| Author |
Message |
    
Stirz007
| | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2013 - 11:12 pm: | 
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Sifo - I've done the same thing before, and did it again when I was working up .223 ammo. The ogive on the 'new' bullets had a 'sharper' profile than the standard 55 gr 855 ammo, so the resulting OAL was longer to get the land stand-off. I must've been brain-dead that night, because I loaded something like 100 rounds (different bullet weight and powder charges). I carted everything off to the range a few days later to do some chrony work, and lo and behold, they were too long to fit into the mags. Single loading quickly became a PIA, so I went home to the press to reduce OAL to the proper length. Maybe next time I'll remember (or not) |
Sifo
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - 01:40 pm: |
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Got to the indoor range today. I had a chance to compare the factory PMC ammo I picked up vs. my hand loads. Even at 25 yards (max for the range) the first batch of hand loads are much better. I shot a 5 round group that would be covered by a nickle easily. 4 of that 5 were connected and would easily be covered by a dime. I shot 15 more of my hand loads and only had 2 that weren't connected to the hole torn in the paper.
To say that I'm satisfied with my first batch of hand loaded .223 is kind of an understatement. I have those who contributed to this thread to thank for that. I've been given a terrific starting point. You guys did that!  |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - 06:33 pm: |
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What are they using for a backstop on an indoor range that will take on a .223? Of all the many indoor ranges I've been to,strictly NO hipower. The craters cause back splash that cuts up the target hanger and targets for the 22 match shooters. I've spent a lot of time grinding and welding craters....no fun. |
Sifo
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - 07:33 pm: |
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I've seen a lot of what looks like 5/8" steel plate. I have no idea exactly what steel. They say it's rated for up to and including .50 BMG. No armor piercing rounds of course. The backstop is made of an upper and lower piece with roughly a 45 degree angle making kind of a bullet funnel. I imagine the angle dissipates some of the energy more slowly than hitting at 90 degrees. I think it also helps eliminate the back splash.
Our VFW hall had a range that was only rated for pistol rounds. A range officer let a cop in with a .223 and damaged the backstop. While welding to fix it, a spark ignited something flammable. The whole range was gutted and the rest of the VFW was severely smoke damaged. Luckily only a couple people were hurt with first degree burns. They are hoping to have the new range open again this summer.
EDIT: Also from what I understand, there's another layer of backstop behind what can be seen that is still supposed to contain armor piercing rounds, just in case. I understand some people have use them.
(Message edited by SIFO on January 08, 2013) |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - 09:52 pm: |
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Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - 11:16 pm: |
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Ah Glitch,I have a C&H inline reloader that is similar to that,only manually cycled. 50 rounds of ACP as fast as you can set a bullet in the case and pull the lever.
The local indoors range had a 5/8ths plate on lane one and 22 magnums would divot it after repeated rounds in the same spot. Somebody shot clean thru the 1/2 inch plate in the other lanes several times. Probably a .30 cal AP round and probably test firing a new purchase and didn't know no better. We used to mine lead out of the sand pit at that range. Pull out hammered together chunks as big as you arm and melt them down in my 500 pound Linotype pot. With tens of thousands of round hitting those 4'x8' sheets for 20 years,they bowed outwards at the sweet spot in target height.Surface peening! |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 09, 2013 - 08:04 am: |
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Very cool gif Glitch! I could watch that thing for hours figuring it out. |
Thumpthump
| | Posted on Friday, January 11, 2013 - 07:45 pm: |
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Glitch, my friend has a couple of those "automatic" reloading machines. They are very fast and very expensive. I think he said they will load about 2000 rounds an hour. The biggest problem is keeping the primer tubes filled. |
Sifo
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 - 06:48 pm: |
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So a little bird let me know that Cabela's had the BL-C(2) powder today. The have new limits on gun supplies and I was told the cashiers have been well trained in these new policies. Limit of 10 boxes of ammo per customer. 2 pounds of powder of each type per customer. 2,000 primers per customer. 200 rounds of brass per customer. I grabbed 2 pounds of the BL-C(2) and had my wife grab 2. We left one on the shelf for the next guy. They had 2 pounds of Red Dot, so I cleaned those off the shelf too. Then I got their total stock of 600 rounds Hornady of .223, 60 grain, FMJ bullets to load. At least I have enough stuff to shoot the new gun for a while now.
Talking to one of the guys there, he said that .223 ammo sells in hours after they get it. Even with the limits they set he said people spread the word and it goes fast. He said the 22 LR is selling out now too, but that takes till the second day after a shipment to sell out. They only had 300 large pistol primers on the shelf and a bunch of shot shell primers. Everything else was gone. No .223 brass at all. I'm still having a hard time believing this run on almost everything gun related. |
Psykick_machanik
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 - 07:13 pm: |
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"I'm still having a hard time believing this run on almost everything gun related".
um sifo......didnt you just propagate the run........
I'm just sayin, not judging.
 |
Sifo
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 - 07:27 pm: |
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Well... sort of... a bit.
Honestly, I've got enough supplies for probably a bit over 1,000 rounds of .223. That's not the kind of stuff that this run is made of. I was due for the Red Dot powder, and I don't usually get 2 pounds at a time, so I'm slightly guilty there. The rifle powder, I would probably have gotten and 8 pound can if I could have. Shooting every week burns that stuff up! |
Bob_thompson
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 11:58 am: |
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On the powder you're all using for semi-autos:
Are you finding as I have that the faster burning powders for each caliber tend to be more reliable? I think its something about the cycling rate of the semis and that it has to cycle pretty "fast" for good extraction and feeding. My L1A1 really does not like slower burning powders at all and it has an adjustable gas port. Your opinions? |
Nukeblue
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 04:26 pm: |
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haven't really messed around with different powders, just load with what are proven performers. blc2 for the 308 & 223, imr or h 4895 for the garand.
nice chart here,
http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html
(Message edited by nuke-blue on January 24, 2013) |
Sifo
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 05:56 pm: |
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I've found a couple of burn rate charts like that available. I was surprised how some powders were rated quite differently. This may be a case of 4 or 5 powders being virtually the same just getting ranked differently though. There's nothing to give you an idea of how different, or similar powders may actually be. Still it's pretty good info to have available if you are looking to substitute for a powder you can't get right now. Of course this still means working up from the starting load every time. |
Kenm123t
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 06:22 pm: |
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308 7.62 nato 41.5 gr 4895 is what we use in m1as 4064 works well in 308 and better in the 06 Garand |
Nukeblue
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - 01:11 pm: |
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ok now it's getting bad for do-it-yerselfers!
http://powdervalleyinc.com/
http://www.hi-techammo.com/ |
Brinnutz
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - 07:47 pm: |
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Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee, IL had Independence 5.56mm for $9.99/20rd box today limit 10. |
Nukeblue
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 07:44 am: |
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save your .22 brass and wheel weights 
http://www.corbins.com/rfjm.htm |
Jramsey
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 08:51 am: |
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"save your .22 brass and wheel weights"
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Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 10:25 am: |
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Clever! |
Sifo
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 10:38 am: |
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Interesting that they say the bullets make good varmint bullets, but are not as good for game because the break up too much. That's OK though, I find liberals to be bitter anyway.  |
Nukeblue
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 09:21 pm: |
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this is neat too, making .300blk from .223 cases. just got my dies today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAGxcKI6XDc&sns=em |
Ulyranger
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 09:53 pm: |
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That is cool. Been reloading for years and never ran across that set up before. Very nice, gotta stop sending all my 22lrs to the scrap yard with spent primers.... |
99savage
| | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2013 - 07:07 pm: |
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Don't own a 223 and have adequate fodder for what I do have, but,
Any Problems Getting:
* Primers?
* Powder?
* Projectiles |
Ulyranger
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 10:23 am: |
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Availability?
Primers: unobtanium in many areas. I had a local source, but appears to be drying up. Online? Forget about it, no one has any and with the huge contracts being filled for .gov and the huge demand from the ammunition factories for product, the supply of primers for reloading is not going to come back for a long, long time IMHO. Selling cases of primers is just too far down the priority list and there aren't that many primer manufacturers.
Powder is still available last I looked, though big online retailers are drying up. Locally I can still find it. My guy had a shipment of 190 # come in on a Friday and by Wednesday the following week he had sold over 80#. Needless to say he was a bit surprised. The reloading thing is becoming quite popular......or guys are seriously hoarding the stuff, either one is not a good sign.
Bullets? Unobtainium in any kind of bulk packaging. Popular sizes are drying up fast (223, 30, even pistol calibers). Go look at Midway's site and browse the "out of stock, no back order" on almost everything you would probably want to buy. This, like the primers will be in short supply for the foreseeable future. Though because there are many more bullet manufacturers I see them rebounding quicker.
Just what I see......bleakness. Have plenty of powder, primers, cases and match bullets, wishing I had more common bullets though (hunting, plinking). |
Sifo
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 10:40 am: |
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Any Problems Getting:
* Primers?
* Powder?
* Projectiles
Primers are almost nonexistent locally.
It depends on what you shoot. Of what I use, Red Dot seems obtainable. Others that I've liked BL-C2, 231, #5, #7 is hard to find.
Oddly, .223 bullets in 55gr and 62gr seem available. I just put in an order to restock my 9mm and .38 bullets. The supplier I use normally takes up to 2 months under "normal" circumstances. I'm hoping I have them by summer. He doesn't supply typical "black gun" type slugs so hopefully he hasn't been swamped with panic orders. |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 02:57 pm: |
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WHO IS BUYING all this stuff at retail stores? Locally,everything cleaned out...EVERYTHING!Even the oddball stuff like 30-40 Kraig. Flippers scarfing it up to take to gun shows? |
Kenm123t
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 06:52 pm: |
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Got All three at the Local gunshow today
They have Ar mags availible for 19.95 I can get you the info if you pm me He will ship to you guys but I didnt want to post open so badwebbers get cut out
Plenty of Ar s etc prices from normal to looter the regulars at the show are as close to normal prices as they can be.
Lowers Uppers and parts are plentiful same price ranges looter to near normal |
Hybridmomentspass
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 07:52 pm: |
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ken - please PM me about the mags, I appreciate it |
Loki
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 09:38 pm: |
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another show here on the first wknd in march. See how it goes, the last one was simply crazy!
Local shop finally had some surplus 556 on the shelf. Just a 100% mark up from normal.
I cant believe, that 30mm med weaver rings cant be found around here! Four gun shops and two big box stores with nothing but high and extra high. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, February 18, 2013 - 10:21 am: |
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Anyone in the business here that confirm production lines really are still running normally and it's just getting snapped up? |
Loki
| | Posted on Monday, February 18, 2013 - 06:42 pm: |
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Reep,
Have some friends who work at the Rem factory here in LR. They tell me(and others) at full production. They are not even able to buy ammo for themselves at the plant at this time. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - 02:16 pm: |
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That's good to know...
(unless you are part of the global conspiracy and are just covering them... ) |
Loki
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - 03:32 pm: |
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I am part of the open conspiracy that just wants to buy the stuff. At reasonable pricing! |
