Greetings!

My friend is setting-up a commercial ammo production line as a part of his engineering R&D company. His primary customer base has already been established, so additional product lines would be simply extra revenue.

Would reasonably priced, new production versions of vintage or discontinued loads be a good seller? My thoughts on potential candidate loads include:

.38 S&W black powder with 146 gr LRN (original Old West loading)
.38 S&W smokeless with 200 gr hemispherical LRN (Super Police & British Military)
.38 Special with 200 gr hemispherical LRN (Super Police)
.38/44 Heavy Duty with 158 gr LRN @ 1100 fps
.357 Magnum with 158 gr LSWC @ 1500 fps
.45 Colt with 255 gr LRN and as much black powder as you can squeeze into a modern case

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Hunter

I would like to see some 150-158 LSWC for 38s, non-plus P's at a reasonable price.

Remington sells it, but to many FTFs. Winchester sells it but its hardto find, rarer then hen's teeth.

Bufflalo bore makes it but it cost more for a 20 round box then Winchester.

I'm looking for factory carry stuff that matches my reloads at reasonable prices (along the lines of $30 per box of 50)

As a market, one only needs to check the on line ammo suppliers to tell the Winchester stuff is dern hard to fine, which tells me there is a market.

I would love to shoot the 357 Magnum in its' original loading. I would be all over that like a chicken on a junebug!

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David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

in a single word.... Super-Vel

I beleive the types of loads you are suggesting is the reson people reload. Most shooters reload anyhow. The REAL need in the ammo world is obsolete rimfire cartridge like the 44 Henry and Spencer cartridges. I have been trying to get someone interested in this project for years. I even has some financing arranged at one time but no technical help.

45 Auto Rim +P for modern 45 ACP revolvers. They can handle some hot loads, and if put in an AR case, then you can be assured the cartridge won't find its way into an auto loader. The Sierra manual lists a 240 grain JHC at 1100 fps, but all the AR loadings are low pressure SAAMI loadings that don't take advantage of the strength of modern guns.

45 Colt with a Keith bullet at about 1000 fps...

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Proud anachronism

He is on to something. If he can get or make brass for hard to find vintage cartridges and keep the price down he may have a good market. Some of the prices for the new production is reaching $70 a box.

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

.38 Super with a 125 grain JHP at 1200 fps; ME right at 400 ft/lbs.

A .32 S&W black powder load with an 86 grain RNL bullet so I wouldn't have to do it myself!

ECS

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

Don't forget the 32 rimfire. People are paying $100 for a box of Navy Arms that was manufactured 1 years ago in South America. Very popular and in such a high demand that shooters are buying antique ammo and shooting it.

.41 Remington Rimfire, for their Derringers.

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SV,14,17,21,28,29,39,66,586

Buffalo Bore has a few Autorim+P loads -- but like all their stuff, expensive.

The 357 Magnum load would be great. Gas check should be added.

I would also like some loads with the real Keith bullets in the Specials, Magnums and 45 Colt.

Some original speed lead bullet loads in 44-40, 38-40 and 32-20 would probably sell.

Re: Op. Would like to see some plain Jane standard type .44 Special w/ the 246 gr. bullet, possibly with a flat nose made in soft lead. If done up w/ a semi-wadcutter perhaps ala as done by Lead Bullet Technologies (LBT) it would be very nice.

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<><

I'm in favor of seeing the 38 Special Super Police load. For some reason I'm fascinated in this round and it's history. I would try to make some if I reload.

As to the 38/44, I like the 158 grain SWC version better than the LRN.

Buffalo Bore offers that loading. Try their item 19C/20.

While you are at it, try their 38/44 load, called the "Outdoorsman."

Maybe you should talk with the OPs friend.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

If he ever gets in to the case making business 32-40, 32-20 25-20,38-55 and older cases that are hard to get. I know starline makes 3 of the 4 I listed but lately they've been backordered. And the super police with the 200 grain bullet sounds interesting. Frank

.455 265gr lead long round nosed bullet at 650fps.

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

A consistent and reasonably priced source for 357sig would make my Christmas!

If your friend decides to branch out into bottleneck rifle cartridges, I know a bunch of guys who'd buy 22 High Power, 303 Savage, 250-3000, and perhaps 300 Savage. 300 Savage is fairly widely available already, however.

An easier start would be obscure brass and projectiles. Most people who shoot odd calibers are reloaders.

There should be quite a market for rimfire anything, but that would entail a large startup cost.