I like Craigs Africa stuff, hell I like alot of his stuff. But damit he doesn't like quarterbores, and of those he doesn't care much for the Bob, that and all his Texas whitetail hunts. But really the Bob thing is a major turnoff for me. Oh well.

Dont forget, Mr Boddington is also a retired Marine Corps General, in addition to all of his other long lists of accomplishments.

Boddington is a retired USMC RESERVIST that I believe retired at the permanent rank of Colonel. See the below article from Stars and Stripes via Leatherneck.com:

Officials find Marine unlawfully frocked

By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, August 30, 2003

ARLINGTON, Va. — A Marine Corps commander who led Marines and coalition forces during Operation Enduring Freedom was unlawfully frocked to brigadier general, a violation of U.S. military code, officials said.

Col. Craig Boddington, a reservist activated in 2001 and deployed to the Persian Gulf, had been instructed by his superior, Lt. Gen. Earl Hailston, to don the one star as he took command of the Combined Joint Task Force Consequence Management, Marine Forces, at Camp Doha, Kuwait.

Frocking is the term used when an officer is selected for promotion, assumes the responsibilities and wears the insignia, but is not being paid at the higher rank’s salary. Frocking required Senate confirmation, which Boddington did not have.

“I felt I was acting under orders from my superior,” Boddington said Friday during a telephone interview. “… Gen. Hailston felt that the combined joint task force required a brigadier general to command it. I was a selectee at the time, and we all believed conformation and frocking authority was forthcoming.”

Hailston frocked Boddington on April 3, 2001, just as Boddington took command of the CJTF-CM. He served until December 2002, when the Defense Department Inspector General’s office began an investigation following an anonymous tip. The CJTF-CM’s mission was to train forces to respond to chemical, biological, nuclear or radiological attacks against forces operating in Afghanistan.

Hailston, who since has submitted his retirement package, served as Commander of U.S. Marine Forces Pacific and U.S. Marine Forces Central Command. He could not be reached for comment Friday. Boddington’s frocking also had the blessing of now-Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee, who was subordinate to Hailston when Hailston recommended Boddington for promotion and instructed him to pin on the one star.

At the time Boddington was frocked, Hagee was commanding officer of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

“We concluded that Generals Hagee and Hailston and Col. Boddington violated, or caused a violation of, the standards that govern frocking of officers and wearing of the insignia of a higher grade,” reads a portion of IG report. “In that regard, all three officers knew Col. Boddington was ineligible to be frocked or to wear the rank insignia of brigadier general without Senate confirmation and yet, engaged in conduct that facilitated Lt. Gen. Hailston’s improper frocking of Col. Boddington.”

Boddington, commander of the Reserve 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element at Camp Pendleton, Calif., recently was counseled by the acting Navy Secretary, Hansford Johnson, himself, over the issue.

“I understand that I should have gone outside the chain of command for resolution, but at the time, that didn’t seem like the appropriate action,” Boddington said he told Johnson.

Johnson issued Hailston a letter of censure, and sent a letter to Hagee, noting Hagee’s “limited involvement” in the matter, but did not take any disciplinary action. “I have the utmost confidence in your ability as Commandant, and am certain that you will ensure the lessons of this incident do not go unlearned within the Marine Corps,” reads a portion of Johnson’s Aug. 25 letter.

Hagee, who is traveling in the Pacific, was not available to take questions. His public affairs staff released the following statement: “I fully admit to and accept responsibility for forwarding Lt. Gen. Hailston’s directive to Col. Boddington that he be frocked. In hindsight, I should have further questioned Lt. Gen. Hailston’s directive and pursued other alternatives.”

The tipster complained that Boddington’s wearing of the rank “was creating a morale problem for the troops ‘most of whom believe that he is not entitled to wear the star until he is actually confirmed,’” the IG report states. Investigators found no similar complaints to the Defense Hotline and no other witness voiced concern or awareness, the report states

“He’s one of the better leaders I’ve ever worked for,” said Cpl. Daniel Diaz, 23, who served as Boddington’s bodyguard while deployed to Kuwait. “Morale went up from the time he stepped on deck to the time he left.

“Even though he was a general, he would take care of Marines down to the lowest level. He’s an all-around good guy,” said Diaz, a reservist for more than 3 years.

Boddington, who has been I MACE commander for 2 years, said he knows who made the anonymous tip and why, “but I will not discuss any of that,” he said.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=17265

Excerpt from Hunts for Warriors ny Dan Herzog:

"On February 25th and March 4th, 2007, KC-SCI hosted the first two hunts for soldiers of the 35th Regiment of the National Guard who recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. Major Bill Cowling and Warren Parker coordinated the event which was held at the Hedge Hollow Ranch clubhouse near Ballard, Missouri. The event entertained 13 soldiers on February 25th and 25 soldiers on March 4th who harvested over 200 birds on the first weekend and approximately 155 on March 4th.

Donations from attendants at this year’s KC-SCI Convention as well as corporate sponsors made it possible for the club to purchase shells, permits, food, traps, etc. Corporate sponsors include Goedecke, First American Title, Daniel McCray, TW Ellis Construction, Oliver Automotive, Carter Waters, DL Kidwell and Son Construction, George J. Shaw Construction, Tremco Sealants, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin, LP, Hagen Electric Co., Signcraft and Dean Machinery.

Mark Schaefer of Bushnell Outdoors donated cleaning supplies for the clubhouse, as well as safety glasses and camouflage backpacks for all the soldiers.

Special guest, retired USMC Colonel and television host Craig Boddington appeared at the March 4th hunt. Col. Boddington spent time in a stand talking to the soldiers as they moved around the field and also remained for most of the afternoon with the soldiers. It is rare that we are able to be honored by the presence of someone like Col. Boddington, but when Mike Hagen spoke to him in Reno at the International Convention, he did not hesitate to agree to attend."

A Jarhead, yes. A General Officer, no.

Regardless of Col. Boddington's SNAFU over the buck general star, he will always have a place on my reading list for one thing. When Jeff Cooper pompously sounded off, expressing
The Gunner's Guru's disdain for boonie hats,
Boddington was the only author I ever read that expressed an opinion contrary to Cooper's. I loved the fact that he did not bow to the (supposedly) divine insight of Cooper.

I haven't read a ton of safari lit. From what I have read, there isn't a large amount of humility that makes it from Africa to The States. Seems like even having a drink at the end of the day is a life or death endeavor over there. I enjoy Ruarks safari writings. But it's best enjoyed in small doses. IMHO.
I will say that seeing the you tube clip of the PH dropping the charging lion at 5 yards makes me question my skepticism. That one made my ears sweat.

I've read quite a bit of Boddington's stuff and can't say that I find him to be someone who is full of himself or boastful. Pretty down to earth and knows what he is talking about when it comes to rifles and cartridges. I however don't find his writing to be very enthralling when it comes to describing his hunts wherever they might be. He surely isn't Capstick, Ruark, McIntyre, Ortega Y Gasset when it comes to bringing the reader into a hunt, but he is far from the worst.

Boddington’s not my favorite writer. His style reminds of reading a dull physics text book….that was required by the course professor because he wrote it…..and is about as exciting. Being published helps if you own Peterson’s Publications.

What can I say? Some people don’t like pizza.

What I know about safari rifles will fit in a thimble but I know I like Boddington.

@ teodoro

Stars&Stripes is a morale and welfare news publication of the Armed Forces. I think they got their dime's worth of revenue on that story years ago. As a retired Naval Officer, I think I have a nickel's worth of insight on propriety with regards to using one's military rank for personal gain while on active duty. He immediately started using "General" and Colonel in his title in the hunting rags once he was selected for promotion. Unless the rules have changed, a military officer may not use his title or publish articles while in service without the written permission of his chain of command. Maybe he did that, I do not know, nor do I care.

Mark-1
I would be surprised if CB owned Peterson's.

I'm not saying that he is not a good guy, not a gifted writer, or any of that. I do take issue with fluffing up his name with a title that he got his pee-pee whacked over. He published so many boring articles that I got tired of picking up a Peterson's rag and him having half the feature stories. After enough caviar, they become stinky fish eggs. Forgive me if I tilted his crown for the rest of you fans....

Not being an African Safari guy, I must know, what is a "quarter bore?"

That would be any rifle caliber 257 such as the 257 Roberts, the 25-20, the 257 Weatherby or my favorite 25-06.

Somewhat along the lines of "quarter bore" I really like the European terminology for shotgun barrel constrictions such as "quarter choke", "half choke", etc.
I don't see what the frock the jarhead business has to do with Boddington's book. Great writer and apparently a superb hunter who knows lots about African hunting and shooting. Whether you go there or not the big bores are fun to shoot and interesting to read about. I never tire of one of my hobbies of reducing boulders to stones with a .416 or .470 NE. I'm even thinking of taking the .416 on my upcoming pronghorn hunt. Do you think a 400 gr. Hornady DG will be enough if I stick with softs?

Ish-
Why the .416? Why not take the .470? Either way, I think you will have "Use enough gun"
well and truly covered!
LMAO

@ ishawooa

I was only responding to "deanlikes2fish" post proclaiming Boddington's status. Since i have little interest in Africa, I find most of his recent writings outside my bounds. Perhaps that is his forte.

Just like the Teleprompter and Dead Ted, I will call bull$h1t on someone's public record and military service in particular every time I see it. If you tell me that you were whatever this or that in the military and I find out different, I'll bust your chops, too! If I ever see CB at a trade show, I'll ask him to explain himself.

My comments have absolutely nothing to do with any of his books. I'm sure it is a fine piece of work if DEP says so. I hope I didn't offend you, but what the heck.

WA Mtnhunter
when you go to length to write a long list of boring substance about someone you obviously have a marked form of jealously over, it becomes a hate list that most have absolutely no respect for. You gave a running list of facts but it is nothing more than envy in ink. Craig is a good man that has my undying support.

crm3006, the .470 belongs to a friend and will be in Mozambique while I am in the desert looking for a good goat. I have trouble hitting much beyond 100 yards with it while the scoped .416 is good to 200. Actually judging how my .338 performs versus a hot .270 or 7 mm I expect much less meat damage with the .416 than one of the smaller calibers. Of course I only want to use it because it would be interesting to see the results. My .243 is legal and would work fine as it has many times in the past.

ishawooa-
Any of the above named calibers will well and truly down a speed goat, but I wonder if anyone has ever shot one with a .416?
My choice would be my handy little .25-'06, 300 yds or less.

You crack me up, boy!

I will put this on my Crhistmas list! not that i will ever go on safari, but a good book, about something i could only dream about, is hard to resist.

Boddington is outstanding. He is one of my favorite authors.

Ok. Next topic. :-)

I liked reading WA Mtnhunter's comments, partly because he's a retired Naval Officer, as am I (in the CG sense); partly for other can't put-my-finger-on-it reasons. I actually read everybody's comments and enjoyed them. I met CB only once--When I was Shooting Editor of the now long-gone Argosy magazine. Chris Colonginy was PR director of Ithacagun at the time and raved about Boddington and his work. I liked him when Chris introduced us at one of the big gun shows.

Stars and Stripes. Navy Times. Both publications referred to me as 'Commander' Steve Ferber at one time or another. I was merely a Lt.JG. I liked the accusation, though. An active duty reservist who put in a total of 4.5 years active, and another couple as a one-night-a-week reservist. Made in a shade, I thought: the two weeks active duty for those two summers were spent at the Camp Perry Nationals and the Interservice championships at Lackland AFB. I was a firing member of the U.S. Navy Pistol Team. So I'm not really a 'retired' naval officer, as CG apparantly isn't a retired general. (But I understand).

I'm a fan of Stephen Colbert, the late Skeeter Skelton, and very few other people. I like Boddington's work, am envious of his African experience (alas, I've only been on 10 safari's...the first few just learning what the beasts were, the next couple identifying which were of trophy caliber). CG knows of what he speaks and his new book is First Cabin.

Emails and blogs are fertile ground for misinterpretation and being offended when there was none intended.

I have read enough of CB to form my own opinion just as you guys have. Some of his work is indeed excellent, some less so, probably due to the volume he produced at times. I have not been on hunting safaris to Africa and do not question his knowledge and experience one bit. I went on a couple of spec ops "safaris" back in my Army days and did not leave anything over there that I feel compelled to retrieve.

My whole point was that he is not a retired USMC General as a poster suggested, just as I am not a retired Captain or Admiral. It takes a lot of sand to rise to the rank of anything above PFC in the Corps. To make Colonel is indeed noteworthy and I respect his service to our nation, just as I respect and admire each and every one of you who have served a day! To my comment about being a little full of himself; well, that's just my opinion. To compare him to General George S. Patton...talk about full of himself!!!! Another great man and hero to be sure.

Best regards and humble apologies to any sensitivites that I may have offended,

WMH

Whatever. The doofus violated offical protocol and was counseled by the acting Secretary of the Navy (according to the story above).

I think he is a dipstick, not a Capstick. HA!

CJ

I give Boddington a break on the rank and using the rank on his signature. I’ve seen US Military screw this area up so bad along with awards*. The poor SOB be in just as much trouble for not putting the rank on.

Having a commission is a brand just like having a BA, MA, or a PhD or a high school diploma. Can’t take it away a person, nor can a person ignore the brand even [s]he wanted.

*40-years to award a bronze star and a purple heart to a dead WWII Vet???? Duh.

crm3006: Since the early seventies I have been convinced that the .25-06 is about as good as it gets for antelope and deer. I have two friends who use theirs by choice for elk as well.
idduckhntr: I know two guys here in Wyoming who use their .375 H & Hs for elk in the grizzly woods. Both guns are highly effective for elk and even though neither guy has ever had to shoot a grizzly you know what a comfort the big bullet is just in case. Between them they have killed several bulls. One of these fellows uses his often for deer. Actually this is where I got the idea of using the .416 for goats. Probably will have to give up and drag out the .25 or .270 before it is over.

Moishe,

I am almost positive I read about the incident of Patton getting a star pinned on prior to congressional approval in one of Rick Atkinson's books: An Army At Dawn, or The Day of Battle.

Wa mtnhunter. Respect for you has gone up a notch since your last post. Not that I did not respect you before, just up another. Great points.

Deanlikes2fish, most do not do background checks on a general. I only met one general while I was in ITR on the Marine Corps Birthday. I don't remember his name since I was in awe of the stars. I do remember there were two of them. Semper Fi.

Boddington took the promotion as a formality-for lack of a better word- without the pay increase. The military does it all the time. As for the rank of general, I can see how it could rankle some feathers since it does take an act of congress. He should have just taken it for the short term, till a proper replacement was assigned. The only thing improper that he did, IMO, was post his new rank as general rather than colonel. Can't figure that out but I really don't care, his problem not mine. None the less, I find him an outstanding outdoor writer.

There is of course an answer to Rameses.

It was chanted as the new Ottoman sultan made his way to the palace to take the throne:

"Be not proud O Sultan! God is greater than you!"

Also, the real kings of African cartridges, the ones issued to rangers and game wardens for their day-to-day duty of dispatching rogue animals, crop raiders, policing herds and battling robbers and poachers, were the lower .40's, and it's not the .416 Rigby. As Craig Boddington himself writes in magazines, and Cameron Hopkins and other hunters and historians add, for double rifles and singles, the rimmed .400 Jeffery and similar rounds were the use-for-everything, do-everything choices. For bolt guns, their rimless counterpart, the .404 Jeffery, was the choice. It's not ideal for an enraged elephant at 10 paces, but it will do nicely for an elephant that is less agitated or a little farther away. And if it will take an elephant, it will take a buffalo too.

The .416 Rigby got more mileage, got more "romance", largely because of Selby and Ruark, and not to take anything away from those two gents (especially Selby, who was actually left-handed but operated a right-handed rifle) but the .416 Rigby was a rarity, less than 200 original Rigbys were built, and even if you add current rifles (CZ, Ruger, Dakota, etc.) to the overall tally, the .416 Rigby is still a relatively minor production run.

The "GI" nature of the .404 Jeffery also worked against it, fame-wise. No ego massaging hunter wanted a caliber that has been sort of adopted and issued by the British government. It was only when it became a wildcatter's case that the Jeffery became famous.

Also, unlike what some people believe, the .404 Jeffery did not perform quite like the .416 Rigby. While the Rigby is credited with 2,300-2,400 fps with a 400-grain bullet, the Jeffery was in the 2,050-2,150 fps range. In other words, the performance of a rimmed Nitro round, but in a rimless, bolt gun case. Realistically, the other .400/.416 wildcats based on the .338/.458 case, like the .416 Taylor, should perform within this range of velocities, too, not at the higher Rigby level where they would be generating dangerous pressures. Was the .404 Jeffery enough? I think those who have used it sum it up as "it definitely hits harder than a .375, and there's nothing between it and the Rigby."

Is there a room for a Safari Guns/Hunting book in your library? I think so. The stories alone should make the book worth the while, not to mention the gorgeous pictures of rifles and gun cases and trophies. Of course, in this economy, your priorities would change.

There are fewer Americans taking part in North American wild sheep hunts than there are Americans going on "safari". Sheep tags are scandalously, and I mean, scandalously expensive, and for some people, they are literally once in a lifetime opportunities. Yet none of that has stopped us from having sheep rifles custom made, usually in the venerable .270Win. caliber, or for enjoying the sheep stories by its champion, the equally venerable Old Jack O'Connor.

I don't see why we shouldn't enjoy safari books.

O Garcia

Good posts. Sounds like you know a thing or two about the big bores, too!

Cheers

I've always enjoyed Boddington's writing. He did go through a period of "magnumitis" that was a bit annoying, but I think he got over it. (I recall a piece he wrote in the early '90s about hunting Texas whitetails out of a ground blind using a .300 Weatherby - he shot a deer at 40 yards). I may never get to Africa, but this sounds like a good read, anyway.

HA! duckcreekdick's REAL title is:

His Royal Highness Brevet Brig. Gen. Duckcreekdick, Defender of the Faith, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Esq., Ltd., Junior.

He's just being ever so modest!

Good one Duckcreekdick! ROTFLMAO

As 'Gunslinger' points out above, Col. Boddington's daughter Brittany accidentally shot and wounded a tracker/dog handler during a leopard hunt in Namibia earlier this year. You can Google it and read the offical police reports online if you care. Sounds like another no-fault hunting accident to me. Hunting dangerous game is just that.

However, who am I to lecture,. having been chewed up many years ago by a wounded leopard before I killed it, but there were only two of us and no one got shot.

If there's ever a situation where "Quick Kill-Shoot-At-Sound-Slight Movement is desired.....It's leopard hunting.

That hunting's calm down is three Prozac and long slug of gin.

Ishawooha,
I promise I will do so. Should be educational to some. The story involves over confidence, a lot of little bitty mistakes that turn into a big one. A lesson when experienced leopard hunters decide the rules apply to normal people, not to them.

Gunslinger,

I sincerely hope your health improves for hunting season and beyond. Maybe we can hook up in Craig next year if you make it out West. Every year I say that I am going to hunt someplace else, but I end up coming back to CO. Who knows if any of us will have any health insurance with the Obama-care looming. They are even looking at ways to renig on health care coverage for us military retirees. But I'll bet Congress doesn't cut out their health coverage for life deal....

best regards

A complete contrast to sitting quietly in a blind, as any experienced hunter can do, patiently enjoying the conclusion of another fabulous day. A beautifully huge African sun setting, as doves call, and guinea fowl appear to scratch the dust and chuckle at each other. Often a civet cat or other special creatures appear to inspect the situation. Once, a just weaned fuzzy cheeked young leopard stubbornly attempted to dine on the bait. He was not strong enough to pull it up on the limb, so would leap down, swinging back and forth hoping to gain a bite of meat, then, after falling off, would re climb, and repeat the process over, and over. Far greater experience than killing an average Tom.

I am wool gathering, promise to relate the wounded cat tale in Campfire section of Messages soon. Kindest to all

I believe that Happy could easily write an entire book or maybe several to share his hunting stories and adventures. Just the preceeding paragraph is sufficient for me to make an immediate purchase.

I have one more double gun story that happened late today. My friend Frank, owner of the Heym .470, and I went out into the desert to shoot about 40 rounds since he is heading to Africa next week. Frank fired several times for accuracy and then moved to double rapid fire before one of the triggers cut his middle finger rather nicely. We decided that we should only insert the fingertip to avoid this injury. Bad idea. Regardless I only placed the pad of my trigger finger on the front trigger. When I pulled the trigger there was a rather significant shove into my shoulder and a quick step backwards as I realized I just heard not a boom but a boom-boom. I then noticed that my trigger finger was resting on the REAR trigger. Yep I had inadvertently caused the .470 NE to in effect double and somehow lived to tell about it. The recoil had caused my finger to be swept from the front trigger with adequate force on the rear trigger to fire the gun spontaneously. I am fairly certain the first shot hit the boulder but the second one went high into the mountain side. We went back to more finger on the trigger and risk a recoil cut. Just shows you can learn something every day if you pay attention.
We shot for about an hour with an antelope buck watching us from behind about 100 yards away. He was not at all disturbed by the thunder of the big gun but then the season does not open until this coming Saturday.

Ishawooa,
I have developed a permanent bone spur on the finger that is so often hit behind the trigger guard when firing doubles from the bench while working up loads over the decades.

Happy: Thanks so much for the ideas which obviously fall into the "Why didn't I think of that category." In spite of how it sounds both Frank and I are long time shooters...with rifles that have only one barrel. This double gun is a whole new experience so any additional tidbits that you would care to pass along will be appreciated. By the way the hunter and his guns leave next week for Africa. He has been the last two years, was successful, but still feels very much a novice. I will pass along the details of the hunt when he returns.

Ishawooa,
I know you are an experienced outdoorsmqn and marksman, probably much better than I. However, we are all creatures of habit. Most of us learn doubles first with a shotgun, therefore we think in terms of choke, full and modified, ergo right barrel first, modified than full. We don"t have that issue with a double rifle. Be sure you do use both barrels so they wear evenly.
As far as the glove is concerned I had to shoot long enough to develop the bone spur before the light went on and the pain went away. The Craig Boddington's and Terry Wieland"s don't write about whimpy but important things like these. I have joked with Terry about the little things no one writes about.

Never trust your notes to a "Writer"! :)

Happy I am with Ish you should wright a book or 3 and I would love to hear more on Capstick. Best wishes and health and good hunting.

Happy:
Indeed we have shot the .470 many many times for the last two years. Of course some factory ammo has been utilized plus my handloads topped mostly with Woodleigh 500 gr softs or solids. More recently another friend who has owned and shot large bores contributed a constant supply of bullets he casted from a custom mold made for this Heym .470 by a fellow in Idaho. The bullets are exceedingly hard but not brittle. Since they fit the bores more or less perfectly accuracy is outstanding, no leading due to the bullet metal composition and gas checks, and the cost is next to zero instead of mega-bucks. Thus we can fire the .470 for the price of a primer, a gas check, and 106 gr. of powder. I am certain that we have used the right barrel more than the left so again you bring up a point that we overlooked. Sage advice, thanks so much as you are correct in that this type of information learned from experience is seldom passed along.

Happy: A brief followup of my friend's .470 shooting before he leaves for Mozambique tomorrow for three weeks.
I had a fellow custom build a 500 gr mold for us to create hard cast but not brittle bullets for the rifle. They feature a wide meplat, little ogive, and of course are gas checked. We wrapped bovine leg bones with layers of wet newspaper. All reloads were at 2200 fps. The Woodleigh softs broke the bone and stopped, the Bear Claws went through the bone and into the internal layer of paper. Our custom made bullets passed through the entire target and exited the far side. Consequently the shooter intends to use the hard cast for a first shot with a solid in the second barrel. We shot 40 times Sunday. Last night we put another 40 through the gun. Frank is hitting up to and past 100 yards with open sights plus is reasonably quick to relaod. By the way he is wearing a glove much like you described and this eliminated the cut finger syndrome as well as pulling the rear trigger first. At the end of the evening we put the 1x-6x Swarovski on the Heym claw mount and spotted a boulder slightly larger than a gallon milk jug at 217 yards. He was able to disintegrate it with the first shot. He immediately duplicated the shot on a larger stone which was also reduced to gravel. All this shooting has boosted his confidence level dramatically plus your suggestions all worked out to definately improve the situation in a most satisfying manner. Tomorrow its off for leopard, sable, and buffalo as a minimum. I'll let you know how it turns out.
As an afterthought you are no doubt aware that .470 ammo is $20-$30 per cartridge. Not counting the price of the custom mold at a one time charge of $125.00, figuring in the cost of the powder, primer, and gas check utilizing free lead and other components for the custom bullets, each shot costs a maximum of 75 cents as long as the brass holds up.