Ornery

its a hobbie's that you can walk a way from and come back to read over your notes and with in a few hours be back into the swing of things. There is always something knew and some thing you can learn from any one that reloads. You never stop learning, yes powders come and go so to speak but you can always reload, as time goes on you can fine tune your reloading skills as well.
I starter out reloading to save money, ended up spending much more on reloading up dated equipment. And I wouldn't have been able to shoot as much or have been able to enjoy my reloading as much. Back in the days when I bird and deer hunted there was always the pride in I reloaded the ammo that took that game. I don't hunt any more and only pleasure shoot but still sorta get that feeling about the the time deer season is about to start. Any more its not hunting to put meat on the table its how deep are your pockets to hunt. Now to me only the ones that can be totally out fitter by Gander Mountain or the Brass Pro shop that can afford to hunt.
Use to be it was the hard ware store that was the real out fitter, I can still remember the old wooden floors, the sound they made as you you walked on them the smell of the pot belly stove heating the place.
In those day most men smoked a pipe those they were doing well smoked Cigars, but most chewed. Guess that is why I still chew to this day and have for a long time. Old men having a chew drinking a bit of the Taylor make drink was sorta something I grew up with.
A nip in those day was a nip no need to empty the bottle, after all that did cost a dollar. But that is back in the day when men knew how to be men and not whinners and women knew there place in life and not trying to run more than the house hold. Not saying that running the house hold was no easy task. In those days the women folk kept the children and men in line and the world was a better place less leo's as they cell them now ( in those days a a Policemen was a Policemen and a Deputy was a Deputy Leo was a mans name ) and less prisons too. And of course just about everyone worked for their living..
There wasn't any of this shot I made 20 years ago either its what can you do today, right now this minute. That is when it counted not the history, we got book for that and the rich and famious get in the the history books.
In those days driving your car or truck was a full time job, not something you be in between textsing and talking on the cell phone. Supper time is when the entire family was there to actually see and talk with each other. It was where manors we learned. Yes people were poor in those days, but we were a stronger country and people for the most part happier.
Now we have to be concerned about the other persons feelings, well maybe that is a good idea and maybe not. it is always best to speak the best of a person if they have a best side some don't and never will and couldn't buy a best side for all the tea in china lol.
But if they heard it or think they hard it, give me a break go home grow up. A few rap's with Mom's wooden spoon and you knew what was right and wrong. But kids where kids and played out side even in the rain and snow and cold, and men where men and women were women.
And a dollar was a dollar and would buy a dollar's worth of drinking store bought whiskey that would last 4 grown men and a boy a week or better depending how much they got to talking politic's then all bet were off on how long the store bought was going to last hick-up. We are out of the store bought nip and I am going to bed.

deputy125

i think one of the things that has hampered and hurt getting folks into the reloading end is the component costs nowadays.

when ups started cahrging that hazmat fee, it really hurt.....and today there are fewer and fewer mom and pop gun shops that would handle and cater to the local needs.

the big marts really don't care to order a pound of green dot for a customer as they have red dot on the shelf and sort of have a "take it or leave it" attitude.

same thing goes in finding lead bullets. the mom and pop stores would make a large order of everything under the sun in bullet styles and weights and spread out the shipping charges on each box. Mom and pop stores are disappearing as is evident by the few numbers of FFL's and store fronts out there today as the large corporation marts dominate as they can survive more or less thru the tough times.......but they do not really specialize or cater to local needs as they follow the company line. Walk into any Academy Sports anywhere in the Country and you will most likely not find much if any variation in product or even layout.

Today, if you want something you have to order it and eat all the shipping so you had best have some money to begin with if you are truely going to save some bucks on-line ordering. experimenting with different powders and bullet styles/weights today is too cost prohibitive compared to 30 years ago for the avg joe.

in short..reloading once upon a time was a venture just about anyone could afford to get into. Today, only the middle class and up can truely afford to do it......everyone else has either stopped shooting centerfire or not getting into the sport because of costs.

We do not really have to worry about obama or batf.......the market, costs of hunting leases, and the economy is turning the next generation into a small group of casual shooters and hoarders/collectors instead of avid shootes and competitive shooters.

you really don't want to shoot up your stockpile as the replacement costs will only get higher....and with the political turmoil, folks want to keep ammo on hand because they constantly worry about ammo shortages and panic buying like we have seen in the past............20% jump in prices in one year and barren shelves in the past........

who wants to get into something that requires a total paycheck to buy one gun and then you either can't get or afford the ammo for it?

gun control is at work here....believe me. and it is the market that is the controling factor..........the feds are still the best gun salesmen we have because folks will scarafice to get guns and ammo.........but they are going into closets instead of out to the range.

gunman42782

Exactly right deputy!

Ornery

I have never had much for a fence sitter, my self.

Pathfinder06

Ornery, I remember the hardware stores, which were the sporting goods stores too, with wooden floors and the honor and pride of being a man.
I always enjoy reading your point of view, as it like reading what I think without thinking it first. Thank You.

Deputy, I think your dead on too. Especially about what our sport has become. I have always bought my reloading supplies from a store and am finding it more and more common to have to go home empty handed.

I too love to reload.

Ornery

Thank you pathfinder, Yes I can see deputy's point and for the most part I feel the men have let it come to pass they wanted the fast easy way. The hardware store was the meeting place of men and men sharing their thoughts and idea's on how to do things from building a fence to tieing your own fly. When K mart and Wal Mart came in the mom and pop hareware stores were on the way out.
Home Depot thinks they intvented having applance for folks to buy. Nope the hard ware store you buy a rifle shot shells too a TV and stove and ice box and a freezer too boot.
Those crakers in those barrels to me were to die for, plenty of hot coffee for the men and a root beer for us boys. This was heaven.

Ornery

A co-worker has stopped sitting on the fence and is going to start reloading shotshell's and wants me to help him get set up. I told him about the expence and he told me his wife watchs some of the dumest tv show she has ever seen. I think he is really going enjoy him shelf. he won't need hulls as I have plenty to get him started.

deputy125

been a long time since i reloaded shotshells...........did it for quite a few years with a Lee load-all.........

what is a bag of shot going for nowadays?

Ornery

Pretty high any where from 34 to 44 for 25 pounds. And I did tell him that also. But he said he wanted to learn and to get set up to load his own shells. And can't argue with that.

b.roberts

Sometimes I go shooting simply to free up some brass so I can load it up again.

Ornery

Shooting is shooting and any reason is good to go shoot lol.

claybird

All of you fellows must have grown up about the same time I did . Xmas 1940 Santa brought me a single barrel 20 gauge. I was 10 then and a box of shells
lasted 2 years unless the crows started roosting in our woods again.
Two years later it was a Remington 22 bolt action tube fed and boy was I armed then. First rule, Dad said you can hunt by your self but not with any other KIds. And be careful where you shoot and no holes in the barn roof.
Shotgun and rifle shells could be bought at the hardware stores , Western Auto, Gamble store and two cigar store/poolroom places. Memory is getting as little foggy but seem like a box of 22's was about 24 -29 cents.
Mom said once that she wished I would shoot the rabbits with the 22 so she didnt have to pick out so much shot.

deputy125

yep................bought our .22 shells from the gas stations in town.

Ornery

I am thinking your right, sounded like a lot of money in those days. Not so now but times do change.

tx gun runner

In or around 1980 Target had Win super X for $.99 a box so I got 10,000 rounds from them . In or around 1993 K-mart had Rem Thunderbolt for $.88 a box so I got 10,000 of it . I'm still shooting that ammo today and at today prices I'm saving a lot of money .

Ornery

I stasrted out with just a few calibers to load now I have many.