Hellbender

Congrats on that 511 MCAT score - that is a VERY high MCAT!

We've got a gator target that starts moving from the left to the right as soon as you pick your rifle up off a platform. There're a spring under the platform that lifts it up, when you take your rifle off, just enough to release a rope that is connected to the support holding the gator through a series of pulleys. The gator moves because there is a heavy weight at the end of the rope that starts out at the top right of the stand that supports the rope where the gator is. Resetting is easy - just pull back on the remaining rope (which is tied near the platform - there's a lot of slack before you pick up the rifle- and put a piece of the rope inside a pair of needle-nose pliers that closes and holds the rope when there's weight on the platform. We have a heavy weight there which we put on the platform before the next shooter is called up. The shooter puts his rifle on the platform first and then places the weight off to the side. This all works really well! The rifle scenario calls for some combination of hits on the gator and hits on the stationary targets, which may be anywhere from 1 - 5 in number.

I see they don't show up in the list of SASS clubs in Georgia right now like they always did. Must be some kind of glitch. Krazy Kajun, what's goin on?

The Old Fort Parker Patriots put on a great shoot!. Their cowboy town is right next to Old Fort Parker itself. They put a lot of thought and effort into making the scenarios fun, some of which are not your standard ones (and thus more fun to shoot!). This is one you don't want to miss!

Thanks, I plan to do that now!

Been reloading for the last 2 of those 5 years. I did read a little about reloading but learned just about everything I know from a pard who has been reloading for many decades.

Thanks for the advice. I don't check the powder charge very often, but when I do check it I find it has never changed. I calibrate the scale each time before I use it. BTW - I was unable to locate that one empty case after examining the approx. 200 empties I brought back home. I don't know what happened to it. I know I didn't throw it away. It will remain a mystery!

Will not try to force it again and for sure won't try to turn cylinder by hand if something like that happens again - thanks for the great warning/advice!

Yes, firm crimp. I refill the hopper when the powder gets about half filled but I've always been filling to the top. Thanks for the tip!

Thank you both. I'll follow your suggestions!

What could cause a bad drop like that? Does the amount of powder present in the hopper have any effect? Thanks!

I was using 3.4 gn Trailboss, Federal Magnum primer, 125 gn bullet, and one of a large variety of cases I have accumulated over the years. I'll have to dig out that one spent case from the 200 empties I brought back from the shoot to find out what the brand was. I can't recall ever noticing any front to back play in the cylinder when its in the gun but I've never checked for it. I'll post the answers to these two questions later on today. Thanks OLG!

Yep, that's what I should have done with my other hand when it happened. Thanks!

Thanks Phantom. You as well as a few others have added to my knowledge of how this all works!

I use a Dillion SDB and I've got an LED sewing machine lamp positioned to shine in the case at position 3. When I seat the primer at position 2, I always look into the cartridge at station 3 to make sure there's powder in it. I shoot 38 special and I use Trailboss powder. I started by using 3.7 grain but switched 3.4 grain more than a year ago. These rounds were from after I switched. Maybe I should go back to 3.7 grain to make it less likely I've have a light load. Thanks GJ!