Waddison
member
In a early July thread, I noted the passing of my best friend and his love for all things firearms related. His wish was to be cremated and his ashes spread over the areas he loved hunting most.
As a reloader, Russ was the ultimate recycler. If it could be reused, he reused it until it was worn out. Brass and other metals were then sent to the scrap dealers. He scorned anyone who would leave their shotshell hulls or rifle brass in the field.
I was fortunate enough to be able to join my brother in South Dakota this fall for deer and pheasants. I asked Russell's widow if she thought Russell might like to go pheasant hunting, too. I explained how I had always kidded Russ that I would load some of his ashes as shot buffer and take him out to the range one last time. (He would only grin and nod.) Though he had hunted doves, quail and waterfowl, he had never hunted pheasants and I could easily take him along as shot buffer. She agreed.
So, as Russell was a cantankerous reloader and practical joker, too, I bought new, primed BPI hulls and loaded 25 rounds with 1 1/8 oz. 5 shot with 1.6 cc's of Russell shot buffer over 18.8gn Clays and a Remington wad and printed "Russ" on each hull with a Sharpie.
We had a great time! The weather, though cool and crisp in the mornings, was unseasonably warm. We walked a couple miles of standing cropland, slough bottom rushes and shelter belts. We killed a few birds and we missed a few, too. Every hull remains where it was fired. Sorry, Russ! We only pass this way once. I'll only use these special components one time, too.
I believe Russell had a very good outing. I know I did.
Waddison.
As a reloader, Russ was the ultimate recycler. If it could be reused, he reused it until it was worn out. Brass and other metals were then sent to the scrap dealers. He scorned anyone who would leave their shotshell hulls or rifle brass in the field.
I was fortunate enough to be able to join my brother in South Dakota this fall for deer and pheasants. I asked Russell's widow if she thought Russell might like to go pheasant hunting, too. I explained how I had always kidded Russ that I would load some of his ashes as shot buffer and take him out to the range one last time. (He would only grin and nod.) Though he had hunted doves, quail and waterfowl, he had never hunted pheasants and I could easily take him along as shot buffer. She agreed.
So, as Russell was a cantankerous reloader and practical joker, too, I bought new, primed BPI hulls and loaded 25 rounds with 1 1/8 oz. 5 shot with 1.6 cc's of Russell shot buffer over 18.8gn Clays and a Remington wad and printed "Russ" on each hull with a Sharpie.
We had a great time! The weather, though cool and crisp in the mornings, was unseasonably warm. We walked a couple miles of standing cropland, slough bottom rushes and shelter belts. We killed a few birds and we missed a few, too. Every hull remains where it was fired. Sorry, Russ! We only pass this way once. I'll only use these special components one time, too.
I believe Russell had a very good outing. I know I did.
Waddison.
