Yes, your right its not a Magazine for a Brno its just one solid piece of plastic.

The Impossible or Mircaulous Sale of a Singe Shot Adaptor.

With this Bulletin becoming more popular I sometimes get over 200 emails inquiries a day, most with difficult questions that need time, to find answers. So sometimes I get behind a bit. The up side of this is we learn so much. Last week we had an email enquiry from. John.  ‘Price and availability for Single Shot adaptor, for Brno Mod 2. (CZ452).’ Wow what’s that thinking of single shot adapters for SLRs and Mausers, Then I’m thinking of Morris tubes for Lee Enfield’s. I gave up, with little embarrassment as in this business you learn something new all the time and asked Jason and Terry, both had never heard of one. Well with my 40 or so years of playing with Brno’s and Terry’s 30 and Jason’s 20 that Ninety years of experience in what we love doing most. So I emailed back to John, sorry never heard of one. A few days later John phones me. Apparently he in a club where they can only shoot single shot. He is then on a working holiday in the United States for some weeks and discovers from a computer that there is an item for Brno’s a ‘Single Shot Adaptor’ available he is in the land of 50 million shooters and a million gun shops so everywhere he stops he is in the shop asking for a ‘Single Shot Adaptor’, everywhere he goes no one has ever heard of one. Im feeling a little better now, ‘Phew its not just me’. So when he came home to Brisbane he does a Web Search. He tells me that he found one in Owen Guns magazine. Never! I says, I’ve never heard of one never mind advertise one in the magazine. Yes he says in the December edition. The Search Engine found it. I couldn’t believe it so went and checked. Yes he was right. “The CZ 452 actions…………. . Single shot adapters, 5 round magazines and 10 round magazines are available” was in the blurb under the photograph. I apologised, told him we learn something new everyday. That when the Winchester Rep had offered them to me I had asked him for some information and he had directed me to the CZ web page in the states and I had never noticed the words single shot adaptor in the words just felt comfort that we had the 5 and 10 shot mags in stock. I told him that I would find out if they were available in Australia and get back to him. I phoned the Representative, he was in Geelong . I phoned again, he was in a meeting, I phoned again I was put though to the Tea Room I could hear all the girls discussing what they were buying from Kmart. Then the line went dead, then I phoned again then the receptionist put me though to a salesman he had not heard of them, then the Rep phoned me he had not heard of them, but finally they phoned back and someone in the store had found them on a computer print out. I ordered it. I contacted John and told him he faxed payment details. It arrived a few days later and its now on its way to John but before it went, I photographed it with Jason’s new Camera, just so I would never forget what one was. In case I waited another forty years before seeing one. Here it is and the winner is a happy customer a happy supplier and happy Gun Shop.  Due to the marvellous World Wide Web and our humble email magazine and email responses.

Monthly Specials

The Norinco JW 105. in .223 Rem

This is the (Jain Way) JW Model 105, Sometimes called Norinco. These rifles are made in the same factory that manufactures the now famous JW 15 .22 rifle (the Brno Mod One Copy) if you have had a JW15 or know of anyone who had one, you will know that they shoot sometimes better than the rifle they imitiated. These JW105 s are in .223 Remington calibre and have a five shot detachable magazine. They also come with Weaver style mount bases and Quick Detachable studs for QD sling swivels  If you look carefully at the middle photograph you will notice a shiny silver colour. at the breech face,the camera has picked up the chrome plating from inside the chamber. The Chinese are the only non-military manufactures that can afford the chrome process of plating the Barrels and Chambers. They have also chromed the forward section of the Bolt. Chrome plating gives the best protection against erosion and corrosion than anything else besides regualr cleaning. The JW 105 is a copy of the Geveram that was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, they were very good quality but I believe that Gevarm had to stop making them as the were too expensive to produce.
These are the best value .223 remington centre-fire, repeating rifle on the market.

Brand New $460.

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WORLD CLASS 6 X 40

Tasco is a leading name in the optical industry for eons, Tasco’s World Class Scope hs been an industry standard since the 1990s it is the scope that many others are judged against and found lacking. The World Class due to its World Class forever Guarentee is rarely used we have sold thhousnads of them and I have been deealing with Tasoc since 1975. The vision is quality, the adjustments are precision and the cross hairs are the rights sized for target or hunting.  They were selling there for $188. Now

Special $105.00

plus postage

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Tasco RED DOT.

Red dot sights use refractive or reflective optics to generate a collimated image of a luminous or reflective reticle.
This collimated image appears to be projected out to a point at infinity, which makes the image of the reticle appear to the user to be projected onto the target. Due to the fact that
the reticle image is collimated, magnifying the image of the target is impractical, as it would make the sight too hard to hold steady. The RED DOT sights are very usefull for fast moving shooting in poor light conditions. No need to get your eye on the middle of the cross hair, point and shoot when the RED DOT lines up with the target. The collimated image does have its advantages,
however, as the scope can be placed at any distance from the eye without distorting the image of the target or reticle. This makes red dot sights suitable for use on pistols, rifles, or shotguns.
Other  Built-on dovetail rail to fit standard centre-fire weaver-style bases .
Finish  Black Matte 
Weight (grams)  6.7 oz. 
Length (inches)  3.75in 
Eye Relief (mm)  Unlimited 
Optical Coating  Rubicon .multi- layered, fully coated 
Focus Type  fixed 
Parallax Setting  50 yards

Top Special  $230.

plus postage

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TASCO 4×32 Silver Antler

Thirty years ago we would have paid a $1000. for the same quality of vision and precision, a guaranteed leading optical manufacturer who warranties their products all over the World. They have a light gathering clarity that would have made those old dark Pecar’s appear like looking through a knot hole in fathers wooden leg. What’s more they are Waterproof. In 1970 during a storm in the Victorian mountains I can remember emptying my Pecar like a jug. It had a steel tube but it leaked like a sieve.I was so disappointed I hunted Samba for years with open sites as I wanted reliability. I took the low priced option then and will always follow that example, at this price I could afford to buy a spare one.

4 x 32 Silver Antler Rifle Scope

$40.

plus Post

Prostaff 3-9×40. Nikon have been manufacturing the worlds most sort after Optical lens since the 1960s. Now you can own one of their Rifle Telescopic Scopes for:-

$375.00

plus registered post

Ian Skennerton has spent more than four decades of world-wide research and study, evolving through two prior editions and many other related titles. The Lee Enfield has proven itself as the finest battle rifle of all time. No other firearm has served for so long at home and abroad with such a proud record. This study encompasses all aspects of the Century of Lee-Enfield development & production… Britain, America, India, Australasia, South Africa & the Far East. Rifles, carbines, bayonets, parts, tools, accessories & ammunition are arranged into specific groups & chapters. There are five new chapters
• Preview, Model Identification
• Lee-Enfield Hybrid
• Serial number Production Ranges
• Component Parts Evolution
• An Ammunition Summary.
The Pattern Room collection has been the primary source for samples and records. With the larger format, this presentation sets a new standard for collectors, students & shooters of the venerable Lee-Enfield… indeed, for all arms books. While the ‘Lee-Enfield Story’ has long been accepted as the definitive tome on the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield rifle series, this new volume increases the record from 504 to 608 pages and features improved photographic detail, larger illustrations and an improved layout.

Special Price for this month only $79.00

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Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes

Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes

Bushnell Sportsman 3-9×40 Variable Riflescope at the once only price of

$90.00

Plus Postage

RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.

RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.

RCBS Uniflow Powder Measure

Throws consistently accurate charges reload after reload. Powder pours uniformly from measuring cylinder into case, thereby eliminating the hazards of “overloads” caused by clogging when charges are dumped”. Changes easily from charge to charge without emptying powder hopper. Numbered measuring screw is used for reference to find a given charge at a later date. The measuring cylinder has precision ground surfaces and slides into the honed main casting for a precision fit. Standard 7/8?- 14 thread. Includes stand plate, drilled for easy mounting on a bench or under a reloading die lock ring. Two drop tubes for .22 caliber and upwards are supplied. The Uniflow Powder Measure is fully capable of accurately measuring all three major powder types – ball, cylindrical, and flake. It will even cut the cylindrical powders so that a precise charge can be obtained. NOTE: The Uniflow Powder Measure should be used in conjunction with an accurate powder scale for setting the original charge and for checking charges occasionally during the run.

Special Price RCBS Uniflow Powder Meausure,

$120

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EMAIL Or PHONE 0754824099

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_______________________________________________________________________________________

Accurate Firearm Design

Diameters and Shapes of Barrels.

We will now discuss the particular outside diameters and shapes of barrels for various types of small arms. It is understood that in each case the steel used is a modern steel suitable for the breech pressure of the cartridge involved. The first consideration is that of safety. The barrel must be of sufficient diameter, that is wall thickness, over the chamber and breech portion to successfully withstand the pressure without any enlargement of the chamber, and of course without any danger of the barrel bursting. Every reputable manufacturer proof fires every barrel and gun he makes before he permits it to pass final inspection in his plant. Thus it is fired with one or more proof cartridges which are loaded to give a breech pressure about one-fourth greater than that given by the heaviest standard cartridge that can be used in that gun. The chamber is then guaged for dimensions, and if these are still within specifications the arm is considered to have passed the proof or safety test, and the barrel and action are then stamped at the breech with the manufacturers proof mark. This test proves the strength of both barrel and breech action and assures that the measurements are correct, and that there are no flaws in the steel.
A barrel for .22 rim fire cartridges can be very light and small in diameter and still be perfectly safe. In fact one famous American manufacturer makes the .22 Long Rifle barrel on his over- under gun with an outside diameter of only .500 inch at the breech tapering evenly to .45-inch at the muzzle. Another the AR7 Explorer is a lightweight alloy with a thin steel liner inside the alloy barrel housing. Never heard of any giving a problem except when they were fired with intact solid clay hornets nests, still they only bulged expanded but not kill the idiot that thought it was a good way to remove the nest.  As long as the thin barrel, is of good steel, it is ample for safety with this cartridge, and also for the ordinary accuracy demanded of a short range .22 game or survival rifle, but not for fine accuracy. A majority of the small, light .22 caliber sporting rifles have barrels measuring about .75-inch at breech and .50-inch at the muzzle, and give good accuracy when the method of holding is very uniform. The legendary Small Bore Target Rifles, which are, generally speaking, among the most accurate .22 caliber rifles ever made by quantity production, and are generally found with three weights of barrel, all 28 inches long, and all with straight taper from breech to muzzle. The “Standard” barrel which makes the complete rifle weigh about 10 pounds, has a diameter of 1 inch at the breech and .715-inch at the muzzle. The “Heavy” barrel, rifle weight 12 pounds, measures 1-inch at the’ breech and 7/8-inch at muzzle.

The Bull Barrels sometimes weighing 15 pounds or more with no taper to the muzzle at all. There is practically no difference in the pure accuracy of the three weights of barrel when held and fired very uniformly in a steel machine rest. But in actual match shooting the heavy and bull gun barrels are not so sensitive to slight variations and tensions of the firing positions, and they heat up slowly and maintain a more even temperature, resulting in very slightly better accuracy. Almost all the important matches at 50 yards and beyond are won each year with the heavier barrels. However, almost every year we see one or more important matches won with the standard barrel. That is one thing that makes shooting so interesting that there is always a shooter or a rifle that can go one better than the average expectation. The standard barrel rifles are usually preferred for club shooting  because such shooting is usually done in the “three positions,” or SSAA  Field Rifle  that is prone, kneeling, and standing, or Silhouette which is all standing and the weight and balance of the standard heavy barrel is such that most shooters can hold it more steadily in the standing position. Many of these competitions have weight restrictions and as the barrel is the major factor the diameters have to accommodate the rules. It is believed that the bull gun presents no advantage over the heavy barrel except that now and then a very powerful man may be able to hold it just a trifle more steadily in the prone position. All of the good quality medium sporting weight barrels frequently record 10-shot groups at 100 yards slightly under 1 inch extreme spread when fired with the best match ammunition, in good weather conditions and at warm temperature, and after the barrel has been fouled and warmed by the firing of at least ten rounds of sighter’s. The conditions those listed conditions above are very essential for super-fine accuracy in any .22 rim fire rifle. Lever and pump action repeating rifles, and semi-automatic rifles, particularly those having tubular magazines under the barrel, generally have barrels with outside diameters of 7/8-inch to 1 inch at the breech, tapering evenly to about .55-inch at the muzzle. Such rifles are used with cartridges which seldom give a breech pressure in excess of 40,000 pounds per square inch, and barrels of this diameter, when made of Ordnance or superior steels have an ample safety margin. Usually a heavier barrel is not practical with such rifles without a redesign of the breech action, as the barrel and magazine threads or openings in the receiver are not sufficiently far apart to permit a heavier barrel and allow space for the tubular magazine. Also a very high degree of accuracy is not demanded of such rifles, as they are intended and are used mainly as a saddle gun on a horse or motor bike for when a working man has that rare opportunity at moderate distances seldom exceeding shooting exceeding 100 yards. Indeed the light barrel, the free chambering, and the peculiar construction preclude very fine accuracy in most lever and pump action rifles, and particularly in those having tubular magazines. Fired under very uniform conditions of holding most of them will average grouping ten consecutive shots in about 3.5 inch extreme spread at 100 yards, although those for very light cartridges, such as the .218 Bee, .25-20, and .32-40 low power may show as small a spread as 2 inches. Such rifles have considerable jump when fired, and a small variation in holding or other conditions will alter the point of impact considerably. Thus firing with the magazine empty or filled with cartridges, and with the barrel cold or quite hot, and combinations of these two variables may make a difference of six inches or more in the location of the center of impact at 100 yards. 
But under game shooting conditions when the hunter almost invariably fires only one, two, or three shots from a cold barrel, and starts with the magazine filled with cartridges, the accuracy is usually entirely satisfactory for pigs shooting up to 100 yards. (Yes, I know lever action enthusiasts do better than this, and the 30/30 Winchester and 45-70 shooters will be offended  but for giving new shooters some idea in general of all lever action, lets stick to the 100 yards for lever actions with open sights.)

With the modern bolt action rifle the breech construction is such that there is practically no limitation to the weight and outside dimensions of the barrels that can be used, except that imposed by the barrel thread in the receiver ring. The base of the barrel thread must terminate with a shoulder on the barrel slightly larger than the thread, so that the barrel can be  turned up extremely tight in the receiver to a solid abutment against this shoulder. The barrel may be an extremely light one resulting in a weight of a complete rifle as low as 6.5  pounds, or a heavy “bull” barrel making the rifle weigh about 13 pounds. Such modern bolt action rifles now often use cartridges of very high intensity, and with breech pressures running  from 48,ooo to 55,000 pounds, (and more)  and quite generally various manufacturers have standardized on a diameter at the breech of about 1.125 inches, or in the case of the very heavy “bull” barrel of about 1.25 inches. Diameters at the muzzle run from .55-inch in the extremely light barrel for small caliber cartridges to 1.00 inch and over in the bull barrel.

Fig I

Examples
No. Diam.     Diam.         Diam.          Remarks
at A       at B            at M 
1     1.00        .75           .500          Minimum specifications of a .22 cal. barrel.
2     1.05        .850         .550          Minimum specifications of a 25 -20 cal. barrel.
3     1.14        .956         .647          Lee Enfield .303 cal. service barrel. Diam. at C .770″, B-C and C-M being nearly straight tapers. The very Minimum for .300 Magnum barrels.
4     1.14        .956         .647          Sporting Center-fire barrels.
5     1.18        1.00         .700          Minimum for.35 Magnum barrel .375 and  barrels.
6     1.20        1.05         .750          Recommended .375 and .400 Magnum barrels.
7     1.25        …. .         .875          Target or Varmint Rifle barrel. Taper breech to muzzle.              
8     1.05        …..          .90           Bench Rest Target Rifles. Either straight taper breech to muzzle or not taper at all.

Figure I, is a drawing with general information indicating the exterior diameters and shapes of  barrels used in high power bolt action rifles. The well read rifleman usually selects a modern bolt action rifle because he wants to use a cartridge of high velocity and flat trajectory in a rifle which will give at least good long range accuracy, and which will give at least good long range accuracy, and which will not be so sensitive to jump that centres of impact will change materially with changes in firing position. If these be the requirements, then it is thought that a barrel not lighter than that shown in Number 3, Figure I should be chosen. This is the general dimensions of barrels used in the old service rifle shooting the .303 cartridge. (Many variations and even barrels with ‘H’ on Knox form at Breech,  denoting Heavy barrel)
With first class .303 ammunition such a weight of barrel, a free floating barrel in a machine rest from a bench is capable of grouping ten consecutive shots in less than one inch at 100 yards. For all cartridges up to .308  in power and diameter, such a barrel is ample for the hunter rifleman who shoots in mountain forests or open plains country and who demands good long range accuracy without excessive weight. With such a weight of barrel, changes in  temperature and firing conditions will not effect the barrel and result in a changes of centre of impact of much more than .500 inch at 100 yards, and proportionately at other distances. (Keep your ammunition temperature as static as you can)

With cartridges such as the .222 Rem , 223 Rem and 22.250 Rem, and even the .243 Winchester, a barrel from a factory sporting rifle of this weight may group in 1.125 to 1.250 inches at 100 yards from the bench when ammunition, particularly the bullet, is first class.
With rifles manufactured as close to the ideal standard as modern bolt action rifles now are, the cartridge can sometimes be fully responsible for accuracy or inaccuracy. Thus in describing accuracy attained when read in shooting magazines conveys very little information to the well informed shooter if only the make, model, and caliber of rifle is given. Intimate details of cartridge and bullet should also be given or else it mean nothing.
It has been stated that the heavier the barrel, other things being equal, the better the accuracy. Of course the power of the cartridge must be considered. The above barrel, Number 3 in Figure I, would be a heavy barrel for the .22 Hornet cartridge, but a light barrel for the .308 or even the .220 Swift cartridges. As a matter of fact it is a little too light for really good long range accuracy and maintenance of centre of impact with the .300 H. &- H. Magnum cartridge, which is considerably heavier in power than the .308 cartridge. It is thought that a barrel for Magnum cartridges should never be lighter than No. 4, Figure I, with a length of not less than 24 inches, for good and reliable long range accuracy and the moderate recoil necessary for fine marksmanship. Such a barrel in a bolt action rifle of usual sporting type will result in a complete weight of about 9.25 to 9.75 pounds. The .300 H. & H. Magnum cartridge, by reason of its flat trajectory, long sustained killing power, and lack of sensitiveness to wind is a very fine long range game load, but only in a fairly heavy barrel.
Therefore it should be chosen only by the hunter who has the strength and endurance necessary to carry it all day in the wilderness without undue fatigue, and also who has the strength that the rifle is not “sluggish” when used on rapidly moving game.
The weights and dimensions of barrels furnished on the Remington 700 bolt action rifles are an excellent guide as to sensible barrel diameters. This famous rifle is generally furnished with three weights of barrels.
The Standard on normal barrel measures 1.125 inches at A (Figure I), .95- inch at B, and .600 inch at the muzzle, and is therefore about the same weight as the Number 3 barrel in Figure I.
An exception is the standard barrel for the heavy .375 H. & H.  (Or other heavy) Magnum cartridges which approaches the “target” barrel below in dimensions and weighs about one pound more than the regular standard barrel in other calibers. The standard barrel results in a weight of complete rifle of about 8 pounds (9 lbs., in .375 cal.). Weights of course vary a few ounces according to caliber and stock material such as Synthetic, laminates or timber) as naturally where the outside diameter is the same a .22 barrel will weigh slightly more than one of .30 caliber.
The Target or Varmint barrel has the same diameter at the breech (1.125-inch) as the standard barrel, but with a straight taper to about .75-inch at the muzzle. The length with both weights of barrel is generally 22 or  24 inches except for the .220 Swift and .300  H. & H. Magnum or other Magnum cartridges, the reason the length is 26 inches is to give advertised velocities and minimize muzzle blast. In other than a few calibers, standard barrels only 20 inches long may be had by those who prefer carbine type rifles. The complete Target or Varmint with a moderately heavy “target” barrel and very heavy target stock weighs about 10 .5 pounds except in rifles like the .220 Swift caliber where the longer barrel weight takes it out to 11 pounds.

NRA prone competitions, shooting from the sling, have a demand for heavy  28 inches long target rifles. The complete rifle with heavy target stock is about 13.250 pounds. Choice of centre fire calibres for long range target rifles is normally down to in whose opinion which calibre handles wind problems better than an other, More will be said about Wind problems in future editions.  The quality of the barrels manufacture contributes mainly to tighter groups not the specifications or the weight.
There are two rapidly growing classes of riflemen in the world who demand accuracy above all other considerations, that is both pure accuracy (grouping ability at a given distance) and the ability to make sure hits that comes from flat trajectory and wind handling abilities. The rifle and ammunition together give the first. The ammunition and bullet alone give the latter two qualities.
The varmint shooter’s target may be crows, rabbits, cats and foxes  (presenting about equally small objects) which he needs to surely hit up to about 350 yards when he does his part correctly, rabbits which he would like to hit to 350 yards, and foxes to 400 yards. He usually chooses a modern, bolt action, telescope sighted rifle, with a heavy barrel approaching bull gun weight, for such cartridges as the .220 Swift and .22-250 Varminter . (There are lots of fashionable alternatives but they change and the classics go on forever) The military snipers requirements are very similar to those of the varmint shooter. The type of shooting he is often called on to do is about the same. His target may often be an aperture about 6 inches high and 4 inches wide in a parapet, pill box or an aiming slit in an armoured vehicle, at distances seldom exceeding 500 yards. But he is usually restricted to the standard military cartridges and the maximum weight or manufacture of rifle which was standardised by people in the office, on a higher pay scale who think they know more about that conundrum ‘Military Intelligence’.
The question naturally arises, how much more accurate is a heavy barrel than a light one? What price do we pay for light weight in a rifle? The average accuracy for the light No. 3 barrel has already been given for both heavy and light cartridges. The editor has seen a number of rifles with barrels approximating the weight of No 3 barrel (1.14 inch to .650 inch) and using the .222 .223 rem of 5.56 x 45 and stock standard  6.5 Swedish Mauser Mod 96 rifles which, with hand loaded ammunition and bullets ‘known to be accurate’, repeatedly give 10-shot groups measuring 7/8-inch at l00 yards and less than 2 inches at 200 yards. Occasionally due to the day or the shooter the groups may be smaller or larger but not by more than another .0125 of an inch. The heavier barrel bring improvements but a poorly manufactured heavier barrel can never make up for quality workmanship.

More Information on Barrel Specifications Next Edition.

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Understanding Reloading Ammunition

Multiple Head /Station Presses and Turret Presses

Most presses, whatever the model or make, when fitted with 7/8 inch Die Sets will full length size the external dimensions of the Brass or Steel case, they punch the used primer and resize/expand the inside of the case neck to the correct size to accept the bullet. Most are provided with a seat for a gravity operated automatic primer feed. This device automatically drops a fresh primer, from a tube into the cup of the punch as the leaver arm moves to its rest position. Then a slight downward thrust on the leaver arm seats the new primer. Then in ‘C’ “O” or “H” presses the dies have to be changed to allow the bullet seat die to be fitted to the threaded orifice that holds the dies or a slot in the case of the “H” Press. With the Multiple Station press which sometimes have six orifices to hold dies, powder measures and even another set of dies set in fixed position for reloading another calibre, no changing needs to occur.

Most common is the turret press, such as the RCBS Turret Press have six holes. This is essentially a “C” press, but with the top arm of the “C” formed by a circular turret rotating on the upright of the “C.” A number of die holes are arranged in a circle. Some form of detent is provided to insure alignment of successive die holes with the ram. The number of die stations ranges from four in the Lee Turret Press to twelve in some of the American Bonanza or Hollywood. A few “H” presses are produced with two or three die stations and as many shell holders on the bar aligned with them. One other variation is the discontinued C-H “Slide- O- Mafic” press with four die holes in a sliding bar riding in a T-slot at the top of the frame.
All these presses have been available since prior to the Second World War but were not imported into Australia en mass until the late 1960s, we had an Australian Brand for many years Simplex which copied the best idea’s from the “O” and Turret Presses, the Super Simplex was a copy of a small Lyman pistol press and could be found in the loading shed of every Australian shooter in the 1970s by the mid 1980s due to there inability to full length size rifle cases, (short on leverage) they could be found in every shooters rubbish bin. Of course some did try to sell them to friends but they were not lasting friendships as soon as the new shooter found the limitations he wanted a ‘C’ ‘O’ or ‘Turret Press’. These standard presses have been  available for fifty years in Australia and the only thing different and new different even though its concept is take from the “O “ press with three legs instead of two is the Lee Turret Press. Instead of the RCBS Turret system using the C post fitted with an external rotating head it has an internal rotating head held externally by three posts on the “O” principle.

The third front post can be alternated from right to left to assist those who need to choose which hand they need to use to replace the cases. These presses, can also by fitting a shell plate be used as a small progressive press as with each action of the handle the shell plate rotates and realigns the case for a different operation, such as, Full length size, remove primer seat primer on down stroke, then by hand, a loaded round is removed from the shell plate then an empty case is placed into the plate, a projectile is placed on top of a prepared case, another full action of the handle and the empty case is resized in one station, primer replaced, powder from powder measure inserted and the bullet seated to its correct depth in the case the plate has rotated and you do it all over again. Each time you convert and empty case into a loaded round.  Progressive Presses are much quicker but of course come at a much more expensive price, also they take more mechanical ability to set up and sometimes for those less adept at the mechanics the simpler systems are quicker.  The Lee Reloading equipment has the reputation for economy with reliability. Over the last 35 five years that I have been selling and using them I can only remember one press handle breaking. The customer had not used any case lubrication on a new set of full length dies. The case, with good reason stuck in the die, usually the shell holder just strips the rim of the case or rips the case in two, when the leaver depress the ram, but this must have been a strong rimmed case and he could not depress the handle. So he went to the Garage and got a four foot long piece of pipe, (it had previously been used by the council to stop cars driving on the footpath) it was 3 inches in diameter and fitted comfortable over and to the base of  handle. With one push, of all his weight as the end of the pipe was over five feet in the air by now (you can imagine the leverage) he pushed and broke the bottom of the handle off. The case and rim shell holder all stayed where they were the handle broke at the bottom near the toggle. The Press and die set were undamaged. We have to thank the guy for being honest about what happened and not blame the product. He was, when instructed properly on the use of case lube, very impressed with the Lee Press after he got his new handle.

The Precision Part of the Process, Reloading Dies in Next Edition.

They are excellent value at

$150.Plus Postage

Bushnell Sportsman 3-9×40 Variable Riflescope at the once only price of

$90.00

RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.

RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.

This Top of the Range Press for

$220

plus postage

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The Weight of BARRELS

Rifles.

The weight, of a barrel which in the same material is relative to the length and outside diameters, of the barrel, of a fire arm depends on a number of things. Most testing on this subject has been done by the worlds military forces as they have the most to win or lose we can make use of their findings. Experience has proved that a military rifle should not weigh over 9 and half pounds. Most sportsmen prefer that their rifles should not weigh over 8 pounds, although there is a class of hunter-riflemen (Varmint) who take pride in sure hits and clean kills at long distances, and who are willing to carry rifles weighing up to 11 pounds to obtain the better accuracy. Target shooters, also, have found that a rifle of about 11 to 12 pounds holds steadier than a lighter weapon, and of course they do not have to carry their rifles long distances over rough country. It should be understood that the heavier the barrel of a rifle, other things being equal, the more accurate it will be, because it jumps less and is more uniform on discharge, and it heats up at a slower rate and retains a more even temperature. Some hunters prefer lightweight of medium barrels and 6 and half pound rifle is possible but when mounts, scope, sling, sling swivels, ammunition in the magazine the quoted figures in the magazine quickly add up.

Savage M12VFPL in .243 win Great long range rifle if you can carry it there.

 

The barrel of a rifle or shotgun usually comprises approximately one-third of the weight of the entire arm, and in any given model of firearm is about the only part that can be varied materially in weight, hence the importance of the weight of the barrel in determining the weight of the entire firearm. Even changing a wood to synthetic stock will only change it a few ounces. Sometimes the synthetic is heavier.

Hand Guns

Most people buying a handgun will never look or consider the weight of a pistol in numerical figures but select by how it feels and points for which purpose they intend to use it. Generally as a large rule of thumb the average weights for shooting, target or military. slow, timed, and rapid fire; a hand gun should weigh about 36 ounces. Some great revolvers are made to weigh as much as 44 ounces, but they have not proved popular among the best pistol shooters because they are not “lively” enough when you want to point them quickly at different targets.

This Smith & Wesson .44 mag is something Dirty Harry would be proud of, but not a quick pointer.

A revolver for low powered cartridges may weigh as little as 26 ounces, and pocket weapons for self defence at very short distances may also be light, but a target pistol shooter using a light weapon finds that accuracy and timing has been sacrificed. With a hand gun the receiver or frame is the heaviest portion, and the weight of the short barrel does not figure so prominently in the complete weight.

Shotguns

Shot gunners who do a lot of walking prefer guns weighing 6 to 7 pounds, as they tend to carry heavy ammunition, and more of it than a rifle hunter, while duck shooters prefer about 7 1/4 to 8 pounds for flying targets when staking out their favorite swamp. Shotguns that use 3 inch magnum shells usually weigh slightly over 8 pounds.

Krieghoff one of three in the world made in 1926 Lightweight U/O for hunting the highlands.

It should be said that these weights are the results of design by manufacturers with years of experience where not only personal preference, but also ballistic performance is considered. All firearm design is a choice of compromises, because a man who has to carry his weapon all day naturally prefers the lightest weight possible, while maximum ballistic performance demands all the weight permissible. It would therefore be a mistake to design a small-arm differing materially from the above weights, except for some very special purpose.

Next edition Barrel Steel

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Understanding Reloading Ammunition.

Due to the changes in our economic system, already prices of shooting equipment, have risen 30 to 40 % in the last three months and as in the 1930 s, many manufactures may close ,so it makes good sense to begin reloading ammunition.

Reloading does not just mean cheaper ammunition prices, it means a continuity of supply and customized ammunition to suit and extend your requirements from the firearm. So the cheaper ammunition is just the icing on the cake.

The requirements of equipment to successfully reload ammunition are quite small, it only get expensive when a person wishes to speed up the process and still keep a degree of accuracy. The basic setup consists of a loading press or tool; dies to suit the calibre concerned; a shell holder; and a means of weighing or measuring powder charge. Normally the press will contain provisions for seating the new primer, but, if not, a separate priming tool is required.

While designs of the various makes and models of all those items differ a good deal, most function in essentially the same manner and perform the same operations. Here we will describe the basic and variant designs of the essential tools and equipment. The many other items will be covered a little later in this tome.

Loading Presses for Rifles and Hanguns.

The most common form is the “C-type” sold by several makers but originally introduced over eighty years ago by Pacific. At the top of the “C” frame we have a hole threaded 7/8 x 14 TPI (threads per inch) into which loading dies and accessories are screwed. At the base of the “C” is a horizontal or slightly angled flange, drilled for bolts or screws to attach the press to a bench or work stand. A massive tubular housing extends downward from the “C” roughly aligned with the die hole at the top. This extension is a carefully drilled and reamed full length, the hole being accurately aligned with the die hole. The frame is generally cast of iron or steel, sometimes an aluminum alloy.

The Lee "C" Press is economical and will always work.

A ram fits closely in the hole and is free to move vertically. Its upper end is machined to accept a shell holder head to grip the cartridge case. Some older presses had the shell holding surfaces machined directly into the upper end of the ram, but this expensive practice has ceased. An egress hole for fired primers is drilled in the ram, some directing primers out to the front, others to the rear.

The lower end of the ram is slotted and drilled to receive a toggle arm, usually of flat steel stock. This arm is pinned to a heavy toggle which is in turn pinned to the frame inside appropriate recesses. The toggle is further drilled to accept an operating handle. The toggle and arm form a “toggle-joint” or “knee joint” which functions exactly as the human knee. It is actuated by the handle to raise and lower the ram with considerable force.

When the toggle and arm are in line (all three pivot points falling in the same line) they support the ram at the upper limit of its travel. As the toggle joint is “broken” by handle movement, the ram is drawn downward. Reversing toggle movement, straightening the joint, moves the ram back upward with great force. The toggle joint exerts progressively greater force as it approaches the closed (straight) position, making it ideal for forcing oversize cartridge cases into resizing dies.

RCBS Die Sets, will last for lifetimes.

 

Features and Function of Reloading Tools

Removable shell holder heads such as those made by RCBS, Lee or Lyman slip into a T-slots in the ram. They interchange quickly to allow speedy calibre changes.

Most modern presses “break” the toggle away from the operator on the handle upstroke and use the more powerful downstroke for closing the joint and forcing cases into dies. Some presses are designed so that the toggle may be assembled to close on either the up or down stroke to suit the operator. Early models closed on the upstroke which resulted in many an exasperated handloader lifting tool and bench off the floor on a heavy resizing job.

My mother really was upset when I broke the kitchen table after I was just testing a new press and had attached it to the table with some large G clamps, (she would do anything for me but not let me get away with drilling the bolt holes through her table.) She was very forgiving though.

A detachable shell holder head fits into grooves in the head of the ram. It is machined so that it encloses both front and rear of the case rim in such a manner it can both press the case into a die and draw it out with great force without deforming the extraction rim. The holder is drilled at the centre for passage of fired primers and a primer seating punch. Holders may be held in the ram by setscrews or spring clips, and there have also been screw-in and lock-nut variations.

Lee Shell Holder

At the lower end of the “C” the press is fitted with a swinging arm carrying in its upper end a primer seating punch. The punch is usually adjustable in height, and several interchangeable diameters and shapes are available to fit different primers. The top of the punch is surrounded by a spring-loaded sleeve to align and keep the primer in place.

A slot to accept the arm is machined in the ram. When the ram is at or near the top of its stroke the arm is manually pressed forward against its supporting spring into the slot. Dimensions and placement of slot, arm, and punch combine to align a primer in the sleeve with the primer pocket of a case held properly in the shell holder. Then, with the arm held forward, the ram is moved downward, pressing the case over the primer to seat the latter. Some designs provide a mechanical stop to control depth of primer entry into case; others depend on individual operator “feel.”

Lee Auto Prime, seperate from the press but a quicker way to re prime the cases.

Raising the ram slightly then allows the priming arm to be snapped clear of the ram by its spring, freeing the ram for further movement.The length of the ram stroke must be as great as the longest cartridge to be loaded; this requires the opening in the “C” to be about 1/2″ greater than the longest loaded cartridge. Nearly all ” C” modern designs are made sufficiently large to accept the long H & H Magnum cartridges. Even though they are one of the cheapest options in the reloading market, I have never seen a factory manufactured one that is not capable of reloading millions if not an infinite number of rounds of ammunition. I have also been very impressed with home manufactured presses as they are not a high tech item and quite easily home manufactured by machining the ram and operating handle on a lathe and a little creativity with a welder and drill press.

Next Edition the O frame press.

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FREE FOR ELECTRONIC DOWNLOAD

Manual for Tokarov M1938 Assault Rifle

Operators Manual, photographs, specifications and details of all types and different Models and Ammunition.

Email : OwenGuns@spiderweb.com.au and it will be sent to you in .pdf format free of charge.

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