Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Eye-Opener......

I just placed another order for some 50gr. V-Max's from the same place I ordered several thousand just a few months ago for $23.32 (250 ct.). They are now $30.32........$7 per box higher.

Not too unexpected that the prices have gone up, even quite a bit, but I'm definitely gonna bear down a little harder on each and every one of those little SOB's these next few months.

Maybe we can sell em' as faux fur......everybody else does.

With Red China buying up the copper and lead and mining in the US being downsized it is small wonder add to that the war production taking up what is avalible in the US arms market.Do not look for prices on ammo or components to go down any time soon.

Too true....and it will NEVER get better/cheaper than it is today.

When you think you have stockpiled enough to last awhile, you're probably only gettin' close....

Varmint hunting (PD's and gophers), especially with an AR, causes one to be much more aware of these issues. So many more of each reloading component to purchase, never ending seasons (just some exceptionally better months than others), unlimited resources if you do your homework and the "game" is almost always ready, willing and plentiful. Disease and such plays a part in the plentiful part, but there's always a few to be had or other areas not as effected, if at all.

A thousand rounds of big game loads and you can shoot and hunt forever. A thousand rounds of .223 and you're good for maybe 4 days....on an AVERAGE hunt.

I went into this varmint hunting thinking that my time was more important than the $ necessary to purchase a case or two of BH's BB 50 gr. V-Max's as a few years back this product was "reasonably" priced and readily available!. That lasted about.....let's say........AN HOUR!!!

It is almost impossible, unless very wealthy, to be an avid varmint hunter and not handload.....IMHO. But now that I'm so addicted to this sport.....I'm in it for the long haul and that means...paying whatever I must to get the goods to play the game.

They've got me and I'm really not complaining....it is what it is.

Buy drop ship orders of bullets is about the best way or drive to Sierra for vacation and buy a 55 gallon drum of seconds by the pound....

Highpower shooter here, went through up to 20K rounds of 223 a year.... I"m well aware of supply and demand. You find lots of ways to save bucks if possible, buying bulk surplus powder in 200 pound kegs etc..... Using bulk cases of Remchester 55 soft points for practice and so on.

Prices might stabilize, probably never go down again.

I"m actually glad I don't shoot much at all anymore. Dollar wise.

Jeff

Jeff,

All my shooting is for "real" anymore with my Varminter. All dialed in so I don't really practice anymore with it. I just shoot varmints!

Now bulk suprlus powder....that's a very real possibility....and soon.....grin. Hopefully the brass will give me more than a few loadings....a bit on the warm side, but nothing too crazy.

I haven't forgotten to get back to you as to the total tally in that 4,000 pull-down purchase (cull % as well). I'm just about through with the entire batch.....quite a doings. If not for that Giraud, I'd be toast. Last batch in the tumbler tomorrow, so I'm close.

The worst part of all with this brass....getting those damn tiny media kernels out of the flash holes...never again! Probably won't have to trim either for awhile as they're all trimmed to minimum now and my desired trim length is 1.760 from test firings earlier. Grouped a tad better at that trim length.

I trim to 1.750 mostly. Fire 5 times, trim, anneal and go again.

Flash hole issues. Buy the mt case tumbler from Dillon. Knocks most of it out. Rest comes out easy with a large paper clip.

Size on the Redding bushing FL sizer and the length doesnt' grow much at all, firing sure doesn't lengthen them much if any normally IMHO.

Only negatives on surplus powder is the load data can be start from scratch sometimes. And on bulk bullets, the BC isn't that great. have you seen the PRVI bullets yet? I'm curious to accuracy. Bulk Remchesters are usually cheap. 200 yards they are perfectly fine depending on desires...

Jeff

It would have to be a tumbler made by "Jackhammer" to get these tiny media PITA's out. Some elf has taken to glueing these babies in there. Small, ice pick type tool takes care of the issue, but still a PITA. After tumbling and "poking" this next batch, I'll be depriming from this point forward.....no worries.

As to the PRVI pills...know nothing about them. Bulk surplus, well I start from scratch on most loads anyway, but this would be "true scratch". When you get it down, you're good to go.... for a looooooong time. 200 lbs......geeeeeeeez.

I've seen some growth with .223 brass, but most has been using BB I've reloaded, so who knows how many times it was loaded prior. This pulldown will be the first unfired brass I've used. It will be interesting to see how many it will take to get to my targeted 1.760....if ever. I do know that some of the BB measured out to 1.785....probably SAW's, but still darn long, no matter the reason.

What grit cob do you use? I forget what I use but it isn't that hard to get out at all. Do you buy bulk media, IE 50 pound bags like we do? Thats the only way to go!

Jeff

I was told by a gun store owner friend of mine that before the end of the year, all ammo is going up 30%!

Seems CCI is getting a head start . Their CCI CB Longs are $7.99 around here (GA). Like what was said, if you need ammo, now is the time to buy.

Anyone heard about primers? Pricing/availability?

Yes.....50 lb. bags.....and it is the way to go and has been for several years.

Heard the same thing from reliable store owners.

Primers are almost all metal....no reason they wouldn't be going up as well. Bullets will be the worst I'm afraid...makes sense....as I said earlier...now's cheap compared to down the road.

Primers, R7.5s are supposed to be not available at all now.

Mag-- what grit cob do you use? That goes a long way to solving the problem if you have it in the future. And don't discount that media seperator set from Dillon. It was one thing I waited too long to buy, should have done years ago!!

I need multiple thousands of lead 45 bullets. I probably should start looking now. I'm sure they'll go up stupid too. Sometimes I swear if they can't ban you from something they'll price you out. Deer lease down south-- 20K a year a gun. Wow. To say the least.

Jeff

Jeff

Damn small grit. Brother gave me a #50 for my B-Day years ago and have been using that bag for years now. Like I said, since these were all primerless cases from GIBrass, the first time through, this was somewhat expected. I always used a larger grit media prior, but couldn't just dump this gift.....although, it was tempting after the first tumbler full......SOAB!

I'd guess that hoarding a ton of those .45's would be a good idea. Talked with a major ditributor of reloading components yesterday.......try this: 250ct. V-Max's were $23.32 a few months ago, now $30.32 and soon to be (their next shipment to arrive soon).........$39.00!!!! I'm gonna have to start figuring drops on 32 gr. .22 LR's at 400 yds. pretty soon. Don't think that lowly round won't be going up too.

Buy 'em cheap (at least as cheap as they're ever gonna be again)....and stack 'em deep.....as they say.

Those must be gold plated deer down south for 20K a gun! It's been gettin' nuts for a long time....only now....it's gettin' to be a Bill Gates sport. Sad, but no stoppin' it. Unless we keep gettin' substantially wealthier (and quickly), the average hunter will have less and less options. But I'm sure the game departments will reduce our tag fees in accordance with less game and opportunities and areas to hunt them........