the forever gun book 8

THE FOREVER GUN BOOK 8

9MM RELOADS

Before I cover the 32 or 38, which do away with semi-automatics and in one case don’t even require an additional firearm, I’m going to go over the 9mm.  Simply, it is wicked cheap due to its global popularity.  Additionally, it reloads much better, having a thicker case wall.  Here we have another classic AK verses AR or revolver verses semi.  Neither choice is ever perfect because each one has its good points and its bad.  To get one desired characteristic you must accept an undesirable one at the same time.  The AK is robust as hell, which is perfect for the apocalypse, yet its primary directive is to sling lead downrange-not to be accurate.  You need to preserve ammo once the factories close down.  The AR is accurate as can be, a midrange sniper rifle if you don’t gay it up making it a sub-machinegun.  Yet, it is a fragile wallflower and must be pampered-NOT what you want when your life is on the line in combat.  There are very few perfect combo guns, both robust and accurate ( the HK 91 and clones come close ).  And so it goes with pistols and their ammo. 

*

The great thing about 9mm firearms is their affordability.  It shouldn’t be too much of an issue getting both a carbine ( taking pistol mags ) and a semi pistol for about $500 ( hi-point brand ).  The ammo is cheap-17 cents for steel cased, around a quarter a round in brass.  The bad thing is, they are semi-automatic.  I’m not sure if you can alter the gas feed on the carbine ( say, as you would an SKS ) and while I’ve been told they do sell 9mm revolvers I can’t imagine such a niche gun is very cheap.  Everyone seems to fall all over themselves assuring me that in the heat of combat they, being the superist studliest ninja warriors of all time, will be able to Jedi mind control their stress away and practice fire discipline.  Sure, good luck with that.  But aside from the semi issue, 9mm is really the best way to go. 

*

I’m assuming you have a source of lead.  You can probably forget the tire shops.  Every store seems to have all their wheel weights already going to a reloader-if you don’t have a buddy working there, you can forget that ( and besides, they aren’t totally free.  You need to bribe the guy with occasional beer ).  Look at buying old batteries ( if you know how to safely salvage the lead from them ), or far better look for a metal recycling place.  Our local business sells lead-either pure or not ( no skimming of impurities, which you can easily accomplish yourself ).  If you don’t plan on casting your own bullets ( the Lee brand is $42 )( all prices in this book were taken from www.midwayusa.com in September/October 2016 ) you can forget about cheaply reloading.  It doubles your cost, from seven cents to 14.  Yes, I said seven cents.  You’ll remember that rimfire is a minimum of a dime each ( unless you engage in the not very recommended reloading of the 22 ).

*

You are buying supplies for 10,000 rounds.  You can do less and you probably won’t pay too much more per round.  I’m just under the assumption you wouldn’t buy a cheap pistol or carbine unless it was for a Forever Arsenal, and there is really no point in a Forever Arsenal without it being accompanied by too much less than ten thousand rounds of ammunition ( again, 10k is an arbitrary number.  You could feel comfortable with five thousand, or insist on a minimum of twenty.  I‘ve set it at ten thousand as it seems a nice large number that allows me to sleep better at night.  Always assume Murphy‘s Law-have more of everything, more than you‘ll ever think of needing ).  Primers are going to be three cents each.  Powder is even less at two to two and a half cents per round ( I assume a thousand rounds of reloads per pound of powder.  You can use less per round but I’d worry about diminishing wounding and action cycling issues ). 

*

As for brass, I’m assuming ten reloads is not even close to too many.  This is using once fired brass which sells for seven cents.  Buying a thousand rounds should get you ten thousand reloads.  If you are buying unprimed factory new brass it is seventeen cents each.  If you feel comfortable taken new brass and reloading it twenty times ( I have no experience with this myself ) than the price difference is a mute point.  So, either way the brass costs a cent a round.  A three cent primer, a two cent charge of powder and a penny case run you six cents each.  Call lead one or two cents.  Seven cent 9mm verses ten cent rimfire.  For a better performing round.  Now, obviously, if you decide to reload rimfire and have found a cheap rifle, you can have that forever gun for a mere $300.  But if those reloads strike you as less than promising in reliability, let’s break down the 9mm Forever Gun.  A carbine and five thousand reloads is about $700.  Throw in the pistol for a $1,000 total.  Ten thousand reloads and both guns are $1,400 ( I‘ve ignored the magazine cost ). 

*

There is the shotgun adaptor for the 9mm ( I can‘t vouch for its accuracy ).  Call it in the neighborhood of $100.  If you already own the shotgun, going with this option and the reloads runs you $800.  Now, there is the matter of the reloading equipment.  I recommend Lee brand, specifically the old timey Lee Loader.  Most people piss and bemoan the type, insisting it won’t reload fast enough.  I say, What?, you got a job you need to be to, after the apocalypse?  You aren’t supposed to be spaying and praying, so why do you need so much ammo so quick?  The loader is $28 and the bullet mold $42 for a total of $70.  I don’t know if I’d trust a single unit ( in the loader.  The bullet mold should be close to indestructible ).  I own two for my Enfield and only plan on loading around 3k rounds ( remember the saying, One Is None And Two Is One.  That is why you don’t only own one expensive gun, but two middlin price ones.  Why you have more than one grain grinder, etc. ).  On another note, I have ignored shipping costs.  I figure you about pay the same, either reloading components or rimfire, so it is a wash in comparing prices.

END

Please support Bison by buying through the Amazon ad graphics at the top of the page.  IF YOU DON’T SEE THE AD, DISABLE AD BLOCK ( go to the Ad Blocker while on my page and scroll down the menu to “disable this site” ). You can purchase anything, not just the linked item. Enter Amazon through my item link and then go to whatever other item you desire. As long as you don’t leave Amazon until after the order is placed, I get credit for your purchase.  For those that can’t get the ads because they are blocked by your software, just PayPal me occasionally or buy me something from my Amazon Wish List once a year.  Pay your author-no one works for free.  I’m nice enough to publish for mere Book Money, so do your part.*** 
*Contact Information*  Links To Other Blogs *  Land In Elko*  Lord Bison* my bio & biblio*   my web site is www.bisonprepper.com           *wal-mart wheat
*Link To All My Published Books
* By the by, all my writing is copyrighted. For the obtuse out there