stumpy

The first 22 revolver I owned was a Ruger Bearcat. That was somewhere in the early 1960's. It was a fine little revolver but very small. Then in the late 1960's I came into a Single Six Convertible with both cylinders and fixed sights (the Super Single Six had the adjustable sights). Can't remember how, but I sold or traded off both of these fine revolvers. Now I have only their memory and seller's remourse. Stumpy

Modest wear on the ramp or pin from being used. any modification to the ramp by a previous owner, or age allowing the ramp spring to relax can cause poor feeding.  This is not guaranteed, but likely your problem.  A few years back I replaced these parts in a "340" series (one of the variations of your rifle) and this sway restored feed-up from the magazine to chamber.  Numrich still advertises these parts as available, and even if they are used they may correct your feeding issue.  You should be able to buy the ramp, spring and pin (you do want to replace all 3 parts) for less than $25 delivered to your address.   Stumpy

The "Ideal Conceal" is yet another instance of a manufacturer using current technology influenced by social trends to build a "visible but invisible". firearm.  Many different ideas for concealed carry are found every year at the SHOT Show.  I have attended the show a few times and have always been amazed at the "concept" firearms on display.  Some, like this one, are novel in their approach to concealment.  Another that I saw a few years ago was a single-shot 9mm firearm that was so small it made me wonder if the user could ever expect to hit a target that was farther away than breath-smelling distance.  It was designed for ultra deep operatives.  Some of the manufacturers will be taking orders and others are asking only for feedback on their product.  It is always fun watching the different vendors banter over who has the better mousetrap.   Stumpy.

All this chatter about buying jacketed and plated bullets at the going market prices gives me more satisfaction in using my own cast bullets (more commonly referred to as "boolits").  I may run low on stock occasionally, but have a real close association with the guy who makes them - me.  I started handloading in 1970, then casting in 1973.  At the present time I have about 170 different molds in both common and obsolete calibers and configurations.  The only down side to casting is the national purge against lead, but it is still available if one knows where to look.   Stumpy

All this chatter about loading for the 410 has started me scratching my head and saying "what if"....  Factory 410 shells carry either 1/2 ounce or 7/16 ounce shot loads.  The 2 1/2 inch cases measure the same diameter and length as 444 Marlin brass.  The only difference between the Marlin case and 44 Magnum  (and 44 Special) brass is their length.  What If:  I had Speer shot cups for the 44 Mag / Spl cases, a small supply of revolver brass, and shot to load into the capsules.  Hmmmmmm.    I searched my components bin but did not feel like opening every container looking for shot capsules.  I did, however, find the next closest thing - a box of Speer shot capsules for 45 Colt.  I took one of these, loaded it with #9 shot and weighed the total, then deducted for the weight of the capsule and plug.  Turns out the shot charge is 3/8 ounce.  This is a modest load weight, but for tree rats it should get the job done.  If the shooter happens to load either of the revolver loads, and can get shot capsules, it's a doable project.  This is the lesson I bring to new, aspiring handloaders - versatility, economy, convenience, etc. etc.  All this reminds me of an old time saying:   Make it work. Wear it out. Make it do, or Do without.   Enjoy your project.   Stumpy

On the topic of over-shot cards, if you will need only a few you can easily make your own.  Obtain a few 44 Special or 44 Magnum empty cases and chamfer the case mouth both inside and outside.  Get it as sharp as possible.  Find a piece of a 2X4 board, set it on your work bench, place your shot card material on the board and hammer the case mouth into the material.  Push one side of the card until it moves in the case, remove it with tweezers or a similar tool.  Not much to it.  Also, I use the Elmer's glue method that Westwindmike spoke about.  Works like a champ.   Stumpy

Handloading is like a lot of other ventures.  The start-up costs can bite, but after that the routine expenses can be very profitable.  My experience with 410 ammo involves a single shot toy with a 2 1/2" chamber.  I use 444 Marlin brass, specifically selected shot cups, over-shot cards, and get perfectly satisfactory loads for this small shotgun.  Makes one think about the solid brass black powder shotshell cases from many years ago.  Cases last forever due to the low pressure of the loads, but buying brass cases is not easy.  They are not cheap at all, if one can find them.  I happened to already have several to feed my lever rifle.  Lee used to sell their "hammer it together" kit for the 410, but now it is discontinued and expensive when found.  There are many options and possibilities, just explore the options.   Stumpy

I bought an RCBS mold several years ago.  Castings are air cooled wheel weights, sized .360", LAR's Carnuba Red lube.  Best groups arrived with 3031 powder, cast bullet groups rival jacketed bullet groups.  My tired old eyes benefit from a steel tube Weaver 4X scope with the heavy post,  just the ticket for a classic rifle firing a classic cartridge.  Haven't heard many reports about the Lee mold and but it looks good, as long as you can get it up to .360" as-cast to fill up your bore.  Marlin lever rifles are known to require a fatter bullet to generate tight groups.  Congrats on your finding a dandy for woods loafing, you should love it.   Stumpy

I had always wondered about the difference in group capability of the ammo created by weighing every powder charge v. throwing the charges from a measure such as the Lyman 55 or RCBS Uniflow.  Several months ago I saw an article in either Handloader or Rifle magazine where the author addressed this very question.  He was an experienced shooter of note with credentials, just can't recall his name.  His test platform was a reliably tight grouping rifle in a standard caliber, not a bench rest rig with an experimental caliber.  To cut to the chase, the ammo he assembled by "throwing" the charges through a measure grouped slightly tighter than those that were weighed.  Strange, but true.  One time luck?  Can't say.  For all so many years I have insisted on weighing every single charge I placed in a rifle case.  Will continue doing that with the really large extruded (stick) powders, but when charging ball or short stick powders for recreational purposes my work day has suddenly gotten simpler.  Of course none of these will be maximum level loads, just the every day fun loads that make me smile.  Your mileage may vary, but I found the article beneficial.   Stumpy

RED333 gave the answer I have used in the past.  The last rifle I used this technique on was especially pesky.  On the first effort the bullet moved up the barrel from the flash hole a few inches .  This left more than enough room to slip powder behind it.  However, the flash hole would grab the powder and plug closed when I tried to fill it.  After several failed attempts I finally got enough powder in the chamber to result in a hang-fire effect:  "Pop" of the cap............wait for it............wait some more.........."WHOOSH" of the powder and then the "WHAP" of the ball hitting a cardboard target downrange (rather close on an indoor pistol range).  All that was required after that was routine cleaning of the bore and all was well.   Stumpy

Today I will be shipping a Ranch Hand back to Rossi (Taurus) for repairs.  The firearm cycles correctly with 357 ammo, but NOT with 38's.  When the lever is moved fully forward to start the loading cycle (from magazine to carrier), TWO (2) 38 Special rounds are released from the magazine.  This immediately ties up the action.  The firearm came to us loaded and with the lever forward, bolt to the rear.  I removed the magazine plug, spring and follower, then all ammo from the firearm.  (I still have trouble referring to the Ranch Hand as a "pistol".)  A quick call to Rossi and they agreed to repair the pistol.  This is the only time I have found issues with the Rossi '92 clone.   I own a very early Rossi '92 (38/357) with the short Trapper length barrel.  It has never given me any problems other than begging to go back to the range or field for more fun.   Stumpy

A few months ago a customer came to us with a Sig P232 (380) that had a defective take-down latch.  I contacted Sig and they asked us to ship the pistol to them.  They did not ask if the owner was the original owner, if there was a warranty registration on file, or any other qualifying questions.  About a month after sending out this pistol it came back with a new take-down latch installed.  The owner paid only the shipping costs to the repair station.  Sig paid for the parts, labor and return shipping.  Very happy experience for the owner.   Beretta, on the other hand, has been resistant to assist or cooperate with our service requests for a long time.  They do accept service requests, but make the caller feel like they (Beretta) are going out of their way to grant you an exception, IF they do accept the project.  My impression is that they concern themselves only with selling new products and then leave the owner to their own devices when problems arrive.   Stumpy

I was at the NRA convention in Nashville and stopped at the Hodgdon booth.  Got to carry off a couple of their newest reloading manuals and had a few minutes of discussion about the scarcity of powders with their rep.  He claimed they were working to make more product available to the public but demand has more than passed their ability to produce.  That still does not answer the almost nationwide shortages.  As for HP-38 / WW-231, he stated they do intend to reduce their production and eventually replace it with Titegroup.  If a factory rep claims this is what is coming, there is little we as consumers can do about it other than making calls and letters begging them to continue their production of a favorite product.  Probably my reason for using so much HP-38 is it's versatility.  It performs well over a multitude of calibers within it's burn speed and pressure limits.  Titegroup does not appear to have this flexibility and would push me to other products, probably to another manufacturer.     Stumpy

Very recently I had the opportunity to fire a High Standard of that same action / barrel length / grip frame configuration.  Resting on a bench, all shots hit the target 12-14 inches high from 10 yards away.  This was the only time I have fired one of these short barrel model HS revolvers so I can't claim if this is routine or a fluke.  If you are wanting to keep this firearm for it's family history, point of aim v. point of impact means nothing.  If you are interested in hitting what you need to hit, that will require more than a bit of Kentucky elevation.  Why not take it out for a test drive to see how it performs.  The results could help with your final decision about purchasing this one.   Stumpy

And speaking of the Sig 1911-22, I saw one recently that had issues.  The owner had bought it new and had pushed about 500 rounds through it.  He then decided to take it apart for cleaning.  He followed the maker's disassembly instructions until he got to the "barrel locking screw" which is the last element to be removed in order to strip the slide from the frame.  This is a threaded screw with hex head (the factory supplies an allen wrench for this chore).  The screw has common right-hand threads.  The owner inserted the wrench into the screw and got about 1/2 turn when the head separated from the screw body.  It was his guess the screw was heavily torqued on initial installation.  He contacted Sig and they asked to have the pistol returned to him, sent him a call tag and apologies for the problem.  Even the quality makers can have the occasional FUBAR.   Stumpy

About 5 years ago when middle TN flooded I made a trip to my hunting camp in Perry County.  Ground dwellers were all over the place as their homes were flooded.  For every possum or skunk or other vermin we saw there were 10 'dillos.  Some were live, other were road kill, but they were all over Perry Co.  The friend with me insisted on bringing back a young one that was road-kill with minimal damage.  He has young daughters and planned to tell them it was a baby dinosaur!  Hope his wife appreciated the line.   Stumpy

The firearms industry continues to grow and advance in knowledge, specifically as in the methods used to determine chamber pressure of fired ammunition.  For this reason I always defer my loading techniques to the most recently published data from  known, reliable sources.  I also promote this concept to new handloaders and explain the basis for the recommendation.  I usually punctuate the discussion with this thought:  If you use older data that now has been found to be excessive for your firearm and caliber, your firearm could become a grenade when fired.  If it does, just WHO is going to be holding onto that firearm when it turns loose???"  This always gets folks attention.   Stumpy

Autos demand a minimum pressure level to cycle and reload from shot to shot.  This means there are few "low(er) recoil" rounds in a given caliber other than to move to a lighter bullet.   Revolvers, on the other hand, can be loaded anywhere from mild to wild, based on the user's competence.  They cycle by the shooter's hand and are content to simply get the projectile out of the barrel.  Revolvers will function with any weight of bullet where the diameter is appropriate for the bore dimensions.  The 38 Special can be loaded with bullets as light as 75 grains (Lyman wadcutter) up to over 200 grains (many selections, variables are cylinder length and loaded round length.  Revolvers will fire and cycle with shotshell loads, duplex (more than one bullet in the case) loads (ie, a pair of 75 grain WC bullets in a single 38 Spl. case), cast or jacketed bullets, and the list goes on.  Ammo can be crafted for a revolver with fixed sights such that the bullet will routinely "shoot to the sights" by varying the bullet weight and/or velocity.  There is much fun to be had with revolver loads, even being able to instantly recover one's fired brass rather than having to send out the search party looking for auto brass.  As with all handloading ventures, employ safety with your load development and enjoy the ride.   Stumpy

Any time the "price" question comes up I check the market on Gunbroker for a quick starting point.  That gives me a reference point to start any negotiations.  It also provides detail about the availability of the item in question.  Location is yet another variable in this equation.     Stumpy

I was at the NRA Conference and made it a point to get by the Remington booth just to see the Marlin line-up.  The usual assortment of 336, 1895, etc were on display.  I asked the rep if they were going to produce any of the smaller caliber 1894s this year, and suggested 32 H&R, 218 Bee etc.  His canned answer was "I don't know" which is industry speak for "no".  (Quick note - when a rep says anything other than "yes"  the real answer is "no" regardless of how it is phrased.)  After a short discussion I looked at a few Marlin lever guns.  The metal finish color is a dark, shiny blue.  There was so much shine that they almost had the appearance of the older "black chrome" finish.   The receiver sides of the lever rifles appeared to have been finish sanded with a coarse grade of sandpaper immediate before the color was applied.  Multiple scars and tracks from the "polishing" process made the flats appear to be a poorly done re-finish.  I was greatly saddened by the overall appearance of this work.  This made me return the rifles to their racks - did not take the time to evaluate the wood-to-metal union or check the actions to be rough or smooth.  This poor finishing was on the great majority of their lever rifles.  Sad, hate to see what used to be an industry standard become the industry joke, but there it is.  Hope they can correct this at some time, the sooner the better.

I know an older fellow who has two of the P238 pistols.  He had the same problem with both - feeding and ejection.  After being unable to get these pistols to behave he returned them to Sig for inspection or correction as needed.  Both came back with a list of the parts the factory exchanged.  Despite all this he continued to have the same problems with both of them.  I suggested his grip strength could be the problem.  He handed off both pistols and a full box of ammo for each to me, then waited while I enjoyed some time with them.  After 50 rounds through each, and zero malfunctions, he realized he would have to "man up" in order to get them to work for him.  These are very fine firearms, well designed and built.  In spite of this they do require the user to hang on tightly to make them function.

All this sounds familiar.  Several years ago I worked with a guy who was always finding something "new to him".  Fortunately the "new" would wear off in about 3-4 months and he would get the itch for something else.  When he was in these moods I was always ready to take his cast-off toy home with me.  Got several nice toys from him that I still have.  

After sizing the brass I wipe it down with a t-shirt to remove the bulk of the lube, also for a second opportunity to catch any irregularities with any of the cases.  I would be looking for split necks, irregular folds in the case, dents, or anything else that would convince me to discard the case.  The good cases go into the vibrator for a final polish.  This helps remove any residual lube (should be very little) and to provide a more smooth surface to promote function.  As for the final shine, that is cosmetics only but no complaints here.  I have found the RCBS lube goes on easy (and like Brylcreme, a little dab will do ya) and comes off easy, do recommend it highly since you are using a pad.   Stumpy

Don't hold me to a promise to the following story as I saw it in a presentation a while back and will try to repeat it accurately.  Kyle's long shot was described as a challenge between his knowing the maximum range of the cartridge he was using v. the actual distance to his target (probably laser measured).  His target was just outside of the maximum range he could expect from his rifle, but not terribly distant away.  He needed just a little more distance capability to have the target in play.  To stretch his range potential, he laid several cartridges out in the sun to heat up.  He remembered hearing that dangerous game hunters in tropical regions would "bake" their rounds like this to increase the chamber pressure and thus the muzzle velocity.  By heating up the cartridges he fabricated "proof rounds" for his use and pushed the limits of both the cartridge and his own safety in doing so.  Apparently it worked and he connected with the target.  There was also information about the amount of "hold over" he used with the scope, but I can't recall those points at this time.  The results of his shot will be legend for a long time and well deserved.   Stumpy

IIRC, about a year ago +/- there was an announcement that Remington was building a completely new facility just for the production of ammo.  Think it was in NC.  Really would be nice to hear progress on that build, also a date when products will begin to ship.  Yes, I know we have heard lots of complaints about their rimfire ammo.  I saw a friend (trying to) fire Remington rimfire last week and one round refused to light up even when struck at three (3) different locations on the rim in a revolver.  This sounds like more than a light dose of primer compound, more like none at all.  Hope they can improve their product quality control.  After all, a big order of unreliable ammo is the same as having none.   Stumpy