Where do you get cheap shells?

I

itsneversafe

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Last winter I bought up a case of federal at cabelas for $57 but am now out! I looked around and ammosupply seems like the cheapest at $82 am I missing a better deal out there?
 
SAIL in Ottawa has a couple of pallets of 12ga on the floor, but I don't think their prices are any better than what you are seeing at your local stores.
 
Not sure of local shell prices (GTA, just north of Toronto.) While I pick up flats of discounted shells opportunistically from time to time, I mainly load my own. I use a now venerable Pacific 366 loader and have just stocked up on all components except powder (can't find any!) Fortunately I have a few pounds of 700X left from over-buying (not!) a while back (you get lucky sometimes!) I also have a barrel of once (or twice) fired AA hulls. However, component prices are up... primers now $40 per 1000, wads $9 per 500, shot $44 per 25 lbs, all plus 13% tax in Ontario. I've not done a detailed cost calculation but I think my cost is still below 12 gauge promo prices. Now retired, my time is "free"... actually entertaining, as I can listen to my vinyl LP collection on my tube-stereo while loading!
Cheers.
 
Beretta687EELL said:
12 gauge Challengers are $58.95 plus tax at Hummason's in Ancaster, ON.
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Lawry shows Federal Top Gun on their website for $56.95 for 12 and 20 ga. Sure wish I wasn't 3 days away! Anybody wanting to load 40 or 50 flats though and head west I am sure we can work something out for a few days of prairie waterfowling accommodations included in trade for shipping ?! ;)
 
Here is the math on reloading costs. Primers + 0.04 per cartridge. Wad = 0.018. Shot = 0.1257 at 1-1/8oz. Powder = 0.0857 at $30 per pound, 20 gr loads. I have reloaded long enough to know you get a bit of waste, say 1%. Add the 13% tax and you are at $7.68 per box. Compare that to the prices shown elsewhere in this thread. Also, add the cost of replacing the tubes on your stereo.
 
the spank said:
Lawry shows Federal Top Gun on their website for $56.95 for 12 and 20 ga. Sure wish I wasn't 3 days away! Anybody wanting to load 40 or 50 flats though and head west I am sure we can work something out for a few days of prairie waterfowling accommodations included in trade for shipping ?! ;)
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Last I heard, Lawry's were out of Federal shells ... hopefully, that has changed.
 
Watch for sales and be prepared to make a substantial purchase. Both availability and price has been hit and miss lately.
 
hummason's in Ancaster... just picked up some flats- they have a lot in stock. I personally use the Winchester white box over the challenger but most people at the club shoot the challenger shells. My O/U pierces the primers on the cheddite hulls, but works fine on the Winchesters so I suck it up and spend the extra $$$. If I had an 870 it would be the blue shells and nothing but...

You don't mention where you are- but I am guessing not Southern Ontario. Prices have gone up steadily in the last 6 months.
 
salter said:
Here is the math on reloading costs. Primers + 0.04 per cartridge. Wad = 0.018. Shot = 0.1257 at 1-1/8oz. Powder = 0.0857 at $30 per pound, 20 gr loads. I have reloaded long enough to know you get a bit of waste, say 1%. Add the 13% tax and you are at $7.68 per box. Compare that to the prices shown elsewhere in this thread. Also, add the cost of replacing the tubes on your stereo.
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Thanks, Salter.
Using your prices for my loads: primer = 0.04, shot (1 oz) = 0.1117, powder (17.1 grains) = 0.0668. Total (with tax and 1% losses) = net $6.23 per box. I knew that the margin over promo loads was eroding, but I was not aware it had gone that far!
BTW, I'll be lighting up the tubes anyway... done it for years as it's my other hobby, along with fixing 1930's and 1940's vintage AM radios... amazingly, most of the tubes are still good, they last a long time. It's the paper capacitors that fail and must be replaced.
Very best and Cheers,
Roger.
 
analogdino said:
Thanks, Salter.
Using your prices for my loads: primer = 0.04, shot (1 oz) = 0.1117, powder (17.1 grains) = 0.0668. Total (with tax and 1% losses) = net $6.23 per box. I knew that the margin over promo loads was eroding, but I was not aware it had gone that far!
BTW, I'll be lighting up the tubes anyway... done it for years as it's my other hobby, along with fixing 1930's and 1940's vintage AM radios... amazingly, most of the tubes are still good, they last a long time. It's the paper capacitors that fail and must be replaced.
Very best and Cheers,
Roger.
Click to expand...

I think you forgot the wads.
 
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