And the gunshow sillyness continues ........

[Ohio Rusty]

i went to a small out of the way gunshow this morning. I found very few deals and only bought a couple of small things. Virtually all ammo - pistol and rifle- was running a dollar a round. The few 50 round boxes of 22's that were available were $8.00 per 50 on one guys table. People were almost fighting over the reloading stuff on tables. Older Partial cans of pistol and rifle powder were $20 a can. The 2 sleeves of primers were available were snatched up immediately. Guys crowding around the reloading stuff were rude if you wanted to see what was being sold .....like they were afraid someone behind them would buy something before they did. I asked 10 different guys that had bought reloading stuff what calibers they reloaded for ...they all said 'Oh .... I don't reload ....'. I don't get it .... why are people buying up all the reloading stuff if they aren't ?? I can understand hoarding ammo .... but reloading stuff ?? The exact same 7.62x39's I got at Wally World yesterday for $5 a box were $11.00 to $15.00 a box on different tables.

You can only imaging the prices of guns in the show ..... Too crazy for my liking .......
Ohio Rusty ><>

[mdi]

"Speculating" and looking "to make a profit" is what comes to mind. Buying something just to resell at a higher price, aka; "The American Way", buy low, sell high. While I don't like it when folks take advantage in a situation like we're having now, grabbing all they can with no intention of using it but for selling/gouging the next guy, lots of folks are doing it...:(

[btroj]

How many are now getting into reloading? Kinda scary actually. Wonder how many guns will be destroyed by guys with no knowledge who decide a 357 is actually a 44 mag?

Not all gun owners are gun knowledgable.

[1Shirt]

Yep, there are a good number of non shooting/non reloading types who have bought large quantities of ammo and components hoping to make big bucks on the stuff. Some probably will, but others may end up selling down the road at a loss. And as to Btroj's comments, couldnt agree more. There will be some problem with novice reloaders, and accidents accordingly.
1Shirt!

[jmorris]

I like the fact that they still happen but for me it's silly to go to one trying to find a good deal.

[Love Life]

I went to a gun store today. Not much available in the ammo department, but they had 17 AR 15 rifles in the $1200-$2,000 range. They were actually nice ones. They had a legit AR-10, but the boss said no...

On the upside they had all the snap caps I needed!!

[Kent Fowler]

Bought a new Walthers PPS in 40cal. right after the doors opened at the Austin gun show last Saturday. Got a fairly decent price of $589.00, considering what's all happening now. Had 4 offers to buy it before I could get out of there. Ruger LCR's $100.00 higher than 2 weeks ago. 223 FMJ ammo $1200.00 a thousand. Generic 9mm close to $700. a thou. Very little reloading stuff there, but I did see two Dillon Square Deals's at the San Antonio show for 265.00 each. Craziest was the guy at one table that had a Chinese SKS with 1600 rounds for only $3250.00.

[TNsailorman]

Was at Wallyworld thursday and they had very little. There were 4 DPMS boxes sitting sideways in the rifle section but I don't know what if anything was in them. They had 2 boxes of 30-30 for $19.95 that I gave 14.95 for the same ammo 2 weeks ago. Passed it up--not going to become part of the craziness. The ammo section was all but empty except for shotshells and large magnum caliber, .338, .300, ect. and only a few boxes of that. I walked into the local gun shop that I have visited for years and the guy looked up and grinned. He followed me around the counter to the reloading section and asked "what do you need that I don't have" and laughed. He did have 3 lbs. of H414 which I bought one pound only because I didn't have much cash on me. I,m going back monday and see if I can trade him some 209 shotshell primers for H414. My 6.5x55 loves that stuff. He did have several bricks of small pistol primers but no large or small rifle. Some local guy has been trying to sell a chinese SKS for I believe around 700.00 but it not getting any buyer and hasn't for at least 2 months now. But there's one born every minute and sooner or later he'll come along. The problem that I see is that this craziness is driving prices way up and they will never come back down completely again, even when the supply returns.

[FLHTC]

Why do all the new reloaders have to be irresponsible and destined to kill themselves and those around them??? Regardless of how much experience we may or may not have, each and everyone of us were new at reloading. Be grateful that our numbers are increasing, instead of bashing those who want to join the sport

[L Erie Caster]

Why do all the new reloaders have to be irresponsible and destined to kill themselves and those around them??? Regardless of how much experience we may or may not have, each and everyone of us were new at reloading. Be grateful that our numbers are increasing, instead of bashing those who want to join the sport


For most of the new reloaders you are correct, but one can’t help wonder how many have no intent on learning the correct loading techniques and just want to slap together a bunch of ammo.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I was at a small gunshow today as well...Crowded YES ! but there were still plenty of deals...I got 3 ½ boxes of 1x 45colt brass for $8 But there was some 44 spl mixed in...that's not a bad thing !

I bought a nice older S&W 657 with a Leupold scope mount and Leupold scope for $800...OTD

ALSO a nice 223 Bolt gun...Savage 340 with a walnut stock and raisied scope mount so you can see the iron sites underneath...and hooded front site...I got this one so cheap I can't tell you the price.

I did see that all the AR-15s are priced at twice their value and a MAK-90 in 223rem priced at $1600:shock:

and yeah, I didn't even look at ammo prices...very little reloading equipment or powder or primers were at this show. A few people had some baggied up brass that must have been made of gold :)

[FN in MT]

I found a FULL case of 7.62x39 I forgot I had, in the garage last week. 1260 rds of Yugo 76 ammo.

We have a show this next weekend...so it goes on the table. I am not sure what the going rate is on it, but 7.62x39 is virtually unavailable locally.

Selling a few cans of 5.45x39 for a feind as well. We both should do OK.

the local Sportsmans Warehouse had 50 rd boxes of .22 rimfire ammo for $9.99 and PMC .223 55 fmj's for $21.99 !!! Good Lord!

"Sillyness" is right

[Shiloh]

Saw a run of the mill AR go for $1800 last month. A month and half earlier, this was an $850 rifle. People are nervous as heck.

Shiloh

[btroj]

I don't think ALL new reloaded will harm themselves but how many people in is panic bout a gun, couldn't find ammo, and decided to start reloading?
Go to a public range and watch the guys who hardly know which end of the gun points towards the targets. Imagine them reloading.

I learned from a person who watched carefully and ensured I didn't do anything stupid. I wasn't loading on my own for a year or so. I had a mentor. Safest way to learn that I can think of.

I fear that too many won't read up, ask questions, or understand the dangers. Not all powders with a 7 are the same. AA7 in a 45-70 load inst gonna work the same as RE7, think they might not get the Importance of that fact?

I love the idea of me reloaders or casters. Key is that I want them to do it safely. I like new shooters too but wave a gun around at the range and I want you banned. Safety first.

[sirgknight]

I'm locking the door to my reloading/casting building and hooking up my fishing boat and going to the river for the next 8 to 10 months. Worms are cheap and I won't care about how many fish there are or what species will be biting. If everybody went fishing we wouldn't have to worry about bullets, powder, primers, casings, ammo, presses, firearms or anything else related to guns. Demand would die, supply would be stockpiled and prices would drop like a rock! Happy fishing everybody!!!!!

[rbuck351]

I learned to reload 12ga at 14years old when my dad bought me a Lee whack-a-mole loader and enough components to load 3 or 4 boxes of shells along with a Speer loading manual. Dad didn't know anything about loading so it was me and the Speer manual and I still have all my parts 50 years later. I don't go to the gun shows expecting to buy guns, powder,primers or bullets during times of shortage but I usually find some of the little things that I'm always looking for. At the last show I found a magazine for my 1919Savage NRA target 22 for $15. If you can find them they are usually about $40/$45. I got a # of old H4227 for $10 and best of all I talked my oldest son to going with me and just had a good time. If you are a new loader trying to get stuff to get started hand in there as this won't last forever, just buy plenty when it becomes available again. If you have been through this circus a couple of times already and didn't get what you needed last year, there's probably no help for you.

[Gliden07]

I won't go to them anymore. I walk through get ticked off leave swearing under my breath saying that I won't go to them anymore!! Plus the one I went to last time at the Big E Fairground cost 5 bucks to park and 12 bucks to get in. Not to mention in Mass there getting to be more support gear than guns or reloading equipment! Prior to CT I bought 1K of CCI Primers for 29 bucks last time 42!!

[Dave Bulla]

There's one going on not too far from me this weekend but I won't be going. I've got a coworker who just recently kinda fell into a deal on a bunch of reloading gear and has no real interest in it. I'm talking enough to fill a 15ft trailer. Presses, components, primers (about a ford ranger pickup truck load according to him), lead shot, hulls, wads, dies, manuals etc. I've been totally honest with him and tell him he's probably got several thousand dollars worth of stuff there but he just shrugs and says he's not that into it. He's got enough money to be that way but I don't... I'm going over to look at it tomorrow and hunt some bunnies and squirrels with my son at his place. Can't wait to see it all. Sounds like some of it is real vintage stuff which I like.

[Mike Kerr]

+1 on what JMorris said. Silly, for me anyway, to look for a good deal- it's a waste of time right now.

regards,

:):):)

[s1120]

I won't go to them anymore. I walk through get ticked off leave swearing under my breath saying that I won't go to them anymore!! Plus the one I went to last time at the Big E Fairground cost 5 bucks to park and 12 bucks to get in. Not to mention in Mass there getting to be more support gear than guns or reloading equipment! Prior to CT I bought 1K of CCI Primers for 29 bucks last time 42!!

Ive seen that show listed before, and thought of going. Problem is I live over the boarder in NY.. Add Mass, and NY laws together and Id probably get cuffed just walking in the door of the place!!!

[cephas53]

Thanks, was trying to decide if I wanted to ride an hour today to check one out. Seems I've got a quick forgetter and now remember last time I was there I said I'd never go back, much less face the current hysteria present. Will be a good day to take the wife out to the back field and throw some clay pigeons instead.

[Gliden07]

Ive seen that show listed before, and thought of going. Problem is I live over the boarder in NY.. Add Mass, and NY laws together and Id probably get cuffed just walking in the door of the place!!!

The Storm-troopers are on there way to your house just for thinking about going to it!! LOL!!

[imsoooted]

+1 on what another poster mentioned about new gun owners. i do RSO duties at my club and some of the new gun owners are downright scary....no gun sense at all. last week there were several issues that resulted in cease fires. all issues were dealt with, no injuries(except to pride) to report
soooted

[mdi]

IMO, a lot (most) of the newer reloaders are getting into reloading for the wrong reason, they just want something to go bang. So, doing the research/study needed is often too much trouble 'cause they just wanna shoot! You see it in a lot of reloading forums; questions that are so basic the poster couldn't have even read a Lee Loader instruction sheet. These are the ones I worry about (giving reloading a bad name)...

[Love Life]

New Reloader: "I swear I have reloaded 10,000,000,000 pistol rds before with the same dies, same boolits, and same cases but now my boolit is getting shaved during seating!! What magically happened overnight!!?"

Experienced reloader: "Did you adjust your expander to bell the case mouth a bit?"

New reloader: "Don't ever question me!! I have reloaded 10,000,000,000 rds!!! By the way what does bell mean?"


That is how it usually goes. Spot them a mile away.

[Gliden07]

There are a lot of new reloaders! I'm pretty new to it too, but I did a ton of research prior to loading one round. My primary reasons to get into reloading were. 1) I like to save money and need to! 2) I like knowing how things work (make a lot of my own things)! I think many new reloaders are in it for the same reasons I got into it for, quality ammo for less! Unfourtunatly many Newbies want instant gratification, pull a lever and produce a round! I went thru the process in my head many times before I ever pulled a handle. I as a relatively new reloader still have many questions that I ask on here. It doesn't mean I didn't do any research it means I'm looking for conformation of my research. Since there are some people on here that have forgotten more than I will ever know about reloading I would tend to believe them vs only my research! Look at the differences between Reloading Handbooks or just misprints! I pray that newbie Reloaders at least read a book or two before they try to pull a lever! But unfourtunataly we all know that isn't gonna happen, if 4 grains is good 8's gotta be better!!

[Olevern]

With all the new reloaders out there, it's possible you might know one. I talked with a man I know after church today who is getting into reloading for a new Glock he just bought (in 40 S&W) and a 9 mm he already had. Reason: No ammo avail. out there.

He mentioned he could not find 9 mm dies anywhere and I offered to loan him a set to get started with. I also put together a box of several hundred each empty brass in 40 and 9mm.

I directed him to an internet cast bullet provider for bullets as he also cannot find jacketed at present.

I will, when I deliver the dies and cases make sure he has an appropriate reloading manual and ask him if he would like some help getting started with these two new calibers (he has reloaded before, but not for semi autos).

If you know somebody who is ready to take the next step toward reloading, offer up some help.

Depending on their prior experience and/or research an experienced mentor can keep them safe and make the difference between a passing fancy and another dedicated reloader who will stand besides us in preventing encroachment of our rights to do what we do.

We've got some work to do out there, men!

Oh, and direct them here to join together with like minded men.

[Matt_G]

^^
Olevern, you are a good man.

[uscra112]

I have almost quit going to fun shows because in the last 4-5 years all the nice old antiques have migrated to Gunbroker (at silly prices), leaving behind piles of old junk, modern gun dealers with racks of plastic guns, jerky and sausage sellers, and retailers of Chinese-made ninja accessories. I do still pass by two small shows that are held at venues within 20 miles of me, where I can justify the gas by doing grocery shopping in the same trip, but the days of driving 2-3 hours to walk a big show are history. Now with the component famine, even more so. I suppose I'll be regaling the grandkids with stories of finding complete Sharps Borchardts for $500 in another few years. Or the days when a whole box of .22s cost less than the price of a large fries at McDonalds. And they will smile politely and suggest (out of earshot) that I'm ready for the old folks' home. . . . .