Friday Gunlopnik

"FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com" (alphaass) 09/08/2017 at 14:20 • Filed to: Gunlopnik

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This primer decided it had had enough of this week and tried to go into the brass sideways. Universal decapping die to the rescue:

I knew there was a reason I bought this thing...

$20 well spent.

Ah, much better.

It’s go time!

Chariotoflove > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 14:24

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You fill your own cartridges? What gun are those for?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 14:27

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Change your username:

Follow The Trail Of Head Gaskets Shell Casings

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 14:30

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I’m a ballistics and explosives engineer. We have ranges here at work and hand load 99% of the time for velocity control. These are .30 Carbine being loaded to a customer spec for testing ballistic resistance of an aircraft panel.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 14:34

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Wow. You have a way better job than me.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/08/2017 at 14:34

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Probably should. Current status of the brass bucket:

Chariotoflove > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 14:35

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Ahh, makes sense.

A side question while I have you here. I once failed the chemical swipe test at a TSA check point when they swiped my hands and wheelchair. It was after I visited my brother and had been handling .22 cartridges. I always wondered if it was residue from them that carried over to my hardware or just a false positive. Have you or any of your coworkers ever encountered such a thing at an airport because of your handling of power and such? Just a random thought.

vicali > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 14:39

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Sweet reloads, I helped my Dad do boxes back in the day, I was the bullet puller guy;

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 14:42

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I’ve done reloading with a buddy before, but don’t have any of the gear for it. Considering getting set up for reloading 2-9/16 16GA brass hulls, though, since I have an Auto 5 from the 20s that hates 2-3/4 plastic - won’t eject.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/08/2017 at 15:20

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I really can’t complain. That being said, I really only spend 20% or so of my time on the range. The rest is a lot of paperwork, meetings, design work, and business development that is less fun. Still, there are times I step back and think that I can’t believe I’m being paid to do this.

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 15:25

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Sounds like a pretty cool job, reloading always seemed a bit scary to me, but I don’t have much hands on experience with firearms, I’d like to though.

Do you get consistent ballistics with reloads compared to factory loads?

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 15:28

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I actually worked with a company that designed some of that hardware back in grad school 10 years ago. They are very good and can detect very small amounts of the things they are designed to look for - like micrograms of it. False positives do happen now and then, but it very well could have flagged something from the cartridges. I had a coworker get fail the swipe one time. It was in a small town airport and the agents were very confused. We’ve all gone through the process of getting the proper ATF approvals to work with the things we do and have the paperwork to show, but I imagine would still be a pretty big hassle if I got flagged.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > vicali 09/08/2017 at 15:30

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Those inertial pullers are a lot of fun. Until you have to pull like 100 cartridges and get blisters.

Chariotoflove > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 15:31

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Thanks for answering. Yeah, I’ve never seen the agents go crazy or tense up because I don’t look or act threatening. It’s more like, “well crap, this is gonna take some more time; let’s try this again.”

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 09/08/2017 at 15:34

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Brass shot shells are pretty cool. It is something of a black art that I don’t personally mess with, but there seem to be plenty of online forums with tips. Getting set up is expensive and with typical rifle/pistol loads it takes a long time to make back the money, but brass shells are a little different because you can’t really buy pre-made carts. Personally, I enjoy the whole process. If you had fun doing it with your friend and your gun likes the brass better, you’ll probably enjoy it as a hobby and not really worry about the costs.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 15:36

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Yeah when we got that positive they did two more swabs just to be sure. They really didn’t seem prepared to actually get a positive with the line of passengers starting to stack up - this airport had 3 gates, one line and 2 security agents. It must’ve been the most exciting thing to happen there in a while.

Chariotoflove > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 15:38

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And they don’t want excitement. They don’t want to pull you off and deal with you. They just want to make it to the end of the shift, like everyone else.

thejustache > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 15:47

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Really should set up the press my brother-in-law gave me 2 years ago when he upgraded. I’ve got the dies for my 30-06 and 7.62x54r but need to get a few things like a primer puller and a better scale

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 15:47

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From what I can tell, if it’ll auto-load without a crimp (and signs suggest that it might), a brass hull can be reused about eleventy billion times, due to the low pressures, etc. Plastic baskets for the shot, the shot, and the little card to glue in the end are all pretty cheap.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 09/08/2017 at 16:00

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Yep. Rifle brass has a pretty finite lifespan but brass shot shells should last a long damn time.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > thejustache 09/08/2017 at 16:02

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The universal decapper works well for getting primers out. Scales are tricky. IMO the most important thing is getting them on a flat sturdy bench away from big air currents if possible.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 09/08/2017 at 16:05

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I mean, I *could* trim and load/reload plastic, but if I’m carrying around a 1927 auto-loading shotgun that looks Straight-Up-Gangsta (1930s version), I might as well go with pimpin’ accessories. So, brass shot shells and leather bandolier time.