Since most other gunshops and pawn shops are closed for casual shopping due to the pandemic, I've been needing something to occupy my time. I don't have cable or satellite tv channels (nothing worth paying for to watch) only high speed internet. I had let my brass build up and a couple of old timers who stopped reloading gave me their leftover bullets, so I got busy. Most of my brass was already prepped over the winter (resized, deprimed, tumbled, reprimed and expanded as needed). Over the past couple of weeks I've loaded just about all my brass. The only ones left are about 100-200 each 9mm, .223, 300BLK, and 400-600 .45acp. I've been loading the 9mm hot for the subgun, but all the other rounds are below max. This is my bench, which I know I need a bigger one. My main press is an older Lyman six position turret with a Lee single where I usually put my powder thrower. From right to left is 30-06 350 rounds 308 200 rounds 300Blk 375 rounds 223 300 rounds 44mag 400 rounds 45colt 201 rounds 38spc 300 rounds 357mag 75 rounds Hot 9mm 400 rounds.
Yep... tumbled, full length sized, pocket crimp removed, trim for consistant OAL and primers installed on 1.5k .223. Powder and bullets await for a good rainy day (not a long wait here on the Oregon coast). Tumbled and primed the last hundred 300blk brass a friend gave to me and added them to my small pile. Ditto for Hornady .308 brass, also a gift from my friend. I don't even know how much pistol brass is ready in ammo cans. It's good to have a hobby, now if only they would let the range reopen.... I mean you can only fish so much,,,, right?
Why is the range closed? I thought ranges were specifically designated as essential businesses. They are in NC, and I'm in my range tower this morning with 11 shooters social distancing along the firing line.
Sadly it is a volunteer run but still under county jurisdiction operation. I see no reason it can't be open but not up to me. Even worse is that us RSOs with keys to the gates are not alowed to shoot by ourselves. Doesn't make any sense at all. We have three shooting sheds and at two people a shed there is no probem distancing. The tools are loosing their muscles by not getting any excercise.
Social distancing works. What doesn't work is giving people nowhere safe to shoot. They'll find a place, too often an unsafe place. That's how we end up with tragedies like kids killed in their child seat 300 yards beyond a brush pile that was used as a back stop.
Sad on so many levels... Knowing the simple thing like the difference between concealment and cover. Just because you can't see it does not mean the bullet can't hit it... Know where your bullet can go before you pull the trigger. You will live forever with the consequences of your actions.
BSA training, first rule is treat your gun as loaded, no matter what. Second rule is use a safe backstop. I cringe whenever I see a story like that.
while bugged out, Been playing with loads for the Ruger Old Army now that the weather is nice again, we deepened the cylinder on it and also fly cut the cylinders below the mean bullet seating, and managed to increase the powder charge capacity by 8 1/2 grains of 3F. Boy is this thing a powerhouse now! With 220 grain hard cast, she spits them at 1700 FPS and is generating over 1200 Foot pounds of energy! Whew, I knew she was gonna be hot, but man,........ and we ran some Swiss powder through it and CCI magnum primers and she smokes past 1800 FPS, for a B.P. Pistol, that's the high end of .44 Mag performance! Never leave me alone with free time, and firearms! The 255 grain hard cast seems to be the sweet spot between power and accuracy, and the 270 gr is about the top of the range I feel confident shooting, but she is starting to really loose steam above the 255, so that's where i'm leaving it! Got some molds coming from my tool and die maker friend and cant wait to see how they do!
