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Hornady bought Pacific... they are a fine die ,..probably not carbide insert dies. and Hornady will be best source for die parts if needed. As they have sat awhile I would disassemble and inspect them for any burrs or rust haze, I use FLITZ on a bore mop of appropriate size and a drill to polish my dies even the carbide dies back to a mirror shine,.. the FLITZ doesn't seem to be aggressive enough to wear the hardened steel die but gets out anything else... Keep them clean and check a local gun store for "Imperial die wax" by REDDING I use this after the polish to preserve the dies, I have also used paste car polish wax .... Hornady ONE SHOT spray if they resize hard ONE SHOT is excellent as it won't contaminate powder or primers and is easily applied using a freezer bag... Step 1. place clean shells to be resized in a freezer bag Step 2. spray a few spritzes of ONE SHOT into freezer bag Step 3. seal bag with air so casings can move around Step 4. roll bag around Step 5. empty bag onto a towel or old cookie sheet Step 6. resize John

Funny you should mention that,.. Wife graduates in Sept. the gear is out and I'm deciding on a celebration ale.. no known pathogens can survive in beer so I would list it as an "essential skill" John

The best thing I can think of is this,.. Push yourself outside your comfort zone, under semi controlled circumstances.. build a fire with a magnesium stick( problem) for morning coffee (reward) some Saturday go walk in the woods and get "lost" in an area with roads on all 4 sides, track some deer... make a lean~to chop a thick branch with your knife... carefully or you might need that First Aid class.. add that to your list also get comfortable with doing something you may have to do someday before you need to do it... I will be on the river Kayaking tomorrow 36 degree water and a wind chill of 22-26 my "kit" will include several things, from my basic hunting kit to a few boxes of "therma care" heat wraps as back up in case it gets too cold.. is this survival training? not specifically,.. but it gets me out of my comfort zone of lounging on the couch on my day off..keeping me using my senses and skills to navigate ( again a controlled area, river) under conditions other than a July warm and sunny day...mental stress of cold,wind and the other kayaker relying on me... So it isn't a "Bug out scenario" but it will get me thinking in the survival mindset. and your mindset is important , if you don't practice it it atrophies just like any muscle.. John P.S. my Garmin ,cell phone and ID will be in the boat if it gets "really bad"

used to shoot with a guy who bought a Hardballer Longslide,.. he tried for 3 seasons to get through a match without a failure of some sort.. never happened. You shouldn't buy movie guns, we all agreed that if it wasn't for "Terminator" with Ahhh~Nalld making it look good AMT would have eaten every last one of them.. You can thank Ruger for killing them off, the AMT Lightnings, rifle and pistols, were OK but their 1911's were Bill R. got them on a patent infringement I understand... As Ae-35 pointed out they loved to gall, I think their metallurgy was off.. if they used a better alloy who knows?? John

OK,.. the scale is wayyy off.. lose the green primer flip tray and turn up the thumb wheel on the left side,..( white foot) on mine is about a thumb width ( 1 inch ) up from the bench (rough zero) next, remove the armature and check the beam for any goo,grit, or rust... and check the V balance points for any of the same.. reassemble and lightly press down on the pan and see if she comes back,..Also check the "copper" bar at the needle end of the beam to ensure clearance..get some known weight items, or check weights and find the difference.. The other thing that can happen is the pan counterweights under the screw beneath the pan can sometimes leave ( mystery like socks in the washer) .. if you carefully remove pan and armature you can remove the screw, do this in a small box as you should find small lead shot in there and it is easily lost, add the difference in shot to get ZERO with the check weights. I have done this with mine and recalibrated using the check weights and 2 other scales to verify, my scale was second hand and it was off, these things happen sometimes double check with the weights or another scale.. My money would be on the pivot points having friction due to long term storage...Hopefully a good cleaning will restore the workings,do not oil them, just get it as clean as can be If not then you can either,. 1. call RCBS and see if they will refurbish the scale 2. you mentioned a guy down the road, have him give a look see and maybe weigh some bullets in his scale then yours to figure the discrepancy..and adjust the pan hanger as noted above 3. Buy a new scale. the crimp on your ammo looks good but heavier than the factory round but this could be due to a different bullet. as long as you straight edge the casing and don't create a bulge near the end of the cartridge or leave a flare you should be OK try pressing the round into the edge of the table bullet first, it shouldn't push back into the case The seating die has a plug in it and it should match your projectile, the reason I bring this up is the loaded rounds have a bump on them and the last pic the slug is not bumped near the top, this is also a good reason to seat then crimp as a separate operation less bullet deformation I use a Taper Crimp on all my reloads, I can't tell you the last time I roll crimped which is what you have above, nor can I tell you which is better other than I can pull a roll crimped bullet easier than a taper crimped bullet in my inertia puller.. don't even think of trying to pull a 148gr. wadcutter it isn't going to happen.. Hope this helps, John

It will live as a handloaders pet,..I trim down .30-30 to make a hand gun case..no problems there... Just trim back .45ACP brass and load em.. small pistol or Large pistol primers is a moot point but..if its all you got and your a "GAPper" then you can still roll your own.. My Gold Cup will always be .45ACP and my other 1911 will always be 10mm but I can trim down the 10's to .40 S&W if it comes to it...for my glock 23 Since my crystal ball is in the shop,..who knows how long this GAP will last.. John

chamfering is only to remove burrs,from trimming or primer pockets that are crimped, as in military rounds..the only handgun brass I ever trim is for a match pistol where an uneven length gives different crimp tensions but for most handguns this is unnecessary Flourescents will be fine though some folks with electronic scales report them to cause errant readings due to some sort of electrical interference I have heard.. Usually loading blocks will come in a few sizes, just use one slightly larger than your casings so they don't stick in the block but are held well enough to not flop around while charging. dust cover,.. as long as you don't have cats etc. that may knock them around, but yes dust will affect the scales balance points and may cause errant readings keep the balance points clean and you will be fine.. it would be wise to invest in a set of "check weights" since this is an older scale to verify it is still accurate,important if you ever venture into "+P" or top end loading where you wouldn't want to overload causing dangerous pressure Any newer manual should be good I have a LEE and a Sierra manual Lyman is also good keep older manuals for reference, case measurements,design notes etc. but I use the newer for charge weight info For the most part handgun cases shouldn't need lube, unless you are resizing some range finds fired from a larger chambered gun ( again military casings mostly)or reforming a case into a different caliber ( advanced technique, you may never need to do.) Also keep a record of your choices of load combinations you would hate to get back from an awesome day at the range only to say to yourself " man I need to make more of those,... now what was it I used??" it will also help you weed out the loads that won't shoot straight in your particular firearms. I do this for most of my handguns and ALL of my rifles, record keeping is very important to optimize your shooting while weeding out the "ho-hum" from the "awesome" also label your boxes,bags or whatever you store your loaded ammo in so you can reference back to the book. DO NOT Trust your memory,.. was it 4.5 grains or 5.4 ? a 115 grain or a 158 grain bullet.. you could go from a nice load to a +p real quick if you get it wrong on a guess.. and that isn't a good surprise.. John

WELCOME TO TGO ! my 2 cents.... What I don't see in your setup : A. Loading block- to hold shell casings while charging them with powder. B. Overhead lighting- easier to look down into shell casings after charging to detect no or excessive powder levels both bad things to do C. Scale cover - I have a cover for my Ohaus but use a box to cover my RCBS back up scale and I set the scale at eye level basically on your upper shelf, easier for me to judge the charge accurately, taking it down and setting it up will not serve you set it up once and only take it down if you move.. I am glad to see dial calipers, a new up to date manual would be advised because powders have changed and some of the old data can be "hot" by todays standards As far as your press I will defer to those that run red presses,.. I use an old Lyman single stage and a Dillon As others have stated a 4 position is preferred as seating and crimping should be separate operations. Wipe off the WD-40 and lube the ram with some Breakfree or light oil WD-40,along with no real lubrication properties, will gum up and leave a varnish,..DO NOT get any lube of any kind on your priming arm you will load dud ammo.. Get good with pistol ammo then move to rifle if you desire, there are a few more steps..trimming,case lube etc. Enjoy ! ask any and as many questions as you like and above all be safe.. John

I have shot ZERO components but not their loaded ammo,.. the projectiles ( 148gr. HBWC ) were very accurate

Smith,. I also use GunSafe I like the layout.. DavidCBaker : it is something to do while not at the range,loading ammo on a Dillon,cleaning said firearms,or planning the next purchase.. However if you base any of the information on a next purchasing decision just to change these numbers,... then you would need counseling John

I'll play....OCD is a fun game..let's see.... Round Capacity: S&W 52-2(5) to Glock 23 (13 + 1) Weight, Loaded: Detective Special (21 oz) to S&W M19 PPC (3 Lbs.6oz) Measured Trigger Pull: IPSC racegun (2lb ) The Browning Medalist set to 2.5 Lbs.the S&W 586 double action just slides back until the stop approx 4 Lbs.DA Rifle the Marlin Ballard with Double Set triggers can be set to set and lift more than 45 Degrees to fire ,not bad for 125 years old.. Length of Barrel: Colt Det. Spl. (2.0") to Browing Medalist .22 (6.75") Width: 1911 (1.25") to Browning Medalist (3.0") John P.S. yes the Medalist is a big .22 but once you get to know it it shoots great

The only porting I ever saw work was on an 1100 built up by JP and their ports were back at about 18" they claim after that the pressures drop quick and limit portings effectiveness which coincides with the general belief that most shotgun and pistol propellants are done at 16" to 18" inches,.. the rest is sight radius and swing weight... looking for a link on JPs site they don't offer it anymore it seems... the 3-gunners do mostly it by tuning springs and gas ports internally Are we looking to reduce recoil or improve function? sometimes it is what it is... try finding a local hunter that has a ported choke it is a common thread pattern he will let you try and burn some ammo to see.. From Trulocks interchange chart: Mossberg: [EXCEPT 835 & 935, SA-20 and Silver/Onyx series] interchanges with Trulock's Win-Brn-Moss style. ( Winchester,Browning,Mossberg ) Trulock Chokes (interchange list)- choke tubes for mossberg, remington, winchester, beretta, benelli products, and other brands

heres my HD / Tacticool / Turkey gun Mossy 500 with dot,mesa tactical shellholder on ejection port side sidesaddle on the left side MESA adapterwith a 4 position stock with a Maverick 88 trigger housing which moves the safety to somewhere I can reach it..the tang safety also still works in case I go back to a conventional stock.. around the house 18" with a handguard (cause I can in Tenn.) and for turkey 28" with a ported turkey choke the tube acts like a sight (if I don't turn the dot on) and the dot is centered in the pattern,..house distances it is one small pattern though Around house...00 Buck in the gun and on the sidesaddle (12 shots) and 4 slugs on the eject port side. weighs about 9 lbs. Turkey season, I lose the sidesaddles,change the barrel and just fill the mag tube also take 1 step in on the stock, shorter LOP is better for sitting with the vest etc..

I used to use an old camera bag then I won a Waller at an Area Match back in ...''92" here's pics as I hear Waller isn't making bags anymore,... mine is red http://www.m1911.org/prodte37.htm a review by someone over at m1911.org and it holds a TON of shooting gear..Damn shame Waller stopped making them they are an amazing bag.. My Bullseye guns got to the range in a custom gun box built by a retired cabinetmaker who I used to shoot with,.. reminds me I need to stitch up a cover for it.. 19 years and no cover,..now that is procrastination... John

Depending on the loading the .44 can have 3-4 times the muzzle energy of a .45 230 Speer Lawman @830 fps. 352 ft.lbs. for the .45ACP 240 JHP @ @ 1500fps. 1200 ft.lbs. in the .44 this was closest bullet weight I could find to give not quite "apples to apples" but close to show how different these 2 are... John

an old Gerber Mk1 -collection USAF Pilots knife - huntng gear Cattaraugus sheath knife -collection Emerson CQC-7 - EDC (not Benchmade) several small folders - random places around house Schrade keyring knife - EDC keyring,where else? Gerber white river shorty - kayak life vest

You don't have to rack the slide fully to reset the striker, you could call it "press check practice" if you are a fan of the press-check school "As you practice, so shall you fight.." goes back to roman times and it is true the practice mindset is important,as is the practicing of mindset. Since the most important shots in any shooting evolution (matches or "out there" ) are the first ones that strike the target I mostly dry fire as one smooth draw and shot then reset and reholster the firearm and do it again, starting off almost "tai chi" slow and as the movement is refined,speed up to a workable skill.. Back when I was active in IPSC the best gain I had to my scores and winnng the man on man shootoffs was practicing the draw first shot drill,. you can't be successful if you draw and dump rounds downrange then setup to fire accurately on your followup shot, only hits count,on the range or on the street..every miss gives up time to your opponent, time you won't be able to afford to give A lot of folks will practice the shot to shot, referred to multiple dry fire in the video, after the draw or reload this is good to practice multiple target engagement but what shaves time is a smooth strong draw and accurate first shot or smooth reload and first shot following said reload or malfunction resolution. Ask yourself or any LEO,or check FBI stats how many times a multiple assailant situation actually occurs, good for hollywood but reality shows most are one on one or 2 on 1 any more than that and you probably shouldn't have been where you were when that went down..6 on 1 for a civilian is very rare... John

Might try the reloading section over at snipers hide . com / forum John might be easier with this specialized search engine.. http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=010955838166721108978%3Aqcbx5qqy10o&hl=en it will search just that site for whatever you put in as a search...

Canebreaker.... Powder Burn Rates for burn rates..had it bookmarked so it saves a search... 5.7 of 231 with a 200 gr H&G 68 LSWC was a load I used for a long time in my .45 referred as the "Mickey Fowler" Load by some folks... Backed down to 5.2 for my brother to shoot Bullseye matches at Perry still reliable and accurate. 4.3 Bullseye powder was also tried but he liked the recoil of the 231 better and it was a tad cleaner.. Still playing with .380 loadings.... John

Sometimes you will be ok sometimes it is disasterous.. A .308 fired in a .30-06 looks like a straight walled 45-70 with the -06 head basically the .308 ends where the '06s shoulder begins and the round will impact lower on the target the NRA did a whole article on this problem back in the 70's or '80s 38-55 is the same as a .375 Winchester DO NOT let that happen...the .375WIN will take the old .38-55 apart .40S&W can be fired in a 10mm much like a .38/.357 situation but I prefer proper cal. ammo I am thinking a .45GAP could go thru a .45ACP gun no problem either since most autos the extractor holds the case against the breech face..for those about to shout "they headspace on the case mouth" .. see the original posted pics above, the extractor made that possible not the case mouth..and the shorter cartridges mentioned have less or similar pressure. Not something to be made a habit of.... I saw a shooter put a .38 Super magazine in his .45 (his excuse the guns looked the same) fired 1 round and stopped ... casing looked like pics at beginning of post..all was well and we all had a good laugh that day. John

Actually there is a kernel of truth to my post.. Once,back in the 80's I think I read, at an IPSC national Even Jerry Barnhart used the magnets when the course of fire stated "no mag pouches to be used during this course..." 2 mags of .38 Super will hold if the magnet is strong enough.. I am unsure if Jerry did any "tactical-rolls" though.. Damn,.. Hogue makes one... they call it a "POWERSPEED" The "Mag-Choke System" is total I will admit... but as you said... John

I have found that a 3" round "rare earth" magnet in your pocket will hold your service pistol well even if the frame is polymer (slides is still steel) high tech,low-drag though retention against your perp is a bit difficult.. another magnet will hold 2 mags unless they don't have a steel body or liner... I have been using the rare earth magnets along the barrel of my over/under duck gun as it magnetizes the shot as it travels down the barrel and it helps with a denser more uniform pattern downrange as the magnetism keeps the steel shot closer together longer and you can hold the extra 2 shells on the side of the gun for a quick reload as these magnets work on both sides...and also proves to Mr. TWRA that you are legal with steel..

Pistol grip stock, no problem.. As in just a pistol grip like a mossberg persuader without the shoulder stock,.. No the bolt has a tail and spring assembly that travels in the buttstock..Parts 3,5,7 and 61 in this diagram.. http://www.urban-armory.com/cart/blueprints/reming_1100.gif John

Unless it is documented, like a match rifle or a Benchrest or Bullseye gun I don't put much faith in round count..even then it is still in my mind an estimate.. I usually class the guns in 3 categories Lightly Used ,. LNIB not a lot of handling marks sliderails,throat,breechface etc. lightly marked ie: collector pieces, specialty guns, new one not yet to the range enough Moderate use, external wear perhaps some old fouling that just won't come off ( like the S&W cylinder flutes) ie: the tried and true S&W M 10-6 or M-586DA in my top shelf of the safe I have used to bring new shooters into the sport with Heavy use, battering on autos and flame cut on revolver top straps finish heavily worn (PPC and IPSC guns) To have a specific count is hard as memories fade and "that day you wanted to forget" you forgot or a practice session ..oh, and the time your brother/son took it out while you were away somewhere.....(I don't care what he said I neck size my rifle brass and 1/3 of those .303 rounds don't feed at all anymore ..) The only one I have that I can say with at most 90% certainty is my M52-2 and that is still an estimate 1900-2000 rnds. I would hope an auction would use this simply to convey it isn't some shot out old hag you are buying but in reality most are shops who got it from somebody in on a trade or sale and are selling it so who really knows its history ? A private purchase where someone as above posts mention may very well know the number of boxes etc. But I agree it does seem to become a stand by line in most sales transactions...and I don't buy it.. John

Stoeger Condor O/U with Carlson choke tubes 3" Hevi-Metal 1 1/4 oz. of #3 shot Not sure what hunting buddy was using in his 3 1/2" Mossberg but he got one too.. all were pass shot at about 20 yds. and fell like rocks.