Reeder Custom Guns - Jim Taylor had a good answer to one of the questions about

"what gun would you have at hand and why that choice". Like he said if things go pear shape we aren't going to have time to look thru the safe and lay out 5 AR-15s, 6 or 7 shotguns, about that many handguns. Anyway, if things go (oh shit) what handgun, what rifle and what shotgun would you have handy?. Keep it simple. I would like to think some of our answers will help others when (if) the balloon goes up. Are we going to grab that battery eating thing or something a lot more simple. Are we going to grab an AR that we can't remember whether we sighted it in or not. Or did we change the battery on that red dot gizmo? Hell, do we remember the combo to our safe? In a hectic situation can your wife open the safe? Does she know the combo? Do we have an extra battery for that electronic safe combination?.

How about a shotgun. 12 Gauge or 20 gauge? The 12 gauge ammo would be easier to find than 20 but if you have a wife and kids in the household can they shoot the 12 gauge better than the 20 gauge? How many rounds does it hold. The Mossberg 590 is probably the best choice as it can hold 8 or 9 rounds. Is your shotgun a semi auto or pump. The pump makes the most sense as it can use a variety of ammo whereas some models of semi auto are like the question above about the high velocity ammo for your 22 rifle. Most good shotguns can function with just about any brand of shotshells. But some are really picky.

Now if you are a waterfowl hunter and have stocked up on the steel shot for ducks or geese. How about this, the next time you buy shotshells buy a box of standard lead shot too. Some shotguns don't like steel shot while they all will work with lead shot. Should things go wacky that standard 12 gauge might not work well with steel shot.

Most shooters think a box of 00 or 000 (double 00 or triple 000) is the way to go for home defense. Actually a box of #4 buck will do better. The box of 00 or 000 runs $10 to $15 for a box of 5 rounds. A box of #4 buck costs about the same but holds 25 rounds. Most cops have switched to #4 instead of 00 buck.

How many magazines do you have for that AR and while you are shooting the bad guys out the window can your wife or youngster reload that magazine? For that matter does your wife know which box of ammo goes with which gun? By the way do you have a LULA Loader for your AR? This little jewel will load an AR magazine as quick as you can count to 20. No more sore thumb. They are made for just about every 5.56 or 7.62 semi auto. They are a necessity for any one that has any kind of semi auto, including 22 LR auto. It is just called the LULA Loader.

Next time you are pulling your main shotgun out of the safe load it with the red plastic snap caps or dummy rounds. Most gun shops will have them or can get them for you. Most companies have them in boxes of 5 rounds. These are safe and you can try the action without having to actually shoot it. work the pump as fast as you can. See if it will run whatever type of shotshells you happen to have at home. If it jams running the dummy rounds thru it without firing it, then it might not function by pulling the trigger as fast as you can in a bad situation. A good pump shotgun will work the action as fast as you can work the pump fast too.

Do you have 4 or 5 good 22 LR rifles? They are probably semi auto, so do you have a good supply of high velocity 22 LR ammo. Remember most semi autos require the high velocity ammo to function. How about a 22 Magnum. Some 22 Magnum rifles are picky about ammo. I have 4 or 5 22 Magnum semi autos and every one of them require the Hornady Critical Defense Ammo to function. The 22 Magnum is a better choice but it would probably be a bit harder to find ammo for but it would be a bit better keeping the bad guys off your porch
.

A lot of these questions refer to me, unfortunately.
If you have a dog, do you keep enough food around to keep him from eating the cat. It would be hard telling your wife that food is getting scarce and eating the cat is on the list of necessary things.
More later

Post reply

- No text -

Post reply

to add to last nights bit of "wisdom". If you have several
calibers of ammo and have it scattered all over the house, pick up a few of the "milk crates" or whatever they call them these days. make sure they don't belong to any store or business, and if they do and you are a normal customer they will normally give you a crate or two at no extra charge. By the way let me know what they actually call these plastic crates or cartons or whatever.)They are the plastic see thru things that every alley has a few lying about. Pick up a few, clean them up and line the inside walls and bottom with freezer paper and put a label on the top and keep all your shotshells or other ammo in them. Then tape a strip across the top and label them what they are.
Then if the balloon goes up it is easier to grab a crate or two and keep it near a door or window.

If you don't have enough to fill up one of these crates then you need to take advantage of all these end of year sales going on at the big box stores. If you buy enough ammo to fill up one of these crates the big box store will normally give you the crate at no extra charge. You may have to have your wife sweet talk the store owner for a crate or two. Also if you don't have enough shotshells to fill up a crate take a piece of strong cardboard and fit it inside the crate longways, tape up the sides to help it be stronger and then run a strip of masking tape across the top labeling what caliber is in the crate. This way you can store several calibers of ammo in one crate. These crates fit in a safe real well too. And if you have a free spot in your basement you can stack these crates. Whichever way you fly you can keep track of how much ammo you actually have and how much you need to buy to fill up the crate.
If you go with the basement make sure and tape some freezer paper in the bottom of the crate to keep it moisture free. If you have nosey neighbors run a wide strip across the top and down the sides and mark them "pinto beans", or sour kraut, or really screw with them and mark the crate "Condoms, extra large". But if you go with the labeling the crate "Condoms, extra large", you may attract some of the neighbor ladies which your wife may not like.
More tidbits coming.

Post reply

that are pretty much harmless past 60 yds. is to "cut" through the outer plastic of the hull, keeping the wadding and shot intact. Not too low or you get into the powder, not too high or you get into the shot column. In between on the wad cushion. You can even leave a little sliver of a section "uncut" to hold the two halves together better.

This allows the entire front section of the shotshell serve as a projectile. Effectively a "soft" slug, sort of like the old Glaser ammo Sky Marshals used to use on soft targets. We tested it to 50 yds. and they group well with no rifling or sights! Blows a huge hole in stuff. Even a hard target like a tactical vest, while not penetrating, if the front touches the back, what's in the middle will not be in the fight.

I was told about this "cutting" of shotshells by an old timer who hunted deer during WWII when you could hardly get ammo or meat! I then watched some Youtube videos, then tried it myself. Even the .410 shotshell makes a much more formidable round when cut. I can't explain it, it does not tumble but hits point on. A #9 load can kill a Bufflao to 50 yds!

Post reply

- No text -

Post reply

He used to show me all sorts of little tricks and short cuts, what we call today "life hacks". "Let me show you this little Indian trick". lol

I saw it as a complement to Indians seen as slick and crafty.

Post reply

Trying to decide what to buy. The old Misfits on here are not normal people when it comes to gun ownership. For house handguns, keep it simple. Buy three or four of the same model and extra mags. The mags will interchange. Find out which ball ammo they like and use it for all of them. You can do the same with revolvers. Buy two or three of which ever shotgun you can handle. All the same GA and all the same ammo. I agree with Gary on #4s. The same for .22 rifles and ARs. Like a lot of us on here, I have many of Gary's calibers, but for what is being discussed here, I think factory ammo is the way to go. Buy some here and there and put it up. A lot of sales are going on now. Let WB do his experimentations and such. But, for most people, the KISS principle works. However, I don't necessarily follow my own advice.

Post reply

- No text -

Post reply

you a Misfit, take it as a compliment. Years back the other forums said we were a bunch of misfits because we didn't go by all the rules and regulations that they do. So I decided that from then on we were proud to be called Misfits and put it on our T-shirts and jackets.

Post reply

- No text -

Post reply

- No text -

Post reply

is I keep 5 spare mags per pistol, and 10 spare mags for my AR.
I am a bird and waterfowl hunter so I keep at least 2-3 flats of shells (dove load plus steel shot) on hand all the time, so that’s 500-750 shotgun shells. For the AR I like at least 300 rounds put back all the time. Never less than that. My minimum is 500 of 9mm (easiest to obtain nowadays as *everyone* has a 9mm). The 40 and 45 are last resort. YMMV.

Post reply

Jim Taylor had a good answer to one of the questions about

Jim Taylor is a smart man! You too Gary.

A little more wisdom for you

An old Indian trick to convert skeet loads

What is an "old Indian" doing with some skeet loads?

It's sort of a trubute to an old dear uncle...

I feel sorry for a new person on the forum.

Well said.

To add to that bit of wisdom. In case someone on here calls

It was meant as a compliment, as I am one.

Me too Irv

Good points. What I do …