Shell picking at the Rock

[Silvers]

Many here who reload for 12 and 20-gauge Foxes and other makers prefer the Remington Gun Club hulls that up until recent months could easily be picked from the ground or shell buckets at sporting courses. An equivalent but somewhat less common hull is the lighter green-colored Remington Clay and Field in 12-gauge. Either hull will last for up to eight loadings at least they do for me and my friends.

Just for info, with the Remington Company woes and its Lonoke Ammo plant shutdown months ago both hulls have been drying up at least at (two) high volume clubs hereabouts. Nowadays we'll rarely see either the GC or C&F hulls and the buckets are filled with other makes that are more finicky to load, have soft plastic that doesn't re-crimp well, and/or have separate base wads that could come loose with repeated loadings and lodge in the choke leade. Also some foreign made hulls need oversize primers.

I know the Remington ammo business was sold to the firm that also owns Federal Ammunition but it remains to be seen if the Gun Club hulls will be resurrected in kind? A word to the wise, if you reload for 12 and prefer the two named hulls, better save them or pick 'em while you can. Remington 20-gauge GC hulls are also rarely seen of late.

One of grandsons is still here over the Holiday school vacation, and yesterday he and I got out and went shell picking at Rock Mountain. He also learned to drive my cart. I didn't shoot and we stayed away from some other shooters on the course. We had a grand time despite the 23 degree temps. Yesterday it was shell picking at 3 cents per green shell but only those with a solid brass-colored primer. Those who reload know what that means

Lastly, those who know the Rock will see that new gas drilling rig in the background of the first pic. Happy for Susan, Mike and Tadd

frank

[Stan Hoover]

Frank,
Great to see you're spending quality time with your Grandson, he's learning some valuable lessons from his Grandfather for sure.

Thank for pointing out the Drilling Rig, my be not the prettiest thing to look at but well worth it for Energy Independence, and that way Mike and the neighbors benefit from our natural resources,
Stan

[Jeff S]

Sounds like a fun way to spend time with your grandson.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Frank,
Great to see you're spending quality time with your Grandson, he's learning some valuable lessons from his Grandfather for sure.

Thank for pointing out the Drilling Rig, my be not the prettiest thing to look at but well worth it for Energy Independence, and that way Mike and the neighbors benefit from our natural resources,
Stan

Thanks Stan! Those rigs are up for a few months then they are moved to another well site. If you don't know where the rigs are were you wouldn't even know there's a well pad. That's our 2020 Christmas tree!!

[bbman3]

Frank great looking grandson and i know you are spoiling him! Bobby

[Stan Hillis]

Three cents per shell! and a cart to ride on!

When I was a boy my Dad ran a country store and paid me three cents apiece for empty soda pop bottles ..............and I had to ride a bike to get 'em!

Then again, 3 inch, 11/16 oz. .410 shells only cost $.12/each at his store, so every four bottles I sold him would buy me another shell. Pretty good incentive, eh? Actually, it led to a "life of crime". There were lots of families living on my Grandaddy's farm. Some of them lined the walk to their front porch with empty "drink bottles", stuck in the ground upside down. I would slip out my bedroom window at night, ride my bike to one of the houses, take the drink bottles that outlined their front walks, and sell them to Dad the next morning. That is ........... until I got caught.

Great pics, Frank. Great looking grandson, too.

[Jim Cloninger]

I enjoyed your pictures, Frank. Jim

[DarylC]

Your grandson looks to be about the same age (9) as mine and it's just wonderful spending time with them doing what we love. I've trained mine to locate any 28 ga. hulls in the buckets but now, even though I've got a huge stash of GC's, I may have to shift his focus on the green ones.
Nice pictures.