Remembering the Older Days of Reloading/Shooting

[Harry Knutz]

Skilled labor shouldve been paid that in 1990. I bet your job wasn't putting books on the shelf at the library or flipping burgers Part Time at "In and Out" burger stands after school for a few hours a week.

You are right, Heavy equipt mechanic at a Dealership. But a kid putting books away at a library or slinging burgers for $19.00 an hour at Mickey D's cant afford to rent a house or let alone buy one when rents around here are close to $2000.00 a month and house payments are about the same for a lower end middle class home. That is why I said wages have not kept pace with inflation. I paid $105,000 for my first house in 1993, I could have bought a house for $60,000 at the time, But my wife was one of those high maintenance types and she wasn't gonna settle for less, That turned out to be an excellent investment as it was in a sought after neighborhood and I sold it for a lot.

Powder at the local gun shop was about $14.00 per pound at the time. I do agree that these component companies saw what was happening and gouged while they could, But they can only do that for so long, And those that were willing to pay those ridiculous prices are the ones that caused the problem.

 

[H82MISS]

I wished the bullet manufacturers still made "bullet boards" like the old days. Kinda liked the Sierra, Hornady, Nosler bullet boards you could buy. I used to have a couple, until they got "lost" in the shuffle of so many moves.

 

[JKB57]

39 cents for 22 shorts a box of 50 and long rifle were 49 cents per 50 when I was growing up

 

[Rflshootr]

I wished the bullet manufacturers still made "bullet boards" like the old days. Kinda liked the Sierra, Hornady, Nosler bullet boards you could buy. I used to have a couple, until they got "lost" in the shuffle of so many moves.

You must be kidding. At todays prices, they'd probably want $600 for one and use their scrap bullets to make it with a plastic frame.

 

[JAYgs8163]

You are right, Heavy equipt mechanic at a Dealership. But a kid putting books away at a library or slinging burgers for $19.00 an hour at Mickey D's cant afford to rent a house or let alone buy one when rents around here are close to $2000.00 a month and house payments are about the same for a lower end middle class home. That is why I said wages have not kept pace with inflation. I paid $105,000 for my first house in 1993, I could have bought a house for $60,000 at the time, But my wife was one of those high maintenance types and she wasn't gonna settle for less, That turned out to be an excellent investment as it was in a sought after neighborhood and I sold it for a lot.

Powder at the local gun shop was about $14.00 per pound at the time. I do agree that these component companies saw what was happening and gouged while they could, But they can only do that for so long, And those that were willing to pay those ridiculous prices are the ones that caused the problem.

Ok. I get you. I'm not talking about 22 year olds making $19. Im talking about kids living at home in HS making $19. I agree to an extent with what you're saying but when I was young and starting out I couldn't afford rent either for my own apartment. I rented a room, had 3 roommates, went to school full time at night at the local communit college, worked full time during the day. While going to school in 1984 I was working at Home Depot making about 5.35 an hour, NO BENEFITS, watering plants and loading cars/trucks with plants, potting soil, etc…. I worked my butt off to get to the point of where I became self sufficient and independent. The problem now is that MOST everyone wants it NOW and the way of working your way up the ladder is becoming far and few between. Keep paying HS kids $19 an hour to put books away at the local library and inflation will be here to stay!!! Sorry to rant and derail the thread. Moving on.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

While taking count of the remaining bricks of LR and LRM primers on my shelves, I began to pay extra attention to various price labels on some of my older supplies, and while we all know how much our sport has inflated in recent years, these old price tags brought back memories and a sting of the current state of things. The box of 215 magnum primers I bought several years back from the LGS in a clearance sale, and yes, I paid $3 for 1,000 (original was $7.99) and it is still full. I bought similar bricks of older primers in SP, SR and LR, and they were all like new and have worked without issue. However, I decided to save several of those to keep in my collection.

There were many, many more items with price stickers that today make me laugh, so I thought I would just post a few so the younger crowd can see how it used to be once.

Part 2: Added a few powders and 338 bullets. The $5 can is an unopened 1lb of WW 540 and the $7.95 is a can of W 452AA. The Sierra 338 bullets really made me laugh at $5.69. Was I ever that young?

looks like the inside of a museum!

 

[Culpeper]

I wished the bullet manufacturers still made "bullet boards" like the old days. Kinda liked the Sierra, Hornady, Nosler bullet boards you could buy. I used to have a couple, until they got "lost" in the shuffle of so many moves.

Sierra has them imported from China but the only thing they put on it now is a sign "We Took a **** in Your Bunker but You'll Never Find It".

 

[Mike Matteson]

Yeah...the good old days. But you had to walk several miles to & from school...uphill both ways...in the snow. So there's that...

For sure both ways.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Sierra has them imported from China but the only thing they put on it now is a sign "We Took a **** in Your Bunker but You'll Never Find It".

They use to be I believe in Bellflower, Ca

 

[HockeyDad]

What's even more eye opening is that True-Value Hardware used to sell reloading supplies! . Man, times have changed.

They still do in Ajo, AZ

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I also remember the days when EVERY model 700 Remington would print 1/2" groups at 100 yds, reloading without much technical skill involved.

 

[blvette75]

While taking count of the remaining bricks of LR and LRM primers on my shelves, I began to pay extra attention to various price labels on some of my older supplies, and while we all know how much our sport has inflated in recent years, these old price tags brought back memories and a sting of the current state of things. The box of 215 magnum primers I bought several years back from the LGS in a clearance sale, and yes, I paid $3 for 1,000 (original was $7.99) and it is still full. I bought similar bricks of older primers in SP, SR and LR, and they were all like new and have worked without issue. However, I decided to save several of those to keep in my collection.

There were many, many more items with price stickers that today make me laugh, so I thought I would just post a few so the younger crowd can see how it used to be once.

Part 2: Added a few powders and 338 bullets. The $5 can is an unopened 1lb of WW 540 and the $7.95 is a can of W 452AA. The Sierra 338 bullets really made me laugh at $5.69. Was I ever that young?

Well a few years ago I found a box of my favorite of 300 WM Federal hunting ammunition for about $14-15 in an old safe bought in 1990s which now sells for over $60.00 a box. I have come to the conclusion I will receive marginal costs advantages when reloading now as components are high, if I add in my own time (labor) the only advantage is the rounds are optimized for my rifles and pistols. The cost difference is Nil in my mind now.

 

[xsn10s]

One thing that has also changed is I used to be able to half the group size at 100 yds with handloads with any rifle vs factory. Not the case anymore at 100. Don't even shoot groups that close anymore with rifles.

I do for load development. After that I don't spend much time close with my LR rifles.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Seems like 300 has become the new 100 for me, also.