45 ACP reloading components

[109Hammer]

This is such insanity. I hate this whole hording thing.

I'm looking for reloading components for 45 ACP and nothing is available. Any ideas?

Need
HP-38 powder (or alternative)
Large Pistol Primers

Could use more bullets
185 grain HP & FMJ
230 grain HP & FMJ

 

[hueyville]

Where you located? None of my LGS's ever completely ran dry. Never ran out of anything popular except small rifle primers for a short while. All three here have HP-38. As to bullets, scrap yard always has wheel weights.

 

[Constrictor]

powder valley has clays powder. mo bullet has lead bullets and if you watch for primers pv just had lp tula primers last week.

 

[Bio-Chem]

if it's 45 acp there are about 10k recipes available with all types of powders proven to be effective. Im sure you can find an alternative rather easily. W231 is my go to for 45 acp, but im just as happy with red dot.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Powder Valley still has Tula large pistol magnum primers. FMJ and HP bullets may be hard to come by but there's still plenty of lead or plated bullets to be found. Powder can be tricky but Powder Valley has some suitable choices from Accurate, IMR, and Vihta Vouri right now.

 

[109Hammer]

Thanks

Thanks Everyone, I love this forum......

I'm located in CT. Any phone #'s, web address, etc is helpfull. I've tried the major cabelas, midway, brownels, Natchez, etc. As well as general web searches but am coming up with nothing.

I'm ok with going with something other than hp-38. Thanks again.

 

[109Hammer]

Where you located? None of my LGS's ever completely ran dry. Never ran out of anything popular except small rifle primers for a short while. All three here have HP-38. As to bullets, scrap yard always has wheel weights.

You have a number. Maybe they will ship.

 

[hueyville]

All three of my local gun shops no longer answer the phones due to volume of calls. They let everything go to voice mail then call back locals they know sometimes. They have stopped shipping too. So many walk ins driving from as far as Atlanta for them to do anything else. It is crazy around here but my shops keep getting their shelves restocked somehow. I guess they are big enough to power buy but due to being "brick and mortar" as opposed to online stores they can keep relatively stocked. All seem to think they will disappoint their bread and butter clients if they ship all their inventory to one time panic purchasers that will go back their regular bargain online store once the panic subsides. They are right to a degree. I shop local and only use Mid South or Midway when it is not a feasible item for them. Like a single micrometer seating die on a single order.

I have picked up items locally three times recently for THR users. All three ended up backing out when they realized hazmat fees for a thousand primers or a pound of powder. I picked up 3,000 small rifle primers for one guy at a more than fair price and it fell apart. At 29.99 per k it didn't hurt me to roll them into my inventory although my quarterly stocking order is cheaper. I used them to load up a bunch of Lake City brass with milspec bullets then sold 2,000 rounds of factory .223 for cold hard cash. The lesson to be learned is that once inventory catches up, everyone has to hoard to some degree or get stuck at every panic. I learned my lesson with the Bush One ban. At least I was reasonably stocked for that one and the panic was not as frenzied. Then when it expired I bought into the hundreds of high capacity mags for all of my guns and some i don't own and probably never will.

Now I stay at the stocking level that every bubble I turn loose of a few items and it keeps my habit fed. I traded several SKS's for a match grade FN-FAL a month ago. The price of it actually dropped as nobody wanted a +3,000 dollar rifle that needed 100 dollar mags even in this panic. I had some non-Colt AR clones that were nothing special that I tripled down on. Money is in a special spot to put toward something more desirable. Sold enough rimfire ammo to pay for my reloading components for the next decade. Imagine sitting on a quarter million of the Walmart el-cheapo Federal 550 round boxes and Remington 500 round bricks that were not necessary inventory. I was, keyword "was". Soon as they have their shelves full and the bubble ends I will use the money from this panic crowd to feed the next and my needs too.

I keep a minimum of 5 years loading supplies at my average annual rate of consumption. I used to rotate my stock on an as need basis. I realized 20 years ago that was a losing proposition and have slowly grown my ability to support my hobby by horse trading. If the feds figured out how to shut it down while I was sleeping one night I would still be able to shoot for a while. For over 20 years I never left Wallyworld or a LGS without at least one box, package or brick of 22 rimfire. We have to assume that eventually it will all be taxed into oblivion. That is how the Feds will end up getting us. Not with bans but consumer taxes. Imagine a 25 cent to dollar across to board tax on every loaded round from rimfire to magnum rifle. 20 bucks a pound tax on powder, quarter a bullet, dime a primer, etc. Then maybe require ammo makers to only use non reloadable "brass" without another extra tax so our core component that provides real value to reloading vanishes. Make it where only the wealthy could shoot for pleasure. That is my real fear.

 

[Lj1941]

Win #231 is the exact same as HP 38-I don't call it hoarding, I prefer stockpiling as for an emergency -such as 4 more years of comrade Obama.Precision Delta is another source. Berry's are not taking any more orders.

 

[sellersm]

If you want plated, try powerbond bullets. For lead, Missouri Bullet, ZCast Bulletz, Falcon Bullets and others. Try Bayou bullets for coated lead...

 

[BYJO4]

Midway showed thay had Remington 230 gr FMJ.

 

[mbopp]

I load cast bullets in my 45ACP.
There's probably a dozen or more powders to use in a 45. Bullseye, Unique, Red Dot, Green Dot, WST, Clays, AL-2, AL-5, and a bunch more along with W231 / HP38.

 

[FROGO207]

Another great propellant to use with a variety of bullet weights for 45 ACP would be 700-X. I use kegs of it every year. And IF you are willing to wait a while the supplies will be back in stock relatively soon.

 

[16in50calNavalRifle]

Several responses above have it right - last I looked Powder Valley had several powders suitable for 45ACP. Lead bullets may be tight now but should come back first of all the components (large number of sources, fairly simple supply chain). Primers might be the broken link - but depending on where you live, keep an eye on private sales (Craigslist does not seem to mess with component sales), be prepared to pay a premium if you really need them now, and recall that you can use magnum primers.

Meanwhile, I want to live where huey lives (in terms of LGS reloading inventory - wow). I'm sort of accustomed, in the web-based world, of no longer being able to handle much inventory at brick and mortar places selling any hobby or non-staple items. Sure would be nice to walk in buy primers or powder, though .....

At the same time, I never want to live in the country huey fears (punitive taxation to smother shooting/reloading). For now I think inertia will prevent that (might even be some actual barriers to that existing case law). Inertia's a sad substitute for common sense, rule of law, intelligence, and some historical literacy and connection to the American experience, but those apparently no longer have much of a role in American civic life. Inertia, the greatest force in nature, will have to do.

 

[tcanthonyii]

I haven't had much problems getting 45. My local Cabelas, Scheels and LGS have all had them but somewhat spotty. One of them has had them with only like a week wait.

 

[edfardos]

lpp-mag primers are easy to find, powder is harder, bullets almost impossible.

try visiting a gun store everyone hates... It paid off for me. They still charge their everyday outrageous prices, but I came out with win231(hp38), primers and some lead bullets I'd never tried (but like!).

edfardos