The end of an era

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Hooda Thunkit

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Oklahoma, out in the red dirt.
I shot some 38 wadcutters last week, and am running low, so I set up the LCT to load some more.

My bench is 22" wide, it's the only space I can carve out of our small house. I make do, and the quick-change plates from Inline Fab help immensely
358495 w 2.8BE 30Apr19 (Custom).jpeg
I loaded 300 more, with my home cast 358-495 from an old Ideal 4-cavity, range lead with a bit of pewter to help fill-out.

As I dumped the Bullseye in the powder drop, it occurred to me that this is the last can of 1990's Bullseye from my stash. The can is date coded 6Nov93.

I still have a few bricks of the 90's-era primers, but no more Bullseye. Well, at least not from that time frame.

A word to some of the new reloaders - I purchased that BE (and primers) during a time when it was difficult to find supplies. It was difficult because of the political situation. Todays situation is much, much worse.

Supplies are plentiful right now.

Are you certain you have enough ?
 
I’ve only been loading for the past 20 years so my recollection of limited supplies is much more recent. I’m still pretty well stocked up for the next panic.... but I’ll still grab it when I see it !

Stay safe
 
As I dumped the Bullseye in the powder drop, it occurred to me that this is the last can of 1990's Bullseye from my stash

You best save that can..........It may become a collector's item someday. My last can of Bullseye like that sez a price of $3.95 or something like that! (I kept it, much to my wife's dis-approval)

Times have changed, as have everything...........

Then again, does not every generation say that?
 
Hooda, that is about the same size bench I started with only they didn't have those nice In-Line mounts back then. I use to be able to pull it out and put it next to the kitchen table for more room.
 
Hooda, that is about the same size bench I started with only they didn't have those nice In-Line mounts back then. I use to be able to pull it out and put it next to the kitchen table for more room.

When I started back in the 80's, I had a Lee Handloader - one of those Thighmaster jobs.
From there, I went to a single stage bolted to a board, which i clamped to the table.
I've come a long way.
 
I always keep at least a four year supply on hand. I learned that in the component drought of 1968.
I learned that lesson from the most recent shortage (2013), when I was just getting started. I figure I now have enough supplies to keep me going at least 4 years. I'm still working to stretch that out even further, so I will be picking up some more hazmat stuff at the Raleigh gun show this weekend.
 
Recall - residential limits exist for powder volume. Going over 50lbs on hand is technically verboten.
Local codes may set their own, but I think you are correct as far as the national fire code is concerned. However, the way I read it, the 50 pound limit is for powder in one location, or building. If there are multiple buildings, it could be 50 pounds in each building. I keep 50 in my reloading shack, and no more than 20 in my house. I also have a detached garage, but I prefer not to store powder in there as it is not climate controlled.
 
When I held my Type 6, operating production out of my residence, I was told by my inspector/agent it’s 50lbs per physical address. Couching that to say that was the statement by one agent, a decade ago, but that’s what I was told. I filed a variance and permitted a powder magazine outside of the residence. Aka, my dirt floor machine shed doubled in price to get power, security, and climate control.
 
Right now none of my supplies is older than 2013. Got plenty of what I need. I'm not having trouble finding anything except Vihtavuori powder.
 
Check, I'm still working out of some square, squatty cans of Bullseye, Unique, and 2400. Granted, they came out of an estate but we're sealed and in fine shape.
 
Its really pretty cool to hear you guys stories on using those "vintage" components. I still have some Unique from the late 70 or early 80's. I'm about to use the last of some CCI primers purchased about that same time. The retail price sticker on them is 99 cents per 100. The ones I had before that batch had wooden trays. I wish I had kept a few of those!

Something I recently started doing is writing the purchase date on the powder container. I also write a big "O" on the cap to let me know that that jug has been opened.
 
I don't have any powder containers that are more than ~ 7 years old. I know at least some of them have the manufacture date on them.

When I held my Type 6, operating production out of my residence, I was told by my inspector/agent it’s 50lbs per physical address. Couching that to say that was the statement by one agent, a decade ago, but that’s what I was told. I filed a variance and permitted a powder magazine outside of the residence. Aka, my dirt floor machine shed doubled in price to get power, security, and climate control.
Good to know. I have to wonder what some of the vendors at the gun shows do for storage, because I know they transport way more than 100 pounds to/from shows, and they have to store it somewhere.
 
I'm loading on a small bench I built years ago. I think it's about 3x5. I'm only shooting about 150-200 rds a week so no need to expand.

I do however keep a good supply of components. I keep about 1K of bullets and 10K of primers for every cartridge I shoot. I have more brass then I can possibly use and sell it when I get too much laying around. I buy powder in 8 lb. jugs and that seems to last for years. Powder and primers doesn't take up a lot of space and that seems to be where the shortage is when people panic.

I've consolidated my cartridges so I don't need more than 3 types of powder or primers which allows me to buy it cheap and stack it deep. I think I have 15 lbs squirreled away. For a guy that shoots <10K a year that's a lot of powder. Might just buy some more to save some money while the price is right.
 
I think it’s NOT common knowledge, and even less commonly inspected, and further less commonly enforced.

Most folks aren’t aware of the limits, and even if the storage requirements withunder the limit. Even in my own storage areas, I know I’m not compliant all of the time. I have often had more than 50lbs of just a single powder on hand, and only at one of my houses did I have a compliant storage system. My local FD is pretty aware of my volume, and where they should NOT enter in the event of a fire at my place. So that’s liability I have to swallow.
 
I think it’s NOT common knowledge, and even less commonly inspected, and further less commonly enforced.

Most folks aren’t aware of the limits, and even if the storage requirements withunder the limit. Even in my own storage areas, I know I’m not compliant all of the time. I have often had more than 50lbs of just a single powder on hand, and only at one of my houses did I have a compliant storage system. My local FD is pretty aware of my volume, and where they should NOT enter in the event of a fire at my place. So that’s liability I have to swallow.

Have your fire dept. friends view this video:

It was made by SAAMI for fire departments to dispel some rumors and false beliefs concerning ammunition storage.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
Have your fire dept. friends view this video:

It was made by SAAMI for fire departments to dispel some rumors and false beliefs concerning ammunition storage.

Hope this helps.

Fred
Good video. But that only covers loaded rounds, not the separate components. Loaded ammo is less dangerous that smokeless powder and particularly primers in a fire. That is part of the reason we pay hazmat for shipping components and not loaded ammo.
 
Have your fire dept. friends view this video:

It was made by SAAMI for fire departments to dispel some rumors and false beliefs concerning ammunition storage.

Hope this helps.

Fred


You’lol note that we are discussing powder magazines, and not one single second of the video you shared refers in any way to powder, but ONLY to already loaded ammunition.

In other words, that video doesn’t apply in any way to the roughly 250lbs or POWDER in my storage area, nor the fire fighting procedures recommended for such.
 
Yep, the time they be a changin'. I just bought a 6 lb. jug of BR-5, which is a surplus substitute for Unique, that I use in nearly all my handgun loads. I also plan to add another brick on primers today. LP probably (I often pick up an extra brick of 22s and primers whenever I visit the local box store, and if I buy powder, I'll get at leas two pounds and put one on the back of the shelf in my cabinet and I did not run out of components during the panics). I haven't inventoried my stock of components, but they are taking up a lot of room, so there's a lot of them and will last me a very loooong time...

As for the video, which I haven't looked at in a few years, but it does dispel some old wives tales about ammo. No nothing was said about reloading components, but the video was directed at uninformed shippers/handlers of loaded ammo. I was trained a bit on Haz Mat shipping when I worked for a large CA city and in my opinion, the extra $30.00 is a rip off. Aerosol can products are often more volatile than gunpowder, but they ship "normal" ORM-D...
 
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Plenty of people spread it around with family or friends. 15 Lbs here, 15 Lbs there. 10K primers here, ......

Powder and primers are much less dangerous than a tank of propane. My nephew is retired Marine Corp and a Fire Chief, and I have heard lots of stories. He also leads the dive team here, he's a busy fellow. Oh, and 5 kids.

Between a couple of friends, my 2 kids, and my brothers 4, I have plenty of places to spread the wealth around a little if I need to.
 
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