Latest Venturino Article in Handloader

[Moonie]

A few years ago I had several email exchanges with Mike Venturino regarding his Cast Bullet articles for surplus military arms. Besides being overweight, he was also overbearing and I am sad he was the Editor of the last Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

I do not read Venturino's articles, if I can avoid them. Just saying....

Adam

Interesting as I have never seen that in his posts here, granted it has been quite a while since he posted much but he is still around.

[Shawlerbrook]

I guess if we are going to attack rather than discuss I’ll move to another thread.

[country gent]

Bought the issue today not for the article on cast in military rifles but the one on loading the 44-40 with black powder. Got testing penetration and such, an explanation of the whys, and fouling issues. LOading date and techniques were said to be to lengthy for an article and to buy His books.

[sharps4590]

I met Mike twice, at NRA conventions, one in St. Louis and the other in Nashville...both back in the 80's. He was nothing but polite and took the time for some casual conversation. It was early in the day both times and there wasn't a pile of people waiting their turn so he had a little breathing room. Opinionated...maybe but, so am I. Overbearing wouldn't describe the man I met. Bill Jordan and Ted Keith were the same. I met a couple other of the old timers who have also since gone to their greater reward but doggone I can't remember who!!!! Might be because now I'm one of those old timers.

[Patrick L]

Back to the OP, try to Google some of Ed Harris's articles on cast for Milsurps. Or, if you want the punch line, 16-18 gr 2400 with any good cast boolit in the 150 to 200 gr range.

As for MV, I generally like what he writes, he at least will admit in print when the best he can get is 4 inches at 100 yards. I do notice he seems to be writing the same articles over and over, but he's certainly not the only one guilty of that. I had an email exchange with him a few years back. He was polite,and thanked me for my correspondence.

[Three44s]

Something to consider:

We are not the same readers we once were.

AKA, we as readers are not the same casters, reloaders and shooters we once were. We are not wet behind the ears anymore.

Point two.

The age we now live in is different than it was “then”. The advent of the internet and forums such as this one for example. We as members have instant access to a great plethora of info we did not a few short decades ago. The drain of money (less magazine sales) must be profound due to the much smaller circulations due to the advent of the net.

Best regards

Three44s

[uscra112]

I heven't bought a magazine of any kind for at least 15 years. But I seem to remember a Venturino article in either Rifle or Handloader going back at least that far which sounds identical to what the O.P. described. All the loads were 5744.

Recycling old articles to save money?

[lefty o]

I heven't bought a magazine of any kind for at least 15 years. But I seem to remember a Venturino article in either Rifle or Handloader going back at least that far which sounds identical to what the O.P. described. All the loads were 5744.

Recycling old articles to save money?

absolutely without a doubt, certain magazines have rerun the exact same article multiple times. and they wonder why printed magazines are dying off.

[northmn]

I learned a lot from MV when I was got into BP cartridges. Interesting historical backgrounds. Like others I was not impressed with his knowledge of casting for military rifles. He got a bit upset when those that knew the 303 Brit mentioned that neck sizing was the best way to get longer brass life and accuracy from the old Enfields. As to linotype, I would only want it to use as a base for other alloys.

I no longer buy magazines. There are only so many cartridges with a lot of duplication. Also, for my personal experience, there are only so many suitable cartridges and rifles. While we can learn something new our knowledge base has also expanded from reading the magazines and personal experience. At some point through our own experimentation and reading we have pretty much picked up what knowledge we needed. Also, my ownership of rifles is somewhat limited. I only own one 8mm Mauser, no 06 or 308, because the 8mm is about the same thing and I like it.

Basically, the questions I encounter can be quickly answered on sites like this one and are pretty specific. I don't "know it all" but I do have a pretty fair knowledge of what works for me, under my shooting conditions using what I like to use. Most of the contributors on this site are like that. Sometimes its amusing as differences in opinions are often more a perception of the individuals hunting situations more than what works for someone else. At a certain point we pretty much have a fairly complete knowledge of our needs and don't need a gun magazine or writer for information.

DEP

[JoeJames]

Y'all need to be careful what you wish for. In my small town about the only place I could find gun magazines including Handloader was at the local Kroger. Now they are joined up with the PC/feminization movement, and all they have now are hiking magazines and other magazines of that ilk.

[MaLar]

And where did you place? Keep in mind that Mike is a member here and you might want to brush up on the site rules on treatment of other members lol.

Thanks for that.
I've meet Mike and shot against him in a silhouette match, he beat me and I held the state record at that time.
He's a very nice guy quite reserved I thought he was arrogant at the time He's just a quiet guy.
Bought a boolit mold from him.

[Hickok]

I have gotten "Handloader" and "Rifle" for many years.

But I have to say when I joined up here on the CAST BOOLITS forum, my knowledge of casting, sizing, shooting and hunting with boolits literally multiplied many times over.

If I need to know something pertaining to cast boolits, in any way, shape or form, I come here for help, instruction, or correction. And I try to return the favor when I can.

No fakers or pretenders on this forum when it comes to casting and shooting, as they will be quickly "called out" and exposed!

[Baltimoreed]

I’ve allowed all my magazine subscriptions to end over the last few years. I enjoy Castboolits, cascity and the Krag forum alot better, fellow shooters, collectors and reloaders. These forums are alive not dead like an encyclopedia. Don’t get me wrong, I love a nice library or bookstore but forums are much better.

[dannyd]

I have every issue of Handloader. Still like to get

[Burnt Fingers]

I still get Handloader as well as close to a dozen other gun magazines. I like to read.

[Four-Sixty]

The best part of the recent Handloader was the advertisement for the company that will mill brass of your design and headstamp for you.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I read two articles by Mike Venturino in the December issue of Handloader and enjoyed them very much. My main interest is in early black powder rifles. I have many and two in 45-70. That was what one of the articles was about. Now, if you are writing about the 45-70 after all these years how could you not be somewhat repetitive. As for reloading for military rifles, my interest stopped with The Mauser and the Springfield. I was late coming to the black powder cartridge game and while I had shot muzzle loaders for decades the brass case presented all kinds of new problems. Mike was a big help to me in learning how to make them shoot. I refer to the book he and Steve Garbe wrote almost daily. The second article he wrote in the same issue was about the 44-77 of which I knew nothing other than the fact that it had been a popular cartridge for the buffalo hunters. My ignorance had consequences, negative ones. I was on vacation in Missouri in the early 1970s and of course I was checking out all the gun shops. My brother took me to one in the little town of Bloomfield. The sign out front read " 5000 THOUSAND GUNS". I don't think he had that many but he had a lot. At the time I was more interested in big bore handguns than any rifle, except maybe '92 Winchester. I did see and old Remington rolling block with a very heavy octagon barrel. I took it off the rack and looked for the caliber. The only marking I could see was the number 44 cal on the bottom of the barrel in front of the fore end. I didn't realize it but I was holding a genuine all original buffalo rifle. He was asking forty bucks for it and I am sure he would have taken less. I doubt if he had ten dollars in it, if that. The rifle was in pretty good considering how it had been used. I put it back on the rack and never thought about it until the BPCR craze came along. I hate to think what it would sell for today. I was glad to read Mike's article about the cartridge so Mike, keep 'em coming.

[Walks]

I meet Venterino twice. The 1st time was back in 1989 or 1990 at End of Trail. It was the last EOT at
COTO DE CAZA, where it all started.
He was on his way to shoot a stage, what caught my eye was the 1873 Military Musket he was carrying. He stopped for a minute or two to talk about it, but did have to rush to shoot his next stage. He did ask My Posse number though.
Later that day he found me and we chatted for about 10 minutes. Until I had to shoot my stage.
I saw him again and he gave me his Mailing address and asked to write with any questions.
The 2nd time he stopped me at EOT 1996, just to say Hi.

He was warm and friendly. Very accommodating. I wrote him for loading info on the .40-82 for a recently acquired 1886 Rifle. He gave me 4 loads. I'm still using them.

I also believe any bullet that goes in an Auto-Loading Gun gets Linotype. Same goes for anything that wears a gas check.
It was what I learned from My DAD. I'm not going to change what has worked so well for me for 60 years.


Dave Scovill helped me contact the right person at LYMAN to get a question answered. And so enabled me to contact that same person to get a problem with Undersized molds fixed.

But the man Bad-Mouthed JACK O'CONNER, HE WAS MY HERO GROWING UP. So he sure as heck ain't perfect.

[marlin39a]

Handloader Magazine? I haven't looked at it in years. Same old garbage. Magazines are dead.

[Eddie1971]

To tell you the truth, there hasn't been a cast Boolit book, or article that has been worth anything to me at least since the old Lyman 3rd Edition. You guys on this site are the experts! I found more useful info here as well as answers to my questions.