Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

Then professional tuning the Uberti probably will do the same. GJ

The poster has already established HIS Stoeger has way more lever travel required to open it than normal.. If he just takes the travel (opening angle) back to what the factory standard angle is, and still has lots of engagement, he may have no problem with it opening on recoil. Any of this work is risky, yes, but the OP has already shown us that he has the metal working skills to understand and fix the lock opening problem should it occur. And that he knows how to test for tendencies of the action to open on firing. This is not something I would recommend for a first-time tuner to attempt. My GUESS is that the factory did not properly fit the sliding lock engagement properly when they built it (leaving too much metal engagement). good luck, GJ

You're not very far (Western talk) from Lassiter. He'd do a great job. TOM'S SINGLE ACTION SHOP The phone number is (937) 687-1039. Others are listed at FAQ - SASS Gunsmiths good luck, GJ

Since you seem new to the game, I'd advise you find a good cowboy gunsmith. You don't have enough info to really tell you "Oh, wave this magic wand and repeat this phrase 3 times" Here's some good gunsmiths in the FAQ: SASS gunsmiths good luck, GJ No way that fixed a lockup of the trigger or cylinder. GJ

Take a look at the sliding bar in the barrel locking section. Two cross bars there, one engages the front and the other the back lug on the barrel. Remove some metal from the front edge of the bar that "lets go" of it's barrel lug last - that is the one causing the long travel. Go slow, maybe three steps of removing metal and reassembly and test firing it each time with a factory level load. You don't want to see the action opening after a round is shot. Don't taper the top or bottom of the lock slide - that would just encourage recoil to auto-open the sliding lock. Realize that Stoeger will not factory repair the gun after you have done serious modification to it. Not that Stoeger/Boito ever does much work on their guns anyway, though. With a bent top lever and lightened spring, sounds like that horse is already out of the barn. good luck, GJ

I've got a 1970 made Mossberg 500 shotgun, 12 gauge 3" magnum, running now 50 years, aluminum receiver (but the action locks into a steel barrel extension). Runs as smooth and tight as it ever did. With a proper design, aluminum works fine in a receiver - EXCEPT for the fact that scratches, modifications, damage usually means a paint/coating of the repair since you can't cold or hot blue it. At least the lever (a part that works hard) is steel. If AL receiver lets Winchester (probably Miroku) make a gun that can compete price wise with a Henry with an aluminum frame, so be it. good luck, GJ

Epoxy on a primer cup (no compound or anvil). Small primer is usually large enough. If you use a brass cup, it polishes nicely to almost gold. A nickel plated cup - polishes to nickel. Doh. Cheap and fast. Otherwise, a proper shank size and globe size of a shotgun bead will work well. good luck, GJ

ATR = Hovering over or by, not touching, guns or ammo. So, yep, shotgun at the ready can be one hand over the gun and other over/near shotshells. good luck, GJ

The rumors of financial failure and abrupt layoff of a majority of employees at Expansion Industries site, supposedly from first hand accounts, caught my attention the most. Exp Ind is the firm which the original question was about. White River Energetics is totally different company, AFAIK. Based in Arkansas, not Texas. Don't conflate them. GJ

I've read weakly-authenticated articles that the Expansion Industries effort in Texas failed, and even read rumors that the undertaking was a ruse or scam. With American primer production for reloading now apparently getting back on line, I look forward to obtaining Winchester and Remington primers in the near future. good luck, GJ

SAAMI specs hold the dimensions of sizing dies pretty consistent between different manufacturers. Now, the .45 auto (sometimes called .45 ACP) sizer does do a lot more sizing than a .45 Colt sizer does, overworking the case that originally was a .45 Colt (having thicker case walls than a .45 auto). That is why I use a .45 Colt sizer in my die set for the Cowboy 45 Special cartridge, it sizes close to 0.480, not 0.473" OD. good luck, GJ

That was an attempt by Starline to have you anneal the cases. If they told you to put them in an oven to do this, they gave poor advice, IMO. You annealed the case heads as well as the body of the case, softening the case all over. That can lead to case failures at the head with high pressures. Fortunately, Cowboy 45 Special is designed to be a very low pressure wild cat, so you may never have a case loaded for SASS use that fails with pressure. And also fortunately, there are commercially made case annealers that properly apply the heat needed to anneal cartridge cases without softening the case head. good luck, GJ

Different by brand? Only Starline makes C45Spl cases, by exclusive agreement with original commercial developer. good luck, GJ

I have many more purchased Starline Cowboy 45 Special cases split than I do old .45 Colt cases which I have cut down. NOT much better to buy, in my experience. And I've been shooting them 10 years now,. All get loaded the same - the Starline cases just do not seem to be properly annealed at factory. good luck, GJ

You all know, of course, that it would not take a complete printer-set-up match book to be printed to update a few of the stage instructions. Reprint those pages with the new instructions and pass those out to the PMs and post one copy on the affected loading table for the stage(s). Done. I do COMPLETE 6 stage descriptions for local matches in less than 15 minutes on my ink jet printer. Staple or tape them in match books for the PMs if you have to. When posse walk-throughs are done the evening before the match starts, there is time to get any revisions printed out and checked, especially when additional notes come from discussions during the walk-through. good luck, GJ

Altered instructions given at marshal walk through, since they are not in writing, really depend upon accurate recall by posse marshals at the time of every stage-start over 3 days and in high pressure situations. It is likely that instructions which make actions more restricted than what is in the handbook sometimes get "conveniently ignored." Our posse marshal made sure we followed the revised instructions as presented in the walkthrough. Perhaps for big matches, final stage instructions as discussed in the walk through should be posted at EACH loading table with the changes which are to be followed HIGHLIGHTED. As well as the posse marshals all provided a revised set of stage instructions before match begins. There were some 35 or so folks in an outdoor setting for the posse marshal walkthrough, with some no longer blessed with perfect hearing. What would you really expect? Time at big matches exists to do this well - we ought to do it. good luck, GJ

I shoot early shift on Saturday. I'd offer to pick you up after 11 AM from visitor parking and drop you where you want to set up, if that works for you. Otherwise, ask the shoot for one of the rangers to come get you with a 4 wheeler (cart). If you want me to shuttle you, PM me for my phone # and provide me yours so we can connect after my early shift shoot. If you have connections with pards before 11, then a ranger is probably the way to get where you need to go. good luck, GJ

Second that load. Light and reliable. good luck, GJ

Some molds need special care to keep the sprue plate or the blocks at the right temperature for best bullets. Some that I bottom pour need to hit the bevel of the fill hole through the sprue plate. Some need to be poured right down the hole. Some want to be 50- 100 deg F hotter alloy than other bullets cast from same alloy. Some want fan cooling during casting blowing on the blocks. I find each one has different concerns. GJ

In the Cast Bullet Association newsletters there are published match results which record the group sizes and awards earned with both bottom pour and hand ladled cast bullets in a variety of guns and calibers. Used to be most of the winners were hand ladling their slugs. Not any more (last 10 years), more of the winners are bottom pouring. It seems to me there are no consistent accuracy differences. Time savings are pretty large using a good bottom pour pot with accurate temperature control. Fellow's shooting ability will rule the roost, however. good luck, GJ

Yes you did. And, consider that on a posse of 15 folks, 14 are spending their time watching (waiting for) one person to repair something. Remember your manners, and put others on as important a basis as your own interests. If they had to pick up 14 times as much brass for you as for other shooters throwing down only 10+4, because you shot a gatling gun, they would not really want to do that, either. We have already covered that the RULES allow repair on the line done safely, if done with tools you brought with you. Now it's up to the shooter to execute their shooting well and gracefully. good luck, GJ

The REAL effective way to get a clean match is to maintain your guns with serious intent and knowledge, and load (or buy) top quality ammo. No one should be holding up their posse tinkering with a firearm more than about twice as long as the total times most folks are shooting, if they want to stay on the good side of the rest of the posse. Do the rules allow a lengthy on-the-line delay? Yes. But common courtesy does not. Folks come to shoot, not so much to see someone repair a gun. good luck, GJ

Just about the most commonly covered powder for handgun reloading. Must be looking at the wrong manuals or under cartridges not well suited to a medium burn rate handgun powder. Unique is distributed by Alliant. If you are looking at the Hodgdon's loading data site or pamphlets, good luck. GJ

"Patent drawings of revolver innovations ordered by date of patent granting, from 1769 to 1918" Not as useful for shooters as full exploded isometric drawings of complete firearms, but at least most of the new technology of each innovation can be seen. Cool.

Most cast bullet loads are going to be low enough pressure to still work fine even in a low serial number Springfield. 13 grains of Red Dot and a 150 to 180 grain cast bullet will be a very low pressure load, and pretty accurate for at least a 100 yard target, and if the barrel is in good shape, 200 yards. I have a 1918 made 1903 model, which is in the serial numbers above the "brittle heat treat" problem, that I shoot with much warmer cast bullet loads than that 13 grain load. I'd bet that an email to the CMP organization down in Anniston AL would get you a lot of information about the limits of your particular gun. Provide them the serial number and and the numbers and markings off the receiver and barrel. The info cited just above from the CMP is the best case recommendation for the 1903 receivers that are not in the brittle receiver heat treat group. There are lower pressure limits for the "possibly brittle" guns. good luck, GJ