Cub news

 

 

 

Great news! The fellow who sells and makes run Nancy’s long arm quilting machine and robotics (quite a challenge) came to the house to help Nancy get the robotics working right. He asked whether I wanted help getting my Farmall Cub running and said he would look at it right after he was done with the robotics. Well, he did and began tracing through possibilities. He noted that the choke linkage was not working and the choke was one full, there was water in the carburetor bottom, there MUST be an on-off switch, and once all that was set right, the Cub started and I drove it in the yard. The light circuit fuse is blown so when I replace it, maybe I will have head lights too. Apparently I had simply been flooding the engine if I had any spark at all. I am most happy.

 

Emily came down and brought two rifles to hunt deer. She got a license last evening and we hope to get to the range before Friday afternoon. Going to get cold here about Thursday morning and colder still for a few days after that. High in the fifties. Brrrr! Low in the twenties above zero.

 

Just before it got too cold, I took the 1949 Cub for a spin around the yard. It took a few seconds for the engine to warm enough that it did not require choking. The repair to the choke linkage was just the right thing. The fuse to the lights was changed, but still no lights. Previously I had replaced all three bulbs and the lights worked. They quit right after I added hydraulic lift and put the fuel tank back on the tractor. It would have been better for me to have changed that original switch while it was easy to do. Still, Aleia had fun driving the tractor in first and second gear. It is much easier to steer than the Ford 8N. Yes, I am wearing a hat in Ford 8N colors.

 

Tractor Boy

Deer hunting ammunition

 

November 6 2010 was opening day for deer hunting in the part of Texas where I live. I shot two small does from a field near Lampasas. The rifle is a CZ 550 in 6.5X55 millimeter Mauser caliber. I loaded the cartridges with 140 grain hunting bullet. This first deer dropped immediately. The second and smaller deer ran about 70 yards after being hit, then fell over. One thing I do is check beyond the deer to make sure there is no other animal or house in line with the bullet after it passes through the deer.

 

November 13 I decided to load some 30-06 ammunition so my daughter  will have some to shoot a deer or five. I used a premium Nosler 150 grain ballistic tip boat tailed bullet, Lake City MATCH brass which was unfired, CCI primers for the Garand, and IMR 4895 powder. Obviously these can be used in a Garand since that powder is the original Garand powder (new, of course). I made her fifty cartridges so she will have plenty for the range to sight in and have fun, and plenty for the deer. In truth, it takes one shot per deer if one aims well. Loading was sort of fun. I cleaned the brass twice, checked case length for every case, hand primed, and weighed each and every powder charge. They vary plus or minus 1/10 grain from the 47 grain goal. The brass was 1962 surplus I bought at some time or other. I am guessing the bullet will move at about 2750 fps which is in Garand velocity range. Modern deer loads run 2800-2900 fps, but I am certain the deer cannot tell the difference and the range is not more than 305 yards at the most although the deer are typically 60 yards away when shot.

 

Tractor Boy