Posted: 4/6/2013 2:25:05 PM EDT
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I know there's a reloading forum, but this is a Missouri-specific question...
I finally took the leap and ordered the RCBS Rock Chucker reloading kit. Have never reloaded before, but always knew I wanted to - always policed up and saved all my brass. I know they are about as hard to get as ammo these days, but where are the "go to" places in mid-Missouri for reloading supplies (powder, primers, bullets)? Midway in Columbia? Bass Pro? Jeff City, Columbia, and Sedalia define a triangle that's about as far as I'd really like to drive, but other options aren't necessarily off the table. All other tips, hints and comments are welcome too. (ordered the press from Midway, btw) |
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It depends on what you are trying to get....
Primers and Powder - my go to has been Grafs. (As well as expertise, by the way.) It is a drive from COMO but the usually have stuff in stock. Misc stuff - Midway had been very good for bullets, but ran out forever ago. I shoot a lot of Ranier bullets. I did manage to make a trip to Sedalia at Sierra and wished I would have had more cash. - They had bullets, but I only had enough money for 223s. 
I have got to go to that Boggs Creek though. Sounds like a nice place.... |
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It depends on what you are trying to get.... Primers and Powder - my go to has been Grafs. (As well as expertise, by the way.) It is a drive from COMO but the usually have stuff in stock. Misc stuff - Midway had been very good for bullets, but ran out forever ago. I shoot a lot of Ranier bullets. I did manage to make a trip to Sedalia at Sierra and wished I would have had more cash. - They had bullets, but I only had enough money for 223s.
I have got to go to that Boggs Creek though. Sounds like a nice place.... What's was your experience concerning this trip? Time frame, availability, price, etc. |
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It depends on what you are trying to get.... Primers and Powder - my go to has been Grafs. (As well as expertise, by the way.) It is a drive from COMO but the usually have stuff in stock. Misc stuff - Midway had been very good for bullets, but ran out forever ago. I shoot a lot of Ranier bullets. I did manage to make a trip to Sedalia at Sierra and wished I would have had more cash. - They had bullets, but I only had enough money for 223s.
I have got to go to that Boggs Creek though. Sounds like a nice place.... What's was your experience concerning this trip? Time frame, availability, price, etc. I don't have a set schedule. Normally, I will call Grafs before I go. However, they have almost always had powder and most of the time primers. Their prices are as good as or better than most of my local fun shops. (At least they have stuff in stock at decent prices.) I usually go on Saturdays when we aren't shooting. Sedalia is little more difficult for me. I wait until I have to travel that way for business then stop in. Last time they had a lot of everything, but the prices seemed a little high for "seconds." But again, at least they had them in stock. As for Boggs, I am hoping to make it down there next week. Maybe I can schedule and appointment that way and just have to come back through Jeff City.  Right now, the low item on my shelf is 9mm projectiles. But since I put my shotgun together, I am low on funds. 
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Graf & Sons will pack powder and primers in same box if you need it shipped. Prior to the craze, have ordered from Graf or Missouri Bullet Company and had product next day.
If you want to cast your own visit Castboolits.com. If loading for 1911 check out reloading forum at 1911forum.com. |
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I've always had good luck ordering from Power Valley in addition to Midway and Graf's. Power Valley is near Wichita, so not exactly close to western MO. I've never visited in person, but now that I am living in Missouri that is at least a possibility. I last ordered from them when I was living in North Carolina.
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Boggs Creek in Jeff City seems to almost always have components in stock. You can get factory seconds from Sierra in Sedalia. Curious about this... what constitutes a 'factory second' as far as bullets are concerned? Out of spec somehow? Trying to think of something wrong with a bullet that would keep the factory from selling it but still be safe to load with.... |
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Boggs Creek in Jeff City seems to almost always have components in stock. You can get factory seconds from Sierra in Sedalia. Curious about this... what constitutes a 'factory second' as far as bullets are concerned? Out of spec somehow? Trying to think of something wrong with a bullet that would keep the factory from selling it but still be safe to load with.... I've used the Seirra "Factory Seconds" a few times... I honestly can't tell ya what makes the majority of them "seconds"... Occasinally they have some "burs" on them that you can just knock off with a fingernail or worst case a small file. The majority of them are literally no different in appearance. I know they are still sub MOA accurate out of my good rifles... I've never had any issues of any kind. ETA... I'm on my way to pick up about 6.5K of them... I'll post some pictures later. |
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Boggs Creek in Jeff City seems to almost always have components in stock. You can get factory seconds from Sierra in Sedalia. Curious about this... what constitutes a 'factory second' as far as bullets are concerned? Out of spec somehow? Trying to think of something wrong with a bullet that would keep the factory from selling it but still be safe to load with.... I'm not sure what determining factors Sierra uses for factory seconds. In my experience, factory seconds tend to have oversized/non uniform meplats & there is a bit of a wider variation of actual weights - but nothing that would make them unsafe. |
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OK...
Back from Sierra a bit ago... The stuff I got today was 52 and 69 Gr... The only thing I can see wrong is what has been stated above... The meplats are a bit rough... Haven't gotten my scale out to check the weights yet though. I know that Sierra keeps a .3 Gr tolerance... Anything more than plus or minus goes in the "seconds"... She did say that if they happen to notice any oddities in each 5x5 batch that the entire batch goes into the "seconds" bin. Pics... Will try to get better pics of the meplats later with a better camera... 
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OK... Back from Sierra a bit ago... The stuff I got today was 52 and 69 Gr... The only thing I can see wrong is what has been stated above... The meplats are a bit rough... Haven't gotten my scale out to check the weights yet though. I know that Sierra keeps a .3 Gr tolerance... Anything more than plus or minus goes in the "seconds"... She did say that if they happen to notice any oddities in each 5x5 batch that the entire batch goes into the "seconds" bin. Pics... Will try to get better pics of the meplats later with a better camera... How much do sierra seconds cost? Just curious if it's worth the drive... |
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Nice AAR ZMBKL_N... good info! Glad to help! Still trying to find my good camera to get better pics. How'd their stock look? The last time I was through there, there was a line. I had never seen that before. No line yesterday... But it was raining like crazy and there was a freakin' pond you had to walk through to get to the door because of it... LOL She still had "some" of each... But she did say she had never seen the stock this low. She was having to reach WAY down into the bottom of the cans to scoop them out. They haven't run out of the "seconds" through this whole panic though... And they are constantly replenishing. |
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I went and got some of the 69gr .223 a couple weeks ago - so far so good. weighing them all and they all are within .3 gr. Have notices a few burrs, and the meplats aren't always perfect, but seem to be ok.
If you are looking for anything for 45 acp though - they only thing they had were 185 gr JHP - i usually try and load 230 gr JHP, but its what they had so I got some. |
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Someone always has to blab, can't keep a secret worth a damn.
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Boggs Creek in Jeff City seems to almost always have components in stock. You can get factory seconds from Sierra in Sedalia. Curious about this... what constitutes a 'factory second' as far as bullets are concerned? Out of spec somehow? Trying to think of something wrong with a bullet that would keep the factory from selling it but still be safe to load with.... I'm not sure what determining factors Sierra uses for factory seconds. In my experience, factory seconds tend to have oversized/non uniform meplats & there is a bit of a wider variation of actual weights - but nothing that would make them unsafe. Well, I know. These bullets come machine set up, a spill from a box that got dropped and came open, and bullets left over from lot testing in the range. In my experience, if the bullet looks good, it is good. I've never seen the claims above about weight range, they've always been +/-0.3 grains, which is Sierra's standard. The meplats due vary some in length, but they are no more nonuniform than bullets that make it to the box. The last bullets I bought up there were in very good condition with no trash mixed in. The yahoo's that were buying up the mixed bullets for resale screwed up a good deal for all of us, and now the price for those is over $12 per pound. So I hope it sticks in their craws. |
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Someone always has to blab, can't keep a secret worth a damn. If you're referring to me... I was just answering somebody elses questions... LOL AeroE, he also blabbed about mars! Yeah.... But I kept that OTHER secret a secret... You know... That BIG secret? |