Latest from Hornady

[guido4198]

I'm finally getting to the end of my bullet inventory for a couple of long-time favorites. I've been shooting Hornady's 30 cal 180 RN and .348 200 flat point since I was a kid helping Dad load them. Eisenhower was President. As a regular user, I kept a few boxes on the shelf all the time. Throughout the current shortage, I've been able to keep shooting.
Well, time passes and it finally happened...I'm out of the 30 cal 180's, and down to my last box of .348's.
Sooooo...I dropped Hornady a nice email to see what their latest response is to the shortage we're all feeling, one way or another.
Thought I'd post the response here. I'm not looking for angst, argument, or F-them commentary. Just want to share...you take it for whatever you think it might be worth. (Remember, in my email inquiry I was asking about the 2 specific products I mentioned above):

"These bullets were just released the end of July from our Temporary Suspended list. So we will schedule it back into Production as soon as we can. At this time our projected Production Schedule indicates that we plan to do a run in the next to 60 to 90 days. Following is a page from our website to further explain: http://www.hornady.com/support/availability. We suggest if you have not already that you place a standing Order with your local Dealer or a Mail Order Retailer so you are in line for when they receive a supply.

Thank you again. We appreciate your business and understanding during this time."

[Bill in Oregon]

Guido, good to hear they are about to resume making your bullets. They are catching up. Hope you have gotten in line.

[mav]

Good new. Hopefully that means the .375 220gr FP might be on the list soon.

[old06]

I know I have a few full boxes of the 30 cal 180 RN if you cant lay your hands on them we may work out a deal

[Sixgun]

Guido,
Funny that you should mention the .348 Hornady's. I too, have been a life long user of them and I have about 400 in my current inventory. But........since shooting 210 gr. gas checked bullets in my pair of 71's, the 200 gr. Hornady's have been VERY idle.

I don't run them as fast, staying at 1650, but I can run them 1800-1900 with no issues. As this is my silhouette gun, I shoot somewhere in the neighborhood of 800-1000 a year. For that once a year deer/elk hunt, these can be run 2200, which is the power of the 33 WCF, or if need be, you can resort to a hidden stash of jacketed.

I am an incurable experimenter and my accuracy tests show the cast to be more accurate with 2 inch groups at 100 or just a little more at 200 meters. The decreased velocity may have something to do with this, but it's not much. Full power 348's with jacketed usually run in the 3 inch range with my 60 year old eyes.

And....for what it's worth, last week, while elk hunting in Colorado.....after the hunt.......I was walking the aisles at the Cabelas in Denver and they had a mess of Hornady .348's on the shelves....priced at $42.99 IIRC. (Per 100) they are most likely still there and I'm sure they would sell them via mail.--------6

[6pt-sika]

Guido,
Funny that you should mention the .348 Hornady's. I too, have been a life long user of them and I have about 400 in my current inventory. But........since shooting 210 gr. gas checked bullets in my pair of 71's, the 200 gr. Hornady's have been VERY idle.

I am an incurable experimenter and my accuracy tests show the cast to be more accurate with 2 inch groups at 100 or just a little more at 200 meters. The decreased velocity may have something to do with this, but it's not much. Full power 348's with jacketed usually run in the 3 inch range with my 60 year old eyes.

]

Far be it for me to say something negative about a fella using jacketed bullets in his leveraction . But like you I shoot home cast almost exclusively . I wouldn't always say they shot better then jacketed , but they do seem to kill a little quicker . And there's the satisfaction factor of making them yourself

[guido4198]

I shoot a cast bullet as well. IDEAL mold 350447 which I inherited from my Dad. Using 50/50 wheel weights/lead, they come in at 183 gns. It is a gas check design, with a DEEP hollow point. I've been pushing them to 1800 fps or so, and getting good results on targets. It's a loading I like to use in the off season to enjoy my fine old rifle. HOWEVER...I'm taking the M71 to Georgia to hunt deer and hogs, I can't seem to make the leap to hunt with those cast rounds...when I also have a great load worked up with the Hornady 200 and like the extra power-edge it provides. Because my cast bullet not a wide meplat flat point, I've been concerned that on large game, especially a hog, the hollow point will collapse and in doing so, lose straight line penetration. It's possible I'm waaayyyy over-thinking this, but when shots on game are few, and hard to come by...I want all the advantages on my side, and on the side of a clean, one shot kill for the animal.
I found a couple boxes of new/old-stock Hornady 200 FP bullets here in FL. (not the Interlocks in the new style boxes) and will get by with those for now.
Appreciate all the thoughts.

[carbluesnake]

That 220 gr. .375 is a great bullet for the 38/55. I know that is sacreligious for the casters of great .375 bullets, but nevertheless, it is a great bullet. I just went and looked at my stash of 220 gr. .375 and .348 hornadys. I won't say how many boxes of each I have, but the last .348s I bought have a price on the box of 18.95.

[Udy]

I wish they would start producing my .308cal 180gr. interbond again someday. I still have a 50 or so left, but that won't last for ever. Sure there are other bullets to use, but I don't want to figure out a new load. My 300wby just loves those things for some reason, I struggled with working up a great load with it and as soon as I tried those bullets it all fell in place, it likes partitions fairly well and will be what I use if I can't ever get any more, but I really like how the interbond groops. It hates accubonds and barns stuff for some reason.

[JohndeFresno]

This might help with .348's:
http://www.gunbot.net/reloading/bullets/348cal/