Pen2_the_penguin

iTrader: (4)

dammit my picture didnt work. Here's an upload.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

That's a pretty good deal. I'd predict that in a few more months, you'll start seeing the major chain stores going even lower than that.

Summer of '12, Cabelas was having a sale on Herters .223 for like $4.49/20 AND free shipping over $99. I got 23 boxes for $103 shipped (460rds). That was the best deal I'd ever seen at the time.

So don't forget to add shipping... $.25/rd quickly turns into $.29/rd, and each of those PENNIES is worth considering.

I'm not sure a deal that good is "around the corner", but it might not be far off. And you're never going to find even the cheapest brass-case for that much... and you can't reload those Berdan Primed steel without more trouble than it's worth... so you don't even get to reuse the brass.

I haven't done the math, but it would be interesting to let's say... buy 1500rds of Wolf Gold or PMC Bronze with the intent of not only shooting, but keeping the cases to reload, and factoring that against the 1.7cents per rd you pay for buying 1500rds of LakeCity once fired and expecting to get 6 reloads out of it (with low-power plinkin' loads, maybe even more).

It's also important to mention... the best 5 shot group I've ever made with steel case from my MP15 was about 3" ON THE SCOPE from a rest @100yds... and I'll attribute it to just dumb luck. Most groups were more like 5". With a dot or irons standing, you'll have to be good to shoot a 6" group with steel case from your average AR... expect more like 8"-10" groups or bigger. Yup, good enough for zombies and most people's plinkin, but it's tough to get better as a shooter.

EDIT: I remember a year or so ago hitting the range with a buddy with an M1A, straight irons. First time I picked it up, put a whole clip into a 12" gong at 300yds... never missed. My other buddy shooting Wolf steel from a 16" Colt 6920 on irons couldn't hit it at all.

rmcelwee

iTrader: (1)

Worked fine over here.

So, how do you like the new stock?

Pen2_the_penguin

iTrader: (4)

It does look a little tactitard rediculous, but its comfortable as ****. The recoil is absorbed less in my hand and more into the butt of the rifle... and I honestly like the way it retardedly looks.

However, I did have to use and adjust the barrel support inside of the stock, because using a M44 has a little bit more kick and tends to get my shots off grouping, but after fine tuning the support its great.

rmcelwee

iTrader: (1)

You probably saw that I just purchased 2000 rounds of Russian steel-case 223. I only paid $.25 per round. If I spend another $25 I can pick up a bullet puller. Now I have a supply of powder and bullets. Spend some time picking up brass at the range and I am halfway to dipping my feet in the reloading hobby. My question is - am I going to see an accuracy improvement if I reload using consumables from mother Russia? The bullets are made in a mold and should all be the same. I'm guessing the real difference would come from inconsistent powder charge from the factory. So, what I have done is spent $250 on $180 in consumables BUT I can get into the hobby slowly AND I get to do one heck of a project with it (seeing if I can turn a shitty steel round into a good brass one). I'd like to hear your thoughts on using good brass, good primers, and good consistent powder charge to improve on my new supply of Russian powder/bullets.


Some good reading below concerning a 40,000 round test of different ammo (watch the 2 minute video). Seems to be saying that my supply of Russian powder/bullets might not be the best stuff (if shot rapid fire for hours and hours). I believe Tula is the only ammo that has been through my AR. I'm thinking maybe 500 rounds at this point:

http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/bras...el-cased-ammo/

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

Variances in bullet weight are common with cheap stuff and probably common (haven't ever weighed it) with bulk russian stuff. Plus the powders are typically dirty and less than desireable.

I think it really comes down to the round being loaded (pistol is easiest to save money on) and plinking vs accuracy desires. I'll be reloading .223 once I get around to it, I expect even my progressive run rounds to be worlds better than the bulk or even slightly nicer .223 I have used.

To me its about having quality to use in the end, better powder/bullet weight/OAL/Brass etc that nets me better down range results.

pusha

iTrader: (5)

I've bought only one gun in two years. I am such a bad American.

olderguy

iTrader: (19)

Civilian Marksmanship Program eStore


SHTF ammo for Garands

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

He returns!

gearhead_318

iTrader: (1)

I picked up a couple gats on leave, a glock 19 gen 4, and a M+M M10 7.62 AK47.

The AK:


Very happy with it. Got it on sale for like $600ish plus taxes and ****. Trigger is a tapco G2 so none of that standard AK ****. The pistol grip is really nice and the hand guard is pretty nice too. I've been told it has RPK sights or something, they work. I'll probably put my cheap red dot on it. Its got a mount for a side rail which is nice. Its solid, more so then other ak's. Would buy again. Also, the mag or magwell need to be broken in. Very snug fit at first. It's got a safety only he-man could love, gets a little better tho.

The Glock is nice too, do not like the sights.

Sup ***.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

For any kind of plinkin', I don't think I'd ever weigh individual bullets. My current rifle reloading is for hunting, but I love to hit the range with my rifle reloads and blast away at targets. I shoot 150-175gr in .308 and use Nosler/Hornady/Sierra, and have never felt the need to weigh bullets... but tonight maybe I do some quality control and just see what kind of variances are in a regular box.

As part of the greater "reducing variables" theme, precision shooters will regularly weigh individual bullets and vary their loads accordingly. There are 2 major reasons for stepping up to "match bullets". Mostly it's a better quality control process during manufacturing. The bullets have a much narrower spread for allowable variance in diameter and weight. If you buy a box of 100 bullets, and you weigh them all, good hunting bullets should all be +/- .1gr... that's a tenth of a grain, or likely, much tighter. (THESE IS ARE EXAMPLES, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE FACTORY TOLERANCES ARE) However, a box of "match bullets" will be guaranteed to all be within a few hundredths... and the "roundness" or shape of the bullets will all have increased tolerances.

Remember that we're not talking about plinkin bullets here, or even short range hunting... but when you start calculating "minute-of-deer" out past 500yds, EVERY LITTLE BIT IS IMPORTANT. Having a 165gr bullet that actually weighs 165.1gr's will be XX feet-per-second slower out of the barrel... combined with a poorly measured charge, combined with some wind, combined with too much crimp, combined with some mirage, combined with some poor range estimation, combined with 5 beers... and you gut-shoot the damn thing and it runs off and you never find it.

Bad! But good to have you back!

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

Oh I wouldn't weigh them, I just have seen variances across some brands.

The 9mm ones I work with came from MontanaGold which has a reputation for consistent weights. Those loads are built for soft/accurate work on the cheap. So simple things like weight consistency go a long way for me.

Pen2_the_penguin

iTrader: (4)

f'n commie

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

I think I linked RMR a page ago or so... have bought 2k rounds of their 2nd's... 9mm 115gr $77/1000 shipped... and they were fine, I didn't see anything wrong with them.
http://www.shop.rmrbullets.com/9mm_c...m1plqscsfapp04

I've since found a local source... $71/1000 for Berry's plated:
***** BERRY'S BULLETS AND ACCESSORIES - IN STOCK (SOUTH) ***** | VA Gun Trader

I won't need any more until I get back from cruise, but at that price it doesn't make sense to deal with hardcast to shoot cheap.

Berry's 115gr Plated: 7.1cents
Wolf Small Pistol: 2.5cents
Alliant PP 5.2gr charge $75.4lbs: 1.4cents
= 11cents/rd

I can certainly manage another 2cents/rd by buying bullets 5k at a time and powder in 8lb kegs... but that would mean spending over my "keep it a secret from my wife" amount.

shooterschmidty

Do NOT do this. First and foremost, it's not safe to be loading a mystery powder and a mystery bullet in a different case. Small changes in case capacity, bullet seating depth, and primer ignition can all cause significant pressure changes and could cause a dangerous over pressure situation. That being said, they're probably loaded conservatively enough that you'd be fine, but why risk it? That leads me to my second point, there is very little to no benefit for a lot of work. Do reloads often times yield better accuracy? Absolutely, but is your AR built to take advantage of that and do you shoot long enough ranges that it matters? If you're like 90%+ of people the answer is probably no, and you're not going to save much, if any, money either. If you're into long range, precision, shoot other expensive cartridges, or just want a new hobby, go for it. Otherwise, I'd just buy cheap ammo and have fun. Also, I recommend checking out a reloading book, Lyman's is a good one, to get a better feel for what's involved in reloading.

calteg

iTrader: (18)

Just finished a two year long, ultra cheapass AR build. This is what $340 got me:



Repurposed a sling off an old rock climbing bag. I'm so Jewish it gets my dick hard.

Chilicharger665

iTrader: (2)

So no rear sight and an unecessary cheek riser?

pusha

iTrader: (5)

hey chris costa, sweet mag pull tab

Pen2_the_penguin

iTrader: (4)

so wheres the rear sight? You gonna get a cheap walmart tasco red dot with that?

calteg

iTrader: (18)

Thanks brahs. I also scream "RELOADING!" at the top of my lungs at the indoor range.


No rear sight currently, waiting for an MBUS sale. Swapped my aimpoint on it just to make sure it would actually fire and not blow my hand off.