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Posted: 6/27/2022 5:25:03 AM EDT
My go to deer rifle is a Browning A bolt stainless with BOSS, 7MM RM tuned nicely to Federal Premium 140 gr Nosler Partitions, and it's all I'veput through this rifle since probably 1998. So, I figured I ought to grab a box or two in preparation for the fall season and place a few rounds down range to keep my scope skills sharp.
I'd like to have died when I realized that if I can find it, these are going for give or take $80 a box. I mean, I was choking down the $55 a box 2 years ago but I can't justify it anymore. So, given the PITA adjusting a BOSS can be, I am going to need to get a couple of boxes of something new. In the past I've shunned Corelokt for its inconsistent velocities but haven't shot it in probably 20 years. I've shot Winchester Silver Tips but not in forever. I'm interested in anyone's opinions on what decent 50-300 yard accurate ammo is out there in the ~$2 per round range for 7mm RM? Obviously the rifle will like what it likes but I'm hoping a little bit of someone else's recent experience will save me pissing away money on inconsistent ammunition that I am going to hate. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2022 5:31:18 AM EDT
[Last Edit: LAWRENCETHOMPSON]
[#1]
Well you can thank both china and that puke in the WH for high prices.. I see they are tryin to push another multi trillion dollar infrastructure bill...
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LA, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2022 6:19:09 AM EDT
[#2]
Yeah, it's gotten seriously out of control. At this point, I'd be surprised if it doesn't get worse from here. This is driving home the message that when it's cheap, you have to stack it deep. Because we have no idea what tomorrow is going to bring.
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Posted: 6/27/2022 6:48:08 AM EDT
[Last Edit: wingsnthings]
[#3]
Sounds like it's time to look into reloading/hand loading. The only rifle i don't hand load for is my K31 Swiss. I've accumulated components that will last me a couple life times over the years. I still use the Lee Anniversary single stage kit I've been using for a couple decades to load my hunting rifle ammo.
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Posted: 6/27/2022 6:48:45 AM EDT
[#4]
I'd just buy what it likes and call it good. You're going to spend half your savings tuning to the new round.
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Posted: 6/27/2022 7:14:07 AM EDT
[#5]
I bought a lifetime supply of .450 bushmaster for deer hunting in MI....for $19 a box. Buy it cheap and stack it deep.GD taught me well.
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Posted: 6/27/2022 7:24:04 AM EDT
[#6]
.308 and 30/06 is bad enough, the less common/made in fewer number ammo calibers are nuts.
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Posted: 6/27/2022 7:26:32 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Oldgold]
[#7]
Anytime you go outside of the mainstream calibers you run into this. I have several that I chose simply because I reload. If not, I would have stuck with the basics.
Advice I was given decades ago. If you can’t pick it up in a small town hardware store, don’t depend on it for hunting. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2022 7:56:21 AM EDT
[#8]
If you found what you need then buy it immediately. As was mentioned you’ll spend any perceived savings starting over. It really sucks but when you are committed to a gun you gotta feed it right. If it’s an offbeat caliber you’re options are still going to be limited and you may have to start over again if that one is discontinued. I say this from experience my friend.
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KY, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2022 8:17:44 AM EDT
[#9]
One of the reasons I'm glad to live and hunt the Appalachia's. I don't need a 7mm mag, I shoot everything just about in thrown hammer range.
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OK, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2022 8:39:26 AM EDT
[#10]
I’d just buy it. You don’t need a whole lot for hunting.
I have a box of 30-06 that my great gandpa bought for his sporterized 03. It has dates written on the box and what he shot, keeping a log of cartridges expended. That’s pretty much where I am with the cost of ammo now. |
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Posted: 6/27/2022 9:01:56 AM EDT
[#11]
Suck it up and buy what you like.
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Posted: 6/27/2022 9:07:42 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By King_Mud: I’d just buy it. You don’t need a whole lot for hunting. This. You're using maybe 20 rounds a season to confirm zero and then hit whatever your limit is. Suck it up and then keep an eye on sales to develop a stash. You should be buying ammo this year for use 5 years from now. Prices ARE nuts for some niche loads though. |
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Posted: 6/27/2022 10:41:13 AM EDT
[#13]
I feel your pain op. I went in to a LGS last week to pick up a few boxes 9mm target ammo.
A few weeks prior i picked it up for $19 box. $49.99 for a box of 50 Magtech 115 gr FMJ. I mean, a buck a pop to punch holes in paper?  |
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Posted: 6/27/2022 11:47:55 AM EDT
[#14]
Ugh. I reckon I have some decisions to make. I mean, I'm well stocked in defense calibers... WELL stocked. Hunting calibers not as much, especially this particular round. I usually have a couple of boxes of most everything on hand, even for guns l don't even shoot. This is one that I've slowly run out of without noticing.
This particular choice is what has gotten me. There's 7mm RM out there at 1/3 the cost but I never really gave it much thought until shit became ridiculous expensive. I could probably stuff whatever I wanted to I to it and zero it, but the BOSS really wants to be tuned, and at the rounds per it can eat a box pretty quick if the ammo isn't consistent. What's likely going to happen is I'll be hunting. 270 Win or .300 Savage this year while I tool up to reload. I'll keep hunting my Ruger .44 Mag Carbine in the brush and hold off on 7mm RM and .25-06 until I'm ready to make use of the buckets of brass I've accumulated with a nice reloading set up. $80 for a box is just ludicrous money to me and I need a nice winter hobby. |
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Posted: 6/27/2022 12:35:17 PM EDT
[#15]
Hmm...$55 for a pound of 4831, $12 for a tray of magnum or #34 primers, $130 for two boxes of partitions, and I'm looking at $200 for five boxes of reloads with free brass.
7mm RemMag brass is not easy to find these days. If you want all new, I see Nosler brass in stock at Graf for $2, so you can make five boxes of reloads for about $400 with all new components. Suddenly that $80 box of factory ammo doesn't sound so expensive. |
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Posted: 6/27/2022 3:14:42 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Homesteader375: Ugh. I reckon I have some decisions to make. I mean, I'm well stocked in defense calibers... WELL stocked. Hunting calibers not as much, especially this particular round. I usually have a couple of boxes of most everything on hand, even for guns l don't even shoot. This is one that I've slowly run out of without noticing. This particular choice is what has gotten me. There's 7mm RM out there at 1/3 the cost but I never really gave it much thought until shit became ridiculous expensive. I could probably stuff whatever I wanted to I to it and zero it, but the BOSS really wants to be tuned, and at the rounds per it can eat a box pretty quick if the ammo isn't consistent. What's likely going to happen is I'll be hunting. 270 Win or .300 Savage this year while I tool up to reload. I'll keep hunting my Ruger .44 Mag Carbine in the brush and hold off on 7mm RM and .25-06 until I'm ready to make use of the buckets of brass I've accumulated with a nice reloading set up. $80 for a box is just ludicrous money to me and I need a nice winter hobby. ammoseek.com Buy a box of what you know works and buy a couple boxes of reasonable alternatives. There is lots of options there in the $2-3 range |
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Posted: 6/27/2022 3:28:06 PM EDT
[#17]
Originally Posted By PepePewPew: Hmm...$55 for a pound of 4831, $12 for a tray of magnum or #34 primers, $130 for two boxes of partitions, and I'm looking at $200 for five boxes of reloads with free brass. 7mm RemMag brass is not easy to find these days. If you want all new, I see Nosler brass in stock at Graf for $2, so you can make five boxes of reloads for about $400 with all new components. Suddenly that $80 box of factory ammo doesn't sound so expensive. I have butt loads of once fired 7mm Mag brass. I've had a mind to start reloading for eons. Last time I committed to doing it was at the peak of the pandemic component shortage so I haven't moved on it. I could honestly do pretty well for myself if I started reloading just based on the sheer amount of brass I have saved up Originally Posted By bgenlvtex: ammoseek.com Buy a box of what you know works and buy a couple boxes of reasonable alternatives. There is lots of options there in the $2-3 range I use ammo seek for a lot of bulk range ammo. I looked for 7mm Mag and saw some good prices. Was hoping for some folk's experiences with some specific rounds for consistency and accuracy before going in blind. |
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ZWE
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Posted: 6/27/2022 3:37:20 PM EDT
[#18]
Its kinda bad when some things cost more than they used to. But your trip will also have expensive gas, food, hotel?, and other expenses.
You are really close with a rifle and scope and other gear to go hunting. Just suck it up, buy a box or two and confirm zero quickly. Then enjoy your time outside. |
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MO, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2022 11:48:43 PM EDT
[#19]
Try feeding a .35 Rem right now. $7 a shot for Core-lokt.
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OH, USA
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Posted: 7/1/2022 8:46:57 PM EDT
[#20]
I shoot an A-bolt stalker from the same-ish year. It was supposed to have a BOSS, but the dealer effed up..... Anywho.....mine loves 160 Trophy Bonded Bear Claws and 160 grn Nosler Partitions.
Unfortunately, you have to reload, or suck it up and pay today's price. As stated earlier, you are only shooting a handful of rounds a year, so it is what it is. I posted this the other day - my buddy still had boxes of Federal Premium Nosler Partitions in 7mm rem mag that he paid $15.99 for years ago. Times have changed. |
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Posted: 7/23/2022 5:21:15 AM EDT
[#21]
Picked up 18 box’s of 6.5cm Norma 6 months ago on gunbroker.
Better get whatever u can right now as we get closer to hunting season good luck finding anything. |
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Posted: 7/23/2022 5:41:38 AM EDT
[#22]
I'm pretty ignorant of how much the BOSS affects accuracy and especially precision, and how many shots it takes to 'tune' your shots to consistently go where you want them to go.
Without extensive tuning, do you just get a 'spray' pattern? How far are your hunting shots with the 7mm? If you don't spend a lot of time tuning with a cheaper round, will it affect your confidence that you can make a kill shot at 200 or 300 yards? |
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USA
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Posted: 7/23/2022 9:06:53 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Homesteader375: Ugh. I reckon I have some decisions to make. I mean, I'm well stocked in defense calibers... WELL stocked. Hunting calibers not as much, especially this particular round. I usually have a couple of boxes of most everything on hand, even for guns l don't even shoot. This is one that I've slowly run out of without noticing. This particular choice is what has gotten me. There's 7mm RM out there at 1/3 the cost but I never really gave it much thought until shit became ridiculous expensive. I could probably stuff whatever I wanted to I to it and zero it, but the BOSS really wants to be tuned, and at the rounds per it can eat a box pretty quick if the ammo isn't consistent. What's likely going to happen is I'll be hunting. 270 Win or .300 Savage this year while I tool up to reload. I'll keep hunting my Ruger .44 Mag Carbine in the brush and hold off on 7mm RM and .25-06 until I'm ready to make use of the buckets of brass I've accumulated with a nice reloading set up. $80 for a box is just ludicrous money to me and I need a nice winter hobby. Buckets of brass?,... you should have been loading a long time ago. I buy a hunting rifle and normally five boxes of ammo in the old days or a 100 pieces of virgin brass. Two midway or MTM ammo boxes and they go with that rifle until that brass is worn out. Actually the .300 win mag I bought a hundred plus had several boxes of Federal 180s. I eventually sold off one of the MTM boxes of virgin RP nickel brass. It isn’t a high volume caliber for me. I got lucky in that gun M70 supergrade with Boss. At the recommended starting setting for 180s it shot half inch at 100 yards. I never moved it. May have to, thinking about changing to 150s and an all copper alloy hunting bullet just to try something besides the 180 Nosler BT. .300 win mag and RL22 and 180 Nosler Ballistic Tips was an easy button load. I do cringe at the price of bullets now, everything is twice as much as when I bought what I have. I like trying new things but lately tend to grab what I have stocked. |
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Posted: 7/24/2022 11:18:06 AM EDT
[#24]
Just buy a box or two and don’t make yourself crazy.
I know it pisses you off but it’s not worth the aggravation to switch now. |
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Posted: 7/24/2022 3:40:35 PM EDT
[#25]
Yeah it is annoying. Some common calibers like 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 have been coming back down to decent pricing. One of my main deer rifles is a Browning BLR in 7mm-08 and ammo for that is like $50 a box for Hornady ELD-X and some of the nicer ammo. Before the pandemic it was priced similarly to 6.5 Creedmoor.
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Posted: 7/30/2022 9:34:45 PM EDT
[#26]
Watch Norma ammo. They seem to be running lower prices than retail places. I was looking at picking up some '06 when local stores were insane pricing.
https://normashooting.com/product-category/caliber/rifle/7mm/ |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 6:37:00 PM EDT
[#27]
Sort of lost track of this thread.
Yeah, buckets of brass. I haven't tossed out any brass in a decade. A lot of 5.56, 9mm and 40. All of my hunting rifle brass is boxed. When I finally thought I would get around to reloading, even presses were unobtanium. The BOSS is a funny thing. It can tune in quickly or not. I'm actually going to pull the trigger on a press as soon as I finish a shed I need to get done. Build a good round for it without the BOSS and then tune it in. I need hobbies. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 8/21/2022 9:40:01 PM EDT
[#28]
I know of a place that has 7mm at decent prices. I have bought a lifetime supply of 6.5 PRC from them and more recently a bunch of 300 PRC.
I don't even own a 300 PRC yet, but I secured the ammo so I can shoot the gun when I get it..... |
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Posted: 8/22/2022 3:25:29 PM EDT
[#29]
This is about as cheap as possible to get started reloading. It has all the basics you would need. Just add dies, powder, primers, and bullets. They may take a month or so to ship, but I have always got my orders.
https://dackoutdoors.com/product/lee-90304-classic-turret-press-kit-steel#product_detail This place will often have different premium bullets for cheap. I have bought several different ones in different calibers, and the all shot fine. https://americanreloading.com/138-7mm-284 |
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OK, USA
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Posted: 8/22/2022 3:53:56 PM EDT
[#30]
I gotta believe $160 in the grand scheme of everything that goes into hunting is negligible.
Yeah it sucks but there is no guarantee anything else you find will do as well plus you will burn more testing as mentioned above. It's a real bad time to need oddball ammo. IMO its to the point in the cycle where if you need it and you find it you buy it almost regardless of price. Other option is sell the gun and buy something in a more available caliber. |
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Posted: 8/23/2022 5:53:56 AM EDT
[#31]
Originally Posted By extractr: This is about as cheap as possible to get started reloading. It has all the basics you would need. Just add dies, powder, primers, and bullets. They may take a month or so to ship, but I have always got my orders. https://dackoutdoors.com/product/lee-90304-classic-turret-press-kit-steel#product_detail This place will often have different premium bullets for cheap. I have bought several different ones in different calibers, and the all shot fine. https://americanreloading.com/138-7mm-284 Appreciate the links. I'll check it out! Originally Posted By JCIN: I gotta believe $160 in the grand scheme of everything that goes into hunting is negligible. Yeah it sucks but there is no guarantee anything else you find will do as well plus you will burn more testing as mentioned above. It's a real bad time to need oddball ammo. IMO its to the point in the cycle where if you need it and you find it you buy it almost regardless of price. Other option is sell the gun and buy something in a more available caliber. I get what your saying. I kinda run into a couple of issues, mostly "me" issues. First, I've only ever sold 3 guns and regret selling 2 of them. I'm an addict. I would regret selling it as soon as I did it. It's not a situation where I can't afford to buy another rifle in a more common caliber, it's just that I really like this one. I have plenty of other perfectly suitable rifles to hunt with. I have a habit of chasing MOA and this really is a sub MOA rifle with the chosen round. What I found was even when listed at $60+ per box it was out of stock. I just don't think it's being manufactured in enough volume for the price to be reasonable. Reloading is going to be the way for me. I have the brass. I have the time. I also have .25- 06, .300 savage, .375 H&H, and 6.5 Carcano that could benefit from custom loads. My .44 mag carbine never liked any of the factory ammunition for accuracy so I am hoping I can build a good hunting load for that, and I have endless HD brass that will make the whole endeavor financially worth it. |
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NE, USA
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Posted: 8/25/2022 2:36:19 PM EDT
[#32]
To me, if it's a round I know is accurate as hell out of my deer rifle that costs $4/round vs a cheaper round I have no/little data on that's $2/round, that is a $2 difference well spent buying the round I know will put the deer down in its tracks.
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KS, USA
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Posted: 8/25/2022 6:29:54 PM EDT
[#33]
OP
It’s $45 a box when you search for your exact box you want when you buy it online. Go to ammoseek.com and you shall save some dollars. Buy extra for a few years. Buying online is no worse than buying in the store with your credit card. |
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Posted: 9/20/2022 10:33:11 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Iowaredneck]
[#34]
Can't even hardly reload anymore I was trying to find some partitions to load for my elk rifle as I'm getting low and the sticker shock was mind numbing but nothing in stock anyway
$70 for a box of 50 last time I ordered them I think it was $36 |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 11/12/2022 9:07:00 PM EDT
[#35]
Is that really too much in the scheme of things? How much do you spend on deer hunting overall? How
many deer do you kill a year? A few shots to check zero and shooting animals, two boxes should last you two or three years at least. I would shoot what I know my gun likes and what performs. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 11/13/2022 9:38:57 AM EDT
[#36]
I guess I don’t understand all the who gong about ammo prices.
Some of you are living so far in the past your hunting vehicle is probably got Fred Flintstone brakes. I bet you like things faxed to you as well. It’s freaking 2022. We don’t fax because it’s freaking 2022!!!! There has been a pandemic and an ongoing global supply chain crisis since 2020. Material costs have skyrocketed. Labor had gone up about 20-40% and yet you all minge on about how it’s not like it used to be. I am on my 2nd box of deer ammo 140 gr SasT’s from Hornaday. For my 6.5 Swede. Took it to Africa in 2013 and after the 2013 deer season I decided I didn’t like 130 TSX on deer and switched to this load. Took 6 rounds to zero. I have dropped 2 deer a year with it since then. I have 15 rounds left of the original 2 boxes. I might need another 2 boxes at this rate before I die. Check zero every few years as it has never moved on me and travels to where I hunt in a hard case. Suck it up and buy the ammo for christs sake. |
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Posted: 11/16/2022 3:34:09 AM EDT
[#37]
Next time after hunting season when Ammo starts stacking on shelves or are in stock online buy it! Buy extra so you are not crying about when hunting season nears that you can’t find anything,geesh!
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Posted: 11/17/2022 10:39:29 PM EDT
[#38]
Either buy once cry once and stock up or start pressing your own. Most people don't shoot hunting rifles that much but, if you do, reloading is the only way to go.
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NV, USA
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Posted: 5/21/2023 12:11:28 AM EDT
[#39]
So how did this work out? Did you buy $4/round ammo?
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ESP
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Posted: 9/18/2023 11:04:19 PM EDT
[#40]
For anyone who doesn't believe in a deep state - just keep watching the ammo supply and prices. We're being "trained" to accept high prices and shortages so as to make it harder to train the next generation of shooters and to get us used to the idea of permanent ammo shortages.
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Posted: 9/18/2023 11:24:19 PM EDT
[#41]
Trade that thing for a 308
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