Joys of Hand Crafted Ammo: Reloading .308

It only took me 30 years to finally get around to it. Even though I've had raw components (read: lots of brass) on hand since my earliest firearms purchase nine years ago, the last puzzles pieces just fell into place. In order to make one cartridge, one must have brass, bullet, powder, primer and the hardware to assemble these four components. A set of dies to punch out the spent primer & re-size the brass, a tool that seats fresh primers, scale and funnel to measure and pour a correct powder charge, and most importantly the press which holds the dies and shell plate. The reloading press is akin to the "Flux Capacitor" in Dr. Emmet Brown's DeLorean Time Machine... it makes all of this possible.

Recreational shooters like myself hoard empty brass casings with the dream of "Someday I'm going to reload. Brass is the most expensive part so I'm halfway there. It's an investment!" and somehow forget to go buy the rest of the kit. I actually started purchasing dies for higher volume firearms two years ago. A .45ACP set here, a carbide .357 set there, and before long I've got 5 sets of dies stored with a pile of empties. Then I told myself last fall, "either get serious or get rid of it" and to wit now have a can of powder, several primers, and the bullets to go on top (pointy side facing out). My knowledge base grew exponentially in the past two years as I milked every colleague and customer I knew on the subject. We actually have the excellent DVD from RCBS on loop at my workplace that I've seen several times now (in 5 minute increments).

Finally, I got the blessing of a colleague to come over after work and use his bench. Of particular interest to me was tapping his vast knowledge of the title caliber: .308 Winchester. Apparently there are two distinctly different methods depending on end use. If you plan on shooting a .308 bolt action, then standard dies will work fine, but if your intended use is a semi-automatic, which I have, then 'small base' dies plus 'neck sizing' dies are the way to go. Without going into exhaustive detail, fired brass is ejected with vigor from a semi-auto rifle, thus requiring a bit more prep work than empties collected from a bolt action shooter. The former is a very dynamic platform, whilst the latter is quite static. That extreme force stretches brass longitudinally and radially, whereby the hand loader has to take extra caution to make sure his casings are back in spec, a rather tedious task.

After getting the cases sized and trimmed down to spec, we primed them, added forty-two grains of IMR 3031 powder, and lastly seated a 150 grain Sierra Game King bullet. What is a grain? Seven thousand grains equals one pound, so a five hundred grain bullet weighs slightly more than an ounce. Our fifty cartridges consumed 2,100 grains or roughly a third of one can of powder. A hundred count box of Sierra bullets costs on average $35... so that's thirty-five cents each. CCI #200 primers also come in sleeves of 100 and cost $5 or less. Powder ranges from $20 to $30 a pound. The reloader's goal is to make it for half the price of factory ammo. These figures are considering $0 for "once fired" empty brass. If one starts with store bought virgin brass, he may not realize any savings.

Let's do a little math. I figure if $25 retail is what you'd pay for a 20 round box of Hornady, Winchester, or Federal and my unit cost is $0.53 instead of $1.25 then I am reaching the elusive "inexpensive ammo" goal. A break-even point is readily passed when reloading pistol rounds such as .45ACP, .44 Magnum, 9mm, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum. The powder these calibers consume is minuscule (5 to 14 grains) and in the case of sub-sonic loads like .45ACP, brass can be reloaded a couple dozen times due to lower chamber pressure & less fatigue. As some old timers say, "reload & shoot it 'til it cracks!" I now have 50 rounds of meticulously crafted .308 ammo and the ability to produce more. Dreams do come true!

CAUTION: THE AUTHOR'S INTENDED AUDIENCE IS COMPETENT, SOBER, SAFETY MINDED ADULTS. READ PUBLISHED DATA/ INSTRUCTIONS FROM REPUTABLE SOURCE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO RELOAD AMMUNITION. HANDLING GUN POWDER & PRIMERS CAN BE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. MISUSE MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES! CLICK IMR OR CCI FOR MORE INFORMATION.

.22LR- Can I Get Some Plinkin' Ammo?

Elusive Ballistic Wampum

The above title is an often asked question where we work. It has swelled into an overwhelming disgruntled chorus of customers wanting to go to the range. Whether it is a father who'd like to teach his kids how to shoot, a lady wanting practice without wasting precious 9mm rounds, or a prepper who is convinced that the "gubmint is gonna cut off supply," everyone wants more .22 ammo. The most frustrating aspect to me, is seeing first time buyers with their shiny new Henry rifle not be able to go enjoy their purchase as one could easily have done last summer. So as one who worked during Hurricane Katrina (similar market effect) at an Alabama gun shop and has a decent grasp of the human psyche, I will offer my hypothesis.

Firstly, the US government hasn't "bought up all the ammo." According to Hornady, a major player in the ammo business, only 5% of their production goes to gov't sales. That means Mr. and Mrs. regular citizen purchase MOST of their output. Ah, but they don't make rimfire ammo do they? Well CCI, leader of the rimfire pack, churns out about 4 million rounds of "unobtainium" per day. That is one out of the four majors (Winchester Olin, Remington UMC, Hornady, CCI/Federal ATK) producing 28 million cartridges each and every week.

Do you really think folks shoot it all up? I don't think so. When our shooting public cuts back on .223, .308, .45ACP, and 9mm consumption they usually use a .22 for cheaper practice. But these days more folks are buying and fewer are actually shooting as they don't know when store shelves will be replenished. I saw at the Tulsa Gun Show folks asking (and getting) $80 per 500 round brick. That is four times retail, yet folks buying it seemed happy that it was available. Economists refer to this as the price elasticity of demand. When everybody wants the same thing at the same time prices will go up as a way of rationing the scarce item and enriching those lucky enough to have a decent quantity on hand.

Those with a clear memory will remember that such activity inevitably leads to market saturation. Gasoline, Beanie Babies, or bullets: if enough money is poured into one area, the market will eventually settle back down to rational levels. It has been almost 8 months now, so I predict in 5 months or less we will see an ocean of ammo available to those still needing more. By then a full year will have elapsed since the Newtown Massacre, all the preppers will already be stocked up, and the ammo entrepreneurs currently "flipping it" won't have any suckers left.

As noted earlier, a shortage of any of the major defense calibers in turn leads to a .22LR shortage. One should be seeing more and more .223 available this summer. That is a welcome sign that we are over the hump. Without a ban on AR-15s we see a trickle down effect. Less folks are interested in plunking down $1200 on a complex rifle, and those that did have eased up on their vulture-ish shopping habits. I'm really hoping the rest of the firearms get caught up this fall, so we can have more ammo for all starting early January.

Most everyone in this business would agree that we'd sure settle for a slow down.
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September 21, 2014

Update: All major calibers such as .223, .308, .45ACP, and 9mm are readily available; still difficult to obtain .22LR except online or gun shows (paying $50 or more per brick). All major variants of AR-15 are now available at rock bottom prices and most wholesale distributors are stocked deep on guns of all variety (excluding S&W revolvers, Colt SAA, and limited run items). This is a buyer's market if ever there's been one. I think demand will remain steady for the foreseeable future, with no major legislation proposed or implemented.

Back to Guns...

In an earlier post, I made a list of most popular "American" guns. I use quotes because the last on the list, Glock, is a product of Austria. That list contained pistols and long guns, but today we will focus on pistols and their use. As I have stated earlier, a pistol, worn on the body at all times, allows one to react to a threat instantaneously. Just like a wristwatch or pocketknife it is there whether one "needs it or not." For more than a century Colt has produced the perfect .45 automatic, known as the Government Model (and the perfect revolver since 1873). Colt's Gov't Model a.k.a "1911" is the most copied semi-automatic pistol in history. To wit, Smith & Wesson, Remington, Ruger, Sig Sauer, and Auto Ordnance have joined the party recently whilst Springfield Armory, Kimber, Les Baer, Dan Wesson, and dozens of smaller companies' business model is churning out 1911 clones ranging from $700 to $7,500 each. There are dozens more that I don't have space to list; point being that 101 years after John Browning's design for Colt was adopted as our military sidearm, demand has never been greater. Quality makes it a Colt.    

I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a defensive pistol course yesterday, running 300+ rounds through a pre-war Colt Gov't Model. This eight hour course by Solutions Group Int'l was held at Prado Shooting Park, home of the 1984 Olympics, a fine facility. The course instructors gave me a little ribbing for bringing a 90 year old gun (and Glock for backup) with a 35 year old Bianchi rig. They all had Glocks in some sort of Kydex plastic holsters. By the end of the day I was ribbing them for doubting such fine "old school" equipment. There were a few shooters that did have some problems with their gat. 

Smith & Wesson and Springfield Armory products showed true failures. The shooter to my right with a Springfield 1911 had his rear sight wobble out multiple times. The folks at SA could invest in a few cents worth of Loc-tite. Also his factory supplied magazines had feeding issues. Cheap magazines cause 85% of 1911 problems. A young fellow using the rental S&W Sigma had his front sight fly off. That pistol should be melted down and made into something more useful like a garden trowel. Anyway, I graciously allowed him to borrow my Glock for the remainder of the course. One competitive shooter using his S&W M&P 9 had undetermined issues. He also had a "spare Glock." 

The only products that performed in the heat and dirt without fail were Colt, Glock, and Beretta. I neither affirm nor deny Beretta's merits for personal reasons. It is a pity more shooters don't try Colt before wasting money on cheaper alternatives. While the fantastic plastic Glocks are reliable, they lack the deep bluing, graceful lines, and remarkable quality of Colt's.  Remember, the bitterness of poor quality lingers after the sweetness of low price has gone away.

As 1911 clones abound, there is nonsense swirling amongst gun store counters that a good pistol requires a "break in" before it will function reliably. That companies would sell a product not ready to use is not as amazing to me as customers' willingness to take it as acceptable practice. Would you own a fire extinguisher that required break in? Colt made their 1911A1 to military spec, meaning when you pick it up and shake it, there's a tell-tale rattle. The slide is much easier to manipulate and the guns will shoot dirty (fouled by carbon or sand). Try pulling the slide on any Kimber or other high end clone and you'll understand my meaning. Yes, the clones are very accurate. No they will not shoot reliably in adverse conditions. So sad that "new & improved" has given "old reliable" a bad rap. I hope anyone looking to purchase a .45 ACP finds this informative and helpful. 

Shalom & Happy Everyday! 

Desert freedoms

There is a sublime feeling one gets when driving through the high desert of Southern California. An area encompassing parts of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties holds a wondrous views. The ghostly Joshua tree yucca, scrubby chaparral creosote, and stark mountains fill your windshield with quite a soothing sight.

Finding a spot to exercise the 2nd Amendment safely with some friend was the reason for today's excursion. Nothing in the world is quite so therapeutic as a day spent at the shooting range. Our range is what may be considered impromptu or 'as you find it,' though I'm told by friends that this spot is used regularly by many desert folk. We drive far enough off of paved roads so as to be way the heck 'out of dodge' and use a mountain for our safe bullet trap. This is akin to finding a gravel pit in Alabama, box canyon in Arkansas, stern deck on open water or sandy berm in other parts of the West. 

I shot a full menu of the marksman's sports: pistol, rifle, shotgun, and bow. Having been raised on the gun, my archery skills leave a bit of room for improvement. Recently (7 years ago) being introduced to shotgun games, I also need some more practice with my scattergun: Remington 870 Express 20 gauge. The boomstick was just purchased about 3 years back to give me a reason to join Redlands Shooting Park. My specialty (if you can call it that) is that of rifleman and pistolero. 

Any boy raised in West Alabama on venison has to be a good shot with the rifle. Otherwise he quickly finds himself in the minority when classmates discuss deer, squirrel and other fine game worth skinning to eat. I haven't yet had the pleasure of roasted squirrel or brunswick stew, but would savor the opportunity to try a bite. But I digress. Rifles today ranged from .22s for plinking, to custom ARs for reaching out a bit and punching tight groups on paper. Mastering the rifle is what keeps citizens free and confident, a supreme deterrent to any two or four legged critter that would cause harm.

Whilst the rifle is borne, pistols are worn. Generally, the ignorant Hollywood writers portray a hero charging into unknown danger armed with merely a pistol. I say merely because a Rifle or shotgun would be the choice of any prudent man. Note that our soldiers and SWAT officers alike keep their pistols holstered until their Rifle has malfunctioned or run dry. Only then do they fall back to their last resort: the pistol. Getting accurate shots beyond 7 yards or 20 feet with a pistol requires extensive practice and training. On the other hand, I can teach nearly anyone with a Rifle to make hits out past 25  yards (50-100 yds w/ practice).

Much has been written extolling the virtues of Glock products. Everything you read is mostly true. Their 9mm G17 and G19 are the world standard amongst military and police. What is often neglected in this ocean of positive data, is that a full-size Colt Gov't Model feels much better to shoot. The .45ACP cartridge throws a 230 grain bullet at 850 feet per second. Our wonder-nine is slinging a 115 grain bullet approximately 1200 FPS.  The velocity difference combined with a much lighter frame makes our 9mm Glock generate way more 'felt recoil' than the venerable Colt .45 Auto.  I think John Browning got it right 102 years ago making Colt's entry for the Army pistol trials.

My host for the day was very generous with his guns and I look forward to taking my wife to this beautiful spot. The drive up is well worth it.   

     

Back in the saddle

So in case you have missed what's happened since my last post:

1. I recovered from an unusual infection.
2. We celebrated Thanksgiving in Coronado & Christmas at home.
3. The "gun debate" was reopened after a lunatic shot 26 folks in Newtown, CT. Feinstein, Obama, Biden and their Leftist Media handlers take it as an opportunity to demonize an inanimate object that accounts for fewer deaths per year than hands/feet or hammers. Typical I suppose.


While I am very thankful for #'s 1 & 2, #3 has created quite a headache for us at my workplace. My job is selling guns and ammo at Bass Pro. It is the closest thing to a 'perfect job' that I will not mention the pay, hours, or commute on Southern California's freeways. I really enjoy being a gun dealer.

Let me give you some numbers to get an idea of our volume since the CT Massacre. Prior to December, selling 50+ guns in a weekend was quite an achievement. Sure, we'd blow them out on Black Friday, but that was an exceptional event. Well, three weekends ago, we sold 85 guns on Saturday, then 92 guns Sunday. Our sales volume for the Hunting Department beat out entire stores including the Springfield flagship store (10X the size of our Hunting Dept). There were only 4 stores that matched us that weekend.

First, we sold out of AR15 rifles and the .223 ammo to feed them. Next, we sold out of ammo the following week for most popular calibers, and then ran out of pistols (except single-action revolvers and .22s). As of Friday afternoon, there was no .45ACP; .40; 9mm; .380; .357mag; .44mag; .308; or .223 ammo in our store. Customers are being told check back in 30 to 60 days, but I don't see us having pre-December levels of product available till summer.

So to keep up with this high demand, I have been re-assigned to handle emails and customer inquiries. My boss forwards anything gun related to me and I, the firearm specialist, respond (usually we're sold out) to what they are looking for. It has been much more lively than just stocking shelves and serving counter customers. I had the pleasure of selling one gentleman 6 Colt rifles and his buddy 4 of the same. Receipts were large for those two purchases.  The boss and I hope that business calms down sometime soon so that our regular customers can find what they need.

If you have any questions about firearms, stay tuned... I am hoping to steer this page towards a "Gun Blog" theme at my family's request.