Tumor

[Frog4aday]

I love when you get the experienced, done it a million times, medical professional (usually a nurse) and the shots or IV just seem simple and nearly painless. Sounds like it was 'your day' at the infusion. That's always a good. Hopefully the bloodwork and CT scan show you are getting better. Anemia isn't great but treatable, so if that's your big issue at this point, I think you are progressing alright.

It sounds like your plan is to load .410 "shells" using metallic cartridge cases of one sort or another. That's interesting. Is there a reason you are avoiding a standard .410 shell casing (plastic-type)? Not picking @ you or criticizing; I'm just curious.

I just checked the cost to get a .410 reloader (MEC 600 Jr Mark V) and it made my eyes pop out a bit ($338!) Wow. I swear you could have gotten get them for a hundred bucks 'used' pretty easily at one time. I'm getting old! Stuff is crazy expensive now. Besides costing way more than expected, you can't even get a new one right away. They had this notice: "NOTE: DUE TO HIGH DEMAND THIS RELOADER HAS A 3 TO 5 WEEK PROCESSING TIME."

I even checked ebay & you could probably get a 12 ga press for $100 or so if you were patient, persistent and lucky. But the .410 presses were all in the $300 range. I wish you luck in your reloading endeavors @DeepSouth

Edited Friday at 04:04 AM by Frog4aday
Many typos & errors

[DeepSouth]

I bought a Mec Jr in 12 gauge from a coworker in the 70's and it's been in the box ever since. Came with 2 buckets of hulls, small amount of shot, powder and primers. A 410 kit on ebay is close to $200. I bought a Lee Load All in 20 gauge at a yard sale about the same time. I should have bought a few different gauges back then since 410 isn't listed anymore. 12, 16 and 20 gauge hulls are cheap and easy to find, not 410. Plastic hulls will reload average 5 to 10 times, depending on the crimp. Can trim back and make shorter ones. Straight wall brass without a crimp are showing 20 and more reloads. 209 primers at the local store are $15 per pack, large pistol are $8 to 10. Hulls will need a press for most every stage. Brass needs a universal decapping die, a 444 Marlin sizing and decapping die ever so often. Can be loaded with a wood dowel. I guess the crimp could be trimmed off hulls and use an over card. I'll be using fiber wads instead of plastic wads. Paid monthly installments on doctor bills last night. Looks like the shotgun gets to wait a bit longer. A battery for my truck will cut into grocery money this month. Oh well, will have a bunch of brass loaded for fire forming when gun is bought.

The shipment of brass is suppose to be delivered Saturday. Still sitting at Indy, IN USPS hub at 7:35 this morning. A package takes 2 days to get through the Memphis, TN hub.

There's an estate auction at Hernando, MS today noon till 6 pm. In one photo I see part of an IMR powder jug, black label with gold print. I think it could be 700X. Reloading supplies are on the list. Same photo, looks like a good size stack of Wolf ammo in boxes, maybe 2 or 3 cases. Sell it higher per box than by the case. I'd love to go but no money.

[Frog4aday]

@DeepSouth

It's interesting seeing the cost break down between a plastic .410 hull vs. using a metallic cartridge case. Primers (209) being nearly double the cost of a large rifle primer surprised me. But then I saw a bag (25lbs) of lead shot going for $70 and thought it had to be a misprint. Inflation and time have made even reloading a costly enterprise. 

As for automobile (new battery) and medical expenses bumping 'gun stuff' to sometime farther down the road, that's depressing. Batteries are over $200 now. And medical co-pays & bills are depressingly high. Leaves no money left for the fun things that make life worth living. I hope you don't have to wait too long to get your .410 project moving again.

[DeepSouth]

Tuesday I visit the head doctor for a check up. Seems everything is doing great with what's left of the tumor. Next infusion is 3/18, maybe the last. Not over the esophagus cancer by any means, Still have trouble eating chicken and bread. Doesn't matter how chicken is cooked. Bread wants to ball up while chewing. It stinks even when toasted and taste bad. I've bought a lot of different brands lately. One will taste and smell good for a while then go to the bad side. There use to be 7 bread bakeries in the Memphis area, Hart's, Wonder, Colonial, Tasty, Kroger, International, can't remember the others. Nearest one now is 100 miles away. Wonder is baked in GA now, haven't looked at other's labels.

Doing a little more research on shotshells. Some people are having problems with 209 primers seating in the pocket. Some are hard to press and some fall out. On the BPI website I see some list 16mm and 18mm primed hulls. One person said European and Fiocchi hulls and primers were 18mm and American hulls and primers are 16mm.

Not much savings on chilled shot. BPI has 22 lbs for $50 plus shipping. Sportsman's Warehouse has 25 lb for $52 and $60, depending on what size the shot is. Haven't compared other websites.

Since I don't get out like I use to I make good for my idle time. I could buy fiber wads and over cards but press them out with a punch. I have 2 different sizes of cardboard. One is what I call standard size, between 1/8 and 3/16". The other is from a pizza delivery box, compressed a bit, about 1/16" thick. Got a snack size bag of each. Yesterday while watching youtube movies I glued 2 of the disc together. Most likely add them together today making some 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 and 1/2" wads. Cardstock can vary in thickness. some not much thicker than a sheet of paper. Cereal and tissue boxes seem the thickest so far.

Looking at the TNGO website I wanted to make a comment on Stones River gun range in the Nashville area chatter. I don't get that option.

Edited 1 hour ago by DeepSouth