Houston Reloading Thread

[Triumph]

Thought it might be helpful to have a Houston reloading thread for those in Houston, or who visit often.

We could share ideas on:

1. Component availability
2. Good "brass pickup friendly" ranges
3. Pay it forward opportunities (if some of us have a wealth of some components & a deficit of others)
4. & whatever else.

Thanks

 

[WinchesterAA]

Newbies welcome?

I'm a few miles South of Houston and want to reload for a Remington 700 in 308 with a 20" barrel and 1/10" twist rate for the purpose of plinking at ranges between 400 and 800 yards =)

 

[Triumph]

WinchesterAA Newbies welcome?

I'm a few miles South of Houston and want to reload for a Remington 700 in 308 with a 20" barrel and 1/10" twist rate for the purpose of plinking at ranges between 400 and 800 yards =)

I sure hope newbies are welcome because I am one. All I've done so far is read, read, read & shop for tools & components.

Hopefully a few of the more experienced guys in Houston will join in and help us newbies out.

Let me know what your looking for & I'll let you know what I see.

 

[Speedster00]

oddly enough I havent bought local yet...theres a small reloading shop in TN that is close to my parents that wont ship but becuase of that I can usually find anything I want. I was in there 2 weekends ago and they had stacks of all primers, powders, bullets, etc. Even buckets of clean brass. I just have to wait until my parents drive down to get my hands on it...which is fine.

For Range pick up as I mentioned in another thread, I shoot at Spring guns and ammo...never had a problem broad sweeping my area and picking up brass.

 

[Bmac1949]

I'm a couple of hours north of Houston and get down there a couple of times a month. i usually go by Gander Mtn and a couple of shops in Humble. I haven't been reloading all that long but I'm glad to hear that you're reading up on the subject. You're going to save yourself money and the learning curve won't be as bad. Also there are guys that have an unbelievable reloading knowledge base and offer advice freely. You'll figure them out quick enough. RC and Walkalone are the first that come to mind. Good luck and be safe

 

[WinchesterAA]

I'd like to get ahold of some pounds of Varget, some large rifle primers, a chronograph, and maybe a decent concentricity gauge.

I'm starting off with a lee loader for 308 (I enjoy manual processes), a handful of case prep tools, and a digital scale that got pretty good reviews. I intend to try to create as close to identical rounds as I possibly can in order to shoot well at various ranges. I'm sure the lee loader will leave me wanting, but it's better IMO to be left wanting after 26$ investment (for the press) than after a few hundred or more =)

That lee loader won't ship til the end of may, though, so if anyone has one they can part with sooner, I'm looking for one.


I figure if I can get ~1moa groups at 100 yards with crappy 147grain surplus ammo and do OK at 3 and 400 yards on steel targets, then if I pay attention while rolling my own, I should be able to beat that in short order and move out to longer ranges.

 

[Motownfire]

Triumph, good call on starting this thread.

10Ring has components available. They're limiting primer & powder sales just like many other local shops. I haven't needed to buy any powder or primers for a while but I am about to start looking around for SPP & either Unique, Power Pistol or Hodgdons Universal (or another powder listed in one of my manuals).

I rarely shoot at public ranges, but the last time I went shooting at American Shooting Center they didn't mind me picking up my spent cases but they didn't want me cleaning the entire range if you know what I mean.

Currently I load 40 S&W, 30-30 & 30-06 using my Lee Classic Press. I have been rounding up 9MM Luger & .380 brass to start reloading. I will be on the hunt for a 4 die set for my Lee in the next couple months if anyone has any good places to pick up a set. I always try to buy my supplies from the local shops to support their business before I order supplies online.

It's good to see some fellow Houston area guy's on here.

 

[Motownfire]

WinchesterAA, I was at Carters Country in Stafford a few days ago. They had Varget Powder & LRP's in stock. They're limiting each customer to 300 primers until this senseless ammo, powder & primer chaos slows down. If you're on the Southwest side give them a call. American Shooting Center also sell loading supplies.

 

[Speedster00]

As of now Im only reloading for pistol. ...

one of my coworkers reloads his own for long distance 308....really long distance. He shoots milk jugs at 1000 yards and 2' steal plates at a mile...freaky..

Ill get into rifle reloads eventually.

 

[Speedster00]

Ive been to 10ring a couple of times...unfortunately since they do mostly internet busines they are often out of stock. And, of the 2 times Ive been in there once Iddidnt get helped and the other the guy had no interest in selling me anything. He seemed fairly scatter brained.

Im reloading with power pistol now. I found that at natches SS a few weeks back.

 

[Motownfire]

I got the same "customer service" the one time I went to 10Ring also. I'll pay a few bucks more for good quality customer service.

 

[airlar73]

American Shooting Centers

ASC has always, in my experience, been fine with you picking up the brass that falls out of your gun, but will gripe at you for picking up other people's brass...

As far as components go, they had a few dozen 1 lb cans of various powders when I last went in mid-March, but limit you to 2 lbs at a time. The only primers they have are Federal LPP's, and they said they don't expect any new components in for a long time. They don't sell brass, or projectiles.

They do sell ammo and have plenty, but are limiting sales to 1 box per customer and are only selling to those shooting at the range.

Just watch out for the noobs who come straight from the gun show with zero experience at the range and aren't well versed in the rules there (despite them being broadcast over the loud speaker every cease fire :banghead... the RO's are usually pretty quick to catch them though.

 

[FatboyHD]

Carter's country on i10near Campbell had all primers sat. Limiting you to 200 pistol and 200 rifle for total of 400. Lilltle pricey at $4.37 per 100 but what can you do?

 

[FatboyHD]

Motown, good luck on 9mm dies been trying to find some for about five weeks. Some on eBay if you don't mind paying $130.00. I'm not so I ordered some through dillon, gonna have to wait a while though. Sounds like 6-8 week back order.

 

[Triumph]

Guys - Just an FYI - I shopped a little too hard for W231 & now have 16 pounds (more than I need). I have an 8lb. Jug & 8 1lb. bottles. Let me know if you need some.

 

[Matt Dillon]

I picked up a 1 lb. canister of Unique from Carter's country o. I10 last Saturday, but they were out of Spp when I arrived.

 

[Triumph]

Yep - I was in there yesterday & no SPP. I've got 2,000 that I ordered off Cabelas if you need some.

 

[Zcarp2]

Marksman in South Houston will let you pick up from behind the firing line. Again watchout for the inexperienced. Marksman was also selling buckets of brass for reasonable prices. I bought 45 ACP. I shoot in Humble now.

 

[nosmr2]

Thanks for the heads up on 10 Ring. It's a long drive for me to experience bad customer service. I pick up stuff at Carter's Country in Pasadena. But the last few times I went they were wiped out. Their customer service is a bit lacking, but it's close to my office.

 

[Matt Dillon]

Thanks so much for the offer, Triumph. I have a few, but need to replenish the thousands that I loaded up this Spring.

 

[WinchesterAA]

How much do you want for a couple pounds of that W231, Triumph?

 

[Triumph]

WinchesterAA - I just sent you a PM

 

[temmi]

Carter's country and 10 Ring

Call them and they will tell you what the have.

Problem wit Carter's country is there are 4 locations so you will need to call them all

Snake

 

[Motownfire]

FatboyHD,

Thanks for the heads up, I will keep that in mind when I start looking around for a die set in the near future.

 

[fatmanonabike]

Marksman Range

I bought processed (tumbled and decapped) range brass .45 ACP for $65/1000 very clean but that was last year. They seem like decent folks. Bailey's House of guns has reloading stuff but I have no idea about availability now. The last time I was in Carter's is the reason I'll never return.