cursed package
the general delivery package that couldn’t
The general delivery package that was returned as unclaimed after 16 minutes (!) on a federal holiday (!!) is once again in the Twilight Zone.
It was returned to Escapees on the 11th. I logged in and gave a new GD address near my boondocking spot. It went out the next business day (14th) and since then has been stuck in Shipment Received, Package Acceptance Pending limbo. Hopefully it just missed a scan and will show up at the next hub on time. If it’s really stuck and didn’t leave yet it won’t make it here by the time my 14d is up on the 24th.
update Jul 18
Delivery delayed. Ya think?
Finally scanned in at the Livingston USPS four business days after physical arrival there. Maybe it was stuck in the bottom of a bin and somebody finally found it…
They are predicting delivery on the 22nd which would be fine.
reloading supplies for local UPS store pickup
I ordered some stuff from Graf and Sons, who do not do backorders. One of the items (a beam scale) went out of stock between ordering and shipment and was effectively backordered.
If it comes back into stock in the next few days their very quick shipping should get it here by the 24th, it’d just involve another $5 pickup charge from the local UPS store. :-/ If it doesn’t ship in the next few days I’ll have to cancel it because I won’t be here anymore to pick it up.
In addition to the scale, the package contains some ammo boxes1, a universal loading tray (I have one and need one more), a Challenger “O”-frame press, and a bench plate setup with an extra plate.
I originally bought the smaller “C”-frame press because it was short enough to mount on my ‘loading stool and still fit under the galley top for storage. I knew bench plate setups existed but assumed they were only useful for folks who had multiple presses. Later I realized I could use it to store the stool and press separately and not be limited by the under-galley space. The “O”-frame press will handle reforming/resizing the rifle brass better. I bought a plate for the little C because it was on sale at Graf’s for ~$13. I might leave it set up with the excellent Lee universal decapper.
Challenger press with a bonus
The Challenger press comes in a couple different variations:
- the Challenger III, with prime-on-press.
- the Breech-Lock Challenger for folks who will prime externally. This version has a plate with a button-locked quick change plate on top.
I already have a ram prime so that doesn’t matter to me. But since I don’t use the quick change stuff the plain Challenger is preferable to me. Plus for the same price it comes with a set of dies:
- three-die .38/.357 magnum carbide
- three-die 9mm carbide
- three-die .45ACP carbide
- three-die .44 Special / .44 Magnum carbide
- three-die .223 Remington
I have zero interest in .45 AARP, although it makes a lot of sense for the suppressor crowd. I have only minimal interest in .44. Might like to have one in a carbine but not handgun. I don’t dislike .223/5.56mm although my enlistment taught me to distrust/detest the AR platform. If I went this way I’d probably use it in a Rossi LWC single shot break-action.
I already own the 9mm dies and use them regularly. That leaves the .38 spl / .357 mag. Not much of a revolver guy, but I do appreciate the ubiquity and wide-ranging loadability of these sister rounds. .38 spl wheelguns are common and in a zombie apocalypse one might source one or trade .38 handloads for survival essentials like General Mills International Coffees (“Jean-Luc!!!”), pop-tarts, or concubines.
Maybe I’ll trade/sell the dies. Or maybe I’ll use them and pick up an LWC carbine for them. .357 mag comes alive in a carbine, with energy levels similar to 5.56mm out to iron sight ranges. While I have very little room in the camper the LWCs break down for easy storage.
Srsly: do not take my word (or anyone else’s) on matters of reloading. Get some manuals, start with light charges and work up, etc.
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I already have small boxes for .380, 9mm, and 8mm Mauser. I want to use those to hold sizing dummies and development rounds and fill the new ones with rounds ready to shoot. ↩