General Gun Discussion

[lazs2]

The price of components has gone way up along with ammo.. the real killer is brass and jacketed slugs.

I shoot a lot of cast lead slugs and haven't cast any for many years because.. well.. I could buy em already cast by the thousand for about $80 a thousand including the shipping.. now..  it is like $150 for a thousand 250 or 300 grain cast slugs including delivery and even more for some specialty slugs.. some cast cost as much as jacketed even.

It takes all day to cast and size 1,500 or so slugs sooo..  Not really worth the time but..  I am gonna retire soon and I did find a source of free lead soooo..

I bought a good furnace and sizer and molds and stuff again..  I can get some styles I can't buy and.. I am just that much more independent.   

Primers and powder have a haz fee these days.. gotta buy primers by the 5,000 or so to make sense.. powder?  at least 8 lbs at a time.

A box of 44 mags (50) cost about $25-$35 these days.. my cost, using my own cast slugs is about $3.50 and about $8 using cast slugs I buy.

lazs

[Hajo]

Lazs.....attended one of Ohios largest Gun Shows in the Cleveland area today.

Ammo at the gunshow was about the same price with little exception.  I also found that firearms, handguns at least are up at least 100 dollars on average new and used as opposed to last year.

Lazs...also I looked at Henry Lever actions in my locality (Gander Mountain, Dicks Sporting Goods) and found them at the show 90$ cheaper
then at the local Dealers.  (.357mag, .44Mag, and .45 Colt Long).  I also looked at the loading components and the Gents that I was with who load told me they had gone up just a little.

[lazs2]

components are not up that much except for brass and slugs.   It is about 50-75% more now for any slugs out there.   Lead has really gotten expensive and the shipping is more now.

Powder is about $125 for 8 lbs.. up slightly.. Primers about the same for 5,000 that is about 20% higher but shipping is up and the haz fee is $25

I also wanted to find a slug that shot well in my Henry and in my revolvers.    Most of the slugs are too long to feed in the Henry.

lazs

[Carrel]

components are not up that much except for brass and slugs.   It is about 50-75% more now for any slugs out there.   Lead has really gotten expensive and the shipping is more now.

Powder is about $125 for 8 lbs.. up slightly.. Primers about the same for 5,000 that is about 20% higher but shipping is up and the haz fee is $25

I also wanted to find a slug that shot well in my Henry and in my revolvers.    Most of the slugs are too long to feed in the Henry.

lazs

Henry?? Whad'd you get Lazs?

[BBBB]

Speaking of reloading...An interesting comment was once made on these boards by a certain someone. They claimed; "there are no such thing as factory reloads". At the time I about fell out of my chair laughing, mostly due to this persons self appointed firearms expert status.

 I just picked up a few rounds ammo from a local re-manufacturer of ammo (read factory re-loader), and I noticed something on the ammo cans. They read "Factory Loaded" under the ammo case. Even though the ammo is reloaded. So that would make them "factory reloads". For reference, the new ammo is labeled as such. I Just wanted to clear up that matter now, that this whole thread has been pinned. However, those famous words will stay in my sig line.

[lazs2]

A lot of ammo is "reloaded" in surplus form for some technical reason.. the components are taken apart and then loaded with new powder or whatever but the brass is "new" even tho it may be 50 years old.

I know there are several remanufacturers of ammo but the price is about the same as new ammo.  I would rather buy new and get new brass but if I could find it cheap enough I would buy it.

carrel.. I got a Henry "big boy" in 44 mag.. 

http://www.henryrepeating.com/h006_bigboy.cfm

lazs

[wrag]

Well IMHO this deserves it's own thread but it would probably get put here anyways...

http://mensnewsdaily.com/2008/07/18/the-brady-campaign-to-define-%e2%80%98sensible-gun-laws%e2%80%99/

sensible gun laws..... GEEEEZZZZZ

[lazs2]

you will never get liberal democrat socialists to define "sensible" gun laws..  they will talk on them for hours but never say a thing.

It would be like me wanting to get elected saying "I am for a womans right to choose but with some sensible restrictions"  I would not tell you no matter what... that my "sensible" restriction was no woman under the age of 65 could get one.

lazs

[Trucker]

The only "sensible" gun law a liberal gun-grabber will accept is a total ban on guns, components and ammunition.  With draconian penalties for non-compliance, there would be tens of thousands of honest people in prison and few guns on the street, so that the criminal class would have little trouble preying on the now-defenseless citizenry.

[Lizard3]

Got my first Kimber yesterday. Stainless Ultra Carry II. I like the little jewel lots. Its my new carry all the time pistol.

Picked up a 6.8spc upper a couple of weeks ago. Mags were extremely high and hard to find. For ammo I had to order out and didn't have my pick. A lot of it was out of stock. NO ONE at the frickin gun show had ANY 6.8, and I hit evety table.

I'm thinking some units have been out fitted with the 6.8 and the army sucked up all the mags and ammo they could get there hands on. Maybe?

[lazs2]

I like my Kimber eclipse...   I think all ammo is being affected by the war.. brass and lead and copper are all being affected.   I would reload for something like the 6.8

I have about 12,000 cases for 45

lazs

[Rich46yo]

I like my Kimber eclipse...   I think all ammo is being affected by the war.. brass and lead and copper are all being affected.   I would reload for something like the 6.8

I have about 12,000 cases for 45

lazs

I am so drenched in reloading gear I cant remember the last time I had to buy brass, bullets, or powder. Usually during the late winter I get going reloading and I probably have more stuff loaded then I will ever shoot. Im sure the war has something to do with it, but like everything else, it never seems to get cheaper. Thats why I buy reloading componants in bulk. I usually whittle down a gun to a few favorite loads and leave it at that.

[lazs2]

I do the same...  I usually have one good medium power heavy cast lead load and one heavy cast load and one factory power jacketed load for my revolvers and then maybe one or two loads for the rifles.

I don't keep a lot of powder on hand but do buy it in 8 lb lots.  I try to find one powder like say 4895 that will work with my ought six M1 and my mini 14 223 and my 8 mm mausers.   A couple of powders for my handguns.. one medium burn rate like AA#5 and one slow one like 296..  maybe some 2400 and blue dot too.

I like cci primers for the rifles cause they are hard.  I like Federal for everything else.  Federal are more reliable in my revolvers.

Just when I find a load that shoots good in every 44 I have tho...  I buy a Henry and it won't take the longer 250 grain keith bullets so I have to start over finding one that will work in it and the revolvers.   Oh well..

lazs

[Rich46yo]

Im a .45 caliber guy myself. .45 colt, .45 ACP, .454 Casull, .450 Marlin. It simplifies things and in all my years of shooting, carrying, and hunting, Ive become fond of bullets and calibers that make big entry/exit holes in critters.

Ive always been quite fond of the .44 mag too. Two of the most impressive put downs Ive seen involved the .44 mag "bar shoot" and the .357 mag 125 grn JHP, "OD shoot during robbery". We used to have a lot of guys who carried .44 mags.

While its true the most important thing is where you put the bullet, both self defense and hunting, and its true there are things outside your control. But its also true there is one thing "in" your control and thats the round and caliber you are using. Thing about .44s and .45s is that even chicken brained gangstas know exactly what they are when you pull them out. And well they should cause they will put the lights out in a BG real quick.

I like CCIs for my rifles and use a few different ones for handgun loads. I absolutely love the 300 grn Speer JSP for hunting loads in .44s,.45s, and .454s.

[BBBB]

 The only bulk loads I really keep on hand are 9mm and 5.56. I keep mostly good quality stuff, Lake City 5.56 stuff mostly. As for 9mm I got lucky. I got a ton of defensive loads for free. I have cases and cases of Fed 147gr Hydra-Shok's. I also have cases and cases of Winchester 147gr Ranger Talons. I bought this stuff years ago when a few dept in the area switched from 9mm to .40. Thank you transitions!