Ammo Prices Are Forcing Me

[scooter123]

I've come to the conclusion that all the handgun ammo any of us really need is 1 50 round box of a premium SD loads in our chosen SD pistol caliber. Any more than that is simply icing on the cake and we all know that too much icing is bad for us.

Note, I have Arthritis in the Radial Head of both wrists and the first two joints of each thumb. As a result of this I don't shoot handgun very much anymore, basically I'll shoot a course of fire just once a year to reassure myself that I can still shoot a handgun well enough to defend myself. The only shooting I do in volume is busting Clays with a shotgun. Fortunately the pattern produced by my Arthritis allows me to shoot a long gun without any discomfort at all.

My point is simple. Once you have acquired the skill needed to shoot a handgun well those skills aren't going to fade away. In many ways it's like riding a bicycle, once you have learned how to do it you will always have that knowledge. So at times like this their really isn't any need to hit he range every weekend and burn up 2 or 3 hundred rounds of ammunition.

 

[StrawHat]

...

I've come to the conclusion that all the handgun ammo any of us really need is 1 50 round box of a premium SD loads in our chosen SD pistol caliber...

Once you have acquired the skill needed to shoot a handgun well those skills aren't going to fade away. In many ways it's like riding a bicycle, once you have learned how to do it you will always have that knowledge. So at times like this their really isn't any need to hit the range every weekend and burn up 2 or 3 hundred rounds of ammunition...

Scooter123 is right. Many folks "practice" too much. Some are just pulling the trigger to make noise and wasting ammunition.

Between my duties as a Training Officer and my competition schedule I used to fire about 2000 rounds a week. It got to the point that I really no longer noticed if I enjoyed it or not, it was just what I did. I finally quit both and for about eight years fired almost nothing.

Recently, I was asked to help a friend with the basics. I went to the range and after giving some advice to my friend I decided to shoot a bit. I fired one complete PPC Match, all stages, from 7-50 yards. My score was decent. Not enough to win the High Master division but still in that range. My X count was lower but my score was only 7 points off my average when I was at the top of my game, a long time ago.

I went home and started dry fire practice. Two weeks later I shot the round again. X's were up and score was also.

Will I let 30 years go by without shooting again? No, but stepping out and squeezing of 12 rounds every week or so with dry firing in between will certainly keep me in good stead.

Kevin

 

[Green Frog]

I guess I was the exception to the rule. While I was never a top competitor I did shoot in informal leagues for both Bullseye and PPC and was competitive. I was horrified recently at how much my skills have deteriorated shooting both in the formal one handed style and the faster, closer two handed combat style of PPC. Then it dawned on me that I had neglected my handguns for at least 25 years... the trigger on my 22 Bullseye gun is frozen for heaven's sake!
I definitely have to get off my adze and do some shooting, ammo shortage or no.

 

[StrawHat]

^^^^

Froggie,

Before you burn up any ammunition, do some dryfiring. No gimmicks, just a blank wall and line up your sights. Squeeze the trigger. Sights should not move. You know the drill. A couple cylinders a day will get you back in shape in no time.

Kevin

 

[max503]

I've come to the conclusion that all the handgun ammo any of us really need is 1 50 round box of a premium SD loads in our chosen SD pistol caliber. Any more than that is simply icing on the cake and we all know that too much icing is bad for us.

My point is simple. Once you have acquired the skill needed to shoot a handgun well those skills aren't going to fade away.

Scooter123 is right. Many folks "practice" too much. Some are just pulling the trigger to make noise and wasting ammunition.

Between my duties as a Training Officer and my competition schedule I used to fire about 2000 rounds a week.

I have to respectfully disagree with both these posts. For me, anyway, if I don't practice, then I don't retain a high level of competency. Especially with a 38 snubbie or a 1911.
I did my required 3 hour renewal course for my CCW last week. Most people were not regular shooters. There was a lot of fumbling and poor groups on target. I can see why people need a hi-cap 9mm to hit anything. I'm not meaning to be critical, but if I don't practice, I can't do it. And from what I see, neither can other people.
I probably average about one 50 round box per week. And I reload.

 

[StrawHat]

^^^^

If that works for you, GREAT! For others it is less rounds. I found my hands and arms are improved by stretching and lifting light weights. Dryfiring keeps my motor skills in place. When I get out for live fire, I know what to expect from my trigger, hands and arms.

The point is doing what works for you. But keep looking for other ways to improve.

Kevin

 

[BigBill]

I don't reload for 9 mm Luger, 9 mm mak, 9 mm largo, I have the dies I just don't reload. The Russian imported ammo was dirt cheap for 9 mm Luger and 9 mm mak in the past. I'm surprised the imported ammo hasn't picked up the slack in the supply during the shortages. Before the shortages the 45acp imported was $6.20 a box of 50.

 

[BigBill]

I have to respectfully disagree with both these posts. For me, anyway, if I don't practice, then I don't retain a high level of competency. Especially with a 38 snubbie or a 1911.
I did my required 3 hour renewal course for my CCW last week. Most people were not regular shooters. There was a lot of fumbling and poor groups on target. I can see why people need a hi-cap 9mm to hit anything. I'm not meaning to be critical, but if I don't practice, I can't do it. And from what I see, neither can other people.
I probably average about one 50 round box per week. And I reload.

People who can't hit anything don't shoot enough or never mastered there new gun. There most likely new gun owners. There pointing and flinching.

I figured out many decades ago being new to handguns we didn't shoot that often plus I shot too many handguns at one outing not mastering each one for accuracy. Once I shot only one gun I did much better.

 

[Green Frog]

Well, after a couple of false starts I finally finished up 50 rounds of 9s using some of those old Federal SPPs I found. I had popped a few in empty cases and they went BANG with no problems, so I primed 50 cases of once fired Norinco brass (OK, I did that last month when I rediscovered the primers) and when I remembered tonight was the club meeting, I figured I'd take the opportunity to hit the range this afternoon as well. Since I was only loading 50 I got out my steel handled Lyman 310 set in 9mm and whipped through them in record time. Powder charging duties were done by my Pacific Pistol Measure using a rotor marked for 2 grains of Bullseye which actually throws 4.05 grains of 231.

Well, out of 50 rounds primed with those "doubtful" primers, 49 went perfectly, and the one oddball took a second hit. With a 639, this was no problem... once I knew for sure the round hadn't done anything or gone anywhere, all I had to do was pull the trigger again in DA mode, and BANG! The other round went off perfectly. So now I have primers to make 1500 rounds of practice/range ammo. I see a bunch of 32s and Nines headed downrange, and not having to touch my super expensive fresh primers. Life is good!

Froggie

 

[Green Frog]

Addendum to last: Since I have all of these "found" primers, cast my own bullets from a large supply of surplus lead that Dad and I accumulated over the years, and use tiny little charges of powder that's been around for a long time, the cost of reloading these practice rounds is for all intents and purposes zero dollars per box. Whatever this stuff actually cost 30 years ago has long been forgotten! So, instead of dry firing, I'll actually get a bang, recoil, and a hole in the paper each time I aim and pull the trigger.

Works for me!
Froggie

 

[glenwolde]

I've come to the conclusion that all the handgun ammo any of us really need is 1 50 round box of a premium SD loads in our chosen SD pistol caliber. Any more than that is simply icing on the cake and we all know that too much icing is bad for us.

Note, I have Arthritis in the Radial Head of both wrists and the first two joints of each thumb. As a result of this I don't shoot handgun very much anymore, basically I'll shoot a course of fire just once a year to reassure myself that I can still shoot a handgun well enough to defend myself. The only shooting I do in volume is busting Clays with a shotgun. Fortunately the pattern produced by my Arthritis allows me to shoot a long gun without any discomfort at all.

My point is simple. Once you have acquired the skill needed to shoot a handgun well those skills aren't going to fade away. In many ways it's like riding a bicycle, once you have learned how to do it you will always have that knowledge. So at times like this their really isn't any need to hit he range every weekend and burn up 2 or 3 hundred rounds of ammunition.

Well here's hoping the new guy in charge at the BATFE doesn't feel the same way.

I don't have to shoot. I like to shoot. "Need" has nothing to do with it.

 

[Model5]

I ended up buying a semi auto 22 pistol. Now I obsessively chase after 22 ammo. I have discovered 1. Gun owners that frequent armslist selling 325 round boxes of 22lr for $75 are not my kind of people. 2. Walmart is the place to frequent if you want to buy 22 for pre Covid prices. (Not 1970 prices) but you can purchase for $20 what the Vultures are trying to "flip" on armslist for $75. I've purchased more 22 in the past two months than I have in the past 11 years and most was found at Walmart. The best part is they are everywhere and honestly the high you feel when you stumble on a box of fair prices 22 makes it feel like you are doing something bad.