Looking to get back at it

edin508

edin508

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It's been some years since ol blue has been mounted to the bench. I'm looking to do some 9mm, 45cal and .223's. In the past for my 9's and 45's I used uncoated lead, now I'm thinking to go fmj and need to start stocking up on components. Who are the go to places for bullets etc. these days? I'm going to need the 3 mentioned above. And wow have component costs gone up!!
Obviously don't post up in this thread! But some PM's would be very much appreciated.

It's been this long since I've bought stuff.
IMG_2589.jpeg
 
edin508 said:
It's been some years since ol blue has been mounted to the bench. I'm looking to do some 9mm, 45cal and .223's. In the past for my 9's and 45's I used uncoated lead, now I'm thinking to go fmj and need to start stocking up on components. Who are the go to places for bullets etc. these days? I'm going to need the 3 mentioned above. And wow have component costs gone up!!
Obviously don't post up in this thread! But some PM's would be very much appreciated.

It's been this long since I've bought stuff.
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Im still using primers that cost $13.50/1000 shipped ugh .
I was given some random reloading stuff bey a friends dad. One of the shotgun primer boxes had a tag from colmans which was in braintree I believe, $6
Im glad I stocked up back in 2017 or I would be screwed.
Also stocked up on 22lr so I can shoot something
 
edin508 said:
It's been some years since ol blue has been mounted to the bench. I'm looking to do some 9mm, 45cal and .223's. In the past for my 9's and 45's I used uncoated lead, now I'm thinking to go fmj and need to start stocking up on components. Who are the go to places for bullets etc. these days? I'm going to need the 3 mentioned above. And wow have component costs gone up!!
Obviously don't post up in this thread! But some PM's would be very much appreciated.

It's been this long since I've bought stuff.
View attachment 930729
Click to expand...
Better off with coated bullets for the 9/45

They offer almost the same performance at a better cost.
Most of the big casting outfits offer the coated bullets now a days
 
The other advantage of coated bullets is less lead exposure. On a FMJ the copper is wrapped from the front leaving an exposed lead base.

Coated bullets cover the lead base.

It's too bad you hadn't asked last week. Midway had 5000 Winchester p[rimers for $278 or $56/thousand. That is a deal by today's standards.

I am still reloading with primers I paid $20/thousand. But it's still worth doing.

If you are going to be cheap about it, then you will pay more. If you have $1500 to $2500 to get components in bulk then you can save money.

I have always purchased powder in multiple 8 pound jugs and bullets in 2500 quantities. When times are good, prices go down. When times are tough, prices go up.

If trump wins, then prices will crater. At that point you should stock up. But you should probably buy some stuff now, in case he loses.

In the 2010-2012, there was no anti-gun pressure at the state or federal level. Top shot was on network TV as was that other TV show about a family gun gun shop. Times were good. I stocked up on primers, powder and bullets. Then Sandy Hook happened in Dec 2012. During the panic that ensued the market price for CCI mini mags was more than it cost me to reload 9mm. Us reloaders (real reloaders are also hoarders) just kept on making ammo and shooting like nothing was happening.

In 2016, when Trump won, things settled down quickly. It was time to buy again. Time to replenish stocks. Smart reloaders had 4 years to stock up. So even those without a lot of extra cash had plenty of time before the Covid panic in 2020 sent everything spiraling up again.

One other things. If you are like me and like both evil black rifles as well as pretty wood stocked guns, the time to buy the pretty stuff is when everyone is panicking. During the Covid panic, all the money was going into black rifles. It was a great time to buy a fine shotgun.

Conversely, low stress times are when you buy the evil black stuff, not when everyone is worried because of politics or pandemics.
 
So it looks like I am going to get some plated vs fmj, thanks for the suggestions and places to look. Time to save some links and do some comparison shopping.
 
55gn 223 blem - light tarnish $0.075/each

147gn 308 blem - had to look for the tiny little dent that's almost impossible to photograph $0.145/each
 

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gerrycaruso said:
Brass in those calibers is generally all over the ground at the gun club. If you look around, you'll find companies who ship to Ma. Online is better than going to the store and filling out that stupid paperwork.
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I've got plenty of brass, lots of which has already been through the tumbler and cleaned up.
 
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