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Discussion Forum

Get rid of moles?

scaly | Posted in General Discussion on April 21, 2003 07:02am

Moles are destroying my yard! I tried Diazinon(sp?) to kill the grubs, but the moles are still there. What’s the best way to make them leave?

 

 

 

First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

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Replies

  1. User avater
    BillHartmann | Apr 21, 2003 08:03pm | #1

    Moles don't just eat grubs. They eat many different kinds of in ground insects and worms.

    In the "old days" arsenic was one of the lawn chemicals that where used and the nuked the earthworms and left the grubs. So that is why alot of people think that they only each grubs.

    There are a couple of castor oil based repealants, Mole Med and Mole Begone. I believe that there is a mole posion out now, but I don't remember the name and don't know if it is approved in all parts of the country. Check with a local garden center/nursery.

    The other option are the harpoon traps.

    Contract your county cooperative extension office. They will probably have a booklet on mole control include how to identify that is is a mole and not another animal and how to identify the active runs and where to set the traps.

  2. junkhound | Apr 21, 2003 08:03pm | #2

    Convertem to fertilizer. 

    1. Locate and open an uphill hole.

    2. Open valve on weedburner propane torch, do not light.

    3. Blow into hole for about a minute, shutoff torch

    4. Backoff about 20 feet, light torch, approach hole with torch held well in front of you

    5. Woomph!, moles converted to fertilizer.

    Drawback: can leave burnt 5 ft dia circle on grass <G>

    1. CAGIV | Apr 21, 2003 09:35pm | #4

      Forget the 5' hole in the lawn, what about the eyebrows and hair?

      My suggestion, Saturday afternoon, 6 pack fav brew, lawn chair, shot gun...

      Might make the neighbors a little unhappy though.View ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year and daaa. Blues View Image

      1. User avater
        scaly | Apr 22, 2003 06:26pm | #17

        My neighbor is a sheriff...he may have a problem with the shot gun idea. I'll ask him.

        First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

      2. User avater
        CapnMac | Apr 30, 2003 12:23am | #57

        shot gun...

        Might make the neighbors a little unhappy though.

        Silly neighbors.  They should have known better when they (you) moved in <g>.

        Break-barrel or side-cocking air rifle (like RWS 177@1100 fps or .22@770 fps).  Bit more challenge from the lawn chair--less likely to draw the tac team on the weekend.  Suppressed 10/22 even better.

        1. User avater
          BillHartmann | Apr 30, 2003 07:04am | #61

          " 29935.58 in reply to 29935.5

          shot gun...

          Might make the neighbors a little unhappy though.

          Silly neighbors. They should have known better when they (you) moved in <g>."

          Specially the neighbors in the apparentment below his.

    2. User avater
      Luka | Apr 21, 2003 10:42pm | #5

      I've done that with the mountain beavers here.

      It doesn't work for mountain beavers.

      I think it's cause their burrows go hundreds of feet in all directions. A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

      Quittin' Time

      1. FrankB89 | Apr 22, 2003 03:42am | #7

        Bobcats (no, not THAT one) took care of my mountain beaver problem.

        Only sure fire way I know of to get rid of moles is with the Victor double jaw trap (can't recall the name).  Follow the directions.  I've caught hundreds of moles with them over the years.

        BTW, this is the time of year when moles are making conjugal visits with one another.  Most of the year, they're loners.  Just one mole can make quite a mess!

         

        1. CAGIV | Apr 22, 2003 03:55am | #8

          Man PETA is so all over you now :)View ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year and daaa. Blues View Image

          1. FrankB89 | Apr 22, 2003 04:01am | #9

            Want to see my PETA trap?  :-) 

          2. hasbeen | Apr 29, 2003 07:26am | #49

            Are you referring to  People for the Edible Treatment of Animals ?  :)Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

      2. junkhound | Apr 22, 2003 06:35am | #13

        Jeff: You have seen the line of firs along my street line, so you can imagine the frustration I felt 28 years ago when they were planted when those crummy Mountain beaver started eating them all off.  Nice humanitarian guy that I am, I first set out a bunch or fir branches around their holes for them to eat - apparently not fresh enough.  Next was a stack of 3 tires around each seedling -- that fresh stuff must have been too inviting, no barrier there.

        Anyway, got home early one day while wife was still teaching and kids still in school, and put a hose in the biggest hole at about 8 gpm.  Went and got the Browning  (no neighbors or houses across the street then, still rural) and waited.  Sitting in lawn chair when DW and kids got home, one look at 'Mountain Beaver hatred' on a scrolwing face and they retreated per instructions inside.  One clip later, no more MB for the last 28 years - although a number of Cat D8's (those cats really DO eat up the moles too!) and 500 houses across the street probably have something to do with that also.  

      3. stonefever | Apr 23, 2003 12:03am | #23

        What's a "mountain beaver?"

        I've heard of mountain oysters and this girl from college showed me what a real "beaver" was, but a "mountain beaver?" 

        Something to do with a college town in Colorado?

        1. User avater
          Luka | Apr 23, 2003 04:58am | #24

          They look for all the world like beavers. Only they don't have webbed feet, and they have just a stump where the tail would be.

          They are about a foot to a foot and a half long.

          They make burrows that are about 8 to 10 inches across. And they burrow everywhere. I've seen their burrows as deep as 6 or 7 feet. And longer than 280 feet.

          I took some pictures of one when my cat killed it. If I can find the pictures, I'll post them. Though they may be a bit gory for some.

          The thing was as big as the cat that killed it. A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

          Quittin' Time

          1. stonefever | Apr 23, 2003 05:04am | #25

            What part of the country do the live?  What types of environment?

          2. User avater
            Luka | Apr 23, 2003 05:13am | #26

            All I know is they live in my "environment", and I'd rather they chose another.

            ; )

            I live on a foothill to Mt Index in the state of Washington.

            Mostly wet. Dirt is fairly easy to burrow through. Steep.

            I guess they call this, northwest rain forest. A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

            Quittin' Time

        2. FrankB89 | Apr 23, 2003 05:47am | #27

          Mountain Beaver;  order; Rodentia  Family; aplodontidae

          Global range:  Cascade Mountains to the coast from British Columbia to Cape Mendocino, California

          Size averages about 14" in body length.  It has just a nub of a tail.

          In addition to its extensive burrowing, it is a pest to the forest industry:  Mountain beavers think the new growth of young seedling trees and the bark of conifer saplings to be candy, although its primary diet is ferns, moss and grass.

          Commonly known to local woodsmen as "boomers."

          As Luka says, its burrows are extensive: I once stepped onto a network of burrows at the top of an embankment and sunk to my knees.

          I have a few bobcats around though, and they've pretty much cleaned out the boomers and the racoons. 

          1. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 23, 2003 05:59am | #28

            Larry move??

          2. FrankB89 | Apr 23, 2003 06:18am | #30

            Lol!  Yeah, the ole Bobcat just B#llsh#ted them to death! 

          3. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 23, 2003 06:20am | #31

            Major ROAR!!!

          4. COUGAR | Apr 24, 2003 02:09am | #35

            "Lol!  Yeah, the ole Bobcat just B#llsh#ted them to death!"

            can't sh!t a b#llsh!ter!

            :-)

             Bobcat

          5. COUGAR | Apr 24, 2003 01:55am | #34

            "Larry move??"

             No.....I'm steel around.Bobcat

          6. stonefever | Apr 23, 2003 06:09am | #29

            And I got a degree in Zoology!!?!!

            They sound like a mole on steriods.

    3. User avater
      scaly | Apr 22, 2003 06:24pm | #15

      That scares me!

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

    4. hasbeen | Apr 29, 2003 07:22am | #48

      Thanks, Junkhound.  That's the kind of common sense approach I like knowing about!Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

    5. booch | Apr 30, 2003 04:23pm | #67

      Bill Murry?Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?

  3. User avater
    NickNukeEm | Apr 21, 2003 09:04pm | #3

    Cats.  I didn't have a mole problem until my cat died.  Since then, they've moved in and set up house in my front yard.  Dogs may be man's best friend, but cats know how to clean house.

    I never met a tool I didn't like!
    1. User avater
      scaly | Apr 22, 2003 06:25pm | #16

      My cat is useless, she would lay on the mole hill as the mole tunneled under her. She's too lazy.

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

      1. roucru | Apr 22, 2003 06:41pm | #21

        Time to trade her in;-) Let me tell you my cats are great with getting the moles. Go to the human society and get one that looks like a real go getter. You know energy not one that loafs around. Those generally are the ones that go after the mice etc. PLUS do not over feed them with cat food. That makes them not want to hunt. My cats are healthy and eat all mice, moles etc. Oh and some birds. I knew I shouldn't have put up the bird feeders. Now my golden retriver is protecting the birds from the cats LOL!!! Great dog.Tamara

  4. Danusan11 | Apr 22, 2003 03:23am | #6

    Don't know if this works but had a oldtimer tell me this one.  Find the runs and stick a stick of juicy fruit gum in burrow hole.  Apparently the mole eats the gum and it binds him up and he dies.  If you try this get back with me cause I would be interested if it really does work.  He swore by it.

    1. User avater
      scaly | Apr 22, 2003 06:27pm | #18

      I'll try that and let you know. I'd like to catch one and try it so I can see if it really works. If it does work but the bodies stay underground, it will be weeks before I know if it was successful.

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

    2. rebuilder | May 15, 2003 06:20pm | #130

      I grew up working on a golf course and had an old timer tell me the same thing. We put pieces of that old school pink gum in their burrows and actually killed several moles, choked to death on the gum!

  5. User avater
    goldhiller | Apr 22, 2003 05:40am | #10

    Hmmmmm. I've used Diazinon with excellent results numerous times on different lawns for your stated purpose.

    Did you apply the Diazinon at the right time? There's two relatively short periods during the year here in NW Illinois when it will be effective for killing grubs; one in the spring and one in the fall. Miss the timing and you fail.

    Also, when you apply the Diazinon, it must be well watered in within a few hours or it will either lose potency lying on the ground and/or won't penetrate deeply enough to get down to where the grubs are. I apply it when the first drops of a big storm are just beginning to fall and cover the hopper with a garbage bag. I also spread about ten feet beyond the perimeter of our property so as to discourage any itinerant little f…..ers from thinking there might be food just ahead.

    Maybe you got the grubs, but the moles haven't given up looking for more chow yet. When this has happened to me or when the moles have appeared in a time frame not consistent with chemical treatment of their lunch, I use the Victor spear-type trap. When we bought this place in '87, we immediately nicknamed it "Mole Hill". I put a couple of those Victor jobs to work and had 22 moles in three weeks. We put little mole shaped hash marks on the shed out back to keep track.

    I've retreated now about every four years whether I see signs or not and we haven't had any problems. Meanwhile the next-door neighbor's lawn looks like a scene from Caddyshack every year. He keeps asking me what to do, I tell him, and then he goes back inside for another beer.

    Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
    1. User avater
      scaly | Apr 22, 2003 06:29pm | #19

      I did everything according to the bottle (I used spray on, not the granules). Maybe there's too many of them and I need to get rid of most of them and keep treating the yard with Diazinon to keep them away.

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

  6. allenschell2 | Apr 22, 2003 05:49am | #11

    I've been thru the mole wars and I can tell you this, get the mechanical traps and master them (it takes a little work) . I prefer the ones with the sharp prongs that spring down to empale the little suckers.

    get traps (about 4) make a sport out of it, and enjoy!  My personal best kill is 35 in 1998.  No lie!

    1. User avater
      goldhiller | Apr 22, 2003 06:05am | #12

      I relinquish the cherished mole crown on bended knee.

      You have just made my most famous persons list.

      Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.

      1. allenschell2 | Apr 22, 2003 03:53pm | #14

        not at all...........I would think a real mole green beret would have a jacket of mole skin, or at least a pair of moccasins LOL.

    2. User avater
      scaly | Apr 22, 2003 06:31pm | #20

      "My personal best kill is 35 in 1998.  No lie!"

      Holy sh!t! I thought I only had a couple, there may be dozens out there? I'm going to try traps and gum.

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

      1. allenschell2 | Apr 22, 2003 06:56pm | #22

        That count came out of about 3 acres of ground.  Once they get a good foothold they can be pretty numerous. The  following year I could hardly find a mole, had to find a new hobby!

        good hunting!

  7. Clay | Apr 23, 2003 06:36am | #32

    A good hunting cat will do it.  We once had a cat that would get up to 5 per night.  That cat cleaned them out of the whole neighborhood.  It was no mean feat either since that neighborhood had a creek with wild forest behind the houses.  I think the fox that lived up in the common ground on top of the hill helped too.   Now they have a dog that hunts them.  A pappillion.  A dedicated cat will hunt them with an obsessed sense of purpose that only a very dedicated human could hope to match.  Cat food is cheap and they are nice to pet during the day too.

  8. MikeCallahan | Apr 23, 2003 07:25am | #33

    If you really have moles, Genus SCAPANUS then they only leave behind ridges in the surface and they do not eat your plants. I doubt you have Aplodontias. Moles eat insects and worms. They are not nearly as destructive as gophers who do eat plants. They are not gregarious so you only have one of them probably unless you have a huge lawn. They have scent glands so cats are repelled by them. Cats will kill them but will not eat them. They are so fast they literally swim through the soil. I used to have a coonhound that could catch them with the help from me with a shovel. Moles are hard to rid because they fill the burrow behind them and don't often come back. With gophers you can exhaust your truck into the hole to kill them but moles can't be killed the easy way. I suggest a hound or learn to live with them. They after all, will not kill your plants. Some consider them benificial. They go after cutworms and other destructive grubs. Re-seed the ridges. A deterrant I hear is bottles buried at a slant so the wind causes them to whistle. It is supposed to annoy the moles so they go away.

    We may be slow, But we're expensive.
  9. maneyj | Apr 24, 2003 02:42am | #36

    There is no sure way to get rid of moles. 

    I tried the battery operated repellers.  At first the moles stayed several feet away, but after a few weeks the moles were knocking them over. 

    I have tried hundreds of pounds of diazinone and other grub killers without luck over the years.

    The poison pellets and poison p-nuts seem to work the best, but it's a constant battle.

    I have two of those Victor impaling traps.  Never got one mole with them.  I think my soil is too sandy to trigger and hold the trap.

    I bought something several months ago but I can't find it.  It was a container of fungus spores that were supposed to infect the grub population and totally wipe them out for a couple of years without effecting anything else.  It was very expensive ... I guess I'll have to go out and buy another container.  I am frustrated with them.

    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | Apr 24, 2003 02:46am | #37

      John

      But moles don't just eat grubs. The eat earthworms and other insects.

      That is why killing just the grubs and using posioned peanuts don't work.

      There is a new posion out that use caked insects as the base. I don't know the name, but check at a local nursery or you county extension agent.

  10. CAGIV | Apr 24, 2003 02:48am | #38

    I talk to my grandfather today, and the mole subject came up,

    He claims:

    To use the spring loaded impaling traps, place them near the openings you can find and a few along the way, then find another opening, and either flood or smoke them out.

    Just what he said he used to do, and it usually worked after a few times of doing it, they all won't be in the ground all the time.

    View ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year and daaa. Blues View Image
    1. User avater
      scaly | Apr 24, 2003 06:49pm | #39

      That's a great idea! I'll give it a try friday night after a few beers. I set 2 traps last night and they were both tripped this morning, but no dead moles.

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

      1. allenschell2 | Apr 25, 2003 12:14am | #40

        check closely for blood on the tines,  sometimes they pull off but die anyway from the stress.  Keep working with it, you'll get it down and be gratfied with confirmed kills!

        1. User avater
          scaly | Apr 28, 2003 06:53pm | #41

          I had my first confirmed kill this weekend! I was so proud. I wanted to hang the little ba5tard on a pole for all the other moles to see, but the wife and kids weren't too happy with that idea. Besides, they're blind anyway.

          First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          1. User avater
            BossHog | Apr 28, 2003 09:30pm | #42

            " Besides, they're blind anyway."

            You Wife and kids ??? Or the mole?

            (You walked right into that one)People pay more attention to you when they think you're up to something.

          2. User avater
            scaly | Apr 28, 2003 10:51pm | #43

            Yes.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          3. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 28, 2003 11:14pm | #44

            Tried a different approach. .416 Rigby. Might of got one or two

          4. User avater
            scaly | Apr 29, 2003 12:08am | #45

            That's a pretty big gun for a mole isn't it? It would probably be a lot of fun, but I don't think my sheriff neighbor would like me doing that. Of course, maybe he would! I should go ask him. Can't get into trouble with the law if the law is helping you get into trouble.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          5. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 29, 2003 12:39am | #46

            It's called the "shock treatment" ROAR!!!!!

            We had a Barretts M2 (.50) and latter a Sig MK5 up here. Two of the nieghbors drew the line at 20 mm. Too loud. Disturbed the the cattle. 

          6. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 29, 2003 09:33pm | #55

            New plan.

            Mr Sheriff type guy can you come over and look at this here mole problem and my solution. He probably has the same problem.

            Start small, ie .22 or so, and work your way up to the larger more attituded stuff. You may end up in his yard taking care of dilemma.

            Work it into a little friendly compition.Loser buys. Keep some good stuff on hand for when you lose.

          7. User avater
            scaly | Apr 29, 2003 11:38pm | #56

            I do have (4) 1/4 sticks of dynamite that would shake up his world. I know he has the same mole problem, but I don't think he cares.

            I got to shoot one of those .50 Barrets(so?) when I was in the navy. I was on a carrier and I knew a guy who knew someone who was buddy's with a guy that knew a SEAL. They were on the back of the boat target shooting at crates we were dragging behind us and they let me shoot that gun twice. It's a HUGE gun! The magazine was like 7-8" long! It had a massive recoil, like nothing I've ever fired before or since! They also let me shoot 4 or 5 magazines worth of MP-5 w/silencer and some of the other usual stuff like M-4 and Binnelli(sp?) shotgun, and the typical Baretta 9mm. I liked the MP-5...it was smooooth. I wish I could own one of those, it'd make a great critter killing gun. Plus one of my neighbors has 3 beagles that howl and bark all night, every night. I often dream about how great it would be to have that silenced Mp-5 for just one night...

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          8. hasbeen | Apr 30, 2003 08:07am | #62

            I'm neighbors with the sheriff, too.  I asked one of the deputies what to do about skunks in town.  He looked at me kind of funny and said he'd recommend a .410  Ya just never know.Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

          9. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 30, 2003 09:04am | #63

            Moles in the yard are a minor affliction. I think fear and all of the predators up the food chain keep them at bay.

            However, pickets and whistle pigs abound by the thousands and then some. If you can come up with the weapon we use it to go after them.

            Handguns, long rifles. black powder, blow guns, archery, cross bows, air guns, custom firearms, and even sling shots. This is virtually everyday.

            Every time I leave the house and go to the gate I stop and get a few. Some days I'll burn up several bricks of 22's. Buy 22's by the cases of bricks. 20 bricks to the full case.

          10. User avater
            NickNukeEm | Apr 30, 2003 02:40pm | #64

            Ok, I'll bite, what are pickets and whistle pigs?

            I never met a tool I didn't like!

          11. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 30, 2003 06:54pm | #68

            Pickets are also called picket pins. A picket pin is is the gizzmo you use to picket your horse to. You see these critters in the fields standing tall, looking around, resembeling picket pins. 

            They are aka Wyoming Richardson Ground Squirrels.

            Whistle pigs are parie dogs. They get thir name from the sound they make calling to each other.

            Some wierd things about these guys. Shoot, miss and they freeze, stand a little taller and  and wait for you to have another go at them.

            Wound one. Wait a minuet. The brethren will be along very shortly and the feeding frenzy begins. They normally cluster together and if you pick your shot you can get 3 or 4 with one round. My best is 5 for one. Big bores make actual counting tough. You just know you got some.

            I read a study on the impact "varmiters" can make on them funded by an ECO group. Can't rememer exactly who it was.

            6 varmiters, one field, 30 days, all day and they put a dent in the population by only 15% on the average.

            The holes they dig are not so good for the cattle. One "pin" clan (42 a season, avg) can eat 3 bales of hay. They often eat themselves out of house and home. Starvation is common in large populations. Inbreeding is rampart.

            When the population or critter density gets too high Bubonic Plauge sets in and wipes out the entire community. Nothing survies. This is not good for your pets and children.

          12. User avater
            NickNukeEm | Apr 30, 2003 10:14pm | #71

            Thanks, I think.  The only thing out east that closely resembles whistle pigs are ground hogs.  My FIL would perch himself on the rail of his back porch in Maryland with double barrel 12 gauge in hand.  He'd wait until a couple were out and scurrying around, then BAM BAM, smoke two ground hogs.  He was pretty good.  Fought (and was captured) at the Battle of the Bulge in WWII.

            I never met a tool I didn't like!

          13. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 06:57pm | #75

            Texas must have smarter pickets. The thud, wazzat that fits to a "T". The cluster of them that gather for the feeding frenzy is always amazing.

            I actually prefer my Marlin 39A .22 with a 10x scope. (27 rnd cap) Use the scope in spotter mode. Bang. Take a 22 and find it's limits. With a little, well maybe a lot, of experimenting you'll find 350m is not out of the realm. 30 to 40% hits and you got some thing.

            CCI Stinger HP. Close the HP with soft canning wax. Be neat. Be clean doing this. Tedious work but go see the results for your self.

            It's a bummer to find cow with a busted leg, chewed on by the coyotes and still trying to get up. Not even good for hamburger any more. Close up the "old" mounts with a water jet.

            Not familar with the C-More snail.

          14. User avater
            CapnMac | May 01, 2003 11:03pm | #87

            Texas must have smarter pickets.

            Maybe not smarter, but shot at more (seen them duck at the sight of the muzzle flash; 25-'06 lets you aim 2" lower and still bag 'em).

            I actually prefer my Marlin 39A .22 with a 10x scope. (27 rnd cap)

            Excellent choice, just as practical as the Kimber, but less expensive and just as good.

            CCI Stinger HP

            Colt 22 target likes those.  The nylon 66 likes plain box WW.  The Mossberg M44 likes an off-brand high velocity I can't get any more (will have to experiment with more ammo to find what is best, darn the luck . . . )

            It's a bummer to find cow with a busted leg, chewed on by the coyotes

            Calf, even worse.  Ranch manager directions to mound:  "Look unner th' buzzards."

            Close up the "old" mounts with a water jet.

            Water is expensive in the Panhandle, 10 or 20% is not.  More "gee whiz" factor in pyro (ok, slightly scary to see the stick hauled out of the bottom of the tool box of the ranch truck, tho-). 

            Not familar with the C-More snail.

            75 round snail shape (offset to left) or 150 round double snail.  Was sort of common, but pricey--after the hi-cap law came, they dried right up.  Nice part was that they did not hang very far out of the mag well at all, very nice when prone.

          15. User avater
            IMERC | May 02, 2003 01:35am | #91

            Nylon 66... Homage to you. Remington still making them?

            Water jet... These are mostly hay fields we are shooting in. Some pastures. Water jetting doubles as irrigation.

            C-more snail... Rem-line had a version to that. Didn't work so hot.

          16. User avater
            CapnMac | May 01, 2003 05:57pm | #72

            Out in the Panhandle, some of the burrows will get "smarter" after a while.  You have to set up with the sun behind you to keep the flash from being spotted.  Using a 22-250 or 25'06 gets that "sniper" effect (Thud, whazzat? bang, Better go look . . . <repeat>).    There's been some mounds I wanted a T&E . . .

            Hard to get much closer than 200m, as every ranch hand has taken a pot shot at the mound with the 30-30 or 243 in the truck going by.  But, 200m away, you wind up in a rhythm which is easily spoiled by insufficient magazine capacity.  Always wondered if the cure was a 22" heavy barreled upper and a hi-cap C-More snail (might be expensive with Nosler BTs, though).

            Seen some hands try to "fix" old (read dead/dying) mounds with sticks of 10%.  usually not enough practical combat engineering when this is attempted (though, there is little risk of hoof in pin hole for a short stretch).

          17. User avater
            scaly | Apr 30, 2003 03:11pm | #66

            Sounds like you need a mini gun for all those critters.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          18. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 30, 2003 06:56pm | #69

            Semi automatic 20mm is OK. Mini gun no.

            Damn laws...

          19. User avater
            CapnMac | May 01, 2003 06:02pm | #73

            Hand cranked .223 would be an interesting choice.  20mm is just so expensive in quantity (makes 50 bmg seem cheap).  FAE has always been a tempting answer (ok, and it appeals to the "may the good lord take a shine to ya, and blow ya up real soon" side of me.

          20. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 07:22pm | #76

            When the money is on the table I prefer my .270 or 7mm mag. Podded. More over sized scopes with huge bells and shields. High rise mounts.

            My neighbor has what she calls a 22/3000. .300 Weatherby Mag necked down to .223.  She figures she gets around 200 rnds out before she has to make up a new barrel for it. She shows up to shoot, just pay your money. Never seems to miss. She also has .454 Casuall, .50 A&E and the Barrets is hers.

            Field weapon of choice for her is either a .54 or .60 Hawkins. Mine is a .50 Hawk. The 20mm is your tax dollars at work.

            Okay now stir the gray matter, FAE?

          21. User avater
            CapnMac | May 01, 2003 11:21pm | #88

            My neighbor has what she calls a 22/3000.

            Cool neighbor.  I need one like that. 

            The 20mm is your tax dollars at work.

            I never get to play with the good stuff anymore . . . (and the SMAW is limited issue, now). 

            Okay now stir the gray matter, FAE?

            Fuel-Air-Explosive.  Uses the smae physics that tipps the tops off grain elevators.  Fine particulates "bind" air molecules together, this is then accelerated with an aeresol fuel source into a spherical shape, and an ignition source introduced at the center.  Details rapidly become "not available," but the basic physics allows one to postulate some values.  One or two atmospheres of over pressure would make a pin pile into a nice round tank . . .

          22. User avater
            IMERC | May 02, 2003 01:17am | #89

            Now I remember...

            FAE = FUGAS with a little bit of modifications and no platter.

            The lady is definently cool. Good looking too.

            You must have got out just a short while ago. I seperated in '81 but never lost contact.

            Have a hard time remembering some of the nominclatures. They wouldn't let me take home my notes or school books. Guess they knew better.

          23. User avater
            IMERC | May 02, 2003 01:37am | #92

            Most every one should have a chain fed.

            Reduces crime!

          24. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 30, 2003 07:00pm | #70

            The SIG mk5 is the 20mm version of the 50 Barretts. About the same recoil as .338

          25. User avater
            CapnMac | May 01, 2003 06:05pm | #74

            SiG cool, but the FN AMR uses 25mm chain gun rounds in self-loading semi auto (like the M82A).  It also uses the FN MAG tripod, as I remember.

          26. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 07:34pm | #77

            Since it's your tax dollars at work the Sig comes with...

            Semi feed only.

            60/120x w/ 200mm bell electronic scope.

            Built in laser ranger (linked to the cross hairs)

            Windage / LOS compensation computer. (linked to the cross hairs)

            Variable targeting (computer aided)

            Uses the Vulcan round

            Adaptation for chain feed

            Cost enough to buy one those monstrosity houses.

          27. User avater
            scaly | May 01, 2003 07:40pm | #79

            If I used tax dollars, I'd go with H&K G36E. That's a pretty damn cool weapon.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          28. User avater
            scaly | May 01, 2003 07:43pm | #80

            If I really had a lot of tax money, I'd get one of those Phalanx weapons systems we had on the ships in the Navy: 20mm dep. Uranium at 4,500 rounds/minute (that's 75 a second!) That'd be a mole hunting gun.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          29. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 07:50pm | #81

            The Vulcan is the other Phalanx.

            Edited 5/1/2003 12:51:23 PM ET by IMERC

          30. User avater
            scaly | May 01, 2003 07:54pm | #82

            Isn't Phalanx a system built around the Vulcan gun? He he...I'd like to see what that would do to my back yard during a mole killing fest. Bahahahahaha!!!

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          31. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 08:20pm | #83

            The radar is a little much. Explain to utilities company why you need such a large power drop. Too automated. Need more DIY.

            What about the 7.62 mini. Use the 7 barrel version, 50% increase in input voltage - 87/8800 rpm till it burns up. That's almost 150 rounds a second. Shoulder fired, get right into it. Teach the DW linking and delinking and make ammo bearers out the kids. Borrow some from the rest of the family / neighborhood if haven't got enough of your own. BRAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! - CHOKE, CHOKE.

          32. User avater
            scaly | May 01, 2003 08:35pm | #84

            ROFLMAO! Yes, you've got a great idea! In fact, I'm going to recommend that to the neighborhood rental shop, I'm sure they'd get plenty of renters for that critter killer, and the ammo is much cheaper than 20mm. That's a neat gun also because it doesn't even sound like a gun, it sounds like a chain saw so it won't scare the neighbors away. Of course all of the dirt and guts and grass and bones landing in their yard may be a little concerning to them. Oh well...bahahahahahaha!!!!

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          33. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 08:51pm | #85

            AAAHHH the neighbors,.. get them into spirit of things. Group / community  effort pull together thing. A little colateral.... Heh, it's just part of the fun. We have a resident contractor.. He can fix it.

            Neighbors I don't have, per say. Those that can hear me shooting usually grab their "stuff" and join me. Some even bring grub and make a day of it.

          34. User avater
            CapnMac | May 01, 2003 10:30pm | #86

            Seems I remember the 5.56 5 barrel as being linkless.  This eases up on the linking labor--but the neighbors can pull shifts filling the bin.  The enameled steel case S&B is even cheaper than 308 ball, too.

          35. User avater
            IMERC | May 02, 2003 01:25am | #90

            The 5.56 came latter. To late for me. The 11 barrel 7.72 was awesome. Only needed 2 or 3 ammo carriers to support it and a crew of 12.

            Now where are we going to find "prick 77" batteries for our toys.

          36. User avater
            CapnMac | May 03, 2003 08:02pm | #93

            PRC-25 & 77 use the same batteries.  Available on eBay (don't bid unless they are still in sealed boxes).  Quick search did not find any (hate that "oops" feeling).  There are some commercial sites (fairradio.com) that have them.  Around $15 each, if memory serves.  Working PRC-25 runs from about $200 to $350; working 77 about $350 to $500 (that's with accessories, too).  Ok, slight downside--not FCC approved frequencies.

            The Nylon66 was a saga, of sorts.  Buddy found a Brazilian clone in the K-Mart (yes, that long ago) on sale.  Cool, got one.  Very nice.  Some time elapses, and was wandering around a show.  Fella there has a table full of the entire rem line that used the nylon stocks (black, brown, and green--that'll catch an RKI's attention).  He nad a very pretty 66 for a good price--sold.  So the answer now is, "yes."  Far as I know, Rem stopped building the line years ago.

            Hay fields down here where I live, but no pins that I know of (lots of other things, many tasty, to flush out, though).

            Off to out past where the blacktop ends to boil crustaceans.

          37. 4Lorn1 | May 04, 2003 02:50am | #96

            If I remember right, it has been many years, those PRC-77 batteries are just grouped B-40s, 'D' batteries, in a cardboard package and can be assembled by anyone handy.

          38. User avater
            CapnMac | May 07, 2003 08:04am | #103

            You do remember correctly (same as the NiCads in the cordless drills, except that they as typically C size).

            There are some adapter kits out there (for varying sums of cash) to convert the radio box of various PRC equipments to arrays of commonly available batteries.  The good adapters have some circuitry to protect the radio parts from over & under voltages, and a handy flexible cable to make up the battery connection.

            The adapters are about the only way to go if you have a PRC-8/9/10 or one of the SCR units--those are some hard to come by batteries.

            There were some ex-French PRC-25s out, that had been converted in the French armories to take the standard Phillips D cell battery (never could understand how it was an "improvement" to the RTO to carry 37 small batteries instead of one heavy honker).

            The "triple" digit units (PRC-116,127. etc.) use a "moulded" battery made up of AA NiCa or NiHd rechargeables, and come with a charger (so the RTO gets to carry an international power adapter, too--how fun).

            Arrgh, just realized that ground rodents have forced a swerve into commo and spotters (good ground penetration from the 5"/54 SAP, and up to 22Km, too :) . . .

          39. User avater
            IMERC | May 01, 2003 07:36pm | #78

            The FN you have in mind the same as the FLN out of Belguim?

          40. hasbeen | Apr 29, 2003 07:31am | #50

            Ah, the famous "vaporized" effect!  Boys will be boys, but a 308 works alright, too!  :)Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

          41. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 29, 2003 07:41am | #52

            .308 does work just fine but it hasn't much tunneling capabilities nor that certain adrenal factor. 

          42. User avater
            CapnMac | Apr 30, 2003 01:19am | #59

            Need the six-pack for muscle relief later . . .

            Would not want to be seated in the lawn chair.

            Would be a good excuse to use the express sights on the african game gun (also something to talk about when the sheriffs' deputies come by {stock a couple extra rounds as souvenirs)).

          43. User avater
            IMERC | Apr 30, 2003 06:22am | #60

            AAAHHH YES SAH,,, dis 'ere isa safari an' 'dem dear mloes be sum down right dangerous critters. Kant be none too careful now kin ya/

            AAHHH SAH.. you woodn't happin ta have sum'in a might bigger than dis little ole pop gun?

          44. allenschell2 | Apr 29, 2003 12:45am | #47

            thats great Rusty!!!  theres nothing so gratifying as to draw blood from them ugly little suckers!

            Stand tall..........Stand proud!

          45. User avater
            scaly | Apr 29, 2003 07:42pm | #54

            I am a killing machine! I got another one impaled on the spikes last night! I am a warrior!

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          46. allenschell2 | Apr 30, 2003 01:13am | #58

            You got it bro!    Save them skins for a great pair of house slippers.

            LIVE MOLE FREE OR DIE!

          47. User avater
            scaly | Apr 30, 2003 03:09pm | #65

            I wonder if they make a trip like this for mother in-laws? That would be great!

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

  11. hasbeen | Apr 29, 2003 07:35am | #51

    Get a flexible piece of large rubber hose and stick it  onto your exhaust pipe.  Stick it down the hole as far as you can, tamp some dirt around the hose and have a beer while your truck idles away...  Keep a pellet gun handy in case the little bast***s try to get away!  It may take a while, but you can always have a second beer. 

    Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

    1. User avater
      scaly | Apr 29, 2003 07:41pm | #53

      HE he he he...I like that one! But I'd prefer to use IMERC's .50 rifle. At least if I miss the mole, I'm sure to kill something before the bullet stops (7-8 miles away)

      I have so many tunnels in the yard now, I don't know which ones to attack!

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

  12. JerseyJoe | May 03, 2003 09:03pm | #94

    there is a program beingin aired on 5/10/03 at whyy.org it is a weekly syndication called you bet your garden their tiopic is getting rid of moles.   

    1. User avater
      IMERC | May 04, 2003 01:53am | #95

      Think they could use some help?

      With their budget, myself, Capnmac and rusty we could make for a very interesting show.

      1. User avater
        CapnMac | May 07, 2003 07:45am | #102

        Nope, I'm not allowed to be seen in public unless there's a black helo ('cepting then, I need a foil hat and roofing nails--with camo caps-- . . . )

        1. User avater
          IMERC | May 07, 2003 04:15pm | #104

          With the fur lining, Pull it down to your shoulders and and go on as the mistery guest / host. I thought it was decided that DW screws were to be used. Some body do a CO and not pass the word along?

          I'd rather only go out when those BH"s weren't around. Pecular things and off the wall stuff happens when they're lurking about.

          1. User avater
            CapnMac | May 07, 2003 06:04pm | #105

            Some body do a CO and not pass the word along?

            Isn't that how all COs are issued?  Without notice?  (From the roll roofing as fine home building thread; blue tarp with matching cap nails.)

            Pecular things and off the wall stuff happens when they're lurking about.

            Too true.  Evil influence.  Probably has to do with gas turbine exhaust fumes.  Bad thought:  Rack of pointed #4 or #5 bar on helo, then drop the bar ballistically on the moles.  Which spawns a more evil thought, electromagnetic rebar rail gun.  --Ooh, bad, evil DIY project--

          2. User avater
            IMERC | May 08, 2003 05:13am | #108

            I must have lucked out... Missed the rolled roofing thread... Oh my lucky stars!!!

            Rail gun... Saw a special on them... When do we start. Skip the rebar, there's more interesting projectiles. Low yield, DU rounds, delay 40mm and don't forget the MIL.

          3. User avater
            CapnMac | May 10, 2003 01:01am | #121

            When do we start. Skip the rebar, there's more interesting projectiles

            The lab in San Diego wrapped iron tape around 3" blocks of styrene foam and got them up to around 9000 fps, which was then perforating around 4cm (1.75"±) of plate--the long-haired researchers may be ahead of us on the curve on this one.

            Perhaps it is because I went to school when labs could be dangerous.  But a bit of pvc with romex wrapped around it connected to an ac power source has too much potential for mischief (like sinkers in a spud, for one--two-fer, gets rodent & plugs hole).  {Oh, and the phrase "plausible deniability" keeps circulating, a truck load of pvc, rebar, and a generator allows a "Buildin' stuff" answer to the nice officer asking "Whattyer up to there, boys . . . ?"}

    2. User avater
      scaly | May 05, 2003 02:59pm | #97

      Thanks joe, I'll check it out.

      First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

      1. User avater
        BossHog | May 05, 2003 08:41pm | #98

        Here's what ya need for those neighborhood Mole hunts:

        View ImageI once had a cookbook entitled, "When It's Smoking, It's Cooking, When It's Burnt, It's Done".

        1. User avater
          IMERC | May 05, 2003 09:46pm | #99

          That's the idea......

          1. mitch | May 08, 2003 04:19am | #106

            you people disappoint.....

            we're talking about a friggin mole for gawd's sake!  good lord, have we all got so dammed sensitive that everybody is afraid to even mention the simple, but cheap and effective, anti-personnel mine?  all these international bleeding heart campaigns to ban the good old claymore and its cousins have done the world a grave disservice.

            oh sure, the artillery is fun.  but who's gonna man it 24/7?  so unless you're gonna spring for the fully automated infra-red targeting system what the hell good is it to anybody who isn't retired or unemployed?

            keeps the dam neighbor's kids and cats the hell out my yard, too...

            m

          2. User avater
            scaly | May 08, 2003 04:42am | #107

            Of course guys, the mines! Mitch is brilliant! But there goes the whole idea of trying to make my lawn look better, which was why I wanted to stop the moles in the first place, but if you can't beat them...explode them right?

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          3. User avater
            IMERC | May 08, 2003 05:38am | #109

            Mitch is on top of things... Claymores, that man is a thinker...

            Add B40s and bettys to the list. Change the time on the bettys so they only jump about 4' but use a lot of them. Use the CM for the kicker on the FUGAS cans. Gotta see what's happin' and you have automatic mess clean up.

            If one of those little suckers get away from all of this chase 'em down with the B40s.

            Rusty isn't worried about his yard any more.... That'll be the place.... He may even a couple colds ones on ice.

            Edited 5/7/2003 10:53:45 PM ET by IMERC

          4. User avater
            scaly | May 08, 2003 02:20pm | #110

            "Rusty isn't worried about his yard any more.... That'll be the place.... He may even a couple colds ones on ice. "

            Got plenty of puppies on ice for you guys. But you're going to have to help me cover the windows w/plywood before the explosions start. 1/4" ply should be enough to stop the shrapnel right?

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          5. User avater
            IMERC | May 08, 2003 03:21pm | #111

            I have a pallet or so of luan door skins (some of that dumpster diving thing) That should work. Be happy to contribute. Got a Senco M2 wide crown and 3" staples to hang it with. We'll be in business in no time.

            CMs are directional. FUGAS hasn't much scrapnel.

            Your yard, my luan, do you suppose CapnMac will chip in for some tube steaks and marshmellows. No I'm not subbing moles for tube steaks. What do you think I am... barbaric????

          6. User avater
            scaly | May 08, 2003 04:51pm | #112

            barbaric? no...sick? let me ponder that for a while.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          7. User avater
            IMERC | May 09, 2003 03:12am | #113

            I had my extended debriefing. The prognoses was "turn him lose". So much for the sick concept and some thing to ponder.

            Some one said here " now that's thinking outside of the box". I don't think outside of the box, I am outside of the box and run to a different perspective.

            If all this makes a bit of a dent in your yard the moles won't want anything to do with it and go else where. Your mole dilema is taken care of and we had a little fun in the process. Just trying to help.

            Edited 5/8/2003 8:13:31 PM ET by IMERC

          8. User avater
            scaly | May 09, 2003 03:35am | #114

            I'm not letting any of them go! He he...hope you're not mad about my sick comment. I think I'd like to try some of the more exciting ideas posted here. At least if I don't get the moles, they're won't be any grass left for them to destroy anyhow.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          9. User avater
            IMERC | May 09, 2003 03:53am | #115

            No grass... Nothing to mow.... More time to get a few more moles, go fishing or have another brew.

            You'll have exclusive bragging rights to the neighborhood's most unique land scaping around.

            Probably have an exceptionaly high vacancy rate of any where around too.

          10. User avater
            scaly | May 09, 2003 03:58am | #116

            YES YES YES! Works for me...but I don't think my lawn is really there...I'd better decide if I really exist before I go much further against these moles.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          11. User avater
            IMERC | May 09, 2003 04:05am | #117

            YOU ARE NOT HERE NOR THERE....

          12. User avater
            scaly | May 09, 2003 04:07am | #118

            damnit! People keep telling me that!

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          13. User avater
            IMERC | May 09, 2003 04:15am | #119

            The moles guy, the moles... Yur fergettin the moles slacker.

          14. User avater
            scaly | May 09, 2003 04:22am | #120

            But are they really there? Maybe I'll try the beer bottle trick since I seem to have a nice supply of empties piled around my computer right now.

            First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

          15. junkhound | May 15, 2003 08:17am | #124

            Rusty, give us a countdown and demolition pix show of a mole being zapped<G>

            Loved your graphics on the Dem's move to OK thread!

          16. jdoe | May 15, 2003 02:53pm | #125

            Yea, I thought it was good stuff also, but Taunton banned me because of it, now every day to get in here I have to make up a new e-mail address. Check it out:

            >The following message was sent to you by BRIANPONT while viewing your

            >Member Profile on Breaktime:

            >

            >Sorry Rusty, but your constant antagonizing of Bob Walker on Breaktime

            >has

            >forced me to lock you out of the forum. Bob tends to get under the skin of

            >many BT members, at least in political discussions, but you are apparently

            >unable to handle it. And the pictures you have been posting are not

            >advancing or contributing to BT in any way. It is unfortunate that you

            >can't be better than this because you have been a valuable part of the

            >building discussions lately. I guess the BT culture is not for everyone.

            >

            >Thanks,

            >

            >Brian P,

            >Forum Moderator

          17. CAGIV | May 15, 2003 03:52pm | #126

            Rusty,

              Why don't you just chill out for a while, stay out of the political discussions and if you can't handle Walker ignore him, you mention getting a new e-mail everyday to come here, do you really want to be compared to the last guy that did that?

            Relax Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.

          18. jdoe | May 15, 2003 04:00pm | #127

            I'm plenty relaxed CAG. I haven't done anything to him in 2 days and don't intend to ever again. Your ignor idea is good, but he can't do the same to me? I just think it's wrong that a little screwing with golden boy Bob gets you banned, when he in fact screws with everyone else in his own way, but that's ok. Brian from Taunton even admits that he gets under many peoples skin, but I get under his and I'm banned. Anyway, I'm done with him since there apparently isn't room here for humor against Bob.

            BTW, congrats on finishing another semester. The best part of my college career was when I finally finished my math classes. Those were the worst for me.

          19. CAGIV | May 15, 2003 04:03pm | #128

            Thanks.

            I can't speak for Bob, but I doubt you were getting under his skin, if you can get passed your political differences he really isn't a bad guy.Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.

          20. jdoe | May 15, 2003 04:07pm | #129

            Yes, I agree, my efforts are futile. I will fade away now and be reincarnated as someone else...a kindler, gentler, nicer boy that will STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THAT DAMN BOB!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

          21. User avater
            CapnMac | May 10, 2003 01:15am | #122

            CMs are directional. FUGAS hasn't much scrapnel.

            Your yard, my luan, do you suppose CapnMac will chip in

            Ok, I must weigh in on mines.  We use mines to create a force multiplier is what the manual says.  In plain English (or 'Merican), we use mines to make the bad guys go where we want them, without having to leave a bunch of armed 19-year-olds at the place the bad guys are to change direction.  I'm pretty sure that the strategic goal is the curbing of the rdential invasion, and the suppression of any rodental desire to recreate said invasion.  Sure the mines will shred the invaders, and, eventually, the guerilla method of attrition insurrection will eliminate the invaders--but will it deter?

            More importantly, would it be fun?  Face it, mines require no 'driver.'  There's none of the satidfaction in actually taking the war to the furry little invaders.  To strike a blow for the liberty of one's land, invaded by despoilers.  (Ok, command detonation is cool, though.)

            We don't want shrapnel (we just need an excuse to nail plywood over folks' windows) . . .   FAE is about overpressure, not shrapnel; besides, it's a bigger "boom."

            I don't "do" marshmellows (one too many camp outs).  Been known to boil crustacea in quantity, though.  If someone will bring the gas, I've got the burner and the spice for the boil pot . . .

          22. User avater
            IMERC | May 15, 2003 07:06am | #123

            Saw one of the critter specials on Discovery or one of those kind of shows.

            The researchers use some kind of gizzmoes (similar to a seismic impulse generator) to make the moles, praire dogs and ground squirrels come out of their burrows.

            They averaged 65 under ground for every one above ground.

            Get out the arsenal.... It's every man for themselves

            The mines, the mines are keeping the beer delivery from making his biweekly deliveries.

          23. User avater
            CapnMac | May 20, 2003 05:18am | #131

            come out of their burrows.

            Get out the arsenal.... It's every man for themselves

            I've been away from the computer too long (or working in the sun too long).

            I just had a scary mental picture of setting up the transmitter units remotely, then having a "mad minute" after the switch is thrown . . .

            Probably need relays, if only to let the barrels cool . . .

            Ooh, what a cool justification to the significant other for the Ohio Ordinance M-1919A1 water cooled semi-auto replica--"But, honey, it's for the moles . . . "

          24. User avater
            IMERC | May 20, 2003 05:47am | #132

            Took a minute to bag a few on the way out this morning. (183) That means that there are over 11.9k I didn't get near. Hard to imagine that many. 65 to 1 ratio can't be right. So many varmits and not nearly enough bullets. Guess I'll have to do some creative budgetting.

            Snow is falling right now, they will be easier to see in the morning. Put a brick in the truck. Those 4 boxes I had didn't last very long nor make a very big dent.

            Time to design and build a portable cooling unit for the favorite piece.

          25. User avater
            CapnMac | May 20, 2003 06:13am | #133

            Snow is falling right now,

            Time to design and build a portable cooling unit for the favorite piece.

            Ok, I'm clean jealous of snow--but then, I was outside supervising in the 94° (heat index of 98°) today.  The weatherguessers have been teasing us with a forecast of a "late season cold front" that is to drop the temperatures 10+° with the highs dropping to all of 82° or so (and I'd be happy to see it that mild . . . )

            Used to be an outfit that made a "half scale" Browning 1919 MG that used .22LR, but they are sky-high now (per SAR).  Water cooling has always been a nagging thought "back there" in the back of the head--anybody good enough to machine a suppressor can ought to be able to make a water jacket.  But, in .22LR, a ceramic (or ceramet) jacket as a heat sink is an intriguing idea.  Ok, so there's something similar in the carbon-fiber 10/22 barrels--but I'm thinking "high-E" rapidly transferring materials here (think counter-top defrosting speed).

            Barrel heat is not the issue right now--it's heat shimmer just in front of the deserving pins (ok, and I want a T&E to better engage the rodents; hmm, McMillan has a tripod for their standard accessory rail . . . )

          26. User avater
            IMERC | May 20, 2003 06:51am | #134

            26 degrees right now. 2" of the white stuff. Should be single digit temps by sunrise. Never broke 50 today or yesterday. High of 40 and mostly cloudy tomorrow.

            1919, .30 Browning WC? (1930/40's)

            Had refrigeration in mind. Super cooling heat sinks. Vaned ceramics. Closed loop nitrogen?

            We both know supressors are kids play. So much published material out there. I have a 100% composite .22LR rifle. (Unaccounted left overs.) With weather like this heat shimmer is not an issue.

          27. User avater
            CapnMac | May 20, 2003 08:21am | #135

             

            Had refrigeration in mind. Super cooling heat sinks. Vaned ceramics. Closed loop nitrogen?

            Cool, exactly the same page.  I used to know some folks doing dissertaions on ceramets.  We postulated an oblong shape looking a bit like an over/under.  The top "hole" would accept the barrel, the lower would have some heat sink material (say, mercury), this would 'balance' the transmissivity of the ceramet.  (Get some inertia damping, too, as a bonus.)

            1919, .30 Browning WC? (1930/40's)

            Precisely.  An outfit in NY was building the .22LR half scale units complete with tripods & belts & loading machines.  Not enough demand, back in the day.  Seem to remember SAR quoting a current price as around $50K.  Ohio Ordinance is asking $3800 for the semi-auto (the 1919A4 air-cooled is also available, along with a 1919A6 LMG).  Saw a restored USN .50 watercooled (Mk I, Mod 2, in USN parlance of the day) not too long ago.  The electronic computing anti-aircraft sight would be an interesting mole-stomping accessory (might need some sabots, though . . . )

            26 degrees right now

            The Weather Channel tells me it is 80° at 79% humidity at 0017.  A little cold spell would be nice, particularly on Saturday, as a trip out to the pecan stand to discourage the hen-sized crows has been deemed necessary.

          28. User avater
            IMERC | May 20, 2003 08:44am | #136

            I like the hydraulic dampening systems like on the SIG5/20. You scope sounds similar to the one on the Sig.

            3" of white and 12 degrees now. Not bad for the end of May. This weather is subject to be like this for another 3 to 4 weeks. I wonder if my 10k elevation has any thing to do with it.

            Built two wildcats. 1st was a failure. (.243/.460Nitro) Round was too fast. Broke up within 10 yards. Think I broke the 5k fps mark. Barnes "X" solids would get out to 35 yards. Flight unstable. If it weren't for gravity I would have never hit anything. Made the 22/3000 that Jan bought from me.

            Hen sized crows. Too bad they are protected.

          29. mitch | May 21, 2003 05:30am | #137

            only .243/.460?  gee, didn't you have any .17 cal tooling/dies laying around?  the proverbial .50 Browning necked down to a phonograph needle.  may i suggest a solid ground carbide projectile with a brass sabot or perhaps brazed on driving bands?

            12 degrees and snowing in late May?  and people ask my wife and me why we moved to nc from colorado...

            m

          30. User avater
            IMERC | May 22, 2003 06:29am | #138

            50...... Needle.... mmmmmmmmmmm

            The soild carbide sounds like some thing to take to the think tank.

            The .243 ended up on a .300 Wheatherby. the .460 went back to being a Nitro.

            Considered .277/.460 and then a .277/.416 Rigby

          31. User avater
            CapnMac | May 29, 2003 09:46am | #140

            50...... Needle.... mmmmmmmmmmm

            The soild carbide sounds like some thing to take to the think tank.

            Shotgun news had some sabots for .50 BMG, to fit .308 rounds.  Endless possibilites there.

            Seems like I remember that above 4500 fps, gilding metal is ductile, which means you wind up plating the bore.  A .25 tungsten-steel rod with titanium oxide coating might be just the ticket in a .50 BMG wildcat.  (Seems like the l to w ratio needs to be more than 11:1 and less than 17:1 for stability in the 4-5000 fps range.) 

            The .50 BMG brass is about the same price as .500 A&M or .500 Nitro, offering some options using a shorted, more straight walled case.  Arrgh, sacry thought:  .50 WSM.

          32. User avater
            CapnMac | May 29, 2003 09:34am | #139

            Hen sized crows. Too bad they are protected.

            Not in the local pecan orchards.  Of course, at hen-sized, they are hardly built for migration any more . . .

            Haven't felt much recent need to wildcat--the manufacturers keep coming up with wackier ideas that I can--the WSMs leap to mind; though I'm still waiting to see if they are really tough enough to turn out that .223 WSM I keep hearing about.  Did some noodling on necking a 416 down to 7.62 and around 45-55mm in length, mostly to use the 7.62 sabots.

            Gun Tests had a article on some serious anti-mole revolvers; a six shot .30-30, and a five shot .444 marlin--just the thing when the joker pulls out the BMF .45-70 revolver . . .

          33. User avater
            IMERC | May 29, 2003 09:55am | #141

            The world must be flat. You seem to keep falling off. Try a shorter rope, won't take so long to crawl back on.

            Still out there out there with the .22. Down $3.05 [nickel a miss] at the end of the 7th brick. New shooter 2/3 my age. Must be the early stages of CP seting in. I am going for the long shots though.

            Other than that busier than a one arm paper hanger with the 7 year itch.

          34. User avater
            CapnMac | Jun 03, 2003 01:34am | #142

            There's such a thing as "not busy"?

            As to falling off the world, I'll admit to being between two similar threads in differing Fora.  The necked-down comment triggered a mental link to "The Ultimate Derringer" thread (surprise, every one voted against necking down 20, 25, or 30mm catridges--though, there were some votes for the .505 Gibbs and the .500 A&M).

            Oops, you may mean "falling off the world" in my, of late, tardy pacing to responces.  My enlightened boss has set me to achieving all of the jobs performed by a 5 man GC, for aproximately what a school teacher makes.  It has come full summer, here in cnetral Texas, and after 11 & 12 hour days, there's just not enough energy to do more than delete the spam in the email accounts.  (Mea culpa, mea culpa cuncta hic, How dare I be disloyal in my participation in BT--besides, I might lose my shot as visiting extrimist on the Piff-n-Andy show . . . :)

            No pin plinking in my future for a good long bit; but a little birdy said that next drill we might get to play with some cool toys from Belgium.  (Read very cool.)

        2. User avater
          scaly | May 05, 2003 10:35pm | #100

          YES!

          First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!

        3. User avater
          CapnMac | May 07, 2003 07:43am | #101

          Cool.  But, if you already have the trailer, then it's Minigun Time!

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