My last public battle was a bit sketchy like that. My club only uses and allows the crimped ones because there’s nearly no risk. But still some first timer not apart of the group brought his paper tipped one and it hit me in the hand because we were in a small space For a Public battle, then I had trouble reloading by garand because my hand was bleeding. Thank god he couldn’t reload his weapon fast enough otherwise he would’ve got someone else. He was later kicked out of the event.still have the scar to. In the end the risks are there, but it seldom happens. This was one of my first live fire events to so spooked me a bit.

Yes I found that interesting to. I love the Pickelhaube eagle!

Thank you so much for the info! It’s a big to big to display at the moment but one day it will be displayed nicely. It really is!

A close up.

Yah, I seldom use Humbrol,Tamiya, etc. unless for small models. Buying cheaper stuff and mixing to your personal specs (in my opinion) is the best option.

I just completed the easiest bit of this whole crazy thing, installing the sling swivel.  No blood loss at all! 

This is my little garage sale find for the day, asking around didn’t yield much until I got a hold on one second and the fellow came out with this. The papers were stuffed in the belt loop. Came from a friend of his father’s. Captain Daniel Linder from Cincinnati. His name was spelled poorly on the paperwork. Not a bad little find. Curtesy of ancestry, taken Jan 45 when the 89 landed in France.

What makes you say the webbing is not correct?

get use to it its like any hobby, golf etc you have to pay to play. Nothing is cheap anymore. I have plenty of M1909 30.06 people say oh dont shoot those in a Garand, I've shot thousands with no issues. I see them at shows for a buck a round. That seems high to me. But re enactors wont pay  fifty cents a round for them. So I'll just keep them. The brass is more than that. I've shot the blanks and resized them with a die, Reloaded them light for my 1903s. When they split I get rid of them. I know people will scream. but I have had no issues with it.  7.62 will split almost every time, I always feared what was going out the muzzle. Its scary what some re enactors shoot in there rifles. Even though we always had ammo inspections some yahoo will slip past with wood tip blanks or paper wad home made crap. I got shot in the arm once with a big ball of wax it went though my jacket and my arm bled. lucky it didnt hit me in the eye. Clowns shoot blanks too close.  Those days are over for me. Some one always gets hurt in the game. Not to mention I cant hear anymore.  I havent done living history in YEARS. I collect and will shoot occasionally, Good luck with the blank situtaion.  good luck! 

I do need to find a decent paint now again, I've always preferred Humbrals 155 but the sprays have got rather expensive for such tiny amounts. Might invest in a new compressor and spray gun and find a decent paint supplier over here in the UK.