I see a lot of people wanting to buy shell holders in internet classifieds. Have those things succumbed to the Great Reloading and Ammo Drought of 2020-21 too?
Rusty used RCBS #3 & #10 were being bid up to over $40 each a week or two ago. Hornady #10 manual is another big $$ item going for $80 to $110. Anything 223 or 9mm, even used, is double or triple retail. Plain steel pistol dies in 9mm or 45ACP for over $150 a set anyone? It's insanity.
This kinda stuff is what makes this shortage-go-round feel different. We’ll see.
I needed RCBS #18 and #20 shellholders a couple weeks ago and none of my distributors (I'm an FFL) had them in stock. I was watching a couple on eBay when on a hunch I called my local Ace Hardware. They had them both on the shelf and set them aside for me until I could get by, when I also grabbed 100 .250 Savage brass and 200 .44 Special brass. Their stuff is running out, but they had a nice selection when the bad times hit and they get a little in once and awhile.
But yes, even shellholders are affected. I needed a set of 22-250 dies last month and the only thing I could find were Lee RGB. It's nuts.
Rex
GEEE WHIZZZ !
I haven't looked but WOW. Glad I have what I need.
Good Luck guys !
Jerry
WooHoo! I have a Sierra bullet box full of random shell holders that might be worth hundreds. Or not...but I'm curious now!
Not long ago I decided to get setup to load 9mm. Signed up for notification on a set of Lee dies. When it came, I put them in my cart, went to look for a trim die, and someone sniped the die set right out from under me in just seconds.
Ended up with a Lee sizer, shellholder, and crimp die; Redding seater, and Lyman expander. Later, I added the Lee Quicktrim die. Whatever works.
Persistence is the key.
Rusty used RCBS #3 & #10 were being bid up to over $40 each a week or two ago. Hornady #10 manual is another big $$ item going for $80 to $110. Anything 223 or 9mm, even used, is double or triple retail. Plain steel pistol dies in 9mm or 45ACP for over $150 a set anyone? It's insanity.
Hornady #10 is available as an E-book. Like $30 IIRC. Sierra has an free app for theirs as well. Almost all the other bullet and powder companies have data online for free.
nuts. E Bay used to be flooded with reloading gear. RCBS powder measure body, casting only, are up at $25 bucks.
I think all of the die makers were shut down due to covid seems to be a definite shortage.
I bought a set of Redding 257 Roberts dies recently and spent quite a while looking for them. None of my go to reloading supply houses had them, or much of anything. Website that aren't too slick that don't let you just see what is in stock show page after page of "Out of stock, no backorder". Prices on Gunbroker and eBay are crazy! It almost makes me want to list some of the dies I'm not currently using, though they mostly fall into the oddball category.
Tried to buy a bullet mold lately? They're all out of stock, too, everywhere, it seems.
I needed RCBS #18 and #20 shellholders a couple weeks ago and none of my distributors (I'm an FFL) had them in stock. I was watching a couple on eBay when on a hunch I called my local Ace Hardware. They had them both on the shelf and set them aside for me until I could get by, when I also grabbed 100 .250 Savage brass and 200 .44 Special brass. Their stuff is running out, but they had a nice selection when the bad times hit and they get a little in once and awhile.
But yes, even shellholders are affected. I needed a set of 22-250 dies last month and the only thing I could find were Lee RGB. It's nuts.
Rex
Just reminded me I'm in need of a #18 shell holder for my 44 Russian die set thanks. It was a traumatic shopping experience Amazon $13 free shipping.
I was about to start hunting down a die set in 7..7 Jap -
then a very nice gentleman, who goes by Brazos here, loaned me a set.
Kudos to a GREAT guy!!
I went on a hunt for s, 350 Remington Magnum Brass, I would have had better luck if I was looking for unicorn horns. 350RM had been occasionally available around here in just a few years ago. The next way was to form it from 7mmRM . It works best with virgins. . From my 350 search I knew what little the local stores had in the way of brass. I then I checked our local Cabelas, a 50 count box of Nosler $120. Come on. 7mmRM is almost as common as 30-06. Going much further afield I found some Winchester for $60.Which j was exactly what I was looking for. I felt I had found a unicorn.
Reading this thread, those guys who bought that stuff under Trump's Presidency, don't know how lucky they are...
Pretty crazy out there. But, shell holders!? Scheese!
Pretty crazy out there. But, shell holders!? Scheese!
For those prices you could get a machine shop to make them for you...