Isom Dart, SASS#8096

You guys make valid points on most of them and some are really funny. My annoyance is a very small one. When someone writes about how it is "here", ( hot, cold, rainy ,,,, weather, whatever) and you look at their profile and they don't have a location. Humph ! Isom

You want BOOM ,,,,, use real B/P. Case closed. Isom

Bitterroot, if you know someone or a gunsmith that has a finishing reamer for 38-40 , have a go at it. With a Highwall you shouldn't have to pull the barrel . Isom

+1 for J Bar ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, except that Marlin thing.

Well, I load on a Dillon 650, RCBS Ammomaster and single stage Jr. All on the same table,(6x2 1/2). The only time I use grounding is when I use B/P in my 650. Black Dawg used to make a conversion kit for the powder measure. It had an aluminum hopper and a couple of brass internal parts. A small screw and terminal was in the side of the hopper and you were supposed to run a wire from it to the grounding part in a wall socket. I got a 8' x1/2" copper grounding rod from the hardware store, pounded it down to about a foot high by the window . Cleaned a portion off, put a clamp and grounding "cable" (not wire) that we used on the aircraft on it. Covered the connection in silicon , ran it through the window with enough to connect to the hopper whenever I use B/P. Don't use it on the other presses because I scoop B/P. The ground probably doesn't make any difference ,,,,,,,,,, but I feel better. YMMV Isom

J Bar, nice family you've got there. I looked all over about 10-12 years ago for a hammered double like those that I could afford. Had to settle for a hammerless. Your reply came in while I was writing the reply under yours. Isom

Graywolf, I shoot a 10ga sometimes. It's a Spanish double made in the 70's, (1970's) with full chokes, 32" bbls. , and 3 1/2" chambers. It weighs about 12 1/2 lbs. I use brass shells. I use 2ff (Graf or Goex) and "regular" 209 primers. I shoot a 5 dram load, 27gr.=1 dram. Now you won't get much more BOOM, but if you try 1ff, you'll probably get more FIRE. With a full choke you'll have to "aim" at the targets, because with that 1 3/4 oz. shot and full choke, it'll be like shooting a slug. At our close distances you don't get any kind of spread. I backed off to about 3/4-1 oz. of shot, YMMV. When you shoot a short bbl. 12 with open chokes the shot will spread out and you don't have to aim as close, but with a full choke it's different. Just experiment 'till you get it right. Have fun, Isom

I started off with OMV's in 44-40. Shot them with no problems for about 10 yrs, 1-3 matches a month. All I did was change the mainspring to a 19 pounder. Went to the dark side and 38-40 . Couldn't find OMV's in 38-40 . Didn't want Blackhawks. Had a 1st gen. Colt and an antiqued Uberti 38-40 I got from Taylor's tent at a Mule Camp. In the "scratch and dent" showcase. Shot those a few times, ran across a OMV in 38-40/40S&W. But it was stainless , I bought it anyway. "I don't like shiny guns". So I bought another one, shot them for a while. Then, there it was ,,, a late 3rd. gen Colt in 38-40 that followed me home, I looked for another one ,, found it, bought it. Smoothed and cleaned them up and shot them. They were great and trouble-free. Still wanted blue OMV's in 38-40. Friend's suggestion ,,,,, why don't you just get a pair of 357's and bore them out ,,,, "brilliant" . Found and bought a pair, sent then off, got them back, range checked them ,,, worked great. Used them in the next match and they felt really odd in my hands. I'd been shooting the Colts for so long ,, about 10-11 yrs, 1-3 matches a month. But, Colt or Ruger ,, never had a lick of trouble. I've got a pair of early 3rd gen Colts in 44-40 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not Colts best work. Whatever feels good in "your" hand Ruger, Colt or one of the Italian pistols ,,,,, get it. Good luck, Isom

Like it was yesterday. January 1966, in a pawn shop in Warner Robins, Ga. a Winchester '73 in 32-20, 24", oct. bbl. for the big price of $65.00. He had 2 of them and would let me have both for $110.00 , but being in the USAF, married with one child ,,,, that wasn't happening. I got a part time job just to get that. But, I reenlisted in Aug. of '66 and bought a Blackhawk in 44 Mag. and a box of shells ,,,,, brand new from a gun store in Macon, Ga. for $98.00. Friend and I went to the dump that weekend, shot 6 rounds, 3 each, we looked at each other, said "damn". I cleaned up, took it back and traded it in plus $5.00 for a .357. I've still got and shoot both. Isom

Grizz, this was brought up quite a few years ago. When I went to the dark side, I went to 38-40 from 44-40. That was about 04-05, it took abut 6-8 months to find out what the problem was and correct it. I started out with 1, now I've got 4. After that 2nd one , whenever I got a new one (38-40), I just pulled the bbl and reamed it. I was using Big-Lube bullets. At first I was casting them ,,, which I don't like casting. If I can buy the bullet I like ,, I'll buy it. That's the only part about shooting I don't like. I don't know why Uberti short chambers their 38-40's. I've heard of other people trimming their brass, putting the bullets in deeper, changing bullets and a few other things, and all they'd have to do is to pop the bbl. and run a reamer through it. I thought Uberti would have fixed that problem by now. I guess not. Oh well, Isom

BTT

On 2 Feb 2019 Kid Concho passed to the great beyond. I hope he has a pleasant ride. He will be missed by all . He had been a member of the Lonesome Valley Regulators and the Doc Holliday Immortals. But health issues precluded him from participating for quite a while. Rest easy pard, Isom

Fingers, reread your OP. Are you looking for bullets, or cartridges ? If it is bullets Ga. Arms is the place. Isom

I know you said factory brand but ,,, Georgia Arms sells a darn good product. Give them a try. Isom

July, started with 44-40 , RCBS dies and RCBS single stage press, smokeless. Shot more, went to RCBS Ammomaster, same dies. Shot some more. Got a Dillon 650 with bells and whistles, same dies shot a little more. Total of about 8-9 yrs. Went to the Dark Side, went to 38-40, same 650, RCBS dies, only addition was a deprime/resize die (RCBS), took the deprime punch out . That's another story. For the last 10-12 yrs. runs great. As stated above, there's a learning curve, don't try to be a speed demon, pay attention and you'll be fine. I reload about 7 different calibers on mine. But I've still got the single stage and Ammomaster mounted to my bench for when I don't need the volume . I tried the RCBS Cowboy dies but couldn't tell the difference ,,, sold them. +1 on Dillon"s customer service. Have fun, Isom