Another twist to the ammo shortages..

[sngsht]

The EPA is closing the last running U.S. lead smelter, wonder what effect this will have on ammo? http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/articles/2013/10/end-of-an-era-last-us-lead-smelter-to-close-in-december.aspx

[ISX]

I was at bass pro yesterday and noticed the shelves are still wiped clean. Seemed to be plenty of 223 ammo though.

[sngsht]

22LR is almost non-existant around here..

[ISX]

Yes anything 22 was gone.

[hex0rz]

Yes anything 22 was gone.

Wait, ISX shoots guns'?

- - - Updated - - -

The EPA is closing the last running U.S. lead smelter, wonder what effect this will have on ammo?

http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/articles/2013/10/end-of-an-era-last-us-lead-smelter-to-close-in-december.aspx

Unfortunately, IMO, there have been several things, recently that have been planned to make things the way they are now. Unfortunately, I think the days of seeing ammo like we have before are over. I was fortunate enough to have enough funds to swing at the time to buy some bulk ammo before the shortage sunk in. Problem is, I don't dare touch it to shoot with unless its in defense or meat...

[diesel4life]

Big shortage around here too. What is available is going at a premium. Reloads are fast becoming the only way to go.....Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

[IBMobile]

Shortage here too. Califorina just signed into law no lead ammo for hunting after 2015.

[LiveOak]

Everyone needs to get on the horn to your congress critters and bring this to their attention. I did and my congress critter had no idea. A nation with no ability to produce its own lead is in dire danger of being unable to go to war to defend itself.

[Ilikeoldfords]

I agree that we need to make ourselves heard. If we don't, I feel the lawmakers will take it as the people don't care. We really need to be fighting back on this situation.

[dorkweed]

Shotgun shells can still be reloaded with glass, small stones, rocksalt, ball bearings etc.!!!I do understand the concern though……………….and I agree. EPA run-amuck!!

[IBMobile]

Can this be a back door way, along with all the other things the administration is doing, to get around the Second Amendment? With out ammo a rifle is a club.

[LiveOak]

Can this be a back door way, along with all the other things the administration is doing, to get around the Second Amendment? With out ammo a rifle is a club.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner on post #11. The Marxist impostor to the presidency and his Attorney General said they would "do everything they could to dry up the supply of ammunition". Chucku Schumer is attributed with this very quote.

[Killer223]

i do understand the store shelves are empty. does anyone else keep ammo on hand? or just go buy it as needed.? i have well. enough 22LR for the rest of my life and into my kids being adults. same for my other calibers. my only shortage is powder for some of them. and 30-30. i hate that round and only have a few hundred rounds of that... i no longer shoot for fun. like some ones posted. it's down to defense or food for me. my keep practiced in my pistol rounds but have lots to reload also. Yes the vulnerability of this country will become apparent when the ammo's gone. time will prove us right. sadly....

[hex0rz]

Well, don't forget, projectiles can be made from tons of different things. Rifles and pistols, you can use copper. Either cast copper bullets, or turn steel bullets and copper wash them or jacket them. Yea, this is unconventional for the average joe, but if the need is there, it will be met.

[IBMobile]

I have ammo on hand. There's a Wal-mart not far from me and everytime I went in I picked up a box or two of this or that and put it away. I took inventory last spring and had a yard sale, made $1,000 on ammo I didn't want. Wolf 223, 150gr 30-30, lead 22lr, 9mm, and other stuff. the other day a friend stopped by to show me the box of 150 rounds of 223 from Wal-Mart for $75, that's .50/round.

[dripley]

Can this be a back door way, along with all the other things the administration is doing, to get around the Second Amendment? With out ammo a rifle is a club.

I think you hit the nail on the head there.

[flagmanruss]

I used to have a bullet casting business. I shut it down when I got divorced & there were orders not picked up. So I have many 500 pc boxes of slugs in pistol calibers. Mostly 38 Super but will work in similar bores (38/357) with a taper crimp. I sold the automatic casting machines but still have 1000# of alloy in the barn & my original hand molds. Powder & primers might be an issue eventually. People come around & offer to "take it off my hands"... I'm not selling at yard sale prices.Oh, yes, I still have some loaded ammo & factory loads too.

[hex0rz]

I used to have a bullet casting business. I shut it down when I got divorced & there were orders not picked up. So I have many 500 pc boxes of slugs in pistol calibers. Mostly 38 Super but will work in similar bores (38/357) with a taper crimp. I sold the automatic casting machines but still have 1000# of alloy in the barn & my original hand molds. Powder & primers might be an issue eventually. People come around & offer to "take it off my hands"... I'm not selling at yard sale prices. Oh, yes, I still have some loaded ammo & factory loads too.

Not to mention making good ol' 12 gauge slugs! Powder and primers are actually easy to do! Its a matter of being resourceful and taking the time required. Obviously if you do not have the equipment your not going to crank stuff out like manufacturers do. Heck, you can cast lead bullets for any caliber. A gas check can keep the lead fouling down... I have not yet been able to try sabot rounds, but would love to!

[sngsht]

Not to mention making good ol' 12 gauge slugs! Powder and primers are actually easy to do! Its a matter of being resourceful and taking the time required. Obviously if you do not have the equipment your not going to crank stuff out like manufacturers do. Heck, you can cast lead bullets for any caliber. A gas check can keep the lead fouling down... I have not yet been able to try sabot rounds, but would love to!

I've loaded some of the 30-06 / .223 Sabot rounds and found the accuracy very hit and miss (pun intended) more emphasis on miss..I'm sure with some load development there can be some drastic improvements ,but doubt it ever be a dependable tackdriver-neat to play with though:thumbup2: I wish I'd stocked up on wheel weights when they were plentiful,they're tough to find in my area now... What's clean alloy going for now Flagmanruss?

[flagmanruss]

I don't know, I made my own alloy in a bottom pour, 100# smelter on a big freight balance scale. I made 47# of wheel weight alloy (modern ww's can vary). Then added tin & antimony to make 50#. I made ingot molds out of channel iron & welded on angled end plates. This makes Lyman #2 alloy which makes nice hard pistol bullets.I had a deal with several tire stores to buy their scrap wheel weights at scrap prices. They liked that I used a bathroom scale to weight the scrap & pair correctly. If a place loaded the scrap with ball joints & tie rod ends more than once, I checked their scrap or stopped buying from them. Trying to melt rubber really stinks up the shop. Seemed like some always got by me but I always dumped them out on the floor & strained the everything I could find.