Thursday, February 12, 2004 West Kerr Current Page 9 Outdoors Is handloading obsolete? It’s a fair question. When by my particular rifle. Currently Outdoors I loaded my first cartridge, Remington and Federal and back in the early ’50s, prop- Winchester can’t do that. erly assembled handloads They have to load cartridges beat factory ammo on every by the hundreds of thou- count. The homemade sands that will safely func- product was cheaper, more tion and fire in any rifle of reliable, usually more accu- that caliber on the face of the rate, commonly more pow- earth. I can also experiment erful and flatter shooting, with different powders and more versatile, and could John Wootters vary powder charges up or use much superior bullets down half a grain at a time for whatever the task at lets are much more uniform until I ferret out my rifle’s hand. The only things going and consistent which, togeth- favorite combination. for factory ammo were con- er with better rifle barrels, I can do another thing that venience and savings of has at least doubled the accu- no factory can even dream time. racy potential of the combi- of, which is to produce For me, at least, reloads nation. reduced loads. I can make a offered one more advantage: Furthermore, handloaders .30-06 into a quiet, light- recreation. Assembling my no longer have a lock on pre- kicking squirrel rifle, for own loads was and is one of mium game bullets; the same example. I can make and John Wootters photo my favorite pastimes. I enjoy projectiles are available in shoot cast lead-alloy bullets Are handloads dependable? The author has trusted them to keep him alive versus the process itself, finding it factory loads these days. in almost limitless variety, some of the world’s most dangerous game animals – Cape buffalo lion, African ele- both relaxing and mentally New gunpowders and load- for practice, training and phant, leopard, jaguar, this arctic grizzly, etc. – for more than 30 years. challenging. Over the years, ing techniques nowadays small-game and pest shoot- I’ve made much of my liveli- allow the ammo factories to ing, at a cost close to that of leaves commercial ammo reloading, of course, are still John Wootters is a semi- hood writing about the sub- turn out cartridges the hand- .22 Long Rifle ammo. manufacturers out in the the ammunition that’s loaded retired outdoors writer with ject, having published two loader cannot match, much Then we come to antique cold. in bulk, such as handgun and more than 30 years experi- books on reloading and less exceed, in velocity and or obsolete rifles, foreign How about costs? Well, shotgun practice ammo or ence. He was editor of served as handloading edi- trajectory. Everything is bet- rifles and “wildcats’ (for it’s true that reloading com- varminting stuff of which Peterson’s “Hunting” maga- tor/columnist for SHOOT- ter – brass, primers, propel- which no factory ammo has ponent prices have gone up, hundreds of rounds may be zine and author of the ING TIMES, THE RIFLE, lants and projectiles. ever been loaded). For but so has the cost of factory fired in a single day in a monthly column “Buck HANDLOADER, Petersen’s So, is handloading ammo these, handloading is the ammunition. I recently prairie-dog town. Sense” and has written the HUNTING, GUNS & a dead issue? only source of ammunition. bought two 20-round boxes No, the picture has all-time best selling book on deer hunting, “Hunting AMMO, GUN WEEK news- Well, not quite. The facto- You can feed your great- of new .30-40 Krag ammo changed in many ways, but I Trophy Deer.” He has served ry stuff is good, but my paper, and other publica- grandfather’s old buffalo for almost $50. I can and do think it’s safe to say that on the Board of Directors of tions. handmade stuff is still a little rifle, or that European rifle assemble Krag hunting handloading isn’t fading the National Rifle But that was then, and this better in several ways. One of the odd metric caliber that rounds for about 35 cents away forever. I still enjoy Association, and written for is now. Improvements made is precision. I can sit down your uncle brought back apiece with jacketed bullets, dropping a deer or a coyote “Shooting Times,” “Rifle,” over the last two decades in and take all evening to from the war, as easily with a perhaps one-third of that with a cartridge I put togeth- “Handloader,” “Guns & commercial ammunition are assemble 20 rounds to the reloading setup as the latest with cast bullets. er with my own hands … and Ammo” and Peterson’s mind-boggling. Factory bul- exact specifications required super-short magnum. That The big cost savings in it’s still fun to reload. “Hunting.” Exertion not only SOLUNAR/LUNAR TIMES Hunt, Texas Yo u t h reason horses Hunting and Fishing time tables for the avid sports-person rodeo SPORTING TIMES LUNAR TIMES Feb. 21 The Kerr County 4-H will perspire 2004 A. M. P. M. Horse Club will hold its First February Minor Major Minor Major Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moon Up Moon Down Annual Jackpot Youth Rodeo Stephen, 13 Fri Q 11:27 5:14 11:55 5:41 7:19 6:23 1:04a 6:31a 6:59p Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Kerr Horse Bits 14 Sat ----- 6:09 12:23 6:38 7:18 6:23 2:14a 7:28a 7:58p My gelding has been on a County Ag Barn. 15 Sun 12:49 7:05 1:20 7:35 7:17 6:24 3:23a 8:29a 9:00p new work program of lung- More than a dozen events ing for about six weeks now 16 Mon 1:45 8:01 2:17 8:32 7:16 6:25 4:30a 9:31a 10:03p 17 Tue 2:41 8:57 3:12 9:28 7:15 6:26 5:30a 10:34a 11:04p will take place in the indoor and is showing marked arena, including bull riding, improvement in his attitude 18 Wed > 3:37 9:52 4:06 10:21 7:14 6:27 6:22a 11:33a ------ 19 Thu > 4:31 10:45 4:58 11:12 7:13 6:27 7:07a 12:29p 12:02a steer riding, calf roping and and conditioning. Recently goat tying. though, he has started break- All contestants must have ing a sweat earlier and earli- Major=2 hours/Minor=1 hour Accurate within 1 minute F = Full Moon N = New Moon Q = Quarter > = Peak activity a minor release form signed er on in his daily workout. Tip: Canal bass will be lying along the drop-offs. by parent or guardian and The last couple of times that Stephen Daugherty full dress code is required. I tried to exercise him I Lines marked < > indicate best fishing at sunrise or sunset! For more information, call decided to stop much sooner to colic often sweats. Donna Hyatt at 830 367- than I usually would due to Due to the information in Solunar Services, Inc. http://www.solunar.com 5810; Teri Hawkins, 830 him becoming really hot and your letter, I would rule out 367-2307 or Donna Lenard, sweaty. Is this normal or nervousness or fright as a 830 257-4567. should I be concerned? cause and say that your horse is probably hurting some- First, let me commend you where and that you need to for implementing an exercise call a vet or a professional Compton’s of Kerrville, Inc. program; it is nice to hear horse person to come out and The Pioneers in Heating & Air Conditioning from someone who is truly take a look at your gelding as Full 10 Year Factory Warranty concerned enough about the soon as possible. And Free Parts & Labor on Trane well-being of their horse that Until then you don’t need Trane XL Systems they are willing to discipline to work the horse, but if you themselves and devote the feel as though you must then Locally Owned and Operated for 55 Yrs. - since 1947 time to do this rather than do it in very brief sessions Specializing in Trane Heatpumps simply paying lip service to that are broken up by much Heating and Cooling the issue, as is most often the hand walking. Servicing on All Brands case. Best of luck and, as Now let’s address the always, let me know of the 896-2633 problem at hand. Horses outcome. 1300 Broadway don’t sweat due to physical A lifelong student of the Kerrville, TX 78028 exertion alone. They can also horse, Stephen Daugherty has perspire out of nervousness trained and instructed profes- and pain or discomfort of sionally since the age of 18 some kind. and admittedly still learns It is not unusual for a horse every day. He lives and works in the Kerrville area and is that is nervous or frightened available for personal consult- to break out in a great sweat ing, training or instructing. He even while standing tied, and can be reached by e-mail at a horse that feels poorly due [email protected] Joe Cook Agency 828 Sidney Baker Office Hours: M-F 8am - 6pm Sat 9am - 1pm 830 - 895-2288 888 - 235-6022 Robin Miears Associate Agent.