Garrison Joe, SASS #60708
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Posts posted by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708
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As to the short stroke they install - they don't "kit" it - they designed their own action parts so they can provide parts "forever." Would not be wise for them to select a kit and try to "boogie on down the road" for the next 50 years when the vendor has been retired or out of business for the last 40 years.....
Good luck, GJ
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Here's what a serrated front sight looks like in general.
http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/sights/front-sights/1911-front-sight-prod8842.aspx
Good luck, GJ
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You want a great side match gun - BOND!
You want a great concealed carry pocket piece? Smith Detective Special. No derringer fits the bill.
Good luck, GJ
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The announcement I read said Stanley would assume and continue to honor all the Craftsman warranties on US made tools.
Even Sears "adjusted" the quality on the Craftsman products over the years - no reason to think Stanley won't also.....
Most hand tools are not getting to be "better quality" than they were in the 1950s and 60s.
BTW - "Craftsman" was a brand name that was applied to many different companies tools that were branded for Sears to sell as Craftsman. Just like the Ted Williams line of sporting goods, long guns and fishing tackle were. There is no "Craftsman" company.
Good luck, GJ
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I run a 30 lines per inch "checkering" file over the back side of my front sights to serrate them. Then, if they still are not showing up, black sharpie. With the fine serrations (30 per inch or so), that surface holds color real well.
Good luck, GJ
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Make sure you have a couple of your RO's familiar with the safety, manual of arms, malfunction clearing and lots of the specifics of shooting a 1911.
Don't reholster the 1911 after it has been shot. Gun with slide locked back won't fit well in the holster. Provide a staging table to put the open and empty 1911 down on the table, muzzle still down range. Then clear the 1911 on the line using the 1911 clearing techniques of:
* Show gun empty and magazine out
* Drop slide with muzzle down range
* Drop hammer by a trigger pull
* Re-holster
This style of mixed shooting has been done for years. Some clubs enjoy it. Lots of clubs have one or more Cowboy shooters who may have severe problems allowing this to be done in the match that they are shooting in. Keep your ears open as you start doing this. Be responsive to what the shooters are willing or unwilling to support. This is an old idea which has largely fallen out of favor at this time.
Almost all the clubs that have done this (combined Cowboy and simplified Wild Bunch) have found they might attract another 5% of shooters who don't want to shoot cowboy guns. But it's real hard to keep them coming back very long when there are more modern and tactically challenging sports like 3 Gun around the corner.
Consider also what you will let them use for their shotgun. Going to let them stoke their 97 with the number of rounds needed for shotgun targets? Going to allow Win Model 12 shotguns, and do you know how to check the Model 12 for hammer down on empty chamber?
Most of us would instead encourage you to have full-rule-set Wild Bunch matches! Allow smaller caliber rifles if you want. But get folks shooting under the full rule set. It's lots more fun, and then becomes something more than just Cowboy Shooting with a 1911. You will have a better chance of getting "repeat customers" when the matches are all Wild Bunch shooters, instead of a couple of 1911 shooters coming out to the range with 20 Cowboys.
Good luck, GJ
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Hot dang. So now Hornady manufactures Leverevolution ammo with spitzer points. What's your concern?
Very special polymer tips that are "major league" cushions instead of "firing pin substitutes." Yep. The invention and testing of those sure do not justify using regular pointy bullet tips (lead or other metal) in lever guns.
Good luck, GJ
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Cabela's gets none of my gun related business. Their loss. They may know clothing, but they don't know stocking and supplying components.
Good luck, GJ
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What gives?Hornady must have perceived little need to publish .357/.38 rifle data, so they did not spend the money on ballistics techs working up data for this edition.
In general, add 200-300 FPS to what a 6" revolver MV result is and you will be close to what the MV for a 20" lever rifle will produce with the same load.
If this is world-ending for you, then drop Hornady a note and express your concerns to them. If they get a hundred or so, their next edition may have some dedicated rifle data.
But, I never look at the rifle section of loading books for pistol cartridge data, so I won't be one of those with any concerns.
For the best data on cast bullet loading as we do for this sport, see the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook #4! They do have a rifle section for .38 spl, if I recall.
Good luck, GJ
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I tried finding gloves I could shoot well in - never did.
So, now I use large well insulated gloves that are easy to get on and off, with a hand warmer packet in each. Right before leaving the loading table, off come the gloves. Shoot, and at the unloading table, they go back on. Minute 30 at the most. Get a pair with a snap connector that joins the gloves and you can hang them over the back of your shotgun belt.
Good luck, GJ
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I'd not worry about most straight-line magazines, because a primer needs a pretty tight point of impact to go off. A Henry design, with a spring loaded follower (that has to be compressed to load the magazine, then released to set down on the cartridges) which can slam a column of cartridges together with quite a bit of force - now that I would get very cautious about using a round nose slug in.
Good luck, GJ
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Accurate Molds website asks what material you will be casting with as casting with any alloy other than the one specified will change the resultant diameter.
Can someone explain how the below casting materials would affect as-cast diameter?
These are the casting materials listed by Accurate Molds:
- Lead
- Clip-on Lead Wheel Weights
- 1:30 Tin - Lead
- COWW +2% Tin
- 2-6-92 Hardball
- 1:25 Tin - Lead
- 1:20 Tin - Lead
- 1:15 Tin - Lead
- Lyman #2
- Linotype
(This following material ignores thermal expansion of the mold at casting temperature. There would also have to be an adjustment for the mold material (iron, brass, aluminum) growing in cavity diameter as the mold gets to casting temperature.)
Pure lead shrinks 1.13% of the bullet diameter from the (room temperature) mold inside diameter. Thus, to cut a mold to cast pure lead, Tom at Accurate cuts the diameter to be 1.13% bigger than the diameter you want the slug to cast at, when it cools off.
Linotype shrinks 0.65% of the diameter as it solidifies. So Tom would cut the mold a little tighter if you specify linotype.
All the other alloys are in-between pure lead and linotype. The ones with all tin in the alloy will shrink more like pure lead does. The ones with antimony (COWW, 6%/2% Hardball, Lyman #2) will be more like the lino shrinkage numbers.
So for a .357 desired bullet diameter as cast, a Pure Lead mold would be cut to 0.3611" inside diameter
And a Linotype mold would be cut to 0.3593"
(If he can hold a ten-thousandths tolerance)
So you can see there's a couple thousandths difference between what a pure lead (high shrinkage) and a linotype (less shrinkage) mold cavity diameter would be.
Data on lead alloy shrinkage when solidifying is from Glen Fryxell and Robert Applegate's book:
From Ingot to Target:A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners
at the LASC site: http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm
And a few more alloys are listed in this reference page (1/3 way down the page)
http://www.lasc.us/castbulletnotes.htm
Another thing this shows you, from any mold, a pure lead slug will be a couple-three thousandths smaller than a linotype slug cast in same mold. Thus, folks have not only a harder slug but a larger slug when they cast with linotype or other antimonial lead alloy. And running those two slugs through a sizer, the lino slug will be harder to size by quite a bit, because it's both harder and larger diameter!
Good luck, GJ
PS - Trivia question: at what amount of antimony in a lead alloy would a bullet not shrink at all when it cools?
Per some gov't research in the 1930s, a 75% antimony alloy bullet would be the same size as the liquid in the mold. No shrinkage. And it would be really hard, and it would be very hard to knock out of the mold. Pure antimony EXPANDS as it cools, and cannot be cast accurately in an enclosed mold - it spreads the mold halves apart.
https://books.google.com/books?id=iWI1AQAAIAAJ&pg=PA1093&lpg=PA1093
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Cleaning guns is SO dependent upon what your GUN needs for it to be able to run well. We can make generalizations in the gun types and what they need. But listen and feel your guns and you will develop a cleaning schedule that works for you.
Here's some important points I've learned.
* Some smokeless powders burn more cleanly and require less cleaning.
* Plastic-Coated lead slugs require less cleaning than lubed slugs
* Once you get your loads tuned, if you HAVE to clean a rifle or pistol barrel to keep it running or maintain it's accuracy, there is something wrong with the load! You should NOT be leading or fouling the barrel of a smokeless gun with cowboy loads!
* Some gun actions are tighter and more prone to jamming and malfunctioning if they get dirty.
* Bottleneck cartridges keep rifle actions very clean. 38 specials let actions get dirty a little faster and .45 Colt guns get fouling in the action very fast.
* Cartridge selection makes little difference to revolver actions - they all get dirty.
* SxS shotguns shuck fired shells much better with clean and dry chambers
* Pump shotguns need action cleaning much more than they need chamber or barrel cleaning
* Any tube magazine needs to be cleaned and dry lubed at least once a year or more often in rainy weather and dusty conditions
So what have my guns told me?
Pistols - clean when they start feeling a little sticky or draggy (maybe every 10 matches)
Rifle - since I shoot .45 Colt, clean it (especially lifter, bolt, extractor) when sticky - about every other match
SxS shotgun - clean chambers every match
Pump shotgun - clean action every match or two
Long range rifles - clean after every match (and practice session) - because precision is very important
None of the cleaning above requires more than a "field" disassembly"
All the guns get thorough cleaning about once a year, well before a major match.
more guns are damaged by "cleaning" than have ever been harmed by lack thereof.Lack of cleaning doesn't damage/harm guns. But it sure can damage your scoresheet. Just sticking one round in a magazine or a chamber often kills a match. One sticky hull in a shotgun. One extra "go-around" or "cylinder boost" on a revolver can do the same - For top competitors.
Now, if you can't clean using field disassembly any of your cowboy guns without doing damage (such that it is detectable at cowboy distances) - there is something wrong with your abilities to work with firearms!
Good luck, GJ
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It also has the dump station. Its at the entrance of the RV park. This is where you can get water. I'd ask about it being Potable.That dump station in the main RV park has a big sign on the water spigot at the dump station - NON-potable. Has had the last 4 years. (Now, have a few folks used it in their campers? Well...)
The better supply is to make a friend in the full-hookup area and fill your rig there. (Take along a clean hose and a Y connector) Then go park it.
Good luck, GJ
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Downloading is the problem and not the powder.
Older technology powders are often ALSO a problem. Some of the newer technology with modern deterrents and coatings are much less temperature sensitive, even with light loads.
But, that said, powder manufacturers do not have a big market for real light loading capability. Smokeless powders are designed to run WELL close to their max pressure levels, not the minimums you find in manuals, and certainly not the "below mins" you find in many cowboy's gun belts!
It is true that very light loading makes consistent loads hard to build at any temperature. And with some powders, it becomes REAL hard at the cold temperature range!
So, since the OP has asked what the temperature effects are going to be and how to prevent weak loads in cold weather, this thread has been covering all the ways to do that. Bumping the powder level up is certainly a VERY effective way to get to happy ground. But, there are other tricks too.
Good luck, GJ
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The Cast Boolits web site has several fellows who sell assembled PID controllers. Were I interested in more precise temperature control than what the RCBS pot provides, I'd probably install one of those. But I've not had that much need for control.
If you want to scratch build, here's a starter post:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?181319-Pid-Controller-Schematic
As shown in that post, the PID controller itself is usually just a purchase from Auber Instruments or similar vendor.
Otherwise, on the Cast Boolits site, search for PID.
Good luck, GJ
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That's a sturdy looking table; congrats!
Around here, we use about 30" square or larger. A lot of times, we use 4 feet long (2 feet wide) folding tables, with a carpet top.
As tall as you have built that, I would encourage stabilizer feet that run out to both sides and to the down-range side of the table. It will be pretty easy to knock that table over on any sort of grassy or rough ground with the height being larger than the width and depth. Or some sort of anchor system, which then makes setup and take-down slower. Also, make sure you use something on the table top to keep guns from bouncing off.
Good luck, GJ
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RCBS stuff is usually under guarantee. If you give them a call they may replace it free.
Not the motors on vibratory cleaners, unfortunately. They source them out of China and know how fast they will go out.
Good luck, GJ
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If you don't value the benefits of an SKB, then you don't. It's a personal preference.
But the fastest cowboy shooters like the light weight, reliable function, the long life, of an SKB. For them, the price is worth it.
Don't know anyone shooting SKB just for "glam" - they shoot them for performance!
or am I missing something
Possibly.
Only your shot timer and score sheet can tell you for sure.Good luck, GJ
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For a .38 special loading for Cowboy, I'd recommend the Accurate mold # 36-125D (with a crimp groove) or 36-125-B (without a crimp groove). Truncated cone, long enough to feed well in toggle link rifles. Those will of course make you a 125 grain slug - one of the most common and useful weights for 38 spl.
See them at:
http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=5
You can get Tom to make one of those molds in 2-3 weeks, the molds even in Aluminum will last for a long time, you get to specify the exact diameter of the mold, and he makes them in 4 cavity like you asked for.
The mold with no crimp groove lets you crimp to a variety of cartridge Overall Lengths, letting you fine tune how your ammo will best make the rifle run very smooth.
Good luck, GJ
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Some powders are noted to be pretty "cold weak." Clays is among them.
Titegroup is advertised as being temperature insensitive. Like you, WC, I have not found that to be true at our low pressure cowboy loads and freezing weather.
Mag primers help.
One of the best uses of a small cooler - place your ammo and a couple of hand warmer packets in them. Start the hand warmers 30 minutes before match,. By the time you are ready to shoot, ammo will work MUCH better.
A few powders become weaker at hot temperatures. I don't recall which ones do that. None of our common pistol/shotgun powders, fortunately.
Testing of your loads should always be done by taking a few rounds "off the ice" from an ice chest, if you do load development in nice weather.
Good luck, GJ
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Great, PBT! Good luck with a new ejector spring.
Hey, now at least you know the barrel and chamber are sparkling clean!
Good luck, GJ
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GJ, I hope that the them you are talking about shooting isn't the folks.
Hard keeping "return customers" if'n you shoot some of them.
(Even if it was only splash back off of knockdowns)
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Top Brass was indeed a very good line of brass. Lasts well, even in .45 Colt cases. Use it!
Good luck, GJ
Question for you stainless steel revolver shooters re: sights
in SASS Wire
Posted · Edited by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708
Here's what a serrated front sight looks like in particular.
OK, after learning several thousand things about Google Photos
, I came up with this link for my serrated stainless Vaquero front sights:
https://goo.gl/photos/KdFJe644PMrqtz4cA
I did that file work in just a few minutes with, I believe, a 40 LPI checkering file from Brownells. About 3 or 4 years ago.
Good luck, GJ