Guys, do any of you reload your own? If so, how difficult is it to learn to do so?
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Guys, do any of you reload your own? If so, how difficult is it to learn to do so?
Just checked on my Optics Planet orders....all 5 orders (well, 4 orders, 5 different purchases) now "Expected to be shipped on 05/05/2021."
Geez! They've changed the delivery date what, twice now? At least, if I recall your previous posts correctly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrell KSR
Several times. From the initial order in September (within 23-32 days), to October 28, to November 13, to December 15, to January 13, ((then something else), to now May 5.Quote:
Originally Posted by suncat05
As long as the price doesn’t change I wouldn’t mind the delivery delay. OpticsPlanet is still selling some Aguila via back order for 32 cents a round.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrell KSR
I'm certainly not cancelling them. Would rather have them now than later, but at prices ranging from $0.29 a round for 9mm (Winchester 115 grain) to $0.43 for .45 (Winchester 230 grain), I'm good.Quote:
Originally Posted by KeithKSR
They will. And unfortunately, I think they are known for this during non-covid times as well. However, right now I like ordering from them. I'm not one that really likes to be around people and guns at the same time to go in stores. lol And as hard as it is to find, I just make an order, whenever I get it, I'll make another order. I think I am currently on my 4th order and the wait times are getting longer and longer. So for me, it is mostly working right now. But never order for them expecting it by a certain date or you will be disappointed.Quote:
Originally Posted by suncat05
Quote:
Originally Posted by KeithKSR
Prices have never changed for me. It might next time, but so far they have not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrell KSR
Have personally reloaded shotgun, and pistol or rifle is a bit more involved but not greatly so.Quote:
Originally Posted by VirginiaCat
I"m betting reload equipment is at a premium too, but it's easy enough. If you get a station machine you just load it up and crank and load brass. You can get them that do one operation at a time or multiple.
for brass reload on shot brass you'll have to clean/deburr/round out the brass mouth, punch out old primer, put in new primer, load powder, load the bullet, press fit. A reload station will do all of these tasks, you load the brass and pull the lever each time to punch down for the operation. As I said some do one at a time and you either hand move the brass or you set up for one operation and do that to all the brass, or you can have them that work on multiple cartridges at the same time.
Most will have different dyes for different calibers and can do a range of them with the same press.
If you go into a gun store these days the last thing you have to worry about is being around people with guns and ammo.Quote:
Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat
Primers and brass being in short supply have kept a lot of people from investing in reloading equipment.Quote:
Originally Posted by CitizenBBN
I have always found pistol rounds a bit harder and the exact length a bit trickier than rifle rounds. Especially semi-auto magazines.Quote:
Originally Posted by VirginiaCat
Reloading for bolt action hunting rifles is something I always enjoyed.
I got to wondering about reloading ammo a few months ago myself and priced out the supplies. When you pay for brass, powder, bullets, etc you can buy the completed ammo at a wash in dollars and cents.Quote:
Originally Posted by bigsky
You can save a little if you reclaim your brass, but of course some brass can't be saved and then you have to deal with rim damage, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by dan_bgblue
I've found that shotgun pays for itself, you can reuse the plastic shells a few times and shot and powder are cheap. That doesn't count for the time though, which is why I don't do it.
You do have to be more precise with any brass that is semi-auto for sure. Even manufactured brass can be finicky in some guns, esp. pistols, much less hand loads.
Placed a .410 order. Not really sure why but I did lol
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If you might need it in the next year it’s a good idea to place an order.Quote:
Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat
Read an article last month from TheMeatEater.com on when the ammunition shortage might end, and another one from PEW PEW Tactical. Thought I would summarize both and link both here if you are interested.
TheMeatEater.com article:
Hornady's marketing director says the shortage will last "deep into 2021," "the entire calendar year." I personally was hopeful we'd see it easing off this summer, but that looks too optimistic now.
If the Biden administration remains quiet on gun control--and please, no political discussion here, just mentioning this as a fact that was included in the article--then demand should level off in the next 12 months to the point where ammo markers will start to catch up. If not, it will be longer.
Over 20 million firearms were sold in 2020, setting the all-time record, breaking the 15.7 million that was set in 2016. 40% of the firearms were purchased by first-time buyers. 8 to 10 million new first-time buyers means that literally hundreds of millions of new rounds of ammunition are needed just for them alone.
https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/fi...o-shortage-end
An article from December seemed to point to a more optimistic view--Summer 2021 when the shortage would ease. I hope they are right. Then again, the article actually says, "Unless demand falls rapidly, we don't envision a scenario where supply catches up before summer 2021, at the earliest." (Lucky Gunner CEO Jake Felde's comment).
The "at the earliest" is a caveat that I think is well-taken.
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/ammo-...s-summer-2021/
My take on these (and other comments I've seen randomly) is that assuming there's no political interference (again, please save political discussion for The Barber Shop), we'll start to see the supply return very late this calendar year and 2022 should be good. If there is political interference, it will be longer. The threat of political interference will keep supply high (together with Covid, civil unrest, and new gun owners, among other factors).
it's not political, it's supply and demand. nothing drives gun and ammo sales like talk of gun control.
This was driven however by political unrest and the belief (which I agree with but all they need is the belief) that putting all your eggs in the "government will protect me" basket is a mistake. That drove a LOT of new buyers into the market, and drove them to buy guns not for hunting but for self defense. Those guns need more ammo by volume.
I'll be surprised if they let up in summer 2021. first b/c I think the Biden administration and the Congress will not remain quiet on this issue, and second b/c I think there is a lot of pent up demand so when prices go from $.80/round for 9mm and start to fall to say $.50/round you'll see more buying kick in, keeping prices pushing up and supplies low.
Like I said, I'm not shooting anything other than a slingshot until I can lay in a LOT more ammo than I have on hand. I figure at least a year.
Now, I may be be wrong about the politics of it only b/c the politicians also know that there are now 8-10 million MORE gun owning voters out there, making them a very sizeable voting block in a lot of key races, and they clearly are afraid of civil unrest and have taken action, making them likely voters in the off year elections.
(If this turns to more than simply analysis based on what will happen I'll delete this post and all others that go down that road the wrong way btw. This isn't to put a value judgement on it, just what I think will happen to drive gun/ammo demand in the next year.)
I don’t expect any easing on demand until late 2021 and more likely sometime in 2022.
Even with ammo hard to source guns are flying off the shelves.
This is just amusing now. I received an update that my OpticsPlanet orders are scheduled to be shipped on 5/21/21. For those keeping track at home, I have placed 4 separate orders of 5 separate items. The first one was made on September 21, 2020. These are the dates they have now shown me as being shipped:
1. First stated to be shipped 23-32 days after 9/21 (approx 10/20 give or take)
2. Then moved to 10/28.
3. Then moved to 11/13.
4. Then moved to 12/15.
5. Then moved to 1/13.
6. Then moved to 2/3.
7. Then moved to 3/18.
8. Then moved to 4/10.
9. Then moved to 5/5.
10. Then moved to 5/22.
I’m getting really pessimistic about the shortage ending any time in 2021.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrell KSR
I'm thinking that it may be well into 2022 before we see the shortage abate. If then, depending on what this current nitwit POTUS does in regards to his Executive Orders issued, or what the dimwits in Congress do with regards to legislation they attempt to or do pass for the current POTUS to sign.
Darrell, I have 4 orders sitting out there right now. All are 5/14 or 5/22.
Since I have literally been given 10 separate expected shipping dates for the same Order, I have no expectation that they will fulfill the orders I have (4 orders, 5 separate ammunition calibers) until supply has caught up with demand.Quote:
Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat
Just the way it is. Of course, I'm not going to cancel anything, but I don't believe the May dates are anything but a placeholder until the next bump to June.
It won't end for a while. Was already going to be a while, and with the new administration demand for guns and ammo is not going anywhere.
I was looking at various dry fire training systems and got overwhelmed with the number of them out there. (I admit, I received an email today from DefensiveCarry.com with a special on one from Strikeman, which stoked my interest.)
The price on it looks good, at $89 with the code, but it looks like it is regular price $99 per caliber. I'd like to get at least .45 and 9mm, so now I'm at $200 or so. Is that about what any of them will run? I think I saw that Suncat has one system he uses, but are there any recommendations?
I probably won't get it, but should...
iTarget.com
Dry fire has obviously leaped up in popularity. I'm pretty unfamiliar though. i've got some dummy rounds I used when I was repairing guns and used them for testing of semi-autos for cycling, but that's about it. Because they have no blow back they of course don't operate the gun, they just test whether it's jamming, stovepiping, etc.
There are some good videos about it on YouTube.Quote:
Originally Posted by suncat05
I assume you left off the pro?
https://www.itargetpro.com/
Not on purpose. But it is there.Quote:
Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat
And it is what I have.
As I stated previously, it is a bit pricey, but......if you want to keep your skill set up, this is, in the end, a viable training/shooting option.
I use it about once a week. My son and I take turns setting it up in different parts of the house, don't tell the other where it is at, and make a training exercise, as realistic as possible, out of it. It is fun for us. And in the long term, a lot cheaper than shooting up expensive and hard to find ammo.
Is it better than actually shooting your firearm? No, but given the current circumstances, it's better than no practice at all.
I may look into it. I wouldn't want to use it too much simply b/c I think you could un-train from handling the recoil and sound of a real gun, but I could see using it some.
It's all in the gray matter between your ears.
The only thing that is better is training in a real shoot house with real guns with real bullets.
Or........there's always........paintball. 😆
I'm thinking maybe a way to get my wife interested in shooting?
Do you know how many yards you can accurately shoot?
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It depends on your skill level, how you train, how much you train, how well you grasp the fundamentals of shooting, tolerance for stress, mental attitude.....but for a new shooter, you always begin with the fundamentals and proceed from there.Quote:
Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat;69bbq1666
I started my wife and daughter at close range to begin, and worked outward from there. And by close range I mean at 2 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards, 10 yards, and then 15 yards. Those distances sre where almost all of self-defense shootings occur.
I'm sorry, I also neglected to mention the type of firearm you're shooting. Shooting a large caliber shotgun is different than shooting a rifle, although the fundamentals still apply to both. And shooting a revolver is different than shooting a semi-auto pistol. Again, the same fundamentals apply to all handguns, but they both operate differently
Update:
1. First stated to be shipped 23-32 days after 9/21 (approx 10/20 give or take)
2. Then moved to 10/28.
3. Then moved to 11/13.
4. Then moved to 12/15.
5. Then moved to 1/13.
6. Then moved to 2/3.
7. Then moved to 3/18.
8. Then moved to 4/10.
9. Then moved to 5/5.
10. Then moved to 5/22.
11. Now moved to 6/12 (all 5 orders). Great. That's my birthday month. I'm sure it will be a birthday present.
Mine are all 6/12 now as well. Makes me wonder if they are even getting ammo in.
This keeps up you will end up getting it a year after you placed the order.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrell KSR
Important because I’m getting $1400 from Emperor Joe to buy more guns and ammo