Overheard in a gun shop....

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A young fellow who talked like he knew said that there were going to be shortages in calibers like .311 for bullets to reload, as the factories are all cutting back the production of the less popular calibers.. Any truth to this?
Thanks
 
I've read it online and heard it from people in person specifically concerning Hornady .312" bullets for the .303 British. I've talked to several people who have complained about it being next to impossible to find bullets for .303B right now.
Since 90% of what goes through my .303 is cast I never noticed. The last 2 boxes of Hornady bullets I bought have lasted me over 2 years and I still have about 50 left.

Officially it's a temporary suspension like d6dan said but there are of course those claiming it's come Obama conspiracy to reduce ammunition supply. I fail to see how suspending .312" to produce the crap out of .308" bullets reduces the overall supply though.
 
I reload for a 7mm Mauser, and hoard good bullets when I can find them. For ####s and giggles, I checked out Hornady's site for 7mm's and, a few months back it was only the round-nose that was temporarily suspended, now nearly half of them are! Glad I stocked up with what I could find a few months back.

Speaking with a dealer a while back, the suspension is rumored to be 'temporary' - in that they may produce some runs every couple years of the less popular bullets. It was not suggested that they are outright cancelled. Just fuels the all-around hoarding fire.
 
Given my experience with shooting undersize bullets and having them bump up, I'd be very inclined to try 308 bullets in the Brit, and as long as you stick with C+C bullets I would almost bet you'd e surpized how well they may shoot.
 
c-fbmi said:
Given my experience with shooting undersize bullets and having them bump up, I'd be very inclined to try 308 bullets in the Brit, and as long as you stick with C+C bullets I would almost bet you'd e surpized how well they may shoot.
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Douglas, I tried to fire form 30-06 to 06/8mm, by firing full load 30-06, hoping the necks would swell to 8mm. They didn't.
I was surprised at the recoil, which was about what you would expect from a 30-06. The bullets were stabalizing at about 30 yards.
There was a solid piece of fir wood about 5 inches thick. I shot at it and it blew a hole through it, just as one would expect from a 30-06, not a 30-06 going through an 8mm barrel.
 
I've been told the same thing by two different Gun shops in Calgary. They have stopped production on the less popular calibers in order to swap the machinery over to produce the more popular calibers. No sense in having the 303B rounds being produced at 50,000 per year (and sits on shelves for 3 years before the stock is gone) when .223 has 4 million produced per year and is still in short supply. That's the manufacturers reasoning at least. At the end of the day its all about money and making more of whats selling.

You have to remember, the 303 British round is popular in Canada, Australia and the UK. But the manufacturers are really only interested in what sells int he US. And the .303B isn't as popular out there. It is a caliber that hasn't had a rifle produced and mass marketed in years.

Before shooting me down on what I've said about it not being a popular caliber, remember, I am an Enfield shooter (only rifle I have is an Enfield) and I now cast specifically for it. Why you ask? Because I cant find bullets for it!
 
I think this is the same for loaded ammo too. I need some .45 win mag ammo and Winchester makes it in there super x line but its only being made seasonal not like normal production.
 
Loaded 303b seems to be around but it disappears quite quick. In Calgary, All Things Military in the North East has a good supply. I'd say probably just over 100 twenty round boxes. Just bought some there myself the other day at around $24 a box. Walmart seems to have a few boxes of Winchester Super X as does Canadian Tire. Don't even bother trying TSE. In all the times I've been in there they have never had it. Same with Calgary Shooting Center. Wholesale Sports is all out, as is Bass Pro and Pro Line Shooters.

I've got around 200 rounds in the safe right now of commercial 303B but I'm not hoarding it. Bought it for my trip out into BC in July beginning on the 26th. It'll all be gone by the end of the day on the 27th I suspect (except 5 rounds or so for the bears) and I'll move on to my 12 Gauge and clays.
 
I have a bud that no longer has a 303b rifle but he has 5x20 180 gr Winchester Hyper X for me it is just a matter Barr Head... As I don't have a car or truck right now It will have to be my Brother and I going up there that means I need to bring rifles as we will have to stay for a yote' shoot... I think the 180 gr 303B rounds are kind of big for yote's.
 
Secondgunman said:
I have a bud that no longer has a 303b rifle but he has 5x20 180 gr Winchester Hyper X for me it is just a matter Barr Head... As I don't have a car or truck right now It will have to be my Brother and I going up there that means I need to bring rifles as we will have to stay for a yote' shoot... I think the 180 gr 303B rounds are kind of big for yote's.
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lol.

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I am in no way suffering for bullets to shoot, I bought a bunch of 180 grain KKSP bullets, and have moved them about 5 times...I have checked, no mold or rot..
 
JTF# said:
I think this is the same for loaded ammo too. I need some .45 win mag ammo and Winchester makes it in there super x line but its only being made seasonal not like normal production.
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If you see any 45 Win Mag brass at all, buy it!
Starline brass is as good as anything else out there.
 
.308" bullets are the wrong diameter for the .303 Brit. Mind you, a .311" might not be any good either. Assuming one wants 'em for a Lee-Enfield.
You're right, sapper6fd, everything is about money and marketing. However, this one is alleged to be more about the War than anything else.
.45 Win Mag isn't exactly common or popular and never has been. It was one of the many answers to unasked questions. And there were few firearms that used it. Only loaded "seasonally" by Winchester(just like .30-40 Krag), as you know. Nobody ever says what season that is.
 
How do you drive cast bullets to those velocities without leading the barrel? Do you all just use gas checks, or is it the composition of the lead itself?
 
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