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Thread: Casting safety ala "Gunsmoke"

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Casting safety ala "Gunsmoke"

    OK, for all you safety conscious types, I just learned something while watching an old episode of Gunsmoke. Newly was casting bullets in his gunsmith shop right next to an open barrel of black powder. His sign gave way, crashed through the window, and knocked his lamp into the open keg. WHABOOM! So, I guess in addition to water, make sure you don't have any open kegs of black powder around your casting area!

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Yep, I concur. Never seed a keg o' black, but I can unnerstand it be fearfully dangerous...

    And you know if you see it on Gunsmoke, it's gotta be true.
    My Anchor is holding fast!

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    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick L View Post
    OK, for all you safety conscious types, I just learned something while watching an old episode of Gunsmoke. So, I guess in addition to water, make sure you don't have any open kegs of black powder around your casting area!
    That's not it... it's "Don't put your sign next to your gunsmith shop!"
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

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    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdi View Post
    Yep, I concur. Never seed a keg o' black, but I can unnerstand it be fearfully dangerous...
    I've seen them. When I was a kid a fellow down the road sold black powder. You paid for five pounds and he scooped it out of the keg and put it in a brown paper sack.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I used to watch Gunsmoke all the time. I don't remember that particular episode but there were quite a few I didn't get to see in the last few years of the show.

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    Boolit Grand Master

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    It's on our Direct TV here in Southern Oregon; one or two 1/2 hour episodes, and one, one hour program, daily. My wife asks me "How many men are Matt and Chester gonna bury today?", at least on body to be buried per episode...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

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    Boolit Buddy compass will's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdi View Post
    It's on our Direct TV here in Southern Oregon; one or two 1/2 hour episodes, and one, one hour program, daily. My wife asks me "How many men are Matt and Chester gonna bury today?", at least on body to be buried per episode...
    Its on encore westerns every week day evening around dinner time. It also shows up on TV land during the afternoon (I work from home several days per week and don't miss many gunsmokes)

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    Boolit Buddy
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    Saw an old Daniel Boone episode where ol' Dan'l was casting round balls, popping 'em out of the mold into his nekid hand, then dropping them into a little bag.

    Folks were just tougher in those days!

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    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by parson48 View Post
    Saw an old Daniel Boone episode where ol' Dan'l was casting round balls, popping 'em out of the mold into his nekid hand, then dropping them into a little bag.

    Folks were just tougher in those days!
    No gloves, men were men, and the sheep...nvm

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    At one time my dad and I had three 25# kegs of Goex FFFg sitting on a shelf in the attic of his workshop. We shot it all up in a couple of years. Those were the good ole' days.

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    Wink

    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick L View Post
    OK, for all you safety conscious types, I just learned something while watching an old episode of Gunsmoke. Newly was casting bullets in his gunsmith shop right next to an open barrel of black powder. His sign gave way, crashed through the window, and knocked his lamp into the open keg. WHABOOM! So, I guess in addition to water, make sure you don't have any open kegs of black powder around your casting area!


    So it did not really matter if he was casting or not??????????????? He placed his lamp in an unsafe position.
    The man who invented the plow was not bored. He was hungry.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Toymaker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by h8dirt View Post
    At one time my dad and I had three 25# kegs of Goex FFFg sitting on a shelf in the attic of his workshop. We shot it all up in a couple of years. Those were the good ole' days.
    A keg of FFFg is a year's supply and a keg of FFg is a two year supply. Both sitting out in the shed. I don't compete as much anymore but I still get nervous when I'm down to 5 pounds.
    Now I'm wondering if Newly's shop went WHOOSH or BOOM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master dakotashooter2's Avatar
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    Mel also did that in "The Patriot". He also made it with a painted toy soldier (lead) dropped in a cold pot and melted over an open fire in about 15-20 seconds.

    Quote Originally Posted by parson48 View Post
    Saw an old Daniel Boone episode where ol' Dan'l was casting round balls, popping 'em out of the mold into his nekid hand, then dropping them into a little bag.

    Folks were just tougher in those days!

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master



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    I was in a commercial reloader's shop one day. He was a chain smoker. He had an open keg of smokeless sitting in front of him. He had a VERY bad habit of using an empty powder caddy as an ashtray. He went to drop a lighted cigarette in the open powder keg. Fortunately, I grabbed him in time (along with a few choice words) and we BOTH got out of there, without burning down that part of town (there were a LOT of kegs of powder in that building).

    A famous reloader/gunsmith was killed when he had an accidental discharge with a high powered rifle in his shop that hit his LARGE powder stash. The flash fire killed him before he could take a step....

    FWIW
    Dale53

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy hendere's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick L View Post
    OK, for all you safety conscious types, I just learned something while watching an old episode of Gunsmoke. Newly was casting bullets in his gunsmith shop right next to an open barrel of black powder. His sign gave way, crashed through the window, and knocked his lamp into the open keg. WHABOOM! So, I guess in addition to water, make sure you don't have any open kegs of black powder around your casting area!

    I hate it when that happens.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy

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    Sounds like casting was just an innocent bystander to the problem. It was the sign and lamp that were the problem. So the lesson to be learned would be to cast in the dark? (or maybe just wait until daylight is sufficient)

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    Sooo........... lemme see if I got this right . I can do all sorts of stunts that normally could not be done and all I need is a TV camera watching me ???

    (sigh) yet another piece of equipment to by ...............

    Jack
    Buy it cheap and stack it deep , you may need it !

    Black Rifles Matter

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dale53 View Post

    A famous reloader/gunsmith was killed when he had an accidental discharge with a high powered rifle in his shop that hit his LARGE powder stash. The flash fire killed him before he could take a step....

    FWIW
    Dale53
    Is there a link to a story about this? I would be curious to know the details.
    NRA Endowment Member

    Armed people don't march into gas chambers.

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