Yes, those $100 days are long gone. My metal powder can collection starts from cans in the late 60s / early 70s. A $7 per lb can of powder, $15 a brick primers and 6¢ bullets seems unreal now.
I get into a zen moment when I reload. I am a sucker for wildcats and hand load only calibers. 257AI, 257 Roberts, 25-06AI, 20 tactical, 220 Swift are a few. When you can't find brass you learn to make it. I am a brass scrounger.
Love reloading, ballistics, tinkering with guns and varmint hunting. My latest project is a 20 tactical. It's a fun round to shoot, it's like a Lazer and you get a lot of bangs from a lb of powder.
Picture of a 20 tact ( necked down from a 223 ) and a 257 Roberts