Your opinion on future prices and availability of primers ,powder and bullets.
- Thread starter Foo
- Start date
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
Yep, Gasoline prices sucked in 1973, 1979, most of the early 2000's, 2012, 2022,.................
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Umm, yeah it will be a big deal because diesel went up too which means everything else will follow since diesel moves everything you use/consume. Might not be today or this week, but it will affect everything.
blackthorn
Active Member
RicinYackima said:
“Terrible times! I was a public employee, Firefighter Medic, and was having to take money out of my retirement account to put food on the table. Plus working 56 hours a week at the fire station and hustling up jobs on the side. 1975 thru 1990 was terrible. FWIW”
1975-working in a plywood plant. Looked at the seniority list and found I had finally moved into a place where it would take a plant closure to affect me. House all paid for, oldest kid close to graduation from high school and headed for secondary education into forestry. Second kid headed down a path to a totally different life style, but he had choices. 1977-plant closes. Got 20+ years severance pay and could move to another company owned plant closer to home but now on the bottom of seniority list so---last hire first fire when times got tough. Oldest son changes careers to welder in a saw mill eventually became a millwright, doing well. Second son continued on a short walk to nowhere but he is content with his life so who am I to complain? Same short sighted, idiots running this plant as well. Down hill from there. In both plants I was active in my local union, so when the idiots began to run the second plant into the ground and work became spotty (i.e. Part-time) I was offered work running a help center for un/under employed people. It was now 1983. It took from about 1982 to 1989 for the bone heads to kill off the last of their plywood plants. I then worked full time at low wages running the center while overseeing 8 others for the BC Federation of Labour. In 1991 I got a real good paying job as part of an administrative tribunal deciding appeals from decisions of the BC Workers Compensation Board. Worked there from 1991 to 2004 and retired form a position as a tribunal vise-chair. Went back to doing appeals on a contract basis for a couple of years and retired for good. So, yes, times from 1975 to 1990 were tough but all's well that ends well!
“Terrible times! I was a public employee, Firefighter Medic, and was having to take money out of my retirement account to put food on the table. Plus working 56 hours a week at the fire station and hustling up jobs on the side. 1975 thru 1990 was terrible. FWIW”
1975-working in a plywood plant. Looked at the seniority list and found I had finally moved into a place where it would take a plant closure to affect me. House all paid for, oldest kid close to graduation from high school and headed for secondary education into forestry. Second kid headed down a path to a totally different life style, but he had choices. 1977-plant closes. Got 20+ years severance pay and could move to another company owned plant closer to home but now on the bottom of seniority list so---last hire first fire when times got tough. Oldest son changes careers to welder in a saw mill eventually became a millwright, doing well. Second son continued on a short walk to nowhere but he is content with his life so who am I to complain? Same short sighted, idiots running this plant as well. Down hill from there. In both plants I was active in my local union, so when the idiots began to run the second plant into the ground and work became spotty (i.e. Part-time) I was offered work running a help center for un/under employed people. It was now 1983. It took from about 1982 to 1989 for the bone heads to kill off the last of their plywood plants. I then worked full time at low wages running the center while overseeing 8 others for the BC Federation of Labour. In 1991 I got a real good paying job as part of an administrative tribunal deciding appeals from decisions of the BC Workers Compensation Board. Worked there from 1991 to 2004 and retired form a position as a tribunal vise-chair. Went back to doing appeals on a contract basis for a couple of years and retired for good. So, yes, times from 1975 to 1990 were tough but all's well that ends well!
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
No, it's never really too late. The point was that I spent years trying to get these guys interested but it was too easy to use the ammo dad loaded or go buy some. After you smack your head into the wall enough times you figure it's not your problem anymore. Your kids are young, you'll see it eventually. But this isn't just them. I've talked to several people who have said, "Hey, you reload don't you? Can you load some shells for me?!!" Gee, what an opportunity! What a lucky guy I am to have them offer to let me load for them! No of these guys ever thinks ahead, ever!
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I didn't know the 70's/80's were that "bad" (and they weren't really) until after I got old enough to have some perspective. Looking back, I only knew of one person who ever bought a brand new car until I was well into my 20's. I knew guys who raised families tailing lumber in a saw mill or working in a handle plant. No one made much more than minimum wage except some hard working contractors, loggers, truckers or the few professional types I came in contact with. I think expectations were a lot lower then. If you had a phone, a fridge and a TV you were living the good life. If it was a color TV, you had something special. If your family had more than one car, you were a social climber. Different times.
BBerguson
Official Pennsyltuckian
That’s funny! I had a guy approach me with the same “offer”. Told him if he can find the components I’d be happy to load some for him. Never heard back from him.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
That has been my standard answer also. However, I have enough sets of reloading tools for several folks to start reloading themselves, if they can find the components.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Yup, it's nice how so many people are so willing to give us the chance to work for them- preferably for free!!! No concept of the effort, cost or research, much less the time that goes into the job, and it IS a job. I can't fathom how their minds work.
Last edited:
I think Bret was referring to those requesting you reload for them for free. I too have a tough time wrapping my mind around that.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
I help teach a basic loading class. For the actual loading part, start out on 38 special 9 mm and 308.
We are now using dead primes and a fine corn cob material to replace primers and gun powder. Use lead bullets that I cast. Then pull them in a mechanical puller one of the instructors has, and use them over. When enough bullets get damaged from being pulled. I just recast them.
We are now using dead primes and a fine corn cob material to replace primers and gun powder. Use lead bullets that I cast. Then pull them in a mechanical puller one of the instructors has, and use them over. When enough bullets get damaged from being pulled. I just recast them.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Reloading for myself can be relaxing and enjoyable. Reloading for someone else who expects me to produce all the free ammo they want? No, that's a job- an unpaid, thankless job at that. I've reloaded for some people in years past. I was foolish enough to try and "help them out". They supplied the empties and I supplied everything else. I know in at least one case the recipient complained that the 6.5x55's I loaded for him "weren't very accurate". Well, gee golly guy! You asked for free ammo for a rifle I've never even seen, much less had access to so I could develop a good load! You're so very, very welcome!The others I never got the $$ or the help with my projects they'd promised. Never again!
It is if you are instructing them and do this in a low volume. Totally depends on the volume., several hundred rounds a year as a favor is okay. The legal responsibility is if they blow up their rifle or handgun with "your" ammunition. If they ae pumping the handle, it's their ammunition and you are free. Thus, if they want reloads, it's at my convenience and it is a teaching session.
I tell anyone who wants to learn, that it takes two times. The first where we work together to have hands-on instruction. The second where they come back to teach me how to reload so I know they have absorbed the teaching. They also have to buy the latest Lyman reloading manual because I think that is the best reference for a beginner. .
Last edited:
BBerguson
Official Pennsyltuckian
Oh, I have a buddy at work that was really lean on 9mm rounds and needed some for practice. He’s on the security team at his church and got short on ammo. I gave him several hundred rounds and told him the only payment was to return the brass. Stocked him up with 12 gauge for some crow hunts too. For real buddies, what’s mine is theirs.
Another buddies son came over to learn how to reload. He brought powder, primers and bullets and I supplied 80 pieces of 30-06 brass and all the reloading equipment. Sent him home with some cast loads too for trigger time on his deer rifle. Another buddy and his son are coming over to learn how to cast and reload for 223. They don’t have money to buy a bunch of ammo to go out and plink with so I’m going to send him home with as many loaded rounds to equal the bullets he can cast that day. I’m guessing 250-300 will be a good day. (those 22 cal bullets are a bit of a pain to cast and powder coat)
Also gave a set of 9mm dies to another buddy and several years ago donated an RCBS press and 223 dies to a young disable vet that was wanting to reload. Therapy and a way to pass some time…
So yeah, I spread my good fortune with people I care about. But with people that I just happen to know, not so much…
Another buddies son came over to learn how to reload. He brought powder, primers and bullets and I supplied 80 pieces of 30-06 brass and all the reloading equipment. Sent him home with some cast loads too for trigger time on his deer rifle. Another buddy and his son are coming over to learn how to cast and reload for 223. They don’t have money to buy a bunch of ammo to go out and plink with so I’m going to send him home with as many loaded rounds to equal the bullets he can cast that day. I’m guessing 250-300 will be a good day. (those 22 cal bullets are a bit of a pain to cast and powder coat)
Also gave a set of 9mm dies to another buddy and several years ago donated an RCBS press and 223 dies to a young disable vet that was wanting to reload. Therapy and a way to pass some time…
So yeah, I spread my good fortune with people I care about. But with people that I just happen to know, not so much…
BBerguson
Official Pennsyltuckian
I would think it would depend on money. Did you sell to them or give them to them? Is there a receipt? Proof of payment?
There is a local guy that says he has a class 6 license (must be ffl or something) and he sells reloaded ammunition from his shop. In a 3 year span he loaded and sold 18 million rounds. He took me back in his loading room where he has 3 motorized Dillion 1100s and another that he was setting up. Out on the retail floor he had a manual 1100 that he used to load custom batches. He also sells A LOT of powder coated bullets. Company that does them for him uses a cement mixer to coat the bullets and a motorized pizza oven to back them. All bullets are double coated. I’d like to see that operation…