Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Strange hoarding habits.

I have a few handguns in unusual or obsolete calibers and, as a result, I have an almost spinal-reflex-level compulsion to buy ammunition in those calibers whenever I see a good deal on some. As a result, I have a few hundred rounds each of .32-20 and .44-40, purchased sporadically over the years twenty to fifty rounds at a time, despite only having a single revolver in each caliber, and one that gets shot extremely infrequently, at that.

The situation is even more pathetic in .22 Remington Jet: I probably have three hundred or more rounds of loaded ammunition, plus dies and at least that many more of once-fired brass and the oddball little Hornady 40gr .222" bullets, all for a gun I think I've taken to the range twice. But if I were trapped in Roseholme Cottage, surrounded by zombie squirrels, I'd be ready.

Of course, things are most off the rails in the old rifle department. At the March Indy 1500, I found myself seriously considering buying a box or two of Dominion Cartridge .577/450, despite still owning nine of the ten rounds of Old Western Scrounger ammo that I purchased shortly after acquiring my Martini, which is a creaky basket case of a wall-hanger whose bore mics out at .458" at the tightest spot and can charitably be described as having the pits arranged in a roughly spiral fashion (the sole round fired through it keyholed on the paper at roughly ten yards...)

By the way, anybody have a burning need for a box of Winchester .38-40? I used to have this dual-cylinder Vaquero, see...

32 comments:

Nathaniel said...

I swore I'd stick to four calibers: .22 LR, 9mm, 7.62x39, and 12ga. Now I've got .380 Auto, .45 ACP, .308, and 7.62x54. At this rate, I'll want to take you up on that offer in a few years...

Joseph said...

You're one weird chick.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever considered reloading?
Then you get to hoard powder and bullets, too.

Anonymous said...

OOPS, sorry, I should have read more carefully. I'd guess you have more than just .22 Jet components. I just don't recall you posting about reloading sessions.

Standard Mischief said...

Got your hoard of reloading gear set up yet? Yea, me neither.

Man, can I accumulate some reloading gear though. For instance I'm all set up for .221 fireball just because I found the dies at a show for $7. They will sure come in handy after the zombie apocalypse.

global village idiot said...

The first step is admitting you have a problem =^D

On the other hand, take heart. You didn't buy Martini-Chow, despite the temptation; and I notice you didn't say a peep about trying to feed your Vetterli.

gvi

Tam said...

gvi,

"...I notice you didn't say a peep about trying to feed your Vetterli."

Only because I've practically given up. ;)

atlharp said...

If Tam reloaded, the cottage would look like one of those dwellings with the guys who hang newpapers clippings on the wall with string connecting it to one piece then another. Instead it would have different loads connected by string criss-crossed with various calibers. It would end with Tam being padlocked in her room by Roberta and her having the all walls covered with load data in crayon...."Let me out! I have the perfect load for .22 jet dammit!!"

ajdshootist said...

I would have your 38-40 in a flash but as im in the UK would be a bit difficult,i have an 1892 Winchester made in 1903 one of my favorites have a 44-40 as well but prefure the 38-40 a very underesimated round the first true 10mil very accurate used to use a friends Bisley in 38-40 when we had Pistols.

Vaarok said...

I do the same thing, plus I go to auctions all the time and wind up with dies and reloading stuff.

I've got an ancient set of 7.35 Carcano dies, Lyman 310 Hand Press dies for a .38-55 Winchester, and lord knows what else... All 'cause it was cheap.

ASM826 said...

I had never seen 38.40 until last Sunday afternoon. A friend is at the point in life of divesting himself of his collections. I was helping him inventory the reloading garage in preparation for a sale and came across several ammo cans of various obscure calibers, 38.40 among them. Had to look it up and read about it.

Robert McDonald said...

I've got a bunch of ammo for guns I don't have. Some 9mm, .357Mag, and 7.65X53 Argentine...

Tam said...

I've got probably a case of 7.65x53, but I do have two Mausers chambered for it, so it was easy to rationalize... :D

Mike W. said...

Oh thanks Tam! Zombie squirrels!? If they can crack acorns just think what they can do to human skulls!

Rabbit said...

You haven't seen Blackfork's notes on converting the Vetterli to center-fire? I saw a not-too-bad one a couple of weeks ago and actually considered buying the dang thing.

About 5 years ago a friend gave me 150 rounds of 7.65x53 Argy, but I regifted it as soon as I could.

RevolverRob said...

I was given 500 rounds of 5.45x39 and I have yet to buy a rifle in...I keep trying to give it away, but apparently no one on the planet actually has one of those little 5.45 AKs or ARs. Instead, everyone just talks about having one.

I've tried to limit my gun buying to .38special/.357mag and 9mm...but somehow, I have ammo for .32-20, .45 ACP, .357 SIG (where the heck did that come from?), 5.45x39, .308, and a couple of boxes of 7.62 Nagant.

I keep threatening to give up on everything except .38/.357, but I can't bring myself to do it.

-Rob

The Freeholder said...

You wouldn't have an 6.5x53.5R, would you? :-)

NotClauswitz said...

I had to check The Arms Room - all that but no .30-40 Krag? One day I'm gonna find me some (and take out a bank loan) actual 1909 Colt ammo for the sweetheart gun.

Tam said...

I've got .30-40 Krag. I have to feed two of 'em, after all.

Lergnom said...

I once bought a box of 7.92 Kurz because I liked the printing on the box, knowing I'll never have a stg-44

og said...

You don't happen to need any 32WCF do you? I have several boxes- several OLD boxes- looking for a home.

David said...

Remember - two is one, and one is none. You need to buy another gun in each of those calibers.

North said...

Still have my eye out for your .41 Swiss rimjobs.

NotClauswitz said...

Oh, didn't see 'em at the arms Room. I'm partial because it was the first rifle I ever fired.

Ed Foster said...

38-40? Cool! kind of a rimmed .400 CorBon (which we're in the process of adding to the line). I do like that cartridge.

Tam said...

og,

"You don't happen to need any 32WCF do you? I have several boxes- several OLD boxes- looking for a home."

Mais certainement!

I have, off the top of my head, .38-40 and .40 S&W Winchester Ranger Bonded JHP to trade.

Anonymous said...

I have an old 32-20 M&P (later model from 40s) at Alphaprecision awaiting Jim Stroh's magic touch. I also have a box of old Winchester 32-20 brass in the reloading stash waiting for its return. :D

Chris

Stretch said...

Dang! I've a M-H and it's the only weapon without an ammo supply.

Remember: the only time you have too much ammo is when your house is on fire.

atlharp said...

32-20?0

og said...

Actually, I'm making a bullet board. Or, at least, collecting cartridges for one. So I'd gladly trade the couple boxes I have for a .577-450 or a 10.4x38R whichever you're willing to part with. I also have a handful of 38-40. Got rid of all the other stuff, like the Nambu i had, figuring I'd never see a Papa nambu for sale cheap. Then the next weekend, I did.

Tam said...

I'll set aside a .577/450 and an 11mm Mauser, then? (I've only got one round of 10.4 Swiss that I know of. The other one appears to have been air-soluble.)

og said...

That would be lovely. thanks! maybe I can swing dowmn this weekend.