Setting up a work area II

No, I’m  not trying to pass this off as a gun article, I just didn’t want you to  think I forgot the site while I was getting my work area and site support  squared away. You might think of this as a status report. Most of  this week was spent […] [Read More]

The Contender .30/30 Vs the real .30/30 ? But first........

Ballistics I always find myself using basic ballistic  equations and tables. At a minimum, these little gems are interesting and help build a  foundation of understanding of firearms. More so, they become frequently used tools to  help sight in firearms, examine cartridge application before purchase, etc. “Understanding Ballistics”, by  Robert […] [Read More]

Gadgets

I really didn’t skip town, honest. We are in the process of moving our business offices, and when they move, so moves Real Guns. Apparently, moving three doors down, or three hundred miles away takes about the same amount of effort, and results in the same amount of disruption. So, […] [Read More]

Machine shop learning curves

I can confidently report that I can now make large round things into smaller round things, and do it with a certain degree of precision. I can also make these smaller round things into square things, thanks to the resources of my recently repaired milling machine. Finally, now that I’ve […] [Read More]

Time to clean house

I was finishing my prep work for the range this weekend, and I was down to the last batch of handloads. Very conservative .243 loads for my wife, and a friend who will be making the trip with us. I had been loading .30/30 ammo for the Contender, so everything […] [Read More]

Denmark, Copyrights and interesting lessons

I set up Real Guns as a way to convey more or less positive firearms information, without the influence of: advertising, anti-gun pressure or the need to attract an audience. Anyone who feels there is value to the site’s contents are free to read the material. Anyone who thinks the […] [Read More]

Revisiting the Thompson Center Contender Part III, but first...

I wanted to provide some updated information on loads for the .338-378 Weatherby, now that I’ve had a chance to work with Hodgdon H870. 123.0 grains H870 250 grain Sierra spitzer soft point boattail CCI #250 large rifle magnum primers Avg. MV 3,210 Avg. group size 3 shots well under […] [Read More]

Revisiting the Thompson Center Contender Part II

Sorry I’m about a week over deadline. I was just never able to convince the folks at Midway USA that three weeks for shipment isn’t quite the same as second day air, used or refurb repacked scopes shouldn’t be shipped to customers as new items, and product with missing parts […] [Read More]

Revisting the Thompson Center Contender

A Contender is an interesting firearm. It would seem too short to be a proper rifle, too long to be a proper pistol, and maybe an unnecessary compromise at both ends of the spectrum. In fact, it would seem shooting competition with this type of gun is just that, competition […] [Read More]

Tightening up reload specs & building a throat clearance gauge

I know this sounds odd, but I think I’ve just found the most cost effective way to improve the quality of my reloads – I put a new top on my reloading bench. I began noticing that simple operations like removing spent primers, or taper crimping assembled rounds was getting […] [Read More]