I have an old, oddball (for today) caliber handgun that belonged to my dad, who died just under 60 years ago. It's a Smith and Wesson M&P revolver in .32 WCF (.32-20), which was apparently quite popular back in the days, but is now just a curiosity.
I've never fired it for lack of ammo. I've looked for ammo for it for years, to no avail, unless I was willing to pay $3/round for old stock. I could find loading dies, but I don't handload (one more hobby I wouldn't have time for). A few years ago I finally decided I'd take a flyer at getting a Lee Loader for it. No such luck - they used to make them, but no longer. Occasionally, one would come up on eBay, but never at a rational price.
This week, a Lee Loader came up and I decided that rational be damned, I was going to get it and fire the damn gun at least once in my life. I did manage to get the loader at a AYFKM stupid price, but, what the hell, I can always sell it later to some other chump for part of what I paid for it to recover some money if I don't like shooting it.
OK, now I just need some brass. Of course, there's none of that out there either but I went to town on searches. Finally realized that I might be able to find components on AmmoSeek, so I went there and .................. unlike to last 10 times I looked, there are now 4 separate places selling newly manufactured .32 WCF pistol ammo.
So I bought a couple of boxes. If I like it, I'll use the loader on the used cases after running through it. If not, I'll sell the bits.
But, damn.
I've never fired it for lack of ammo. I've looked for ammo for it for years, to no avail, unless I was willing to pay $3/round for old stock. I could find loading dies, but I don't handload (one more hobby I wouldn't have time for). A few years ago I finally decided I'd take a flyer at getting a Lee Loader for it. No such luck - they used to make them, but no longer. Occasionally, one would come up on eBay, but never at a rational price.
This week, a Lee Loader came up and I decided that rational be damned, I was going to get it and fire the damn gun at least once in my life. I did manage to get the loader at a AYFKM stupid price, but, what the hell, I can always sell it later to some other chump for part of what I paid for it to recover some money if I don't like shooting it.
OK, now I just need some brass. Of course, there's none of that out there either but I went to town on searches. Finally realized that I might be able to find components on AmmoSeek, so I went there and .................. unlike to last 10 times I looked, there are now 4 separate places selling newly manufactured .32 WCF pistol ammo.
So I bought a couple of boxes. If I like it, I'll use the loader on the used cases after running through it. If not, I'll sell the bits.
But, damn.