Gun show finds

[Olevern]

Went to a small gun show today with one of the boys I mentor. Purchased the boy a air soft gun (fully auto, battery opperated). Great buy at $10.00 including two 2500 piece bottles of little plastic "BB's", or air soft pellets.

Walked around for awhile then found a Saeco resizing press for $15,00, no dies with it but the owner of the table gave me his card and told me he had a number of dies that came with the press and had forgotten to bring them along. Told me to call him and stated the cost would be $10.00 each. Not sure that I have all the parts, will have to research online or find a manual, but it looks complete and built like a tank. Will try to set it up to compliment my two Lyman presses, one Lachmiller (old RCBS) press and the Star.

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/Olevern/DSC_6932resized.jpg

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/Olevern/DSC_6934resized.jpg


Walked around a bit more and found an old Crossman model 400 22cal. pellet gun.


pellet gun is very accurate when loaded single shot and when I can get the pellet to load straight and not cocked into the chamber. Can't seem to get the cylinder type 10 round magazine to feed at all, it places the pellets in line under spring pressure and the nose of each following pellet goes up into the cup at the base of the one in front of it. Then, when you use the bolt to try to load one into the chamber, the pellet, instead of dropping straight down from the mag into the little chamber from which the bolt pushes it into the chamber, it will go in tipped bc the nose of the following pellet catches the rear of the one being chambered. (not sure anyone can follow that). It would almost seem that one would need pellets without the traditional hollow base in order for this design to work. Anybody got any ideas? Anyway, only paid $45.00 for an accurate (albiet one shot) 22 pellet gun with a real wood stock and an antique to boot.

[nicholst55]

Sweet, Vern! You really scored on that Redding lube/sizer!

Are you sure you've got enough powder there? You wouldn't want to run out...

[Olevern]

Sweet, Vern! You really scored on that Redding lube/sizer!

Yep, didn't even argue price :-)

Are you sure you've got enough powder there? You wouldn't want to run out...

Nah, got enough for my immediate needs :-)

[BCall]

Nice deal on the sizer! Looks to be missing the push rod at the bottom, but it should be easy enough to get one from Redding.

Those old Crosman 400's were meant to run with the older Crosman flat nose pellets. They were a bit bigger in the nose and a little smaller in the skirt, kept the skirt of the pellet from hanging up on the nose ot the one behind it. What pellets were you using? You might have to try a few different ones until you find one that works smoothly. I think standard Crosman wadcutters usually work, but it's been a while since I messed with one of them. Nice that you got the clip with it, alot of them are missing them and I've seen the clips sell for as much as you have in the whole gun.

[Olevern]

BCall,
I was using the standard crossman pellets, will try to find some others that won't catch in the magazine. Thanks for the info...
BTW, I think this gun has a genuine WALNUT stock, not a wood expert, but it looks like walnut to me.
Could this be possible?

[454PB]

I have a Herter lubrisizer that is a clone of the Saeco you now own.

What is missing are the top punch and die, not the push rod at the bottom. The push rod is actually part of the die set, and is operated by that flat bar at the bottom.

Saeco dies are designed differently than Lyman, RCBS, or Star. They are held in place by a locknut at the bottom of the die. I make all my own sizer dies, and came up with a lock collar and set screw to secure the dies in place, which saves a lot of extra machining. Saeco dies are around $35 each, so you should jump on those dies the seller has......and make sure you get the nose punches and threaded adapter that goes with them.

[BCall]

My Saeco sizer had a push rod in it and it wasn't part of the die set, just like my Lyman and RCBS sizers do. It does need and "H&I" die set and top punch, but the push rod at the bottom is still missing.

Olevern, it is entirely possible that it is walnut. Alot of the old Crosmans wore walnut stocks, as did the Benjamins and Sheridans. Real metal parts and actual walnut stocks, instead of the plastic junk marketed nowadays.

[Jal5]

You did more than good! I went to a show yesterday, nothing at all that wasn't way overpriced. Lots of looking, nobody seemed to be buying. I bought two boxes of primers, that with the cost of gas thrown in I could have bought cheaper in my own hometown.

Joe

[oldhickory]

Yes, it's missing the bottom push rod, it appears to be the same as the newer ones, so it shouldn't be a problem to replace. SAECO dies and top punches are different from Lyman and RCBS, so you'll either have to buy SAECO or make your own. They bolt right up to a Lyman heater.

[Olevern]

You did more than good! I went to a show yesterday, nothing at all that wasn't way overpriced. Lots of looking, nobody seemed to be buying. I bought two boxes of primers, that with the cost of gas thrown in I could have bought cheaper in my own hometown.

Joe

Joe,
I've been to those shows, too. I seem to do better at smaller shows. Seems at the larger shows the dealers feel that, because they will see a larger volume of people passing by their tables, they can wait for that person who will be willing to pay their price.

I don't purchase anything that I don't get for a bargain at gun shows. If I can get a lb of powder for, say, $23.00 at my local gun shop and I see a pound of that same powder for $21.00 at a show, I pass, preferring to support my local gun shop.

I mostly buy things I cannot get at my LGS, sometimes commercially cast bullets in bulk, used reloading equipment, new old stock or used scope mounts or rings - stuff like that.

It's a nice day out...think I will be at the Roulette, Pa. show next Sat.

Anyway, try the smaller shows.

vern

[Olevern]

I don't think I have a lot of powder . . . 57 pounds of smokeless & 28 pounds of black, but I like his collection of the older jugs/cans!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s220/ShawnTVT/Guns/Powder.jpg

Of course I could make it last awhile, but . . . what fun is that? :lol: Powder is made to be burnt!

Its alway nice to find a good deal . . . don't happen much anymore.

Looks like you have a few older canisters there yourself! I passed on an older, very large paper keg of red dot at the show for $200.00. It was opened but looked like very little, if any, was missing. Have no idea how large this keg was, but looked several times larger then the 8 lb kegs I have stored in my powder locker.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
NAH, that might not be enough powder.:bigsmyl2::Fire::Fire:

[Jal5]

Vern no real small shows around here. Closest to me is Pittsburgh where I went Sat. tends to be large shows. Or there is Akron-Canton area but that is a drive and with the price of gas probably wouldn't pay to do it.

[Olevern]

Vern no real small shows around here. Closest to me is Pittsburgh where I went Sat. tends to be large shows. Or there is Akron-Canton area but that is a drive and with the price of gas probably wouldn't pay to do it.

Jal,
I hear you, keep an eye on the forum at PFOA (pa firearms owners association), where you can get a heads up on upcoming shows.

However, if you figure on adding the cost of travel to the price of any purchases, probably never gonna be cost effective. I'm so far from anything out here in Potter Cty., Pa. (by choice) that the nearest mall is 75 miles away.

I look at it as a nice day out, lookin at all matter of neat guns and related paraphenalia, perhaps purchasing some stuff i can use (pobably don't NEED anything more at this point). I will travel as much as five hours for a good show, usually take an adult friend or one of the kids I mentor with me, after the show a meal out, then hit the local gun shops. If I have been to the particular show before, have a file of local gun shops, if not, prior to the day of the show, do my internet research and print out addresses for my GPS.

Chalk the travel off to entertainment and enjoy the day!

[Jal5]

Not a bad way to do it Vern! I will have to keep that in mind.