Carmoney

Steve, the vast majority of my work is on steel-framed revolvers. But I have owned several scandium-framed S&Ws, including a 340SC with IL that I carried daily for several years. I've never witnessed a malfunction with the IL, and have never managed to confirm that such a malfunction occurred from a first-hand reliable source. Most of what you see on the internet pertaining to this subject is nothing more than hand-wringing and hysteria. The purists hate the IL for other reasons, and jump at every chance to warn us of the horrific dangers of the IL--but like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, IL malfunctions are discussed a whole lot more than they are actually seen!

If left in place, the internal lock (IL) system is very unlikely to malfunction. While I'm not a big fan of the IL system, the concern regarding accidental IL activation is highly overblown on the various internet discussion forums. If the hammer is "Carmonized" or otherwise radically cut in a manner that removes the rear portion of the hammer, the IL flag can slip out of place and lock up the gun. And I think it's clear that at least some IDPA officials will interpret the rules to require the IL system to be intact and functional. This is why I advise IDPA competitors to leave the hammer in stock configuration, or simply bob the spur and contour the upper area of the hammer, which will allow the IL system to function without any risk of pieces falling out.

I have a friend who always says, "A guy should have a wife and a color TV, and they both oughtta work."

We always dropped them straight from the molds into a 5-gallon bucket filled halfway with water. The bullets we made with straight wheel weights leaded barrels like crazy. We cast bullets back then because $22 per thousand to buy perfect commercial cast bullets seemed like a lot of money. And it was something to do while drinking beer on winter evenings.

It's important to remember that additional penalties should not be assessed simply because the infraction committed "could have" created a significant competitive advantage. In order to assess a penalty per shot, instead of a single penalty for the infraction, it should be clear that the shooter did in fact actually gain a significant competitive advantage through the violation. Not just theoretically "could have."

Back when we cast bullets, we got tremendous leading with straight wheel weights--not to mention an incredible amount of junk in the air from melting the filthy things down. We hardened them up by mixing in some linotype material I acquired from a printer who was getting rid of his lino equipment. Oh, and Vince.....my hunting credentials are pretty substantial. Just so you know.

No plans yet. Jay T. and I need to get together and figure out what we want to do this year, and when. As soon as we have something figured out, we'll post it here on the forum.

The original production rules, which required all the ammo to be behind the hipbone, created a real hardship for those trying to run a revolver, because of the fact that moonclips would have to be strung clear around behind the shooter's back--it's particularly unwieldy for those who switch the gun to the weak hand and reach for ammo with the strong hand because the holster takes up a bunch of room on the belt. It was a completely reasonable rule change.

Happy Birthday, Soul Flower!

I always recommend switching divisions for a while. Kinda like getting a little "strange."

Totally transparent and thoroughly disgusting, if you ask me.

Yeah, a good revolver guy will beat most of the SS shooters. But then again, most of the good revolver shooters can switch over to a 1911 and beat them even worse. Shooting a wheelgun in any USPSA division other than Revolver is just a stunt. It can certainly be fun, but it's not a serious competitive effort. If you can't find any serious Revolver Division guys to give you game, come find us. Or let us know, and we'll come to you!

When I fly with guns, about half the time they want me to show them that the gun is unloaded. I always make sure I position my body so that the public can't see what I'm doing. Like most things involving firearms, a little discretion goes a long way in preventing problems. As I always say when the topic of flying with guns comes up, the more professional and clean-cut you look and dress, the less hassle you will have. You might be the nicest guy in the world, but the scraggly goatee and the neck tattoos may be sending out a different message.

Slamming the cylinder closed with unnecessary force.

We re-wrote those rules, Dean. In USPSA, you can run any barrel you want, as long as it's not ported or comped.

Shawn, you said "huge discount" on the Kimber right? I say don't waste the opportunity, take the huge discount and buy the Kimber. Neither the Kimber nor the Trojan will be completely ready to go straight from the box, but neither one will be far off, either. I have a newer Series II Kimber in .38 Super that has been an absolutely wonderful gun. It's one of my favorite 1911s, and I own quite a few, including several high-end custom jobs. All I did on the Kimber was install a fiber-optic front sight and tweak the springs--and I've shot the gun a lot, including a 40th place finish at the Single Stack Nationals (which is not too bad for me, particularly shooting minor). The trigger pull is great, everything is tight and silky smooth, and I can't remember it ever malfunctioning. Maybe I got lucky, but I've always been really happy with my Kimber, and would not hesitate to buy another, particularly if I got a huge discount!

OK, good information from an actual doctor here. So I will officially defer and back off! (Apparently I can't use lead poisoning to explain away my various behavioral issues.)

Here's the link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002473.htm

If you don't mind me asking, I have two questions: (1) What type of physician? (2) Is your casting set-up located inside your home?

If you factor in your time and labor, it doesn't pencil out.

I'm not overly afraid of lead poisoning. And I've cast a lot of bullets in my day. I'll certainly agree that shooting regularly on an indoor range is worse than hanging around a casting pot. I believe most of the airborne lead that is inhaled on an indoor range is vaporized particles from the lead styphnate in the primers--am I right? But I know when I used to cast bullets indoors, I inhaled a lot of crap, even with the vent hood running. OK, maybe it was mostly contaminants burning off in the lead pot, but it's a little tough for me to imagine that all that black junk on my kleenex the next morning contained nothing harmful.

Sarcasm? How about we call it good-natured kidding around, with the intention of also making a serious point. It is my opinion that casting indoors is not worth the health risk. I'm not a physician, but then neither is anyone else who has weighed on this issue here so far. I do know of a guy in Omaha who was said to have become gravely ill as a result of casting indoors. And I know that back in my pin-shooting days when we used to cast bullets in my friend's basement every Tuesday night all winter long, I sure could produce a lot of black matter when I blew my nose on Wednesday mornings. That can't be good. Totally anecdotal, I agree. But I wouldn't set up a casting operation in my house.

I used to shoot at MRA back in the late '80s, and that guy in the Youtube video sure looks like an older and fatter version of my ol' buddy Ed Mahoney!

You really can't put a price on the following aspects of casting your own bullets: Behavior and attention problems Hearing problems Kidney damage Reduced IQ Slowed body growth Abdominal pain and cramping Aggressive behavior Anemia Constipation Difficulty sleeping Headaches Irritability Loss of previous developmental skills Low appetite and energy Reduced sensations Vomiting Staggering walk Muscle weakness Seizures Coma

Back in the pin shooting days, we cast most of our own bullets. Knowing what I now know about the health hazards involved, I would never advise anybody to get involved in home casting. On another note, wheel weights alone are far too soft for bullet-making. If you don't have any harder alloy available than straight wheel weights, forget it. Seriously, just buy your bullets.