Gun Owning Smokers

[CptnBlues63]

The above is an image from my trip to the range Sunday. Now, normally I'm there every other week or so as soon as the snow's gone (usually in March/April) right up until I head out hunting. But, I acquired the family boat last July and have spent every spare moment I can out fishing ever since.

The boat........My dad bought it brand new in 1977. It's a 16' Starcraft with an open bow and a 70 Evinrude on the back. We're a family of 7 and 6 of the 7 ski so you know this boat has had thousands of hours on it. The hull is tight and doesn't leak a drop and the engine still performs well. It has one choke issue which is going to require me to change the solenoid for the choke (next spring) and in it's life has had the impeller changed twice....and that's all it's ever had done to it! I'm the only fishing nut in the family so I've spent far more time in that boat than any of my siblings so I suppose it's fitting it ended up with me. After my brother gave it to me I outfitted it with depth finder, bow mounted trolling motor and new pedestal seats. I did a few other things to it and the trailer as well. All told, I think I spent about $3,000 turning it mostly into a fishing boat. I considered getting rid of the front seats and turning it into a casting deck with a live-well but since the seats are in good shape said "Screw that" and opted for using a stringer instead of a live-well.

So, the above image is my initial 4 rounds at 100 yards. That's using my Remington 700 VT in .308 with a Swarovski z5 3,5 - 18x44 BT (ballistic turret) scope (additional changes to stock rifle include Kwik Klip removable 4 round magazine and Timney trigger) shooting off a bipod.

I can do almost as good with my Savage 99C that has a Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 scope on it shooting off a rest (my ammo can with a soft gun case on top) at 100 yards.

All told, I put 50 or more rounds through both guns and had a nice time sitting sipping coffee and smoking an AF Anejo #48 with the whole range to myself. Sadly, our range only goes out to 200 yards so to check my presets on the ballistic turrets of my Swarovski I'll be heading out into the country in about two weeks. I bought an 8" gong target and built a portable target stand so I can do some shooting at 400, 500 and 600 yards before season starts.

I"m planning my last outing to fish in my boat this coming Saturday and I'll winterize and park it when I'm done. I may still get out once or twice more with a friend of mine that owns a fishing boat but I have to start prepping for my annual hunting trip the 1st week in November so it's time to park the boat *sigh* We had a terrific summer and all told I caught several hundred walleye but it's time to start thinking seriously about hunting. This year I only got drawn for antlered mule deer. I will buy a 'general white tail' (good for either sex first week of Nov, as of the 7th - antlered white tail only) and general elk (3 point or better bull elk) which I can use out where we hunt the first week and also in the one zone I hunt in the most around home here after returning from out west.

All in all, I'm happy with my performance and that of my hunting rifles!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mizicke5273]

I bought my first revolver a few weeks ago. Rural King had another sale and they had a Tarus 605 .357 on sale for ~$250. I took it to the range the week before last and shot pretty good with .38 special. And not so hot with .357 out of the short barrel. I need to get used to the recoil of .357; that was the first time I shot it.

[CptnBlues63]

I bought my first revolver a few weeks ago. Rural King had another sale and they had a on sale for ~$250. I took it to the range the week before last and shot pretty good with .38 special. And not so hot with .357 out of the short barrel. I need to get used to the recoil of .357; that was the first time I shot it.

Nice!

My good friend and hunting partner bought a S&W .357 magnum a few years back and we've run quite a few rounds through it. I'm not sure which model it is but it has a 5.5" barrel on it. He also ran into a huge deal on .38 +P ammo and bought 2000 rounds of it. Those seem to have a little more pop than the regular old .38 special ammo and for the price he paid, makes feeding that pistol a lot more cost effective! Mind you, Greg always brings one box of the magnum's along and runs them down range..............just for fun..........LOL

If you're interested in getting more handguns I highly recommend a Ruger .22 semi auto. I own a Mark III Hunter and my friend Greg has a Mark I and a Mark II and they're highly accurate and just a lot of fun to shoot. Plus, they're a whole lot cheaper to feed than any other caliber. I found a device online to help load the magazines so my thumb doesn't blister reloading.........LOL We've been known to burn through 500 to 1000 rounds in a visit to the range no problem.

[Mizicke5273]

Yeah, my dad owns a Ruger Mark II and it is a nice gun. I bought that loading device for him that you mentioned earlier in the year. I've got my eye on a Chiappa .22 LR/Magnum single-action revolver. I have been thinking about getting a .22 for a while now and like the idea of the Cowboy gun. So for the price, I getting ready to buy it.

[CptnBlues63]

Yeah, my dad owns a Ruger Mark II and it is a nice gun. I bought that loading device for him that you mentioned earlier in the year. I've got my eye on a Chiappa .22 LR/Magnum single-action revolver. I have been thinking about getting a .22 for a while now and like the idea of the Cowboy gun. So for the price, I getting ready to buy it.

LOL - So I also have a Ruger Super Single combo .22/.22 magnum handgun. I too have always liked the single action revolvers and when I had a chance to, bought this one. I even found a guy that custom made a holster for it for around $250 (CDN) which I'm VERY pleased with. I'm no quick draw artist but it's definitely a fun gun. I'm sure you'll enjoy yours lots! :)

[Mangyrat]

Picked up SIG P320C for the wife.
She has a thing for SIG's i think she saw them on tv or something.

[Mangyrat]

Picked up a Remington 1911 R1 carry commander last night.

I must say i am impressed with the smaller 1911 normally i like full sized 1911's but this one just feels right.
Price was good due to a dead front tritium sight that i do not care about anyway, i always found the night sights a distraction when shooting at night "they keep me fixated on the sights and not my target".

Now that i have at least 2 of every caliber i shoot it is time to start looking at 308's or a 50BMG

[CptnBlues63]

Picked up a Remington 1911 R1 carry commander last night.

I must say i am impressed with the smaller 1911 normally i like full sized 1911's but this one just feels right.
Price was good due to a dead front tritium sight that i do not care about anyway, i always found the night sights a distraction when shooting at night "they keep me fixated on the sights and not my target".

Now that i have at least 2 of every caliber i shoot it is time to start looking at 308's or a 50BMG

I do love my .308 I put a cow elk down with it a week or so back and she was 450 yards away when I did it. I've always wanted to shoot a 50 cal and hope to get a chance this summer. As for owning one, no thanks.........I know what that ammo costs...........lol

[Mizicke5273]

I bought my first AR last night, Sig M400 VTAC Edition w/Sig Romeo 4H scope. I got it as a bundle deal and thought it was a pretty darn good one. My brother picked up a S&W 500 on Black Friday!

[CoventryCat86]

If I ever bought a gun, I can almost guarantee you I'd hurt myself with it so I just watch from the sidelines.

I don't drive/ride motorcycles, ski or skydive for the same reasons.

[Mizicke5273]

Anyone see The Dark Tower? I kinda fell in love with that 1858 Remington New Army. So I bought myself a Taylor & CO. 8" 1858 Remington New Army Conversion in .45 Colt. It is my first replica gun and I have to say, it is nice! I picked it up a few weeks back and had a go at the range with it. I need a lot more range time with it to get used to the single action trigger and reloading process.

[CptnBlues63]

Anyone see The Dark Tower? I kinda fell in love with that 1858 Remington New Army. So I bought myself a Taylor & CO. 8" 1858 Remington New Army Conversion in .45 Colt. It is my first replica gun and I have to say, it is nice! I picked it up a few weeks back and had a go at the range with it. I need a lot more range time with it to get used to the single action trigger and reloading process.

Great books and a good movie. Judging by the response to the movie we may not see any more though.

I did roll my eyes when it tossed cartridges in the air and swept them into the chamber....all six at once. I remember reading in the book how he was made to practice reloading as a kid until he could do it smooth and fast. Would have preferred to see that then the fantastical bullshit reload they showed in the movie *sigh*

I've always liked the look of the Remington single actions. Maybe even more so than the standard Colt

I've shot a few single action revolvers in the past before buying my .22 and always enjoyed the heck out of it. I'm holding out for a Ruger with the convertible .45 LC/.45 ACP cylinders. I already own a 1911 and would prefer to not have to add any more calibers to the list of shells I have to buy. I've been keeping my eye out for a used one in good condition.

I think my all time favorite single action would be the S&W Model 3 (aka Russian or Schofield)

[badwhale]

If I ever bought a gun, I can almost guarantee you I'd hurt myself with it so I just watch from the sidelines.

I don't drive/ride motorcycles, ski or skydive for the same reasons.

Motorcycles are harmless....as long as they're at least 30 years old...

[Mizicke5273]

It is a shame they rushed through the Dark Tower. I did not read the books, but can tell there was like a metric shit ton of stuff they only hinted at. It could have been so much better I think, if they just followed up on a few of the threads they hinted at. The plot was very simple and straight forward. See bad guy, fight bad guy; that is it. Nothing more really. I did enjoy it though.

Anyways, I took my New Army to range again on Saturday. This trip had some issues; after about 18 shots, the barrel would not cycle properly. I think it needs to be cleaned after every outing; so I'm gona clean it up real good and try again in..........maybe three or four weeks.

[CptnBlues63]

It is a shame they rushed through the Dark Tower. I did not read the books, but can tell there was like a metric shit ton of stuff they only hinted at. It could have been so much better I think, if they just followed up on a few of the threads they hinted at. The plot was very simple and straight forward. See bad guy, fight bad guy; that is it. Nothing more really. I did enjoy it though.

Anyways, I took my New Army to range again on Saturday. This trip had some issues; after about 18 shots, the barrel would not cycle properly. I think it needs to be cleaned after every outing; so I'm gona clean it up real good and try again in..........maybe three or four weeks.

If you like King you should read the Gunslinger series. It's his magnum opus and touches on pretty much almost everything else he's written (for example, the man in black first appeared as the bad guy in "The Stand"). I know I thoroughly enjoyed the gunslinger series so you might too.

If you're running black powder you for sure have to clean them regularly. I would agree after every use. Black powder is a lot "dirtier" and it's also more corrosive than modern smokeless powders. It leaves a lot more crap in your firearm than modern powders ever could.

I'm not a huge fan of cleaning my guns after every single use, you don't really have to. If I know I'm going to use them several times over the next month say, I'll only clean them after several uses. With my hunting rifles, I don't clean them properly the entire month of November when I'm actively hunting. The most I will do (and do actually do after firing) is run a bore snake through them. They get the proper cleaning when I pack them away for the winter.

I hope it performs better on the next outing!

Things are melting here nicely (finally) and I'm really (make that REALLY) looking forward to getting out to the range too!

[Mizicke5273]

Nah, not using black powder, just regular .45 Colt ammo. I think I found the issue during my latest range trip. I still ran into the chamber cycling issue, even after a real good cleaning. I noticed this time, fresh ammo from the box cycled fine; for two or three shots before the chamber would not cycle. I had a few rounds from the last range session that didn't cycle then and didn't cycle this time. Then I tried single shots from different chambers, fresh ammo worked and ones I already had chambered previously did not cycle. Hmmmm.......I then tried firing single shots of fresh ammo again, this time leaving the empty shell in the chamber and just loading another new shell in the next chamber.....no issues. I fired about ten shells this way and all fired with out a hitch. I then tried another shell that was previously chambered and it would not cycle again. So I started to look at the ammo, comparing a fresh shell from the box to one that would not cycle. Its barely noticeable, but it looks like the bullet on the shell that was chambered and would not cycle, was just slightly ever so pulled from the casing. So there appears to be the tiniest gap between the casing mouth and where bullet was previously seated compared to a fresh shell, thus causing the bullet to be too long to cycle.

So I'll have to try a different brand and see if I can find one that uses a roll crimp. At least until I get my reloads ready for use.

[Mangyrat]

Black powder was mentioned, I just picked up 2 used 1851 Piette 44's and will be getting back in to shooting them very soon.

For your ammo problems look at picking up a chamber gauge for the 45 colt, sounds like the bullets were not seated properly.

[Mizicke5273]

Yeah, my dad just bought on of those Chamber Gauges. They are a nice and handy tool. So I'm gona get one for my range bag and workbench. Oh and nice looking pistols those 1851s! I just did a Google search on them and they are very nice looking. What length barrel are yours?

[CptnBlues63]

Nah, not using black powder, just regular .45 Colt ammo. I think I found the issue during my latest range trip. I still ran into the chamber cycling issue, even after a real good cleaning. I noticed this time, fresh ammo from the box cycled fine; for two or three shots before the chamber would not cycle. I had a few rounds from the last range session that didn't cycle then and didn't cycle this time. Then I tried single shots from different chambers, fresh ammo worked and ones I already had chambered previously did not cycle. Hmmmm.......I then tried firing single shots of fresh ammo again, this time leaving the empty shell in the chamber and just loading another new shell in the next chamber.....no issues. I fired about ten shells this way and all fired with out a hitch. I then tried another shell that was previously chambered and it would not cycle again. So I started to look at the ammo, comparing a fresh shell from the box to one that would not cycle. Its barely noticeable, but it looks like the bullet on the shell that was chambered and would not cycle, was just slightly ever so pulled from the casing. So there appears to be the tiniest gap between the casing mouth and where bullet was previously seated compared to a fresh shell, thus causing the bullet to be too long to cycle.

So I'll have to try a different brand and see if I can find one that uses a roll crimp. At least until I get my reloads ready for use.

Now that's how you troubleshoot an ammo/cycling issue!

Good job and I agree with Mangy and your own findings.......bad ammo. While not usual, it does happen. Here's hoping the next batch you buy performs properly. Oh, if it were me, I'd contact the manufacturer.........there's a chance they might feel it necessary to replace the box(es) of poorly made ammo.

My range is still covered in snow and I'm chomping at the bit to get out there. I'm hoping 2 or 3 weeks tops and I should be able to!

[CptnBlues63]

Finally got out to the range last week with my oldest brother. He just retired about 6 months ago and him and his wife spent a day or two here as they slowly work their way east visiting family and friends along the way back to Saskatoon area (they live in Vancouver, BC) I took him out fishing bright and early that morning and we had a blast as the fish were biting like crazy.........then the range in the afternoon.

My first 4 rounds out of my Remington 700 were under 1" at 100 yards...........gotta love that gun/scope combo. My older brother was very impressed with the scope and I'm willing to bet he'll be investing in a better one himself real soon.

There's nothing like looking through high quality optics to make you realize just how crappy your $100 scope is. I know that's what did it for me.......looking through our youngest brother's $2,500.00 NightForce scope.