Parker

I think Megaman forgot to qualify that ranking as "murders," not gun crime in his letter. Per FBI data compiled from 2009 UCR reporting data defined as "total murders" by weapon, all types; N.J. ranks 16th in the nation. If you are equating overall "crime" stats which are lower in states that carry, that is different than the argument presented. All violent crime by state for 2009: http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/data/table_05.html BTW - I thought this table was interesting too, "Justifiable Homicide by Weapon, Private Citizen,1 2005–2009": http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_15.html

Nice letter. I posted this same NorthJersey link on NJH yesterday. Not a soul commented on it, which surprised me a bit. Pretty amazing how someone can get a front page on the Op-Ed section of The Record and spin a one-sided tale, patting themselves on the back along the way. New Jersey can be a safe state provided you review the numbers in the context they convey them. But one should look at FBI stats from 2009. I used this table from the FBI website (http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/data/table_20.html) and then sorted their file with the worst state at the top leading the U.S. in murders. Pretty interesting where New Jersey falls in the U.S.

Very nice. There is nothing quite like a Garand.

A couple of good resources for ML parts that was shared with me in the past is Dixon's in PA: http://www.dixonmuzzleloading.com/index.php?section=muzzleloadingshop Or Track of the Wolf in MN: http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?Search=cva

Pseudo-Scientologist Piazza would post this stuff to make his organization look good. Picking a bizarre training example from a third-world country isn't really fair. And Piazza is not without his own faults either. His reputation and persona on other forums carries the label of "snake oil salesman." http://www.onpointnews.com/NEWS/firearms-qdisneylandq-fraud-case-settles-for-8m.html

Wojo, are you using a McCann or a Schuster plug to adjust the gas flow? Always wondered about getting one. I've never really thought about saving money at the time when I first got my Garand. At the time years ago, reloading WAS saving me money. Reloading always went hand in hand to owning any rifle for me so it was natural to simply reload for every caliber I acquired. I reload today only because I enjoy it. It seems to engage me in the whole process.

I have used W748 for a number of years now in my Garand. Not my preferred choice but it works fine. I just found it needed more "tuning" than some other powders. There are some ball powder loads found in the load data links on my earlier post.

Great site and thanks for the nice comments.

I like to keep around powders that have more than one application. I've found W748 meters well from a powder measure, and I also use W748 in some .30-06 & .308 applications. Varget and H4895 are both excellent multi-use powders as well. I haven't tried H335 yet but I intend to. I've tried some of the load data listed from the website Handloads.com: http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=223%20Remington&Weight=All&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

That Barrett has come a long way since '85. I have an old Guns Illustrated from 1986 that lists the retail price at $2,995. I'd say they've increased in cost over the years. The thought of handloading a round that needs a minimum of 190 grs. of powder brings me back to reality.

My apologies. I have been posting on this site for a while now but never introduced myself or said hello properly. I found the link for this site on NewJerseyHunter.com. I enjoy hunting and fishing mostly but have been engaged in the shooting sports as well since my youth. Gave up shooting NRA Bullseye some years ago and sold my target guns, a move I sometimes question; but still shoot the shotgun clay sports, rimfire and centerfire quite a bit. Upland hunting is still what I like to do the most. Kevin

Include in your reloading regimen the use of lead-free primers to cover all bases if this is a concern. Regular primers utilize lead styphnate in the priming compound, and is another factor that contributes to airborne lead. Lead free primers were developed some years ago but their availability is still sometimes limited. I stopped shooting indoors entirely a few years ago because of these concerns.

In the wake of the Seton Hall student shooting, this article appeared in the Editorial section of the paper today and makes mention of Van Kemp's measure as a possible alternative(?): http://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/103908178_Too_many_guns__too_many_victims.html Herald News: Too many guns, too many victims Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Herald News IT IS AN image that has grown all too familiar to us in recent weeks, and too tragic: the face, on the front page of the newspaper and websites, the photo of another beautiful young person taken away all too soon, killed by violent gunfire. Heaven forbid that we ever become so numbed to such happenings that we fail to be moved by their tragedy. This time the victim was honor student Jessica Moore, 19, a sophomore at Seton Hall University. Law enforcement authorities say she was one of five people shot in what witnesses called an ambush at an off-campus party at a rented house in East Orange. Police believe the gunman was an uninvited guest who came to the after-hours party, was involved in a confrontation, then came back later with a gun and started shooting. Let us not forget: By and large, people who purchase guns legally are law-abiding citizens. They are knowledgeable about the use of firearms and respectful of their power. By and large, it is not these legally purchased guns that are involved in the killing of young people in our urban centers. Still, to view gun violence as an urban problem, a Paterson or Newark problem, is a narrow view. What's needed is a broader, more comprehensive approach statewide, one that tries to focus on New Jersey's gun violence problem, in particular, and secondly, how it is impacted by gun laws, or lack thereof, in other states. We don't know if the legislation introduced by state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, provides that overarching view, but perhaps it can be a starting point to a greater discussion. Drew's legislation would allow New Jersey residents to carry handguns if they first go through a vigorous background check, complete courses in firearms safety and the lawful use of force, pass a test and pay an annual $500 fee. The law, loosely based on statutes in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, would serve to relax what is now a pretty strict handgun "carry law" on the books. Significantly, Drew's legislation would do away with current language in the law that says residents must present "a justifiable need to carry a handgun." Van Drew sees the "justifiable need" clause as a needless hindrance to law-abiding handgun owners, and foresees the $500 annual permit fee as a way to add up to $10 million — if 20,000 people pay the fee — to the state's treasury. Gun violence and the changing landscape of gun laws are not mutually exclusive, but they aren't quite the same thing either. The Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right "to keep and bear arms." On the other hand, we would like to believe that citizens should have a reasonable expectation that they won't be shot simply because they are attending an off-campus party. Certainly, there are no easy answers in regard to gun violence or gun laws, lest they would not be constantly in the news, and sometimes on the very same day. We would like to see a more holistic approach, one that asks hard questions and seeks real answers to violence on our streets but that also protects the rights of lawful gun owners. Perhaps a governmental task force is needed, headed by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, a former sheriff with some expertise in these matters. We know one thing. We cannot go on in the endless cycle we seem to be in, where one young person after another is gunned down, for no apparent reason. Until all New Jersey residents can feel safe, any further investment in our schools or in our infrastructure seems almost beside the point. IT IS AN image that has grown all too familiar to us in recent weeks, and too tragic: the face, on the front page of the newspaper and websites, the photo of another beautiful young person taken away all too soon, killed by violent gunfire. Heaven forbid that we ever become so numbed to such happenings that we fail to be moved by their tragedy. This time the victim was honor student Jessica Moore, 19, a sophomore at Seton Hall University. Law enforcement authorities say she was one of five people shot in what witnesses called an ambush at an off-campus party at a rented house in East Orange. Police believe the gunman was an uninvited guest who came to the after-hours party, was involved in a confrontation, then came back later with a gun and started shooting. Let us not forget: By and large, people who purchase guns legally are law-abiding citizens. They are knowledgeable about the use of firearms and respectful of their power. By and large, it is not these legally purchased guns that are involved in the killing of young people in our urban centers. Still, to view gun violence as an urban problem, a Paterson or Newark problem, is a narrow view. What's needed is a broader, more comprehensive approach statewide, one that tries to focus on New Jersey's gun violence problem, in particular, and secondly, how it is impacted by gun laws, or lack thereof, in other states. We don't know if the legislation introduced by state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, provides that overarching view, but perhaps it can be a starting point to a greater discussion. Drew's legislation would allow New Jersey residents to carry handguns if they first go through a vigorous background check, complete courses in firearms safety and the lawful use of force, pass a test and pay an annual $500 fee. The law, loosely based on statutes in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, would serve to relax what is now a pretty strict handgun "carry law" on the books. Significantly, Drew's legislation would do away with current language in the law that says residents must present "a justifiable need to carry a handgun." Van Drew sees the "justifiable need" clause as a needless hindrance to law-abiding handgun owners, and foresees the $500 annual permit fee as a way to add up to $10 million — if 20,000 people pay the fee — to the state's treasury. Gun violence and the changing landscape of gun laws are not mutually exclusive, but they aren't quite the same thing either. The Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right "to keep and bear arms." On the other hand, we would like to believe that citizens should have a reasonable expectation that they won't be shot simply because they are attending an off-campus party. Certainly, there are no easy answers in regard to gun violence or gun laws, lest they would not be constantly in the news, and sometimes on the very same day. We would like to see a more holistic approach, one that asks hard questions and seeks real answers to violence on our streets but that also protects the rights of lawful gun owners. Perhaps a governmental task force is needed, headed by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, a former sheriff with some expertise in these matters. We know one thing. We cannot go on in the endless cycle we seem to be in, where one young person after another is gunned down, for no apparent reason. Until all New Jersey residents can feel safe, any further investment in our schools or in our infrastructure seems almost beside the point.

You are spot-on with these four bullets. (no pun intended) I have been saying the same for years.

I had read that many years ago, but I have had good luck using standard rifle primers from Remington, Winchester and CCI. I also use CCIBR primers in my M1A, and that bolt has a floating firing pin as well. I have never experienced any problems. Check the CMP reloading forums and you'll see that some use the #34 primer, while others have their specific preference for a particular brand of primer. Proper powder choice is more critical and keeping reloads within M1 specs are equally as important. Proper reloading rechniques, knowing your arm and its operation and exercising proper care when used will further eleminate problems. Some good reads: http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reloadbasics/gasgunreload.cfm http://masterpostemple.bravepages.com/M1load.htm

I'd be wary of someone who sold a Model 92 and labeled it "Berretta."

How typical of New Jersey. Whet the State's appetite with an exhorbitant $500 incentive each year. And the person getting licensed will be paying other fees as one mentioned to be "compliant" in the State's eyes. One could wager the odds for a need to carry and be better moved to plunk down $350 each year for a $500,000 life insurance policy. At least your loved ones would benefit should tragedy befall you. Others are right; there already have been better bills proposed waiting in the wings. Dust them off and re-introduce them.

I remember reading this same recommendation when I first started reloading. The first '06 I picked up in my youth was a pump for hunting, but I bought the standard RCBS FL dies for it. This is the same die set I use today to reload for an M1 and another .30-06. The FL dies work fine for me. Always thought about the SB dies but never had a problem with the FL set so never purchased them. You can make some accurate loads with a standard set of FL dies for your Garand too. I guess how high you want to raise the bar dictates what you are willing to spend. That used-'06 I got came with a handy reloader too, which I still have today, only now it sits in its box and serves as a conversation piece.

Remington made a run of the 870P, blued w/ walnut stock this summer. If not interesting reading at least the opening picture on the link is pretty to look at. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=219312

With soft lead swaged bullets, I found accuracy best at 650fps with Hornady or Speer. At that velocity, leading is not bad at all, almost nonexistent for a range session. With hardcast bullets, I can run velocities a little faster, but have found accuracy more evasive at times.

I have used lead bullets in my G21 and USP45 since I purchased them. I remember the Glock warning about reloads and lead bullets in its octagonal rifling. I paid some heed to them, and when opportunity presented itself I bought a match barrel from a firm going out of business for my G21 specifically suited for lead bullets because I fell into the hype. But prudent testing over the years, and sharing of information with my Glock compadres during range sessions showed me that the Glock and USP barrel shot lead loads well enough to warrant their use, provided I followed some simple rules. (The same rules that should always be followed whenever handloading.) You would have thought I was in a void of unknowledge until I joined a few internet forums over the last few years and read copious warnings of the ills of "lead bullets in polygonal rifling." Back when I got the Glock 21 in 1993, there wasn't a whole lot of information on the Internet then like there is today. Amazing that I still have all my digits after all these years and the G21 is still intact. My take is if you exercise care and judgement in reloading, inspect cases after each firing, sort to discard suspect ones and separate and count the number of times your brass is reloaded, etc., etc., clean your gun's barrel and chamber every 200 rounds and use lead reloads that DO NOT exceed 850fps; you might be surprised at how well they shoot. PS - I didn't know what a Glock "Kaboom" was until I looked it up this morning. There really is such a thing. I have been living in a vacuum. Attached are some of my old targets using reloads with the Speer and Hornady 200 SWC bullet (which is pretty soft), using Bullseye, HS6 & Int. Clays powder. Groups at 30' & 50' were using a two-handed hold, and benchrested groups on a sandbag are noted for 25 yds. Certainly not X-ring accuracy for all of them, and the errors are evident on the shooter's part, but most loads exhibit accuracy potential; which was what I was trying to document back then for my reloads. Then, lead was so much cheaper than jacketed and was the route to go to to lessen expenditures. I will admit that jacketed bullets seem to shoot better in the Glock factory barrel, but some lead loads for practice were acceptable for me. Note: The handloads used were safe in my pistols. Duplication is of course at your own risk. My first lead reload - 09/1993 benchrested @ 25 yds. w/ 8.1grs. HS6, Horn. 200 gr. SWC G21 w/ Speer 200 gr. SWC 4.5 grs. Int. Clays - rapid fire @ 30' 25 yds. G21 4.5grs Int. Clays/Speer 200 gr. SWC off sandbags G21 @ 50' 4.5 grs. Int. Clays/200gr. Speer SWC USP45 repid fire @ 50' w/ 200 gr. Speer SWC & 4.0grs. Bullseye USP45 @ 50' w/ 200gr. Speer SWC/4.1grs. Bullseye

After seeing those Colt's, I regret selling my Detective Special three years ago. It was a great little gun, but I had no use for it.

There's one that's slightly used for sale over on NewJerseyHunter.com

The direct link is here: http://www.ontargetshooting.com/ I found this S/W on http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html. It's come in handy and is sometimes easier than carting home all those targets and measuring them. Often I just snap the picture at the range with my cellphone camera and ship it directly my Photobucket or my email, then import the image later into the OnTarget application and measure. Wish I had all these tools and websites back in the 70's when I started shooting rifles. Another one I've downloaded but used only a little is S/W called Point Blank. It does not have the ability to import targets (I've only played with this one sparingly, so haven't found this function,) but it does has some neat calculators in it as well as trajectory tables tailored for your specific bullet provided you input the correct variables. Download here: http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?name=News&topic=4 Thanks Shane. I enjoy the M1A.

Shane, That LRB is nice, and not cheap either! You do get what you pay for these days. I've read some good things about them on the M14 forum. I picked up a SA "loaded" back in the 90's, before the ink dried on the Attorney General's signature noting the M1A as an accepted legal shooter in N.J. For an investment cast frame, it will suffice fine for the civilian shooter. Doubt I will ever put 400,000 rounds through it like some G.I. forged receivers are rated, and I will admit the machining quality isn't as perfect as my '39 Garand, but it's better than some I've seen today and the rifle is a shooter. Its only liability is me behind it. My SA still uses a lot of ex-GI parts like NM trigger group, op. rod, TRW bolt, etc. I don't know how the new ones are built today so can't comment on that. I shoot some factory fodder but mostly reloads. I started working up some new handloads this summer with H4895 and so far have been pleased. So far, this rifle seems to prefer a mild reload of 168 gr. Horn. BTHP's over H4895.