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Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

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Posts posted by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

  1. Wow, both of those cases in pic 3 show most of the problem. Appears like there could be something stuck in the chamber right at the mouth. The most common thing that might be would be a chunk of the neck of a fired case that stuck in the front end of the neck area of the chamber. Whatever mangled both of those cases in exactly the same way should EASILY be visible to the naked eye. If you are lucky, it is just a piece of the neck of a case - that could probably be removed with a .45 caliber cleaning brush pushed in from the muzzle. If that doesn't do it, casting the chamber full of Cerrosafe low-temperature-melting alloy and knocking that plug out will normally get it out. That obstruction is dangerous to shoot through and should have been quite obvious to the seller if he took a look down the bore to make sure the gun was safe to sell.

     

    Once the obstruction is out, you will need to do a GOOD inspection for damage to the chamber.

     

    I've had a feller try to sell me a ringed barrel rifle (ringed in two spots, and it was just a .22). It went back immediately to him for a full refund. He squawked a bit, but finally did the right thing.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  2. Well, yes, you do have a .45 Colt die that is sizing a little tight. But you have the good luck to have a Marlin rifle that has a fairly tight chamber, also. Since it produces fired brass at .473" OD. Meaning you will have to have a max finished case diameter of about .472" to chamber easily.

     

    And since the SDB sizer die is almost certainly a carbide die, it's not easy to ream that out slightly larger.

     

    (If you switched to a .45 AUTO die, you would size your brass even tighter.)

     

    If you back the sizer die off quite a bit and run the depriming rod down, you might be able to reduce the sizing to just the mouth area (which is where sizing is needed to help hold the slug as you seat and crimp), but (as mentioned above by OLG) you DO need to test your finished rounds in all "holes" you expect the ammo to be able to chamber in! Find which gun has the tightest chamber(s) and test against that.

     

    I ran a quick test on what I size my .45 Colt cases to. Standard dies for Dillon take the case down to about .467 (most of the way down to the rim). I suspected that was too much work on the case, so I bought a year ago one of the Redding two-carbide-ring sizer dies. Yep, over $70 for that one die, it's expensive. The top ring sizes the mouth down to .467" and the bottom ring sizes rest of the case to .472." I have generally seen about 50% fewer split .45 Colt cases since I did that.

     

    You can try not sizing at all. But most likely you will have slugs that want to drop deep into cases while seating. And unless you crimp hard, the slugs may collapse into cases in the rifle magazine - that would be real bad news.

     

    My guess is you will be most happy if you size only the top half of that little stubby case. In fact, that may be what I adjust my sizer die to do the next time I load C45S.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  3. It's such a simple job for a gunsmith to get right, and hard enough to explain (when you add in the 5 degree toe-in angle to keep the muzzle slightly down when the gun is mounted to your shoulder) that your best bet is probably to visit a smith who knows cowboy guns. Cowboy Carty sounds like he would be close to you.

     

     

    Actually, grinding the pad is the TOUGH part. The videos may make it look easy, but most folks ruin their first pad (or even two) as they sand them down.

     

    Now, if you want to proceed on your own, here's one of many ways that work.

     

    Figure out what Length of Pull you want from trigger face to recoil pad face. Most folks are faster with a shorter pull than on normal shotguns.

     

    To make the measuring easier, I like to fasten / clamp / tape a flat piece of plywood to the receiver extending back to the butt, and affix the butt to the board too. Take your desired finished LOP (maybe 13.5 inches) and subtract the thickness of the new pad at it's center (mounting plate to the pad surface, most pads about 1" or so), thus maybe you end up with 12.5 inches of wood to be left between trigger and the mounting plate. Mark stock at the center line between top (heel) and bottom (toe) of the stock end, measuring back from trigger. Your straight cut for the recoil pad should go through that mark. Almost all cowboy gun smiths will then build in a 5 degree slope (toe in) for that cut. Tape a straight edge (yardstick works) to the top of receiver so it matches the sight plane you sight the gun through. If you used a square to mark a 90 degree cut with the long edge of the square held on the yardstick and the line going thru the mark on the stock, you would have 0 degree toe in. Get a protractor and adust so you get a 5 degree angle from the inner corner of the square (the angle opens as you move down toward the toe of the stock. Slide the square and protractor to get to the length mark you made, and draw your cut line.

     

    When you cut, stay on the waste side of that line, and cut so that the cut is "square" ACROSS the thickness of the stock. This usually means you should build a jig for your tablesaw that you can affix the stock to, so the stock center line is parallel to the surface of the table saw table. You DO NOT want the stock to slide even a little in that jig - so you get a straight and square-across cut. Tape with good masking tape and use a sharp fine tooth carbide saw and feed it slow to avoid stock wood tear out.

     

    Then, you can fit and mount up your new pad.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  4. I don't like gunsmiths using the term "cleaned up" when they mean they have to remove metal. It misleads the shooting public into thinking problems with machining are always "just a cleanup". Without pictures, it's hard to say what the fix will have to be, but if you are gouging brass just chambering a round, it's going to be a gunsmith job!

     

    Ok, with that out of the way. If there is a gouge below the surface of where the chamber walls should be, that's really tough to remove. A new barrel, a barrel reline or a chamber reline (which isn't done often) are obvious ways to give the barrel back enough metal to cut a clean chamber.

     

    If there is a badly cut (partially finished) chamber, it might be possible to remove just a little with a finishing reamer. But it is SO much easier to do chamber reaming with the barrel dismounted from the receiver, I don't think any gunsmith would try to ream while barrel is mounted.

     

    If there is just a burr at the entry of the chamber, that can be removed with CAREFUL work with a die grinder or Dremel tool.

     

    All depends upon what the damage to the chamber is!

     

     

    Now, IF this is a factory new gun, you have a warranty claim. Let the factory decide how to fix it, unless you are wanting to pay someone to fix it because you don't want for Rossi to get to it. If this is one you bought used from a pard, I'd be talking with the feller about the "undisclosed damage" and how he will be helping you get it fixed. Unless he made it clear that the gun was not suitable to be fired without work on it.

     

    Good luck, GJ

    • Like 1
  5. Lacquer finish on a gun stock will be prone to water discoloring, solvent attack, and will be rather brittle. Great on furniture that will be indoors (except bar or table tops where exposed to alcohol) though.

     

    Much better to use TruOil or Linspeed when doing stocks. Just refinished a Swedish Mauser (lots of wood with that 29" barrel) - three coats in three days without ArmorAll. Just a couple drops of Japan Dryer in with the tablespoon of oil.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  6. Been running an RCBS vibratory bowl heavily for about 8 years now. The trick on that one (and most others) - at least each year, take the darn thing apart, clean and lube the bronze bushings with a good lube (Royal Purple gun oil is what I have used), blow out all the media dust, then reassemble all the stinking little screws and bolts.

     

    When it slows a little, it's time for the clean and lube. Put that off, and the bearing and then motor will burn up.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  7. Don't leave brass in any of the solutions mentioned above for more than the time it takes to dissolve the carbonates and sulfates that are the residue in the cases.

     

    The fasting acting corrosion cleaner I have found (by experiment with solutions plumbers use for cutting scale off plumbing fixtures) is:

     

    Quart water

    2 tablespoons vinegar

    1 tablespoon crystalline sulfamic acid (a grout cleaner from Home Depot or Lowes or tile stores)

     

    Warm this to as hot as you can stand to handle. Use thin latex or nitrile gloves. Place corroded brass in solution JUST long enough to stop bubbling - that is the carbonate being dissolved. This works on corroded brass, it works on brown patina (copper oxides) brass. It won't take more than a couple of minutes.

     

    Drain and rinse in water.

     

    If you have dissolved a lot of copper carbonate, or softened lots of brown patina, you will have some re-plated copper on the case surfaces that will be bright pink. I scrub that off easily with a greenie scrubbing pad. I've shot tons of pistol brass saved from a few months laying on the range - no more cracking on those cases than on non-corroded cases. BUT - If you have severe pitting on the brass surface - it's history with any treatment technique.

     

    You will only eat into the copper and zinc of the case walls if you leave it in acidic solutions for a long time. The trick is to drain off the acid just as soon as the residues are dissolved!

     

    Good luck, GJ

  8. Full wadcutter ammo is not used in CAS for a couple of reasons .

     

    If bullet is BELOW flush with end of case, it's illegal by rule.

     

    Won't feed well through lever or pump guns. Made to be shot in target revolvers.

     

    Good luck, GJ

     

    (Exact measurement correction applied)

  9. Rye Whiskey - Knob Creek Rye is not hard to choke down. :lol: Prefer Russell's Reserve 6 year old, though.

     

    Ditto the remarks on the CR Rye - way too mild mannered - no character.

     

    For Scotch - Talisker. No question.

  10. And another document of the same place and time.

     

    Headquarters 101st Airborne Division
    Office of the Division Commander

    24 December 1944

    What's Merry about all this, you ask? We're fighting - it's cold - we aren't home. All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades of the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest?

    Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance.

    How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division's glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us. their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following impudent arrogance.

    December 22nd 1944
    To the U. S. A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.

    The fortune of war is changing. This time the U. S. A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hombres Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

    There is only one possibility to save the encircled U. S. A. Troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.

    If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U. S. A. Troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.

    All the serious civilian losses caused by this Artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.

    The German Commander

     

    The German Commander received the following reply:

     

    22 December 1944

    To the German Commander:

    NUTS!

    The American Commander

    Allied Troops are counterattacking in force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: Well Done!

    We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas.

    A. C. McAuliffe

  11.  

    Birchwood Casey TruOil ( which is a tung oil based product...)

     

    Nope, it's a linseed oil base. See the Birchwood Casey web site.

     

    Another similar finish is Linspeed Oil. Another linseed oil with a dryer agent added. Both very nice.

     

    Just be careful about storing any rags that have the oil on them. They can get hot enough to spontaneously ignite and burn down your work area!

     

    Good luck, GJ

  12. Used to be $25 a bag!! Not that long ago either!!

     

    You'll pay hobbs before you get a 25# bag for $25 when commodity lead price is close to a buck a pound, like it is now.

     

    That $25 a sack came from 35 to 50 cent lead.

  13. A search of the forums would have found this topic, same question as yours:

     

    http://www.sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=254756&hl=%2B45+%2Bspecial+%2Bbrass

     

    The address and phone to contact American Cowboy Ammo is in the topic discussion. Scroll down.

     

    You will find it is slightly expensive, but they have the exclusive rights to have Starline manufacture the brass.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  14. Sounds exactly like the way that at least West Fargo (bless him!) did short strokes on Vaqs.

     

    The transfer bar usually comes out for lots of reasons, to increase reliability and reduce cocking force, as well as letting the stroke be shortened by moving the full-cock notch. When the transfer bar is out, then you need to extend the face of hammer to be able to hit the firing pin. Light springs are not REQUIRED, but no one wants a short-stroke that is still running heavy springs. And, the geometry of how the pawl is driven off the hammer stroke has to be modified to get complete rotation up to the next bolt lock slot. And the loading gate interlocking is usually simplified to only open on the half cock notch (if gate is opened before pulling back that short-stroke hammer, the hammer rests on firing pin and pushes it forward, possibly locking up gun via FP tip in the fired primer or catching on next cartridge rim). And a half-cock notch is added to catch hammer during a slip of the hammer during cocking. By that time, you've got four clicks (essentially simplifying the Ruger lockwork back to a Colt design).

     

    But, yep, there's a fair amount of work on the hammer, or a completely new hammer replaces the old one. At the least.

     

    What of the mods are you planning not to do (have done)?

     

    Good luck, GJ

  15.  

     

    we are first trying not to look like a fool and get through a stage clean, and then we can savor the cowboy atmosphere with our fellow pards.

     

     

    Single ACTION Shooting Society - it just takes action to shoot with us, not necessarily any guns when you start. The only pards missing out on "savoring," are the pards not coming out.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  16. You won't get much lower cost loading your own shells than the pricing of factory shotshells. BUT, you can get lower recoil and the satisfaction of loading your own from cranking out shotshells. Look for the lowest price you can on shot. That is the price driver. If you have a local trap/skeet/clays club, check with them for deals on shot. Even reclaimed shot works great for SASS.

     

    By far the easiest, widely available powder to make a low-recoil 1 ounce load is Hodgdon Clays (or Clay Dot from Alliant). Both are now starting to be available again at most vendors. Combine that with a one ounce wad and your favorite hull, and you are well on your way.

     

    Good luck, GJ

     

    Similar posts:

     

    http://www.sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=256331&hl=%2Blow+%2Brecoil+%2Bshotshell#entry3330430

     

    http://www.sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=227680&hl=%2B12+%2Bgauge+%2Blow+%2Brecoil#entry3263018

  17. One can usually get away with bending (reprofiling) the existing hammers. Changing out a hammer, assuming you can find on that will work and has a general shape like guns of the Old West, will probably never be questioned. Knocking off sharp "birds beaks" on hammers to make them safe to run - has been allowed forever.

     

    Internal mods like working over or replacing springs - perfectly acceptable per rules.

     

    If your gut tells you you're close to the edge of the rules, you can submit a request to the Rules Committee for a ruling on the external mods you are thinking about. That's the only sure way to get the answer that will stand up "in SASS court"

     

    Good luck, GJ

  18. If I have a high primer, I would estimate that 90 % are old winchester brass. If I disassemble the round and run it thru again, the primer is flat. Wonder why?

     

    Winchester's primer pockets are often just slightly tighter than other US made brass. I've seen the same on .45 Colt and .38 special. The second time, you are paying a lot more attention to seating that primer firmly. That time, it goes in.

     

     

    Good luck, GJ

  19. Did any of you "nay-sayers" consider the man wants what he wants?

     

    The OP may WANT a highly customized gun. He may not be able to get that from ANYONE that we know about. He may not even be able to GET it at all.

    When a feller asks for advice on this wire, and the advice is given, and it's not necessarily what he wants to hear, but it may be what he needs to hear, there's not a real good reason to complain about it. Folks are not saying it CAN'T be done, we are saying we don't know smiths willing to take on the task. Most of the smiths we know, do "simple modifications to cowboy guns for men who want to shoot fast." (To paraphrase Nick in It's a Wonderful Life).

     

    Take the free advice given, and move on from there.

     

    If he wants to check with Lonnie at Run-N-Iron in Nebraska, they do a lot of "high end customization and restoration" for lever guns. As does Turnbull's in Connecticut. Those will be long shots with little chance of getting satisfaction, but there might be a small chance.

     

    Good luck, GJ

  20. My plan is to stockpile the empties into a bin marked with the number of times they've been reloaded. Once fired in a bin until I need to reload, then segregate the twice loaded until I need to work them into the rotation. After the once fired are all shot and the bin is full, they get reloaded and go into a twice fired, and etc.

     

    We'll see ...

     

    CR

     

     

    Yep, that can work too. Prepare 50 bins. :lol: But it also means you have to track the loaded cartridges with a label, too.

     

    The bookkeeping may make you depressed. Have some Christmas Cheer! I'd buy you one if I were in Illowa! GJ

     

     

     

    But then, I am an Illdianatucky native myself. Winter depression seemed the norm when I was back there.

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