You ever do this?

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11 years 5 months ago #27180 by Siscowet
You ever do this? was created by Siscowet
With the price increases and shortages of the last six months I have changed my schedule and behavior when it comes to range time. Used to be I grab some ammo and targets and go. Now I have a hoarders mentality and a checklist. Can I economically replace the ammo I am gonna shoot? What's my reason and goals to accomplish at the range? How much ammo will I realistically need to accomplish them? How many friends can I afford to invite to go along? ( unless they bring their own guns and ammo). And now that I am reloading; Do I have the time and supplies to reload the fired brass? On the plus side, I pay more attention and detail to making each shot as accurate as possible, and that is a good thing. Also, I tend to keep the "premium" firearms (AR10 and AR15 National Match) until the end of range time, and use the "budget guns" - Ruger 10/22 and Arsenal AK- first to get my trigger finger itch under control. I have a friend coming in who has an AR10 on order, so I have set aside a bunch of .308 for him to shoot to get a feel for it. That day is going to send me to the reloading press for at least a week!

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11 years 5 months ago #27185 by 10before15
Replied by 10before15 on topic You ever do this?
Great topic! :nicethread:

I have held onto a pretty healthy supply of ammo for the last 5 years now. I would go to the range and just let them fly, and replace what I shot within a rotation. Since the current trend I have re-framed from going to the "Rifle Range". Not only due to ammo, but also due to the fact that there are MANY new shooters out there with NO shoot experience what so ever shooting AR's when they should be shooting single shot 22's. Its like giving a 16 year old a Lamborghini. There is bond to be a accident.

As far as ammo is concerned I have started reloading. I'm am taking my sweet time with this for I am not taking any classes. I'm reading A LOT, watching tons of videos, and taking the very helpful advice from the great guys on this forum. I have a batch worked up that I will be taking to some private property over the weekend to try out :laugh: .

Now, for all of my lost range time my rifles have not been left idle. With the help of my trusty snap caps I have acquired some great trigger time. 4 times a week for at least 30 min. Learning to control my breathing, maintaining a smooth pull, and hitting it in between the beats. I have even taken it to another level by going to the property to sight track our large deer and focus on my skill to help eliminate the buck fever.

As for the range and my supply, my cup is over filled. So I will be back soon. This time with a fresh mind set, and a greater appreciation for that 30 cent round. Oh, I will be bringing out the trusty .17 now. Thanks for the idea!

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11 years 5 months ago #27186 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic You ever do this?
I've just been running the heavy artillery lately. Blew off about 120 slugs with the M4 on Sunday and even did a little video that I am in the process of figuring out how to introduce. It's something VERY special and will of course amaze and intrigue the gun world since it has a special twist to it...My sexy gut for starters...lol

Other than that, I'm sitting on what I have for ammo and will only shoot when I bump into a serious deal and have more than I'm going to shoot on it's way.

Since I don't reload and really not even set up for it with my current digs, I'm kinda screwed on that account for the time being.

I have been saving what little brass I do happen to let fly though so who knows, maybe someday I'll sit down and learn it.

Heck, I'm currently borrowing money from a 401K just to fix up my truck to try and get another year or two out it. Kinda sucks since I only started my 401K less than 2 years ago but digging out of the hole takes time and patience so I gotta do it.

Ammo takes a second place to pretty much EVERYTHING else but I'll shoot up about half of what I can grab on maybe every OTHER time I buy some so at least we're gaining....

I'm just glad the M4 likes pretty much everything. I'm blasting 10 inch targets from 100 yards on the bench with cheap slugs so I'm having a little fun anyway.

Of course, we also have pellet rifles that we all shoot and God knows at least THAT ammo is still reasonably priced... :laugh:

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11 years 5 months ago #27187 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic You ever do this?
Shark, just a thought, when you get a pile of 308 brass, you can always sell it on the forum site here. People would just as soon buy once fired from you as from midway, and 308 brass isn't cheap! Also, if I hadn't went max on my 401k 20 years ago, I would be in a world of hurt right now. Try to avoid that if you can. Just gave me a thought: I'm gonna start brass scrounging the local ranges. :cheers:

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11 years 5 months ago #27188 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic You ever do this?
Yea, I'm in the know about that stuff but after that long spell with no work at all, my investments in companies I did and everything else I had was gone and we are still digging out man.

If I had ANY other choice I'd do it but I'm hitting the medical bills and all the other stuff pretty aggressively and have no other choice. Gotta keep my wheels rollin or I can't get to work and I'm pretty much just grabbin all the OT I can find to get us above water before I'm too old for it to matter...

If I drop of a heart attack any time soon, I just want to make sure I don't leave my wife and boys with a bunch of old bills and at LEAST a good life policy that won't be used to pay off what I should have while I was still kickin...

Gotta be aggressive right now and little setbacks come with the program....

It sucks but it is what it is man...

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11 years 5 months ago #27189 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic You ever do this?
I've had a couple of calls from old contacts asking what I'm up to nowadays and I just told em I had NO interest in jumping on any big rushes with companies anymore no matter WHAT the payday. I'm with a Fed company now and staying put even if it takes years to get to where I need to be. When all of the companies I had lined up went dry and I ended up with no work, I swore I would never put my family at risk like that again by jumping from one project to the next.

Doing big projects like combining manufacturing facilities or finding new buildings and setting up supply chains is a blast for me but with the economy up and down the way it is, I'm going with what is stable and I figure the DOD is the place to bank on with where I am.

It's just gonna take some time before we are breathing well again.

Ammo wise, I'll just hunt and peck my way back up to a decent stash and pray for the best.

Heck, I've even upped my tithing at church recently just because things are back on the right track and it's what SHOULD be done since God is the one that keeps me from losing my temper every day, my family happy and healthy and me pressing forward for less than I'm used to making and still thinking positive. It's a long road but I'm on it now and I'm staying put.... :)

Things will come around for us in time.

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11 years 5 months ago #27192 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic You ever do this?
:thumbs: been in those places, and persistence and patience will win the day.

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11 years 5 months ago #27206 by mlotziii
Replied by mlotziii on topic You ever do this?
I'm happy to send brass to you guys for the cost of shipping. What's the minimum reasonable number of casings to send per batch?

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11 years 5 months ago #27217 by 10before15
Replied by 10before15 on topic You ever do this?
All of it mlotziii! :cowboy:


Just kidding, I'm sitting on plenty these days. I've been saving 308 and 40 brass for the last 12 years now. Most of it nickle, but I had to buy some preconditioned brass a few months back while I was waiting for a dang old #1 shell plate.

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11 years 4 months ago #27291 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic You ever do this?
Range day coming up. Bringing everything but the kitchen sink, and I would bring that if I could figure out what caliber of bullet it takes. Bending my rules above as this will probably be the last day my son and I get a chance to shoot together before he takes off to college next month. That and my friend with an AR10 on order will be here. I have two dozen gallon water jugs I am going to fill up along with regular targets and might buy a few exploding ones just for the heck of it, and hang a bunch of clay pigeons from string as well. Gonna make a mess at the range, but will clean it up afterwards. Might try that toilet paper tube flour trick as well.

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