how i spent my fourth so far

[Lloyd Smale]

casted up a couple hundred soft nosed rcbs 405rfgcs for the 4570 sized them and loaded 80 for dad to use hunting this year. Then i fired the 44 square deal up and loaded 1200 rounds of 44 mag to get me through next week. Im beat my back is sore and all i have left to do is fill some primer tubes then im going to hit the recliner for the rest of the day.

[Gussy]

Working.

I spent yesterday laying sod at my house, so today I work at the shop. I did stop at my home shop first and put a coat of finish on a stock. Will do the same on the way home.
Gus

[ktw]

Whenever I get concerned over being a bit too obsessive with my shooting/handloading/casting activities (after all, I have kids to feed, cloth and entertain, too), I simply think to myself, "What would Lloyd Smale do in this situation?"

Thanks for always being there in my times of doubt, Lloyd. :drinks:

-ktw

[Lloyd Smale]

guns will feed cloth and entertain and kids can be taught to load so i dont see the problem pal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whenever I get concerned over being a bit too obsessive with my shooting/handloading/casting activities (after all, I have kids to feed, cloth and entertain, too), I simply think to myself, "What would Lloyd Smale do in this situation?"

Thanks for always being there in my times of doubt, Lloyd. :drinks:

-ktw

[Lloyd Smale]

Gussy, been working on anything new? I need you to invent an automatic casting machine for about 500 bucks and a case feeder for square deals and id be willing to buck up and pay about a 100 bucks a piece for them. Ill take the first 6 you make. If you have spare time a bullet feeder too!!!!=Gussy;198842]Working.

I spent yesterday laying sod at my house, so today I work at the shop. I did stop at my home shop first and put a coat of finish on a stock. Will do the same on the way home.
Gus[/QUOTE]

[redbear705]

I just came in from casting up alittle over 1400 lee 150gr .358 cal rnf for my pistop shooting.

I got a late start because of the rain so I moved my setup into the garage and fired it up.

I am still learning how to use the six banger but I am getting there!

It took about 3 hrs start to finsh including moving my setup....that is now gonna stay inside...no more moving stuff around...that is for the birds!

Anyhow...Happy Independance day! enjoy it any way you can!

JR

[Bret4207]

Slept till 7:00AM (!!! heaven!!!) and have spent the day pretty much working in the downstairs bathroom. Thank goodness SWMBO understands the concept of a coffee break. I hate finish work.

[monadnock#5]

I got out of work at 7:00AM. Got home and made some posts, and then spent 4 hours mowing the lawn. No work tonight for the Holiday. My Wife is putting together a gin martini for me, and very shortly I'm going to burn out like a lightbulb.

[ez4545]

I was sworn in today and took my Oath as a volunteer in the Georgia State Defense Force. I didn't think there was much a 53 year old disabled guy with arthritis could do to help out, but they found a place for me. They classified me as a DL3, which I was told by my master sgt, means the heaviest thing I'll have to lift is a pencil and occasionally work in communications.

"The Georgia State Defense Force is a legally constituted element of the Georgia Department of Defense, serving in support of the national and state constitutions under direction of the Governor and the Adjutant General of the State of Georgia."

The funny part is I'm a 53 year old E1. The good part is I'll be doing data entry and paper work for our state National Guard and the GSDF in our battalion headquarters. I thought I was way past the age where I could put on a uniform and do something meaningful. We also work with FEMA and GEMA.

If you're in Georgia and want to do some good check these guys out. They need your help! It only takes a day or so a month!

http://www.gasdf.com/about-gsdf.htm

This has been a great 4th for me. Since I was classified as disabled in 2005 and forced into early retirement, I have actually been bored. I now have drills to look forward to and training to keep things interesting.

Bill

[44woody]

got up and got a cup of coffee then hit the computer and drank my coffee like I do every morning it had rained about 4am so when I went to start the fire in the smoker I had a heck of a time in getting it starter but I got it going then then went in and put the seasoning on the turkey put it in the smoker about 12:45 then went and got a friend of the family brought her over then about 3:00 pm I put the 2 slabs of baby back ribs on and the sweet potatoes about 5:45 I put the mushrooms on a little after 6:00 more friends show up by 6:30 all the food was done and we sat down to dinner which was outstanding after dinner we set off fire works then I took miss Linda home and that is how I spent the day :castmine: 44Woody

[carpetman]

44Woody---Someone and darn it I forgot whom posted a neat fire starter. They said get a cardboard egg crate and fill the compartments with sawdust,then fill with parafin. It works great. You can also use dryer lint in lieu of the sawdust and you can take an empty toilet paper spool and flute one end so the spokes fold up and tap it flat,then fill with sawdust and parafin. Anyways fires start easily--even when the wood is wet.

[carpetman]

I have friend that owns a car wash. He is preparing to go to Brazil and I'm babysitting the car wash for him. I sure hope nothing breaks. I can figure out how to fix a few simple things but there is a lot more about car wash equipment I dont know how to fix than what there is I do know how.

[Bret4207]

I was sworn in today and took my Oath as a volunteer in the Georgia State Defense Force. I didn't think there was much a 53 year old disabled guy with arthritis could do to help out, but they found a place for me. They classified me as a DL3, which I was told by my master sgt, means the heaviest thing I'll have to lift is a pencil and occasionally work in communications.

"The Georgia State Defense Force is a legally constituted element of the Georgia Department of Defense, serving in support of the national and state constitutions under direction of the Governor and the Adjutant General of the State of Georgia."

The funny part is I'm a 53 year old E1. The good part is I'll be doing data entry and paper work for our state National Guard and the GSDF in our battalion headquarters. I thought I was way past the age where I could put on a uniform and do something meaningful. We also work with FEMA and GEMA.

If you're in Georgia and want to do some good check these guys out. They need your help! It only takes a day or so a month!

http://www.gasdf.com/about-gsdf.htm

This has been a great 4th for me. Since I was classified as disabled in 2005 and forced into early retirement, I have actually been bored. I now have drills to look forward to and training to keep things interesting.

Bill


You'd think ALL the States would have a program like that. Good for you Private!

[Scrounger]

Some time ago I read about a neat firestarter. Take old paper shotgunshells and fill them with parrafin.

[Patrick L]

I took my son to the range with the M1, the 1903, and the M1 carbine. We squeezed a few off in honor of those who sacrificed so much for us.

[Uncle R.]

I did something patriotic for the fourth. I took my youngest boy (nearing eight and BIG for his age) to the rifle range. It was his first time shooting anything that doesn't say Crossman on it.
:)
During the drive to the range we talked about The Minute Men, and militias, and how it's a good thng for free men to own personal weapons and be skilled in their use.
After a short orientation I let him shoot his grandpa's DCM carbine. That Winchester M1 carbine has proved to be a useful trainer, with just enough blast and recoil to be interesting. Every one of my boys has been fascinated by the notion that their grandpa was a soldier, fought in a war, and carried a gun just like this one in that war. While technically true, I haven't felt the need to tell them that their grandpa carried a carbine now and again but much preferred the M1 rifle for serious work.
:)
Dad bought that carbine way back in the sixties, and it just tickles me pink to think that it's being used for exactly what that DCM program intended - teaching beginners to shoot. There are many people today who'd be appalled at the idea of teaching a young boy to shoot - and bad cess to them!
The first few rounds were going wild, so we (OK, mostly ME) talked some more about trigger squeeze and then he started making holes in the paper.
"It kicks a bit, doesn't it son?"
"Yeah - but it just pushes you, it doesn't really hurt."
:-D
We didn't stay long. A few three shot groups and we were done for the day. Youngsters have short attention spans, and I'm a firm believer in leaving them asking for more. As we packed up he was begging for one more try. There will be more range sessions and serious training to go with them, but sometimes a little bit is just the right dosage.
The student's groups weren't all that great - but the old man scored a bullseye yesterday. Happy Birthday America!
Uncle R.

[475/480]

I was supposed to go pig hunting but we have so much rain down here I stayed at home and cast up 250 of the Lee- .452-300gr FNGC boolits and sized/lubed them.
I am waiting on moulds from NEI and Ballisti-cast then I will get busy casting again.

Sean

[USARO4]

Lloyd, I had planned a day similar to yours, but the family intervened. Sometimes I just have to remind myself that there is more to life than guns and boolits.

[Sundogg1911]

I had a bonfire on the hill behind the house on the 3rd. Nursed a slight hangover the first part of the 4th. made about 50# of WW ingots while doing yard work, then went to my brothers to watch the fireworks. One of these days I may actually make it out to the range!