Thinking of getting out of reloading

[rjacobs]

This is not a for sale post. I will not be listing what I have in detail. If anybody PM's me, I will not respond, I will delete it...


Ive been contemplating this for a while. Ive got "a lot" of reloading gear and components. At one point I think my primer stash was worth 15k based on then current prices...just to give an idea. I have barely shot a gun in the past 5 years out side of some random shotgun stuff I have done. I have no place currently to even setup my equipment so to even get it setup I would need to likely spend 600-800 bucks to build a decent work bench that would be presentable because it would have to go in my game room and be "out in the open" so to speak...so I cant build a cheap bench using some 2x4's and MDF like I used to have.

I thought about loading up 5k 9mm, 5k 45acp, and 5k 223 and then selling everything else, but then that pesky "no bench" thing comes up so I would likely just offload everything and then make a large order from somewhere of case lots of whatever.

The thing that ALWAYS keeps me from selling is the "what if" factor which will never change... Ive been in the reloading game since 2008ish(maybe 09) so I have seen various droughts and collapses. Everytime there is a drought I go "damn my shits worth xxxx, but if demand has sky rocketed maybe its not the right time to sell"...

I simply dont see myself with the time to touch this stuff or damn near even shoot a gun in the foreseeable future due to family and other hobbies. I dont need the money although it would likely just get funneled into my race car.

Im just in a quandary on this. I feel like I know the answer from everybody on here will be "are you fucking crazy" and "dumb fuck"...

 

[Kadams1563]

Sell all of it. Sell the guns too.

If you don’t want to do it and don’t see yourself shooting then why keep it?

If you have that much money tied up in equipment and components but your worried about building a $600 work bench then you just really have lost the passion for shooting or reloading.

Sell it all and move on to something else and dump the money into your other waste of time the race car lol.

 

[supercorndogs]

Do you need the space your stuff is filling? I would keep it. Never know when the bug may bite you again. I still have my 25 year old freestyle BMX bike I used to ride. I am sure I will never hit a skate park with it again. But I still have it.

 

[LR1845]

I can tell you this from personal experience......

I was getting burnt out on shooting/reloading and decided it was time to pay off my house...I sold all of my gear for $32K, sold my boat for $48k took a little dividend from work and paid my house off thinking that if I ever wanted to get back into shooting/boating/fishing I'd just replace it all and with no house payment thought no big deal.

Well a year-ish after....I got the itch to shoot some local matches and thought "well, I will just buy a rifle and shoot factory ammo"...Long story short...I am knee deep back into shooting and with out figuring everything up I'd bet I am in twice as much as i sold for...and the boat...forget that one the same boat I had and paid $52k for is now $75k....think long and hard and MAKE SURE you are done before you sell.

 

[wvfarrier]

Everybody has different priorities. Reloading is my catharsis...only only shoot to have anothe reason to load

 

[LR1845]

Do you need the space your stuff is filling? I would keep it. Never know when the bug may bite you again. I still have my 25 year old freestyle BMX bike I used to ride. I am sure I will never hit a skate park with it again. But I still have it.

Just in case you find the fountain of youth right LOL!

 

[rustyinbend]

Are you f**king crazy, you dumb f**k !!!
Seriously though, if you're just not into it, you should divest and focus on something you love to do. For me, that's shooting and reloading, and the "quest for the perfect cartridge". When I no longer care about that, I'll sell everything and move on. You should too.

 

[rjacobs]

Do you need the space your stuff is filling? I would keep it. Never know when the bug may bite you again.

I dont need the space, but its just sitting in boxes in a corner of my game room, my powder stash is taking up the better part of a small closet, etc... And thats why I dont want to sell it... I dont know... Right now I have other hobbies, work takes up a bunch of time, and I have a not quite 2 year old.

I can tell you this from personal experience......

I was getting burnt out on shooting/reloading and decided it was time to pay off my house...I sold all of my gear for $32K, sold my boat for $48k took a little dividend from work and paid my house off thinking that if I ever wanted to get back into shooting/boating/fishing I'd just replace it all and with no house payment thought no big deal.

Well a year-ish after....I got the itch to shoot some local matches and thought "well, I will just buy a rifle and shoot factory ammo"...Long story short...I am knee deep back into shooting and with out figuring everything up I'd bet I am in twice as much as i sold for...and the boat...forget that one the same boat I had and paid $52k for is now $75k....think long and hard and MAKE SURE you are done before you sell.

I think "luckily" I have gotten all my stuff at the "good deal" times so money wise I would be making a decent chunk, although maybe not if I think about inflation. I know some varget I have is worth more than double what I paid for it years ago. Primers worth a bunch...

I dont think I am "done" shooting, just reloading.

Everybody has different priorities. Reloading is my catharsis...only only shoot to have anothe reason to load

I dont have time to shoot let alone reload. Hobbies shift priorities I guess. And work and kid and "insert other bull shit excuse"... LOL.

 

[rustyinbend]

I can tell you this from personal experience......

I was getting burnt out on shooting/reloading and decided it was time to pay off my house...I sold all of my gear for $32K, sold my boat for $48k took a little dividend from work and paid my house off thinking that if I ever wanted to get back into shooting/boating/fishing I'd just replace it all and with no house payment thought no big deal.

Well a year-ish after....I got the itch to shoot some local matches and thought "well, I will just buy a rifle and shoot factory ammo"...Long story short...I am knee deep back into shooting and with out figuring everything up I'd bet I am in twice as much as i sold for...and the boat...forget that one the same boat I had and paid $52k for is now $75k....think long and hard and MAKE SURE you are done before you sell.

The two happiest days of my life were the day I bought my boat, and the day I sold it.

 

[LR1845]

The two happiest days of my life were the day I bought my boat, and the day I sold it.

I kind of feel the same way...I miss the boat but do not miss the hassle of it.

 

[Camelfilter]

...I dont think I am "done" shooting, just reloading.

I dont have time to shoot let alone reload. Hobbies shift priorities I guess. And work and kid and "insert other bull shit excuse"... LOL.

Hmmm...too bad for you. I can not empathize with you though.

Shooting isn't a hobby. Wether or not you have time for shooting is secondary. Still not a hobby. Golf is a hobby, your wife's knitting is a hobby.

Wether or not you have time for reloading? Secondary to time for shooting.

What you should do with your reloading components & gear? Dunno, I'm not you. Work less, parent more.

 

[MO Fugga]

Do you need the space your stuff is filling? I would keep it. Never know when the bug may bite you again. I still have my 25 year old freestyle BMX bike I used to ride. I am sure I will never hit a skate park with it again. But I still have it.

Same with my 56" Koastal. Looking at it makes my wrists and knees hurt lol.

 

[rjacobs]

Thanks to a couple of you for the condescension... Just because your lives revolve around the HOBBY of shooting(unless you are a LEO or MIL and get paid to carry a gun shooting is a hobby) doesnt mean everybody else's lives revolve around it...

 

[Kadams1563]

Since when is shooting not a hobby? Lmao wtf.

 

[moaorbust]

I believe I understand. I am a minimalist by nature yet I have piles of tools. The mental conflict is maddening at times. Sometimes we hold onto too much because what if… Can you pare down the collection to just what you need? Maybe that would ease your mind a bit?

 

[vh20]

If your plan is to just buy factory ammo if you ever get the itch to shoot again, remember - under the current political climate it MAY NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE by then. I have always shot a mix of factory Match ammo and handloads. Ever since 2021, the quality of the factory “Match” ammo for precision rifle has really tanked. It’s not even the manufacturers’ fault. They are struggling to find raw materials, components, etc. of the same quality they have had access to in the past. If you think there’s a chance you may want to shoot again, then keep your stash because you might not be able to replace it in the future. If you know you’re done, sell it and don’t look back.

 

[Haney]

Hmmm...too bad for you. I can not empathize with you though.

Shooting isn't a hobby. Wether or not you have time for shooting is secondary. Still not a hobby. Golf is a hobby, your wife's knitting is a hobby.

Wether or not you have time for reloading? Secondary to time for shooting.

What you should do with your reloading components & gear? Dunno, I'm not you. Work less, parent more.

Wow, looks like word puke .

 

[rjacobs]

I believe I understand. I am a minimalist by nature yet I have piles of tools. The mental conflict is maddening at times. Sometimes we hold onto too much because what if… Can you pare down the collection to just what you need? Maybe that would ease your mind a bit?

Well I feel like if I start to pair down a lot of what is valuable becomes damn near worthless... Like I am not going to sell the horde of SRP's or powder I have if I think "well I am keeping my 9mm stuff"... which then leads to "well that powder also works for 45acp so might as well not sell that or the LRP's..." and on down the line. I feel like if I keep one thing I need to keep the next and so on down the line and then I get into the "fuck it, dont sell anything, keep it all"...

If your plan is to just buy factory ammo if you ever get the itch to shoot again, remember - under the current political climate it MAY NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE by then. I have always shot a mix of factory Match ammo and handloads. Ever since 2021, the quality of the factory “Match” ammo for precision rifle has really tanked. It’s not even the manufacturers’ fault. They are struggling to find raw materials, components, etc. of the same quality they have had access to in the past. If you think there’s a chance you may want to shoot again, then keep your stash because you might not be able to replace it in the future. If you know you’re done, sell it and don’t look back.

Well, like I said I have been reloading since ~2008 or 2009 and been shooting a while before that... That is ALWAYS the argument right(and honestly thats whats always floating in my head), yet so far everytime I have seen a boom due to whatever political environment there is, there is always a bust cycle that almost always takes shit down to or below the previous low...current times being the exception due to overall inflation being stupid high... So yea, are there times in the future, if I sell everything, that I will kick my own ass, sure... but then wait 18-24 months and so far, things have always gone back to normal or cheaper... does that mean it will happen in the future, surely not, I cant predict that, nor can anybody else... just like the car industry saying "things have changed, we will never again offer 10k+ dollars off a pickup truck again, its a paradigm shift"...enter today, 3 years later, with 11-12k off new pickup trucks LOL...

 

[Kadams1563]

If your gonna sell though wait until the dems steal this election and prices will go right back to insane and everything will be out of stock again.

 

[Baron85]

I am in the process of downsizing my “collection” to simplify my life as well. I’m very passionate about shooting and competing, just tired of having so many different guns and calibers to keep up with.

Shooting is my hobby so I have no desire to clean out everything but I’m selling the guns I don’t reach for and their associated reloading supplies.

If I had completely lost the desire for the hobby or at least to the depth of interest justifying reloading then I would sell. But before selling, honestly look at your life and decide if it’s just the season of life your in with young kids that is lowering your interest or if your truly moving on from the hobby. I have gone through seasons when my kids where young when I lost the time to shoot but as they age I get more free time and also get to take them shooting with me.

Last advice. If you do want to sell, I would wait until after the election. Depending on how that goes you may see a very large return on investment.

 

[Haney]

If your gonna sell though wait until the dems steal this election and prices will go right back to insane and everything will be out of stock again.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Sell off surplus stuff aka primers and powder in bulk. Probably make a nice profit these days. Keep the tooling and enough ammo and components to kick-start things if you want to get back into it.

But also keep enough around for contingencies. Properly packed and stored… the tools last forever and don’t eat or require medical care or trips to the mechanics shop for tune-ups. So… if you don’t need the money…

I could quote Army Jerry…. But we all know what he said!

Sirhr

 

[KYAggie]

Sounds like you are just in a season where you don’t have the time to shoot. Raising kids takes ti,e and dedication, I get it. I went through a season of about 10 years where it was the same for me. I kept everything and after watching the prices during the Obama disaster, yep there I go making reality “political”, I really stocked up when prices came back down. I’m very glad I did!! Now I have more time to load and shoot and the prices are insane if you can even get stuff! Keep the stuff and ignore the above troll. Your season will change.

 

[BugIn762]

If you do not "need" the money keep it.

Prices will never go down.

BugIn

 

[Camelfilter]

Wow, looks like word puke .

Yah, I know. Not very eloquently put.

Want I should hold guys hand & adult for him?

Guys busy. Guy has a bunch of hobbies, used to 2A, works a lot, and has a toddler.

More eloquent: cut down on some hobbies, think about ways to work less to spend more time with family. As children grow, teach them 2A responsibly as part of parenting. Don't need any of the fancy schmancy stuff (toy hauler/side by side/RV/boat/snow machines etc) to do so.

Not knocking folks who can afford the fancy stuff, if they ALSO have the time available to use them with family. Sounds as OP doesn't, because he works a bunch. So cut down on the work. Cut down on any hobbies that don't involve the family.

As to the reloading stuff? Keep it. You'll use it, if you want to. You can teach your kid(s), if you want to. Some really nice practical math & science with pops plus can involve the history, along with the safety & responsibilities...

 

[texastonk]

Sell off surplus stuff aka primers and powder in bulk. Probably make a nice profit these days. Keep the tooling and enough ammo and components to kick-start things if you want to get back into it.

But also keep enough around for contingencies. Properly packed and stored… the tools last forever and don’t eat or require medical care or trips to the mechanics shop for tune-ups. So… if you don’t need the money…

I could quote Army Jerry…. But we all know what he said!

Sirhr

THIS!

 

[texastonk]

Yah, I know. Not very eloquently put.

Want I should hold guys hand & adult for him?

Guys busy. Guy has a bunch of hobbies, used to 2A, works a lot, and has a toddler.

More eloquent: cut down on some hobbies, think about ways to work less to spend more time with family. As children grow, teach them 2A responsibly as part of parenting. Don't need any of the fancy schmancy stuff (toy hauler/side by side/RV/boat/snow machines etc) to do so.

Not knocking folks who can afford the fancy stuff, if they ALSO have the time available to use them with family. Sounds as OP doesn't, because he works a bunch. So cut down on the work. Cut down on any hobbies that don't involve the family.

As to the reloading stuff? Keep it. You'll use it, if you want to. You can teach your kid(s), if you want to. Some really nice practical math & science with pops plus can involve the history, along with the safety & responsibilities...

And THIS

 

[Cascade Hemi]

I took quite a bit of time away from shooting pursuing other hobbies and life priorities, I think I went years without opening my safe. I threw a sheet over my bench and pretty much walked away. I got pretty close to selling all of it but never did. Eventually my priorities shifted again and I got back into shooting.

Don't sell it. Put it somewhere safe. When your circumstances change you will appreciate having your gear.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I took quite a bit of time away from shooting pursuing other hobbies and life priorities, I think I went years without opening my safe. I threw a sheet over my bench and pretty much walked away. I got pretty close to selling all of it but never did. Eventually my priorities shifted again and I got back into shooting.

Don't sell it. Put it somewhere safe. When your circumstances change you will appreciate having your gear.

Yeah I agree with this. I can definitely understand how you might want to just sell it all. I've not been able to do much for a while now and I get it. The thing is, at least for me, I know I will always like to shoot and once my priorities change again (and they will), I will have more time again to shoot the way I want to. When that time comes, I'd hate to have to re buy all my stuff and components, not to mention the loss you will take on it all buying it back. If you want to unload some primers and powder then that might make sense but even that will keep a very very long time if stored right.

 

[rdinak]

I bet there are several members near you with Dillon equipment all setup. Why not find them, load a herd of ammo and tip them with components.

this past weekend I helped a non reloading buddy out by loading over a thousand rounds of 9mm so we could blasting on Sunday. He supplies the components and helps with the loading process.

Better to be a man without a bench than a man with cutting edge equipment and nothing to load with.

 

[PJC]

OP mentioned a 2 yo at home. I took a very long break when mine were little. Shooting and loading are probably going to be there. The kiddo will not….they grow fast.

Think of the component stash as an early investment in the kiddo’s shooting education. My kids and I had/have a ton of fun shooting over the years.

 

[Kfive73]

Kids first, hobbies second. If you can integrate your hobbies into your time with your kids, you’re winning at life. It might be a while though. When my son was 2, it was all walks and parks. Now that he’s 5, it’s all scooters and skateboards. To be honest, I’d rather be pushing around on a skateboard with him than reloading or shooting. When he’s older, I’ll get back into it, but it can wait. Right now I’m loading maybe 200 rounds a year and shooting 100 rounds maybe every 6 months. That’s enough for now. Keep your stuff in storage, hang with your kids and enjoy it