Crazy times. Ammunition thread.

[chim]

Creature Meadow, I have a little over/under 410 shotgun I use for tree rats and rabbit control now that some neighbors are closing in on me. To get away from the high price of factory ammo for it I found that you can quite easily turn .444 Marlin brass into .410 shot shell. I hand load them with some simple home made tools and they work great! With the shell being brass it should last just about forever. The only modification necessary for my shotgun was the Marlin rims were a little thicker than the .410 shotshell and trimming the lettering off the ends seemed to be enough to allow the break action to close on the brass shells. I doubt they'd work well in a pump action. But for dropping them in by hand they work just fine.
You can google for load data and supplies, information, etc. I have about $4 per box into the reloads. My supplies were bought a year ago, though.
View attachment 54057 View attachment 54058

My needs (OK, wants) are a little different. I bought a few boxes of .410 brass hulls a while back just for fun. Thought about using them in the single barrel or Judge. Then there was this mental image of dropping a pair into a double barrel and having a nostalgic sorta walk this coming small game season.

Problem is I don't HAVE a double barrel .410 shotgun, and for some reason they are scarce around here.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Things may be a bit different, but the shortages will ease. Although, I think there are more hurtles this time. Eventually supply will catch up with demand. Like SidecarFlip, I have enough shooting supplies to last the rest of my days. Anything I might want to buy now would be more an annoyance than a need.

But, the secret to all of this is to keep your cool. Don't panic buy. Let everyone else pay the inflated prices. When they all run out of money, supplies will return. prices will go down and then you can stock up.

Remember the days of walking into a Cabela's and coming out with a shopping cart of ammo? Probably could buy a truck with that amount of ammo now.

 

[bird dogger]

My needs (OK, wants) are a little different. I bought a few boxes of .410 brass hulls a while back just for fun. Thought about using them in the single barrel or Judge. Then there was this mental image of dropping a pair into a double barrel and having a nostalgic sorta walk this coming small game season.

Problem is I don't HAVE a double barrel .410 shotgun, and for some reason they are scarce around here.

Your Magtech brass would be the ideal brass for reloading .410 shot shells. There was none to be had anywhere when I was looking so I settled for the .444 marlin brass and turned the rims down on the lathe. The marlin brass is just a little shorter than your magtech but for light loads and short range shooting they work fine for me. I believe there's an outfit that also turns out longer 3" brass shells on a lathe but they are also quite spendy with a long lead time on production.

You're idea of a double barrel .410 would be pretty cool. Like a stage coach shotgun? Don't give up on that idea and post pics of it when it's in your hands!!

 

[WFM]

I was into Cabelas after work yesterday to pick up a shotgun I had ordered online then shipped to the nearest store.
The ammo inventory was 3 boxes of steel shot 12 ga and 20 ga. , 6 boxes of 6mm creedmore and thee boxes of Nosler for $80. a box.
Its really sad in the country we live in we can buy ammo any longer. Plenty

of dope stores have opened here in Maine since being legalized and no shortage of dope in thoses stores im sure.

 

[Nicfin36]

That's nuts. We don't have a Cabela's here, but have one in the next town over. However, I have wanted to stop somewhere in town like Academy Sports just to see the ammo shelves. I don't know why, just stupid curiosity.

My coworker, who is a fanatical deer hunter, was complaining yesterday about not being able to find ammo. He said his brother found some, which will get him through the year. I told him a year or two back to buy the components, save his brass and I could reload them. He wouldn't do it. He does not think brass is worth keeping and leaves it on the ground or throws it in the bushes he said. I let him borrow a 300 Blackout Rifle to let his daughter use it because she (or him) wanted to shoot a deer and she was scared of larger rifles. I gave him a couple of boxes and said let her shoot some to be comfortable with the rifle. I said to just save my brass and put it in the box. The rifle was a break open single shot, so that shouldn't be an issue. Well, when he returned the rifle, he gave me back my two boxes. One box was not used and the other box was empty.....no brass in it. I asked him where the brass was, and he said, "Oh, I keep forgetting not to throw brass away."

So, I made no more offers to reload for him. He will just have to source his ammo somewhere else.

 

[Lil Foot]

My coworker, who is a fanatical deer hunter, was complaining yesterday about not being able to find ammo. He said his brother found some, which will get him through the year. I told him a year or two back to buy the components, save his brass and I could reload them. He wouldn't do it. He does not think brass is worth keeping and leaves it on the ground or throws it in the bushes he said. I let him borrow a 300 Blackout Rifle to let his daughter use it because she (or him) wanted to shoot a deer and she was scared of larger rifles. I gave him a couple of boxes and said let her shoot some to be comfortable with the rifle. I said to just save my brass and put it in the box. The rifle was a break open single shot, so that shouldn't be an issue. Well, when he returned the rifle, he gave me back my two boxes. One box was not used and the other box was empty.....no brass in it. I asked him where the brass was, and he said, "Oh, I keep forgetting not to throw brass away."

People like that really make me angry. If he didn't know any better, it would be one thing. But you do him a very nice favor, (at your cost) and the only thing you ask is for him to save the brass, and he throws it away.
He goes on my A$$h@le list.
(that list is getting pretty long these days)

 

[Poohbear]

On the posts about sharing ammo, I gave that thought long ago. I figure if the " fit hits the Shan " and we suddenly live in a world that defense of food/shelter is #1, we can't be loners but join with good neighbors & family etc . There will only be good folks & bad folks in such times.
I will share then with others . Recently I have shared with some family & a close friend that we consider family. I had to go swimming to find some but didn't have to stay in the cold water long. My Daughter needed 380 & 12ga & the friend had no 556/223 so fixed her up too
Before I was swamped while out canoeing & lost everything I allways policed the range I shoot at for brass. I had so much 9mm & 223 brass it wasn't funny. I too would offer to reload brass for cost but some folks just didn't " get it " . Pistol was so easy with my Dillon progressive I could run several hundred an hour. A buddy that shoots competively has a Dillon way fancier and he can run one thousand an hr of 9 or 45. He has the bullet & I think case feed. I use a RCBS single For rifle except 223 which runs on the Dillon.

 

[armylifer]

I have been reloading for more than 40 years with a Lyman Orange Crusher single stage press. I quit reloading last year and gave all my stuff away to my son. His kids are learning to reload using the same equipment that I used.

One thing I did not see in this thread is people casting their own bullets. I used to have a job where I had to do a lot of soldering. The BOM would always include a 25 pound reel of soldier. I never used more than a couple of pounds of it per job and took the rest home. I have cast 50 cal, 45 cal, 357 cal. 451 round ball, and mini balls for many years. 60/40 soldier is good for making sub-sonic loads. Minimal lead fowling and little to moderate deformation. I never needed to add a gas check to the bullets either. Now my grandchildren are learning to reload the way that I did. No fancy new automatic machines or progressive presses for them.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Been basically following along but I would never use a semi auto press. Too much a chance for in accurate propellant charge.

Not about loading speed at all. I'm about accuracy. consistent velocity and constant POI.

No point in having a high speed reloading machine anyway as there is little to reload anyway and I suspect it will get a lot worse.

 

[dirtydeed]

Been basically following along but I would never use a semi auto press. Too much a chance for in accurate propellant charge.

Not about loading speed at all. I'm about accuracy. consistent velocity and constant POI.

No point in having a high speed reloading machine anyway as there is little to reload anyway and I suspect it will get a lot worse.

To each their own Flip. I think it really depends on the shooter and what their intentions are. I have a progressive press and can assure you that it loads VERY consistently. Powder throw never varies beyond 1/10th grain. If you shoot as much pistol as I do, you'd appreciate what a progressive press can do.

For large rifle bench rest matches, I'd agree with your assessment.

as poohbear mentions below, you can simply install one die in the progressive press if you like to take your time.

 

[Poohbear]

Been basically following along but I would never use a semi auto press. Too much a chance for in accurate propellant charge.

Not about loading speed at all. I'm about accuracy. consistent velocity and constant POI.

No point in having a high speed reloading machine anyway as there is little to reload anyway and I suspect it will get a lot worse.

Your welcome to open & weigh charge on any round that has been loaded on my Dillon. I have found that only those that don't have a progressive press are the only ones that don't like them.
I started reloading .300 Savage in hi school days with a Lee Loader, one round at a time using a hammer & thier powder spoons. Was a really cheap way to make ammo, just took forever. I still have the Savage out in the lake somewhere but that old Lee Loader got away back in the 70's

 

[chim]

Still have the RCBS Rock Chucker I started with around 1975. Added a Dillon 550 and a Square Deal B (in .45ACP). Also picked up a MEC in 12GA probably 25 or 30 years ago.

Oldest boy and I were rabid dove hunters when he was in his teens till he went to college. Youngest son has some interest in hunting and the middle son is mostly into bullseye competition and plinking.

Somewhat related - anyone familiar with Final Flight Outfitters in TN?

 

[Magicman]

I am still cranking along with an RCBS Jr. but unless the supply line gets refilled at some point I/we will run out of components.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I am still cranking along with an RCBS Jr. but unless the supply line gets refilled at some point I/we will run out of components.

That, my friend, is a very real possibility.

 

[skeets]

20ga stuff is getting hard to find as well AA if you can find them, shotcups getting harder and harder. You use to be able to get a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights at any tire shop for a couple bucks, good luck with that now

 

[Lil Foot]

Was passing a big 5 sporting goods today, and stopped in on a whim.
They had (1) box 20ga, (1) box 28ga, (1) 5 round box 20ga turkey, and (1) box of 300 win mag.
Most ammo I've seen in a store in a long time.

 

[Poohbear]

Call/write your Congressman/Senator about S. Jackson lees bill for national registration of all firearms,ammo, a national license etc. H.R.127 and Pelosi let it proceed to committee. It even calls for psych profile

 

[WFM]

I see Ruger has a new pistol a Ruger 57 its called. I think its 5.7 x 28mm rounds.
I've looked around some and see one in a store in New Hampshire. BUT I have yet to find any ammo for it at all. I thought of buying the ammo before getting the pistol. Crazy I know. But is it crazy to buy a pistol when the chance of getting ammo is very very slim.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I see Ruger has a new pistol a Ruger 57 its called. I think its 5.7 x 28mm rounds.
I've looked around some and see one in a store in New Hampshire. BUT I have yet to find any ammo for it at all. I thought of buying the ammo before getting the pistol. Crazy I know. But is it crazy to buy a pistol when the chance of getting ammo is very very slim.

I haven't bough a factory loaded round in 20 years except for rimfire 22LR, 17 HMR's and Mach 2's. I make all my own stuff including wildcats.

 

[Nicfin36]

I see Ruger has a new pistol a Ruger 57 its called. I think its 5.7 x 28mm rounds.
I've looked around some and see one in a store in New Hampshire. BUT I have yet to find any ammo for it at all. I thought of buying the ammo before getting the pistol. Crazy I know. But is it crazy to buy a pistol when the chance of getting ammo is very very slim.

I think 5.7X28 was a bit expensive before the ammo crisis. I don't own anything in that cartridge, but I have looked at them a while back out of curiosity. The price of ammo was a big turnoff for me.