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Don't despair! Remember our forefathers faced constant shortages of everything and still fought a war to bring us our freedoms that we enjoy today.
I too don't use a melting pot. Found a couple of hand forged ladles in junk stores, antique stores etc, only paid a couple of dollars for each. Use those in my fireplace or over a camp stove.
If you have several firearms, pick one or two calibers and look for what you need for those guns, not everyone.
Keep watch here for molds or put a "wanted" ad.
You could also put up a wanted ad asking to purchase some round balls or other projectiles here and one of the many fine folk here may come through and offer you some to keep you going for a little while as you continue to look for what you need.

If you decide to quit, now would be the time as it is a seller's market currently.

Woody
 
I'm soo over all the cry babies whining about can't find this or that.

In 2016 I had a great part time gig at the largest gun store within 100 miles and the store closed because the 2016 election caused a drop in sales and his 1.2 million dollar inventory lost 30% in 30 days.

No one wanted to buy a rifle ftf that they could order online for 30% less. The wholesaler/manufacturer refused to give credit back to the retailer.

He ended up auctioning everything off and closed down.

Take up quilting!!
 
I think "patience is a virtue" was coined right around the time the original guns were new. Of course.
 
I maybe am not one that should post to this thread but I’d like to put in my two cents. I just started to look into this hobby in February. Since then, I’ve ordered a Traditions St Louis kit and a 1851 Navy, I have received neither of them as of yet.

But I ordered powder, caps, balls, and all sorts of necessary items that are now sitting around my house waiting for either one or both of the guns to arrive. So hang in there sure it’s bad but it’s still doable.
 
When i bought a new toy i would buy a Lee mold to cast for it. To date some have not been used, they were for unmentionable calibers. At $20 was a good investment. A little late now for you but if you look they can be found still. There are a lot of second hand stores around me. Someone thats sell antiques or old records might have a mold for $10 because they don’t want it in their store
 
Even though im sick of peoples whining im glad this thread came up. See it as a warning of coming events and adjust your thinking.

I follow a nice man on YT, MD Creekmore, who goes to extraordinary pains to get people to prep, particularly about food. Like it was said in here, IF shooting is a hobby (its a lot more than that to me), imagine your life when something is gone that you truly need, like food? Well, if you are in agony over BP, take it as your final wakeup because ALL KINDS of things are expected to become short in 2021, again food being at the top. And as someone else said above, put out of your mind forever that you can casually buy enough supplies today for your shooting outing next Thursday. That is gone. If that turns people into permanent scroungers, so be it. BP shortage is the tip of the iceberg and im urging people to put back what they can, prices being what they may. Shortages of stuff? Thats the normal. Get used to it and do not believe that if/when you see stuff (BP, anything) back on the shelves it means everything is ok. If anything, thats the receding waters before the tsunami. How many times do people have to be told? Its not a new topic!

So, you cant quit because in the end it means quitting life itself because it applies to everything. If you or anyone gets too much extra of something, share it out, but never stop. If I see a chance to buy 50,000 No.11 primers I'll grab them, keep 10,000 and share out the rest, not even for profit and keep going. Everyone has to get in the vein of search and grab as normal. And if people would prefer to sit back, whine about it and prices, then they get what they deserve which is nothing.
 
Shooting used to be fun. Now it's hard to find anything. Round balls sold out! Are you kidding me! Melting pots sold out! Really! Ball molds sold out! What's going on in the gun world is enough to make me want to throw up & just quit!
Call eddie may in chatsworth ga. He will make em for you. Pretty much any size of roundball you need. Quality cannot be beat and neither can his prices.
 
Shooting used to be fun. Now it's hard to find anything. Round balls sold out! Are you kidding me! Melting pots sold out! Really! Ball molds sold out! What's going on in the gun world is enough to make me want to throw up & just quit!
I am surprised how even the muzzleloading world is experiencing this. Don't quit, wait it out!
 
Shooting used to be fun. Now it's hard to find anything. Round balls sold out! Are you kidding me! Melting pots sold out! Really! Ball molds sold out! What's going on in the gun world is enough to make me want to throw up & just quit!
Were you ever a Boy Scout? I think their motto was "Be Prepared". It does appear that most everyone here has an adequate supply of lead, powder and patches, flints and caps. I always buy a few extras when doing a re-supply. "Better too much than not enough", that's what she said during my last visit.
 
I have always prided myself by trying not to buy anything for my muzzleloaders unless absolutely having to. Cast own Balls, make own patches, make own powder, use toy cap gun caps (yes bought those), Chips of Quartz or Argillite when out of flints.
These guns are a turn back in time if you have to buy everything then perhaps its not the sport for you.
 
Were you ever a Boy Scout? I think their motto was "Be Prepared". It does appear that most everyone here has an adequate supply of lead, powder and patches, flints and caps. I always buy a few extras when doing a re-supply. "Better too much than not enough", that's what she said during my last visit.
I was a boy scout from the time I was 8 years old. Cub scout, weblow, boy scout, explorer scout, then girl scout-blonde at 12 o'cock high. I am one of the few who can truely say they were a weblow scout the first year they had weblows, and later when they started the tiger cubs where a parent and younger scout go in together I was a tiger scout with my son the first year they had tiger cubs.
 
IMO, none of this is a necessity, it's a sport and a hobby, and a great one at that. We should thank our lucky stars that waiting for percussion caps or round ball supply to return to normal is our big problem. Lowes is listing 5/8 in. OSB board for $45.67 a sheet. What if one was in need of a new roof or in the process of building that dream house right now? Now there's a problem worth giving up over.
Sorry, but with all due respect sir you need to speak for yourself. It is not a "sport or hobby" to me at least. I do not speak for others and you should not too. It is rude. I have been shooting muzzleloaders since I was 12 and for me it is way of life where I put meat on the table regularly and interact with my Faith and the beautiful natural world created for mankind. I do not kill for sport as I was not raised that way. I hunt for food first and foremost and to interact with Him and His nature. It is also a direct connection to my ancestors who can over in the late 1600's and early 1700's. Sadly, your opinion is the same as the anti hunting world as well as those that oppose any type of firearm ownership. That is IMO.
Now if people were smart they would stock up on items since our firearms rely on items that are not part of the regular shooting world. BP, caps, flints, lead, lubes, patch material, the firearm's themselves and anymore of the vast acountrements that are required. I saw this coming as soon as the election went Far Left. There is really no excuse if you pay attention and do your due diligence. Thankfully I also live in a free state that allows me to stock up. Hopefully the stupidity in the political arena will equalize once people see what the current majority's real agenda is and how damaging it is too our country. Or I will say I pray that happens. But just in case keep stocking up.
 
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Sorry, but with all due respect sir you need to speak for yourself. It is not a "sport or hobby" to me at least. I do not speak for others and you should not too. It is rude. I have been shooting muzzleloaders since I was 12 and for me it is way of life where I put meat on the table regularly and interact with my Faith and the beautiful natural world created for mankind. I do not kill for sport as I was not raised that way. I hunt for food first and foremost and to interact with Him and His nature. It is also a direct connection to my ancestors who can over in the late 1600's and early 1700's. Sadly, your opinion is the same as the anti hunting world as well as those that oppose any type of firearm ownership. That is IMO.
Now if people were smart they would stock up on items since our firearms rely on items that are not part of the regular shooting world. BP, caps, flints, lead, lubes, patch material, the firearm's themselves and anymore of the vast acountrements that are required. I saw this coming as soon as the election went Far Left. There is really no excuse if you pay attention and do your due diligence. Thankfully I also live in a free state that allows me to stock up. Hopefully the stupidity in the political arena will equalize once people see what the current majority's real agenda is and how damaging it is too our country. Or I will say I pray that happens. But just in case keep stocking up.
#1 IMO "means in my opinion", therefore I was speaking for myself. # 2 I didn't think this discussion was a platform for political rhetoric, I put forth none. #3 If there is anything to blame for the current shortages in firearms related supplies, it is the mass hysteria that was created by delerious ideas.
 
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Your frustration is acknowledged, but you've embellished the current situation just a tad. Supplies are available, but you'll need to look a little further. Be thankful for internet capabilities; many of us can remember supply concerns before the the pandemic, the internet & panic buying. As one already mentioned, we determined our average use, added a bit extra & stocked up when items were available -- otherwise referenced as self-initiative.

Let's face it: forty or fifty years ago, muzzleloaders weren't at the top of the majority of firearm owner priorities. So far as I can determine, they've gained some ground, but MLs still aren't a consideration for the majority. Be thankful for the NMLRA, Muzzleloader magazine & forums like this one.

Moreover, I spent maybe ten minutes this evening checking prices & inventories of Hornady swagged balls. Yep, there were many who had "out of stock" listed under many sizes, but I really had no difficulties in placing an order this evening from a long-standing, respected supplier -- at a competitive price!

So, I'd recommend implementation of a little patience. If black powder's in your blood as it is in everyone else in this forum, you'll develop a little tenacity & locate the supplies you need. They're available.
 
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