Veterans' Day 2011

Measuring reloading powders...

Over the years I've been reloading I've read a lot on the subject and heard many adherents of the hobby describe their favored techniques. However, until the internet I'd never heard some of the inane and ridiculous ideas that now, due to the pervasiveness of the digital word, have been widely spread. Subtract actual knowledge of the subject and a person can be truly confused. We get those in the gun shop every day. Yesterday I had one fellow walk in and ask for 2 lbs of "pistol powder". My attempt at a tactful interrogation designed to give him what he wanted that wouldn't result in a liability lawsuit for the store resulted in the realization by this fellow that he knew nothing about the subject.

While reloaders/handloaders will go on and on about various minutiae concerning the hobby the truth is that the one thing that gets more reloaders in trouble is the powder. It is critical that one use an appropriate powder for the cartridge and for the bullet you're going to be using in that cartridge and, in some cases (no pun intended), for the particular firearm in which the resulting cartridge is to be fired. Use the wrong powder or use the wrong amount of powder and you might have a "kaboom" resulting in the immediate and catastrophically spontaneous dis-assembly of the firearm. Using the correct amount of any given powder is critical and the subject upon which I'd like to pontificate today.

In the old days the dark lord of powders was the one and only BLACK POWDER, as it is known now. Back then it was simply "gun powder". It was corned and sorted by screens into various granulations or sizes. One had to use the correct granulation to get the best results but only in extreme circumstances would mis-measuring powder result in a "kaboom". Gun powder was measured by volume but often there was a concept, at the very least, of how much the nominal weight of that volume of powder was. We continue that today in using black powder and have formulated black powder substitutes with the goal of using them, volume for volume, interchangeably with black powder.

However, gun powder (as we knew it then) was messy and smoky. Smoky was bad because it gave your position away, bad because you couldn't see through the smoke it produced, and undesirable because these two attributes made it problematic for use in fully automatic arms (i.e. machineguns). Being the inventive people we are "smokeless" powders were invented. It was soon discovered that one couldn't handle these with the same cavalier attitude with which the "old-fashioned" black powder had been used. Misapplication of the early smokeless powders quickly showed that these powders could create pressures that could easily defeat their containers, i.e. firearms. One of the results of this was the promulgation of the common sense admonition to weigh smokeless powder charges.

Of course this would never do to support the necessarily high production levels of commercial and military ammunition production. Mass production demanded measuring powder by volume. The safeguards used were many (and yet they sometimes fail) but all involved extensive testing of each car load of powder and checking the volumetric measuring systems to ensure they inserted the correct amount of powder by weight. Since it was clear that with such safeguards volumetric measuring of some powders in some rounds/loads was acceptable over the years any number of volumetric measuring devices have been developed. However, reloaders using these measuring devices, be they dippers or what all, have always been cautioned to check that they are getting the correct weight. For that, one needs a scale.

However, the now widespread use of progressive loading machines, once priced out of reach of the average shooter, have made volumetric measuring of the charges for thousands of rounds without weight checking seemingly common. Because familiarity truly does breed contempt there are now reloaders who believe that they need only measure by volume and that at least some of the volumetric measuring systems are infallible. Some have taken to promulgating the idea that they can just chuck the scale in favor of one of these devices.

There are some problems with this idea.

- Powders change - over time powders change. They pick up moisture. They change at least in some small way from lot to lot.  They might even come from different production facilities.
- Adjustable volumetric measuring devices change - the effects of vibration/shock endured in use will cause the devices to go out of adjustment (so we check against the scales).  Powders have to flow consistently into the device to maintain consistent weights (which requires a certain level of skill by the user).  Changes in charges require comparison with a known quantity (a scale). 
- Non-adjustable volumetric measuring devices also require skill in use - to get consistent powder flow and fills of the non-adjustable devices also requires a certain skill level.  Further, since they aren't adjustable one is limited to certain charges.  For safety's sake these should be the minimum charge levels where both the highest and the lowest possible charge weights are proven to be safe.  This isn't possible with some powders.

The biggest problem is human nature.  I've seen it before.  The new reloader starts cautiously, carefully adhering to all warnings but then he wants more.  More power, more velocity and consequently closer to the edge of safety.  Does he stop and get a scale?  No.  Comfortable with the system and confident in his own ability to "read" or operate the device or he tries to do what is impossible with such methods, create precisely measured charges of powders at the edge of safe pressures.  Most often he blows a primer or creates another immediately recognizable sign of excessive pressures and re-examines his methodology.  Unfortunately, sometimes, he ignores the obvious signs he's exceeded safe parameters and drives on to destroy his firearm or worse. 

So, just as it has been for about 100 years, it is best to at least double check your powder measures with a scale.  Oh, and check the scale with a set of check weights. 

Notes from the gun shop...

I stewed quite a bit over whether or not to bother to write something about yesterday's stint in the gun shop. Clearly business is picking up most of it being for the now in progress early muzzleloading season. There were some gun sales and we did sell one Parker crossbow as a Christmas present. We didn't have a moment of free time in the morning but things slowed down a lot after 12:30. Still had customers, just didn't have to rush from one to the other. All this is very good. However, there is nothing truly interesting to report.

Had a couple of old friends from my National Guard service come in as well. That is also good. But, again, nothing really interesting.

PS - Today was election day. Grandpa and Nana vote EVERY election day. Now that the socialists have taken over the Democrat party we never vote for them, not even for dog catcher or city ditch inspector. Next year there will be another election. You don't need to wonder how we're going to vote.

Christian Science Monitor 2nd Amendment Quiz - My Results

Your results

Question	Your Response	Correct Answer	Score
Which right is protected by the Second Amendment?	Keep and bear arms	Keep and bear arms
Which is the correct text of the Second Amendment?	“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”	“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Constitutional scholars have long debated whether the Second Amendment protects the private possession of firearms or only the possession of firearms in the context of a well-regulated militia. The US Supreme Court examined the question in a 2008 case. What was the name of that landmark decision?	District of Columbia v. Heller	District of Columbia v. Heller
What issue was at stake in the 2008 Heller case?	All of the above.	All of the above.
What did the Supreme Court decide in the 2008 case?	Residents of a federal enclave, like Washington, D.C., have a constitutional right to possess handguns and other commonly available firearms for personal protection in their homes.	Residents of a federal enclave, like Washington, D.C., have a constitutional right to possess handguns and other commonly available firearms for personal protection in their homes.
Prior to 2008, the US Supreme Court last decided a case involving the Second Amendment in 1939. The case, US v. Miller, was a challenge to the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act of 1934. What did that federal law require?	Registration of machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and other “gangster weapons” carried across state lines.	Registration of machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and other “gangster weapons” carried across state lines.
What prompted Congress to pass the National Firearms Act of 1934?	The use of two Thompson submachine guns in Chicago’s 1929 St. Valentine’s Day massacre.	The use of two Thompson submachine guns in Chicago’s 1929 St. Valentine’s Day massacre.
In the 1939 case, US v. Miller, two men were caught with an unlicensed sawed-off, double-barrel shotgun that they had transported from Oklahoma to Arkansas. They claimed the federal license requirement violated their Second Amendment rights. What did the court decide?	A shotgun with a barrel of less than 18 inches lacks any reasonable relationship to a well regulated militia. Since the weapon would not be useful to a militia, it was beyond the protection of the Second Amendment.	A shotgun with a barrel of less than 18 inches lacks any reasonable relationship to a well regulated militia. Since the weapon would not be useful to a militia, it was beyond the protection of the Second Amendment.
In 2010, the Supreme Court took up another landmark Second Amendment case, McDonald v. Chicago. What was the issue the high court decided?	Whether the court’s 2008 ruling establishing a constitutional right to possess handguns in Washington, D.C., would also apply to all state and local governments across the country.	Whether the court’s 2008 ruling establishing a constitutional right to possess handguns in Washington, D.C., would also apply to all state and local governments across the country.
Does the Second Amendment guarantee a personal right to own assault rifles, machine guns, and perhaps even shoulder-fired missiles?	Yes.	Probably not.
In 1994, Congress passed a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons and large capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. How was Jared Loughner, the accused gunman in the shooting spree involving Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, able to purchase 30-round magazines for his pistol?	The 1994 federal assault weapons ban and restrictions on large capacity magazines expired in 2004 and have not been renewed by Congress.	The 1994 federal assault weapons ban and restrictions on large capacity magazines expired in 2004 and have not been renewed by Congress.
According to the National Rifle Association, how many privately-owned guns are currently in the United States?	More than 250 million	More than 250 million

Underhammer rifles

Muzzleloaders of course!  It now seems to be ancient history but about 1966 or so I remember seeing advertising for the Numrich Buggy Rifle (and other underhammers).  Of course it was pretty laudatory and I was pretty naive and so I was smitten.  We had friends who were muzzleloader shooters and had a small bore cap lock gun hanging on the wall behind their sofa.  I would sometimes just kneel in front of that rifle and stare at it.

Numrich Buggy Rifle caliber .45

Anyway, there is something rather enticing about the small buggy rifles.  They are short, light, slim and yet, given sufficient caliber,  potentially powerful.  The problem with the Numrich guns is that the quality might not be all that one would like and the supply of these has pretty much dried up.  There are many admirers of the simple action used and I think that John Taylor Machine will still make up an action.  The Pacific Rifle Company was making a large caliber rifle.  Blue Grouse and Deer Creek also made up similar rifles or rifles on the same actions.

These actions were very popular in the north-east US during the percussion period until about 1890 or so.  There was recently an exhibit of the Terry Tyler collection of Vermont made firearms at the Shelburne Museum which included a number of high quality underhammer firearms.  

Jonathan Arthur Ciener Arrested for Fraud

Jonathan Arthur Ciener

Jonathan Arthur Ciener was arrested and charged with "schemes to defraud less than $20,000", a third degree felony.  The Brevard County Florida Sheriff's office raided his business at 8700 Commerce Street, Cape Canaveral, Florida at 6:00 Pm on November 3, 2011.

The world's largest producer of .22 rimfire conversions for numerous firearms, Ciener is a well-known name in certain firearm circles.  I have to admit that this was the first I'd heard of questionable business activities by Mr. Ciener or his company.  Once I ran across the mention of his arrest I did a little searching and it wasn't hard to find numerous internet references to his activities and most weren't complimentary.  There is even a Do Not Buy Ciener .22R Conversions website.  I don't think I've seen an advocacy site working against any other company in the firearms business for other than political reasons (such as the Smith and Wesson boycott).  I think we'll just have to watch and see how this plays out.

New board/forum...

I'm going to try this once again.  I've started my own board.  Hobie's Corner isn't just for shooters.  I don't care what the subject might be.  There's a few rules.  Don't cuss.  Don't advocate violence.  No personal attacks. 

Kabooms and rumors of kabooms...

Yesterday I heard talk of a man at a local range who was shooting a .30-40 using "reloads" which "exploded" and injured the left side of his face so badly 911 was called.  That's it.  No mention of which rifle model or any other details.

Of course we'd like to know the details.  More than likely, since reloads were used, there was an error on the part of the person who made them.  Part of that error may have been in underestimating the strength of the firearm.  Most firearms chambered for this round, I think all but the Ruger #3 or #1s, are old guns, using old metallurgy.  Instead of using the least pressure load to duplicate the old factory stuff, there are those who want to maximize the round's/gun's performance.  They push pressures too high.  Even the U.S. military discovered that in trying to up the performance of the .30-40 round.  They had problems with the service rifles in which they used that "improved" ammunition and so they withdrew it and went another way in firearms development.

However, we have no idea exactly what happened and this is usually true in such cases.  Perhaps, sooner or later, the shooter will do a mea culpa in an on-line forum and post photos of his damaged/destroyed firearm and/or his wounds.  Maybe, he will have figured out what likely happened and admit to it.  Until he does we are left wondering and with a renewed commitment to safe and sane reloading practices.

Notes from the gun shop...

Quite busy today.  While we only did 5 transfers/background checks we really moved the muzzleloading stuff and accessories.  Answered lots of questions as well.   For those of you collecting Lee Loaders we got a bunch of old ones, new in box old stock.  .375 H&H, .244/6mm Remington, .264 Magnum and others.  We were so busy with customers (I love it as it makes the day fly by instead of dragging) that there was no time for small talk.  There weren't any unusual or interesting guns either.   That's how it goes sometimes.

Good morning white world...

I tried to take a panoramic view of the park across the street from the house.  I did it without a tripod and you can see that it isn't going to stitch together so well.  BUT, you should be able to see the "big" snow we got before Halloween this year.  Some people are really excited.

Last night we had our friends Steve and Barbara H_____ over with Barbara's daughter Beverly and her 11-year old son, Dante.  They live in Salisbury, North Carolina and don't see a lot of snow.  Dante was pretty excited by the early snow.  It is great to be able to play while the roads are still relatively warm and so clear of accumulation.

Nana is from Florida between Pensacola and Mobile, Alabama and like most people from that area she seldom saw any snow at all while growing up.  Consequently the "magic" of a snow fall is particularly strong for her.  It was for her dad as well.  Shorty and Mazie came up to visit one November and we had snow.  He had to get in his truck, drive across the street to the football field parking lot and spend some quality time "doing donuts" there.  He was 63 or so at the time.  I remember thinking, "is this why they say youth is wasted on the young?"  He had a great time.

As with most early snows, this one is pretty wet and the maples and some other broadleaf trees have yet to drop their leaves.  I just heard of one power outage, but such things are common in this circumstance. The northeast U.S.A. is supposed to get quite a bit more snow that we'll get here.

Yes, I would hunt in this weather but more so yesterday as the weather was coming in and the animals were out feeding in preparation for it.  Unfortunately, I'm working today.  Bother...

Squirrel hunting...

Took the Marlin Model 39A Mountie squirrel hunting today.  Had a run in with a good rain shower and it was quite windy.  Spotted one of the gray tree rats and tried to put the sneak on him.  Despite all my tricks he managed to stay out of harms way all the way to his nest and then he peeked out to watch me.  I was close enough but leaving him 20 feet up in the tree wasn't the goal.  I moved on.  Didn't spot any more of them. Time ran out and I went home.  Nana and I had a late lunch. 

Jamison International Kaput...

Old news by now but I had a thought that I better record it here, for posterity don't you know, that Jamison International, makers and purveyors of cartridge brass, common and rare, are closing the doors.  The last orders have presumably shipped, the fights for the assets have presumably begun and a new iteration will likely appear when markets permit.  They did well when the government took all they could produce but they ignored their private sector customers for the big government contracts and have little brand loyalty to fall back on.  I believe I do have some of their .45-75 brass.  It is supposed to be good, although mine has never been loaded.  Anyway, the company is now one for the history books and a future reloader's trivia question.

Squirrel hunting interruptus...

I had a couple of "chores" to do before heading off for fun and frolic with gun in pursuit of the "wiley" squirrel.  Without a care in the world, I walked out to my Ford F150 (late 2004), got in and started her up.  As I backed out I heard a fairly loud "click" and then a "whoooooosh" and then a "thunk".  At first, I thought I'd hit something in the parking area but couldn't remember seeing anything there as I walked up to the truck.  Then I noticed that the driver's side window was open.  Hoping against hope, I thought that perhaps I'd left the window open (but never do) and tried to roll it up.  No go.  Clearly the window regulator had failed.  Last February it was the passenger door regulator that failed.  So, I went and did my "chores" and then to the Ford dealer to drop off the truck and wait for a ride home.  No squirrel hunting today and likely not for tomorrow either!  At least it isn't raining.

Notes from the gun shop...

Boy, did business pick up yesterday!  Hardly a minute for even a bathroom break, we were kept hopping.  I like it.  Unfortunately, I think, we only did 8 background checks.  The sales were in all the other things mostly muzzle-loading and reloading stuff.  No neat or special guns although we did do a transfer on a Kel-Tec PMR30.  Boy, are the owners of these ecstatic about having them.  Also sold ammo to squirrel hunters (I'm going out today for some squirrel hunting fun).  Did help solve some "problems" and mount a couple of scopes. 

Rowing boats

My Grandmother Flint in Winona on Lake George ca. 1965

I like boats. I like the sound of the water slapping the hull. I like the sensation of floating. I like handling boats. I like old boats, too. I like lots of old things. One of the old boats I like is Winona. Winona now resides in the Mystic Seaport Museum but whether she's on display or simply whiling away her days in storage I don't know. Built by Jared Bartlett of Sabbath Day Point on Lake George in New York about 1900 or so, she's been rowed, sailed, and motored all around Lake George and on Barnegat Bay. I started my relationship with the boat in 1960 but she'd been with the family since she was built. Originally she was one of a pair, but where the other went I've not a clue.

On Barnegat Bay, summer 1960

My Grandmother, her sisters, their children and grandchildren (including yours truly) spent many hours learning about boats, themselves and life in general aboard this small wooden boat.  For years and years she was kept not one-half mile from where she was built.

It is now many years ago that my Grandmother and I shared rowing duties on Barnegat Bay but I still have some memories of the event.  I remember being placed in Winona and told where to sit, I remember Grandpa pushing us out into the bay for the photo (Mom took this picture) and I remember Grandmother Flint telling me that this was important.  I was the fifth generation to ride in Winona.  It was clear to me then that I was responsible for something, for preserving this whether it was the traditions or the boat itself but I knew that this was a big deal.  That I took my first rowing lesson was a rite of passage and it was so important that the whole thing was planned and recorded.  It was so important that I remember.

Winona was very adaptable.  One could take the stern seat back out and mount a rudder.  With my sister and I providing the motive force Grandmother could take a comfortable cruise just exactly where she wanted to.  Add the lee-boards and sail rig and one could sail Winona but I never got to do that.  Larry and Mike (cousins) did.  I heard they had some adventures!  (and I have a photo of Winona under sail somewhere...) There were still marks on Winona's transom from the early 3-horse Evinrude she'd had back in the 1930s-1940s.  I had her out in some rough water and once was able to keep up with a rather large sailboat cruising down the lake towards Ticonderoga.  I was disappointed when I was told that Winona was going to Mystic, but, it was the sensible thing to do.

This is Mom standing on the haul-out with Winona about 1935 or 1936.

There are more photos of Winona which follow...

Is Winona in this mass of boats at the 1927 Lake George Marathon?

Not a great photo, this is Winona out of the water at Lake George.  The water level may have been down a bit that year.  I think the year is 1948 and that is Mom's friend Joyce...