run on ammo. what are you doing?

[NOLA556]

so with the recent run on guns and ammo, the only way to continue adding to your ammo preps is to branch out into calibers that are actually available.

I'm using this opportunity to beef up my 12g stock. I've been skimming by for the last couple years with a measly couple-hundred-shell stock. Hey, it's a "backup primary"... so anyway.. even buckshot is pretty scarce around here, so i've started stocking birdshot. ideal it is not, but it's something, and I don't want my ammo count to go stagnant. I've been buying mostly #2 shot, with the exception of some BB and T shot that I picked up this evening.

I also finally went ahead and got myself a .40S&W die set for the reloading press. I don't have components for .40 yet but I've got a mountain of brass to size and de-cap.

so what are you guys doing? just waiting for .223 to come back? or are you starting to stock shit that you weren't as concerned with before?

like I said before, birdshot is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a viable option so long as you stick to the heavier shot like F, T, B, and even #2, and a thousand rds of that stuff is better than a hundred 00buck IMHO.

[JohnyMac]

.22LR conversion bolt and mag for AR.

I love this bolt! You can fire for pennies. Now of course nobody has one but Bass Pro is still taking BO's (Back Orders). Just do yourself a favor and clean your barrel afterwords.

In reality I am buying no ammo but ,22 LR. I am continuing to stock up on reloading components. On another note: Who has purchased molds of late? If you want a list of molds to buy drop me a PM and I will pass on. If I receive a lot of PM's I will just post here. Most folks are not interested in pouring their own bullets. 

[NOLA556]

yea i've had a cmmg conversion bolt for a while now, and i agree, it's a pretty solid little piece of kit. the only thing that scares me about it is, if i really do practice as much as it allows me to, how long will it take me to shoot the damn rifling right out of my barrel...

[JohnyMac]

Great question NOLA.

I think you will get more wear and tear from your gas pickup and line than screwing up your rifling. Jacketed .22LR is pretty soft. I can score it with my thumb nail. 

It does leave a lot of fouling so you do have to clean your barrel unlike TG who never cleans his barrel.  [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at

[Reaver]

Another reason I'm getting rid of one of my nines for a .40 also the 7.62x25

12 is all sold out everywhere I go. 20 is in full stock though. Thinking about just storing it for the hell of it.

[crudos]

For those with 7.62x54r delivery systems, some decent?but not great, deals can be had on tins of this ammo. Price hasn't taken to skyrocketing like .223/5.56. So if you have a Mosin Nagant, PSL, SVD, or one of the fancy VEPR's, now is a good time to increase the stock.

[Kentactic]

yea i've had a cmmg conversion bolt for a while now, and i agree, it's a pretty solid little piece of kit. the only thing that scares me about it is, if i really do practice as much as it allows me to, how long will it take me to shoot the damn rifling right out of my barrel...

Rifling wear is detirmined a lot by the amount of powder blasting down the bore. A 300 win mag will shoot a barrel out much faster then a 308 Win. 22lr will take forever to destroy combat accuracy in a .223/5.56 id wager.

[Alex1992]

Bought one of those surplus 7.62x54r tin cans for $138.00 for 440 rounds. I checked online and I see the same one going for $100.00. Theres some 12 gauge left here and there, plenty of birdshot, duckloads, turkey, pheasant, etc, but for buckshot here and there, and slugs couldn't find any, same with .22LR. 

[Kentactic]

I got dialed in on reloading 12 gauge. Just need to locate the #00 shot and im golden. Ordered a bunch of new hulls, Primers, Powder, and my buddy has lots of wads hell sell me.

[RS762]

Since i got my Saiga 12 i've been stocking up on 12ga in addition to 7.62x39, Rio 00 buck is $3 for 5 shells, which isn't bad for 00 buck.

[JohnyMac]

Ken, no need to buy 00 buck. Buy a 00 mould from Lee. Go to your wholesale plumbing store and buy ingots of pure lead. A 15# ingot will cost you $15- and you will 00 buck for years with it. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/373263/lee-18-cavity-bullet-mold-330-diameter-00-buckshot

Take control!

[Kentactic]

Ken, no need to buy 00 buck. Buy a 00 mould from Lee. Go to your wholesale plumbing store and buy ingots of pure lead. A 15# ingot will cost you $15- and you will 00 buck for years with it. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/373263/lee-18-cavity-bullet-mold-330-diameter-00-buckshot

Take control!

Yeah thanks for the tip on the plumbing store. I was considering that mold already but what held me back was a reliable supply of lead and understanding how much tin or other metals i need to add and how hot they must get to melt in order to make a pellet with acceptable antinomy. I very likely will end up going this route. Ill probably need several 15# lead ingots to keep me well stocked. figure around 200 rounds per 15# of lead. Thanks agian JM!

[JohnyMac]

IMO, stay away from anything but pure lead. Harder cast bullets would not be good for your shotgun barrels.

On another note: For high velocity cast bullets (Under 1,500 fps) use wheel weights. Over that speed you will need a bit harder bullet.

Here is a recipe I have used in the past.
9 lbs. Wheel weights 1 lb. 50/50 bar solder = 10 lbs of Alloy #2.

Here is a PDF to check out too: https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=2&gs_ri=hp&gs_mss=lyman%20form&tok=X-0LmU97qAw7xJnpny9d9A&cp=21&gs_id=1nn&xhr=t&q=lyman+formula+for+cast+bullet&es_nrs=true&pf=p&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&oq=lyman+formula+for+cast+bullet+&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.42080656,d.dmg&fp=5023720f3f52bd10&biw=1366&bih=641

[NOLA556]

do you need a whole different press for shotshells?

[JohnyMac]

Sorry NOLA I do not understand your question.

I have a Mec for shot shells and a Hornady re-loader for brass casing rounds. Neither are interchangeable.

Mec: http://www.mecreloaders.com/

Hornady: http://www.hornady.com/reloading

I hope that answers your question.  [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co

[1000meterstare]

I have a Springfield Mk I 1903 rifle in 30 - '06.  It's an antique but still shoots straight.  For some reason I can still get ammo for it at a fair price so I'm getting a box or 2 here and there.

[Kentactic]

Almost any off the shelf 00 buck will have some hardener in it. A soft lead pellet will deform a lot and cause poor patterns. Also most buck load will use a wad with petals. Hardened shot wont hurt it. Even if it did make contact the barrel can handle 10% atinomy with no issues.

[Kentactic]

do you need a whole different press for shotshells?

yes they have multiple stages all shotgun specific stages in a single press. Mec is a good press.