Ammo shortage is almost over...

[John Ralston]

Still waiting on the case feed hopper, strong mount and roller handle to arrive (and I have to finish up a small bench for it too, as it is only there temporarily)...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8598334551_232839a2f8_c.jpg

[SecondsCount]

AAAAW YEAH!

Once you get it running, I would like hear your thought on how it compares to the LNL progressive.

[John Ralston]

Just from the dry cycling I have done...it kicks its ass, no question.

The case feed system is 100x's better, with the shell guided right into the shell plate, the primer system indexing looks to be more robust (instead of Hornady's tiny spring, which can choke on a stray grain of powder)

The powder dispenser "might" not be as accurate (although I was able to get very consistent charges of H335 Ball Powder), and changing the charge bar is definitely not as easy as changing inserts on the Hornady. Change over of the press looks to be more work, but everything you read says only buy the 650 if you load 5000 rounds between caliber changes, so I can't fault the machine.

[NETim]

Still waiting for the toys to get mine converted to .45 mode. I've been turning out a few 5.56 with it though. Who knows when I'll get the dies and case feeder. Fortunately, I have the trusty lil' SDB still churning out product.

Can't wait to go into full production with the 650 though. :)

[CCT125US]

Caliber conversion takes less than ten minutes once you get it down. First several times, not so fast. However, that is with the quick change tool head and powder measure pre set.

[John Ralston]

I will have the small charge bar set aside for 45, so I don't think I will be getting a second powder measure right away, but the caliber change doesn't look bad at all. I might get a second priming system though, so I can have one for large and one for small primers.

[LHS]

That's assuming you can find powder. Apparently Unique and Varget are rarer than .22LR bricks right about now...

[John Ralston]

I use surplus powders, and I am set for quite a while on those...

[Maple Syrup Actual]

The ammo shortage really is almost over, for everyone. Why? Because you just invested a thousand bucks in new reloading gear.

That is the one thing guaranteed to make whatever caliber you got set up for instantly available everywhere, for cheaper than you have ever seen it. If you got all the supplies for every common caliber, your country will be awash in cheap ammo for the next three years.


Take it from me, the guy who nearly ruined the Vancouver Olympics. All new ski gear purchased in December, and bam...no snow on the mountains for 3 months.



On topic, I have the same press...it's awesome and it has kept ammo prices down in my area for several years.

[John Ralston]

Actually, I only invested about $100. I sold my LNL and just transferred the funds :cool:

[JV_]

and VargetWhere are you located?

[LHS]

Where are you located?

Phoenix.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

Actually, I only invested about $100. I sold my LNL and just transferred the funds :cool:

Good news for you but bad news for everyone else...you could have solved everyone's ammo shortage!

[JV_]

Phoenix.Too bad.

[Odin Bravo One]

Ammo shortage problem nationwide may still be a problem...........but......

IGM.

[TGS]

IGM.

6 months ago, even gun owners would say that I was being a paranoid doomsday prepper by stocking up on ammo.

The same people today feel that I'm an asshole for actually having ammo (which they neglected to stock), you know, because now I'm hogging it all.

[JV_]

The same people today feel that I'm an asshole for actually having ammo (which they neglected to stock), you know, because now I'm hogging it all.

Yep. I've gotten the stink-eye when they ask if they can buy a brick of .22LR from me, and I tell them "no" without a delay.

[Kyle Reese]

Yep. I've gotten the stink-eye when they ask if they can buy a brick of .22LR from me, and I tell them "no" without a delay.

Can I buy a brick of .22 ammo from you? :p

[Odin Bravo One]

I'll sell you a brick of .22............

[John Ralston]

Try finding 22 target ammo. My daughter is on the Jr. Rifle Team, and even finding plain old Std Vel Solids is near impossible, and unless you want Eley Tenex @ $13-$17 per 50, you can just about forget it. I found some Eley Club online, and bought 20 of the 2400+ boxes they had. 2 days later it was sold out.

[TGS]

Yep. I've gotten the stink-eye when they ask if they can buy a brick of .22LR from me, and I tell them "no" without a delay.

Reminds me of a guy making fun of me for asking on the USS Ponce if we could use our own non-marine grade toilet paper if we ran out. Hey, I always bring extra when I go somewhere, and I know boat plumbing can be sensitive so I thought it prudent to ask.

There ended up not being any toilet paper at all when we got to our bunks. Guess who came asking me for toilet paper, and was told to go sit and rotate? He got mad at me, that I wouldn't share my precious toilet paper with him after he tried punking me for having the forethought to bring it. The same mentality reminds me of the dude who stole JMS's generator power, then got mad at JMS for unplugging it.

Sheesh. Society these days. The bunch of you are cool and down-to-Earth, so I'd propose that we all start a nincompoop-free P-F.com commune.....but I fear it'd be a massive sausage-fest.

[cclaxton]

150 cases of factory reloaded handgun ammo arriving NoVa April 26 for our IDPA group:
100 cases of 147gr;
33 cases of 115gr;
13 cases of .45;
12 cases of .40.

All spoken for.

Component shortage seems to be clearing up...at least for large orders.

PM me if you are interested in next order....cases only.

Sorry, no .22cal.
CC

[cclaxton]

6 months ago, even gun owners would say that I was being a paranoid doomsday prepper by stocking up on ammo.


You mean you're not?

Disappointed.
CC

[Nephrology]

I stocked up before the election and momentarily felt foolish when ammo prices held pretty much steady before during and after. Then, Newtown....and suddenly I am sitting on a pile of gold it seems. Only wish I had gotten more .22! I don't remember it being that hard to find in the '08 panic.

[littlejerry]

I stocked up before the election and momentarily felt foolish when ammo prices held pretty much steady before during and after. Then, Newtown....and suddenly I am sitting on a pile of gold it seems. Only wish I had gotten more .22! I don't remember it being that hard to find in the '08 panic.

Things are definitely worse this time.

I'm glad that I stocked up. Only problem is that the recent scare convinced some family members to get into shooting.

[John Ralston]

Only wish I had gotten more .22! I don't remember it being that hard to find in the '08 panic.

It was tough to get up here in WA back in 08 - maybe not this bad though. When things get back to normal again, I am going to start buying a box of ammo (9, 5.56, 22) every time I am in a sporting goods store or at a gun show. I won't notice the $15 and in 4 years, when things are getting crazy I won't even be thinking about having to track anything down.

Luckily I have plenty of everything right now, including projectiles, primers, powder and brass...so the Dillon will have lots to do!

[ToddG]

The same people today feel that I'm an asshole for actually having ammo (which they neglected to stock), you know, because now I'm hogging it all.

Welcome to my life.

[John Ralston]

Welcome to my life.

Are you sure it's because of the ammo thing? :p

[ToddG]

Are you sure it's because of the ammo thing? :p

Yes. More than a few times (now and back in '09) I've started to set up on a lane at the range only to have someone give me a dirty look or even make an impolite comment about how much ammo I have to "waste" during this horrible shortage...

[CCT125US]

Ammo vs. Underwear..... just because I have 10 pair doesn't mean 9 people are without. Not my fault you didn't stock up on Hanes when they were on sale. Sorry about the nationwide cotton shortage, no you can't have / borrow some of mine. Consider this a learning opportunity......

[TGS]

Welcome to my life.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm jealous of you....but it's more of an envy, rather than the liberal "you owe me that ammo because I don't have it" kind of jealousy.

[Odin Bravo One]

I'm happy to share the wealth for folks who were otherwise indisposed and didn't get to stockpile. I believe life is about choices but I also believe in karma and "what goes around comes around", and guys out on the line made a choice not for themselves but for all of us. Least I can do is make some of my ammo available at a reasonable rate fr guys returning to a shit show.

And I need Fred to help me move in May!

[ST911]

Yes. More than a few times (now and back in '09) I've started to set up on a lane at the range only to have someone give me a dirty look or even make an impolite comment about how much ammo I have to "waste" during this horrible shortage...

It's epidemic.

My favorite are the folks that will stop and ask, "hey where'd you get all that...", followed by "we couldn't find any for shooting today." I guess everyone stops at the LGS for ammo on their way to the range like they do.

Had one guy ask what the "2-0-0-9" in sharpie meant on one case I cracked. "Procurement year" drew a blank stare.

The folks I feel sorry for are the ones new to gun ownership or serious gun use that didn't know any better when all this kicked off. They deserve a hand.

[Odin Bravo One]

The folks I feel sorry for are the ones new to gun ownership or serious gun use that didn't know any better when all this kicked off. They deserve a hand.

I can only feel so sorry for them........ignorance is not a very valid excuse. Failure to care on your part results in the same for my part.

When a family member picked up a pistol not long ago, he asked for input and promptly ignored it. Buying a grossly overpriced used gun I wouldn't accept as a gift from a (relatively) LGS despite my offer to get him a NIB (Glock, Sig, Hk, S&W) at wholesale cost. Chose an expensive caliber to shoot because of the magazine article he read, in spite of facts presented from DocGKR's information sheets, and reality of what we have seen in the past 10 years of better domestic LEO documentation of OIS's, and information from our latest skirmishes throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He at least went to a local training joint and got 8 hours worth of basic skills training. When asked about ammunition for this class specifically, he was given a practical reality answer. Bulk is cheaper than box by box, and when the time comes that the shelves are empty, you are likely to still have some. Sent him POC's for a couple of places where he could use discounts available to me which were pretty substantial.

Fast forward to last month..........

"Is there any place you know where I can get some ammo for my gun that isn't $50 per box?"

"Yup, same line as the people in Hell looking for ice water".

[justintime]

Yea I never knew shortages like this were as big of a deal as people made them out to be.
Being 23 I have only been purchasing pistol ammo exc for 2 years so I have spent more of my money on getting proper holsters, my pistols, and a few hundred rounds a month to blow through in competition and practice. I know what I will be doing different once ammo comes back ;) I just hope the shortage isn't so great that it will last a year or more.


I can only feel so sorry for them........ignorance is not a very valid excuse. Failure to care on your part results in the same for my part.

When a family member picked up a pistol not long ago, he asked for input and promptly ignored it. Buying a grossly overpriced used gun I wouldn't accept as a gift from a (relatively) LGS despite my offer to get him a NIB (Glock, Sig, Hk, S&W) at wholesale cost. Chose an expensive caliber to shoot because of the magazine article he read, in spite of facts presented from DocGKR's information sheets, and reality of what we have seen in the past 10 years of better domestic LEO documentation of OIS's, and information from our latest skirmishes throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He at least went to a local training joint and got 8 hours worth of basic skills training. When asked about ammunition for this class specifically, he was given a practical reality answer. Bulk is cheaper than box by box, and when the time comes that the shelves are empty, you are likely to still have some. Sent him POC's for a couple of places where he could use discounts available to me which were pretty substantial.

Fast forward to last month..........

"Is there any place you know where I can get some ammo for my gun that isn't $50 per box?"

"Yup, same line as the people in Hell looking for ice water".

[JMS]

The same mentality reminds me of the dude who stole JMS's generator power,

It's ended up paying dividends in the long run....that corner of the neighborhood is a somewhat happier place, now that he's Got His Mind Right. :p

I'm okay at the moment and for the near future, but was very nearly caught flat-footed by the market. I wasn't reconstituting stocks as I should have been in 2012. Were it not for a slightly mad scramble in Dec, before things got truly ridiculous, I'd be boned. Nobody to blame but myself, made worse by the fact that I'd aparrently kidding myself into thinking I know better; I'm supposed to....