Home-Made "Splatter" Targets Results:

Way back -  just before Christmas 2014 (Home Made Splatter Targets 22/12/2014) - I tried to make cheap 'Shoot'n'see' targets by recycling milk and juice cartons.

- Where does the time go? - Well I might tell you - but you'd only laugh at me.

Oh, all right then, have a giggle ... I couldn't get up to the range to try these 'Splatter Targets' for two months as I was crippled with very painful Gout (in both feet!).

 - Go on - take a breath and note that this form of Arthritis has nothing to do with alcohol use!

- Send all get-well-soon cards attached to bottles of single malt.

That's the result that I'd have liked:

- But cost NZ$3 - $4 each! 

And this is what I made:

 

This is the 'outer' colour printed face:

 And:

 

- This is the inner silver foil surface:

 

- Now that is a marginal result - the bullet holes do show-up fairly well - but was it worth the effort? - not really. The splatter isn't big enough and the flash of colour isn't bright or fluorescent enough.

 

- "worth a crack Nigel" but the system shown in this video has to be much better:

 

 

Still - If you never try anything new - You'll never learn anything either Eh?

Life is Good,

 

Marty K.

 

P.S. I tried shooting that "Clover Leaf Drill" a few times - One shot double-handed - One shot strong-hand only, and one shot weak hand only - aiming at making 3 holes in a "cloverleaf" - well it aint easy! - That third shot, weak-handed is a little looser landing eh.

 

I wasn't too bad - but there again - I wasn't too good either ;-)

 

MK.

"Shot" Sheep Were Killed By Dogs - Not Guns:

Radio New Zealand today (Wednesday April 1) interviewed the Police Otago Coastal Area Commander Jason Guthrie about last Junes reported "shooting deaths" of 215 sheep.

The sheep were found killed over two consecutive weekends on two Ngapara farm properties inland from Oamaru - and was reported as a mysterious shooting rampage by armed maniacs.

Commander Guthrie reports that Police are confident that the 215 sheep were killed by two local dogs that have been identified - and no shooting was involved. - A police detective has conducted a thorough investigation - including sheep skulls being sent to Australia for examination by a  Forensic Veterinarian - and find that the deaths were caused by the crush injuries typical of dog attack.

As further confirmed by the total absence of any projectiles or bullet fragments - no fired cases nor any bullet wound evidence on the dead animals - it is conclusive that no shooting was involved in the animals deaths. (Police used metal detectors in a thorough search of the area.)

Further, the investigating officer conducted live firing tests using a suppressed .223" calibre rifle and the sound of shooting was clearly audible from the test firing - whereas there had been no sound of firing when the animals died.

Local farmers are reluctant to accept that shooting was not involved and say that dogs couldn't have killed that many of their stock.

 I note that historically - Otago farmers had no problem blaming thousands of sheep deaths on Alpine Parrots, (Keas)

 .. And not so long ago, - the death of dairy cows - caused by "swede poisoning" was blamed on lead poisoning supposedly from a clay shooting gun club!

Marty K.

Hand Rolled PAPER CARTRIDGES:

Last weekend I was intrigued and excited by something "John-Boy-The-Farmers-Lad"  (JBTFL) showed me on range.

" Have You Seen This?"

- He had a small plastic container with hand-made .36" Calibre PAPER CARTRIDGES to fire in his new Uberti percussion six-shooter. (-These guns are very affordable!)

'JBTFL' researched how to make the paper cartridges on Youtube and the result is genius - a totally hand made process using 'roll-your-own' cigarette papers formed on a shaped wooden dowel.

Load-up the gun with the paper cartridges , plenty of grease, - pop-on the caps - and the result was nice holes on the down-range target with clouds of white smoke and the tempting smell of fried potatoes hanging in the air.

 Brilliant.

Self-contained Cartridge (Ball & Powder)

 

Home-made Former

 

 

JBTFL says that he used a 21gn spout on the powder flask - and the whole process seems to have been trouble-free, fun, and low cost. - What a hoot - what's to argue about!

 

VIDEO

 

- that's just one Youtube video - there's plenty of others. - A totally combustible cartridge that's made using cigarette papers - that is quick and easy to use - a kind of 'case-less' ammunition from history - Genius.

 

There is such a variety of fun that you can have shooting - that you could do it every day.

 

- thanks for the pictures JBTFL

 

Marty K.

How To 'Read' a Fired 9x19mm Case?:

Last weekend I managed to get on the range both days and there was time to have a decent play and chat quietly with the guys too.

9mm Just Right Carbine Silenced

I was having a look at my heavyweight 158gn sub-sonic loads in 9x19mm. - I've only found one commercial 9mm that is offered in 158gn - the 'normal' sub-sonic load seems to be 147gn - if you can find any.

9mm Lee-Enfield - Silenced

I'm unsure about my "home-brews" being totally the best that I can make them - so I'm looking for clues that may indicate how well they are working.

- From left to right, 158gn plated projectiles (.357" dia.) 
- then five 9mm cases fired in my Just Right Carbine - (Silenced)
-Then five fired cases from my Lee Enfield Bolt Action 9mm "DeLisle" silenced rifle.
- Finally five cases of the same sub-sonic load fired from my Glock 17 pistol.

Now my 'issues' are like this! The primers fired in the JRC show a degree of extruding somewhat into the firing pin hole on the JRC bolt-face - that might indicate high pressures.

Some of the primers from the 'DeLisle' look to be slightly flattened and the firing pin indents look close to over penetrating - but that may just be a longish firing pin.

- And, to me, the Glocked cases look perfectly normal and they eject gently without ricocheting all over the place!

The 158gn plated bullets are 'flat nosed' rather than 'conical' but feed perfectly - and I pass them all through a sizing die stamped .356" - but they are squeezing down only to .357" measured by my micrometre.

 Overall - I'm content that these 'indicators' add-up to a satisfactory and safe load that I'm going to bulk load and use regularly - and that the distinct features of the fired cases are just the way it is with these particular firearms.

I'd appreciate any comments from your experiences - especially from anyone using a JRC in 9mm.

Marty K.

P.S. On the Saturday one very clever young farmer was trying-out some hand rolled PAPER CARTRIDGES in .36" calibre for his new percussion six-gun. I'll try write something about that soon.

Global hunting Survey:

The Fieldsports Channel # Global Hunting Survey has appeared on line recently - and is worth a look on a quiet day.

A couple of results about us down here claim that the biggest users of bullets (per capita) are Aussies and Kiwis where 35% of us claimed to fire more than 1,000 per year. - Maybe a fair enough result? - certainly I and my mates in the Target Pistol shooting club would burn that much powder while claiming to also be hunters.

Interesting Video - But has Crappy Intrusive Music!

- and another interesting finding  - that is very logical when you consider the strict laws limiting real guns - is that the biggest ownership of air guns is UK and Ireland where 60% of hunters say that they own air guns.

Why do video producers feel the need to air rubbish music to overlay what they are showing us ??

- I've been completely put-off of watching local TV motorsport by the noisy modern 'music?' that is played - when what any true petrol-head would really like to hear is the roar of the engines and the smell of the hot tyres.

- Oh well - mustn't grumble eh - I'm just proving what an old fart I'm getting to be !

Marty K.

Kaikoura Landowners Want Shooting Law Changed:

Landowners in the Puhi Valley and Blue Duck Valley north of Kaikoura on the radio today called for the law that permits shooting from public roads to be changed.

 

Currently it is lawful to shoot from a road provided it does not endanger lives - but some farmers in this area think that it should be banned in an attempt to stop poaching on their private properties.

- It is already illegal to have a loaded gun in a vehicle while travelling on a road - but local tourism lodge business operator at Te Puhi Peaks Station, -  Nicky McArthur says " There needs to be a total ban on shooting from the public roads".

Red Deer In Kaikoura

A total ban would cause difficulty for local farmers who routinely shoot from roads onto their own properties.

- There are several distinct issues being raised here by the property owners - Trespass, Poaching, Careless, Unsafe rifle shooting, Tourist business, Commercial deer shooting etc. - but the sporting shooter seems to be the easiest target for them to blame and attack.

Marty K.

P.S. Kaikoura means Crayfish Food (Kai = food)

"Cloverleaf Drill" & Reloading;

Greg Ellefritz posted this idea for a simple fun handgun drill that requires good concentration but is easy on ammo..

The 'drill' is to set-up your paper target close in to the firing position - say at only five feet distance to start - and fire  - any calibre:

One shot holding the gun with both hands -

One shot strong hand only -

One shot weak hand only -

- The game (aim) is to get the three holes touching - in a cloverleaf. - Easy eh !

Gregs photo of his target shot with a Glock 21 .45" ACP Shot at 10ft.

When (if!) you get good at this - you move the target back further away - perhaps to 10 foot.

This is a great idea to challenge yourself while not burning much ammunition (unless you get obsessive ;-) )

____________

RELOADING:

 Just about everyone I know in Pistol target shooting reloads their own brass - other than a few shooters who stick to .22" rim-fire for precision shooting.

- If you haven't yet tried reloading - have a chat to someone who does reload and see how practical it can be - basically the more you shoot - the more cash you save.

My messy home set-up - the simple press is on the right Corner.

- a Home-made 'loading block' next to it.

Just buy a basic die set for your most used gun and a simple single stage press and have a go. - It really is easy to do as long as you focus and are careful. - You can measure the powder into the cases using simple scoops.

Lee powder Scoop.

You may well find that it is very satisfying and relaxing to load a hundred or so used cases to take to the range and re-use - maybe the start of a new interesting hobby.

There's sure to be some youtube videos on reloading if you look.

Marty K.