Free For All Friday 8-29-2014: The Doctor, cleaning tools, glasses and shot shell reloading.
There’s a few things I really look forward to every year. One of the big ones is the start of a new season of my favorite show: Doctor Who. Now, I’m not one of those people that just started watching a few years back when the quirky attractive guy was playing. I’ve been watching it for a good portion of my life starting WAY back with the 4th Doctor played by the brilliant Tom Baker. Not to get all hipster but I was a Whovian before it was cool. Anyway, this season premier was a particularly big deal because a new Doctor was starting. I had everything ready for it. I was wearing my Doctor Who shirt and we had prepared a big batch of fishfingers and custard (tastier than it sounds, believe it or not). Five minutes before the show was ready to start, **blip**, the power goes out. Fortunately, it came back on before the show was over….ten minutes before it ended. Thankfully, modern technology is modern and I was able to watch it the next morning on demand. Wasn’t as much fun (first world problems, I know) but still, it was great.
Interestingly enough, I had a couple of emails and messages asking my opinion on the new season. Peter Capaldi, the new actor, was fantastic. His take really reminds me of the 4th Doctor and I’m looking forward to the darker, less flirty Doctor. Side Note/fun fact, Capaldi chose the Doctor’s outfit based on his feeling that it would be easier for plans to dress up as. That’s freaking awesome. As far as the episode itself, some people didn’t like the plot but, personally, I thought it was a perfect episode for introducing a new Doctor. It really gave him a chance to shine but didn’t overshadow the regeneration. I think this is going to be a great season. The new episode, features the Daleks, is tomorrow night.
I could go on and on but that would probably kill my page views. On to the questions!
“Do you prefer boresnake or rod/patch for cleaning? After cleaning barrel do you lube the inside or leave dry? If lube do you have to wipe out before using next time?” -Brian M.
Why not both? Personally, I use the boresnake for a quick clean after each trip to the range and also as an initial “get the majority out” stage when I do a big clean. At that point, I switch to the rod and pass cleaning patches through until there is no trace of grime on them. Keep in mind, I clean my guns far cleaner than they need to be. I like them to look like they just came out of their box, partially because I’m just weird like that and partially because I might need to take a close up photo of them at any given moment. As a result, following my cleaning technique exactly might be a bit of overkill for the vast majority of shooters out there.
As far as lubing the barrel, because I use a CLP (“cleaner, lubricant, protectant”, Ballistol for the win!), it’s going to leave a lubricating residue inside that I don’t have to worry about. A thin layer is always a good idea because, considering the metal inside the barrel is exposed, moisture will kill it faster than the rest of the gun. Considering the forces involved, well, you don’t want pitting in that area.
“I am just wondering what kind of eyewear protection wouldn’t fog up while I am shooting. If I buy more expensive shooting glasses will they not fog up as much as the inexpensive ones I wear now.” -Jacki
The good news is that a $300 pair of Oakley shooting glasses will fog up just as quickly as a $10 pair of safety goggles. Or maybe that’s bad news? Either way, the fogging isn’t exactly an indicator of quality as it is an indicator of fit. You see, there’s two factors going into this. First and foremost, your body exudes moisture constantly, in the form of sweat, in order to regulate its temperature. The idea is, as the sweat evaporates, it causes a drop in temperature because science. If that evaporated sweat hits something with a difference in temperature before it can get away and join it’s other evaporated friends in the form of humidity, it will condense and collect. That’s the fog on your lenses. The reason it’s collecting on them is a lack of air circulation around them. There’s nowhere for the moisture to go and, because your body heat is creating a tiny greenhouse between your face and the lens, there’s a temperature difference inside and the sweat condenses.
There’s two ways to fix this: The first is look for glasses that fit better and allow air to get through. They don’t have to be expensive, just good for your face. Everyone’s face is shaped different and glasses that fit perfectly on one person will look and work horribly on another. If you have a pair of sunglasses that you wear regularly that don’t fog up, look for shooting glasses that are of similar design. Secondly, try putting a good coat of Fog-X (http://www.rainx.com/product/glass-and-cleaners/rainx-anti-fog/#.VACK1lzA750) on the glasses you currently have. If the moisture can’t actually cling to the surface, it can’t collect.
“… we think it’s time to start looking into reloading shells. I was curious as to which shells would be the best for us to use? Can I reload any shell we may have shot? How could I look at a shell and know if it’s good for a reload?” -Michael B.
As much as it pains me to admit, I’m not that knowledgeable when it comes to shotshell reloading. My buddy Steven is though and I shot him a quick message for some advice. Here it is:
Pretty much anything will work fine but, like rifle brass, shells are only good for a certain number of shots. Some brands are better than others. The quality of the shell doesn’t really affect the accuracy or function, just the number of times it can be reused. I’ve noticed Remington and Winchester seem to last the longest. I’ve also noticed I get fewer uses out of the ones with nickel and steel heads so look for brass. Also look for non-ribbed stuff because it seems to last longer as well. Inspect everything before you use it. If a case is starting to go, it’s pretty obvious. If there’s any doubt, toss it. Somebody once told me you can tell a failing case by the sound it makes when you reload it. I thought he was crazy but sure enough, there is a difference so listen closely and learn how your reloader sounds normally. You might not want to blast music out while you reload as a result because you might miss the noise. There’s also a different feel but it’s not as consistent because every brand feels different to me.
Thanks for the questions!
So do you have a question burning in your mind? We answer them every Friday so send them in! It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s arguably gun related we want to hear it! Head over to our Facebook or Twitter or Contact Page and send them in. See you next Friday!
Like what you read? GunNoob is now part of Pew Pew Tactical. Check out the rest of our awesome resources:
Leave a Reply