Dealing With Reloading Component Shortages

We’re all feeling the squeeze: a volatile political climate related to guns leads to a surge in gun-related purchases, which inevitably leads to reloading component shortages. It can be really disheartening to see bare shelves at the local gun store and “out of stock no backorder” when shopping online. I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts on how to deal with these issues.

Bare Shelf
An unfortunate but common site: a bare dusty shelf where reloading components should be available for purchase

Take a deep breath- shortages are usually temporary.

Yes it’s unfortunate, but these shortages are typically temporary historically speaking. When there’s a run on components, it can seem near impossible to find what you need. When the extreme shortages pass, stock up on what you need, ideally keeping 1-2 years worth of the hardest to find components on hand. Keep other shooter’s interests in mind and don’t hoard. If we all keep our heads on straight, it will be best for everyone.

Shop online and shop locally.

Many of the popular online retailers will be out of stock on reloading primers, reloading powder, bullets, and so on and so forth. This just makes sense- online shopping is where the masses typically go first. You may be surprised to find that your local small-town sporting shop or gun store may have reloading components in stock. If you’re shopping online, take advantage of the “email me when in stock” feature that many popular sites offer. For many online gun businesses, there’s currently an all time high volume of sales and customer service queries, so expect up to 15 day delays on shipping. Later is better than never! Do beware of “ships from manufacturer” arrangements on reloading components. I’ve been burned by this recently. “We’re sorry to inform you that XXX can’t fulfill your powder order”. Really? Whey did your website list the powder as “in stock” then? Extremely frustrating! Like everyone, I’m trying to stay level-headed. 🙂

Diversify.

Variety is the spice of life, right? Well, now may be the time for you to try different brand of reloading primers or different types of powders. You may use Hodgdon Varget for most loading from .223 Remington to .308 Winchester – but you may now want to try less popular powders that are easier to find in-stock. Benchrest primers may be more expensive and you may not need them, but if you can buy them- it may be worth the extra cost. Experimenting is half the fun of reloading, so get your white lab coat on and prepare to create some great new recipies!

Word of caution: don’t be tempted to mix and match reloading components that aren’t known to be compatible! It’s better not to shoot for a while than to damage your gun (or worse yet- yourself!).

Check with your friends and family, be a picker.

I’ve purchased reloading components from garage sales, friends, and from pawn shops. I’ve used old primers and powder, and have had few issues doing so. It may be time to throw on your “American Pickers” hat and go on a reloading component search (ideally in an old barn – at least that would make for a great story). It would be a shame for reloading components to just sit and collect dust… This can be a great way to obtain brass too. Make sure that your friends aren’t throwing away these valuable resources. Tell them you’ll pay them for their old brass! This is a great time to do some “open air market” bartering with people in your shooting club, at work, etc.

Garage sale find! You can bet this old-school powder won't go to waste! A part of my "backup" supply
Garage sale find! You can bet this old-school powder won’t go to waste! A part of my “backup” supply

Prefer “sipping” over “gulping”.

I don’t know about you, but if the government were to put a temporary tax on alcohol based on volume- I’d tend towards sipping scotch rather than gulping beer. This may the perfect time to change from “Glock blasting” to “bullseye shooting” for a time. You may want to let the combat AR-15 sit for a time, and instead pickup your bench-rest AR or bolt-action rifle. When I’m shooting my AR-10 off the bench, I don’t go through much ammo, but I get a lot of satisfaction. This approach may not work for everyone, but it’s a viable option for most shooters. When you get back to blasting, it’ll feel all the better. Do you enjoy reloading for the sake of reloading? It may be time to get out the single stage press so that you can get the most out of the process…

Support your community.

We’re all in this together. Do you know someone that has zero primers? You may want to spare a few trays to help un-block them. In the long run, you’ll make a lot of friends this way, and you know what they say about “what goes around comes around”. Let’s stick together!

It certainly is an unfortunate reality to be caught up in this kind of mayhem, but thinking long term, being patient, helping each other out, and being creative will certainly help. Got tips to share? Please leave a comment!

Thanks,
Gavin

 

 

27 thoughts on “Dealing With Reloading Component Shortages”

  1. When your out of primers there is nothing to do but cleanup and organize.

    Everyone I know has slowed down the consumption of ammo, so the shortage and price hike is hitting from both ends.

  2. Here’s what I seen the last go around when primers were being hoarded. Do not buy from scumbgs that are purposely buying up everything reloading and selling these back to those that get into “Desperate Mood”! People selling primers for $50.00 per thousand when we knew these scumbags were pahing $21.00 to $25.00 per thousand.

    I call this close to being black market which in reality…IT IS!!

    And now I see the Ebay price of lead shooting upwards…which was getting crazy before. But now??!! Holy Tomato!! $2.00+ dollars a poound!! Like I said…I know the hoarders are out there…but I also know that there are always “THOSE” that would shall I say…rape thier own mother for a dollars profit!

    Harsh words. Along with others…I’m feeling the need to set up a buyers team…when primers are located..buy up everything in sight…which is wrong since this puts me in the same class as the scumbag resalers…but not in the sense that we would resale for profit…just buying what we all will use plus a little less usage.

    Because there may be a long backorder wait…I guess it’s time to order and wait.

    God tell the hoarders to stop!!!

    Can’t we get the Russians to produce more primers??!! Wolf/Tula primers work fine for me!!

  3. I buy American components and urge everyone else to do so. I take great pains to keep my money from feeding godless commUNists.

    As for the shortages, I try to keep a year’s supply on hand…easier said than done.

    I suspect in 8mo or so the panic will be over.

    As for the price of lead, that’s the one thing I really don’t know WTH to do.

    1. Actually there is wide spread Christianity in Russia these days….and Russia is not a Communist country….just the way it is over there.

      I am under the impression we need to stop buying Chinese junk…last time I checked anyways…yesterday. This is why I urge anyone that reloads to stay away from Smart Reloader products….it’s all made in China which if people would check closely…a lot of RCBS junk is made in CHINA!

      1. Hi Curt and Bob,
        I agree with Curt, Russia as a country is no longer communist (it even reverted back to its pre-communist name).

        One point I would like to make is that China makes “junk” only because it is to the specs that its American buyers specifies i.e. the importer (i.e. many US distributors driven by profit, etc…). In some cases, China will refuse to manufacture a product because it is too far below their standards. In other cases, respectable companies from other countries have flatly refused to build substandard products for a potential US buyer (I know, I was there). I remember when Japan use to sell junk (late 50’s), strangely enough, the Japanese locals would get good “stuff” and we would buy cheap stuff – a complete reversal of our post-war production philosophy and quality. Many of our own invention developments were squashed by our own companies to maintain the “status quo” and increase their profit margin… only to be caught pants down when other countries would develop and sell us something we had designed in the first place (ex. transistors, digitalization of music, …)
        Years ago, as an engineer, I witnessed the difference between an mechanical assembly built in Japan and one built in the US to the same specs. Both were within the specified tolerances (exemple +/- 0.01 inch) except that the Japan-built parts were “on the button” i.e. +/- 0.001 inch and accordingly would fit better and last longer.
        As an American, I am insulted! Unfortunately, as a nation, most of corporate America is driven by profit at any cost and the masses have chosen to buy more of the cheap goods over getting less of the quality equipment.
        We have seen this with several of our gun manufacturers who have “simplified” good designs for cheaper prices.
        I am sorry for overextending myself here, I feel your pain and I would like America to regain the world leadership position it once had.
        Ciao, L

        1. Guess I should have claified myself a little better. Though I’m no expert in manufacturing procedures…many or most of the Chinese products shipped into the U.S…legitimate products…does have the R & D roots here in America…..mostly.

          God I don’t have answers for anyone….I do know that it is expensive to ship products and it’s a long ways from China to the middle of the U.S….logistics…I guess we’ll live and die by it.

          I do however go out of my way to look for the “Made in the U.S.A” stamp on products before I buy….hence…even though I try to support the small business entitites…they’re caught up in the web of where goods can be obtained. Which forces me to go online and look for American made products and they can be found surprisingly at affordable prices.

          I would hope that people would just stop the panic buying.

        2. Got same type of stories as Lancelot. ‘Things’ are spec’ed out and then the search for the lowest bidder. Sometimes they go to the bottom of the barrel. Usually the company pays later on as customers figure it out. Especially when the cheaper product profits bottom out. What works for all of us is to get on these websites and start documenting it for others to see. Once we id a company for low quality the stigma gets attached to their brand. Then they usually ‘pay for it’ in profit loss as word gets out.

          Like the Savage model 25 cheap plastic magazines. They are poorly designed/engineered/mfg. for a centerfire cartridge magazine. After market people please rescue us from the cheap poorly made Savage magazine fiasco.

  4. I agree with avoiding the “price gougers”. It’s not cool to take advantage of people in a shortage situation. Let’s all support businesses that don’t partake in these practices!

  5. May be time to take up bullet swaging. I’ve been looking at the Corbin press. Many reloaders are saving their 22 LR cases and turning them into .223 bullets. Now’s a good time to go lead collecting, brass collecting, and copper collecting. Corbin and other bullet swaging systems allow you to make bullets out of copper, brass, or lead.
    Cast Bullets: Take up cast bullet making. It’s a bit smelly and molten lead burns a bit but it’s great fun, gratifying, and a real cheap way to make bullets. You’d be surprised where you can find lead and copper if you just get creative and start looking.

  6. Hello im just starting to load 223 on my hornady ap press im having problems with the hornady powder drop .im using win 748 and every time i lower the case from the powder drop all of the powder does not go into the case and the residual powder makes a mess and alot of waste.any suggestions would be appreciated.Thanks

    1. Howard- is this a constant problem, or an intermittent problem?

      Some starter questions for you:
      1. What charge weight are you using? Have you checked it on a scale?
      2. What kind of lube are you using? Are you using too much lube around case mouths? (I’ve done that)
      3. Does the drum on the powder measure rotate up and down properly? At the top of the press stroke, is the drum almost completely rotated (but not bottoming out)?

      Thanks,
      Gavin

    2. I have been handloading since I was a teenager, in the 70s in all sorts of conditions and in many different parts of the country… I’ve had this happen with manual (drum type) powder measures many times… I found that one problem had more effect than any other… I’d recommend you look closely at your loading environment… Avoid loading in hot humid weather… Likewise in cold and damp weather… A lot of guys seem to be okay with a garage bench set-up, but if it’s in the high 90s outside and the humidity is high, it can have an effect… especially on some cylindrical powders… You might also try a different type of powder, like spherical or flake… this would help identify whether your problem is with the powder measure or some other problem… hope this helps…

  7. Thanks for doing what you do Gavin! I think I speak for everyone that reads here when I say: We appreciate what you do! I think we’re all gonna see the shortages ease soon. Until then, use the spare time (between reloading materials) to write your congressman about gun control! Please be proactive when it comes to speaking out against the ignorant gun control advocates! Here’s a great guide, and help on what to say, and how to say it, when you choose to become proactive and lead the fight! It’s our God given right guys and girls! Not sure if you’ll allow this link Gavin, but I think this guy has a lot of good things to say for people like us to hear :

  8. I use to reload years and years ago, the 80’s using a single stage press. I want to return to reloading now and would like some basic info as to personal recommendations please. I have a new space with an empty bench and want to use a turret press. Apples and oranges kinda of thing.
    So with this prospective and the given basics I have and please, use brand names and comments:
    What would you use?
    Press
    Dies
    Powder
    Bullets
    Brass
    I should have enough time to collect what I need considering the situation and market.
    Many thanks for good advice friends!

    1. Not trying to hog the space on this website.,,,but theres mny different ways to approach reloading these days.

      But….there are details tht one would have to know before giving any dvie.

      What are you reloading for…rifle…pistol…or rifle and pistol.

      Loading for production or quality.

      Progressive presses are nice but wherever you read advice from others…theres always little problems with progressive presses…it seems or so I’ve read or had others tell me. I use a Lee non progressive turret press since most of my ammo usage involves pistol/revolvers. Easy to switch dies (Set up in a in and out turret insert) and it takes just seconds to switch caliber loading….lots of info on this website on presses.

      Theres just so much out there…..a lot…but I load handgun ammo for 9mm…38 Special…357 Mag….40 S & W…45 ACP….using a Lee Powder Disc Throw on every set of dies (Yes…I have a powder disc throw for every caliber loading…just insert the turret into the press and start reloading!) and I’ve load every caliber using Unique powder. The reason why I use Unique for all of my pistol loads is simple…..No locating and having to buy several different pistol powders so it is simple…find Unique and you can reload…plus I can reload shotgun ammo using Unique as well. Slightly dirty but I can go thru a lot of ammo per handgun and not worry about a malfuction due to filth…you gotta clean the firearms anyways. Imagine….I reload for 10 handguns and four shotguns using one powder! Consumption? Well….I can reload 1,500 rounds of 9MM with one pound of Unique. Cheap!

      Everyone seems to have a favorite rifle bullet and that is a personal choice. But when it comes to handgun ammo…I cast my own bullets. Even with high lead prices….which if buying say bags of magnum shot…best choice because of lead/tin/antimony content…it cost me in cents the following per bullet….7 cents for 45 ACP…5 cents for 40 S&W….4.5 cents for 357/38 SPC…3.6 cents for 9MM….start adding up per 100 verses what it cost for jacketed bullets and it’s easy to justify casting your own…and it’s easy and fairly quick….accuracy is very acceptable since most handgun shooting is done…or should be…within 15 feet of target….real life distance practicing but still acceptable accuracy out to 20 plus yards.

      Brass for handgun reloading is not hard to choose…if it reloads…use it!! Christ I reload steel pistol round cases….45 ACP and 40 S&W….Tulammo/Wolf are generally boxer primed as are the steel case 223 Remington. Limited cse life but what the heck!! Three loading on the 223’s and what ever you can squeeze out of the pistol cases…case life is short however with steel. I pick these up at public ranges…for free!!

      Rifle dies are different beast….but….if looking for quanity for rifle….staight up Lee full legth rifle dies…Pacesetter grouping…will load ammo that is more accurate than factory given if you choose powder/bullet combo correctly….just like any die makers reloading dies will give you. For a hunting round say for a 30-06…you’ll do great with Lee…but the choice is yours…if there was a way to post up pictures here I could show target shooting results by using Lee Precision…both neck sizing or full length resizing. But again..what are you trying to accomplish in reloading. There are some high dollar but high quality traget shooting reloading dies out there that will do a fine job…but then the brass becomes an issue…what about having to turn the necks on the braass cases if into precision shooting…..God it can become overwhelming to load for precision target shooting but then you are not loading for quanity per say and reloading presses can be narrowed down to just a high quality single stage press.

      More questions than answers but no one can really give you a complete answer until we know what your intentions are for reloading.

      I will say however that the outlay of money buying Lee Precision Reloading Equipment…depending on how far you want to take reloading….will get you a whole lot of reloading goodies for the dollar spwnt and you will be able to turn out some fine ammo besides.

      Everyone hs his/her own likes of Manufacturers…that is anyones choice. I simply like reloading and reloading fast enough and quality/quantiy wise. Considering that for what it cost for a factory box of 40 S&W…I can shoot 5 times as much for the same price as that factory box of ammo. Or another way to look at it….it would cost me $100.00 + tax to shoot store bought ammo to my $20.00 of reloaded ammo….that would be 250 rounds of ammo burned. I go thru that many per handgun per session….started pulling the math and you can see that reloading increases my practice time 5 fold and cost me 80% less to reload.

      Well….this is my short take on your questions.

  9. Checking with local dealers is always a good idea. I picked up 3 cans of powder this week from my LGD.
    I fully expect some type of tax on ammo, and or components. We will have to do it “for the children”. Hope I’m wrong. We will see.

  10. Sorry, I didn’t get the calipers in there. I fire .223, .308, .45ACP. Stag, HK 91 and Rem. 1911. Shot shells and .22 I won’t do. Also, I am a spinal cord injury person, so my bench time will be limited. Most likely 500 per caliper, per sitting so a turret is my choice. Money will be an issue only with presses and dies. Powder, heads and the rest is not. I am a target loader. If I need match then I can buy the Lake City route for a clip or two. I am making inventory for my personal need as well. A good turret “LEE” and dies “LEE”
    Powder?
    Bullets?
    Brass? new or used for rifle?
    Best relaoding manual out there?
    Please advise, again.
    Thanks
    T

    1. Well…hee goes.

      Yes….a Lee Turret press will honestly get the job done. The Lee Turret press (Though I use the non progessive style just because it is goof proof) has more than enough strength to reload all of the ammo you just listed. In other words…you have to manually index the turret for the next relaoding procedure. Use a reloading tray.

      Here is logic behind the manually indexing turret press. With pistol reloading…yes…a progressive turret is nice…but with rifle and in particular a 308 for target…there are several things you’ve got to do to produce high accuracy ammo. Such as….you need to case length trim your cases every single reloading. The Lee case length trimming setup is idea and cost very little. There may be no brass trimmed off using the Lee case length trimming setup..but you’ve got to check! (I have targets I could show people that shows the accuracy of my ammo using 100% Lee products!)…..then…you’ve listed a HK 91….howbeit Winchester brass is of high enough quality (Lapua simply cost a lot of money but are the best!!) I’d opt for Remington brass for the fact that Remington brass is thicker. So shooting a bolt action 308 rifle the Remington brass is of sufficient quality for accurate ammo and thick enough to handle repeated slamming of an HK 91. I have a DPMS 308 and I use Remington exclusively for my DPMS 308.

      Let’s talk about rifle brass. I am assuming that you have a bolt action 308 and an HK91….for a bolt action rifle on the target side…for the best accuracy you should neck size only. Again..I use Lee Precision neck sizing die and my accuracy on my target rilfe/s is fairly impressive. Most of my rifles I use Winchester and personally..I’d rather use Winchester brass simply because I do not get/show the preasure signs that I can get using Remington when using the same powder weight/grains in the Winchester cases…Winchester brass is thinner. But neck sizing Winchester brass is easy and results are satisfactory…I have many many reloadings per case (And I do not mix up swithcing from one rifle to another…I buy brass for a rifle and that brass is used in said rifle only!) and so many..that when I feel like it’s time to replace the brass…I do. I have a pile of brass and what I need to do is anneal most…but….after so many uses..the case will start to thin too much at the web of brass case…in other words…where the body meets the base of the case…I’ve cut rifle cases in two length wise and it is very easy to see this thinnning. It is more obvious when you full length resize your brass. Though a 308 rifle case doesn’t flow that much because of the relatively straight walls of a 308 Winchester….it still will…so be careful on how many loading you’re going thru. This holds true for a 223 as well…with any cartridge! And though this will not include you…you should see what type of brass flow occurs with a 7MM Mauser brass case!!! WOW! Very short case life for the 7MM Muaser…usually.

      Bullets for rifles….Sierra. Great for hunting…fantastic for target….Match Kings for both 223 and 308 for target shooting. Another great choice is Nosler Custom Competition…308…168 Grains…and 69 grains for the 223….highly accurate!!

      For a reloading manual….again…use the Richard Lee “Modern Reloading” 2nd Edition. It is crammed full of not only loads…there is great insight into the why’s and what for’s and how to’s. From cast bullet loads to casting bullets…pistol/rifle. It does not go into where a particular chambering originated from…I do not buy reloading manuals to read a persons recommendation about a particulr cartridge…like Noslers manual….I want facts! So the Lee manual is tops. If someone wants info where or how a particular chambering came from or how it was developed…Google it up!! And yo can find this manual for about $14.00!!

      Powder….I get repetitive on my thoughts. But I use..and many other reloaders I’ve met or rubbed shoulders with…use Unique for pistol ammo reloading….but shooting just a single caliber…there are better choices…though slightly….if you get into multiple caliber reloading…Unique will cover the spread. For rifle and in particular the 223 and 308 Winchester….Varget and BLC 2 works really well for both but others use H332 and H335…others use what works for them…but start with the Varget and/or BLC 2.

      To sume up things…you can spend a lot of money on reloading equipment and it’s anyones choice as to what press/dies/etc that one uses…but dollar for dollar…I have used diiferent brand name presses at one time or another…but Lee Precision simply works. Lee’s dies are straight forward and will reload very accurate ammo. Pistol ammo is not rocket science and let’s face it….a 1911 is a 1911….pistol shooting is always at a limit range per say. I use cast bullets for all of my pistiols and yes…even for my Springfield 1911 A-1 Loaded version. I’ve used factory…jackets bullets…used scales to weigh my powder and used a disc powder throw..there is a every so slight difference in accuracy that using cast bullets…which you can do yourself and save a lot of money on the cost of bellets…is the best direction to go. Even if you have to buy cast bullets..it is still less money than jacketed bullets.

      Powder scale…you’ve gotta have one…you simply have to have a poweder scale. Yeah..you can use the disc throws…but you just have to know how many grains of powder you are placing into the brass case. Basically…a powder scale keeps you honest and safe. You can use a drum powder throw or the Lee disc powder throw…but you still have to know how much powder grains wise you’ll fixing to reload with.

      Hope this helps.

  11. Thanks Curt.
    It has helped and has reminded me of the things I use to do 30 years ago. Rifle will be the challange and I welcome it as I need to do something with my time. I look forward to starting this as soon as the Obummer factor settles down. As I ease back into it I’m sure I will expand my operations into casting. I use to do that in .357, .44 and .38 with my friends back then but with just a .45 and the lead dirt I might stay with FMJ. However, I was reading somewhere about brass casting. Just a thought down the road. I have written down your info and since your posts are here I will most likely go down this path.
    Many thanks again my friend!
    Bamboo

  12. Well people….I have taken the step towards reloading ammo for my AK47….looked around the internet and located a set of Lee Precision RGB 7.62×39 full length resizing die/seater and the Lee Precision factory crimp die as well……a cast bullet mold….160 Grain Tumble Lube bullet….found the Berdan primers for the case…which by the way are steel and I have hundreds of empty cases…and tool to remove the spent berdan primer via hydralic preasure.

    I’ve had it with being subjected to the shortage of ammo and the “Winner Take All” attitude with distributors raising the price of AK47 ammo just because these swines can and do!! The price for 223 ammo has tripled yet there is none to be had…..the price of 7.62×39 has doubled or tripled in price and yet none to be found. I have approximately 1,400 rounds of new 7.62×39 ammo. But I have hundreds of empties as stated!! Hundreds!! A lot!! Looks like I can reload 20 rounds for about $1.60 using my cast bullets and making my own gas checks!!

    I understand that you cannot count your time spent casting and reloading….but pulling the math.. I can reload 1,000 rounds for $80.00…..$80.00!!!!!

    Looking forward to this!!

  13. Does anyone have any nosler custom brass for .257 wby or 7 mm stw and willing to sell? Or know where to find? Thank you in advance!

  14. When Obama was first elected in 2008, the shortage of primers lasted about 2 1/2 years. I could still find powder locally, but I didn’t see a good selection of primers on the shelf until some time in 2011.

    Now I can find neither primers nor powder, online or locally. I can not even find brass. In fact, I was shocked that I can’t find corn cob media for my tumbler at the local stores! I found some at a pet store.

    This time around, I think many more people are jumping on the bandwagon, hoping to make a buck. Since they got burned in 2008, they now want to be the burner. Primers where gone, so they bought whatever was available in hopes of selling it all at 500% markup at gun shows.

    I considered going to gun shows to buy large rifle primers I desperately need for the summer. But, after thinking about it, I refuse to give my money to a profiteer. Instead I bought a used Harley and a service manual. So I will be riding my new hog all summer instead of shooting, and the jerks at the gun show can eat it.

    One more thought: I got an email last week that MidwayUSA had CCI Primers in stock. Four minutes later they where all gone. If you want to score some primers online, I think you need an automated ‘bot’ that will query the inventory status several times per second, then automate a payment as soon as primers become listed as ‘in stock’ on MidwayUSA’s website. The latency I saw on MidwayUSA’s website in 2008 could be explained by this practice. Although I am not seeing such an issue this time around.

  15. Hi
    I just bought a Lyman die set for a 7mm Rem Mag. every time I put the shell into the die, a small portion of the brass near the toe end of the shell (about a thin centimetre strip) comes off. The shells are the correct length. its just cuts off pieces of that round (riffle) area of the shell. why would that happen?

    1. Naude, Probably the reason you’re not getting any replies is…nobody knows what you are talking about. Those are not correct terms for different parts of a rifle round. I couldn’t help you even if you did have them right, but someone else might. Good luck!!

  16. Ive been reloading since january of this year,a friend who has been doing it all his life is helping me learn the ropes,and in return I have given him several hundred .223 cases once fired and he has traded with me componet for componet,works well,also I seem to see signs of things stablizing in my area,this is the perfect oppertunity to help each other because there may be a time in thefuture when we really need each other to ensuer survival.

  17. Well, after a year of dealing with this reloading component (powder, primers, bullets, cases) shortage issue, I am left with just one fact that doesn’t fit.
    I hear all the marketing guys from the component manufacturers telling us they are “Working Overtime, 7 days a week, shipping more product than ever… blah blah blah, … but something doesn’t add up.
    One fact makes me questions these and many other statements. If they are shipping ALL the product they claim.. where are they sending it to? It sure isn’t to any of the NATIONAL resellers I am visiting and talking to. All their shelves are EMPTY and have been for some time..!!!
    So I have to ask myself? If it’s not showing up on the reseller end, where’s it all going?? I can only guess that the Distributors may really be behind the shortages and price gouging that’s going on. Consider this, if you buy direct from the manufacturers and stock the output in your warehouses, but leek out the supply, you can double the prices due to the “Shortage” and cash in big time. Once you’ve got the prices inflated, you keep the prices high and start emptying the warehouses a little at a time. People just get use to the higher prices and no one asks why they don’t go back down.
    Sound familiar, this is exactly how we’ve gone from 1.89/Gal gas to nearly $5.00/Gal gas. The supply of OIL is not the issue, it’s the refiners who can limit the output of the final product. If they limit the supply, they can control the price they sell the gas for. Every time they find a reason (weather, floods, anything) that can be remotely associated with impacting supply of crude, the next day the price at the pump jumps. Even though the Gas in the tanks at the station was refined and purchased a month before. The price to refine the gas didn’t up, just the profits.
    So when all is said and done, eventually the truth will come out (or maybe it won’t). We may continue to see prices stay high, just like they planned it. I hope I’m wrong.

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