I started in the mid sixties. I started because after loading six boxes of 20 rounds each it paid for my reloading press and scale. RCBS JR. I went cheap. I was only fifteen and was working for Lever Arms from the end of May to the middle of Sept. To say I had access to cheap surplus ammo puts a completely different meaning on the word cheap. Still, it wasn't legal to hunt with and the ammo available off the shelf, although good Imperial, RWS, Speer, Remington, Western etc, just didn't give decent accuracy in most commercial or surplus rifles. Back in those days, 4 inch groups were considered to be acceptable and anything less, outstanding.
I shot three cartridges back then. 30-06, 303 Brit and 30-30 Win. Brass was easy to find as it was pretty much considered that only Nut Bars reloaded their own ammo and of course they would blow up any firearm that ammo was used in. It was all VooDoo and Witchcraft in their minds. I can still remember one old German leaving the shooting table on my father's farm after hearing the rounds I was using were hand tailored for my rifle. He insisted he had been sitting next to a grenade. Mind you I think he was more upset because the "tire jack wrench" I had been shooting against his pre 64 Mod 70 was shooting much tighter groups with iron sights than his rifle with a vintage Balvar.
As many here know, surplus rifle bores can vary by several thou from their mean. This particular rifle was a Lithgow No1 and had a .315 bore. Back then, CIL used to make bullets from .308 to .316 diameter so that these old girls could perform to their full potential.
As for cost of components. When everything is factored in, the cost according to the average wages was similar. UNLESS of course surplus powder was factored in. 4831 was CHEAP. It was available by the brown bag at some stores, which used a scoop that measured close to a pound for 50 cents. 5 pound bags were $2 and 25 pound paper drums were $10 each. It could be had in containers up to one ton which ran about ten cents per pound but you had to pick it up yourself.
Higginson's used to carry surplus powders and International Firearms used to carry other components for cheap. Both surplus military and factory seconds which were mainly stained.
They still carry bulk surplus powder but Anthony seems to have gotten out of the REAL surplus market. Not sure if it just is no longer available to him or regulations are to limiting.
Still, when powder is available in bulk at reasonable rates, same goes for all components buy enough of it to make it last for a long time.
I find it's those that only purchase bullets/primers/powder in just enough quantity to load 100 rounds that pay through the nose and often more than commercially loaded ammo sells for.
