2013 summer is over. What did you learn from castboolits.com?

[MBTcustom]

Usually, my year always goes through the same cycles. I crawl out of hibernation in march, and start finding things to learn. This works really well, because I usually have a tax return with which to set myself up with an interesting summer of experimentation and learning.
Then, about this time of year till February is spent proving the conclusions that I came to by flying boolits through deer, and putting equipment to the ultimate test.

Castboolits.com has been instrumental in my education every year, and that's why I keep coming back all the time.

What have you learned here this year? What aha! moments have you had? What have you learned from the people here this summer that changed the way you look at firearms, the shooting sports, or life?

[MBTcustom]

Personally, this was a big summer for me, and I learned quite a bit.

I bought the hot bluing tanks with my tax return, selling everything that wasn't tied down, and generous donations from people that believe in me.
Cast boolits was a source of more education on this process than any other.

I learned about rifling twist, I learned about hardness testing, I learned about more gun designs than I ever thought I could get into my head, I learned that Ruger is the best manufacturer in the US, I learned some about neck fit, I learned some about RPM limits, I learned how to checker gunstocks, I learned how to bed a rifle (I only thought I knew before), I learned a lot about building Mausers in magnum calibers.

Like I said, it was a big year, and my head is about as full as it's ever been.

Fess up, what did you get out of this summer?

[s mac]

Besides a great deal of info about boolits, and loading such just an idea of how many good Godfearing like minded indivuals there are out there in this great country. MAY God bless us again.

[Love Life]

I learned that a Nissan Frontier can traverse a 45 degree grade while going 55 MPH without rolling over...

[firefly1957]

The most useful thing i learned was that powder coating cast lead bullets perform very well. I have even swaged some of them with great results.

[Sweetpea]

I learned that a Nissan Frontier can traverse a 45 degree grade while going 55 MPH without rolling over...

Dick, how scientific was your testing?

It needs to be repeatable to be fact...

How many more times you gonna try it?

[ultramag]

I don't know how to even begin to answer this question this year. I've essentially learned everything I know about casting and loading cast here, and I've learned a LOT since I signed up late last year. I still probably don't know squat compared to some of the members here who freely share info learned through years of experience. I had loaded for almost 25 years, but somehow never loaded a cast boolit. I just never thought of it I don't guess.

I guess for this year I'll go with....unless you want your life turned upside down and all your free time and money consumed with buying molds and lead, casting, loading, and shooting cast boolits do NOT answer a seemingly harmless PM on another forum from JonB_in_Glencoe about some .454 Casull brass you're looking for. Yep, that's the answer I'm going with.

I can't wait to see what the next year brings and am looking forward to expanding the operation even more. Hope to tackle casting and loading cast for at least a couple of the rifles next year. A big thank you to all the experienced members who teach and offer encouragement to us new guys.

[unclogum bill]

l learned that an old gun barely able to hit the target, can be made to preform by casting oversized and putting the right powder behind it. I got the advise needed here and it was spot on. Now I wish I still had some of the guns I traded off that did that. I could have, should have kept them. Thankyou, to all the experts that help here.

[runfiverun]

I learned how to work a boolit designing program, and actually get numbers to show up on it.
[woo hoo]
I almost figured out how to get the pictures from the zip file [which I figured out on my own] I created to the picture library on the computer, to photo bucket.
but I can get them onto the computer, and from photo bucket into a p.m. or a thread.

[Garyshome]

Wayyy to much to type, I'm a lousy typer.

[foesgth]

Wow, what a question. I finally learned how to properly flux lead. I learned there is still an America out there. And I learned that I probably don't like whomever it was that POed Jim. I miss my Floyd updates.

[wgr]

how to spend money. so i can shoot cheaper

[country gent]

Ive learned what a great bunch of people are here and willing to share thier experiences knowledge when asked. Ive made many new freinds here and wish them all the best anda Thank-you to all for the information and help

[btroj]

I learned that testing lube formulas a takes a huge amount of time and effort. I learned that while they are awesome guys you should NEVER let Run and Gear lead you down that path, no matter how sincere they sound.
Lube testing also reminded me that I have a very patient wife and a daughter who thought it was cool.
I learned that no site has as good a crowd as this one!

I learned that coating bullets in things other than 45-45-10 has merit and works great in handguns.

I met a new guy from the site and learned that mining the berm is an obsession best not passed on to others- their spouse may not appreciate lists of date and pounds collected. Not everyone appreciates obsession. Go figure.

Ultimately I learned that I have a few genuine friends here. Guys I would like to meet in person.

It has been a great year on the whole.

[geargnasher]

This summer I learned, for the third time in 20 years, the virtues of being a selective hoarder.

ETA: Brad, I'm sure there are a few who, if your wife met, would need to be introduced under an alias for their own protection.

Gear

[Love Life]

^^Amen.

I learned many things from this forum this year.

1. I'm not always right.
2. This is a great group of people, and I'd love to take many of them coyote hunting and to see the wonders of the Sierras.
3. R5R's case lube is amazing. Good for the skin as well.
4. Cherish life and family as you never know when you will be called home.

As for firearms:
1. I learned that I have a lot to learn.

Casting:
1. A bunch. I even had a 10mm remind me on why fit is king.

I learned about coating bullets and I am immensely grateful for that. It's so clean.

[captaint]

Let's see... I learned that chemotherapy really sucks. That aside, I confirmed that if we read enough right here, we don't have to ask too many questions. I also learned that failing to smelt all the WW's really tends to take away my space for my stuff. Mike

[MBTcustom]

I just remembered another big one. In the course of my duties as moderator, I needed to clean up the stickies in all the sections. Whilst rearranging them to their proper places, I read quite a few of them, and was shocked at the knowledge contained in there.

I also found out that the "Classics and Stickies" section is not just a compilation of all the stickies at the tops of the sections, but is a whole pile of special information, most of which was hand picked by Ken (45nut) himself.

I read most of them and while a good portion of that information went in one ear and out the other, I can tell you that if you actually read the stickies and apply what you see, you will be head and shoulders above most of the casters on this board, and you will be able to understand much of the advanced topics being discussed here.

Most folks never set foot in the Classics and Stickies section and they do themselves a huge disservice. There is information there for everyone from the brand new caster, to the seasoned veteran.

Another thing I learned about is neck tension and the fit of the neck in the chamber, as well as concentricity of the boolit in the neck of the casing, along with making sure the boolit is seated straight in the neck, has a direct effect on accuracy of the cast lead boolit in rifle cartridges. Good stuff!

[Janoosh]

What I learned this year at Cast Boolits is that a...good...custom mould is worth every penny...Thanks NOE!!
Also...Leementing..It works!!!
Read the Sticky's....that helped me with two other finicky moulds.
And that there are a lot of helpful people at this site, including the barkers and biters!

[DeanWinchester]

I learned the same thing I learned last year. I don't have near enough money to cover my wants. Reading posts here is like pouring Nitromethane on the flames of wants. I actually find myself purposefully NOT reading some threads for fear of trying to take on a new project.