Jamie Jackson

I haven't a clue as to how to cultivate salt, but it is an essential part of our food stores. Salt is currently very inexpensive. It has an indefinite storage life, if stored properly. We use a good bit of salt each year in preparing food for storage...canning, pickling, and fermenting foods from our garden. It is also used in prepping meat for storage. We have even made a sodium chloride solution for wound care with it...processed it through the pressure canner, and now have some sterile irrigation saline put up. It's also an essential portion of homemade electrolyte replacement solution...i.e. Gatorade or gooknaid... In ancient times salt was literally worth it's weight in gold. And would, in a post-collapse scenario, be a valuable barter item. We have a couple of hundred pounds of iodized salt in 5 gallon buckets, and keep at least 20# of pickling salt on hand for rotational food processing use. I agree with the premise lostpass put forth, in that we, as a culture in general, consume a good bit more dietary salt than we probably should. But, salt is an essential item that we would be hard pressed to find a substitute for.

I agree. It's unfortunate they don't sell in TN. Prior to moving here, I was a regular customer of theirs. Good pricing and good customer service kept me coming back. Oh well... I do business with ammoman too kieefer.

I believe this used to be on their website. At least I recall reading it a few years back... I found the below in a Google search... "Why we don't sell in TN, GA, or AL Over 20 years ago Natchez Shooters Supply was started as a wholesale distributor of reloading components. The entirety of our sales came from making local deliveries to dealers throughout Tennessee, and the northern Georgia and Alabama areas. It was upon this dealer foundation that Natchez Shooters Supply grew from a two man operation into the large warehouse distributor that it is today. Due to strong commitments with our existing dealer base within these three states, we feel that it would be best if we did not compete with our dealers by selling directly to their customers. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

I've been using mine (550 since I got it from Dillon in 1987. I've loaded between 30,000-40,000 45 ACP's on it and at least that much in 9mm. The only maintenance I've done is what's already been mentioned, a little black grease & graphite... Many years ago I did loose a small part...I can't even recall what it was it's been so long ago ( I think it may have been one of the small springs)...but a quick phone call to Dillon and it was in the mail, free of charge. Great customer service and a Quality reloader.

Thank you. I appreciate the info. and still waiting on my C&R...

Awesome Dan. I might have to use that argument. Thanks for the info HvyMtl.

My 590 Mossy came with a Speedfeed stock. I don't use it. I took Gunsite's Shotgun class with it back in the mid 90's. I had already put a Sidesaddle on it (which I like). I carried Buckshot in the Sidesaddle and tried slugs in the Speedfeed. I found that unless the Speedfeed was completely full, it'd eject rounds all over the place when doing a fast run of slugs in a relay. I need my ammo to be where I put it if I need it. I put an Eagle buttstock cuff on the Mossy to hold my slugs and I'm quite satisfied with the setup. I've run 870's with a pistol grip and have no complaints about them. They don't work well for a Mossy related to the safety...imho.

The first cartridges I reloaded (back in the mid 80's) were .38 spls. They have tall straight walls and are easy to start seating the bullets into. Depending on powder type, they hold a relatively small amount of powder, but it's easy to check the cases visually to ensure they all have the same level prior to seating your bullets. I've used Unique powder in 9mm and .38 for many years. I'm currently using AA#2 and I'm having good results with it. Unique doesn't burn as fully in short barreled revolvers, so you may see some unburned powder flakes...don't let it concern you. Unique is a compressed loads in my 9mm's, but there certainly isn't a problem with overcharging the 9mm cases. W 231 meters / measures more easily (since it a ball powder vs a flaked like Unique) and W 231 works great from 9mm, .38, and 45 acp. Excellent advice on the crimping grove and OAL. A good set of dial calipers is a good investment, imho. Does one come with the kit?

I recently put a set of Big Dot 24/7's on my G17. I couldn't be more pleased...and it took all of 20 minutes. I shot a J Frame with them and really like it. But putting them on a revolver is beyond my skill level...

I agree with the Bulgarian Waffle mags and eastern European mags...I've had the best luck with the ribbed versions. I find some of the Chinese mags require a little opening of you mag well to allow a quick and easy insertion. But they seem to feed fine other than that. I've tried a couple of the Tapco mags and they didn't last very long...either the feedlips broke and that mags busted from repeated mag changes and hitting the deck.

There's some fine holsters already mentioned. As I'm sure most folks already know, carrying a sidearm is best accomplished using a "Carry System". It's much more than just a holster. Your handgun needs to be stable, in the same place always, needing minimal fiddling (adjustments), allowing a repeatable drawstroke. The base of this system is the belt, a purpose designed holster belt. Quality mag carriers are a must as well. I have legally carried (concealed), each and every day, for close to 25 years. If I have clothes on, I have a gun. I carried a full sized 1911 for several years in a PROLine, now Kramer Leather horsehide holster with a horsehide belt. I purchased these around 1990 and they are still very serviceable. My point being, they were and are worth the investment. Another holster maker I've always had good experience with is Milt Sparks. Mr. Sparks made my first holster. Tony Kanaly, now the President of that fine company, has made several others for me over the years. Again...a Quality investment and worth the money and the wait. DeSantis makes some quality holsters as well. I like the Inner Piece for my Glock. But, to be redundant and boring, the belt is foundation that you build a carry system on, imho. Good Luck in your choices and decision.

Impressive work Austin and Reg. Those look great. Thanks for the info on SOG Austin. I can see more "projects" in my future.

Thank you Dave. I'm making notes.

Greg, This was what mine was doing until I continued to reduce the size of the pic to a point to where, as TGO David mentioned, the forum software was able to "fix" (further reduce it) for me. Maybe this is what's happening? I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable members will chime in with a fix for you.

Thank you. That makes life more simple.

God forbid it should come to pass, But if I had to grab one it’d be one of my AK’s. That’s because I have the most trigger time on it recently…the past 7 years or so. As it’s said, if your training isn’t Recent,Relevant,and Realistic, you may have trouble waiting around the corner. For me, that’d be my AK.

Thank you kind Sir. I really appreciate that.

I forgot to mention it, but this post was my motivation to re-post an avatar. Could you imagine several hundred Alfred E. Newman's looking at you! Thanks for the info and help here folks.

Thank you PoofNoEyeBrows. I would be more than pleased with a 4" group at 100 yds with iron sights. Smart move essentially using a Ransom Rest for working up your loads. I try to remove the "me factor" whenever I can also. I definitely wrote down the Nosler ballistic tip 150gr with 48grs. H4895 in my reloading book and plan to give it a try. Since all of my thoughts are just that, thoughts, at this time, I'm looking forward to picking up a Mosin or two as soon as my C&R get here and working up some rounds. I appreciate all the info & input folks.

No Sir, I didn't realize it. And I am quite pleased, but not surprised that the software is smarter than I am. I confess to being a technotard (an aging technotard at that), and appreciate having an area to ask questions and seek advice such as this section. Yep, I am quite happy it worked! btw...Ilike the new layout and setup of the forums.

I did have the opportunity to check it out. Excellent thread with solid info. I’ve bookmarked a good bit of info regarding forward mounted scopes for a Mosin thanks to you and the other folks that have shared their experiences here. I look forward to my continuing education.

Excellent tutorial, great pics, and solid info! Thank you for taking the time Caster.

Good point. And not at dumb question in any way. I've found that most firearms are capable of greater inherent accuracy than I can deliver. That being said, 3-4" offhand at 50-75 yds has always been plenty good enough for clean kills in my experience. I personally would be fine with 3" groups (iron sights) at 100 yds. Scoped? I would hope for better. What I would like is the 3" capability, preferably 2", and then it'd be up to me to put in the "trigger time". My Brother-in-law way back down south has taken quite a few white tails with a Model 44 and Wolf ammo over the years. I've taken white tail, mule deer, antelope, and hogs with an '06...an old ADL I wish I still had... and several white tail with my old 336 in .30-30. But there is just something about the Mosin Nagant's that I find intriguing, so would like to pursue. The AK toughness just appeals to me.

Very Nice dou44! pcrc; I'm looking forward to your feedback on SOG and some pics. I'll sure be glad when my C&R gets here...

I just loaded an avatar today. My old one “disappeared†with the forum update. No Biggie. I did have to resize my new avatar to a 250 x 167 pixel size in order to get it to load. Anything larger wouldn’t upload from my desktop. Just an FYI FWIW.