Beautiful day for casting

[High Desert Hunter]

Not a single cloud in a true blue New Mexico sky, temp was a degree shy of 70. So after shooting the longbow in preperation for a mule deer hunt starting the 1st, I fired up the #20 Lee pot, and cast up a variety of 45-270SAAs, 415gr .458s, and a slew of 105gr 32-20 bullets. Haven't been shooting in 2 weeks, and the withdrawls are unbearable, so Dec 26 is dedicated to honey do's, and then some serious gunpowder burning. Hope everyone Has a Merry Christmas, as we celebrate His presence in our lives.

Dave Beeman :D

[stocker]

AKBman: Glad to hear it. Winter here is usually cold enough that I can't my sprue plate hot. Did I mention I cast outside? Gotta do something about that but I really don't want to replace my lady. Consequently I cast like the devil in spring and summer and shoot 'em off in winter.

[High Desert Hunter]

I know the feeling, I lived near Fairbanks Alaska before this whistle stop.

Dave

[cbrick]

Not a cloud in the sky, temp is 67 and it's the first day in a week that the wind isn't blowing. Christmas day is also the only day of the year that the range is closed. Guess I'll have to settle for the baked ham dinner today.

Merry Christmas.

Rick

[MT Gianni]

Western MT was foggy and about 35 around noon. I couldn't see the neighbors house clearly. I have been fighting tendonitis and tennis elbow but found time to hit the pot for a couple of hours. Gianni.

[FISH4BUGS]

...it is cloudy and 45 degrees......certainly warm enough to cast in the shed....a small heater will bring it up to about 50 or 55. After my lady friend's grownup kids finish with their Christmas visit, I'm heading over to cast some 9mm from the 10 cavity H&G 124gr rn mould (never enough of those when you shoot full auto) and some standard 158gr swc cg 38/357's. If I have time and energy, I'll try that new 4 cavity Hensley & Gibbs 200 gr 44 mag gc mould. Never been used....I'll be the first. I can't wait to shoot some full house 44 mags with a 200gr gc bullet.
It is, indeed, a beautiful day. To top it off, I am on vacation! Tomorrow we are off to a small island off the coast of Maine for a week of hiking, photography, reading, writing, rest and relaxation.....life is good..........except for the 1000 lbs of ww that have to be melted down.

[waksupi]

Western MT was foggy and about 35 around noon. I couldn't see the neighbors house clearly. I have been fighting tendonitis and tennis elbow but found time to hit the pot for a couple of hours. Gianni.

Hit the pot for a couple hours, huh? Does that mean you had Mexican food last night, or are you having a Twinkie and Ho-Ho binge now? That maryjane will give you the munchies!

36 degrees, overcast, morning fog has lifted, occassional peeks at the sun. Had eight elk standing around my shooting shack this morning at daylight. No sign of Santa, but I didn't check the outhouse until about an hour later. He may have been in there.

[High Desert Hunter]

Well now, he may not have had Mexican last night, but I sure did, real tamales made by a real Mexican woman, they were excellent. Going to load and shoot some of those bullets I cast yesterday tomorrow, supposed to be better than 70 degrees and sunny tomorrow, perfect weather for the .45 Colt, .32WCF, and the .45/70 Government. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.

Dave Beeman (thinking of changing my handel to something that better reflects my present location)

[Junior1942]

It was 44 to 49 here in north Louisiana this morning, but the wind gusted to 20 mph. It was collllllllllllddddddd in the woods. I dressed for 44 but neglected to consider the wind's effect. I made a mad dash for home and the ol' woodstove 'round 10 am.

I'm hunting on a brushy--read that, in need of bush hogging--pipeline with a cleared 4-wheeler path down its middle. There's a gully crossways of the line about 75 yards ahead with a deer path just this side and another one at about the 90 yard mark on the other side. Max range to the top of a rise ahead is about 150 yards. Perfect place for a #323471 @ 220 grs @ ~1850 fps from my 38 Turk.

Friday morning, bucks only day, 8 doe crossed at the 90 yard mark. Well, some of them could have been spikes as maybe 4 of them ran full speed across the line. Smart deer.

Saturday morning, yesterday, doe day, a lone doe ambled to the middle of the line at about the 75 yard mark, then turned and looked at me. I was standing, and, shooting offhand, I fired and missed badly.

This morning, doe day again, I saw zilch.

[Johnch]

Boy do I wish I had your weather for a few days , to clean up the mess . :violin:
Today 35-38 and rain , washing away the snow and leaving mud .
Tonight they are calling for 28-30 and snow , then more of the 30 - 35 weather for a few days .

Johnch

[PatMarlin]

Might as well check in from far north Kalifonia. Heavy rain and 55 dgrs!

Now I truly understand how dedicated and obsessed casters are.. :mrgreen:

Merry Christmas happy birthday Jesus!

[shooter575]

Well I figure I will jump too. SE Mich.Been warm Christmas eve and today.A balmy 38 or so for highs.Warmest it has been in 5 weeks.The foot of snow we had is about 1/2 gone.Started rain/drizzle off and on last night.Is now snowing BIG flakes. I did not get any gun stuff in today but I did get into the woods.Cut a bit,split a bit and drug up about a full cord worth to the house.I have used up about 2 cord this year so far,but only 40 gal. of fuel oil. Darn wood sure is heavyer than it used to be
You guys all have a Merry and safe Christmas.

[David R]

I let the children open presents last night so I could sleep late. Well, I woke up at 5 anyhow. Poured a few from my 454 275 group buy mold. After | got it good and warm, the front alignment pin fell out. :(

SOO since my daughter got a new scope (and I got her old one) we HAD to go to the range today. My son shot his 1891 Arg and I played with my Wally World Stevens in 308. My daughter shot her Marling 22 getting the new scope ready for the winter match that starts next week.

I did get a 10 shot group of 2 1/8 with 8 in an inch outside to outside. 311644 in front of 44 grains of WC 860. 308 loves this powder.

Most of the time we shot at a gong at 25 yards. Boring with the 308, but fun with the arg. and Peestol.

Merry christmass to all !

May your next year be full of lead :)

David and children

[sundog]

Well fellers, all y'all are right. It was a beautiful day for casting. Had the wood stove going in the shop to kill an ever so slight chill and a ham in a roasting pan atop the stove just baking away. Have I ever mentioned that I like RCBS moulds? Well, maybe not.... My Merry Christmas present new from Mrs Sundog 30-150-FN has got to be the tightest alignment pins that I've ever seen. Whoever it was that set up this particular mould did an A-ONE job. After deburring, stoning, cleaning, and lubing, I set it up on a set of handles and while doing a final inspection before warmup (pot was already full of molten WWs) I hel it up to the light because it felt like it didn't close quite right. I gives it a light tap on the hinge and I could 'feel' it come together - not a burr or high spot or anything like that - just a coming together. Another look into the light and none showing between the blocks. Well even at the end of its first cupple hour long casting session, which made some absolutely beautiful boolits, it's still just as tight. Early on I forgot to give it a tap on closing and got some whiskering and base finning. Just a light tap on closing while applying light pressure and the blocks mate up, well, like they're supposed. Rack up one more in the RCBS column. Somehow, I'm figgerin' they're gonna shoot okay, too. sundog

[High Desert Hunter]

Well another 70 Degree Winter Day, and the bullets all shot great. Had a great time shooting the .45s in SS Bisley with the 5 1/2" barrel, the .32s in the custom Ruger with a 4 3/4" barrel, and the big RCBS405s in the Marlin 1895GS. Couldn't afford to shoot near as much as I do if I didn't cast and reload, what a great country we live in.

Dave Beeman

[David R]

Today, the day after christmass, I managed to pour 350 44s early this morning while the kids were sleeping. THEN this afternoon, I got out the 5 gal bucket full of water, stocked up the RCBS and poured with my new group buy 311407. In 2 hours of casting time, I came up with 1550 (44 lbs) of nice looking water dropped boolits. A great day!

David