Since the last time I complained about the drought, several guns have come up for sale locally that I've had a passing interest in, a Dan Wesson model 14 with some cosmetic blemishes, an H&R M1 Garand with even more blemishes, a SA Micro-45, and a S&W Highway Patrolman among others. All excellent choices, all wonderful firearms, but none rising to the GOTTAHAVEIT level. There's one "gottahaveit" possibility, but the idiocy of MA handgun laws are making that seem less and less likely with each passing phone call - getting a handgun transferred from out of state is pretty damn difficult...
Part of it has to do with the rising cost of ammo. With .45 ACP running ~$20 for a box of 50 rounds, it gets expensive to go to the range for the afternoon and plink away with a 1911. Even 9mm is creeping up there, with a box of 50 rounds now selling for close to what the 100 round Winchester White Box was selling for not even 5 years ago. Hell, even the bulk Federal 550 round .22LR has more than doubled, going from under $9 to $19 in the past 5 years. And that's when you can find it - .380 ACP and .38 Special/.357 Magnum have all but appeared on milk cartons... It's hard to justify another mouth to feed when I can't afford to feed those I already have.
I'll readily admit to being as much of a collector as a shooter - I have numerous guns in the armory that have only been shot once since I got them (I won't buy a gun I can't shoot), all special in some way or another. I've got a Colt Detective Special with a 3" barrel, an H&R Sportsman 9-shot .22LR, a Yugo SKS with all matching numbers and import paperwork still intact, and a Colt Lawman Mark III that never seem to make it into the gun case on range day. I've shied away from several guns simply because I realize that I won't shoot them, and it's just not fair to let yet another gun languish in the safe. I'm also at the point where I've got enough guns in a certain caliber that I know another one is just going to wind up in the back (notable exception here: .45 ACP and 1911s. No such thing as too many).
One thing that I've started doing is getting my broken guns fixed. I've got my AK clone in for repairs now, with the Hi-Standard H-D Military .22LR next up for repair once that comes back. The Underwood M1 carbine is next up after that, and maybe even the Universal M1 carbine if I can pick up some .30 Carbine ammo at a reasonable price. There's a certain pleasure in rediscovering an old friend in the case of the Hi-Standard and the M1 carbines, and I'm looking forward to dressing up the AK with some new hardware. I've been toying with stocks and such for the 10/22 as well, adding the folding Butler Creek stock and swapping the fixed 4X scope for an unmagnified red dot sight.
But I keep plugging away on my quest for the next great addition to the armory...
That is all.
12 comments:
It is time to start reloading. You list lots of reasons right there in the post, but there are more.
1. Cost of ammo. Using cast bullets, 100 rounds of .45ACP costs me under $5.00. I load all I use, and shoot the reloads in pistol matches.
2. Availability. Want some .30 Carbine? You make it.
3. Accuracy loading. When you think you know something about guns in general and your gun in particular, try the process of selecting bullets and powders to work up an interesting load for accurate shooting.
4. More time spent on gun stuff. It sounds like you have a fair number of guns, some that are rarely shot. The short, cold days are coming. You can spend many a pleasant evening in a man cave loading up hundreds (okay, thousands) of rounds for when you go get back out to the range.
5. If you have a few hundred dollars in your gun kitty, you have plenty to get started. I would buy a kit, get some advice and don't scrimp, get good stuff the first time, you'll thank yourself. Pick one cartridge, I started with .45 ACP, but pick one and learn it. Get it right, reliable, accurate. Then learn another.
Jay, this isn't a drought, it's an opportunity. And if you post about the process, you'll have blogfodder for the next 3 years.
+1 on that reloading. Its a great way to pass the frigid winter days and steamy summer afternoons. You'll shoot more, pay less and enjoy yourself while doing it.
Buy yourself a Dillon 550 and a bunch of die sets and you'll never look back.
It's much harder to type when you're missing fingers...
My offer still stands-
Wally's ammo factory:
357sig 124gr FMJ for $7.50/50
9mm 147JHP for $6.50/50
5.56 55FMJ for $3.40/20
44mag 240JHP for $11.50/50
45ACP 200JSWC for $8.50/50
And that's using purchased jacketed/plated bullets. 300# of lead in the garage for when I get started casting....
Sorry, but with Winter soon upon us, I agree that it is time to start Reloading. After all, one of the classic visuals is the pictures of Grandpa in a Plaid Shirt in his Knotty-Pined Gun Room showing his Grandchildren how to pull the lever on a old Single Stage. Think of the Heritage and Tradition you could be passing along. Do you really want to have this conversation:
"Daddy, where does the Ammo come from? Why, Wally World, of course. But only if it's on sale and in stock and there's no primer shortages and the Government hasn't banned imports..."
Do you really want to go there? Jay, don't Reload for yourself. Just think of the Children, Jay. Just do it for the Children...
Jay, you don't have to be a mechanical genius to reload. It is a skill easily learned. I would be happy to come over to help you get set up. I even have an extra plaid flannel shirt you can wear.
As to a new firearm, I am in the same situation, though I have my eye on a couple.
I'll add to the reloading chorus. It's really not that hard. I load 9mm for about 10 cents / round. If you want to come check out the Hornady Lock n Load progressive, give me a call.
Learn to reload: In the space of about 4-6 weeks I loaded 2000 rounds of light 38 Special and another 1500 38 Special with Triple 777 (a blackpowder subsitute) for cowboy shooting. A normal consumption it will be TWO years before I have to load 38 Special again. Next up in the queue is 9mm.
A Dillon 650 with a case feeder is a wonderful thing, I routinely turn out 500-600 rounds an hour.
"plink away with a 1911". Plink!
You've got some amazing ear protection if the "plink" is louder than the "boom".
But then what would I know. That fun stuff is even harder to get in the UK than in Ma.
Next gun?
What John Moses Browning design do you lack?
30 Carbine - http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=AP30FMJ110&groupid=86
Not super inexpensive, but not unaffordable either. I just inherited a Universal M1 Carbine and I love it. I know it's not a "real" Carbine, but it goes bang every time and is great fun to shoot.
Regards,
Darren
A Peacemaker and matching 19th Century model Winchester lever rifle. .45 Colt or .44-40, and start reloading with black powder.
.80 matchlock -- then you could team shoot with Nancy R.
One of the Martini-Henrys they've been importing.
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