We are fortunate

[JoeJames]

Just thinking about how fortunate we bullet casters are. Last week I did some plinking with my TC Contender 357/38 Special with a red dot mounted on it. I had been shooting wad cutters, but decided to run a few swc’s though it. I checked and found I was kind of low on them. So on Friday I cast a goodly amount of Lee 358 158 grain TL’s, and on Saturday I loaded up some with 3.8 grains of Bullseye - all just as a matter of course. Upon reflection I realized I took the casting and reloading of rounds for granted, but if I did not cast or reload I would probably not have been able to find 38 Specials, especially 38 Special SWC’s. The last time I actually looked for factory made 38 Specials was probably 6 years ago, and at that time all the local gun shops had were full patch rounds. Now I just cast a few bullets and load some more. We were lucky to have had so much foresight.

[Bmi48219]

Sometimes it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are. Like most here, I keep track of ammo prices and availability. Am seeing more of the common stuff on shelves now but I can’t imagine shelling out fifty or sixty cents a round for 38 special HBWCs that I’m still loading for 15 cents each. Let alone being able to find them on a shelf somewhere.

[FredBuddy]

Indeed.

[JoeJames]

Really the icing on the cake is that I already know how accurate my own home cast bullets are. When you buy commercial cast you are kind of at the mercy of the manufacturer as far as diameter, and hardness go, and of course save a chunk of money casting your own.

[Land Owner]

We are all part of the (iirc RCBS) estimated 2-million reloaders in the US. How many casters there are I have not seen estimated. If only 25% cast, that would be a lot.

Consider if you will 2-million small arms manufacturing facilities...let that sink in.

[405grain]

The state where I live in requires background checks (which you have to pay for) to purchase ammo. Also, you're only allowed to purchase ammo for firearms that you have registered. You're not allowed to bring more than one 50 round box of ammo into the state, so you can't just buy it somewhere else. Every time I go into a sporting goods store I see where people are waiting in line, sometimes for an hour, just to purchase ammunition. Except for 22lr, I haven't purchased a single round of factory ammunition since 1982. Being able to make our own ammunition, plus also being able to cast our own bullets, gives us freedom from those that seek to restrict our rights. Reloading and shooting * ammo that we made our self is also rewarding. (* I was going to say "shooting & hunting", but they imposed a "lead bullet ban" and took hunting away from us.) I'm still thankful that we can "roll our own".

[oley55]

The state where I live in requires background checks (which you have to pay for) to purchase ammo. Also, you're only allowed to purchase ammo for firearms that you have registered. You're not allowed to bring more than one 50 round box of ammo into the state, so you can't just buy it somewhere else. Every time I go into a sporting goods store I see where people are waiting in line, sometimes for an hour, just to purchase ammunition. Except for 22lr, I haven't purchased a single round of factory ammunition since 1982. Being able to make our own ammunition, plus also being able to cast our own bullets, gives us freedom from those that seek to restrict our rights. Reloading and shooting * ammo that we made our self is also rewarding. (* I was going to say "shooting & hunting", but they imposed a "lead bullet ban" and took hunting away from us.) I'm still thankful that we can "roll our own".

that my friend is some pretty depressing stuff right there.

[Texas by God]

I like to look and see what's on the shelf for sale. Weirdly, if you want .243 or 30-30 ammo -sorry..... but there's 8 different kinds of 6.5 Creedmoor!
I have two boxes of 70s vintage Remington 30-30 ammunition- perhaps I'll move it to the safe!
We are fortunate in untold ways.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[shootinfox2]

You can always buy a foundry on Amazon and cast bronze solids for hunting. Brass/ copper/ aluminium alloys.

[pworley1]

All my friends that shoot but don't load are starting to ask about learning to load.

[brewer12345]

Yeah, a buddy and I were fooling around with revolvers that require cowboy action spec 45 Colt ammo. Thank God I cast and we reload, because if you can find it commercially the prices are stupid. Its just a cast 45 bullet, a little powder, and a primer, but boy do they charge for this "specialty" loading. Even better was pulling the revolver out a couple days ago and putting a bullet cleanly through the head of a wounded jackrabbit at 20 feet with a one-handed grip on a big revolver because we found a really accurate load.

[dverna]

Seems weird how people who plan and think are so much more fortunate than those who do not.

[dannyd]

When I started I liked reloading and casting because I don't mind doing repetitive things. Also got into leather working because of the other two hobbies.

[GregLaROCHE]

You’re right, casting our own does give us a big range of options. Also, you don’t have to worry about the boolits you want being out of stock for who knows how long.

[slim1836]

And a big thanks to those who share their information on this great site, the moderators deserve a huge attaboy also.

Slim

[deces]

All my friends that shoot but don't load are starting to ask about learning to load.

Things are bad, people are reloading primers. You know what, I don't blame them either, some day it will be me.

[DAVIDMAGNUM]

A person can create their own "fortune" by being self reliant. While casting and reloading are not prepper, living off of the grid stuff, it is self reliance. I have been asked by non-reloaders "where do you get your ammo?". I usually shoot 4 or 5 Lever Action Silhouette matches each month from March to October. My answer is easy, "my basement".

[JoeJames]

I like to look and see what's on the shelf for sale. Weirdly, if you want .243 or 30-30 ammo -sorry..... but there's 8 different kinds of 6.5 Creedmoor!
I have two boxes of 70s vintage Remington 30-30 ammunition- perhaps I'll move it to the safe!
We are fortunate in untold ways.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

As I said, I realized I just took it for granted without thinking much last week that I needed some more 38 Special SWC's - so I automatically cast a bunch and then did some reloading. I reckon I am just used to operating that way. But a buddy asked me to pick him up a couple of boxes of 30-30 ammo at the last gun show. I don't reload for 30-30; so I got him a box of Win 170 grain and lord a'mercy it was $40 for one lettle 20 round box. I told him I got him a box, but "sorry about that but I was not fixing to pay $80 for two boxes of 30-30". I suppose that was why it dawned on me how fortunate we are.

[lar45]

There are a couple of young men at deer Camp that are starting to feel the ammunition cramp. They just graduated and need to buy their own ammo now. One of the brothers shoots a 300RUM, the other a 6.5 Creedmoor. The 300RUM is $100 a box.
I told them to gather up their brass and I'll teach them to reload.

[JoeJames]

There are a couple of young men at deer Camp that are starting to feel the ammunition cramp. They just graduated and need to buy their own ammo now. One of the brothers shoots a 300RUM, the other a 6.5 Creedmoor. The 300RUM is $100 a box.
I told them to gather up their brass and I'll teach them to reload.

I've been reloading for my .308 for about 40 years, and have bought and stored back components for it during that time, including j-word bullets; so as a wild guess it probably costs me $1.00 maybe a box. I looked up the 300RUM because I'd not come across it. Wow, y'all must be hunting some cleared power line right-of-ways or such. Maximum range where I have hunted is 125 yards max - so my old .308 fills the bill.