"Whether" or not you find your desired "tools of the trade" available/affordable these days is, as we know IFFY, and subject to some pretty outrageous prices.
I finally broke down and bought a LEE .358" sizing die and another set of LEE 6C handles, both of which I have needed badly for some time. Both were available on ebay and Amazon, but for grossly inflated prices - even above the normal "free-shipping" prices, which actually surpass prices from other places by about as much as shipping would cost, plus a little. $35 to $40 for either the die or that handles!
Midsouth, a company I've used for ages, had the stuff for more than I remember paying the last time, but it's been a LONG time, and at prices I'd say were about pre-panic prices, but the shipping and tax took the final bill to over $50! For two Items I paid $10 ad $12 the LAST time I bought them. The order took over a week to ship, but I get that. Once it shipped, it got here fairly quickly, and someone at Midsouth is trying to offload seventeen tons of silver-colored Christmas wrapping paper, because I had to dig out and un-wad at least a whole ROLL of the stuff! In other words, they don't skimp on packing and your order will be safe.
I'm sure glad I pretty much have what I need - MORE than I need, and I intend to try to move some surplus stuff at a small local show coming up in October.
Just wanted to throw in some data for those watching for the return of "tools of t he trade."
I finally broke down and bought a LEE .358" sizing die and another set of LEE 6C handles, both of which I have needed badly for some time. Both were available on ebay and Amazon, but for grossly inflated prices - even above the normal "free-shipping" prices, which actually surpass prices from other places by about as much as shipping would cost, plus a little. $35 to $40 for either the die or that handles!
Midsouth, a company I've used for ages, had the stuff for more than I remember paying the last time, but it's been a LONG time, and at prices I'd say were about pre-panic prices, but the shipping and tax took the final bill to over $50! For two Items I paid $10 ad $12 the LAST time I bought them. The order took over a week to ship, but I get that. Once it shipped, it got here fairly quickly, and someone at Midsouth is trying to offload seventeen tons of silver-colored Christmas wrapping paper, because I had to dig out and un-wad at least a whole ROLL of the stuff! In other words, they don't skimp on packing and your order will be safe.
I'm sure glad I pretty much have what I need - MORE than I need, and I intend to try to move some surplus stuff at a small local show coming up in October.
Just wanted to throw in some data for those watching for the return of "tools of t he trade."