Running out of ammo just presents more opportunities to explore ways of doing it ourselves. Developing ways to beat the system by making my own ammo is FAR more gratifying than popping off ammo at a range.
|
   
   
|
|
Running out of ammo just presents more opportunities to explore ways of doing it ourselves. Developing ways to beat the system by making my own ammo is FAR more gratifying than popping off ammo at a range.
There are a lot of people starting, or returning to handloading. Lately our shop has sent several damaged handguns to their factories to correct the handloaders errors. One was an FNP-40 with a double charge of powder that ruptured and split the case (.40 S&W). The extractor was split in half. The owner had the same experience only recently with the same pistol and his handloads. We replaced the extractor and associated parts but he went right back to the same batch of ammo and did it again! This one has only recently arrived at FN for a full inspection and correction if there isn't anything more that went south. Will be interesting to learn what they find.
The other customer plugged up two firearms with his brother-in-law's home made ammo. He left one bullet in the barrel of his S&W 642, also had six (yes, 6) bullets in the barrel of his 686. It wasn't enough for him to stop using the ammo when the first firearm became disabled, he had to repeat the mistake on the second. This customer's bills from S&W to repair these revolvers ran just under $225 each (includes replacing both barrels). Wonder if the BIL is going to chip in and pay for these defective rounds and the damage they caused? I doubt it, he will probably blame the "defective" firearms somehow.
I am going to bet those rounds were produced with SS or turret press. It is what most beginners use and they have lots to learn...sometimes the hard way.Originally Posted by Thin Man
I am so glad I never have to shoot on a public range again.
Don Verna
Is it weird that I still find 22 wmr on the shelf for .25- .30 a round? Seems not as much interest as 22lr.
when I can easily get $1 a round its time to cash in and get that new Cessna
I remember during the last shortage I met a guy in a sporting goods store and he was after 22 mag, I had just scored a 1000 extras at normal price of $11/50 and offered him some. I ended up driving a bunch of miles to meet him and sold him 1000 at my cost.
I believe in karma but those kind of acts of kindness to strangers is a thing of the past for this old boy.
You're not wrong! My BIL texted, crying the blues that he's short on ammo. I asked what happened to the 5000 - 22 LR and 1000- 9mm I gave he and my nephew - reply was: I sold them, I figured you had gotten them cheap and I'm betting you have more. My answer was something about a dry well...
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
+1 on that, for sure. Some people... What's that old saying? "Charity begins at ...?" CRS got me again.
One of my father's favorite statements: "If I say a chicken dips snuff, look under his wing for the snuffbox" How I was raised, who I am.
Just got off line at a local auction house. There were 6 or 7 bricks of different bricks of cheap 22lr ammo. They all sold for around $150 per brick. There was also some 9mm, 357m, 38spl and 380auto. All were selling for $1.25 to $1.50 per round.
Smaller boxes of 22 were going for about $.30 per round. It's hard to believe people will actually pay these prices for ammo.
cwtebay, I think I would have been a bit more abrupt than the well is dry. Maybe something like "22lr is selling for about $.30 @ and 9mm about $1.50 @ so if you want more, I'll give you the relative discount and it will only cost you $2,500 for the next batch.
exactly that why the local gun shop can KMA
Do you mind if I ask when you decided this. Sorry if it seems like a personal question, but everybody's situation is different.
We're seeing unprecedented interest among shooters, both new and experienced, but I wonder how long that will last? There may come a time that many lose interest, maybe because it's just become too hard or expensive to keep doing it and find other pursuits.
People change, interests change. I used to really love my motorcycles, didn't ride a single mile in 2020 and plan to sell them this Spring. Might happen with shooting too, I haven't been doing as much lately, but that's usually the case in Winter.
Just been thinking lately that maybe I need to pursue something else in my free time, give the shooting and worrying about it a rest for a while.
funny how the wheel turns, on a cost per shot basis I can now shoot my 32 rimfires with collector ammo cheaper than 22
As for me about to turn 64. I don’t ever see me selling or getting out of shooting. Might only shoot to sight in, shoot food, pests or bad guys, but will never give it up 100%. My supplies should cover all the above until the good Lord summons me.
I'm ten years behind you and generally feel the same way. I really like to reload and shoot, getting less interested in hunting all the time, still like to be out, just getting more reluctant to actually pull the trigger on anything as time goes by.
The things is, our interests do change and I can remember times in my life where I was really into something and the interest eventually waned or morphed into something else, with all the challenges ahead, I just wonder how many of us will find other things to do.
With my home cast 44 boolits I can shoot 44 Specials cheaper than 22LR; so that's what I have been doing.
Britons shall never be slaves.
I will be 61 soon (where did time go?) and feel the same way. I am keeping everything for my son, daughter not interested, though he is not interested now at almost 27. He used to be but life changes. Figure if I can afford to keep my stuff then he will have it when I am gone. Trying to explain to them if things go right, when I am gone to keep my place (81 acres of woods plus buildings with property taxes of less than $1,100 a year) and then every 20 years do another timber cut for profits. Who knows but I wish that offer had been available to me. Luck folks.
Ron
I looked at what 22 LR and primers are going for and mentioned to my wife I might sell enough to get a Wilson Combat ACP.
She told me if I did I better not be crying later about not having enough.
I shelved that plan.
NRA Benefactor.
I hope you stay in the sport.
What I found is I wound up participating in different shooting activities throughout my life. From chasing ultra small groups and load development, to busting clays competitively and many other endeavors along the way.. It was all fun and I have been in it for 60 years. I learned a lot and developed a good skill set with each discipline. But I found I would burn out, or move to an area I could not shoot at the level I wanted, or lost shooting buddies, or needed a new challenge.
Unlike others here, I do not get my enjoyment from casting or reloading. I am a shooter. That is what is fun for me.
This year, I have decided to get into PCP shooting. Shooting will not be impacted by shortages, or ammunition/component price issues. It will almost eliminate needing .22's for our plinking fun. I am doing a .22 inventory this week. I will and keep 5000 rounds and sell the rest (figure about 15k). At $100/brick , it gives me $3000 to play with. That buys a very nice gun, tank and 20k pellets ($40/1000 for match grade pellets).
I shot .38's during the last .22 shortage (sold 20k rounds then). With primers over $100/1000 that would be stupid. Sold most of my primer inventory as a result. An air gun is the only solution left for cheap trigger time if I want to shoot 5-10k a year.
The other "driver" was the thread by OS OK on his quest to shoot peep sights. It shows how much fun there can be in getting good at something new. My goal will be 3/4" groups at 50 yards with an air gun. Having a challenge is important to motivate me.
Your decision to "give it rest" is the right one. Keep your reloading stuff for now. Maybe do as I did, and sell components you are sure will not need while prices are nuts. (I kept a 4-6 year supply). See if there is something in the sport that interests you, and if not move on until you decide to circle back. I was out of shooting for about 8 years at one time...kept all my stuff....glad I did.
Don Verna
The only problem with selling now is replacing later and at what cost if even available.
I'll gladly sell off 2/3rds of my stash at $100 per brick and risk running out in the future.
East Tennessee
Posting Permissions
| BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
| HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
| LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
| GC | Gas Check |
Reply With Quote