- Location
- Tumbler Ridge, BC
It's been a tough couple years for those of us who collect rifles using these projectiles. Anyone care to take a guess as to when we will see .311 bullets in the 174-180gr range again from Sierra, Hornady and others?
When will we see .311 bullets being available again?
- Thread starter flying pig
- Start date
I've started using the projectiles from 7.62x54r surplus. My results have been good with varget powder loads (I just put the russian surplus powder on the garden). I don't know if they would be good for hunting, but for target shooting they're alright. Not as good to reload as real projectiles (crimping is a bit more difficult), but they are good when you're short.
(I have started looking at casting as well, but have to figure out how to get lead on the cheap)
(I have started looking at casting as well, but have to figure out how to get lead on the cheap)
- Location
- Tumbler Ridge, BC
I've been using x54 components in my shorter range Lee-Enfields and am happy with it (even the powder, it burns very clean and I'm very happy with 2" groups at 100 with a No4). Problem is my 4T, I only have 300 Sierra 180 pro hunters left and I hate being on a budget!
Hopefully you guys are right about things changing after the election.
Hopefully you guys are right about things changing after the election.
- Location
- Tumbler Ridge, BC
I took an average weight loaded in 20 762x54r, the subtracted six grains from that. The load works very well but be forewarned, the poi will be very different from that of a 174-180gr bullet. Like a foot low at 100m. But at 22c a shot, who cares?
The manufacturers have suspended less popular bullets to try to meet demand for the more popular ones. .303 British just isn't that popular state side and the Canadian market is so tiny in comparison there is no profit incentive for the manufacturers to produce the ammo. They are corporations who need to make money to survive so they can't do a favour for Canadians if it will cost them money and put them behind their competitors. Either the crazy, heightened levels of demand will subside and manufacturers can catch up again, or manufacturers will expand to increase production if they think it's a long-term demand. Pretty much all the US manufacturers are running 24-hours to try to meet demand. Building new production facilities can take years and cost tens of millions in capital investment which is a huge risk if demand slumps.
I don't see how an election will change anything. The panic buying that caused the shortages was caused by media hype, not legislation. Obama has only passed one significant piece of firearms legislation and that was banning the import of the Korean M1 carbines and garands. That had little to no effect on ammunition and component shortages. No limitations have been put on the manufacturers and they themselves say over 90% of the extra demand causing the shortages is civilian retail demand, not military or law enforcement. I don't like Obama, but all the evidence points to us being the problem, regular consumers, not Obama, the democrats, or anyone else.
I've only been reloading for a few years so haven't been around long enough to see out the long game but many old timers say the industry goes through 3-5 year cycles. The current shortages started right after the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012 when people started panicking and saying that Obama was going to ban guns or legislate limits on firearms and ammunition (which he never did and wouldn't have passed the Republican-majority congress if he tried). People emptied store shelves across the US so suddenly there was a huge spike in demand. Empty shelves caused many not in the initial panic to in turn panic as there now really was a shortage due to panic buying. That caused the warehouses and wholesalers to sell out their stockpiles and the manufacturers have been playing catch-up for almost two years. It's all one huge snowball effect. If these 3-5 year cycles hold true we should see some stability again in the next year or two. I'm not talking about prices dropping to pre-panic levels, I doubt that will happen, but just store shelves being well stocked again with a decent supply of ammunition and components. That includes .311" and .312" diameter bullets.
I don't see how an election will change anything. The panic buying that caused the shortages was caused by media hype, not legislation. Obama has only passed one significant piece of firearms legislation and that was banning the import of the Korean M1 carbines and garands. That had little to no effect on ammunition and component shortages. No limitations have been put on the manufacturers and they themselves say over 90% of the extra demand causing the shortages is civilian retail demand, not military or law enforcement. I don't like Obama, but all the evidence points to us being the problem, regular consumers, not Obama, the democrats, or anyone else.
I've only been reloading for a few years so haven't been around long enough to see out the long game but many old timers say the industry goes through 3-5 year cycles. The current shortages started right after the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012 when people started panicking and saying that Obama was going to ban guns or legislate limits on firearms and ammunition (which he never did and wouldn't have passed the Republican-majority congress if he tried). People emptied store shelves across the US so suddenly there was a huge spike in demand. Empty shelves caused many not in the initial panic to in turn panic as there now really was a shortage due to panic buying. That caused the warehouses and wholesalers to sell out their stockpiles and the manufacturers have been playing catch-up for almost two years. It's all one huge snowball effect. If these 3-5 year cycles hold true we should see some stability again in the next year or two. I'm not talking about prices dropping to pre-panic levels, I doubt that will happen, but just store shelves being well stocked again with a decent supply of ammunition and components. That includes .311" and .312" diameter bullets.
The shortage isn't just in Canada it is in the U.S. also and the manufactures just can't keep up with demand. I have three gun stores I can go to locally and its always hit or miss for bullets and powder.
As stated above the manufactures are producing the most popular bullets that have the highest demands. And like it or not the .303 British is a stranger in a strange land here in the U.S., and when people here found out I collected British Enfield rifles they would say why don't you buy American guns. These "Americans" forgot where our forefathers came from and how many countries in the world speak the English language, even though many of them misspell the word "color-colour" and put the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car.
At least there is no shortage of the "BEST" beer in North America here in "Pennsyltucky". Daniel Boone was born not to far from where I live here in Pennsylvania and birthplace of the Kentucky rifle.
As stated above the manufactures are producing the most popular bullets that have the highest demands. And like it or not the .303 British is a stranger in a strange land here in the U.S., and when people here found out I collected British Enfield rifles they would say why don't you buy American guns. These "Americans" forgot where our forefathers came from and how many countries in the world speak the English language, even though many of them misspell the word "color-colour" and put the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car.
At least there is no shortage of the "BEST" beer in North America here in "Pennsyltucky". Daniel Boone was born not to far from where I live here in Pennsylvania and birthplace of the Kentucky rifle.
My father in law swears by the lager. He's from Cape May, NJ.
Oh yeah, bullets-
I really need the Hornady .312 174gr RN Interlock, # 3130. I have a Lithgow with a rough barrel that really loves those. I'm prepared to go with lead for my BSA, but I'd prefer a jacketed flat base for both the Lithgow and my No.4.
