I need to get a portable reader for CF cards or an extra cable for the Rebel, because I have pics of a couple of spectacular malfunctions brought into the gunsmithing shop within 48 hours of each other, both of which were related to reloaded ammunition.
Brief safety pointers until I get the images up:
- If the gun makes any noise other than a normal, healthy *BANG!*, don't pull the trigger again. And for the sake of Sam Colt, don't pull it another two or three times.
- If you don't know what you're doing, reloading rifle ammunition probably isn't for you.
(Also, maybe I should think about a ring flash for this kind of pickcher takin'.)
18 comments:
I'd love a ring flash. I'd not like a malf requiring a gunsmith.
Wow. On a whim I went to see how much ring flashes were going for.
<$50 for many of them.
Wish I'd have had one of those when I was doing wedding photography.
Possible data point: For the small number (3) of reloading-caused kabooms I've seen, two were squibs and the third was an apparent double charge. But in all three instances, the reloader was of the non-progressive type which, presumably, are susceptible to these types of operator errors.
Progressive presses automatically advance the rounds one step at a time making a double-advance (skipping the powder drop) and no-advance (dropping a double dose of powder) highly unlikely.
When you see a kaboom, ask what kind of press was being used, progressive of not.
At what level of use does loading your own become practical? I'm interested in reloading already.
I don't shoot regularly enough now for it to make sense, but when does it make sense?
I tried a ring flash some years ago and wound up trading it back for a different lens or something. I think for gun/product work they are over-rated. Reflectors and bouncing a strong flash off a nearby white (or near white) wall work as well if not better in my view, but I'm not a photographer. I'm just a guy who has sold pixtures to go with my words...
All The Best,
Frank W. James
"Just a guy who has sold pictures to ho with [his] words" in much the same way that Tarzan (if he were real) would be "Just a guy who grew up in Equatorial Africa."
:)
Frank,
Oh, yes, a reflector or light box is much better for taking a picture of a whole gun!
It'd only really shine (no pun intended) for work like the work for which it was invented, which was dental photos; really good for photos of headstamps, closeups of feed ramps or chambers, and stuff like that.
The reader you want is here
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4389484&csid=_61
less than a large latte, and works awesome.
What Og said. I got a Sandisk USB memory card reader 15 months ago, and paid like 5 times as much as the one he linked (of course, I walked into Target and got it). The prices at TigerDirect are pretty hard to beat.
Woodman:
For me, it isn't about level of use. Its about customization.
Find me a 190 grain boattail hornady interlock loaded onto 300 win mag brass with enough oompf in powder to make 3000 feet per second without cratering primers and I'll buy factory ammo.
Since no one offers a factory 190 grain round at all, much less one with that much go-juice (for liability reasons) I reload my own.
Ahh, so I should reload if I get the same way with my ammo that I am with my beer.
Brewing my own beer saves me pennies on the bottle, costs me more per bottle if I settle for Coors, but I get exactly what I want... most of the time.
Of course, if I screw up a brew I just get undrinkable beer, not a blown up gun. And even most undrinkable beer can be used to cook with.
Ed, most of the squibs I've seen have been done on progressives. The dolts weren't paying attention to powder measure levels.
I started loading for rifles 40 years ago. All done with the *intensive* training of reading the first few chapters of a reloading manual.
No squibs or KBs, still have both eyes and I can still count to 10.
Like Goob, I like to be able to customize the ammo to the gun but I'm more likely to load down rather than up.
When I shot a fair amount of trap and skeet I reloaded shotgun shells. There is very little you can screw up without noticing it.
SO'ing matches and working on a range I have seen folks turn their pistols into scrap because they failed to pay attention when they reloaded. I must admit I "SQUIRREL!" get a bit distracted.
Gerry
RE: ring flash. I'm assuming you have Oleg's phone number. Given the quality of his gun photos he seems to have it all figured out and I suspect a 5 minute call would lead to a solution.
Wait, don't you have a smartphone? The Imgur app works pretty well.
I should add to my earlier comment here that it is auto-indexing that is the desired feature. Some progressives have it, some don't. It's a good addition for safety's sake.
Woodman: Reloading provides.three advantages - you can roll your own for a lot less money, you can load custom-tuned ammo tailored for your gun, and you can make really premium stiuff that just isn't offered commercially. It doesn't save you any money, but you get to shoot more.
Of course, if you fuck up, you can blow up a gun and maim or kill yourself or someone else.
Ed I agree with you, but only because it helps build a rhythm.
pull (resize and deprime)
push (reprime)
pull (expand mouth and powder charge)
push
pull (seat bullet)
push
pull (crimp/post size)
push
next round
repeat for a few hundred times till you run out or low on primers, powder, bullets or brass
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