How many have bought rifles/pistols because you have a mould / brass or dies

[No_1]

Interesting thoughts to ponder.

I have been guilty of purchasing rifles and pistols because I had a mould / brass or dies on hand. I have even gone as far as dreaming up the next rifle / pistol purchase, bought brass, moulds and dies THEN bought the rifle / pistol. How many have done the same?

[45nut]

Guilty. And in my case the most expensive project I took on.

Back when shooters was shutting down in the search for a new home I was lurking at AR quite a bit. And as I was looking around I wandered in the Big Bore Room.
Wow was putting it mildly, I was intoxicated by the Fifty Cal's and the .510 Wells in particular and its bretheren. One of the regulars at the time diverted me to the 500A Square version and offered to send me a couple dummy rounds.
460 Wby necked up to take .510 Military and the mega buck Woodleigh 600gr arrived and I was hooked.
88% of the BMG energy with 1/2 the powder appetite and standard reloading equipment ease.
I ordered a Pac Nor 1-14 32" barrel and found a P-14 action, ordered a Bell & Carlson stock after their assurance it would easily withstand the punishment.
Bought Dies and 250pcs of brass and waited for everything to arrive over a few months and waited some more on the gunsmith that agreed to make the parts one rifle. Got a Timney trigger and a oversize mag box and a new follower and sent them along....the $$$ adding up but it was staged out so it didn't hurt "too bad".
Bought a couple hundred pulled AP's on ebone and ordered some Woodleighs from Huntingtons and waited.

One day the phone rang and my smith said it was 90% and he was coming into town to let me drool over it some.
Wow,,,it was hard letting him take it back,,but I relented and a couple weeks later got the call to come out and visit.

My first shot...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/45nut/rifles/web500a2recoil.jpg

the rifle

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/45nut/rifles/500a2.jpg

All started by a gift of 2 measly pieces of brass ...

[rmb721]

I recently bought a CZ-75, 9mm because I had the dies and bullet mould. I got the dies with other reloading things at a gun show and the mould came with other moulds. I didn't think it would be good for them to be idle too long.

[dromia]

I've got dies cases mould and bullets cast for .22 Hornet, I just still haven't found the Lithgow/Slazenger model 12 No1 MK111 sporter conversion I want to shoot them through.

I've also got and old Pecar 4 x 81 and scoe rings to mount on it.

Might just have to get a CZ in .22 hornet or perhaps a Martini action conversion to keep me going. :-D

[dubber123]

My favorite is buying holsters for guns I don't have, just because it was a good deal. I always end up buying the gun, except the nice leather thumb break I just bought in a junk shop, because it was 2$. I don't know what it fits, but I'm gonna find out. I hope it's something cool!

[NVcurmudgeon]

I have dies, shellholder, and a 2-7 X Redfield saved pending deciding between a CZ .22 Hornet and a Savage M 40. Oh yeah, need the money for the rifle.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

guilty, on multiple counts...

the worst one to date is also the most recent, Neil Shirley has had a 550 Magnum program underway for about two years. I talked to him several times about components, and he told me a custom brass maker had mistakenly sent him 550M cylindrical cases based on the 505 Gibbs instead of the 460Wbee. I asked him to send me a few, and a box of 100 showed up the next week! I ended up designing a 550 Gibbs and am now ear deep with the dies and formed cases in hand, a mould ordered from LBT, and two actions...new Wickliffe 76 SS and a remodeled M34 Remington. $700 to Wisner for the bottom sheet metal, and a nice strong grained 2XX stock. Just waiting on Bauska for the barrel. Hornady made me the dies and Dave Manson worked the details out on the reamer.
Some days I wonder what I got myself into here...

Today a box from pat McDonald arrives with 2 8lb jugs of 844 and 846 and 2 7lb jugs of 7383...help

Rich
DRSS

[RayinNH]

Thinking seriously of doing that very thing. I realise it might be heresy to admit I don't own a 30-30 but I don't own a 30-30. Every fall hunting season when the guys go to the range to run a box or two of shells, I abscond with the brass. I'm at that point where I can justify a new gun purchase. Now I need the wife to see my point of view [smilie=1:...Ray

[BruceB]

Well, great hoppin' horny toads....doesn't EVERYBODY?

The example that immediately comes to mind is the time I had a few hundred brand-new Herters' 6.5x55 cases left from a ridiculously-cheap buy of about 3500 rounds ($25.00!!!). Had the 6.5 dies, too, so I was just lurking, waiting for the chance.

Century Arms (Canada) came up with a find of Danish M98 Mauser match rifles, with Schultz & Larsen 28" heavy barrels and match sights, including a changeable-element front sight.........GLOM!!!!!

Funny...this is the one my wife just LOVES to bring up when I mention having " xxx brass and no rifle..."

[MT Gianni]

Guilty on a couple of counts. from a 8mm because I had Buckshots heavy mold to a couple of 44's and now looking for a pocket 9. Gianni

[Poygan]

A while back I bought four molds with handles on ebay. Now, I already had molds in three of the four calibers and the fourth was a Lyman .313226 93 grain. I bought them because they came with handles and I could use more handles. I don't own a .32 that is functional...but now I'm thinking a .32 could be a new project. Now I don't have the .32 (yet), or dies, or brass, etc. But I have a mold that doesn't have a purpose and that cannot be. According to my Lyman book, I could even settle for a .30 Luger or a .30 Mauser. These, of course, do not seem to be available in my area either. Now it has occured to me that a sensible person would simply consider selling the mold. A fleeting thought at best. The four handles that initially appeared to be a bargain may not turn out that way, not to mention three molds I don't need. This is beginning to take on a life of its own.

With this kind of convoluted thinking, I could have had a great career in the federal or state government.

[Glen]

Uhhhh, yeah....several times. I try not to talk about it....it only gets embarassing...

[Bent Ramrod]

About 12 years ago I came out of a gun show with the only thing worth buying in the place--a set of RCBS .35 Winchester dies still wrapped in the VPI paper in the original cardboard box for $5. About a year later, I found a copy of Ideal 358318, going cheap because it was missing the HP pin, which I later made. Didn't have a single .35 caliber firearm; indeed, had gone to great lengths to avoid them.

A few years later, I found a .35 Win barrel for a Model 1895 for $50. Bought it, figuring I would get one of the ubiquitous inexpensive wrecked shot-out 30-40 1895's that were always showing up for relatively low prices at gun shows and rebarrel it with this barrel, so I could then use my dies and mould. All the 1895 wrecks immediately vanished from the scene. Several years afterwards, I found a complete 1895 in .35 WCF and figured some imbalance was occurring in the mechanics of the universe which would only be fixed if I got an 1895 in .35 Winchester, so I bought it.

I guess I could tell everybody I bought it to hunt the rare and ferocious California Desert Moose, but the above story is much more logical:roll: .

[Lee]

Ooohhh....Ooooohhh....Me!...Me!................... ..Lee;-)

[NVcurmudgeon]

Just mentioned this thread to my wife, about "surplus" tools driving gun aquisition. She said, with resignation, "I'm familiar with that." (She doesn't know about the soon to be Hornet yet.)

[danski26]

I aquired a couple thousand factory 357 mag and a few hundred 38's a couple years ago but did not own one. Looked for quite a while before i found blackhawk priced right. I think when all the ammo is shot up i will sell it though.

[smokemjoe]

Got a good deal on a Hoch 35 Cal. 275 gr. mold, Well it cost me a Rem. 40x Action, Ended up with a total of 4 custom #8 and 9 target barrels in different twist, 7 custom molds, Spend over $2,500 just for shooting a 35 Rem.

[Bigjohn]

Nope; that doesn't resemble me one bit.............................YET!

It might be worth trying.

John

[Jon K]

WOW........This is the best and most fun to read thread................

EVERY EXCUSE IN THE BOOK AND THEN SOME! LOL, You're all sick! ME TOO!

I was telling some of the same excuses to some guys, about a new gun I got.
Then this older guy says "You don't need to justify a new gun"........ "Casters are Tinkerers, and Tinkerers can't leave nothing alone......You're addicted!"
Big long pause, then I said WOW! I think you're right. But ain't it FUN! It's all a learning experience, and discovery from trial and error is success.

Jon
:castmine:

[Frank46]

Very interesting concept. I bet many of us here have bought either rifles or handguns because we got a mold at a great price or came into a windfall of brass. Me, I'm kinda like a packrat. I scrounge brass at the local range. A lot of the shooters here like the 40S&W. well at the time I didn't have one. I just happened to go into a local gun shop and they had a sig 239 in shorty fourty at a reasonable price. The dirty deed was done. So now what follows is getting dies for the dillon, primers, powders and bullets. Almost the same story with the redhawk. I had been saving discarder (scrounged) 44mag brass for quite awhile. Never really planned on getting something to shoot all that brass in. My buddy comes over one night with a brand new redhawk in 44 mag. Being the generous guy I am I gave him my whole stash. A few weeks later I bought me a new redhawk in you guessed it 44mag, but no brass. Fortunately one indoor range does sell once fired brass so that problem was taken care of. frank

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got many sets of dies for guns ive never owned and am allways trying to rectify that situation

[NVcurmudgeon]

One fundamental principle I learned through costly experience, is to never let a set of dies go with a gun. I packed an inherited set of 7.65 X 53 dies around for 26 years until a NRA excellent 1891 Argentine fell into my lap. Right now I have dies in 6.5 X 55 and 7mm Rem. Mag. (and I really don't like that cartridge) not being used, but you never know.

[tom barthel]

Isn't that the rule? You must have a gun to match every cartridge or bullet you find. I usually follow that rule. I've even been thinking about casting .224 bullets for .22 hornet. I don't have a .22 hornet. HELP!!!

[sundog]

Lloyd, so, you are not selling or trading off those dies you can't use yet. Right? Hmmm, but they are all going to be used. Sometime. Right?

How about deliberately having a custom mould built, THEN..., later on, building the rifle to go with it. Problem? Naw, no problem.

[USARO4]

I'm guilty on 2 counts. I bought my 41Mag dies 3 years before I got around to buying a Blackhawk in that caliber. At a local going out of business sale I found a set of RCBS 30Carbine dies for $10. I could'nt pass that deal because I had plenty of brass for that caliber, although no gun. It took me almost 4 years to buy a Blackhawk in that caliber.

[No_1]

On one instance, I purchased a sporterized Siamese Mauser with intentions of turning it into a 45-70. I took it to the gunsmith for him to provide a price and he wanted to shoot it so I told him have at it. He reported back that the rifle was a fine custom job as is and it shot good too. I left it as is, ordered 500 (or was it 1000) brass, dies, j-bullets, ect. only to find that when I shot it there was a slight mark on the brass from a sloppy chamber job. I developed some loads then moved it to the back of the safe while I waited for a 30-40 AI reamer & dies to fall in my lap since I could not stand the sight of brass being ruined. In the mean time I was at the local range swap meet / chili cook-off when I spot this rough looking 1895 Winchester 30-40 my buddy had for sale priced at $450. A little bit of talking and he tells me he has a Ruger #3 in 30-40 with an old weaver fixed power scope that I can also "have" for $450. I bought it and that lead to the pruchase of many other #3's and #1's.

So this is a case of a rifle needing brass/dies/moulds that turned into brass/dies/moulds needing a rifle that turned into a style of rifle that needed company. I am still looking for #3's in 223 and 22 Hornet to finish off the #3 collection. The right ones will come my way one day but in the mean time I will get the needed brass/dies/moulds lined up....

BTW: there is that #3 custom here on the board that is in 7mm/30-40 Krag that I would love to have and I almost forgot the reamers /dies in 25 Krag AI on my work bench.

[jonk]

Bought an inline muzzleloader once because I had gotten some Pyrodex and sabots for free.

[threett1]

GUILTY. But who cares. I've done worse things.:mrgreen:

[river-rider]

I bought a Ruger # 1 that had been rebarrelled to 510 Wells Mag because the seller had a paper patch mould and Dies. I thought it would be neat to shoot with black powder loads. Had it for 6 years now and have not tried it out. Rifle weighs 11 pounds so recoil should be reasonable? 500 gr bullet. I probably will try it out this summer.