Cabela's Report

[Dr.Hess]

We went to Cabela's (now renamed Bass Pro) yesterday.  They have some sales going on, etc.  I think continuing today you can get a SIG Romeo5 sight for a hundred, which is a great deal on a great sight.  So we looked around and man, it was pathetic.  The ammo shelves were basically bare.  Zero handgun ammo of any type, rifle ammo had maybe 1 box each of about 10 different calibers plus a few boxes of 50BMG at $75 for 10 rounds, I think.  Powder?  There was one can of Pyrodex, that was it.  No primers.  The used gun rack was half the size it used to be, maybe smaller, and mostly shotguns.  3 of those Swiss pull action surplus rifles, and a few Howa's.  Three Howa 223s were there for $350 ea, thin barrels, no scope.  I thought that was actually a pretty good deal.  Just couldn't justify buying one.  Still thinking about it.  I think the noise level would cause biatching if I stuck it out the window to blast enemy squirrels in the GWoS (Global War on Squirrels,) versus using the 10/22.  The "Library" section, I think it is called, where they usually have a full set of very high end stuff, was basically bare.  One handgun, a big S&W something or other, 2 Remington Nylon 66's. 3 or 4 Winchester Model 70's Super Grade with beautiful tiger stripe stocks at $1200 ea, one Montana Rifle Company rifle (he did the barrel on my 30-06 Turk,) some high end shotguns and some lever actions.

 

They had some AR's and a handgun selection over at the "new" counter.  Inventory was way down, though.  I'd say maybe half to a third of what they usually have.  They just spread the guns out more to fill the displays. 

[FC]

Pretty sad! Looking at Academy’s sale flyer, it was gun-free.

If it keeps being bad we may have to start swapping. I’ve got a lot of some .45 ACP I reloaded for my Tommygun.

[Dr.Hess]

I loaded up 100 rounds of powder coated water dropped cast 45 and ran them through a 1911 yesterday.  Felt good.

[AzRednek]

Doc, did you buy the Sig Romeo? I came close to ordering one last week, the online price was 99.99. I decided against it blowing my mad money on the vaults. If I get the refund from Tractor Supply I may buy one. I’ve been using Chinese red dots and so far so good but they haven’t been used enough for the test of time. I sighted two of them at a 25 yd indoor range and need to see if they hold their zero after a few hundred rounds and stand up to some possible rough handling. I did some net searching on the Romeo and couldn’t find any complaints other than disputes with online merchants. If I’m up to Javalina hunting in March I’d like to stick one on my S&W 460. Guess I’m getting lazy in my old age not wanting to lug a heavy muzzle loader in the HAM (handgun archery muzzle loader) season. 
 

I haven’t been to Cabelas since long before the shortages started. I did get to Sportsman’s desperately looking for SD 38+P. They did have handgun ammo packaged in large 250-400 quantities. Most were reloads with a Montana’s brand name. There were single boxes of oddball brand 40 and 45. There was name brand rifle ammo but plenty of empty spaces on the shelf. The only thing I came close to buying was a 16oz Monster energy drink on the way out. There was no price on the cooler shelf. After asking cashier for price and told 3.95. I asked if she meant 2.95. She scanned it, nope it was 3.95 +tax. I put it back leaving empty handed. As usual I don’t recall the numbers but a plastic bag of 250, 110 gr 38 lead reloads with mixed head stamps was way to much. The 9MM reload’s 110 gr bullet looked exactly like the 38’s. 
 

If anybody in search of 30 Carbine J&G and Aim Surplus has brass boxer primed Korean surplus. In 120 rds in bandoliers on stripper clips and guides. Cost works out to about 50 cents per round plus shipping. I guess it’s porch pirates, my last two ammo shipments came adult signature required. Raising the shipping fees a few bucks. I did the signature waiver from the UPS delivery email notice but still have to pay the fee. Blame me for being one of many hoarders keeping prices upward. Learned my lesson after the Obozo shortages. At least during that era everything gun related was hard to find. Ammo prices went up but nothing compared to the current gouging. 

[AzRednek]

Has anybody priced scrap lead lately?? Been apx ten years since my last buy at 90 cents per pound for 100 lbs. Apx 10% of the wheel weights were Zinc or Steel. I still have a good supply of Tin solder and still have a Tin/Antimony 5lb bar for hardener and mold fill out. Cast and shot up all my Lyman #2 bars. I almost hate to find out what Tin costs today. I have more free time than money now but I’m definitely getting into powder coating. I’ll be avoiding the time consuming sizing and hard lube with a heater. I haven’t priced powder coating out but I bet it’s a lot less in cost and not nearly the pain in the arse lubing the ol’fashion way of one at a time. 

[Dr.Hess]

No, I didn't buy a Romeo5 Tuesday.  I have one on a AR pistol and it's great.  I liked it so much that I bought another one and it is sitting on the shelf while I decide what to put it on.  I couldn't really justify buying yet another to put on the shelf next to it.  As my late uncle said of his time living in Singapore, you can go broke saving money. 

 

Go through my thread on powder coating. 

 

A bottle of Harbor Freight powder coating is really about the main thing you need.  A used thrift store toaster over would be a good addition to keep the stuff out of your kitchen oven.  You still need to size them (if you want, some people don't size cast bullets at all, but I do) and I found the Lee bullet sizer in a single stage press to be so much faster than a RCBS Lubamatic that it takes no time at all.  Maybe 1-2 seconds each if you're really going. 

[manureman]

  I’ve been waiting for that sight to go on sale somewhere. I really like my eotech but the shake awake and battery life on the sig really interest me .

   I know a few people that have them and all of them are happy with them.