I got a protege' !

[Jim]

Janet and I have gotten close to a family here. There's four children in the bunch, two of each and they're all very well behaved and well mannered.
Jarrett, the youngest boy, killed his first, a six point, last year with a break open .44 Mag rifle.
In casual conversation, his dad informed me that Jarrett loves to shoot. No kiddin', really? Hmmm...
So, I got him a box of factory ammo for Christmas. Oh, don't worry, all of them are getting something from Mr. Jim and Miss Janet.
We were over there the other day and Jarrett and I were parked on the couch discussing hunting, shooting, guns, you know, the important stuff. I started telling him that I make ammunition. "Really? How do you do that?" The hook is set.
When I told him he could come over to our house, spend the night one weekend and we'd get up in the gun room and make our own ammo, especially some for his rifle, he lit up like a runway at night.
"Dad, Dad, Mr. Jim's gonna make bullets for my rifle!"
"Oh, no, I'm not. YOU'RE gonna make it."
"Huh?"
"I'm gonna teach you how and you're gonna learn to do it yourself."
"REALLY?"
I got me a protege' and a buddy, fellas.

[Bloodman14]

Excellent! Get'em while they are young and teach them right! Gotta pass the torch.

[Hickory]

Patric McMaus wrote a short story called;
The Theory and Application of Old Men.
This youngster would be well served to have a copy of that story.

[Trey45]

My neighbors kids come over often when they see the light on in my shop. The oldest daughter loves using the Lyman lubrisizer, whenever they come over, she sets up in front of the Lyman and lubrisizes boolits for me. When I cast boolits they love the sound they make when I drop them in water. SZSZSZSZSZSZSZSZSZSZ lol. The oldest son is fond of my Dillon 550's, and with my close supervision, he'll run 50 or so cartridges. Their parents will sometimes come over and watch me pour boolits. I think eventually I'll have them all hooked. Aaron, the father, has a single stage press, he just hasn't set it up yet. He is however saving all his brass!

[HORNET]

The first steps down a long and slippery slope...Good work.

[Hickory]

Exerts from Patrick McManus book: A Fine and Pleasant Misery, the short story “The Theory and Application of Old Men.”

Every kid should have an old man. I don’t mean just a father. Fathers are all right and I’m not knocking them, since I am one myself, but from a kids point of view they spend entirely too much time at a thing called an office or some other equally boring place called work.

If you’re a kid, what you need is someone who can take you out hunting and fishing or just poking around the woods anytime you feel the urge. That’s an old man. Doing things like that are what old men are designed for.
I’m something of an expert on the subject, having studied under some of the best old men in the business. Someday I hope to get into the field myself. In any case, I am eminently qualified to advise you on getting and caring for your first old man.

Here is a good basic description of an old man:
He is a male person with white hair, a stubbly beard, wrinkled hide, bifocals, long underwear, chews tobacco, and has the disposition of a bull walrus with a case of shingles. If you find a female person with these basic characteristics, she would probably work just as well.

[DeanWinchester]

Awesome Jim, awesome.

Firm handshake a cold brew for that.:drinks:

To get real explanations to the little man's questions is going to priceless to him. Some of us got explanations that consisted of, "Don't ask stupid questions" or my personal favorite "Go find your own thing to do and stop bothering me" I wish I could find an eager and deserving mind to pass on what I have learned [the hard way]. I certainly will should the opportunity present itself.

This kid will have something money can't buy. Not to mention some ****** loads for a .44 mag handi rifle! There may come a day as we get older that we will depend on a younger set of hands for more than we like. I think it would be comforting to know that younger set of hands has a great appreciation for something as simple as sharing couple of dollars worth of primers, powder and lead.


Awesome man.

[crabo]

You need that young back for smelting. I've got a couple of friends coming over to help me smelt about a ton of roofers lead and WWs.

[shootingbuff]

Not a young-un but I got a co-worker hooked on shooting a few months ago and showed him my presses. He has purchased a used single stage press, powder measurer, scale, and is waiting until the first to purchase dies and powder. He has also watched me cast and has assisted in smelting wheel wts down. I think after he gets comfortable with reloading he will be casting as well. He already is looking for WW for me, but man did I ever move into a WW poor area last year.

[shooterg]

Good on you, Jim ! I've converted a couple grown shooters to reloading and maybe one will cast, but not fortunate enough to have a youngster to tutor yet - although I hope to live long enough to introduce the addiction my now 2 month old grandson ! Maybe I'll just send him down to Floyd Co. !

[JeffinNZ]

I have a Martini .32-20 with a suppressor. My wife likes to shoot it as she is a southpaw. From day one I said to her she could shoot it till she was blue in the face BUT she loaded the ammo. So she did.

[watkibe]

At the risk of hijacking this thread...Pat McManus was mentioned twice before by others, so it's not my fault !
My wife and I went to one of his booksignings, picked up his latest book, and stood in line for him to sign it.
When we got up to him, we explained that last thing at night in bed before we turned the lights out, we took turns reading one of his books to each other, and we often laughed ourselves to sleep.
He signed it "To Bruce and Laura, who think I'm funny in bed !"

[Suo Gan]

Great Jim. The best Christmas gift you could have given him! That kind of thing pays dividends ya know!

[kbstenberg]

Unfortunately I'm at the opposite extreme. None of my kids cared for the outdoors (any aspect of it) My grandson is interested in all parts of the sports. But being 150 miles away doesn't give him much chance to get out. His father never gets closer to the outdoors than his front yard. An that DAM X Box cant be more than an arms length away from my G.S.
I've tried to influence him when we get together. But my wife says not to push it. But I know if I don't PUSH IT The other influences (computer, drugs, gangs, GIRLS, buddies) are ever present.
Kevin

[Tazman1602]

Congrats Jim! I'm still looking for one.........................

........but can you think of a BETTER Christmas present to have gotten????? Woo-Hoo! Pass is on!!!

Send me your address via PM and I'll send you a Lee .44 TL 240gr (I *think*...) mold I No longer use if you're interested. It will make a nice starter mold for the boy. I think I've even got an extra bottle of mule snot I can send him.

The mold was given to me about 30 years ago by an old codger who taught me to cast. Only thing he asked?

"Pass is on"

If you think it would do him any good it would be my priviledge for him to have this mold..............if he'll have one from an old, grouchy, bald, Damn Yankee............<grin>

Art

[DeanWinchester]

Unfortunately I'm at the opposite extreme. None of my kids cared for the outdoors (any aspect of it) My grandson is interested in all parts of the sports. But being 150 miles away doesn't give him much chance to get out. His father never gets closer to the outdoors than his front yard. An that DAM X Box cant be more than an arms length away from my G.S.
I've tried to influence him when we get together. But my wife says not to push it. But I know if I don't PUSH IT The other influences (computer, drugs, gangs, GIRLS, buddies) are ever present.
Kevin


I understand, I do. Modern industrial/technological society, which is supposed to be enriching and progressive is actually destroying the children of the world. Technology can be great, but it's become debilitating and has turned this generation of kids into a lazy virus that feeds off a system that can't sustain itself or all the parasites that have become so dependent on it.

[Jim]

Taz,
That's a wonderful thing to offer, Sir. I will most certainly take you up on that.
As this progresses, I plan to post pics of Jarrett in the various phases of his learning. I'll DEFINITELY post one of him casting with that mold.
What I'm waiting for is a pic of him holding a clover leaf target that he shot with boolits he cast and loaded. I'm gonna need a wide angle lenses to capture his smile!
Excited? Me? What makes you think that?[smilie=w:

[pmeisel]

A fine thing. I developed a love of fishing from a long-time ago neighbor, "Smitty" to one and all, -- long since passed to his reward but still remembered by others as well as me, I am sure.

[Three44s]

Mentoring .... the more the better!

I've got four nephews to mentor where it comes to ballistic persuasions.

This Christmas ..... it's all about guns and huntin'!!!!!

Hooray!

Last Christmas, I gave my oldest nephew on my side of the family a used but good .223 barrel for his Savage .243 bolt gun. My brother was too busy to get him the bolt head and Go gauge so ..... this Christmas ...... guess what ....... the necessary parts!

I gave his younger brother a DVD on predator hunting at the same time ..... and Dad and I gave him a much better air rifle ... ... we had to pry him off the ceiling!!!

....... I never heard anymore about the DVD ...... so I asked my brother ....... "What came of it?"

He says: "Oh, the oldest one plays it at bed time and sometimes it's still playing the in morning!" (Well I guess he's sleeping on coyote howling!!!) I'd say that was a hit!

So I'll get myself down to town and get some actual calls for the scamps!!!!!

The other side of the familie's nephews are going to be shooting their Grandpa's .303 brit for the first time with handloads ....... their father is a shirt tail liberal but not great on gun rights but I think we are moving some to the "right" if I am reading my breeze right?

Kudos to Jim! Great thread and great timing ..... in this season of giving!!

Three 44s

[Wayne Smith]

Wonderful, Jim! That's the investment that will keep on paying. I guess I can claim Arisaka99 since he will be helping me build in my shooting room. At almost 16 he's taller than I am and I'm 6'2". I have to keep reminding myself how young he really is.

I say "I guess I can claim him" but all you all are helping him now.

[35isit]

I am lucky to have a 19 year old son who likes to hunt and shoot. I mentor him in reloading and hope to in casting bullets soon. He started loading his own ammo for his deer rifle when he got it. Killed his first deer with ammo he loaded when he was 12 or 13.

[Olevern]

I invite you to go to "all albums" , type in "my boys" in the search and click on my album.
I am blessed!

[Jim]

We just got home from visiting our friends. Jarrett was very excited to get a box of .44 Mag ammo for Christmas.

I assured Jarrett's parents that Cast Boolits is a "clean" forum, absent of any profanity or other objectionable material and that the members would be glad to have him on board. His Mom consented to let me help him get an email addy and join the forum.
In a few days, he coming over and we'll get that done. I'll get some photos of him and let him post on his first one. Not sure yet, but I think he's going to go with "J Man".
He's looking forward to learning how to make "boolits" for his rifle.

All in all, it was a good visit. We really love spending time with the children. Me and the boys made paper airplanes and had air strike fights. The girls and Janet drew and colored pictures with their new water color pencil sets.

God has provided Janet and I with four wonderful grandchildren in place of the ones we have in SC that we never get to see.

[DeanWinchester]

Good deal Jim. Look forward to meeting him here. I want to hear more about this break open .44 too when he gets here.

I hope he understands how deep this rabbit hole of a hobby goes. If he slips on the edge, he's a goner. Just like the rest of us.

[Jim]

I'm gonna push him in!