The winter storm has come and gone, but after snow two out of the three previous days, it has piled up and may well remain until we experience a melt up this weekend. In fact, we now have the deepest snow we’ve had all winter and the longest cold spell yet. Our wood stoves were struggling to keep up. When we wake up it is 64 or 65 in the main rooms and the temps slowly rise to 70 or 71 if we are lucky. We didn’t have any of those days like we had over Christmas when the indoor temperature reached 75. I expect part of the blame is due to the high winds, but I also blame the high moisture content of the wood. It not only burns slower, we have to leave both dampers open wider and more heat goes up the chimney.
My big Fisher stove burns best with five or six pieces in it, so it chews threw wood at a rapid pace. We are making frequent trips to the wood pile.
COVID-19 Vaccine Comes to Town
I called and left a message for a neighbor yesterday. I had promised to help him out with something and wanted to schedule a time to stop by. When he called me back, he said he couldn’t do it that day because he was going to the local pop-up COVID-19 vaccination spot and heard the line was hours long.
This gentleman is in his early 80s and is neither as spry nor as healthy as he once was, which is in part why I was helping him out. So he is qualified to receive the vaccine and feels quite happy about it. I don’t blame him a bit. In his situation, I would probably get the shot too.
Just because I don’t want the shot at this time doesn’t mean I think others shouldn’t get it. Do what you want. That’s the kind of freedom America used to stand for.
Ammo Prices Rise
Due to our stockpile, we have not had to buy any ammo during this drought. In fact, I’ve actually considered selling some ammo to raise a few bucks. I decided to hold off. I can probably get more for it one day in the future.
This weekend, the ammo price jumps finally hit home for me. I decided that maybe I should buy some more subsonic .300 Blackout. After some searching, I found a box of 20 rounds of subsonic ammo was $42.99, and they were not in stock, only “coming soon.” Prior to this shortage, I had been buying basic ammo at $14.99 a box of 20 and maybe paying $25 for the high-end hunting rounds.
Why did I decide I needed more ammo? Because I frequently carry my AR pistol chambered in .300 Blackout with me when I travel, and I keep it loaded with subsonic ammo. We live near a state border and I often cross the state lines, sometimes without planning to. There are times when driving to a city in my home state may find you dipping into another state for part of the way simply because that’ show the road goes. Because my concealed carry permit is valid in both states, I can carry my AR pistol in both states. If I travel interstate with a rifle, it is subject to federal rules and has to be unloaded and in a locked container that is out of my reach.
OK, I admit it. That is only one reason. Buying a suppressor might have had something to do with my desire for more subsonic ammo. At that price, however, I may need to load my own .300 Blackout rounds.
Reloading Ammo
I have a single stage and two progressive reloading presses in boxes in my garage. Looks like I may have to unpack them ans set things up once the garage gets warmer. I have dies, bullets, brass and primers to reload 9mm, .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .38 Super, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 5.56, .308. and 300 WinMag, and powder for everything but the .300 WinMag.
I am certain I could use various components to reload .300 Blackout rounds, I just need to find some powder. I’d need a special sizing die to convert 5.56 brass to .300, but for now I could just reload the fired cases.
Most of my .308 diameter bullets are .168 grain JHPs or specialty hunting bullets. Could I load them to be subsonic? No doubt, but I’d have to do some research load development. Might be fun.
In the meantime, I just added 110 or 120 grain .308 bullets, 220 grain .308 bullets, and AA1680 powder to my “to buy” list. We’re going on a road trip this weekend, so I will see how many gun stores and general stores I can stop at on the way. It will be interesting to see if I can find any is in stock.
