Real Guns - An Update
No, I haven’t left town; promise. It’s been a very hectic few months so I have had my attention diverted elsewhere. I also needed to back away from grinding out material and take some time to personally enjoy firearms, which has always been the foundation for the Real Guns site. […] [Read More]
The Lee Lead Hardness Testing Kit and Other Bullet Biting Alternatives
In the old days, if you wanted to know the hardness of lead, or the legitimacy of gold currency, you bit the object. Then you’d take stock of how much your jaw hurt, the depth of your teeth marks in the object, and arrived at a conclusion – probably that […] [Read More]
Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime
You’ll rarely see my picture in the pages of real guns. I always think it is kind of silly when I see articles with images of the author prominently plastered throughout. Sometimes I include a photo on RG when I say something critical and I don’t want people to think […] [Read More]
45-70 Gov't - Cast Bullet Handloads Ruger No. 1 and Marlin 1895 Guide Gun
If there was anything notable about the day, I would have to say that would be the fog. First it rolled in, closing all the shooting positions, then it rolled out, and all positions were open. Then it rolled in again during a break for target check and, while it […] [Read More]
What I Really Meant to Say Was...
Bang !…Err, Bang! Bang! Nope, just not the same without the rest of the parts. Pictured, left, are the remains of my Taurus 44 Mag. No, the rest didn’t blow up or fall off, the frame was sitting at Hogue having a set of Pau Ferro grips fit to the […] [Read More]
Everything I know About Shotguns... Part 4 Baseline range day or...where did my shoulder go?
With a handload plan in place, it was time to collect some baseline data from the Mossberg so I would know if my handloads would actually offer improved performance, or if I would have to lie. So we packed up the gear and headed up to Los Altos Rod and […] [Read More]
Everything I know About Shotguns... Part 3 in 500 words or less
I didn’t leave the country, I’ve just been grappling with the mechanics of handloading for shotguns. Shotgunners apparently forgot to check in with the metallic cartridge bunch before venturing into handloading, so they have their own: vocabulary, sort of similar methods and a rather disconcerting way of discouraging people from […] [Read More]
Everything I know About Shotguns... Part 2 in 500 words or less
Approximately 3.3 million firearms of all types and for all purposes were produced in this country in 2003, the last year reported through the Treasury Department. This number does not include fully automatic firearms, or imported firearms. Approximately 22% of the 3.3 million were shotguns. Apparently, that 22% group didn’t […] [Read More]
Everything I know About Shotguns... Part 1 in 500 Words or Less
Some of the benefits of being a firearm enthusiast are exposure to new technology, the never ending stream of new products and the number of disciplines that track to various types of firearms. A shooter who grows weary of rifles can switch to handguns, or muzzle loaders, or long range […] [Read More]
Maine - Home For Awhile
Headed home for awhile. It feels like we’ve been gone forever, but for very good reasons; lots of family time and the birth of our fifth grandchild took us to Texas and California. It will be nice for awhile to sit in one spot. I understand the weather in Maine […] [Read More]