Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971

I believe that was Birdshot, a SASS Regulator. I remembering him admonishing a careless reloader that it was possible to turn a long gun into a shoulder-mounted pipe bomb.

I check loads offered on the Wire against manufacturer's published load data like this. I don't load above published maximum loads and expect possible poor performance if loading below starting loads.

There are several current auctions for this brass on Gunbroker. Prices vary from $0.17 to $0.50 per case. These are poor prices but at least some brass is available.

Take a look at MGM Targets and Evil Roy Targets. I would not bother with knock downs for rifle and pistol rounds but recommend them for shotgun targets. You should be able to see hits on a pistol target. My 45-70 hits on a 145-yard target at the 4-Corners Regional were easy to see without a spotting scope. For practice I would just use round or square targets. Targets made with mild steel don't last long. Avoid rebar for target stands. Targets made from half a gas cylinder are durable and ring loudly when hit. I would consider these for a long range target if you had a suitable backsto

One local big box retailer lists Winchester AAs for $11/box. (Of course they are out-of-stock.) The prices listed in this thread are consistent with current retail prices.

Clay ranges often have abundant, free, once-fired Gun Club hulls. I reload them once with black powder and toss them.

I usually have a few loose factory smokeless shotgun shells laying in my gun cart. I would gladly give them away to a shooter needing them. I don't hand reloads to other shooters - too much liability.

Regarding nickel-plated brass, my experience is that they are prone to splitting. I shot some in my revolvers at a match yesterday and got at least six split cases. I expect this and will just toss them in my recycle brass can. My plan for big matches was to shoot once-fired, all brass 38s in my rifle. However, at the 4-Corners Regional I had one of these once-fired rounds spilt in my rifle. I wasn't a full-length split and my rifle did not lock up. However, it was a warning that I should shoot unfired brass at major matches.

Some gun shows offer discounted entry to NRA members - just another reason to join. I you were local to me I would advise you to go to an indoor gun range that rents firearms and try their rentals. You buy a box of ammo, rent a shooting lane and a gun and try it out. Doing so you may discover a hand gun you love.

Black powder is presently available from both Grafs and Powder Valley. 209 primers are another matter.

The Mossberg .30-30 is not a legal main match rifle but is legal for some long-range side matches. If you are only interested in firearms for main matches pass it by. I recommend waiting until you attend a local match and try other shooter's firearms before making purchases. I also recommend firearms chambered in .357 if you are concerned about cost.

Another possibility: find a local tailor who will sew shirts using patterns from Buckaroo Bobbins.

I wondered what Rattlesnake Gulch looked like. Looks like a worthy range.

The Utah State SASS Championship will be held the first of June in Salt Lake. You are nearby so I would stop by for a day and watch the action. I strongly agree with OLG: get some fundamental firearms training before you start competition. We don't care how fast you shoot but insist on safe gun handling. You need to develop safe gun handling skills before you shoot on the clock.

I had my Wal*Mart account hacked while at Legends. I got an e-mail about a purchase to be delivered to a party in Spokane and promptly cancelled. I would like to say the hacker was cuffed as he arrived to pick up his purchase but know it won't happen.