I'm Feeling Flush . . .

[COSteve]

Sooooooo, I've decided to load up some .45 Colt loads for my leverguns.

I think I'll break out the Unique, some nice Berrys 200 grn plated RN bullets I also use in my 1911, open up a brick of WLP primers, dump some Win brass into my 750's Casefeeder and crank out some fun times. With my recent good fortune selling scrap brass, I won't feel bad consuming 1K of components for my leverguns to use. I'm going to go with 9.1 grns of Unique with my 200 grn Berrys (9.8 grns is max) as both my leverguns seem to really like that load.

I already have a ton of .357 Mag. ammo I made up earlier this year but I'm down down to my last 300 rds of .45 Colt and they are all 255 grn which I'd rather use for something other than plinking at the range. So, it's a perfect time to crank out some 200 grn loads. Besides, I'm in my happy place when I'm handloading. Its one of the most relaxing things I can do as it keeps my hands busy and my mind relaxed as I go through the process.

I must admit that it also really satisfies my 'cheap button' as well. I've looked over the current prices of 200 grn .45 Colt. Most all of it for sale is the weak Cowboy Action lead bullet loads and finding anything close to decent power and plated or jacketed is going to cost you over 95¢ per rd on the web plus shipping. No one locally has anything but cowboy loads in .45 Colt and prices are $1.00 - $1.50 per round!

I've got a considerable stash of components and I'm able to make a few thousand of my 200 grn .45 Colt using Berry's plated bullets, Unique powder, WLP primers and my Win brass for a fraction of the web pricing. And my load is a great one for shooting out at 200 yds at my range or up in the Rockies hunting those dreaded and dangerous pine cones.

[Griff]

Wish I could, but temps here for the next several days call for highs in the 105ºF range. Even my box fan won't help in that! I'll be loading up some BP 45 Colt in the near future as I don't think I have enough on hand for my next match at the end of September. I'll also be loading 12 gauge BP ammo also... but I'm going to start on it today... (I finally got my Hornady 336 to run... it's inside... I can get a box or two done before I seem to forget a step and have to start cleaning up messes!

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[JBowen]

COSteve, do those Berry plated bullets have a cannelure to crimp into? Are they .452 ?

JBowen

[COSteve]

Nope, no cannelure but I use a Lee Factory Crimp die rather than a roll crimp on both my .357 mag and .45 colt and after well over 10K of them, I've never had an issue with bullet setback.

[JBowen]

Nope, no cannelure but I use a Lee Factory Crimp die rather than a roll crimp on both my .357 mag and .45 colt and after well over 10K of them, I've never had an issue with bullet setback.

Thanks. I do like and use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. I will have to try those out.

JBowen

[COSteve]

So, I pulled the trigger today and loaded up 900 rds of my 200 grn .45 Colt. I really enjoy making ammo as its relaxing and satisfying too. I looked over my component list and they came from my stash that together work out to 16.6¢ per round so I'm not spending too much to make up my fun gun ammo.

Besides, I looked through my records today and I realized that I've sold quite a bit of scrap brass in the last few years. It turns out that since the beginning of 2020, I've sold a total a total of $691.25 of scrap brass so the $149.40 worth of components I used today is already paid for in full.

I know, I'm a cheap *** but I love this sport where you can make ammo and make money at the same time!!

[piller]

The current price for a box of 50 .45 Colt rounds at the local Academy Sports &Outdoors is almost $65.00.

[COSteve]

The current price for a box of 50 .45 Colt rounds at the local Academy Sports &Outdoors is almost $65.00.

Yes. The local gun stores are charging a ton for .45 Colt and it's all 'Cowboy Action' . . . read weak loads. I shoot near full power 14,000 psi loads from my 2 Uberti leverguns and the only way I can feed them is to make it myself.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Unfortunately that’s been the way that it has been for several years.

I prefer my own loads anyway.

I’m working through the last of my Tula (Russian) primers that I bought many years ago. It’s probable been 20 years since the first primer scare.

[Ray]

There is an obvious supply shortage of large pistol primers of late. I posted this heads-up for the benefit of the board.....

https://www.levergunscommunity.org/view ... hp?t=88397

Further proof of that is recent runs of starline pistol brass for small name cartridge companies have been made with small primer pockets.

Like many here, I don't buy much factory ammo but I take it for free when available.....

Let me explain that.....

I run all of the monthly expenses through a cabela's club credit card. With the points earned I purchase from cabelas/basspro hsm brand cowboy action cartridges. When you pay the full credit card statement balance there is no interest accrued.

So every other month I get, for free, two/three boxes of $1 + a pop factory plinking ammo in .38 spl. or .357 or .41 mag. or .44 russian or .44 spl. or .44 mag. or .45 schofield, or .45 colt. The last several boxes have featured small pistol primers in the larger cartridges than traditionally use large primers.

[Grizz]

So, I pulled the trigger today and loaded up 900 rds of my 200 grn .45 Colt. I really enjoy making ammo as its relaxing and satisfying too. I looked over my component list and they came from my stash that together work out to 16.6¢ per round so I'm not spending too much to make up my fun gun ammo.

Besides, I looked through my records today and I realized that I've sold quite a bit of scrap brass in the last few years. It turns out that since the beginning of 2020, I've sold a total a total of $691.25 of scrap brass so the $149.40 worth of components I used today is already paid for in full.

I know, I'm a cheap *** but I love this sport where you can make ammo and make money at the same time!!

Great principle Steve
In the seasonal fishing business my peak cash position for the coming year is the day we sell our last load of fish. We scrubbed out the hold and went to Juneau where there are grocery stores, and later on a Costco, and hardware stores, etc. We rented a car and filled up the fish hold with non-perishables on the bottom layers, and perishables on the top layer, purchased the day we left town for the 12 to 20 hour trip home.

All Fall and Winter and when we went fishing we had all the basics on board, at Sep prices, and made money against the local supply mark-ups of the summer fish follies. We still stock necessities this way. If something we use "seems cheap" we add it to inventory.

And yes, I still have primers and powder from "back in the day" . . . Oh Yeah, more lead than I can shoot up . . . .

grizz

[COSteve]

And like you, Grizz, I don't just stock up on handloading supplies. I've been that way with all non-perishables most of my life as I've never felt I had enough money to pay full price for most things. I've always felt that when a sale comes along, you stock up so you still have some when the prices get high. Not a hoarder or anything like that, I just have always had to save to get the things I need so it's just part of me now.

[piller]

That sounds more like pioneer type of stocking up rather than hoarding. It is things you know you can use, even if it is 20 years from now, rather than buying just because you know someone will run short and you want to have it.

[Bronco]

Not only waiting for sales but I would buy whatever it was and the max of it that could ship under a hazmat ticket. I too am not a hoarder, I just like to have piles upon piles of components. Give me a sense of having a stack of gold. If you know what I mean Of course I am talking about back when the prices were, I though, reasonable.