Semisane

Thankfully, Hurricane Ike is heading for Texas rather than Louisiana (sorry Texas). SoI planned to head to the hunting lease at noon today, have a shootenfest thisevening, plow a couple of food plots during the day Saturday, and have another shootenfest Saturday evening.But DANG, that's a big storm - now covering most of the Gulf of Mexico -and we're already getting fringe effects here in Southeast Louisiana. Looking out my window right now atgusty windsand rainthat will continue into Saturday, so there will be no shooting this evening.

Gonna` head to the lease tonight instead. Maybe - just maybe -I'll get to shoot tomorrow evening and/or Sunday morning. I've casted a bunch of Lee 420's and 340's for the.45 GM barrel Renegadeand sized them to .452 instead of the .451 that turned out to be too loose in my last range session. Also left some unsized at .457 to see if I can pound them into the barrel -that should be interesting. With any luck I hope tohave a range report foryou guys by Sunday evening or Monday.

bronko22000

Dang itVan - afraid of a little wind. Why don't you come up north with us and we can laugh at you trying to drive on the snow and ice.
Well when you get to the range, be sure to have a hammer with you to knock them .457"bullets down the bore. (at least until it gets the rifling cut into it.)
But even if they shoot good, how you going to load them in the field? I think the .452" is tight enough. Maybe .453 or .454 is loadable.
Second guessing, you sure you want to start a 457 down the bore??????

Semisane

Hey bronko, I've done sillier things. Actually, I tried tapping one of the long 420's into the bore with my small wood mallet. Tapped it in very gently for about 2/3 of its length so I could pull it out again with vice grips. It went in easier than I expected. When I pulled it outthe rifling wascut to the full diameter of the bullet, but there was no shearing of lead at the grooves.I think it's loadable. The lead is dead soft. I'll be shooting them over 50 caliber 1/8" felt wads instead of the cornmeal I used last time out. I hope that when I post my target you'll be begging me to send you some.

EDIT: Forgot to add - No, I'm not afraid of a little wind. But I am a little of those skinny pine trees all around our shooting bench and rifle rangewhich tend to fall when the wind blows. See that leaner down at the50 yard mark? They HURT! [:-]

cayugad

After every good wind I have to walk my trails with the Husqvarna and clean trees and limbs. Good firewood. But you're right, them trees that come down and hit you, hurt like the devil. Worse yet, some can kill you. So I do not blame you for staying out of the woods on a windy day if you have a lot of dead fall standing.

Don't feel bad.. I went out and shot off twenty quick ones for you today to make you feel better about missing another day. Least I can do for you.. By the way, you did real good with my White Ultra Mag...

Semisane

Wow! And that's the first time I've ever proxy-shot a White.

bronko22000

Hey Semi - you be sure to post your report on the 457" bullets. If they work, I may just go get my own mould.

Semisane

All packed up and leaving for the hunting lease in about a half hour. Got the Renegade and GP flinter in the truck with enough bullets and powder to hold off a small invasion.

Still a little squally in this area, but seems to be lessening. Lots of pretty bad coastal flooding justSouth of us.That Ike is a big-un and is pushing a 20+ foot storm tide. Been following FOX News and it looks pretty bad for the Galveston area and all along the coast toS.W. Louisiana. Already reports of people on their roofs justEast of Galveston. Say a little prayer for those folks in the strike zone- they're gonna` need it.

sjsfire

I hope everyone that decided to stay in Galveston remains safe (even though they didn't leave ) Been there a few times on vacation and stayed at the Sandpiper Inn off Stewart Beach. Kinda a 50-60s style place on stilts with parking under the rooms. Right on the sand. No seawall to protect it. I hope it makes it through ok so my family can go back and stay another time.

gearheart

Talk about a big storm. We're getting 3-4 inches of rain up here in Canada courtesy of ol' Ike. Going to the indoor range today as it is P'ing down buckets.