Author Topic: Reloading Components (Read 1337 times)

Big Blue · « **on:** February 12, 2004, 12:50:11 PM »

Don't know about you but I hate having to mail order components and powder. First, you have the wait, and then the S+H charges, not to mention the Haz-Mat fees for shipping powder. I usually end up taking a ride to Cabellas, but the place is a zoo, a forty minute ride, and hard to get counter help. I really lucked out and went to a local place called T+T Reloading. I never knew the place was there., because they have no sign, and do most of their business by mail order. I walked in, and thought I had died and gone to reloader heaven. Powder, bullets, dies, presses as far as the eye can see. I think I'll be spending a lot of time there, and money.
Don

Mac11700 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2004, 07:12:40 PM »

Big Blue:

I know just what you mean.I'm just a 30 minute ride away from Grafs and Sons in St.Chareles.What they don't have they just call up from their Mexico Missouri store. Most people are going to the Mega Bass Pro store 2 blocks away.

Mac

.308 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2004, 05:15:30 AM »

That T&T reloading has a website, too. Says they will pay 1/2 of the Haz Mat fee if you buy 16 lb. of powder or all the fee if you buy 32 lbs. Similar deal on primers, if you buy enough they pay the fee.

I've been wondering if Graybeard has any advertisers he recommends that sell components.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2004, 05:50:12 AM »

I'm a surplus powder freak. Started reloading back in the days when gun stores sold H-4831 and H-4895 in paper bags from 150 pound canisters in the back. The two outfits I use these days are www.gibrass.com and www.patsreloading.com. Double up with a buddy annd buy 6 jugs at a time. Delivered cost these days runs $7-$9 a pound and that's less than half of gunstore price per pound.

The savings is a sleeper, too. When you buy powder in 8 pound jugs, the price will be much higher before you finish the jug. I'm still shooting powders I bought for $2 a pound.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2004, 08:22:32 AM »

We have one of the surplus powders here in Kentucky, Haywire and myself are gonna check it out soon we'll let you know what we find out, Alot of you guys are close enuff to visit on a weekend and Ilike to travel. Maybe we could do something maybe maybe?

.308 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2004, 09:38:56 AM »

One of them places DJ mentioned is in Owensboro, KY. Is that far from ya'll? I'd like to have me a jug of the WC844 and WC820, and maybe some WC680. If I had a handloading buddy that wanted him 3 jugs too we'd be in business. :wink:

Big Blue · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2004, 02:35:57 PM »

Quote from: Leftoverdj

I'm a surplus powder freak.

What type of powders are available as surplus? I had heard of guys using surplus 4895, but I'm not sure if they mean h4895, or IMR4895, I think there is a difference.
Don

offhand35 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2004, 02:58:01 PM »

I KNOW THAT WIDENER'S RELOADING SUPPLY (wideners.com) OFTEN LISTS SURPLUS POWDERS IN THEIR CATALOG......

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2004, 06:01:10 AM »

Hey .308
I think its about two hours over there, I'm in the middle of the state and they are over in the western part, Its a nice ride over on the bike when the weathers good. We've been thinking about making a round trip to there and down into Tenn to Dixegun works, heading east to Cookeville to stop in at Hamilton Dry Goods( Cowboy Stuff) and maybe stop by Mortscustoms while we're in the area then take us 27 back up into Ky again. should make for a nice weekend trip.

.308 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2004, 03:12:42 PM »

Mr. BNB, If you make that trip to all them places I'd betcha some of us would like to hear about it, me for sure, especially the stop at Martscustom. I've been thru your great state a couple of times, beautiful country there, but the place I remember most was a stop for gas right off the Interstate, it was raining, when I got out to pump the gas it smelled like flat/stale beer everywhere outside. This fellow informed me there were three (if I remember right) distilleries right close by. Then I remember driving by where the Corvette is built, one of my favorite cars, Z 06 is awesome. Do I ever get sidetracked. :oops: Anyhow if you make that trip I'd like to hear about it.

Edit: I just noticed you got your second bullet too, congrats.

Don't needum with the singleshots. :wink: Later....

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #10 on:** February 14, 2004, 03:20:09 PM »

Surplus powder is often referred to as "data". The means that while it may not be EXACTLY like the well known powder, it is close enough so the same data may be used with the usual start 10% low and work up precautions. I cannot speak to any differences between H-4895 and IMR-4895. I've used both and they seem to be within normal lot to lot variations to me.

On the market right now is a surplus grade of H-110/WW 296, a surplus grade of H-335/WW 748, an equivalent of H-450, an equivalent of AA-2, AA-5, AA-7, AA-1680. Anything you load for, you can find a reasonable powder for as surplus. If I missed something (and I missed a lot), just open the links I gave a few days ago and browse with a load manual in hand to see what meets your needs.

I will warn that you are better off paying the little extra for "new" or "virgin" powder. It has almost certainly been stored properly while the "pulldown" or "PD" powder salvaged from ammo is a lot more iffy.

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #11 on:** February 14, 2004, 03:40:38 PM »

Here's the link to the place in Owensboro.

Ian

.308 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 14, 2004, 03:55:18 PM »

Yep, that's one of the places DJ talked of. Man, if I could get together a couple of handloading buddies I'd get me about 3 jugs of that stuff. One of them is about the same as AA-1680, another is like H-110, and I forget what the other one is similar to, H-335 maybe. Cheap/inexpensive and a bunch of shooting before having to buy more. :wink: Some is less than 8 bucks a pound. First H-335 I bought was less than 2 bucks a pound. Heck back then gas was 30 cents a gallon.

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #13 on:** February 14, 2004, 04:06:15 PM »

Doh, totally missed the links that DJ left.

Ian

.308 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 14, 2004, 04:13:42 PM »

That sounds like me, duh. :-D Anyhow if you live close enough to drive there and can get it for the same price as on the web, man what a deal. :grin: :wink:

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #15 on:** February 14, 2004, 10:41:06 PM »

Btw, that was my Christmas present to myself. I got off about the price of a new rifle and bought six jugs from Jeff (gibrass). It should do me roughly as long as I expect to live.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #16 on:** February 15, 2004, 03:06:47 PM »

Well .308 looks like Haywires not gonna wait for me. Him and his wife are looking to drive over there Tues. I bet he'll be carring some of my money thou :wink: We'll still be making the trip trough Tenn. soon and I'll let you know how that turns out. There are a bunch of us NEF nuts kinda close together but just far enuff apart to make it a drive, without thease forums we woulda never met funny world aint it.

.308 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2004, 04:18:56 AM »

I wish there was a place like that with surplus powder close to me, I'd get me some of that. 8 bucks a pound, What a Deal. :wink: Yep, small world is right, and no way I would have met this great bunch of folks if not for these forums.

:grin:

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2004, 09:27:48 AM »

Ok Bob, I think we'll have space left in the trunk by the spare tire... you can come with us if you must. :mrgreen:

Ian

.308 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2004, 10:35:16 AM »

Quote from: Haywire Haywood

Ok Bob, I think we'll have space left in the trunk by the spare tire... you can come with us if you must. :mrgreen:

Ian

:-D

:-D :wink:

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #20 on:** February 17, 2004, 04:30:46 PM »

Just got back and Ian even let me ride in a seat :-D good trip to brought back 22lbs of smokless, That my friends is a lot of bullet to load. Interesting fella running the place I'll deffinatly buy from him again. He has what he said he dose and its in fine shape.

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2004, 10:26:10 PM »

One more thing tho, the business hours posted on his site are not to be taken for granted. If I hadn't called halfway there he might not have been there at all. He doesn't have a store front as such, it's just a warehouse with an office on the side. He said that 99.5% of his business is mail order so he doesn't keep regular hours. We also lucked out that he had one of the powders we wanted on hand because his main powder magazine is in a neighboring county, he can only keep 1000lbs of it in his working warehouse, so he just brings in what he needs for current orders.
He did have an interesting collection of military stuff hanging around (an experimental 5.56 flechette round for instance) and a couple brass tumblers that would handle 3000 30-06 cases at a time. Was one of those places that most of us could poke around for hours and not get bored.
It was obvious that he wasn't used to folks walking up and buying powder too, he seemed very cautious with us at first till he figured out that we weren't gonna thump him on the head and rob him. I can understand it tho, with Bob standing there looking all Iraqi-like. :grin:

Ian

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #22 on:** February 18, 2004, 05:44:41 AM »

:-D I've never seen a six foot tall, overweight , over fourty, balding Iraqie (and I've seen alot of Iraqies) that looked like an Irish redneck before, but I guess I am scary enuff looking without a turban.

:twisted: