DIY Shoot-N-See Targets!

The process of sighting in a gun or checking the zero on a gun can involve a lot of walking to and from the target to see where you hit... if you are using traditional paper targets. 

Some of you probably know that there is a company called Birchwood Casey that makes targets which, when hit, expose a neon backing, showing the shooter where he or she has hit. You may also know that these targets are expensive, and I don't know about you, but I can't justify paying good money for a piece of paper I'm gonna fill full of holes. So, I did a little research and found a way to make these targets fairly inexpensively. 

The article I found said to take a piece of neon card stock, cover it with clear packing tape and then coat it with a layer of black spray paint. 
Well, apparently packing tape is a coveted item at my house, and I was only allowed 3 pieces, enough to cover most of a regular piece of printer paper. After securing the tape to the paper, I attached it to a piece of cardboard for rigidity. Next I took it outside and gave it a good coat of black spray paint.

Once completed, it was shot with a variety of calibers and performed well. My only mistake was making the bull’s eyes the same color as the paper. If I were to hit the bull’s eye, I would not be able to see it. Other than that, it worked to my expectations.

Because packing tape was in short supply, I decided to attempt another version of the target, but instead of tape, I used a clear sheet protector. In this instance, all I had to do was slide a piece of paper into the sleeve and then paint it. This version of the target was more finicky, and did not perform to the high standards set by the previous attempt.

(Although, it could still be used)

These targets are somewhat reusable; a new coat of paint will freshen them up, but after a while you can just get a new one. Oops, I mean MAKE a new one!

On another note, since I talked about these targets being cheap, let’s look into that…

8” Birchwood Casey “Shoot-N-C” targets are $15.50 for 30 of them at Walmart, or almost $.52 each. I could buy a whole .357 shell for my revolver for that money! Okay, it’s not THAT big of a deal, but check out the price for our target:

You can get 2 rolls of Scotch shipping tape (1.8” wide) for $8.97 at Walmart, paying 2.7 cents per foot, and using 4.6 feet to completely cover a piece of standard blank paper. That equals out to… 12.42 cents per target. 

But that’s just tape; at Walmart, HP multi-purpose paper is 1.5 cents a sheet. 

And then let’s say a 12oz can of ColorPlace spray paint will cover 22 sq feet, which means it will cover 33 sheets of paper, for 5 cents a sheet! Adding everything up we can make our targets for 18.92 cents each! On top of that you may already have many of the components required, and what supplies you do buy, you can use for other purposes; unlike the shoot-N-C targets you get at walmart, which are good for only one purpose. 

So, in conclusion, next time you see those Birchwood Casey targets on the rack at Walmart, remember this article and consider making them yourself!

-Have Fun Shootin'!

-Caleb

Possibles Pouch... Again.

I have done Blog posts on woods kits before; several of them. I have done a post on a haversack kit, a possibles kit, and a nine-item kit. But as I look back, I see that what worked for me in the past does not work for me now. 

I have learned since then, and thus modified my kits, and my mentality about them. I know that there is not a kit I am going to come up with that works for all places without having excess stuff in others. In this post, I hope to cover the thought process behind packing for a trip or trek of any kind, and a possibles pouch that works for me.

I have finally learned that it is pretty useless to have a kit pre-packed for a "grab and go" deal. It is better to have all your gear sorted out, and an empty pack waiting. Even with this in mind, I still like playing around with my gear, packing and un-packing, but when it comes time to sleep outside, or go on a hunting trip, I usually end up un-packing and re-packing for that occasion. Another problem I come across is that when my gear is packed away somewhere, it it not easily accessible when I need it. I am looking for a flashlight, and they are at the bottom of my backpack.

When you are packing for a trip, there are some things to keep in mind. First, consider where you are going and for how long. Pack appropriately for the area, think over all possible situations, but do not over-pack. If you have been where you are going before, try to remember how you packed last time, if there was something you needed and did not have, or if there were things you had and did not need. If this is your first time somewhere, make note of exess stuff, or what you did not have. If you are packing for a bushcraft camp, think about sleep, shelter, food, water, and fire. Try to pack light, and remember; don't take it, make it. If you can make one in the field, don't take one.

Now on to my little possibles kit. This is the most successful possibles kit I have ever put together. It is successful and handy because it is carried in my pockets. I have these items everywhere I go, all the time.
In my right front pocket I have a folding knife, lighter, and sharpie. I have a knife on my belt. In my wallet I have: a small knife, flint striker, fishing kit, mini file, hunting/trapping licenses, Band-Aids, string, and a little key knife multi tool. And I use this stuff! But, something I want to point out is where this kit works for me, make up your own that works for you and CARRY IT ALL THE TIME!

Until next time,

--Caleb

A Little Gun History and Some Interesting Cartridges

A lot of us country people use guns often. Whether it is hunting, practicing for self defense, or just shooting for the fun of it, we use guns. But I don’t know how many of us know much of our gun history.

It all started with the invention of gunpowder. There are notations of gunpowder as early as 142 ad. After that, cannons and hand-cannones were slow to follow, probably around 1346. The hand-cannones were a two-man operation; one person would steady the weapon, while the other touched a slow match to the touch hole.

Next up was the matchlock gun, invented in 1425. This was just an improvement from the hand cannon. There was a rather unusual looking stock on most, with the barrel attached as is usual now. You would load powder, then wad and shot or patched round ball down the barrel. There was a hole at the very back of the barrel on one side that connected to a touch pan. To fire, you would have to load it, blow up a bright coal on the slow match, then pull the trigger. Sometimes it even fired!

In 1612 the flintlock musket was introduced. At this point, it was smoothbore, mostly for versatility and cost, I assume. Soon after the Brown Bess was invented and widely used. In America most guns were rifled flintlocks, and were until the invention of the percussion cap in 1805, then the copper version in 1814. By 1826 most of the muzzle loading rifles of the day were either converted to percussion, or just made that way. In 1836 Samuel Colt patented his cap-and-ball revolver, which had six cylinders available to shoot as fast as you could cock the hammer.

The first real center fire cartridge was made in 1852. In this, the primer, powder and bullet were a contained unit, making reloading much easier.

The first repeaters were the Spenser and the Henry in 1860.

And from that, we now have a few different modern types of guns, which are separated by what action they are. The action is how the gun is fired. We have:

·        Single action revolvers (you have to cock the hammer to fire)

·        Double action revolvers (you don’t have to cock the hammer)

·        Semi auto pistols (you just pull the trigger as fast as you can)

·        Single shot guns

·        Pump shotguns

·        Lever action guns

·        Bolt action rifles

·        Semi auto rifles

So there is your gun history lesson, now let’s discuss some interesting bullets.

1.     The multiple 22’s

There is, in 22 caliber, the 22 short, 22 long rifle, 22 magnum, 22 TCM (which is a 223 shell shortened and necked), 22 jet (the 357 mag necked down to a 22), 22 hornet, 220 swift, and 22-250. Yes, most of these started out as wildcat cartridges.

2.     25-06

This interesting varmint rifle is a 30-06 necked down to .257”. It was invented in 1959. It will get 3, 200 feet per second with a 100 grain bullet.

3.     4 Bore

If this sounds like a big gun, it’s not. It is a HUGE gun! There are not many out there, and they are heavy brutes. With a heavy load they will shoot a quarter pound projectile pushed by 440 grains of black-powder. That heavy load is almost too big for a shooter of any size to shoot safely. It is said to have over 8,000 foot pounds of energy. This gun was for elephants and the like in Africa.

4.     Smith and Wesson .500

I am pretty sure this is currently the biggest cartridge handgun made. At 69 ounces, it is pretty heavy. With its 8” barrel, it can deliver 2,600 foot pounds of energy. A 44 magnum delivers 993 ft Ibs. It is running for $1,369.

Until next time, see ya!

-Caleb

Shoot Your Single-Shot Shotgun for Pennies on the Dollar!

My very first gun was a Rossi break action with exchangeable barrels, one .22 and the other 410. That was 5 years ago, and I still am shooting it. As I started running out of the initial supply of shells my dad bought for me, I noticed how expensive 410 shells were; $0.67 per shot! Then I came across a video by Dave Canterbury, than an article in The Backwoodsman magazine on muzzle-loading a single-shot shotgun with Pyrodex. I finally got around to trying it, and it works great! In fact, I can shoot my 410 for $0.27 a pop using this method! Read on to find out how I do it!

Tools:

·        Can of Pyrodex RS or ffg blackpowder

·        Shotgun primers

·        Cheap 12 gauge skeet loads

·        Spent high-brass shotgun shells

·        Some kind of ramrod

·        Sheep’s wool

·        Powder measure

·        And a single shot shotgun!!!

Procedure:

Begin by cutting open some of the 12 gauge shells and extracting the shot. Put this in some kind of vial.

Now take the spent shells, cut the plastic off at the brass, and then punch the old primer out with a nail and replace it with a new one. That is all the prep work needed.

When you are ready to load the gun, open it up, and insert the cut-off shell into the chamber.

Now close the gun and set the butt on the ground. Measure out 30 grains of Pyrodex RS and pour it down the barrel.

Push a small wad of sheep’s wool down the barrel, tamping it firmly against the powder.

Now put 40 grains of shot (measured same as powder) down the barrel.

Now tamp another wad of sheep’s wool on top of that, and you are ready to shoot!

Here is the pattern with 7 ½ shot:

Have fun and be safe!

-Caleb

Great Camping Meal!

This morning I once again tried to cook some squirrel. I didn't expect to be successful because have ruined more squirrels than I can remember. Once I tried to stew one, but the potatoes turned to mush and the meat didn't even cook. Next day I baited a fox set with that same meat...  and the next morning I got a red fox. That's great and all, but just goes to say I couldn't cook. Well, last night I was looking through Horace Kephart's book Woodcraft and Camping, and I found a good recipe for biscuits and one for squirrel. I cooked them up, and... they were great! So I want to share the recipes with y'all. 

For the biscuits, mix 1 cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/6 teaspoon salt in a Zip-Lock bag. Keep this until you are ready to make the biscuits. When you're ready to cook them, add about 1/3 to 1/2 tablespoon of Crisco and mix it with a wooden spoon really well. Then add water until it's a thick dough. Be sure to mix with a wooden spoon and not your hands. Now that the dough is ready, you can form your biscuits and bake 'em fer 15-20 minutes. This will make about 4 biscuits. At the end of this article I will show you how I made my oven. 

As for the squirrel(s), cut em up into pretty small pieces and parboil them. Now take them out of the water, season them, and fry them in Crisco until the outside is a light brown. I would advise eating with gravy.

The oven I cooked my biscuit in this morning was very simple. I took a small cup with a lid, although you can do it with any size, and cut a piece of hardware cloth that would fit into the cup when it was set sideways. Like an oven rack. Then I just covered it in two layers of tinfoil. All I had to do was put the biscuit on the rack, put the lid on, and set it in some good coals. If you are confused, look at the picture. 

This was my breakfast this morning, and like I said, it was great. I hope you enjoy the recipe, 
-Caleb

The Making Of a Knife-Via Pictures

The knife starts out as a lawnmower blade.

Then the shape is cut out and ground.

Next, a bevel or grind is put on, and holes drilled.

Then it is hardened. this is done by heating to a orange color, then quenching in oil.

Then it is polished and tempered in an oven set @ 400 degrees.

The handle scales are cut out, and drilled.

And evened up at the top.

It is epoxied and clamped.

                                             Shaped,

                                           And shaped,

And finished!

How to Make a File Knife - Stock Removal

Today we are going to be making a knife from a very common and

cheap tool; a file. 

To begin with, you will need to find a file a sufficient size for the knife you want to make. Usually you can find these at flea markets and garage sales pretty cheap. The other materials you will need for this project are: some pretty hardwood like maple, some 1/4" brass pin stock, a grill, charcoal, heat-proof tubing of some kind, ( for making a forge) a hair drier and some two part epoxy.

 Your tool checklist will include: a belt sander or file, a drill and

1/4" metal cutting drill bit, a small ball peen hammer, tongs or long vice grips, a hacksaw or bandsaw, clamps and a paint can of any kind of oil.

First we are going to make our forge. To begin with, drill a hole the size of your pipe in the bottom of your grill. Now secure the pipe in the hole, with about ½" sticking up in the bottom of the grill. Then duct tape the hair dryer to the other end of the pipe. When the hair dryer is on, it supplies a constant flow of air to your fire on top, and we will use it for the hardening and annealing of our knife. Note: if you are confused, YouTube making a forge, there are a lot of detailed videos there.

Begin by starting up the forge with lump charcoal and turning on the blower. Now heat as much of the file as you can to a dull red. If you need, you can heat one side up, then flip it and do the other side. Once both sides have been or are red, bury the file in sand. Once it cools, it is ANNEALED, meaning it is as soft as it can get. Now, using a bench grinder or file, you can shape your knife. 

Once you have the shape you like, it's on to the next step: putting on the bevel.

To grind the bevel, you need a belt sander with metal abrasive 

belts. If you do not have one of these, a very rough file will work as long as your metal is annealed. Using a file is tedious, but you are not going to mess up easily at all. With a grinder, always have your would-be blade up. First establish a good 20 degree bevel, then by rotating your wrist minutely clockwise you can make the grind line get taller each pass on the grinder. Once you have the grind established, keep thinning it out until the edge is about as thick as the a piece of paper. DO NOT GET IT SHARP. If you do this, the edge will melt off in the hardening process and ruin the blade.

Now you need to drill your holes.  If you are not using a brand new drill bit, it won't cut. (A little tip: use Ace brand drill bits, they are the best for this kind of stuff) And if you didn't anneal your metal, the drill will not cut at all. That said, position your holes where you want them, and drill away. I really advise using a drill press for this, and if you don't have one, try to find a friend that has one and will let you use it. 

Once you have done all of this, it is time for the heat treat. Get your forge fired up, and place your blade in the hottest part of the coals. Make sure the hair dryer is going good, and get the blade part up to a bright orange color. Once the entire cutting edge part is orange, grab it with your pliers and dunk the blade in your oil. But don't just dunk it, move it around in the oil. This helps air pockets from forming on the knife and lessens the chance of warping. This is called hardening. 

(And it MUST be oil; water will not work, for it is too violent of a quench. If you were to quench it in water, it would get tiny little cracks in the blade that would grow in size with use of the knife and ruin the blade)

 Take it out and run a file loosely across the edge. If it slides over with no catching, it is hardened. If the file bites into the metal, it did not harden properly and you need to try again. After this, take your knife and check it for warping. If it warped, DO NOT HAMMER ON IT. The knife is very brittle and would break. Heat the knife up to a red and then bang on it and re-harden it. 

If your knife was straight, put it in the oven set for 400 degrees and leave it there two hours. When you're ready, take it out with pliers and dunk it in some water. This process is called tempering; it takes some of the hardness out of the knife and ensures a good edge. Now take your knife back to the sander or file and take all of the scale off of the bevels. Now you can get it as sharp on the grinder as you want.

OK, on to the handle. First, trace the handle of your knife onto a piece of your hard wood, twice. Using a bandsaw or hacksaw, cutting outside of the line, cut the pattern you traced out. Now position one of these slabs underneath the actual handle, get it how you want it, and drill holes that line up exactly with the ones in your file. Do the same with the other side. 

Now cut two 1 ½" lengths of your pin stock and put them into the holes. Once done, you can do the pre-final sanding and profiling of the handle with the pins holding the wood in place where it will be when it's all said and done. Once you have the shape of the wood slabs lined up with the tang of the knife, take the pins out and cut them down until, when they are slid into the holes, there is only 1/8" protruding on each side. 

Now take all of the parts and set them out. The handle slabs should be inside-up and the pins should be easily accessed. Now mix your epoxy, and smear a thin layer in both sides of the tang and the insides of the handle slabs. Line all the holes up, and insert the pins. Now take the back of your ball-peen hammer and peen the pins over gently on each side until they are good and flat. Clamp it up good, but not so tight that you squeeze all the epoxy out.

Once the epoxy cures, you can do the final shaping on your sander... or with sandpaper. When you have a shape you like, rub the handle down with a few coats of oil, and ... viola, you have a file knife.