Ammo / suppliers

[nipplehead]

Hey guys just spent some time online trying to find reasonable target loads (mostly for trap). I really failed to find anywhere that made me even consider placing an order. Any suggestions...cause as it stands now I can do better locally hit or miss....Thanks

[Ed Deegan]

I have had good luck, delivery and pricing in the past from:

www.outdoormarksman.com

www.natchezss.com

kieslers (not sure if they will sell to non LE anymore)

However, I was buying pistol ammo not long gun stuff.

[Joe4d]

$21 per hundred at wally world earlier today

[EricW]

Only premium shells make sense to buy online. There are no bargain shells that you can buy that are cheaper than you can get locally - at least not here on the West coast.

$21/100 is an incredible buy. I'd fill up my trunk at that price. I may head to WW at lunch to see if it's as cheap on the left coast.

For premium shells for game day, look at http://www.bandpusa.com

Yes, they're $7.80/box delivered...but where I live Remmy STS is $8.43/box and I have to drive to get them. B&P also has a HUGE variety of shells that the big box stores don't. You can buy 7/8 oz 12 ga for a small premium as well as get true, #7 sledgehammers for FITASC. My test shells come in tomorrow. I'll shoot some Saturday and let you know what I think.

Edited April 3, 2008 by EricW

[EricW]

Got the B&P shells before 9am this morning.

I have no idea if they'll break more targets than a cheapie, but holy cow, they win the prize for prettiest, most gizmoed shotshell ever. The wad is super-cushy. It has four tiers of "springs" for lack of a better word. The basewad does indeed have a cushion built into it as well. The shot is as perfect as ball bearings. The primers are neatly sealed. I think I just found my "go to" game day ammo.

B&P claims that all this helps the shells pattern more symmetrically. I may have to borrow a rest and break out the butcher paper and find out.

Cheaper than STS and door to door service. Tough to beat that with a stick.

[mikey357]

Yeah, and those cagey "Eye-Talians" make some pretty nice SHOTGUNS, too...just wish I could AFFORD one!!!....mikey357

[Irishlad]

If you shoot enough, then reloading may be the long-term "ticket" if you have the opportunity to buy shot, in particular, at a fairly reasonable price.

Now that lead costs have caught up with new ammo prices, I think you'll see a resurgence of shotshell reloading. Something that was in decline due to the "promo" loads...that are not so "promo" now!

[EricW]

I'm still dubious about the economics of reloading 12 ga here on the west coast. Maybe it makes sense further east, but not here. I just shopped components. It's still about $5.20 to 5.50/box to reload 12 ga here. That's using the *best* price of $35 bag of lead shot at the gun club. Usually it's $45 to 50. Bargain shells at the discount store are $5.80. Premium is only $2/box more delivered. For 2 bucks, I'll let them deliver ammo to my door. It's just not worth the hassle.

All other gauges, yeah I could see saving a little dough. Not on 12 still...

[Irishlad]

Premium is only $2/box more delivered. For 2 bucks, I'll let them deliver ammo to my door. It's just not worth the hassle.

If $2.00 a box doesn't peak your interest...then you will never "be" reloading.

I'm cheap.

Plus, I'm very picky about shotshells for good or bad. Once I get "used" to a particular load, I rarely change as I become accustomed to the recoil sensation, hit's and "smell" of the gunpowder.

[EricW]

10 years ago, I would have molded my own hulls for $2 a box. Today, for $2, I'll let someone else do it since time loading is time spent not shooting.

[The Antichrome]

If you want to stock up, Able Ammo has a free shipping special at the moment.

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/default.ph...p;filter_id=559

[Ross Carter]

The cost comparison between reloads and factory ammo is not as clear as if looks to be. Even with shot as expensive as it is and using quality components, I can reload for about $4.50-5.00 a box last time I checked. Compared to the 4 packs at WalMart at $22 or so it doesn't seem to make sense but my reloads are much better than the cheapo factory stuff. All the cheap stuff I find is loaded to 3 dram equivilent with soft shot and crappy wads. My reloads are much closer to the performance I get from AA's or STS's which run about $7 a box or more and with recoil much less than the cheap factory stuff. Just like with pistol you have to buy your components in bulk to get a good price.

[Bruce]

Got the B&P shells before 9am this morning.

I have no idea if they'll break more targets than a cheapie, but holy cow, they win the prize for prettiest, most gizmoed shotshell ever. The wad is super-cushy. It has four tiers of "springs" for lack of a better word. The basewad does indeed have a cushion built into it as well. The shot is as perfect as ball bearings. The primers are neatly sealed. I think I just found my "go to" game day ammo.

B&P claims that all this helps the shells pattern more symmetrically. I may have to borrow a rest and break out the butcher paper and find out.

Cheaper than STS and door to door service. Tough to beat that with a stick.

B&P makes great shotgun ammo. Have used plenty of it hunting and it is great stuff. There was a guy in the US that was the distributor for B&P several years ago that had some great deals on out of season shells...but I don't think he is the go-to guy any longer, as shown by your link.

[Nick Weidhaas]

+1 for B&P ammo. Shot thousands of their F2 1oz. load. It is my favorite load of all time (with Fiocchi's Baby Rhinos and Crushers a close 2nd). I used it for everything, including FITASC. It just crushes birds with fast target feed back. I also agree with using good components in your reloads. When I was loading I ran a 1280fps 1oz. reload using Clays, Windjammer Wads, and AA Hulls that were close to premium factory performance. Just no comparision to the cheap walmart loads.

[EricW]

The B&P do indeed shoot softer than the bargain shells of similar ballistics. What they don't do, is extract really well. I'm assuming that it's by design. The crimp really blossoms out and keep the shells from getting kicked out of the chambers by the ejectors. I'm guessing that most would consider it a feature for target shooting.

I bought about 5-600 of the Wally World shells to try. They shoot fine for me. Certainly plenty fine for practice with a tight choke. I wouldn't shoot them in a "real world tactical clays survival" scenario, but great for short range practice on the cheap.

[EricW]

Back from the dead one last time. Shot another couple boxes of B&P in the midst of several hundred bargain shells with the same ballistics: 1oz, approx. 1150 fps.

The B&P bury the cheapies. Discernibly stronger breaks. Much less recoil. These will definitely be my game-day shells going forward.