Tam Takes the Middle Road

Like the 3 bears, Tam is not too cold, not too hot, but juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust right. With reasonable, well thought out, election advice.

Reason to get a Ruger 10/22

There is a reason, perhaps, to promote a simple Ruger 10/22 higher up on the Master List. Quite a few reasons, actually.

I can shoot it more places. Even at an indoor range. Can't say that about the M1A.

The ammo is certainly cheaper.

It's not that expensive a gun.

It uses magazines, so you can simulate practicing with a magazine fed major caliber rifle like the M1A with the cheaper quieter .22.

A lot of practice with a 10/22 is less scary to the hoplophobes if they see you doing it.

If you add an after market Peep Sight to the rear it trains more like the iron sights on an M1A.

If I ever go to an Appleseed, I'd probably want to bring a 10/22. For cost reasons, alone.

Back Up at the Zomboacalypse

Let's say it's your first night of the Zombocalypse. You're running low on ammo, your shoulder is almost NUMB from bruising with all the rifle recoil, the barrel is hot enough to light a cigarette off of (and you checked) and your trigger finger has a nastyl blister you really should look at and treat before it pops and gets all infected. Fine. Time to set the rifle aside for bit. But what do you do about the continuing waves of brain-hungry shamblors reaching to grab your with clawlike grasping gray hands?



You need a backup weapon. And the Lobo isn't for you. How this, the Apocolax!

From Zombie Tools. A good heavy chopping blade never runs out of ammo and never jams.

Scribbler

Breda nominated/awarded me with this:

Now I let a few days pass so I could think who I would nominate without remembering who anyone else did before me. I'm sure our little blog community is incestuous enough that there will be people repeated in our circles. I didn't want past honors to influence my own awards.

RobertaX -She types words like I think. And talk. And she apprediates a fine hand tool. And she could teach me a buttload about electronics and old radio works.

Tam -Is snarkalicious. Devastatingly so.

EjectEjectEject -Bill Whittle. Does he count? He's a pro, now, writing for National Review. He gets the nod just for "OODA Loop". Tam even mentioned OODA loop in the last month or two, but it's a concept I've been familiar with since 1990. Before.

FMFT -Just because there are still a few holdouts in the UK of people like him. People that put the Great in Great Britain. And he knows the proper way to deal with Socialists.

Brigid -fine photography, fine food, country living, deadly accurate fire, and fine writin.'

**The Rules:Every Superior Scribbler will name 5 other Super Scribblers. If you are named you must link to the author & the name of the blog that gave you the award. Then you must display the adorable award and link to THIS POST, which explains the award. The same post also allows you to add your link. Then they will have a record of all the people who are Super Scribblers!

My Perennial Carbine Selection Problem

I've considered this before. How to solve my carbine desire. A handy light rifle that shoots light rounds, mainly for SHTF situation (sugar hits the fan.)

Maybe solved with one of THESE that takes SIG 229 (226?) mags...

And that SUB2000 has been in my thoughts before, but only wishing it comes in .45 someday. Preferably .45 and taking 1911 mags.

But what if the mags in a future SIG pistol buy ALSO fit the Kel Tec. That's something I hadn't considered with my desire for a new type of Conceal-Carry type pistol.

Supposedly, the A SIG P229 like I want, can take SIG P226 magazines of the same caliber, and which you can specify for the Kel Tec SUB2000 carbine's caliber and SIG magazine type. I don't know about going the other way. SIG 229 mags may fit in places a 226 mag goes if the 229s

weren't too short, maybe? But it's at least halfway there on my requirement for commonality. And maybe the closest I will get.

No, it’s not a perfect solution for the role of a small rifle for carrying around when the SHTF, but no so bad that you can’t be indiscrete about it. It covers the discrete part, but it is a plastic gun, it looks kinda scary compared to something with walnut stocks, and it is cheap and maybe overly so.

If the SHTF in a big way, discretion will be unnecessary, and I’ll just sport whatever. I hope THAT day never comes.

Plus it would be a while before I could get around to getting a carbine, probably.

But hey, since it folds, it will fit in my small, nigh-full, gun safe. Looking at the secondary part of the Master List I see a long shotgun that would be left in the home defense role out of the safe, 3 pistols, and a carbine. I won't be burdened with the added cost of an upgraded safe. At my rate, the 5 on the secondary list will get here by 2014, at the earliest.

Here are some Carbine comparisons at the bottom of this review, btw.

Various reports of subjective negative shootability for the Kel-Tec is the only thing that give me pause. A SHTF situation may never come, but I want firearm acquistions to be either A) fun or B) free. If this is neither... I'll have to think on it some more.

A future Hi-Point (even cheaper, ugly carbine) that accept 1911 mags would sway me away again, but that promise .45 variety has been a long time coming. And whether it would accept 1911 mags is a big question mark.

So, does this settle my Quarbine Quandry? Not even close. If a situation cropped up calling for a carbine NOW, and I had to be out the door in less than half an hour with a pistol and a carbine... I'd grab the M1A and forget the pistol. Probably be fine, too.

Rule #1 Check

Has anyone ever put a gun up, thinking it empty, taken it home, gotten ready to clean it, then found a round in the chamber? Yeah it's scary when that happens, but it does happen. It would the first step of a Negligent Discharge. It's why we follow the other 3 rules, in case that one slips by.

It hasn't happened to me yet, but I was wondering if it happens to others and how frequently.

I was thinking about from the last time at the range. I checked the chamber when I was done shooting a string and saw it empty, but I didn't double check when putting the rifles in the case. I realize I hadn't and gave myself a mental reminder to double and triple check when taking them out to clean, and not to point them at anything and not to get near the trigger until I did.

My Oath

I served in the military. I took an Oath. I administed that Oath to others. Nothing discharged me from that Oath, and I still take it seriously, as do many veterans.

I do solemly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, and that I make this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.

A simple oath, isn't it? But one with weighty responsibilities. I am fully aware, and trained regarding which orders are legal and which are not. Orders contrary to the Contitution, and others, are illegal, I am honor bound not to obey illegal orders, and my judgement is counted upon to distinguish which are which. The People are counting on my judgement, then, when I took that Oath, and now.

I am no longer a Naval Officer. I am a mere civilian. Yet the Oath still applies.

Some people never took that Oath, yet live by its precepts, instinctively.

I am ever mindful of that Oath. And I would sooner go to any extreme, even unto death, to uphold it.

There are others like me. Mere ordinary civilians, going about their daily lives, that forget about the Oath sometimes, but deep down it is always there. Waiting. Waiting to remind us about the assumed burden, taken willingly. It is a responsibility bigger than all of us, collectively. It can not be ignored. Ever. Not without hazarding our souls, our word, our sacred honor.

Some of you reading this understand, Some do not. Regardless, it is there. And those that have made it take it very seriously.

===

Sorry to get all solemn and stuff. It is what it is. This is America, and it's not like dire things are afoot or anything. I just put it out there as an informational announcement. And so it goes.

Also, see item #4 on the goals list, right hand side of blog.

A Story For Rx

Here is an Old Tool story for Roberta X.

I got this from the horse's mouth, and I'll try to retell it the best I can. A man named Todd. Half Hippy, half Redneck, ALL interesting. A story-teller, he. He wears overalls and a colorful knit beret. And he's as kind as can be, deep down. Todd sorta collects old tools. He collects lots of things. He may have a barn with hundred of antique saws in it. And an equal number of anvils. Special things he likes are old powder horns (the only gun content on this post...) and tools repurposed/made from used up files by a blacksmith. Wrenches, drawknives and such where you can still see the file's teeth. He's been known to do some blacksmithing himself. Makes miniature tomahawks that unscrupulous sellers will eventually get a hold of and try to sell as original. He loves pointing those out, "Hey, I made that 2 years ago!"

Well, even he was new to the collecting hobby way back when. You have to do a lot of legwork to get the good deals. He knew that. So he'd hide off to every country auction in range of the DelMarVa Penninsula. He had a nemesis at these auctions. An old guy everybody hated because he was aloof. Mean even. Crotchety. Todd realized he was hard of hearing, and that might have made him aloof, given him the 'mean' reputation. Plus, he was mean. Old Coot. Todd could carry on SOME contact with him, but he was still a Crotchety Old Coot. That wasn't the worst of it. The man KNEW his old tools, and would not be underbid on the good stuff. Ever.

You could win junk at auctions he attended, but not the good stuff. Box lots full of rust, with old Sears woodplanes worth a buck if whole, but missing the blade and handle, dented doorknobs, a half dozen bent farrier nails, and such.

Todd was getting tired of losing all the time, but he persisted. One auction the old guy won something that Todd was admiring. It was a small folding ruler and the Old Coot let him see it up close. Todd was unfamiliar with it and asked why it had bid up so high. The Old Guy was shocked Todd didn't know what it was (of course he didn't, he could never outbid him on good stuff...) and explained to Todd was an ivory folding ruler. 12 inches when you unfold it. A little yellow with age, but handsome. Made from real elephant. "Hell, boy, EVERY tool collecter needs an ivory ruler!" And that was that. He sunk back into reticence for the rest of the day.

Well, months go by and Todd is at another auction with the same big money Old Coot. Todd figured he'd just have a go at the box lots of junk, and that there'd be no chance he'd get a shot at a 3-wheeled plow plane from the mid 19th Century. Well... he searches. In one box, underneath the 10 year old utility knives, rusty wood screws, and window latch hardware he finds a nugget. It happens. It happens to me very rarely. It'll happen to every persistent tool collector eventually. Thing is, the Old Coot knows that, too. And he LOOKS for those nuggets in the box lots. At the bottom of this box is an ivory ruler. That's the nugget. Decent shape. Of all things. Probably north of $200 at an antique tool dealer's shop. But Todd has to play it cool. In case the Old Guy HADN'T seen it. Quietly. With luck... Todd would have a shot at a Good Stuff at the same auction as the Crotchety, Bottomless Wallet. He'd need a lot of luck. He shoved the ruler back in the bottom of the box and crossed his fingers.

The box lots come up for bid, including the special one. Bidding starts at a dollar and doesn't get much higher. A couple cursory bids but it stops at $5. It stops at Todd. Todd wins the jackpot of the day's box lots. When he returns with his seat with a box of rust and ONE little piece of tusk, the old guy, the Old Coot, leans over to him and says, "EVERY tool collecter needs an ivory ruler."

He had seen the ruler and let Todd get it. Years have passed and Todd has gotten a few more ivory rulers in his travels. But that was the first one.

Well, time goes by, and the Old Coot wasn't getting any younger. One day he shuffled off his mortal coil (which I think has something to do with an alternator coil...) and Todd heard about his passing before the funeral had taken place. He decided he should pay his respects to this worthy auction adversary. When he passed the open casket at the front of the church and paused, a little something extra got shoved into the exCoot's suit breast-pocket. Something to take with him on his long dirt nap. Because EVERY tool 'collecter' needs an ivory ruler.

Center Axis Relock

Center Axis Relock.

Hmmm, this shooting method seems counter intuitive to everything learned/practiced/known/heard about pistol shooting since Cooper and Weaver changed the world. And it sounds like new-fangled point shooting. Sounds like a spray and pray method that will lead to a lot of misses.

I say spray and pray because one of the sources I checked says you can empty a whole mag in less than 4 seconds. Odd, that. But that might not be the official dogma. I hope hits are the dogma, not bangs.

But there are proponents, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

What it is, is a fighting system that keeps your firearm close to your body. Your body is 'bladed' or turned severely. You support hand forearm is parallel to you your body, elbow bent more than 90 degrees when presenting. You shooting hand forearm is parallel to the deck and the elbow is up and kinda back. You arm is in line with the barrel, and the gun is canted a little bit, butt of the pistol out. Because you are not fully extended the rear of the gun is much closer you your face. If I try this out I better watch I don't get smacked when it recoils.

These bent elbows and close-in hold are ostensible to give you better mechanics and firmer control. And it's more compact, making it harder to bad guys to deflect or snatch your weapon when in close combat like a mugging situation. At the rest position the weapon is held on your chest, so you can carry that way, almost casually, easily, cradled.

It's hard to describe. Better check what few bits of information are available on teh web. Here is a description from a point shooting website, and here is the guy that teaches the Center Axis Relock system.

Disadvantages for the Police and Soldiers are the exposure of a flank toward a target that may be shooting back, That flank isn’t armored, or armored as well. But that doesn’t matter to me or regular people, or to CCW types. We generally never have armor.

Disadvantages for people carrying firearms with less ammo capacity. It sounds like you can empty even a 15 round mag pretty fast. But cops are doing that with any stance. And if there is more control you should be getting hits, now, right?

Other disadvantages. They don't seem to teach the technique to civilians, (Bad form, wot wot.)

Youtube has video:

Look at that and what do you think about me shooting close to the body, 'high position'? See anything wrong with me specifically? Yeah, I'm left handed. Brass would bounce off the sternum, but I can do the extended position left handed.

Zombie Doll

Plushy.

Future America

I had a vivid dream last night. It was more of a vision. A Prophecy! A glimpse into the future…

In the vision I am Khan of the Peppery Horde. Riding against roving brigands, Amazons, Ninja-Mummies, Acid-Spitting Mutants, CHUDS, Zombie Clowns, Cursed Pirates in Dirigibles, Thyme Bandits, the Eloi/Morlock Alliance, Krishna Kommandos, and Molemen armies. Oddly enough, the Sleestaks died out early. I guess they freaked EVERYONE the heck out and were unmercifully preyed upon, early.






Why Pepper? Because I had the foresight to prepare for the coming Apocalypse with several 5 gallon buckets full of peppercorns that I then used for barter as I built up my Empire. The Golden Horde was based on a gold economy. Thus, the Peppery Horde is based on a… what economy?


If you qualify Expert rifleman you get an extra measure of Peppercorns in your pay. Which is kind of ironic because the origin of the word Salary is from the Latin word for salt. And salt was a means of paying Legionnaires back in Ceasar’s time.


Pockets of civilization in this vision are marked by temples to Cthullhu or ziggurats to the FSM (may his noodly appendage bless you and keep you). It all sort of looked like that Hanna Barbera cartoon “Thundar the Barbarian” but the moon wasn’t cracked in two. The face of the moon DID have a portrait of Ronald Reagan carved on it. Smiley Reagan. Putting him on Mt Rushmore wasn’t enough of a tribute to the Gipper, so they carved a bust of W out there. I was given to understand that the far side of the moon had Angry Reagan on it to scare away aliens. It must have worked because there were no aliens.


We didn’t ride ponies in our Horde, but Mad Max style post-apocalyptic automobiles. Many decked out with Obama bumper stickers. Not in support, but to scare and intimidate our enemies with the memory of what caused the end-times.

Mohawks, tattoos, leather pants, platform shoes, and Steampunk styling were the norm.

Commenters

Hey. Some commenters have been keeping me honest with the accuracy of my post. Correcting my bad grammar, when I'm not clear on my meaning, or just plain using the wrong word to describe something.

Thanks.

Keep up the good work, keeping me honest, and all. I'm far from perfect, but certainly want to strive to be as close to that as possible.

Here, let me test you.

THE VALUE OF Pi IS EXACTLY 3!!!

Eastwood

Clint Eastwood. Badass.

In the upcoming movie Gran Torino:

Note the Garand and 1911. Old School Butt-Kickery.

Dudes! Don't mess with Harry Callahan. Even if he is retired and goes by the name Kowalski.

A guy like this lives in my neighborhood. Champion Archery competitor. Big fan of the M3 Greasegun. I do computer consulting for him in exchange for beer, and he watches the street. 82 years old. Naval Petty Officer in the Pacific during the Big One. (Down the OTHER side of the street is the Atlantic Petty Officer...) Mean and crotchety as all git. I'll miss him when he's gone.

If he had a Greasegun, I wonder who he'd ATF transfer it to? But how could he have gotten one? It's not like he hung around a lot of Marines getting to ready to land on Japanese held islands in the early 40s, and occasionally those Marines had to come back to the ship all patched up and stuff and not needing their subby any more...

Stance Considerations

This is the closest to my natural stance.

The Modified Weaver:

How to Take the Modified Weaver Pistol Shooting Stance

So maybe I'm doing something right, comfrtable and instinctively. I think mine is closer to Chapman stance, if the only difference in presentation between Weaver and Chapman is in Weaver your elbows are bent and in Chapman your shooting arm is straight and locked.

Hat tip to Xavier.

I'm still a n00b. Not too late to fix myself and get a better stance/grip. But I may be fine, based on that video.

Police like it because the holstered pistol is away from an interview-ee. It's also harded to push a cop over when one foot is back. They can give a shove with the off-hand while unholstering their weapon if the subject if particularly rambunctious.

I have been studying other ideas and here are some links:

You saw Xavier's link and the same instructor shows regular Weaver and Isoceles.

Cornerd Cat shows a standard few stances pictorially.

Pro-Gun Progrssive's guy, Tactical Shooting, has a different grip and stance system. Fist-Fire.

Brian Enos has and extensive set of shooting tips and fundamentals.

Janis Cortese has a similar pictorial as Cornered Cat

A Police Link sight has some info, too.

And I believe Todd Jarrett of Blackwater/Para Gunblogger Training Fame prefers and teaches a form of Isoceles style, mainly for the freedom is give to engage a wider angle down range, left and right. If you turn 45 degrees it is harder to shoot at target that pop on the support hand side because you have turned away from that side. Jarret is different that 1970s Police style isocelese in having the shoulders forward, over the hips, and knees bent. I think. He's also not perfectly square on to the target, as the shooting hand side foot is back a few inches, not the foot and a half I use.

Anecdotal reports are that Law Enforcement are going back to a modified Isoceles, too, from the Weaver.

As I read around I am finding that the Weaver stance, once considered absolutely state of the art, is now Old Skool, and even trite by the very impressive run and gun competitors. I'm conservative in my shooting (hence choosing a long M1A over an AR carbine type rifle) so it would be natural I'd be somewhat old school. I'm not going so far back into the hoary mists of time and adopting old-school point shooting or one handed shooting with the off hand in my hip pocket. Or even further back and shooting a single shot breech loader in prone with my body lined up with the target axis. But I could be convinced and change over to ISO pistol shooting. I'll have to experiment.

Undeniably, both stances can get the job done.

It would take a lot more to get me to switch to carbines... I'd have to be drafted, I think.

JayG and Ammo/Magazine Amounts

JayG has a post up about quantities of ammo and magazines you should keep on hand. Read it. It pretty much gibes with my thoughtls

Good numbers on ammo amounts, I think, and doable. Even if you aren't a wealthy gadabout and bon vivant like me. That said, I'm not there yet. It does take time, accumulating that quantity, so if you are still climbing that hill, like me, be patient.

I noticed when I first started getting ammo, as I had NONE, I initially paid retail just to GET something. Nothing wrong with that. As you get more and you have a comfort level in case SHTF (food byproducts impact the air circulation unit.) happens tomorrow, you start to notice deals and pounce on them when they come. You also start to math in your head. Like: "Lessee, 140 round battle pack of .308 surplus at $95 is.... carry the 2... is 68 cents a round... not bad, but let's keep looking." and your whole search become price per round hunts.

Remember, "Buy Ammo Day" is anything the week of the 19th, November. Buy at least 100 rounds. Or 1120 if you are ambitious.

The Guy that Sits Next to Me

The guy that sits next to me at work?

Got him interested in a Mossberg Pursuader (oops, was thinking about comic book heros and called it a Punisher. I'm sure it is punishing. Especially if you use 3" magnum shells. Owwwie, my shoulder. Thanks, commenter.) last year because, A) he wanted a shotgun for home defense, and B) that IS a cool name… Good marketing there, Mossy. It’s a good value, a decent gun for the money, and is an effective goblin-smacker, as are many 12 gauge shotguns.

And recently he has expressed an interest in getting a pistol, and figured on Glock because he knows the name and they are cheap. I recommended the Springfield XD to him, instead. Something that shoots bullets that begin ".4-". I just like Springfield. The grip safety is a nice extra, in my mind. And I prefer the trigger. I've shot both, knowing I would shun plastic guns, probably forever, so I was essentially neutral. In that I was prejudiced against them from the get-go, and disliked the whole idea that they existed, so you know I'd not play favorites. That said, I was pleased at the way the XD shot for me.

The problem with this work colleague? He hasn’t actually GOTTEN them shootin' arns just yet. I tell him to hurry… Before he has no money. Chances are, his choices will have a less chance of being impacted by possible political inconveniences in the coming years, but you never know.

I recommended, also, that he get all the safety items when he gets the guns. A gun safe or locker that can resist the lockpicking skills of a child, for instance.

Update on that rifle range post

I should mention that I should have paid closer attention to my NPOA. Natrual Point of Aim. Whenever I did check, and I did several times, I noticed I was continually off to the right. That may explain the leaning to the right on the targets even more than a bad windage adjustment. The wind WAS brisk, but it was coming from that side, so I can't blame that for blowing 7.62x51mm rounds off center.

Natural Point of Aim is simple to determine, and I am pretty sure I am doing it right. Take your position and aim for the bullseye. Once you are comfortable you are on, close your eyes, relax, and count to ten. The open your eyes and look to see if the front sight is still pointing at the bullseye. It should be. Mine was often to the right. I'd shift my hips over and do the check again. It was still right, generally, but better. I should have made my NPOA spot on.

Zombie Clowns

We had a RoMERO mission not too long ago. It was at an honest-to-God Clown College in Central Florida. The college was isolated enough that it was easy to contain, and there were no uninfected witnesses, so it was easy to contain. Only one Zed made it to local civilization, and people's natural Coulrophobia kept them away, avoid this crazy-seeming angry clown. When we got her out of there, the locals were relieved and

It certainly was odd retiring that many zeds, all in makeup. Made the whole thing surreal.

Tally this trip, 28 clown-zombies retired, 8 zombie staff members. Truth effectively suppressed in the middle of nowhere. No injuries to Romero team. Cover story back home: It was a weekend and I wasn't missed at my day job. You're welcome...

Anyway, I told you that story to tell you this one...

One of our members is an actor when not on Missions. B Movies. Really bad ones too. Shoestring budgets. A lot of the stuff he's involved in goes straight to DVD. Because of the nature of the work, a lot of the actors do set-up work like lights and sound and props. A lot of backstage people double as extras. So he does some writing and producing and stuff too.

This mission inspired him to write a screenplay. Regarding, you guessed it, Clown Zombies.

It was easy to get permission from higher ups in the RoMERO chain of command. Who is going to believe Zombies are real? Much less Zombies at a Clown College.

So he took his inspired from the Romero mission. He expects a release this spring, so watch for it at those odd independent venues that show bad, but so bad they are fun, indie films.


He told me a bit about it. In one scene there is a clown car where 50 zombies fall out of a sub-compact, the hero gets to say “they just keep coming!!!”


There are zombies dragging around unicycles with seltzer bottles in their hands. There is one part with zombies on a circus trapeze, going for a hand off, and the arms of one come right off, and he falls to the net.

Picture an Undead, in full clown regalia, including big floopy shoes with a horn it: "brrraaaaaaains ~honk~ BRAAAAAAINS! ~honk~"

Eventually the people of a nearby small town get terrorized until they organize and fight back. Their reistance is made all the easier because no one has any qualms about shooting a gat-dim CLOWN in the head.

Don LaFontaine voice: "In a WORLD where clowns really ARE out to get you... and eat your brains... Coming soon, to a theater no where near you."

Add it to your Netflix queue.

When the Zombies Come

A work friend, let's call him Dirty Hippy, gave me this thought:

You know, when the zombies come, some group of people near Max Brooks is going to grab and FEED him to the undead, just on principle. He brought this on us by daring to write books about them.

And there are so many fatal flaws in his survival advice that I have to attribute it to malice. If you follow his guides faithfully you actually increase your chance of being a corpse snack. He must really hate people. I blame his father, partly.

It's OK, Max. Your father's History of the World: Part 1 wasn't that bad of a movie. No need to take out your frustrations on humanity by trying to undeadify as many people as possible. Look, he went on to make Spaceballs. That was good, no? Please come back and rectify your dangerous and purposeful errors. You can be redeemed by proper correctives.

BTW: Dirty Hippy did do a bunch of hunting as a kid, so he isn't ALL bad.

{update: I meant to better reference his Dad with those movies.}

Range Day

I went to a shoot this past Sunday. DelMarVa Sporting Clays was the range, south of Cambridge on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Gas was only $2.75 over there.

MDShooters was the forum that sponsored the event. (no, we DON'T shoot doctors. The MD stands for Maryland, not the other kind.)

Malfoy was there with his brand new M4 type AR. I talked about him before. Frozen, another buddy, was there too. Shooting his commie guns. Lots of commie guns. A guy with nothing but commie guns won a battlepack of .308 NATO. Lucky stiff!

Weather was gorgeous. Clear, if a bit breezy. Just the right temperature. Must have been 100 folks there. A few machine guns. Including a Ma Deuce .50 caliber machine gun. And it made quick work of a target on the 200 yard line with it's mere 200 rounds of $4 a round ammo.

Overheard quote of the day: "The Brady Campaign thinks that semi-automatic firearms are dangerous. To make them happy we'll fire automatic firearms now." Whereupon that Browning designed M2 machine gun was put through it's paces.

Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!Pom!

Git Sum!

~~~~~~

What did I learn?

I learned never to assume the sights haven't changed since last time you used the rifle. And I shot well if I adjusted the sights properly and DIDN'T MONKEY AROUND WITH THEM. Sheesh. You'd think I'd learn.

Here is me adjusting up and left with my M1A:

They shots originally started below the paper. 10 clicks off.

And here is after I get the sights to my liking:




When I shot that one I grabbed the binocs immediately. I wasn't sure if that was a hole, but I refrained from shooting any more until I could check. Glad I did. Nice to have a perfect target.

Those are 100 yard targets, using surplus Lithuanian 7.62x51 Lithuanian ammo, out of the Fulton Armory M1A. New thing this trip is the rounded spring guide vis the GI stamped steel version. I'll have to start from the beginning with the zeroing when I install the tritium fore sight this winter. But I am all this experience will make that go faster. First thing is, get the binoculars out and see how the first 3 hit before shooting a whole magazine. You can zero with the first 20 easy. Don't waste it.

I learned that shooting prone all slinged up is as stead as shooting sitting at a bench all slinged up. Or even more so.

I learned I SUCK at shooting standing up. It generally all hits paper at least. Here is another target. I had to adjust windage to the left to get on black for prone. So there is a group walkin in from the right. The shots all over the paper are from standing. There's some .22 in there, too. The wind was pretty strong and shifted a lot so I didn't shoot .22 much

I learned I need to find a sitting position with better bone on bone support for shooting.

I learned I load rifle magazines with the left hand.

I learned tactical elbow and knee pads might not just be for mall ninjas trying to look tacticool.

I learned that metallic clink I hear with every shot in the gun's workings can't be heard by anyone else. Or me when I watch someone else fire it.


I learned not to bother shooting 100 yards with a .45 pistol. Not with my pistol skill. I think I am a better rifleman than pistolero. Not a dead-eye by any means, but once I adjust the sights to hit the big black circle, most get into the big black circle. Note, nothing in the X ring...


I learned it is tiring to shoot 200 rounds of .308.

A big purpose of the day was to test magazine function. I brought mags I had left loaded for months to see if that would compress the spring enough to make them unreliable. The only problem was some failure to feeds when buddy Frozen played with it. But that's the first time he has ever use a rifle with magazine you have to 'roll' into place, and the mag wasn't seated firmly enough and worked loose.

At free shoots like this I should bring clays to scatter on the berm to be reactive targets. Get some immediate feedback that way.

But great fun was had by all. Including me. And I still have 140 rounds of .308 'practice ammo' left for another, future trip.

Stimulating

The suspected Zombie, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, is contemplating another 'stimulus check.' I have to spend any money I get from Nancy on firearm related matter.

Down payment on the SIG 229?
Go towards that training I've been arranging?
A big ammo purchase?

Decisions, decisions...

Well, I won't count the chickens til they hatch.

The last time I bought a 1894C. Named a gun for the first time. "Gummint Cheez."

Goal Recap

Let’s go over the goals again, shall we? They are over there on the right hand side.

My new M1A rifle is the cat’s meow. I shoot it much better than I deserve to, with iron sights, and for that success I blame the rifle. I haven’t tested myself on longer than 100 yard ranges, but I feel I could do ok at past that. As for shooting as far as I can see, I have temporarily solved that problem by squinting a lot and avoid clear days and open vistas. So, that goal continues apace.

I’ve improved my accuracy with a pistol, but I’m still not where I want to be. (I wish I could shoot half as good as Breda.) I have signed up for a Conceal Carry Class to get a permit for bunch of OTHER states than the one I live in. More importantly, that trainer might be a good source of additional training to get my pistol accuracy up. I own a perfectly good self-defense pistol and I am drooling after yet another.

Hunting season is around the corner. More potential hunting areas are open to me, but I still have to test my skill and luck. I’ll need more of the latter to make up for my lack of the former. I also need to renew my hunting license online. Soon . We’ll see if I get anything in the next few months. Of course, if I do, or if MBtGE get something, one of the important steps of this goal is the field dressing and butchering. I’m sure he won’t mind the help.

I’ve got a good start on the ammo. I’ll probably snag a few more boxes of .22. So I am more ready for those damn Zombies. I have a zombie rifle and a back-up and one or two others. I am hoping the Jacobins, and their time machine from the 18th Century, remain incompetent, as I prepare further. Maybe Appleseed training?

I am Joe

Say it like, "I am Spartacus."

No one deserves the Media's colonoscopy treatment just by asking an embarrassing question of the candidate the Media is in the tank for.

Need over Want

People ask, “How many guns do you need?”

Malfoy, below, is getting one, and I firmly believe he may stop at JUST one. As I said, I am kinda jealous of the simplicity. Ad it’s a lot easier to keep track of all your guns when you only have one.

And then they go into the standard 4-gun system popular with most survivalists. A .22, a shotty, a rifle, and a pistol. You hit a guy with a little more gun-enthusiasm and you get a list of 9-11 that you absolutely MUST have to survive a zombie apocalypse. And then a spare of each. (Two is one, one is none.)

1. .22 pistol for practice/plinking, and small game.
2. .22 single shot rifle, for practice, small game.
3. a shotgun for bird hunting and other critters.
4. a shotgun for property defense.
5. a major caliber handgun for defense.
6. a biggish centerfire bolt-action rifle for hunting.
7. a Sport Utility Carbine for CQB.
8. a Support Utility Rifle for defending your country against the rampaging commie hordes.
9. a .22 semi-auto with a suppressor for ninja work and anti-zombie.
10. a smaller handgun in a decent caliber for conceal carry options.
11. a even SMALLER handgun in a just barely acceptable caliber for deep conceal.

And you need the other 11 as a spare. 22 total. You might pare that down a few. The spare is in case one breaks.

You can be a bit MORE of a Gun Enthusiast and desire to equip a squad of close friends and family members with a 4-gun system (see above) each. After the big comet hits and you take to the hills to begin society anew, you need a small band of people to make a go of it.

Go further down the road and you get collectors. One of each S&W revolver, one of each Browning design, a sample of every issue rifle of the US Army since 1800, or of ALL major nations issue weapons. These numbers can run into the hundred of firearms, and there are quite a few of these people out there. Remember that when people say there are 300 million Americans and 300 million firearms. It’s not one gun for each, it’s 100 for this guy and zero for the next 99 folks.

Do you even NEED one? Or will you EVER need one in your lifetime? Dunno. But better to have and never need then to need and not have. I might never need to be shocked with a cardiac defibrillator, and brought back to life to live another 20 years, but if I DO need one…

I know! Let’s ban Defibrillators!

Anyhoo… Where am I on that spectrum? You can pretty much guess, if you are one of my loyal readers (both of you), that I am greater than 4, but less than one of each and a spare (22 total). You can tell from my MASTER LIST, especially if you knew the ones that USED to be on there and were acquired... But, if I won the lottery, I have enough fun that I’d be one of those 100-gun collectors. MBtGE is on the ‘equip a squad’ level.

{update: fixed spelling of 'defibrillators'. so embarrassed. it's such an easy word.}

Speaking of...

Speaking of refutation, and the post a couple before that, my philosophy of limiting my guns' caliber variety to make for easier inventory tracking does have a flaw.

From one of Tam's comments:

From a vintage thread at TFL: "Reason To Own A Bunch Of Guns #8: Because if the balloon goes up and you run down to the gun shop and the last thing left on the shelf is a box of 6.5 Arisaka and you don't have anything to shoot it, well, aren't you going to feel pretty foolish?"

Yeah yeah. To stumble upon a crate of 7.62x54 Russian ammo during the zombocalypse and NOT having picked up a single $75 Mosin during the 'before time' would be the height of shadenfreude for the people in the theater watching the zombie movie of my life, wouldn't it? But that has to happen SOMEHOW in every Zombie flick, at any rate, as a major plot point. If it doesn't happen that way it will find some other way to Murphy-kick me in the proverbial groin.

But man it would be nice to have 4 boxes of ammo. One box says pistol and there is nothing but .45 in there, one says shotgun and there is nothing 12 gauge, and one said .22, and one said rifle and you knew there'd only be the one type of whatever it is you shoot. And you or I have more than just 4 guns. Too late now. I am already mixed. At least 8 'types' of ammo, though only a box or 2 for the little-used firearms.

refutation, go-to info

It's important to refute anti-civil rights stuff propogated by hoplophobes. But clever, intelligent, open-minded people want a cite to read that refutes disengenuous 'research.' And refutations can't have the taint of wackiness in it. I needed a repository to show people in the middle, that think both sides may be crazy.

When Bellesiles is cited I need to be able point to things that exposed him as a fraud. Or Kellerman's fraud, or Loftin's. And I found a nice one-stop shop for that ehre: A Brief History of Firearms Policy Fraud. One of the comments there brought it into stark releif. To paraphrase: those anti-gun anti-civil-rights researchers have SEEN the evidence. They KNOW they are wrong and have to tweak their data at the very minimum to achieve the ends they want to find at the very least, and they make up vast swaths of facts to support their erroneous thoeries at the worst. So the question is... Why? I'll tell you why.

Look at the Catastrophic Anthropogenic Greenhouse Warming religion. They started out with a solution and shopped around for a problem. Their solution was Socialism, and their problem became Global Warmening. If someone found a capitalistic solution that 90% of the public saw as superior to any socialist remedies and unquestionably better, the followers of Anthropogenic warming would lose interest in their pet project and faith and cast about for something else. The point is not the environment, the point is controlling other people. To force other people to be more like you, for their own good. Their intentions may be nice, many truly just want to do GOOD, but their methods of forced obedience is monstrous.

The same for Anti-Gun folks. They don't care so much about criminals, but for ordinary people to have control of their own lives and responsible for their own defense? That can't be. That's their fellow man, NOT under control. Their fellow man could hurt themselves, or WORSE, turn against anti-gunners for whatever reason. The possibility is just, THERE. It is an irrational fear, but it is there.

If we ascribe them the purest motive of "we just don't want people to die" then their methods of minimizing of eliminating guns of everyone doesn't jibe. Gun possession and minimizing death from guns don't have to be mutually exclusive, but to be as charitible as poosibe, THEIR side might think that it is mutually exclusive.

Anyway...

There is more details on the fraud perpetrated by the anti-gun folks here:

It turns out that Second Amendment advocates have gotten their story straight and their act together, while the gun control zealots have fumbled, fudged, and outright lied.

There is some other sources I turn to. Ethics from the Barrel of a Gun:
What Bearing Weapons Teaches About the Good Life.

[Ethics and Fraud were both themes I got from Hecate's Crossroad, and that blog got them both from Ricketyclick, it seems.]

Next Range Trip

I've been going over old posts and looking at how I shot. I'm not improving. I need to use the better grip with my shooting hand, figure out what to do with my support hand, AND do the super concentration thing with the slow steady trigger pull, being sure the rest of the fingers aren't doing anything. Try to get Hollywood Robb's Zen like action. And slow. No hurry. You got all night to shoot 50 or so. Let's try to make a target that won't make Breda pretend not to know me.

Fire

What would you do if you had a fire, and lost EVERYTHING? What would I do? First, it’d be a crying shame in the gun department. But it’d be a crying shame in the EVERYTHING department. I hope is NEVER happens. I don’t think, when all else is settled I’d need to re-get some guns.

Replacing everything, one for one, now that I know what I know… I wouldn’t do that. I’d take the time to simplify the inventory. I’d feel bad about losing heirloom stuff, but that’s the thing with heirlooms: once gone, they are GONE. Nothing will replace THAT particular Springfield ’03, so… There wouldn’t be one in the gun safe after disaster. Grandpa’s shotgun and Great Grandma’s squirrel gun, too.

So, what do I re-acquire immediately, and what do I save for later, and what do I omit entirely?

Well, you start with the 4 gun system. A .22, a shotgun, a major caliber pistol, and a major caliber rifle. Easy. Some .22 and perhaps the pump .22 rifle. A 1911, perhaps with a .22 conversion kit, the Remington 1100 12 gauge or an 870 Pump, and I’d get another M1A.

Now you need a spare. Well, I’d take this opportunity to get a 10/22, and then I’d be set there. I’d get a Moon Clip revolver like the 1917 S&W model 22 or the stainless S&W model 625, just for ammo commonality to cover the spare pistol stuff, a double barrel shotgun in 12 gauge, and maybe I’d finally get a bolt action rifle for the spare major caliber rifle.

Then I’d stop. No, really. Ok, throw in that SIG P229 I like for an odd gun out. But after that, seriously. No more. I’d be pretty bummed about the hobby for a while after losing everything. That’s 8.5 or 9.5. (counting the conversion kit for the 1911 as .5, hell might as well get the conversion for the SIG, too… so tops is 10.) It’s just about the 4-gun system and the spare, and it’s 4 common ammo types.

I sure would miss the Garand. Probably the most. And that would be because I couldn’t justify the replacement. It quickly became a sentimental favorite, even though I have no personal history with it, prior.

So here is the question for YOU gentle readers (all both of you). If you lost everything, what would YOU do different? What is your "get soonest after made insurance check is cashed" list? Or would you just spend a lot of time trying to re-create exactly as before, before you felt better.

Oooo, did I just start a Meme? Yes. Yes I did! Post a comment or post on yer own blog.

Pinup Calendar

Don't laugh. This sort of thing is our future.

Almost SFW.

Boo, Fudds!

Thinking of starting a political issue thingy. A PAC. Whatever. I will call for a ban on all hunting firearms. Blackpowder, fancy camouflaged rifles, duck guns, that sort of thing. A lot of them have been modified or designed in such a way to make them impractical for self-defense or militia use. That's not sanctioned/enumerated by the 2nd Amendment. And hunters have shooting accidents every year. Dick Cheney’s known ‘accidental’ lawyer shooting is a case in point.

If the liberals want to ban guns, they can go ahead and ban those. Throw those guys under the bus. The Constitution was about defense of person and nation, not killing poor little Bambi. There is no enumerated right for hunters. Now. Let’s see how THEY like it. Underside of the bus is a bit smudgy, ain’t it?

Of course, conservation matters. There will still need to be deer killing to keep them from over-populating and dying in much greater numbers. But that can be done with milsurp rifles or even AR-10s. Excess ducks and geese die just fine by tactical home-defense shotguns as they do with $10,000 Italian jobs. And you don’t have to wait for them to fly before killing them. Shoot them standing on the ground. Lots of suburban ponds and lakes would appreciate fewer geese pooping all over. And if you shoot them on the ground, that is safer for the people in nearby splitlevel ranch style houses (known in the real estate biz as 'Splanch' style homes (yeah, I know)).

There is nothing in the 2nd Amendment about Sportsmen or Sporting Use, unlike the stated defense purposes, so there is nothing wrong with banning and confiscating these dangerous guns in the arms of fumble fingered old men. If they want to keep them, let them pass an Amendment that reads, “the desires of hunters being important enough to protect by this Nations foundation document, the right to keep and bear bambi-killing and daffy-duck-killing firearms shall only be lightly infringed” or something. The target-only shooters might want to get in on this. Other than practice for defense training there is really no need for things like fancy .17 caliber target competition guns.

Why am I ranting so? Every so often you hear about some hunting advocate talk like, “I don’t want you to ban my rifle, but I’ll support efforts to ban AR-15s or Glocks if you just promise to leave my stuff alone. That’ll give you cover and you gun-banners will be happy.” Fake organizations like AHSA try to capitalize on this. They think they can sacrifice to the anti-human-rights beast and not be eaten in the end. And I like to fantasize about turning the tables on these Fudds (derogatory term for that type of anti-gun hunter. Shortened term for Elmer Fudd) and their wrong headed policies.

Would I really do this type issue advocacy? No. But I am lazy and principled.

One a Year

I may be done on the buying splurge. There hasn’t been any REAL priority items on the Master List.

Sure there is stuff on the Secondary list, but nothing on the Primary. My thought is to limit myself to one a year. For REAL this time. No, I mean it. I will get one in 2009. That’s it. Probably that SIG.

I know, I know… you are thinking, “but you can never have enough!” Perhaps. But my mentality doesn’t lean toward collector. I’m a “one of each” type of guy, and I go for utility. If I were rich I might take on a collecting hobby. Others collecting hobbies unrelated to guns have presented themselves in the past, and I resisted them. Old-Tool woodworking tools, ala the Woodwright’s Shop, for example. I have one of each of those.

I pretty much have one of each in the firearm department, now, too.

A tighter economic outlook for the country also means something, though I don’t anticipate any personal, specific, hardships, near term. The contract at work isn’t going to dry up. I could always be surprised I guess.

Also, just because the acquisiton money faucet is turned off doesn’t mean the hobby money is off. Practice and training and range ammo and even shooting competition. Let me USE more of these fine fun pieces of iron and wood. Getting good at it should be more satisfying than merely ‘having’ stuff.

So… I must hold myself to 1 a year.

Let’s see how long THAT lasts.

Training Time Coming

Uncle: "I learned more in the last three hours than I have since I've been shooting."

Documented Training quote.

Yes indeed. He was referring to all the NRA convention-attending bloggers that won a trip to get some training from Todd Jarrett.

Now it’s time for ME to poop or get out of the terlet. People gotta use that baffroom, ya know. Their teef won’t brush their own selves.

So, the NRA Basic Pistol sounds too basic. If I tripped over a class that was close by and on my way to someplace, I'd take it. It'd be one of those, "Hey, T-Bolt, could you come out and take the course I'm teaching? It'll be fun with you there. I'll even give you a 4% discount," type of things.

What interests me MORE is training and assistance on getting a Conceal Carry Permit from Utah, Virginia, and or Florida (but I need to make sure this place I found doesn't have Basic Pistol as a pre-req. In which case I WILL be taking Basic Pistol, toot suite. looks like they DON'T have a pre-req.)

Update, just called, the class I am signed up for is a combination CCW AND Basic Pistol.

It won't, under any circumstance, get me a permit for Maryland. But it's a start.

Maryland doesn't trust their own upstanding law-abiding sane and sober citizens, generally, to carry concealed, but there are states that trust such American to carry in their state and will even certify them as such. Plus, the fees add to their coffers. And I am nothing if not upstanding.

I found a place that offers all this nearby, Firearms Traing Group, but they are out of pocket (Iraq) until November. So that's the only thing holding me back: Time. I got on that waiting list, though, for a class on Sunday the 7th of December (INFAMY!). They have other classes that interest me, but we'll wait to see how much I like them in their first class. I might be able to use them to sharpen my accuracy.

Grip Recap

I really like the new grip for my shooting hand, not so much the support hand.

The shooting hand is better lined up with my arm, and it just POINTS better now. I don’t have to hunt around for the front sight. It’s already there, looking where I look.

But I must need to nestle the support hand into the grip more, or better. The thumb pointing forward jumps out of position with every recoil. No ones thumbs jump off in the Para-Gunblogger-Jarrett training videos, so… I have to study them and see if I can tell what I am doing wrong.

Hoplophobia

It’s all around. And it’s quite dispiriting.

I carry a pocketknife. It’s small. One blade, less than 3 inches. Much less. Closer to 2. I don’t like to take it out of my pocket at work because of what happened the other day.

Someone had ordered lunch for a few people and it came in a plastic grocery bag, tied off in a knot. After watching her struggle to untie it, I handed the pocket knife over to her. Another co-worker FREAKED. She escalated her wig-out to just shy of shouting, “OHMYGOD he will kill us all!” and “SOMEONE GET SECURITY!”

All over a tiny knife, suitable to cut the string off of packages, and to scrape under your fingernails.

This is not the first time this has happened. The last time it was over a smaller knife with a blade half an inch long. I’d be more of a physical threat wielding my SHOE as a weapon, if that is what you are worried about.

We work around computers. El Freako-Out hysterical woman has built computers from components. The room is filled with people with Swiss Army knives in their desks, and you can see 2 guys from her desk wearing a belt with a Leatherman style multi-tool on it. You NEED something to work on a computer, is why. A small screwdriver, as offered by those tools, works just fine for occasional use. And BOTH tools have a longer blade than my pocketknife. No one looks twice at them.

How do you fight against that sort of histrionics? Do I reassure her and people like her by saying, “Don’t worry, when I go on a workplace killing spree I’m going to use something like a flower pot as a blunt object weapon, or a shoe lace as a garrote. I sorta feel I owe to the gun enthusiasts I know NOT to use a knife or a gun and draw more calls for gun-control.” It’s not like I’d hurt a fly at work. And I’ve never seen a co-worker assault a co-worker in anyway, so it is pretty rare already. If EVERYONE at work carried sheathed 30 inch cavalry sabers sharp enough to shave with she’d be as safe. Even in a shouting match argument.

These people are EVERYWHERE. People with this irrational fear of weapons. What is she going to do if CCW passes in Maryland and there are half a dozen unknown-to-her people in the room with a pistol on their hip? If I didn’t have a pocketknife, how could she trust me not to hurt her with just my hands?

How do you combat such ignorance? I’ve thought of making fun of them for being chicken. I’ve thought of reasoning. Both seem like a waste of time. Constant exposure to the objects of their fear to desensitize a hoplophobe seems like the only way. In other words, Open Carry. And the wisdom of Open Carry is a bone of contention, even with gun-enthusiasts. The appropriateness, the etiquette. The desire not to go too far, too fast, trying to gain acceptance by constant exposure. No one is concerned when a Cop open-carries, they shouldn't be concerned when a known friend and neighbor does. Especially at a public youth sporting event, that some sicko might want to make the news by harming a pack of unarmed and defenseless children and parents to gain infamy and satisfy his sick desires.

Personally, I'm all for more people appropriately, calmly, politely, Open Carrying, in a low key manner. A slip up can set back all our progress on this. And it wouldn't have to be from one of "us." Some ignoramus could push the whole country back to the 1970s in NATIONAL gun attitude with one mistake that the anti-civil-rights people, like the Bradys, would jump on with both feet, wringing every angle out of to within an inch of Lady Liberty's life. I'm betting the lady at the Soccer Field that got all the bad press that everyone that is against her are going off of details published my the Mainstream Media. In other words, erroneously cast in the worst light. Chances are, she WAS being responsible. I don't know how to pre-empt such an event, but we should all think on it. Carefully. And Open Carry, appropriately, calmly... etc.

But Open Carry is no solution, in my case. The State won’t allow that. We're working on that. Some council moving to a more gun friendly place, but wouldn't it be better to expand the freedom rather than bunker into enclaves?

If Maryland went Open Carry and Conceal Carry tomorrow, as if by magic, the reason I'd prefer Conceal is to not attract attention and be more tactically effective that way... but that doesn't help tamp down hoplophobic attitudes.

See? I'm torn. Not sure which way to turn if given the chance. It'd depend on the location.

Elitism

Do you have a friend or associate that you KNOW is a gun owner, but you think they should never have been allowed to get a gun?

I mean they have no record, and they aren’t THAT crazy, so there is no real legal reason to deny them. Maybe they inherited a revolver. But you know their character, and you wouldn't trust them to properly use a toilet responsibly. Or maybe they are a total klutz and accident prone, uncoordinated. They are KNOWN to total a car because of incompetence on multiple occasions.

Perhaps it would be best if they got rid of that firearm. Some people aren’t ‘adult’ enough yet, by any 'objective' judgment.

Yeah. That’s a snobby, elitist attitude, isn’t it? That kind of thought process is the road to tyranny. Guard against it. Who are YOU to judge? Maybe your instincts are right and that gun owner is an irresponsible powder keg, an accident waiting to happen. Well, statistics say otherwise, so stop trying to be your brother’s keeper.

American People have 2 firm foundation characteristics. One is the pioneer spirit of self-reliance. The “leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone and we’ll get along just fine,” attitude, and has been here since the first colonist stepped on these shores to stay, and it spread from coast to coast and beyond. It’s the basis for our love of liberty. The other characteristic is from the Puritan side of our nation’s founding. The “we know what’s best for everyone and we’re going to insist that everyone comply with this truth,” It’s the basis for our Progressives, our Populist, the Leftists and many Religious Evangelicals, all (see: Puritans). And this second side, I don’t cotton too, that much. I’ll grant that in the best of cases, these second types mean well, and a unity of purpose can get a lot of good done, but who is to pick the good? They can get a lot of bad done, too, if people band together. And without even intending to DO bad. It just happens.

If we are going to err, let’s err on the side of “leave your neighbor the hell alone and let him get on with his life. He ain’t hurting nobody.”

Token Political Rant

I try to limit myself on non-gun topics. So, hopefully this will get it out of my system

Let me get this straight. Obama wants to tax incomes over $250,000. So what if Obama’s $250k tax falls on small business that file the business money as an individual and have revenues around $300k or so. It’s not too hard for a successful small company to make that kind of dough. Maybe with 5 employees aside from the owner. Or maybe just a decent mom and pop business. Companies like a Sign Shop, a finish carpentry business with 4 brothers running jobs, a sushi restaurant, a soybean farmer, a divorce lawyer, and a local carpet cleaning business. Will those EVIL companies have to pay up under the new regime? Or will my sign, carpentry, sushi, veggie-burger, divorce, and carpet cleaning needs just get more expensive. Or maybe they won’t expand their business so their stuff will get more scarce. Cuz if they are doing that sort of thing, I’m gonna have to hold off purchasing stuff, and so will a lot of other people. Maybe do without.

But better that money be spent on a second Planetarium in Portland Oregon than go to those business peoples pockets or company expansion funds if I DO spend the money on… sushi, say, that gets taxed greater after the new regime. Twice a year, now, instead of once a month on that sashimi, since it costs me. They need the gov’t money out there more than local companies. So what if those businesses have a hard time. It’s their own fault for being so rich, greedy, and evil. How dare they try to succeed. If they fail, GOOD. We don’t need their kind. Not in America. We need a gov’t funded Planetarium! Well ANOTHER Planetarium. In Oregon. Do you expect school kids to sit in class and NOT go on a field trip? I trust Congress to spend that money more wisely than any stupid soybean farmer can. Those guys wear coveralls and chew on HAY, fer Criminy!

Here’s a thought. When considering new punitive taxes, Congress, look beyond the target of your wrath (Booooo, Big Oil! Tax the gas! Tax the corporate take!) at who will bear the burden of the tax. Does the gas station pay that tax and just suck it up, and THEY become the Sad Clown, or do I pay that tax when I get gas? I am not ‘addicted’ to energy. I need that gas to live, as much as I need food.

And, since, me and millions of other American just have their heads above water, why are we being asked by politicians and Tom Brokaw to ‘sacrifice.’ Telling ME to sacrifice is a lot cheek! And to be COMPELLED to sacrifice by the gov’t or some bureaucrat policy? Am I being punished for being a sinner of something? Is that really their JOB?

To sacrifice for the government is not a virtue.

You never hear about the government sacrificing anything. But you’d expect that. It’s not like they are our servants or anything, right? We work for THEM, right?

October Range Report

So I went to the range this week. Mixed results.

Short version: The old 1908 Colt Pocket Hammerless I was thinking of selling? I like it even more, now. The Springfield 1911? I like it less.

First of all, the local range, OnTarget just finished some renovations and now it has that 'new range smell.' I think they need better light on the range itself, but the store is better set up and the light out THERE is great. The range tables are smaller now, but I can get used to that.

Some idiot 3 lanes down did a mag dump and laughed like a hyena. He got yelled at by the range officers.

As for my shooting... The primary reason was to test out the new Jarret Style grip I've been practicing with dry fire. Interesting. The part that worked for me was the shooting hand. I line up the axis of the barrel better with my forearm, and rest the thumb on the safety to keep it pointed straight. It lined up the sights faster and more naturally, in practice AND at the range. THAT is good. But the support hand cranked down and wrapped was a bit unnatural still. I can get used to that. What I will need guidance with is that support hand thumb. I got everything nestled well but the thumb wants to fall off it's position every time the gun fires. THAT was annoying and not conducive to second shots. I don't know how to fix that yet. I hope I don't have to hire Todd Jarrett

How'd it shoot? Meh. The same old problem. Down and right. Wrist break and anticipation and trigger jerk. It DID feel like they were grouping a bit better than I have done historically, but not enough to crow about. The best shots were when I remembered everything. Good grip position, controlled breath, TIGHT grip, and trigger press that is smooth and surprises me on the break. Forget one of these and you get the lousy shots. When I remembered them all I got closest or in the the bull ring. Do those groups look tighter to you?:

Now for the REALLY bad news. I had a jam I couldn't recover from. I've put more than 500 rounds, but a bit less than 1000 through. In that time, 3 or 4 failures to feed happened when the slide hung up and couldn't push the round into battery. A shove on the slide took care of it. I hardly count those as stoppages.

THIS time, the slide was stuck back, and it seemed to be jammed on the barrel. A REAL jam, FTF. The next round hadn't been engaged, and I cleared the half full magazine from the pistol. It was safe, and the slide was STILL jammed back. Grrrr. I tried racking it pretty forcefully, and nothing. So, dammit! I took out the recoil spring plug. The lack of spring tension was enough to free it and it slid into place. I reassembled and it worked fine the rest of the shoot. But that jam is a BAD thing. Makes me want to go crazy and get a Glock.

Ok, because of the failures before, I keep the gun lubed, and when it is it doesn't hang up. What could I do differently to keep a repeat of this so-called barrel stoppage? Lube wouldn't help this case. A MANLY yank on the slide might have cleared it without dissassembly. Help.

The other gun I played with was the 80 year old 1908 Colt Pocket Hammerless. It shot pretty well. I'd forgotten that the slide doesn't rack back on the last shot so at the end of every mag I got that click, firing on an empty chamber. What's a matter? Can't I count to 7? The new grip style helped with this gun and the sights lined up right nice for me. I like that, since they are tiny military style sights. It shot decently and there were no failures to feed or eject. Except one. And it was my fault.

What went wrong with this gun? I slammed one mag in and pinched the skin on me small finger, and it bled like a stuck pig. That wasn't the failure though, that just hurt. Holding the gun one way I felt the magazing rubbing against my finger, and I held it tight. That was enough to release the magazing a tiny bit. So the mag hung out a tiny bit. Slap, rack, bang and I was back in business (and I sorta knew that was the problem so it was a quick fix.) After a 'click' instead of a 'bang' I slapped the magazine back back into place, racked the slide, and fired. No problem.

The Colt .380 shots are the bottom two targets on this one, top two are short mags of .45:

And the middle of the target for my aimpoint, at the cross, on this one. The rest are 1911 .45:

I know, it's hard to tell which is whick. The .45 leaves ragged holes, the .380 is hollow point and leaves neat holes.

One other thing I noticed about my shooting. My feet position seemed wrong, not. I turn too muchto the left, with the strong foot well back. Too far. I think. When I thought about it I tried to fix that, flex my knees, and not lean back. But I I didn't think I fell right back into that postion, naturally. Gonna need to think on that, too.

Another New Gun Ownser

So ANOTHER work buddy is buying a gun. His first purchase, evah! (Let’s call him Draco Malfoy. Malfoy for short.)

His dad is survivalist type, with a couple years worth of supplies stored up, so he absorbed that sort of thought process via osmosis. He, himself, is not that survivalist minded, by a long shot. But possible future political climates being what they are...

This guy is aged 25 or so, and just got out of the Air Force.

Guess what he is getting? Yup, a short AR-15, known affectionately as an ‘M4gery’. And he is looking at getting an EOTech red-dot optic for it right away. And all this done before Obama takes the oath of office.

Yup, his first gun will be a Sport Utility Rifle. A gun that looks just like an “Assault” Weapon. And he doesn’t want a pistol. He MIGHT get a scatter gun. Some day. Might.

Beware of a man with only one gun. Chances are he knows how to use it.

And he does. Know how to use it. I’m not saying he’s an expert, but he is checked out on it.

Why did he make this picture now? He wants to have it before it all gets banned this spring. And in case of a SHTF (stuff hits the fan) scenario.

That’s a common assumption I’ve noticed, and not just around the pro-gun community. Associates with no interest in guns and little interest in politics, but lean Democrat, are of the opinion that political lines are so polarized right now, nationwide riots are possible, even probable, no matter the outcome. And that a likely Obama administration, despite assurances to the contrary, will try for sweeping gun control legislation right off the bat. If it passes, we’ll have it by Spring 2009.

Can you believe that? That we’ve gotten to the level of ‘riots and unrest expected’ in this country again? I don’t know if things are that dire, but people of all stripes are spun up. Polite discourse is out the window, I’ll grant, but what is different now, compared to the past?

Anyway, Malfoy’s gun… I approve. Naturally. I might recommend a decent foregrip for his EOTech battery storage, and a bunch of spare magazines. It might not be the ideal rifle (ooo! icky! An AR, Mattel toy factory, poodle shooter! Ok, ok, I’ll stop the AR hate), in my view, but it is damn good, and certainly good for HIM. And since it is his only gun, it’ll do whatever he needs it for. It is certainly able to fill a LOT of rolls, if not any one of them perfectly. I am kinda jealous of the simplicity. A lot easier to keep track of all your guns when you only have one.

~~
Also… MBtGE has a nephew in law. He’s been in the family for a couple years, and is an active duty Marine. Drill team. He too has been purchasing firearms, and got a Garand last summer, on a bit of a whim, to go with some other stuff he has. MBtGE had to show him how to work the rifle, and he got THAT experience to share by playing with my Garand. It’s win-win all around. Information goes both ways.

Stuff I would want if I were Right Handed

Stuff I would want if I were Right Handed.

Oh life would be SO much easier. At least I am left eyed dominant as well as being left handed. If I was mixed eye/hand I’d probably be dead my now. Killed by an accidental self-inflicted left-handed scissor wound.

Anyway. The Garand brass, and other brass, wouldn’t hit me in the head.

Well, I’d certainly use the Springfield ’03 I own more

I’d get some of those Czar/Commie bolt guns, too. They are cheap to buy and cheap to shoot and will scratch that recoil-loving itch a lot of gunnies get.

I’d be LESS likely to get a Swiss K31, oddly enough. Those are nice rifles with a straight pull-back style bolt. It’d be probably easier to use for a lefty, so there is less incentive for me to get it if I was always a righty. Why get a K31, when there are so many bolt action available that I could use?

Ooooo…. LOTS of Lee-Enfields. I’d want one type for .303, a 1917 version that shot .30-06, and I’d even take a .308 if I found one in decent shape, or for next to nothing.

And I’d have a bolt action hunting rifle by now for sure.

Shooting Tips

Go to this webstite. Spring Precision.

Click on "Shooting Tips."

It's another set of data points. Maybe especially if you are a n00b like me.

I am always looking for more links to info ostensibly to improve a shooter's performance. Good, Bad, or Ugly.

There are two kinds of people in this world. People with guns, and people who dig...

Leading Man

Your result for The Classic Leading Man Test ...

Humphrey Bogart

You scored 45% Tough, 14% Roguish, 33% Friendly, and 10% Charming!

You're the original man of honor, rough and tough but willing to stick your neck out when you need to, despite what you might say to the contrary. You're a complex character full of spit and vinegar, but with a soft heart and a tender streak that you try to hide. There's usually a complicated dame in the picture, someone who sees the real you behind all the tough talk and can dish it out as well as you can. You're not easy to get next to, but when you find the right partner, you're caring and loyal to a fault. A big fault. But you take it on the chin and move on, nursing your pain inside and maintaining your armor...until the next dame walks in. Or possibly the same dame, and of all the gin joints in all the world, it had to be yours. Co-stars include Ingrid Bergman and Lauren Bacall, hot chicks with problems.

Catalog

So, if you buy ONE pair of Tactical Socks from online and you can count on getting a metric poop-ton of catalogs in the mail. The most recent one was from an outfit called Firequest.

Lots of $60 tactical optics, lockpick sets, off brand tactical vests, books on making silencers with potatoes and 2 liter plastic bottles. That sort of thing. Everything a mall ninja might need.

Yeah, not much.

There were a coupla 'iffy' items. They sell those trigger modifications that help you bump fire your semi-auto rifle. Make em act like a machine gun. Seems to me that that would be a bad idea, and a sure way to get ATF interested in you. And not in a good way. Not in a "I like you, do you like me? Check yes/no." mash note way. Not for me, thanks.

You can get something that changes your voice on the phone, so you can call in your kidnapper demands. Not the FBI is eyeing you warily. Another bad idea.

They also have rail mounted grenade launchers, like the military's M203. And ammo for same. Flares and smoke stuff. Getting the explody kind of grenades is another ATF no no, without a lot of hoop jumping. Also probably a bad idea. Besides, I don't have an underrail to mount something like that. The M14 style grenade launcher is the M76, and it goes over the muzzle. Some guys like to play with those with inert grenades, trying to lob em into 55 gallon drums from 300 yards away. That sounds fun but I have no where around with enough space to do that safely. You need a blank cartridge to launch it. Woe betide you if you use an standard M118 live round and a live grenade. The coffin at your funeral will the size of a cigar box,

They have funny 12 gauge ammo for sale that varies from 'maybe useful' to 'uhh, really?' Stuff you don't find at Bass Pro. On the 'maybe useful' side is the flares (you don't need a separate flare gun) and the blanks. On the 'uhh really' side is flechettes shells, confetti, and the bolo firing Macho Gaucho. The bolo is 2 slugs connected by a steel wire. If you tried to use it like a real bolo to trip up game you'd probably take their legs off. Odd. Also available is a "flame thrower" shell. It shoots a 50 foot flame. Also known as the forest fire round. It says right in the catalog: "Do not use indoors." Really? Ya think?

I can't order the flares or blanks or even just the regular buckshot shells. I live in Montgomery County Maryland. No home delivery ammo shipments allowed. Just like our neighbor to the south, Washington DC.

Class 3 Weapon

Yes, you, too can own this machine gun. Fill out the application, pay your 1934 NFA $200 tax stamp and wait for approval for 2 months and it's YOURS to do as you wish. Including causing mayhem with the family pets and random neighborhood
toddlers.


You monster. You gun nut. You psychotic KILLbot.


The N-Strike Vulcan Ebf-25 National VP crew served machine gun:

Biden at the Debate

Did anyone else think that Biden had a bit of a zombie-esque pallor to him last night? His skin was gray. Lifeless. First Pelosi, now Biden… I think we are through the looking-glass, people!

Runnin' Low on Blog Fodder

I'm running low on ideas to write about. I better hit the range or something. Try out that new Jarrett style grip I've been practicing to see if it helps. I'm been trying to dry fire a bunch with that. I will say it does 'point' a lot better, and knowing a little more of the 'why' something works helps with the understanding of the big picture. I bet there is a lot more I could learn.

Lots of people can hit a baseball with a bat, but sluggers are constantly tuning and improving, even in the Majors.

Tiger Woods completely changed his swing while a pro, after being very successful with his old technique.

It's all a journey.

Do I want to, and can I get to, Tiger Woods level on this shooting journey? I don't think so. I'd have to sacrifice a lot of time and treasure to even know if I could get kinda close. I don't want win the majors, I don't even want to turn pro, but I'd like my '31 handicap' to get down to single digits.

And the grip might be a good start.