NR: Can I make my own ammo?

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87seph

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I know that as a non-resident, I wouldn't be able to buy ammo, but if I have the tools can I make my own ammo?

Will most ranges let me shoot my own?

Would it be worth it?

Assuming .45 ammunition.

As always, thank you for your help,
-Mike
 
IANAL: You cannot buy any ammo component as a non-resident in MA. You cannot even possess the components in MA without a NR-LTC. That said I believe if you have a NR-LTC and you bring the parts to MA you can assemble them.
 
So essentially I'd have to have a rather large amount of gunpowder stored somewhere in my house in order to effectively and regularly make my own ammo. Heh, while I'm okay with small amounts, enough to last me a year seems like a bad idea.

I think I'll buy a few boxes of hollow point, use those for daily carry, and then just purchase field ammo at whatever range I'm using.

Thanks for your help,
-Mike
 
87seph said:
I know that as a non-resident, I wouldn't be able to buy ammo, but if I have the tools can I make my own ammo?
Click to expand...
Yes. Of course, you have to have the components (bullet, cartridge case, primer, and powder) and a MA FFL is not going to sell you the components if you don't have an FID or LTC.

Will most ranges let me shoot my own?
Click to expand...
Any gun club will.

Would it be worth it?
Click to expand...

Yes

Assuming .45 ammunition.
Click to expand...
Yes
 
87seph said:
I think I'll buy a few boxes of hollow point, use those for daily carry, and then just purchase field ammo at whatever range I'm using.
Click to expand...

Don't go to a commercial range and buy their ammo, unless you really enjoy spending silly money. Gun clubs are far, far cheaper.
 
Mike, are you a non-resident living in MA? Do you have a LTC? If not possession of components or live ammo is not legal.

FYI: IANAL.
 
87seph said:
I know that as a non-resident, I wouldn't be able to buy ammo, but if I have the tools can I make my own ammo?

Will most ranges let me shoot my own?

Would it be worth it?

Assuming .45 ammunition.

As always, thank you for your help,
-Mike
Click to expand...
Unless you really want to reload, don't you have a friend in-state that will buy ammo for you?
 
If you have an NR LTC, the law doesn't prevent you from owning ammo, but there is some hidden dumbness in it that prevents an MA dealer from selling it to you. Drive into NH and buy it, or reload. As long as you have an LTC, actual possession is fine.

-Mike
 
doobie said:
Mike, are you a non-resident living in MA? Do you have a LTC? If not possession of components or live ammo is not legal.

FYI: IANAL.
Click to expand...

I have none of the above. No gun, no ammo, and no MA LTC. As soon as I have the money, I'm gonna take the Basic Class, and then I'll get my NR Class A, then when I head back to the Black Hills of South Dakota I'll buy my gun (entry level 1911) and then ammo.

I have my SD CCW (LTC) but I know there's no reciprocity here.

How much can I save re-loading?

-Mike
 
87seph said:
How much can I save re-loading?
Click to expand...

Not a bloody cent. Not after you invest in quality equipment, stockpile components and factor your time in.

So why do it? Well, some of us actually ENJOY it; we can load ammo you simply cannot buy from major manufacturers who must cater to the LCD (Lowest Common Denominator); and those loads can be tailored to our gun to meet our needs.

This will all be subsidized by the significantly reduced cost per round. HOW much you save depends upon what calibers you shoot and what you load.

And all that ammo means you get to shoot more, which means you (should) get better!
 
Scrivener said:

Not a bloody cent. Not after you invest in quality equipment, stockpile components and factor your time in.

So why do it? Well, some of us actually ENJOY it; we can load ammo you simply cannot buy from major manufacturers who must cater to the LCD (Lowest Common Denominator); and those loads can be tailored to our gun to meet our needs.

This will all be subsidized by the significantly reduced cost per round. HOW much you save depends upon what calibers you shoot and what you load.

And all that ammo means you get to shoot more, which means you (should) get better!
Click to expand...

+1,000,000
 
Scrivener said:

Not a bloody cent. Not after you invest in quality equipment, stockpile components and factor your time in.

So why do it? Well, some of us actually ENJOY it; we can load ammo you simply cannot buy from major manufacturers who must cater to the LCD (Lowest Common Denominator); and those loads can be tailored to our gun to meet our needs.

This will all be subsidized by the significantly reduced cost per round. HOW much you save depends upon what calibers you shoot and what you load.

And all that ammo means you get to shoot more, which means you (should) get better!
Click to expand...
Well said. The value placed on your time is a question only you can answer. I however enjoy reloading. It's something I do for fun.
 
knuckle dragger said:
Great, so if I want to buy two boxes or primers I just need to see the Boston Fire Commissioner and sit through a public hearing. No Problem. I'm sure the entire neighborhood will come out for that!
Click to expand...

WHAT "public hearing?" I've held lots of powder permits and the procedure consisted of simply filling out the form and paying the fee.

Or is it just that you have no idea what you are talking about? [rolleyes]
 
Scrivener said:
WHAT "public hearing?" I've held lots of powder permits and the procedure consisted of simply filling out the form and paying the fee.

Or is it just that you have no idea what you are talking about? [rolleyes]
Click to expand...

Oh no, now I’ve done it can come into Schrivner’s sights. Yikes! [rofl]

Chapter 148: Section 13 makes reference to “No building or other structure shall, except as provided in section fourteen, be used for the keeping, storage, manufacture or sale of any of the articles named in section nine, unless the local licensing authority shall have granted a license to use the land on which such building or other structure is or is to be situated for the aforementioned uses, after a public hearing…” blah blah blah.

Did I read past that? No. Do I really care? No. Obviously, my post was facetious since there’s no chance the Boston Fire Commissioner would give me a permit to exceed listed exceptions in my “multi-family dwelling”. However, living as I do in one of the most liberal parts of Boston, where the removal of a single sick tree on private property causes local neighborhood group meetings to spin out of control[puke]; the specter of a ‘public hearing’ for an application to store more that 1,000 primers is pretty amusing. I’m tempted to try just to see what happens. [shocked]

Thankfully I have a super secret out-of-the-city reloading crib – sort of like a love nest for the reloader. Oh, and the fire marshal there is real cool.
 
You cite a section for commercial storage; the use of an ENTIRE BUILDING for the storage of explosives.

In short, what you referred to is totally irrelevant to the issue at hand; storage in a home under a HOME permit.

There is no "public hearing" for the relevant permit.
 
Scrivener said:
You cite a section for commercial storage; the use of an ENTIRE BUILDING for the storage of explosives.

In short, what you referred to is totally irrelevant to the issue at hand; storage in a home under a HOME permit.

There is no "public hearing" for the relevant permit.
Click to expand...

yup, I see it. that part of Chapter 148: Section 13 isn't relevant. Still I wonder what kind of response I'd get form Boston Fire if I told them I wanted to keep "up to 48 pounds of smokeless power in my condo!
 
knuckle dragger said:
yup, I see it. that part of Chapter 148: Section 13 isn't relevant. Still I wonder what kind of response I'd get form Boston Fire if I told them I wanted to keep "up to 48 pounds of smokeless power in my condo!
Click to expand...

I believe that would fall under a multi-family dwelling and then even with a permit your storage allowance does not go up. Then again, I've been wrong before.
 
So, round for round, I wouldn't end up saving money?

Or is it that because I can make more for less, I'll end up shooting it all and in the end spend the same amount for the same time frame?

In the end I'm just trying to shoot as much as possible, for as little as possible.

-Mike
 
87seph said:
So, round for round, I wouldn't end up saving money?
-Mike
Click to expand...
Yes you will. The actual per round out of pocket expense will be less.
I used the cost calulator below here are my current cost for my 45acp loads. I no longer factor in cost of brass and my powder was bought quite a while back. YMMV

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

Cost / round $0.105
Cost / 50 $5.27
Cost / 1000 $105.35
 
87seph said:
So, round for round, I wouldn't end up saving money?

Or is it that because I can make more for less, I'll end up shooting it all and in the end spend the same amount for the same time frame?

In the end I'm just trying to shoot as much as possible, for as little as possible.
Click to expand...

Then you need to:

Buy caseloads by the truckloads and then sell your brass; OR

Reload.

Note that your press is a capital investment which costs less the longer you use it. If you stop using it, it has a certain residual value and can be sold.

The better quality your equipment, the more the upfront cost, the longer it will work reliably and the more of its value it will retain.
 

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