Lee Loader

Bitter sweet day as it's said .

Unloaded some stuff out of the moving truck today looking for a couple of particular items which I didn't find , but , I did find some things I didn't know I needed .
So new to me from Dad's stuff that was still out west ;
A Pacific 07 press complete with warranty card
An RCBS RS
A random RCBS 9mm die
A set of CH Arsenal Inc 30-06 dies
A Pacific #1 RCBS #6&16 shell holders
3 ammo boxes , I didn't know he ever used any
MEC 600 Jr 12 ga
At long last the small drum for a Uniflow ! Of course the other parts are AWOL but at least I have the drum .

Of my stuff recovered ;
a brand new pair of glasses with this year's script in them ! AWOL since the move ........
The infamous AWOL 358-200 Lee
100 rounds of loaded 45 AR !
The case trim acc box
My marbles
Several chamber reamers
My manuals some completely irreplaceable , and how I've missed those .

I hate moving .

It's always cool to "find" items you've "misplaced"... Some nice equipment there also. Years ago for me moving was simple. Everything I owned I could get in the back of my PU. (well almost, maybe a small moving trailer) Man, things can sure change after you get married. Got married when I was 53, moved to where I now live (19 years ago) and have "accumulated" ever since. I have a 30' by 60' shop that is FULL, just the tractor implements alone are scattered about a 1/4 acre. If I ever move (upright) I'm gonna make it a "package" deal to the new owners. No way I'm gonna move all this "stuff". Hope he's a reloader.

I normally don't mind moving if I have a comfy place to sleep, but, I hate moving my tools and reloading equipment. My last move was 9 years ago. I have 2 Craftsman tool chests that locked plus I duct taped all the drawers and tops closed. Some of my loose tools went into "tupperware" tubs and also duct tapped shut. I put much of my reloading stuff in banker's boxed and duct tapped them together. I had some small wooden boxes (12x12x12 approx) that I shipped my lead ingots in, and also duct tapped them shut. I watched all my tools go on the truck, tipped the swampers $20 each, and watched all the tools/boxes come off in Oregon, and again tipped the fellers. I took all my electronic tools and guns in my pickup with me. I didn't lose anything, but I'm not even thinking of doing that again...

I need to make another 200 rds. of .38spl tonight or tomorrow. I've got a match on Saturday, and just found out I'm out of ammo.

Planting Tomatoes. I need to plant 200 tomatoes today before tomorrows rain. The ground is prepared with fertilizer and herbicide, but I will have to stake and tie them. Then I have to put an electric fence around the row to keep the rats with antlers out. The entire field is fenced with an 8 1/2 foot high fence but they either jump over it, or ram it till they make a hole big enough to go through.

"Found" 6,000 primers not canned up like they should be . I bought about 6-8 cartons (1k ea) of CCI 450s while the #41 was unavailable ........ Then I was able to snag an arsenal pack of #41s ...... Plenty of small mag rifle primers now .

Taking Ms to the DDS today she doesn't like the chair but has a broken tooth that has to come out , that's about as much fun as giving a shy angry cat a bath in a gym dog show .

YESTERDAY, I finished up running and hooking up the wiring on the tractor for the third function valve, (I would like to give a big handshake to the guy that invented zip ties ) mounted the bracket I had to make to mount the valve. Still need to have the hoses made and install then that will be finished.

TODAY should be pretty easy ( ) hook up the FB trailer, run to The Dalles (40miles) pick up a 2000gal plastic (?) water tank and haul it back. They said it's only 8ft wide so is legal and my trailer is 8ft wide so it's a push. Not sure about unloading it though, think I'll just try and use the tilt on the trailer and drive out from under it, or some form or other of that plan..... ..think that will be about it for today, other than "regular" duty's as assigned. Gonna rain anyway.

I’ve been back at my Kealakekua Bay home just being lazy, snorkeling, visiting with old friends, family and planting guava and banana trees. It’s a hard life but I force myself to drink Kona coffee every morning and BBQ every evening. I do miss my puppy and reloading shop but I can live with it for awhile longer.

They couldn't do the dental work today it has to be cut on .
We get to make the trip again tomorrow . Joy upon joy . Remember when you could just go to the appropriate Dr and get something fixed in one trip and a follow up ?

It has been a crazy week or two. The airplane I've been flying was taken out of service because it failed a spar corrosion inspection. That was no surprise, and I had arranged a replacement aircraft on a lease and so been shopping for a replacement and found another. It is going through an annual & pre-purchase inspection now. Also, contract time with the patrol stuff, so that is taking some of my time. Beyond that, the helicopter company and I discussed me taking the patrol as a separate business, either in partnership with them or on my own. I spent about ten days running numbers and possibilities and came down to were I like my little part-time job.

I stalked up on a very large boar, probably 275 ~ 280 pounds. He was out in the native grass, and I could not close the distance inside 85 yards. At the shot, he acted like he was hit and turned at a fast walk towards me. I was sitting down on the ground and rolled up on a knee while I chambered another round. He was still coming about 25 yards straight out from me, so I pulled the trigger, and there was just a click. I had never taken my eyes off the hog but discovered that the first hull had failed to extract and the second loaded shell had gone overboard on the ground. The snap of the firing pin was enough for the hog to decide to walk around me. He passed about 10' from me, I'm standing up now, but he just ignored me. He went into some brush about 20 yards away and stopped; I figure he was gut shot, but I didn't see any wound on him. I cleared the chamber and had the next round ready, but he was gone.

I shot him with the Hammerhead, and I have had an occasional issue of the slug separating from sabot at about 75-yards. When that happens, the slug wobbles out. I now think, after pondering a few days, this happened, and the hard nylon sabot hit him. Even at 85-yards, it would be a heck of a punch given its weight and velocity. I'm pondering what to do about this to prevent it from happening again. I might drill through the saboted slug, side to side, and sink a shortened pin through both to secure them together.