I've lost count of how many rounds I've fired in my life, several hundred thousand is my guess, but it's probably more considering I've been shooting for over thirty years. A lot of those have been factory rounds supplied to me, factory-made, I mean; however in my time as a shooter I've made many, many thousands of rounds myself. It's dont for many different reasons. With my rifle rounds it's for the increased accuracy from precision hand-made rounds rather than imprecise production-line rounds. With handgun, it's done to reduce cost as the rounds are less than half as costly to make myself.
I shoot long range rifles, that's my passion and I'm good at it; not bragging, it's a simple fact. However I've been shooting handguns for just as long and it's those I go through at a rapid rate so have to replenish at a rapid rate. This weekend, being a four day weekend, I've set aside a day for making 9mm rounds. The plan is to make about four thousand.
Today I was in my workshop making sure I had enough components: Projectiles, primers, cleaned cases and powder. Naturally, because I'm me, I have ample. I decided to take a few shots of the stuff whilst I had it out as over the weekend when I'm producing rounds I'll not stop to take photos. Here's a few shots of the components and one of my 9mm handguns.
Completed rounds
I go through these at the rate of about 300-400 rounds a weekend practicing various elements of shooting and run and gunning. The only way to retain skills, speed and accuracy, target verification and acquisition is by doing it.
Projectiles and cases
These cases (the gold things) are left over from spent rounds and are cleaned, de-primed, and reloaded to be used again. Each needs to be checked though; split or damaged cases are discarded. The projectiles are by Frontier, CMJ Restrike 124gr in weight. (Copper metal jacketed)
The powder
These little grains is the accelerant that pushes the projectile out of the case, down the barrel and out of the firearm's muzzle. I use ADI AP70N. There's many different types of powders designed for different uses, rifles, shotguns, handguns and calibres; getting them mixed up is often bad, painful or terminal.
The primer
I use Federal primers for handgun and rifle rounds, naturally each is different from the other. The green inside the primer is the accelerant that explodes one the firing pin hits the back of the primer. That explosion pushes through into the case where the gunpowder is packed and...boom. The triangular thing in there is to disperse the flash evenly.
The muzzle
This gets pointed at the intended target and the projectile pops out the end and...you know the rest.
CZ P-09
This firearm is designed to be used in the field, it's military-spec, meaning it will fire in all sorts of conditions and is able to accept the worst sort of treatment. The 9x19 marking refers to the round the firearm uses, the 9x19 Parabellum (also known as 9mm Luger, named for the man who invented it). The handgun is primarily made of polymer so is very light-weight.
The trigger
Squeezing this little thing makes the magic happen if the firearm is loaded of course. I can fire around three accurate rounds a second, that's why I need to keep making rounds.
The hammer and rear sight
The rear and foresight have small luminous dots on them for targeting in dim building interiors or at night. Obviously it's a close range weapon and target acquisition and the shots need to be rapid. The hammer is what strikes the firing pin causing it to hit the primer and...because you read above you know what happens.
The muzzle (again)
I added this shot because I just fucken like it. If you look closely, you can see the rifling inside the barrel and some marks on the very edge where the projectile comes out spinning as it heads down range.
That's it for this photo set folks. As always, comment below if you have anything to say, questions and so on, I'm always happy to hear from y'all.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default; tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind - galenkp
[All original and proudly AI free.]
Every image in this post is my own.
My Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III was used to take these photos.
I love a good gun post. It's a nice touch putting that little watermark in most of the gun ones! You have to zoom to see it
GUNS YEAAAH!
Lol, me too mate, I could do them all week long but have to consider that there are many snowflakes here abouts.
#watermarkninja
The Gun Fearers!! You so violent! squeak squeak! Lol.
#watermarkninja #ftw
Lol, that made me grin.
Me too actually :OD
'Tis what Titans do.
Raar, indeed!!
I'm an American. I ilke .45 ACP. But I'm also practical. A modern tupperware wondernine is just plain better all around for practical use, whether target shooting or self-defense. And at the rate you shoot, even precision marksman tuning aside, reloading is definitely economical.
The .45 ACP is glorious and has the punch for most occasions. A very nice round indeed, one doesn't need to be American to like it, or have firearms that use it.
I enjoy reloading to be honest. The handgun calibres are a little boring as I use a progressive press, but the precision rifle rounds I do all manually and love the process; tedious yes, but it's relaxing.
The endless debate of e=m⋅v² and capacity vs. f=m⋅v plus "WON TWO WORLD WARS!" I'd probably prefer .45 ACP in the woods here in bear country, but I really want a 10mm. A friend had a CZ 75 clone in The Centimeter that was glorious, and a 1911 clone that was wonderfully customized. He favored full-power loads, not the cheap commercial .40 S&W Long. A new gun plus all the support material on top of a new caliber is a low priority expenditure right now, though options are improving slowly. Hell, Hi-Point is making a 10mm! Y'know, in case you need a boat anchor after shooting a hostile grizzly.
We don't have the bear issue...if I was to shoot a koala bear I'd be sad. But yeah, it's a great round for that and 9mm isn't. It's horses for courses I guess, and the right choice must be made...Sadly, many do not either buying too much or too little and having to re-buy. I've picked up many firearms in this way, from people who got the wrong thing for their needs.
10mm...Nice. I've fired a few and liked it. Lolled at boat anchor!
It's a straight blowback 10mm. No delay cam or lever. No locked breech. Just mass and inertia to contain the pressure.
It's not a firearm I think I'd ever own personally, but the 10mm's I operated were effective, of that there is no doubt.
Lol, my gunpowder looks a bit different though 😂.
Look, I'm happy to give a crack in some ammunition but...I think me no likey the result. 😁
You fussy people 😅. This does not go BOOM, but it's still good.
Oh tea! Me likey tea.
Me likey tea too 🍵
Nice guns you got there. It is nice to see people that are interested in shooting, and not to see what they can kill, although culling as you do is not the same as going out and hunting for sport.
My dad taught most of his kids to respect firearms, then how to handle them, shoot and clean them. Nobody in my family is a crack shot, but, they do okay. Some never shot again after he spent years teaching them. It doesn't matter. Everyone has a healthy respect for them. That is what matters.
I admire that you do it all, teach, shoot, make ammo, and show respect. You got some mad skilz! Your photos are top-notch. I had to go back and look for the watermarks I missed. Purposely elusive.
Hi, Galen!
I like hearing about parents that expose their children to a variety of things and actually take the time for their kids which isn't as prevalent as it should be these days.
Respect to your dad for doing what he did and to you and your siblings for your healthy respect for firearms even though not all actually use them. That's how it should be.
I've got some skills across various things, firearms amongst them. Thirty three years of shooting sort of seeps into the core, you know? I try to represent firearms well, show people it's different to what they probably think and to (maybe) change perceptions. It's not a mission, just something I feel it the right thing to do.
In some circles, I'm known as the King of Watermarkerisation, I'm a good monarch too, balanced, fair and only rarely do I point at a subject and say, off with his head!
Playing hard to get. 😋
Is it easy to identify good and bad casings just by sight?
Good questsh!
Yeah, (if one's eyesight is good enough) is the answer. Sometimes the splits and cracks are so fine they can be hard to see; if it doubt, throw it out.
I clean the brass first, fired brass is filthy, and when clean it's easier to see issues. It takes a while, I normally do a few hundred at a time, inside at the kitchen table with coffee and snacks. Once I've filled up my clean brass container I'm good to go for some reloading. (I'm talking handgun rounds here.) With rifle, I do a hundred at a time and am super careful with them as the pressures are greater.
Did you have more fun taking the photos or strategically placing your amazing watermark signature? Inquiring minds need to know bro... hahaha
Hmm, let me contemplate for a moment...
.
.
.
.
.
.
I'm going to say...both equally. (I know, the soft option.)
Taking photos of my guns can sometimes be difficult as I don't like to show serial numbers. I also tend to use the watermarks as I've had some turn up around the place on other social medias without my permission. Me no likey that.
This shoot was an impromptu one I came up with at the last moment and I think it came out ok. I'm happy with it.
Banging post, man.
Thank you good fellow, a much appreciated comment indeed.
I don't post much gun stuff as I know there's not many who relate, but this one is (thinly) disguised as a photography post. Don't tell anyone.
Seriously though, I like to represent something that has meant so much to me as well as I can so hopefully this does that.
I hope you're doing well and...
I see what you did there, and approve.
I didn't even notice it was a photography post, so obviously I'm not qualified to tell anyone, therefore I'd never do such a thing, out of fear of being charged with malpractice.
Dude, I think I am doing well.
And I've been putting little dumb jokes and one-liners all over the place here lately. Having a, blast.
You're qualified bro. I'd say you have a PhD of everything.
I saw one about daltono not having aged his arms in the same fashion he made them bigger. Cracked me up and inspired me to drop an image of his aged left nut on the same post. Just because, why not?
Nah. I just set the world on easy mode.
That dude's a good sport. I'm certain he got a good laugh out of it as well. I think the first time I stumbled into him he was sitting in his car eating raw meat aggressively and I was all like, "Damn. This guy's going places."
Saw the pic. Laughed. Good medicine for that situation I think.
Aggressive raw meat eating is a good marker indeed.
It's good to have a laugh, and better when it's collaborative rather than weighted one way.
Tis a fine art.
the powder looks a whole lot like lentils! 😁
Yeah, they do...Smaller than lentils though.
Here you go @goddesseva
oh wow, that really puts it into perspective! the previous photo seemed as if the powder was quite larger.
It's very small. There are so man y different powders and all are very small. It's important that they burn correctly as it's the resulting gasses that push the bullet. Getting the wrong powder/wrong quantity into a round can cause injury and fatalities. People lose hands, faces and so on. My head is still intact, so I'm doing something right.
is it due to the recoil? or is it due to the burning processes that the powder can instigate?
It's got to do with pressure.
Firearms all work within tolerances, exceed them and things go bang, in a bad way.
As the gasses push the projectile along the barrel great amounts of pressure are created. The projectile doesn't run freely along the barrel, it touches it all the way along and great amounts of pressure are required to push it through. T
he muzzle (hole at the end of the barrel) is the only way for the pressure to escape and it all comes out after the projectile, along with the muzzle flash (fire) left over from the explosion that forced the projectile out.
If the pressure is too great (called over-pressure) it can find weaknesses in the barrel or firearm mechanism and exit that way. Having a rifle bolt explode back into your face will take it off, along with half the head, and the pressure if great enough can blow out the barrel which can remove fingers and hands...or the entire rifle may grenade itself as below.
This is the simple version but I think you get the idea.
Here is an image of what can happen with ammunition over-pressure. (Image from https://www.primalrights.com/)
wow! didnt know that it could have such devastating consequences!
I can see that you really loved your gun. It's very neat and well- maintained. Bet you would be good friends with my old man if he's still alive for sharing the same hobby.
I take care of my equipment; mistreatment cold cause malfunctions and one never knows how badly that could go. I refer to all of my equipment, not just my guns.
Your dad was a shooter?
He's a police officer and aside from his service firearm, he also has decent gun collections with him. Teaches me how to use it as early as when I was 9 but stopped at some point saying the job was dangerous and does not want me to take the same field.
Ah ok, fair enough, at least you got to have a little exposure to firearms.
Wowww love these pictures, I love them, very professional and artistic.
On the other hand they reminded me of my grandfather who loved to hunt, I don't know why but that memory came to me.
Thank you very much for so much quality and good taste.
Greetings @galenkp ✨
I'm pleased you like them. There's so many people who would simply bypass this post simply because they personally don't like guns, so I'm glad you took the time.
What sort of hunting did you grandfather do?
My grandfather left Spain when he was 2 years old with his family for Argentina, and lived there all his life. He died when I was 7 years old but I know a lot of things about him.
He hunted wild boar and deer, all big game. And I love guns, even if I don't know how to use one. I think I inherited it from him. As well as a love of the sea and boats.
Ah ok, same sort of hunting as I have done. A pity you only knew him as a child. I never met my dad's dad and my grandfather on mum's side died when I was eighteen. I have many great memories of him.
I could enjoy him a little but he left me a lot, I adore my maternal grandfather. If he were alive, even though I am a woman, I would accompany him wherever he went.
Thank you for bringing back such pleasant memories.
You're welcome, it's nice to have some good memories triggered unexpectedly.
Thank you!!!❤️
I have nothing much to say short of how awesome the photos are. Tempted to start with an anti-gun rhetoric just to ruffle some feathers, though XD
Haha, go ahead, let's see who you hook in, I'll get my popcorn. (That's a lie, I really mean chocolate Easter eggs.)
Thanks for your comment on my snaps, I am rather enjoying taking them, something that for me, is a bit of a revelation as I'm not really into photography. On Sunday I have another photo post about the true meaning of Easter (chocolate) and I've just finished shooting (with my camera) some flowers in macro for next week. It's been a bit of fun, and I appreciate when people look and take the time to comment.
Honestly I'm too tired with all the same arguing points that aren't even relevant to my country but bleed over just cuz silicon valley controls the world narrative in a US lens.
Guns, abortion, free speech, police, LGBTQIA2sp+, death sentence, blah blah blah.
That's surprising, what i've seen lately look as good as pro to me!
Exactly. I never engage in the conversation as people views are skewed, as with most things.
Exactly!
I just play around. I've had no training and neither have I made any endeavour to learn how to do it. I've got so many other things that require my attention. I enjoy having a play around with photography though.
I do not know about guns. But, I was really panicking when one junior high school student brought one in the classroom. Scary.
Yeah, guns don't belong in the hands of fucktards who take them into school classrooms.
Okay, giving us a bit of dangerous. I !LUV it. The photos are so beautiful and I'm really wishing I got to learn how to handle a gun. I'm happy you could share this with us though.
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I've been shooting firearms for a long time and enjoy it; I train others also, which I enjoy too. I like bringing people to a better understanding of firearms as most have zero clue.
Haha... Seeing all these makes me wish I got my dream job a reality. I love guns too though I haven't held one nor know about making bullets like you
I do hope as time goes on, I will learn to shoot.
Maybe you'll have the opportunity to learn. I guess, if you set a goal to work to you might make it happen.
Yeah, I know it will. Thank you.🤭🤭
What an incredible post brother, I had never seen a post where they talked so much detail of the weapons, what I find most interesting is how the bullets are made, but no doubt that the most epic of this topic is the evolution of firearms over the years.
Thanks you. I've done many actul gun-related posts in which I have gone into great detail, this one is just a few images. Here's one: https://peakd.com/hive-139358/@galenkp/the-jump-and-its-effects
I've seen that you usually make posts talking about these topics, I think it's very cool.
My grandpa was a hunter... He died a hunter, but I never knew the gunpowder looks like lentils until I saw these pics.
Thinking of the times we're currently living I kind of wished I had some guns too... On the other hand, I have quite an acid temperament which wouldn't go well with being in possession of guns.
Nice pics. Samsung S22 Ultra?
It doesn't always look like this, there are many, many different shapes, all designed to have different characteristics. It is all very small, this AP70N, and would take around 30-40 of them to make up the equivalent size of a single lentil. Maybe I need to do a lentil/AP70N comparison post? 🤪
It takes a responsible person to know when they shouldn't be around guns, so well done there.
As per the small text at the bottom of the post:
My Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III was used to take these photos.
I guess I now know another thing about you
Hahaha
There's always one more thing to know.
It's a strange tool, I can't tell it's real by looking at it. I really don't know what it feels like to have such a pistol around
Yeah, if you don't know what a real gun looks like, it's best you don't have access to one.
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Really useful post
Cheers.