazes me how you start threads about your inability to locate items.

May I offer a pearl of wisdom from a less seasoned reloader than yourself: Purchase brass before purchasing a gun, your new guns will be more useful if you can make ammunition for it VS buying a gun with no brass available...LOL!!

Thank you for another good laugh, my gun hoarding buddy!

I must admit... when I need brass, I can ALWAYS find it.. you just have to know where to look... I look in my garage and reload room...

Recently found out that Russian Tulammo 223, has primers that you can reload...and plenty of it is thrown away at my local range, everyone think evidently it is Berdan primed just like Wolf does theirs...

can't 220 Swift brass be made out of other brass, like 06? ( that's a legit question for Mr Barsness).. may not be first choice...but...

people use to laugh at us guys who neck size, use body dies, and anneal every 4th shot, so we could get a lot of life out of our brass....

now with everyone scouring for brass... those of us that do all the above, are not...

a little prudence on the old powder scale, and keep pressures down a hair... brass can last a long time if you take care of it...

oh, and I also divide my brass into batch numbers and then keep a reload history of it on 3 x 5 cards with it...

223s going 30 and 40 reloads is nothing...when used in a bolt gun... I don't mess with semi autos...

As far as I know due to the fact that the Swift is semi-rimmed my answer would be no as far as forming brass from 06, or 08 class brass. Don't think that is possible with Lee Navy brass as my research shows that it will not withstand the pressure in the case head extractor groove area without the additional rim, also LN is not 473 bolt face. I knew going in that the Swift had one foot and leg in the grave. Damn near obsoleted. Brass has always been once a year runs since I bought it. I buy it every year cuz it isn't going to get cheaper or any easier to find. As far as brass I am not hurting or lacking, plus the fact that I am not a cheap hoarder. If i have to pay for premium then so be it as it lasts longer and is more dependable in quality. Will add I only have 5 varmint rifles not 75, and they do everything I need to do with them.

Seafire: Getting 30 to 40 reloadings from 223 brass is something I have not achieved to date - I don't anneal like you do but I do keep my foot off the throttle (so to speak) when reloading for all my Varminters.
I also keep close watch on the number of reloadings per brass.
I have gotten 20 reloadings on 223 brass in the past.
And as I recall I threw it away not for a specific reason but because "I was worried", AND... brass was easily and cheaply procured back then.
That is no longer the case.
And I (like you?) also no longer own any Mini-14's or AR type Varminters.
Four of us are headed out on a road trip tomorrow going to hit a gunshow and then begin our mandatory searching for rimfire ammo AND brass!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Just a Hunter: Good luck with the new Swift and I hope someday soon you can find "several hundred" 220 Swift cases!
Meanwhile use ANYTHING you can get your hands on to mortify those fawn killers.
Yep the shortage of Varmint calibered brass is a "worry"!
Like I mentioned in my original post on this thread it seems to me that the various components WE reloaders need for our hobby/sport have been taking turns of recent being in "shortage" I just came from a gunshop today where they had plenty of Rifle primers and lots of powders but literally NO brass!
In the back of my mind I think the ammunition/brass manufacturers are now operating under the policy that THEY can make more profit by lessening brass supplies and making more loaded ammunition!
Tough place we reloaders/shooters are finding ourselves in these days.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy