Guns & Gun Related Stuff

[OLDE CUTLER]

With ammo prices so high now this is getting too dang expensive to shoot....

That is why I shoot a single shot rifle. lol

[GSPTOPDOG]

With ammo prices so high now this is getting too dang expensive to shoot....

That is why I shoot a single shot rifle. lol

.... That's also why I pulled out my air rifle from the closet today .... that is about the only practice I can afford these days... and that is just shooting air with no pellets....

[Modern Slip Joints]

A muzzle loading rife slows component consumption. I assume you are casting your own balls and bullets. I remember kits that were sold to make your own percusion caps out of alumunum cans and strike any where matches but I never spoke to anyone who actually tried it. A flint lock would eliminate the need for caps. It is possible to make your own black powder without accidentally burning down your house or killing yourself. A friend did it once then loaded it into 12 gauge shells. You might survive as well.

[GSPTOPDOG]

I tried using the cut off tips of wooden matches for a propellent by putting them in a case and compressing them down with a steel rod.... ..... .... don't try this when there is a live primer in the case ...... .... and if you do... make sure you have safety glasses on like I did... as it was it still ended up being a trip to the emergency room.... ... ....

[ken98k]

I tried using the cut off tips of wooden matches for a propellent by putting them in a case and compressing them down with a steel rod.... ..... .... don't try this when there is a live primer in the case ...... .... and if you do... make sure you have safety glasses on like I did... as it was it still ended up being a trip to the emergency room.... ... ....

[Modern Slip Joints]

I've never heard of anyone casting air gun pellets but if you could do it then with a pump up rifle your shooting cost would be very low.

[Unk]

I shot 200 rounds in a registered shoot today (sporting clays) with some buddies. We have all been friends since elementary school, and graduated together way back in 1980, and know more secrets about each other than our wives do. It was 95 degrees here today, and we were out in it from 10:30 until around 5:30. Needless to say we were wore out. Had some liquid refreshment afterwards. The first 100 was a long bird/short bird course. The short birds were pretty easy, while some of the long birds were 50 to 55 yards - quite a bit tougher to hit. I shot a 57 on that course. Wasn't too happy with that. The second course was a normal sporting clays course - I shot a 71 on it. Again, not my best. But I did have a good time with old friends.

Went to an estate sale yesterday. Bought an old Diamond Arms Co. single shot 12 gauge. Been wanting a single shot for a while - who knows why. Made by J Stevens (same as their model 105 I think) for Shapleigh Hardware. I have some of Shapleigh's Diamond Edge pocket knives, so I thought I needed a Diamond Arms shotgun to go with them. Made from 1913 to 1916 as best as I can tell. Also bought a Remington Wingmaster 870 riot gun. Has the Remington folding stock. Barrel Code is March of 1973. I guess this rode around in a police cruiser at some point in the 1970s and 80s until it got replaced. I have a Winchester Defender 1200, so didn't really need this. But you never know when a Terminator is going to come at you.

[1967redrider]

Nice pair of 12 bangers, Unk.

[doglegg]

Nice pair of 12 bangers, Unk.

Very, very nice.

[steve99f]

Sweet!

[treefarmer]

Unk, great finds! Those old 870s are hard to beat almost as tough as the model 12s. The old single barrel has an interesting name. I reckon the list of names for those old shotguns is very long, similar to some of the cutlery companies making pocketknives for different hardware companies.
Treefarmer

[Rockingkj]

A muzzle loading rife slows component consumption. I assume you are casting your own balls and bullets. I remember kits that were sold to make your own percusion caps out of alumunum cans and strike any where matches but I never spoke to anyone who actually tried it. A flint lock would eliminate the need for caps. It is possible to make your own black powder without accidentally burning down your house or killing yourself. A friend did it once then loaded it into 12 gauge shells. You might survive as well.

I have made my own percussion caps. There is an outfit “Sharpshooter” I think is the name, that makes a punch tool. You can make the cups out of aluminum cans, copper sheet etc. they also sell the components to mix for the primer compound. It’s called “prime all”. The caps are a bit ragged looking but work great. A few years ago I used my homemade caps exclusively at the Nebraska State Muzzle loader championship. Did not have a single misfire. A little online search will get you information about it. That outfit also makes a reloader for .22 long rifle. Never needed .22 shell’s enough to try and reload em.

[Unk]

Unk, great finds! Those old 870s are hard to beat almost as tough as the model 12s. The old single barrel has an interesting name. I reckon the list of names for those old shotguns is very long, similar to some of the cutlery companies making pocketknives for different hardware companies.
Treefarmer

Thanks guys, TF,

My old Beretta 391 (Old Faithful) was acting up while shooting this weekend - failed to load the second shell. But after the first station or two, it leveled out and shot OK the remaining 200 rds. I went to clean it yesterday, and the operating rod came out in 2 pieces. Somehow it managed to function all day with a broken op rod. I ordered the new part to get it back up and running, but I decided it was time to retire the old girl. I am the third owner (I've owned it the last 5 years), and the first 2 owners were prolific sporting clays shooters (and still are). The gun was made in 2003. We guessed this gun has well over 100K rounds through it. I will keep it as a backup. So I went down and purchased a new Beretta A400 Sporting. I've been eyeballing these for over a year. They are very common on the sporting clays field, so I have been able to shoot several. Summer league starts this Thursday, so I am looking to shooting it. Hopefully my scores will go up! (I doubt it).

[treefarmer]

Congratulations, that is a fine looking shotgun!
Treefarmer

[1967redrider]

I have made my own percussion caps. There is an outfit “Sharpshooter” I think is the name, that makes a punch tool. You can make the cups out of aluminum cans, copper sheet etc. they also sell the components to mix for the primer compound. It’s called “prime all”. The caps are a bit ragged looking but work great. A few years ago I used my homemade caps exclusively at the Nebraska State Muzzle loader championship. Did not have a single misfire. A little online search will get you information about it. That outfit also makes a reloader for .22 long rifle. Never needed .22 shell’s enough to try and reload em.

Man, I bet making rimfire reloads would be like bomb testing. Can you still buy rolls of cap gun caps? I thought one might be able to use them to make percussion caps.

[Unk]

Congratulations, that is a fine looking shotgun!
Treefarmer

Thanks TF. Looking forward to shooting it tomorrow.

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have been reloading pistol and rifle ammo since 1975. Back in those days one could reload a box of ammo for about 1/2 the price of factory loaded ammo. Things have been changing as far as prices charged for components as well as foreign companies setting up factories in the US and selling ammo. Last week I bought enough components to load 1000 rounds of 9mm. It is going to cost me $10.46 to load a box of 50 vs buying for $11.99. Think I'll give it up.

[treefarmer]

I have been reloading pistol and rifle ammo since 1975. Back in those days one could reload a box of ammo for about 1/2 the price of factory loaded ammo. Things have been changing as far as prices charged for components as well as foreign companies setting up factories in the US and selling ammo. Last week I bought enough components to load 1000 rounds of 9mm. It is going to cost me $10.46 to load a box of 50 vs buying for $11.99. Think I'll give it up.

When you said components, did that include brass? Seems like the steel cased pistol and rifle was a lot cheaper than rounds with brass casings.
I haven't reloaded in quite a few years and have been seriously setting my press back up and giving it another go especially with the price of rifle ammo.
I was surprised to see the price of brass a couple of years ago when I traded for a 6.5 Grendel, that cooled me off back then, I do have a great quantity of '06 and .243 brass.
Treefarmer

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have been reloading pistol and rifle ammo since 1975. Back in those days one could reload a box of ammo for about 1/2 the price of factory loaded ammo. Things have been changing as far as prices charged for components as well as foreign companies setting up factories in the US and selling ammo. Last week I bought enough components to load 1000 rounds of 9mm. It is going to cost me $10.46 to load a box of 50 vs buying for $11.99. Think I'll give it up.

When you said components, did that include brass? Seems like the steel cased pistol and rifle was a lot cheaper than rounds with brass casings.
I haven't reloaded in quite a few years and have been seriously setting my press back up and giving it another go especially with the price of rifle ammo.
I was surprised to see the price of brass a couple of years ago when I traded for a 6.5 Grendel, that cooled me off back then, I do have a great quantity of '06 and .243 brass.
Treefarmer

No, that is including free brass I pickup at the range and put into my vibratory case cleaner. I was speaking only of 9mm because loaded ammo is so cheap because of the huge amount produced. Other pistol calibers and rifle calibers are still much cheaper to reload because the brass is recycled.

[Modern Slip Joints]

1975. By then I was reloading 9mm, .38 special, .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, .250 Savage and .30.06. Casting scrap lead and making my own bullet lube, not counting wear and tear on my brass, a target pistol load cost 1 1/2 cents. The additional powder in a standard .44 Mag. load might have made that 2 cents. .22 long rifle cartridges were 99 cents for 50. The good old days.

Assuming you enjoy the time over a hot lead pot and at the reloading bench then even when Wolf steel cased 9mm was $84 a thousand, about 1999-2005, reloading home cast bullets in 9mm was quite a bit less expensive. However, if you value your time for other persuits or need the time for work then reloading 9mm has not been worth the tme since about then.

[OLDE CUTLER]

1975. By then I was relading 9mm, .38 special, .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, .250 Savage and .30.06. Casting scrap lead and making my own bullet lube, not counting wear and tear on my brass, a target pistol load cost 1 1/2 cents. The additional powder in a standard .44 Mag. load might have made that 2 cents. .22 long rifle cartridges were 50 cents for 50. The good old days.

Assuming you enjoy the time over a hot lead pot and at the reloading bench then even when Wolf steel cased 9mm was $84 a thousand, about 1999-2005, reloading home cast bullets in 9mm was quite a bit less expensive. However, if you value your time for other persuits or need the time for work then reloading 9mm has not been worth the tme since about then.

Yes, I did cast a lot of lead bullets back in the day until my pulmonologist said "no more". I have used the Berrys plated bullets for years with better results.