It was also an opportunity to share some time with my younger son in his new 4×4 pickup, cruising some backcountry excuses for mountain roads, where high clearance is a must. He learned how to turn around on a very narrow road, moving back and forth maybe a foot or two at a time, and to stay away from ditches and potholes, drive slowly and to always go gently around a blind corner because other people don’t. And we burned some powder along the way.
He needs a little more time with his .45-caliber Springfield Model 1911, and I need to tighten my groups with my 4-inch Model 57 Smith & Wesson .41 Magnum, for which the ammunition research is being done.
I went looking for primers and propellants but came away with something else more delightful. Three Forks didn’t have the primers I was looking for, but they did have something I haven’t seen anywhere else for a while: a 100-count bag of Starline unprimed .41 Magnum brass, hiding between bags of .44 Magnums and .357 Magnums. Always be prepared to make an impulse purchase at a place like Three Forks. You will never be disappointed. I grabbed that bag with the speed of a rattlesnake and plunked down some cash.
I’ve never had a bad experience with Starline Brass. A fair amount of my .41 Magnum ammunition is loaded in Starline cases, and maybe as many in .45 Colt, but this bag was something I didn’t expect.
I believe it is a good idea to replace old brass incrementally. I know some folks have successfully reloaded and re-sized brass multiple times without a glitch. I’ve done it as well, but gradually working new brass into my available ammunition stores has always made sense.
There is another important benefit. During ammunition shortages, I’ve never suffered along with the crowds.
At least some of this brass will be loaded up with the 220-grain Speer half-jacketed semi-wadcutters I discovered recently on a back shelf. This is a grand bullet, and over 19.0 grains of H110 it strokes along at better than 1,200 fps out of my 6 ½-inch Ruger Blackhawk.
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