E GAD !

[Major 2]

I aquired some loaded heel based 38 Colt Rounds from GAD Custom cartridges and 100 loose heeled bullets... they are suppost to be .375

below are the photos of the loaded rounds from GAD.... of course they will not chamber. 
Some of them were improperly seated in the case and crooked... 


Just an FYI

[Steel Horse Bailey]

That's too bad.  I've heard some good thing about GAD.

However, when I called him about a year ago, he was very gruff and didn't act very helpful at all, and actually seemed resentful of my call.  Might have been a bad-hair day.  Or sum'thin.  I was looking for .380" roundballs for this (sorta) Leech&Rigdon C&B with slightly over-size chambers I've been babysitting for the last 10 years or so.  He listed them on his site, but insisted that #1] he didn't have any, #2] they weren't listed on his website (I had the confuser on and looking at his website while we talked,) and #3] in his very experienced opinion, I didn't need oversized roundballs because it was probably not going to help with this issue! 

The standard .375" balls will fall right down into the chambers and would fall right back out if I pointed the gun down.  The .380" balls I finally found at a 1500 Gun Show here in Indy solved the problem.  As I knew they would.

[rickk]

The less one has to rely on someone else, the less that will go wrong more than once.

[Major 2]

thanks Jeff,

That's what I've heard too " Gruff & Opinionated "  hince I won't even bother with him.....

[Steel Horse Bailey]

The less one has to rely on someone else, the less that will go wrong more than once.

Indeed!

Back then, I was considering the purchase of a mould to cast .380" balls, but I pretty much have retired from my casting operation.

PLUS, as I wrote, I was merely keeping the gun for a friend, who had gotten mad at the gun and told me to "get that POS out of my sight!  I tried several times in a couple years following that tirade of his, to give the gun back to him, but he would have nothing of it.  Even 'tho he said it was mine (several times) I decided to never part with it.

Fast forward about 6 years (since the last time I attempted to give it back) to last week. (Nov.)  Out of the blue he calls me up and asks me if I still have the gun.  (Of course!)  He has totally forgotten what went on 10 years ago, and the reason WHY, (It has been "defarbed" and antiqued to LOOK like a real antique, and he - not being a savvy BP repro shopper - paid $300 for it as an AUTHENTIC  gun back in the late 70s or 1980s!  He was seriously pi$$ed when I identified the gun as an authentic Italian used gun worth (10 yrs. ago) maybe $50-$75.  He was SO mad, he told me what he did - so now you know the rest of the story.

When he gets the time for us to meet, I'm going to return the gun, of course, and take him to shoot it since he has never fired a BP C&B gun, and since I have the correctly sized .380" balls that fit in the 're-bored to match' cylinder for his gun.  In spite of me losing a nice gun it will be fun.  He might even sell it to me, 'tho I'll not pay $300 for it! Besides, I shoot 44s.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Major, I just noticed this post.  Back when I picked up that 56-56 Spencer five years ago (from you if I recall right), I contacted GAD about there healed bullets and load for it.  They used to list 56-56 rounds and bullets on the web page.  I had a similar experience talking to him on the phoe when relaying the specs I wanted based on Buffalo Arms brass.  Basically told me I was stupid, and the specs I had weren't correct for bullet diameter and overall length.  Funny thing is, Rapine mold and Buffalo Arms brass worked perfect for me.  Needless to say, I never followed up on any purchases from him since he wanted to sell me what he wanted rather than what I wanted!

[Major 2]

wow ! has it been 5 years ?

[Pony Racer]

GAD was very good to me some years back but the last few times I ordered from him things have been late, not crimped and just not real professional.

His 11mm french loads worked perfectly as did his 8mm lebel.

However, with now being set up to reload the 8mm lebel and shooting of rest of 11m loads for a 44 russian conversion for my 1873 11mm French St Etienne's - I think i will take the small amount of business elsewhere since customer service and actual work has definitely took a down turn.

Too bad...a few years back he was a little less gruff and he was one of a few pards who could help out with oddball cartridges...

PR

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yes, it IS a shame.  Oddball cartridges and folks who can work on them.  Scarce!