Mark@Sea

Molds - try Track of the Wolf, for starters. Lee molds, I am told, are good but fragile. They have the advantage of not leaving a sprue in the casting. Best source for casting info is a board called Cast Boolits.

You didn't hear about the Atlanta PD returning all their pistols to glock, did you? UV damage, I think it was. Shoulda used sunblock, I guess. Kind of disconcerting to have your pistol crumble on you, I should think. Not that I'm trying to knock anybody, but at one point I was shooting about 2000 rounds a month, for a couple years running. The pistol never missed a lick, looks and shoots the same now, nearly 20 years later, and I'd bet the trade in value is higher than a glock. Don't think of that as a downside to the glock, think of it as an upside to the 1911.

Bore butter is a non-petroleum based lubricant. You can find a recipe on the net, actually, and make it yourself. It seasons the metal - sort of like an iron frying pan.

Glocks are pistols designed to the lowest common denominator. If that suits you, well and good. As for the rifling, it may be that you're a presidents' 100 level competitor, and can shoot well enough to determine the inherent differences. Hey, you meet all kinds on the internet. I bow to your superiour, ummm, intellect. The question posed was what downsides are there to owning a glock. My response fit the question.

Hey, Guys, why so defensive? Did I hit a nerve or something? Look, glocks are made of plastic. Sooper dooper secret formula maybe, but plastic. As such, they are susceptible to many forms of damage that the steel 1911 isn't. Show me the pistol you are bragging on today twenty years from now, I will cheerfully salt and eat my words. I have yet to find the venue where Glocks are outpricing historically significant 1911's. I don't expect this to change in 60 years, or even next week. Not to say you are wrong, but if you'd share this information I (and my banker) would be grateful. Personally, I see no need to alter the 1911. JMB was a better gun designer than I'll ever be, and the original design suits just fine. If I thought I was gonna need it, I'd choose a SIG, a 1911, or even (heaven help us) a Beretta - a pistol I despise - before I'd pick a glock. I don't like the feel of the grip. I don't like the angle of the grip. I don't like the safety system, the trigger itself falls far short of what I'd consider acceptable. Your mileage, of course, may vary. This opinion may make me a fool... but if so, a fool I'll gladly be - and in my opinion, a better armed fool than some.

He told me he ships priority mail - so from there, figure 4 or 5 days tops. Probably 3. Supplies - .454 balls, but .457 are better if you can find them. When you press the ball into the cylinder it should shave a ring of lead from the ball. Either size ends up the same, of course, but the larger ball will give you more bearing surface on the rifling, which will improve accuracy somewhat. If it doesn't shave that tiny ring of lead, get a bigger size asap, and for heavens sake, use a wad and cover the ball with crisco, to boot. Chain fires are not fun. A powder flask, or at the least a powder measure. Consistency is the key to accuracy, and more powder does not necessarily correspond to more accuracy. Expect to play with charges until you find the most accurate, but it'll likely be in the neighborhood of 22 to 25 grains of fffg. Wads. Oxyoke wonder wads, already lubricated. Do yourself a HUGE favor and buy some for .44 Powder. You may not be able to find the black, may have to use triple seven or pyrodex, but goex is your first choice. 3Fg. A pound is gonna go a long, long, long long, long way. Caps... What works for one guy, or gun, may not be the ideal choice for another. I'm using CCI #11's at the moment, your mileage may vary. Get a tin of #10's and one of #11's, see which works the best for you. By that I mean consistent ignition, and the fired cap stays on the nipple, most of the time. Black powder solvent. Either that or prepare to spend a lot of time with hot, soapy water. Iossol bore cleaner. First thing you wanna do is either use a jag, or a .42 dowel, and take a good quality cleaning patch. Work the Iossol into it. Now run it through your new barrel a few times. Do this about a dozen times. You should feel resistance decrease significantly about halfway through. What you are doing is putting a final polish on the barrel, and it'll pay dividends in accuracy, reduced fouling, and ease of cleaning. Bore butter. Coat the barrel and cylinder, inside and out, with a thick layer. Now put them in an oven, heat to say 125 for an hour or two. Wipe and clean with (non-petroleum based) black powder solvent. Optional items - a capper, maybe. A nipple wrench. A bag of some sort, for the balls. All I can think of right off hand, anyone else?

You are planning on wearing something besides the shoulder holster, right? Like, say, pants, shirt, etcetera? I have to say, seeing some guy streaking in nothing but a shoulder holster would freak me out too. Hehehehe.... sorry. Couldn't resist a cheap shot. Seriously, you wear yours, I'll wear mine, then we can pick on everybody else. (now hide and watch, everybody will show up with one) We might be able to swap a bit of ammo, I have a little 45 left, I think. Not sure about 303, would have to check. How about 308? I have quite a bit of that I could blow off.

RE my last post - I hope I didn't come across as too enthusiastic about the kit guns. They are enjoyable, in much the same way that a migraine can be - you feel so good when it's over.....

XD, the kits present a host of challenges - you can read that as "a real PITA". Be prepared to spend a lot of time polishing a really flat finish out of something that isn't all that flat. Then there are the joys of bluing - which for most of us means cold-bluing. This means a smelly mess that you're gonna put on, and polish, strip off and re-do until you get a uniform color that sort of approximates blue, in a bad light. From a distance. On the bright side, a great way to find the places you didn't polish is to get a perfect cold-blue everywhere else. I promise, it'll happen at least once. But hey, once you've filed, sanded, and polished to perfection, then gotten a beautiful bluing job involving no less than 3 different brands of instant blue kits at an average cost of $15 each, plus shipping, you will be presented with the invaluable opportunity to learn how to assemble and time the colt action. This is a real and almost-unknown skill, and is sure to come in handy again, if you live long enough. Be prepared to purchase spare parts - Aw, just skip the suspense and go ahead and have them on hand. If you are referring to the already built item, Traditions now imports their firearms from a company called Ardessa (spanish). I've never seen or fired one, you might be able to find some info at one of the BP specific websites. It is hard to go wrong at that price, though. Just from looking at it, the only thing specific that comes to mind is that the grips are obviously 2 piece, and appear to be very dark. It doesn't have the annoying protruding screws or cuts in the shield for a stock. Other than that, all I can tell you is that his price for the 1862 pocket police is the second-lowest I've found on the net (I found the lowest an hour after placing my order, of course), and his shipping is very reasonable.

Mike, I want you to know, I blame you entirely. I hadn't messed with BP for years before you went and posted about it.... Look what I went and done.... And if I'd had the cash, I'dve gotten the 1849 pocket... Geez, Sue is gonna kill me. By the way, Red Bear Trading has some decent prices too.... http://www.redbearhunting.com/shopping.asp?SubCategoryID=240

65 years ago, a young man in Europe was issued a Remington Rand. Two months ago I became its' custodian. 65 years from now, God willing, someone else will be caring for it. 65 years from now, that Glock will be landfill.

Clayton, I'm gonna steal your idea.

Colt, If you will PM me your phone number, I can steer you straight. As for caliber, if you can tote it, you can shoot it, I suppose. The 'range' has a 100 yard lane and several pistol lanes. Guessing you are in or near Kingsport... welcome to the area.

Hold the phone, XD. PM sent on what may be a good deal...

XD, I just spoke to Sue - she doesn't mind if I sell that one, as long as I replace it with another for the shadow box. I expect that the shadow box would be a great place for my WWII issue 1911, so I am pm'ing you an offer.

Invade? No. Just seal the border.

Tim, Yes, I did - thank you again. I posted that in the other thread (1861 revolvers), sorry. Should have posted in this one. Mark

Mike, and everyone else - tents/campers welcome. Plenty of room here and there, as the range area is about 1/6th of the property. Please call ahead of time and let Sue know you are coming. Just trust me on this As it happens, I had a pound of pyrodex tucked away, if anyone runs short, that I won't be using, since I found Goex. Sounds like Marswolf has a smokepole of his own, I have the 5 pistols, rifle, and cannon, so with what you bring, Mike, I am sure we'll have plenty on hand. Don't worry, Cody, it's only a baby cannon.

I may be able to make it. I have a vehicle, it is just an 8 hour drive. Leave here Friday about 5... Leave Tennessee Sunday about noon... Made it down to the range this weekend to sight in Sue's new tang sight. Grass is a little long, I will try to get it weed et beforehand. Looks like someone else was using the range, too - they left a bit of a mess, but no big deal. Scratch one target frame, though. Guess the focus of the shoot will be black powder, intro to. If I make it I have a couple revolvers for folks to try. Couple flintlocks as well, and a percussion rifle, if I can find balls for it. Hmmm... Contest... How about something simple - say one shot each, closest to bull wins? I'll have to charge a buck or two to cover the cost of the cannon balls, though, and it'll really be one shot, as I don't have many on hand. Prize for this I have no idea. Anyone cares to donate a prize, that'd work for me. I've already picked up the 'door prize' - a new range bag. Tower, you gonna make it?

Hi folks, sorry for the late post. I just got back to the hotel (Norfolk). Hopefully home again in July. XD, I don't know the make. My wife has it in a shadowbox in the guest bedroom. That may make it off limits, I'm afraid. She gets kinda funny about the ones she likes. Sometimes she still lets me shoot them... If she doesn't care (let me check first) I'd say somewhere in the neighborhood of 150. I will also keep looking on the net for something else - I like the Colts, they just look classier. The prices at that store down by greenville beat 'net prices, they carry the black, and it is a neat place. Any chance you can make it there on the weekend? In fact, any chance you can make it to a shoot in Kingsport? About a 4 hour ride for you, I think. If you can, post ahead of time. I'm sure Mike can bring his out to introduce you to the black. Meanwhile, I will check the pawnshops here in Norfolk on my free saturdays (every other week while in the yards). The cannon is small. Not tiny, but small. Shoots a .690 ball ahead of 80 grains of Fg. For such a small tube, it is an overachiever... In other news, I made and replaced the firing pin on Sue's circa 1910 S&W .32 lemon squeezer, and put a scope on the AR while I was home. Also mounted the tang sights on Sue's '92 and my Henry 22. Word of advice - go with the Marbles, it is better made. 5 comes early, I am calling it a night...

Mike, Track of the wolf sells measuring spouts for flasks, I ordered you a 20 grainer. Got me one, too, and a 30 for my flinters (both 50 cal), and a 65 for the cannon. That is 20 grains short of max charge, but I don't think I will care too much. The cannon balls came in today. Massive.

Glad it helped. I use it to clean new barrels, it seems to help. Enjoy your smokepole!

Updates: The marbles sight is easy to install... especially with a drill press. That brass frame gun is a remington, so not what you're looking for, XD. On the road in the morning, back to the boat. Well, it was fun while it lasted....

Including excise tax, sales tax, enviro impact taxes, petroleum tax, etc. Tennessee's total gas tax per gallon is just over 39 cents. The general assembly just passed a law that said that if federal tax on gasoline is lowered, the state tax will be raised an equal amount. A federal gas tax holiday may sound nice, but it wouldn't do us a bit of good anyway.

What a day! Found that shop, picked up some powder and a steel frame 1860 .44 he had for $185 - XD, this makes my brass-frame 44 surplus, so if you want to make an offer, I'm open to it. Saw an 1849, and I want one. Also, picked up my Remington Rand 1911 today. All in all, a good day.