Fallon Kid

Not gonna fall for that again…. So anyway. I sorted brass (44-40 45 colt acp) and I can’t account for one 44-40 brass. I have sorted 3x’s so started doing the only thing I know to do. Hand load the 45 colt w/ black powder and will find during expanding. (Gosh having to hand load on a Thursday night! LOL) I could not be happier. Indecently, I found (2) 45 colt brass with small primer going through sorting so maybe a good thing. I found one sml primer 45 colt about a year ago and now two?

I just pulled a batch out of wet tumbler. I had 45 colt / 45 acp and 30 cases of 44-40. I did not think a problem because the case tolerances are so tight it would be extremely unlikely that cases would interfere with each other. (Deep Breath here) Well………...28 of the 44-40 cases ended up in a mixed marriage. Will jot down another reason 44-40 is bad for mental health. LOL

Larson E/Garrison Thank you so much for the information. Makes sense and I understand reason for cannelure. I have observed this cannelure for several years and have asked locally but never put the question on SASS. Glad I did, knowing the answer is always answered because the people here ‘know because they do’ These cases were more pronounced than I had ever seen before and wanted to understand reason and not speculate anymore. I assumed it was unique to a die or crimp process. Again , Thank You both. Every question I have ever put up has always been answered and I trust the answer. And I don’t understand why a bullet would fall into a case when it is sitting on 40 grains of 3fff. LOL

Matthew: I tried to expand and just pushes groove out and when run back through sizer it pushes it in slightly. Afraid it will leave a weak spot like a ‘TEAR OFF HERE’ coupon. The brass will not be wasted. I’m just trying to figure out what caused it. My astrology forecast states I have a few more mistakes to make shooting n’ reloading. LOL Ask me how I know a 45 Colt will not go in a 44-40 rifle, even though they look really close and identical in appreance. 4/6/24 WB Match. Yep. I did it. My 44-40 now has a YELLOW cloth strip tied on the level during storage.

Nothing earth shattering just curious. I dumped the trash bucket after match Sunday to bring home. I found 10 or so 45 colt brass and they had a strange groove in them. I measured the case just below the groove at .475 I measured the groove at .466 The groove appeared to be made by something serrated. I have seen serration marks on brass about the same place but not as severe as these brass. The inside case is indented so can’t use for reload. They won’t go to waste as I also use 45 Cowboy Special brass so will cut down and use. Not worth losing sleep over but just wondering.

I think somebody will be doing a lunch with a ‘Take Off Anything You Don’t Want’ submarine sandwich. Will check with powers to be.

Just an FYI. My local store was out of Lemishine and I tried the GV Brand Rinse Aid (so called equivalent) IT”S NOT. I use dollar store liquid dish soap but the Lemishone is the only thing that makes the brass like new when wet tumbling. Additionally, I don’t use the stainless pins, just hot water and soap + Lemi. Pocket come out clean and insides spotless. Anyway way I’ll try anything once and rinse aid is a one-timer. Thanks

Are you having fun? That’s the secret I’m told. SASS gives an old duffer like me a purpose. Besides, someone has to pony up and buy them there belt buckles for the top guns LOL I’m so bad that usually one match during the year I will get all my ammo confiscated and they will burn my leather in front of me and slash the tires on my gun cart. LOL It is all fun and only the best people surround you. Hang in there my friend and hope we can have a match some day.

For over 10 years I have refused to get a 44-40 caliber gun. Absolutely adamant I tell. LOL The 44-40 is a fiddley case, prone to bend easy, bottle neck rubbish and a bugger to expand and load and an extra step to crimp. Plus very easy to get mixed in with 45 colt. A person would have to be out of their mind to own one. Monday, I swing by to pick up some canvas loading bags I ordered from a nice lady. ( Jax Leather) and the husband said I looking to sell some sequential S/N Uberti 73’s all tricked out and a slicked up 73 Oct barrel Uberti steel ringer. (4speed w/posi traction and 3 duces) And he said “they are 44-40”. I picked up one pistol and my fingers would not move to the open position when I tried to set it down and walk away. I felt off balance so I picked up the other pistol. The same thing happened to the other hand. My first thought in times of stress is ‘God, grant me the courage to accept the things I cannot change’ The loading bags are great and very pleased. To keep this happy train rolling, I went to my local gun store this AM and they had a consignment NIB Starline 44-40 brass 500 count. (under a 100 bucks) This brass is gonna work really great in my new black powder SAS shooting irons. 44-40 of course. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! SASS gives me more fun than any person should deserve.

Yesterday I posted about Genix and Fiocchi primers and reported no incidents reloading. Well…….may have been hasty pursuant to Genix sml pistol primers. I loaded 800 38spl with 400 primers using Fiochhi and 400 rounds with Genix primers. This AM I found many Genix primers not seated all the way. Some were ‘high primers and some were elevated enough to cause drag in revolver. It was enough concern I had to check/reseat all 400 rounds of Genix primers with hand primer. The first 400 rounds were loaded using Fiocchi and had zero problem seating. When I switched to Genix primers, I changed nothing on my RL1050. I did use new brass when I started using Genix so the primer pocket is not an issue. Raises enough concern with me to hold off using Genix until I can find out what is going on. I’m not a shill for anyone and just providing my unbiased experience. UPDATE to the UPDATE: I just went back and checked everything on my loader (rl1050) and cranked the primer adjustment allen a full turn to increase seating depth and ran 50 rounds of Genix (38spl) with no primer seating problem. I guess the lesson for me is when switching primer brand, always check depth and do not assume all primers work the same. I don’t have a wife, but if I did she should have caught this. Maybe I should retire from SASS and take up building model cars. I’m finding I will NEVER learn all there is to know. Will continue to use Genix primers but the jury still out when using my Hornady LNL as there is no way I know to increase seating depth as it is fixed as part of the primer seating plunger assembly. So heads up to LNL users.

Got in last weekend from a camp out and two day match. Got in late Sunday and was unloading truck, I hung my shotgun bandolier around me which still had 34 rounds and carried my shotgun and range bag into my house. The bandolier was kinda heavy cause I load my 12gage with 3 drams of rot-gut FFF and 1.25 oz lead. As I entered the garage, I felt something wrong and soon discovered 4 squatters had entered my house. After a while I got back from Walmart knowing I would need spic-n-span and a new mop. I have a 2800 sq/ft house and the smoke had not completely cleared so I opened all the doors and windows. Two of the bathrooms had some damaged tiles and most other tiles were peppered with small chips. A corner of the kitchen granite countertop was missing and the arm of the couch was gone. I was hungry and started to make a BLT but had to run back to Walmart for tomatoes. Sat down with sandwich at computer to see if match scores had been posted yet.

Lesson Learned

Just some info about non-mainstream primers. Last month I bought, shall I say, a lot of Ginex primers. Sportsman WH has Fiocchi limited to 1500 per day. I am getting ready for good weather shooting and have loaded about 6k of various SASS calibers. I have used both Ginex Lg & Sml pistol and Sml Fiocchi pistol without problem. I have used them in 4 last matches with no incident or misfire. My 73 rifle is rather light as are my colts. Primers all go boom. The Ginex were about 300 bucks per 5k. Anyway I remember seeing a few questions about these primers and wanted to get a track record to pass on my experience. Note: Loading done on RL1050. And when you stow your ready primers on the shelf, make sure the Ginex are orientated with sleeve sideways so it don’t slip out. Pictures at 11 of me on hands and knees picking up. LOL

Last night I got in early from a 12 Step Meeting and decided to clean/inspect the contents of a safe. I found an item in the back of the safe that had a selector switch marked SEMI/BURST/AUTO. I cannot remember how it ever got there or when. I kinda got worried for a moment but then remembered it is not illegal. It is just undocumented.

Wrap Up…. Kinda I finally ended up loading 45 CB Special on my Hornady LNL (more on that)* Anyway I used 4gn TG behind a 200gn lead with a Genex primer. On the size/decap I used an RCBS cowboy 45 colt die and the expander, and seating dies were an RCBS carb TC. Also used lock-out die which I recommend. Worked slick and made a good looking bullet. All gaged OK *I only made 200 rds hence using the LNL. I got a problem with the Hornady LNL in that right off I noticed high primers. Problem is after thousands+ rounds loaded with this press, there is an dimple in the press main body where the primer seating plunger contacts the main body when pushing down to seat a primer. I tried shimming with a dime and that worked for about 25 rounds before dimpling. I emailed Hornady with problem and they gave me a trouble number but have not addressed problem. Tomorrow (Mon) I will try to find a hard metal to shim primer plunger. Will go and test soon and check FPS. And range is snowed in as this storm is hitting pretty good. I’m 60 miles East of Reno in the desert. Who’d thunk it

Stick with 38. My press gets really confused when a 357 slips through. IMHO 357 is right up there with small primer 45acp. An abomination against God, the flag and apricot cobbler. LOL It does add a step in brass processing. Every round gets put in an ammo box and checked for uniform height. Don’t seem like much but several thousand rounds does take time. Bottom line is shoot what works best for you. Also you can get more black powder in a 357 so that is a plus.

Had no luck with bottom pour. Learn to hand pour because not every mold will pour the same. As stated post above ensure good breeze. I use a high velocity pole fan behind the pot to suck fumes and a harbor fright floor industrial fan blowing on my upper body. My lead count only goes up a little every year.

Just a question: I picked up a box (500) 45 cowboy special brass. Wondering about loads. My powder is titegroup and bullet is 200gn hard cast. My RL1050 is already set up for 45acp and was thinking a just changing the plate and a few tweeks I could pop out 500 45 special colts in an hour. Normally I use 4.2 gns of TG in a long colt for a 200gn lead. Should I back off TG 3.8 – 4.0gns ? I don’t have place to work-up and test as my local is closed for mud. PM me for my phone number if you have experience with 45 special. Kinda easy over the phone. And………….non SASS related by I’m still ticked off. I saw the brass at my local gun shop but I mainly went there to buy a .22 LR AR. I have a Franklin Armory 5.56 w/ binary and wanted a 22 LR upper to have cheaper fun. I bought a S&W MP 22LR Sport AR. Well got home and the S&W MP AR 22 will not fit on an AR lower. The pin holes on the S&W upper are off just enough to not attach but close enough for old people’s eyes to not see the difference. The gun shop person assured me it was a standard AR platform. Oh well, got another gun so all in all a good day. Just putting this out there for info.

I load 3drams powder/shot in 12 gage. Kinda feels right in the hammer double. I pack the original way with nitro/cushion/overshot wads. I started selling tickets to watch me make smoke and the concussion has driven most of the rattlers and homeless away. I did shoot off my mouth a few months back about shooting ‘champeen’ and wish I had not. LOL I loaded up some 45 colt with almost 40fff topped off with a 260 gn ticket to boot hill. Tested at the range and moment round went off I heard a voice in my head ask ‘You OK Kemosabe?’ Decided this 79 year old will stick with cowboy loads (most of the time)

I attached a pic of P/N for 32S&W (short) If ya get in a bind PM me. You gotta be off center like me to shoot 32 short. LOL

Slipperyd Yep. The 1050 does swedge but I use that spot to expand neck. Next time I gear up for 45acp I will try swedger and expand with powder dispenser. Setting up to run 38spc.

Every time I have called Dillon all I get back is “No problem, part/s is on the way” They are worth the few extra bucks for their product and service. Things that are used all the time wear out or break. Sometimes a problem or accident happens but I know it will be made good.

Just a tid-bit of info. I was loading 45acp today and while case gage checking prior to going into ammo box I noticed 5 cases had a deformed primers or had not seated in the pocket correctly. All the cases were S&B (Sellier & Bellot) A little research indicates that S&B brass have been reported to sometimes have slight smaller primer pocket. I loaded a thousand rounds so don’t know if any S&B brass made it through without incident. Just putting that out there in case anyone runs into this problem. And for the questions… I’m using a Dillon RL 1050. And yes the pockets were checked clean and free. I had to add steps in my process to ensure I do not get a small primer acp case. I full length size and decap prior to wet tumble. Then I use a table mounted Lg. pocket chaser on every case. Also I removed the Dillon pocket swedger thinking I don't ever get any military brass. Will get it reinstalled. NOTE: On a 1050, a small pocket acp case will go pop when you try to install a large primer. And the powder is about an inch away. It will get your attention.

Fallon Kid says: Thanks for the info I appreciate. I kinda suspected folks used 38SC for SASS but not sure. I like to do new things and learn as I do. I enjoy the spirit of Cowboy shooting and being around such good people. And somebody has to buy them belt buckles for the real shooters. I consider it a privilege.

Just a question about using 38 short Colt for SASS shooting. I have looked through the hand book and although not mentioned it is not prohibited as I read it. Not trying to start a debate, just a question. I recently bought a S&W 627 Pro and a lot of ICOR shooters use 38 SC. I don’t do ICOR but maybe trying it during the off Cowboy weekends. My heart is SASS but my trigger finger does not mind. Thought it would be fun to use this in cowboy pistols. It is not gamer bullets as I have loaded to a 120 power factor. Also I have a hard time hitting the East side of a barn in a timely fashion.