Take a look boys

[Gibson]

New barrel; new grips; new front & rear sight

Shot it Saturday evening. . . just two cylinders.

Got the sights adjusted and noted that even without the quad porting that the old barrel had, it was fine. I shot some of my normal reloads (465 grain slug at 1675-1700 fps) and the recoil was no big deal. It was low 30s F when I was shooting, I had on shorts, of course, but my hands got cold fairly quickly. Gotta toughen up, I suppose. Funny they haven't gotten too awful cold when I was deer hunting but that little .44 mag doesn't sap the heat from the flesh like the big boy does. Normally I'm like a muskox, as far as cold weather here, goes. Guess old age has set in. . . Sure was lonely w/o this revolver. The world is right again. :)

Magnum Research told me that I had "bulged" the barrel trying to use an Easy Out to extract the broken screw. Wonderful but typical. They put on a new barrel and front and rear sights. I put on the new grips. (Only one screw so I could handle that okay. . .)

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5506/imag0153i.jpg

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4283/imag0154ss.jpg

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/6530/imag0156k.jpg

On Wednesday I added to the family. It's a Lee Classic Cast Press. The Lee Classic Turret Press was kind of lonely. Man, you can tell I'm low budget can't you ;)

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4198/imag0157v.jpg

I know it's not really cast bullets per se. But since I only shoot cast and my internet friends are mostly on this forum, please indulge me.

[HighHook]

Ok. I will indulge, I see that Canon and think of what Dirty Harry would have said with that one.
Btw, like the lee classic cast...

[Wayne Smith]

No problem indulging you! Very compact reloading setup.

[mac60]

If you posted your trials with the broken screw I must have missed it. The revolver looks great and I bet those grips help a lot. Despite the naysayers the Classic cast will do anything any other single stage press will do. Being low budget isn't a crime.

[Gibson]

HighHook, Wayne, mac:

Thanks for the benevolence :)

The two Lee presses suit me fine. They are strong and functional. I have had the Classic Turret for a year and a half or so, no problems. I do not need the single stage but what the heck, if I do, I have it.

I've sheared two EJR housing screws. The second one, I could not get out of the barrel. . . I suspect it could be that the mag-na-port folks did not properly re-glue the housing, I know I didn't. I can't really figure why the guy got it quad ported anyway. He shot it maybe 15 times then put it back and eventually I bought it. The quad porting, IMO, makes no discernible difference. At least that I can note. . .

Just wanted to share. . .

[I'll Make Mine]

The quad porting, IMO, makes no discernible difference. At least that I can note. . .

One thing that can affect how much effect you get from ports (or any other form of muzzle brake) is what the gas pressure is at the point the bullet exits the muzzle or passes the ports. The slower the powder being used, for a given velocity, the higher the pressure and the more effect the ports or brake will have. Generally, this is also the highest velocity load, at least up to the point where a full case is less than a maximum pressure load. So, a load of Bullseye or Red Dot will render porting less effective at reducing recoil and muzzle flip than, say, 2400 or H-110 -- but then, the faster powders tend to be the milder loads where one needs the ports less.

[Gibson]

Interesting. 465 grain bullet at ~1680 fps is a fairly stout load and the concomitant pressures are no doubt fairly high. I run a relatively slow powder.

As the recoil vector travels straight back down the bore, the compensation for the couple, rendered by ports, should reduce muzzle flip but I could not discern it. And by definition gases escaping the ports prior to the bullet exiting the barrel should give some reduction of recoil. But again, I could not discern it. Then again, I am not the most discerning of folks.

The ports would just lace the sides of the front sight on the prior barrel. As in burn them. Nevertheless, no discernible difference now, to me. Perhaps my hands were too cold to notice ;)

I have always believed that the ports should reduce muzzle flip, as well as recoil, and indeed they should, and no doubt they do. Being able to discern it is somewhat dubious for me.

[MBTcustom]

I could not discern it. Then again, I am not the most discerning of folks.
Seriously, those are words to live by! Ha!
Nice pea-shooter you got there Gibson.

[Gibson]

Thanks, Tim.

I shot some 700 'grainers' @ ~1150 fps AV, from it. They were mild compared to these. These loads are far more accurate. They are more accurate than I am :)

I grip it low and deep in the webbing of my hand. I also use a wrap or two of weightlifting (athletic) tape on the top joint of my trigger finger. No gloves or anything.

Over and under on these new grips splitting is 1 month. I got full assurances from MRI that they'd replace them if they split :shock:

[tek4260]

Glad to see it back in hand!

I figured those ports were more for show than go.

[subsonic]

.500 smith?

It looks like your thumb takes all the recoil. I have a problem with that if I don't pay attention to my hand placement. You want the middle of the last pad of the trigger finger on the trigger. But maybe you're just holdin it like that for the pics...

[44man]

54589
.500 smith?

It looks like your thumb takes all the recoil. I have a problem with that if I don't pay attention to my hand placement. You want the middle of the last pad of the trigger finger on the trigger. But maybe you're just holdin it like that for the pics...
Yes, just showing the gun top. Nice gun too.
Now the loading setup is very tight. Gibson, try the Thompson tool mount and plates. All of my stuff from trimmers, measures and up to shotgun presses fit the base. Only the RCBS press is screwed to the bench.
Here is the idea, a case trimmer, neck turner and measure but all else I have will slip in and lock to the base. You can even fit a vise. I make my own plates.

[Gibson]

.500 smith?

It looks like your thumb takes all the recoil. I have a problem with that if I don't pay attention to my hand placement. You want the middle of the last pad of the trigger finger on the trigger. But maybe you're just holdin it like that for the pics...

Hi subsonic:

Yes it's a 500 S&W Mag.

I grip it low and deep in the webbing of my hand. Indeed it just gets into the webbing but I squeeze it in. My hands are VERY thick. My fingers semi-short. 44man is correct about the images and my grip but you have point, my trigger finger is not quite reaching as far as you mention. I have PLENTY of weightlifing tape (I bought a huge box years back, as I decided to try Olympic lifting) and it takes care of the small cuts I used to get. Just love lighting it up! Fun, fun.

Thanks for the reply. Ole tektells me you are "good people". :)

[Gibson]

Glad to see it back in hand!

I figured those ports were more for show than go.

You betcha, Thomas! I was starting "Jones" for that hammer. ;)

Somewhere in here I mentioned those 700 grainers your pop sent me.

(Never saw a deer but I'll try again with a muzzleloader. Kind of handicapped since I only hunt on our property. Oh well, Andy is doing fine and nis teacher just left so all in all it's another fine day on God's earth.) :)

PS: Thomas, I almost forgot, the first image has the bulged barrel. I will send it in a few a weeks or sooner. Hopefully you can cut it, re-crown it, modify an ERH, and still leave enough to punch out the cases. You are like the proverbial one-legged man in an axx-kicking contest! Always BUSY. What are friends for if they can't impose on you :) :) ?

[Gibson]

54589
Yes, just showing the gun top. Nice gun too.
Now the loading setup is very tight. Gibson, try the Thompson tool mount and plates. All of my stuff from trimmers, measures and up to shotgun presses fit the base. Only the RCBS press is screwed to the bench.
Here is the idea, a case trimmer, neck turner and measure but all else I have will slip in and lock to the base. You can even fit a vise. I make my own plates.

Yep, you are correct it is tight. Nice setup with the plates, 44man!

The center unit is NOT secured. Only a single bolt holds it up there. It's just to show it. I'm still deciding where to put it. But might leave it there and bolt it down. I have another bench to the left out of "frame". I don't know. . . Odd handle setup eh? I'm left handed. ;) Us southpaws have to adapt to a right handed world. I think it moves us closer to being ambidextrous. But I'm quite left handed, still.

Thanks for the tip.

God bless you, Jim.

[44man]

OH, OH, left handed-----:bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:

[mac60]

It'd be pretty crowded with everything permanently mounted.

54639

If it was good enough for Dean Grennell, it's good enough for me.

54640

Gibson, you ain't the only one that's low budget.

[Gibson]

Outstanding, mac60!

To the left of the frame I have another "bench" it is loaded with dies and molds, all Lee. Then further to the left I have a 152" (2.35:1) "Black Widow" screen painted on my wall and have a Mitsubishi HC3800 projector (old now) that I use to watch Cinemascope movies via a "trick" (low budget, again). Lightning strike devastated my sound system so now I use Logitech Z-5500s (low budget, again). But it's fun to crank up a BD of Stagecoach and a soak up a soda and some popcorn.Then hit the reloading bench for some reloading. Guns also line my walls hanging on the cheap, yard sale, racks.

Hillbilly Man Cave

[tek4260]

Send it on Gibson. My hacksaw is getting rusty and it needs another victim :)

[Marlin Junky]

My crystal ball predicts arthritis in your future.

MJ

[Gibson]

Your crystal ball is about 10 years too late. I've had arthritic joints since I was around 35.

Your crystal ball is accurate for observing but it ain't worth much for predicting. :)

Shooting heavy 'recoilers' is a not much compared to what I've put my joints through. It actually doesn't even bother them, so as I can tell. The baseline of pain remains static.

But I appreciate the concern. . . Decades of lifting heavy objects, injuries, etc., ergo arthritic joints is fait accompli. Gripping the big hammer properly makes recoil no problem.

Jay Gibson. . .

[Von Dingo]

[QUOTE=Gibson;1933846](Never saw a deer but I'll try again with a muzzleloader. Kind of handicapped since I only hunt on our property. Oh well, Andy is doing fine and nis teacher just left so all in all it's another fine day on God's earth.) :)
QUOTE]

They are probably under the impression that to go near your property is to go in a war zone:razz:...

Hope you get a few in any case, and glad you got your thumper back.