Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971

I have an RCBS Grand I load trap loads on. The press is out-of-production, has some fragile plastic parts and often fails to drop powder. I would not acquire another. I load my black powder shells for CAS on a MEC Jr. It's robust and 100% reliable.

You can use a wad designed for 7/8 oz or 3/4 of shot oz and get a load that is cheaper and more comfortable to shoot. I load with CB 0178-12 grey wads. Regarding hulls, Remington has a current rebate for STS shells. It's a good way to get a supply of quality hulls. You can pick up free once-fired Gun Club hulls at clays ranges. They reload pretty good too. BTW, you can load black powder shotgun shells on your Mec Jr too.

I make mine 1/2-inch square. They prevent shot from dribbling out of reloads in Gun Club hulls that don't always crimp perfectly. STS and Nitro hulls really don't need these as they crimp more reliably.

Since Stanley is unincorporated, I doubt they have a mayor. With a population of 31 everyone could have several municipal jobs.

I keep some D-Lead soap with me at ranges and use it after shooting. I offer it to fellow shooters at hand washing stations and they usually accept the offer. I keep some at a utility sink at home and use it after reloading ammo. I also use it after working on vehicles or lawn care equipment. It is great for removing grease and grime from hands. A gallon of D-Lead is a little more than $40 but lasts a few years.

In order to run a timer at a local, non-SASS club I had to become both an NRA Range Safety Officer and become qualified by USPSA to run a timer. This included individual coaching and testing while running a timer. I would welcome a SASS TO class. At Land Run I shoot a Marlin. Much of my rifle brass lands forward of the shooting line where pickers cannot easily reach it. It just stays there until the match is over. I accept that as just part of the cost just as I accept that my rifle brass in the EOT main match will not be returned. However, I get all my 45-70 brass back in the Plainsman. Because I scrounge for once-fired brass at concealed carry qualification ranges and have bought brass from Starline using their $50 Off gift certificates, my out-of-pocket cost for lost brass is minimal. I shoot junk brass for the warmup matches where a buckle is not on the line.

Here is an OSHA Fact Sheet for indoor firing ranges. Some of the information is relevant for our outdoor ranges. For example, eating, drinking and smoking while shooting.

Be sure to clean the extractor carefully. That's where I've got rust when shooting Pyrodex. I only shot Pyrodex in an old, rusty beater of a Stoeger I bought ago dirt cheap. I cleaned immediately upon returning home from a local match - same cleaning I would use for real black powder. BTW, unlike real black powder, Pyrodex is hydroscopic. It will slowly absorb moisture from the air, and you will eventually get squibby ammo. This happens even in the Desert Southwest where I shoot. Use your shells soon after loading.

DD, you can use the same powder bottle for black/APP. Just make sure it is entirely empty before switching. Small game hunting requires larger shot than most shoot for CAS, so I advise buying game loads as you need them. They are not very expensive. If you list the MEC bushings you have, we can give you some proven loads using them. It is a pleasure help a new Soot Lord get started. BTW, it is possible to spill shot or powder while loading on a MEC Jr. Maintain focus and don't hurry. The press is simple but not foolproof.

I bought cases of MZ when Sportsmans was selling it for $10/bottle. Alliant claimed MZ was more moisture resistant than Pyrodex or Triple Seven. I loaded MZ in shotshells and made no effort to keep them in a dry environment. The shells all fired reliably. I'm not sure how well MZ will meter into 38 Specials. I only loaded it into 12-gauge shotgun shells. MZ is not suitable for a night shoot.

DD, you can download manuals from MEC's website. These show how to make adjustments if needed. There are metal and rubber washers between the bottles and the sliding charge bar. These are often missing on used presses. Without them the charge bar will leak powder. I've worn out some and bought replacements online. They are inexpensive and readily available. Glad you found the video useful.

There are two routes for those coming from the south. US550 is the shortest route. However, I would not consider pulling my trailer over that route. CO145 is my preferred route. It's much safer.

I shoot this match when it is the Colorado State SASS Championship. The range is on San Juan's property - home of Colorado Cast Bullets. I like the main match, the side matches and the Wild Bunch match. The stages are tastefully decorated by a local artist. At ~5,800 feet elevation, Montrose is not too hot in mid-summer. There is onsite camping with electric hookups. On can fill RV water tanks when one arrives. We arrive from the south, traveling over high mountain passes of the San Juans. The scenery is spectacular, but the driving requires full attention if pulling a trailer or driving an RV. There are full-hookup campgrounds in Montrose and reasonably priced motels. Overall, the match and the trip are worthwhile. We usually stay at a Forest Service campground along the Delores River during our trip.

And now starts a new thread!

A Mec Jr is plenty of press for five matches a year. I bought one so I could load BP shotshells. Here is MEC's demo video of the MEC Jr:

Regarding backup shotguns: yes, they are needed. I broke a firing pin on my CZ Sharptail and am temporarily shooting one of my Stoegers. The Stoegers have stopped working due to swelled firing pins and lead debris in the action. The only CAS firearms I own that have never failed are my Ruger single actions. I bring backups for them too when I go on a road trip. Mr. Murphy is active on shooting ranges dispensing his mischief on the unprepared.

I think it's pretty likely they will go bang and knock targets down. The unknown is whether they will drop freely into the chambers. Some reloads swell and some have mushroomed ends. These have to be shoved into chambers losing precious time. A gauge helps weed these out. You can buy a tool that full-length resizes shells just before shooting to ensure they chamber easily. Some factory shells need sizing too.

I've shot at Rio Salado. Nice range and nice people. I've shot at Cowtown and Ben Avery too. There is plenty of CAS in the Valley besides Rio Salado. Cowtown has permanent props and targets. I'd try to shoot at Casa Grande too if I lived where you live.

Have you shot at Cowtown in Peoria?

I too live in a dry climate. After a few years clumps form but are very easy to break up. I swirl a screwdriver in the bottle, dump in contents in a shallow container and crush any small, visible clumps. (I do the same for Triple Seven.) Then I load the APP. I've never had to discard a bottle due to clumps. I do store loaded ammo in a dry box with a desiccant pack as a precaution.

I bought my last APP from Scarlet Darling at the SC State match for $34/bottle. She might be coming to Land Run and perhaps you could buy some APP there. Shooters World Black Powder Sub is similar to APP and is stocked by Grafs.

I sent my rebate request, and The Kinetic Group sent me a debit card for $15. This is a legitimate offer.

I'll let PWB have the final word of .32 S&W legality for the Plainsman. Since it is a traditional black powder revolver cartridge having been introduced in 1878 by S&W it seems to meet the standard stated on page 30 of The SASS Shooters Handbook. The problem comes with meeting the smoke standard. I don't know how you could get enough smoke out of a .32 S&W that would smoke as much as 1 cc of black powder. That said, I'd like you to be allowed to try anyway. The smoke standard does not affect single shot rifles much as smoke usually dissipates between shots anyway. I sometimes shoot a rolling block with .38 Specials and find that case too short for quick loading. I would not attempt shooting .32 S&Ws in a rolling block. Perhaps a Buckaroo with small hands could load quickly. Anyway, I'd like to see someone give it a try.

The Lyman Manual mentioned is worthwhile. There are YouTube videos demonstrating how to use shotshell presses. I load with Perfect Pattern, 7/8 oz birdshot (currently #8 1/2), Claybuster CB 0178-12 grey wads, and Cheddite 209 primers (the cheapest) in Remington hulls using Hodgdon’s minimum published loads. I avoid loading well below published powder charges as this can cause poor ignition in cold weather. Remington Gun Club hulls load OK but STS or Nitro hulls have nicer crimps.

Sent by PM. You need a light bullet and a reduced powder charge for the Plainsman so you don't dent or knock over targets. Expect many recipes from other shooters - many more accomplished than me.