Re: NOT a sniper by pay grade or anything special
Have I shot a chrony, No.
--actually haven't had a chronograph to shoot over, yet, but looking forward to the day that I get one.
Have I left critical components at home/elsewhere, No
--I have such a bad memory (from the accident) that I actually do have a checklist AND a wife who's going there with me. She also goes over the checklist after she's helped me load the vehicle. Double-redundancy works! (Prior to having her in my life, I've just been lucky, I guess.)
Have I screwed up a handload and missed/forgot to put powder it a round, Yes.
--That was the day I learned that a primer in a .357mag round CAN lodge a bullet into a barrel, just forward of the forcing cone. I also learned the necessity of having a non-ferrous slide-hammer in the tool kit. I just thank Jesus for the fact that I've never had to use it since. Falls into the "always ALWAYS check charged cases, TWICE, to ensure that there's a 'load' in there before seating a bullet on top. OCD? Never heard of it......
La peice de la Resistance.....
Have I ever had a 'brass resizing issue cause a further issue with a firearm'? (you'll notice that I've kinda rolled that "category" into one) Yes.
--You'll not believe it, but here it goes: I had first learned about George and GAP from the Roster over 10 years ago. And wanted one, ever since. Through <span style="text-decoration: underline">many</span> different dilemma's and moments of chaos, it took me until '07 to even be able to think of ordering one. You've no idea how good it felt, to be able to finally call him up and ask "Do you have a Crusader on hand (done waiting, I want something that's ready) and he says Yes. I say "I'll take it, do you accept M/C?" You get the idea from there. Through much wait and coordinating, it finally gets imported into this country ((disclaimer: NOT his hold-up at all...)) and then I got hit with YET ANOTHER crisis. Financially, I wasn't able to get any glass to put on it, for two more years. But I was being patient, cause I knew the wait was worth it.
So then, I'm finally able to get some glass for it. I load up my factory IVI 7.62, and go to the range. Had to sort out some of the premium handloads that were given to me by a very close relative. Before getting into working on a load, I wanted something "standard" just to dial it in. Apparently I'd missed one, and didn't notice it in my excitement. Shhhh.
Get to the range, get everything set up, my Lady is there and she's watching in anticipation eagerly, because she knows what a moment this is for me. I in turn do what I can to get her set up with her stick and ammo and targets because I don't want to hold her up. She ignores all that, and urges me on.
So, I finally get my stuff up and ready, load my first mag (while paying more attention to 'downrange' and whatnot, and didn't notice the last round I place in the mag WAS NOT AN IVI FACTORY ROUND.
I get into position, dry fire a few times (mostly to calm myself as I can't deny my heart is beating a little faster than normal) then I finally chamber my first round, ever, into THIS CALIBER OF FIREARM. (Calibre: meaning level of quality and precision as opposed to the used factory items I've always used prior)
Did I say chamber? I meant "almost chamber". Actually, it was more like "seize". Full stop. Halt. NEIN!!!!! Merde
AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG. I pull up and back on the bolt, but there's no movement. It's so close I think "maybe if I just push it down a touch more, it'll lock and I can then pull the trigger and we'll be back in business again. Nope, that didn't work either. OK, well, we'll just pull really hard to open it up, and I'll get rid of this round (by pounding it into the ground using one of these benches as a battering ram) and I'll be rolling along.
I try and try and try, yet I can't get the bolt to budge. My Lady is right there with me, trying to calm me down. Out of desperation I see a 2 foot piece of 2x4 and think that'll work.
So my Lady holds the rifle, while I just TAP the handle with the board so slowly budge the handle up and then back. Right. Sure. Uh-Huh.....
Remember, my Lady is holding this rifle, so you know I ain't "golf-swinging" this board. The handle starts to go up! Perfect!!! Except it is not turning. I/we look closer, and the handle is breaking away from the silver-solder. Words cannot express how displeased I was at that moment.
I go sit down behind my wife's bench, and tell her to at least do some shooting, so that the range trip is not an absolute write-off. After all, it did take us an hour to drive to it.
In her usual stubborn self, she proceeds to pack up and start making trips to the car. There's no changing her mind... this is a show-stopper of the highest magnitude.
After getting home, I carefully remove the bolt, and extract the culprit round. Then get on the phone to George and explain (above) and in his detailed and responsive return diatribe says "get it to me and I'll fix it upon arrival."
I coordinate with his man up front with my M/C again, and overnight it to him.
Meanwhile, I go through Each and Every single round that I have, and separate them into two piles. Then, one pile is in one room, and the other is in another room. NEVER AGAIN WILL THESE TWO PILES MEET!
Upon receiving said bolt, it has been smooth sailing ever since. Thank you, Thank God, and Thank my lucky stars.
So yeah, I'd say that not only do I have membership in your forum there Jon, but I've a lifetime membership as well as full access to all rooms. That's how I feel, anyways.
And I also know, that the name 'Boltripper" has already been taken. From what I understand though, I'm not in that eschalon of supremacy due to the fact that for me, I've only ripped ONE bolt. Not "some".
So far,,,,
But come-on, really. Who can say they ripped their bolt off of their first good rifle, on the first round, after having it on hand for 2 years, after waiting nearly 10 to be able to actually order it? Really.
