Guns

[smellysell]

Think my first attempt at making a holster will be for the old k frame .38 I got from my dad. Pretty excited.

 

[ChuckJr]

Think my first attempt at making a holster will be for the old k frame .38 I got from my dad. Pretty excited.

Pre-Model 10 M&P .38SP, factory nickel, @1950

 

[JCinPA]

Well, I’m taking Christmas week off, so I dusted my reloading setup off (been a few years) and got back to it loading about 300 rounds of .45 ACP. 200 grain LSWC. I was a little rusty at first but it’s like riding a bicycle, the rhythm comes back quickly. Here’s my setup.

The result …

My production rate is about 150 rounds per hour, and I used to figure I save about 25 cents per round, so my time works out to about $37.50 per hour. But I enjoy it, and SWMBO doesn’t come into the basement to bug me the whole time, so time well spent, says I!

 

[DomnioMaestro]

I haven't been able to find large pistol primers at a *reasonable* price.....

 

[JCinPA]

Yeah, my components are years old. I don’t see LPP for any less than 8-10 cents per primer these days. Mine are probably more like 3 cents, and I still have 4-5 bricks left.

Remington went out of the primer business a while ago, but restarted again, I’m not sure what their production rate is these days. The war in Ukraine and the current re-arming of the US military isn’t helping, I’m sure. The best I’ve heard lately is about 6 cents per for US on sale or for foreign brands. It stinks.

 

[JCinPA]

@DomnioMaestro Found some CCI #300 LPP for $63 for a brick (1,000). Remington 2-1/2 for $65. About as good as I think you can find at present.

Large Pistol - Primers - Powders & Primers - Graf & Sons

www.grafs.com

 

[DomnioMaestro]

@DomnioMaestro Found some CCI #300 LPP for $63 for a brick (1,000). Remington 2-1/2 for $65. About as good as I think you can find at present.

Large Pistol - Primers - Powders & Primers - Graf & Sons

www.grafs.com

Oh Wow! Thats 30 bucks cheaper than I've seen anywhere around here. Thank you for this info!!

 

[Scap]

Oh Wow! Thats 30 bucks cheaper than I've seen anywhere around here. Thank you for this info!!

Don't forget Hazmat and freight get tacked on to that price.

 

[JCinPA]

Because of the scarcity/high price of primers I'm going to keep an eye out for sales, and sometimes some vendors leave off the Hazmat occasionally. Gotta keep an eye out, but it pays to load up then. I have to look, I actually may be down to my last 3-4 bricks of LPP primers. Eeek!

 

[DomnioMaestro]

Don't forget Hazmat and freight get tacked on to that price.

Heh heh.....

That semi-deflated my enthusiasm.

 

[JCinPA]

@DomnioMaestro Yeah, Hazmat is a buzzkill, for sure.

Cabela's has Winchester LPP primers for $50 per brick, 5¢ per primer. I don't know if you're near a Cabela's, but I have one 45 minutes away. I wish I had seen that before I place my last powder order, I'd have driven there for both.

 

[DomnioMaestro]

There's a cabelas about 45 minutes from here up 81/78 on the way to allentown. I might take a run up there on saturday.....

 

[JCinPA]

Hmmm. One of my gun forums mentioned primer prices are dropping fast. I don't know why. But Graf's has CCI #300 LPP for 6¢. It's not the 3¢ I remember, but those days are long gone. They're getting more reasonable, though.

An AI summary says supply chains are normalized now, demand has slackened of late after new reloaders got their start, apparently the market is better supplied and demand is down. How low will prices go? Anybody's guess. But if you need some, current pricing is better. Maybe get a brick or two to tide you over and see if they dip to 5¢ then stock up.

 

[JCinPA]

Set up a 1950s vintage Lyman No. 55 Ideal Powder Measure yesterday. Cleaned it up, chased the threads on all lock screws, lubricated it with a little dry graphite powder, runs like a champ!

 

[JCinPA]

@DomnioMaestro and any other reloaders out there...

Natchez Shooting & Outdoors has a 48-hour FREE HAZMAT deal going on, started Wednesday, 1/8 expires at midnight on Friday 1/9. I've ordered from them before and find them to be very good. The HAZMAT charge is often more than shipping, so this is a great deal.

Natchez

tinyurl.com

Regular shipping charges apply, but usually you'll pay shipping and HAZMAT, so this is a good deal. Primer prices continue to drop. For example there you'll find:

Winchester LPP $53 for a brick
CCI #300 LPP $55 for a brick
Federal Gold Medal Match SPP $65 for a brick
Hodgdon CFE Pistol powder $47 per lb
Hodgdon Titegroup powder $161.50 per 4 lbs
Alliant Bullseye powder $65 per lb
Hodgdon Extreme Varget $58 per lb, $429.60 per 8 lbs

Those are all IN STOCK as I write this.

I bolded Alliant Bullseye, because Alliant has discontinued making cannister grade powders for retail customers, focusing on government and commercial contracts, and this situation is probably permanent. I don't use it, but Bullseye has been a huge favorite among .45 ACP reloaders since the 1920s, there will be no more, and it is getting very hard to find. If you are a Bullseye fan, stock up, this may be your last chance to get it.

P.S. I created an order of 4 lbs of Bullseye and 4 bricks of Winchester LPP, to see what shipping would be -- $22.90, but no HAZMAT. That order would be $454.82 after backing out PA sales tax. Add tax for your state. I'd be jumping on as much Bullseye as I could get my hands on if I used it.

P.P.S. Powdervalley has Bullseye but only in the 8# jug, all other is sold out. $333 but will pay shipping and hazmat. Brownells also only has the 8# jug $360. But for most pistol loads that's a lifetime supply, for such small charges. Natchez is the last place I can find that sill has the 1# bottles of Bullseye (that isn't a gun scam site). If you're a Bullseye fan and want a few 1# bottles jump on this today, soon it will be unobtainium.