Geez, Steve

Who drinks Cutty Sark anymore?

Speaking of Holmes

This is a still from The Secret Weapon.

Holmes in disguise on the left, a Swiss precision bombsight scientist he is protecting on the right.

But that's not important now.

In the center, background.  A soapstone wood stove, if I am not mistaken, Watson.  Or a facsimile of one on the European backlot set of Universal.  What a great way to heat a house.  Jealous.

Just ATROCIOUS gun handling, Watson:

Hmmm, Rare Friday Bupkis

I just don't have much to say I guess.

Some thoughts that don't rise to a blog post.

Still thinking about revolver trigger pulls. 

Speaking of revolver, been watching old Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies.  They resorted quick to gun play in them movies.  Also, both Watson and Inspector Lestrade were absolute dolts.  How Holmes could spend more than a minute with either imbecile is beyond me.  Still, I enjoy the old movies. 

I had a dream I was directing a movie.  Don't remember the details, but it wasn't WWII.  Yet it had a Garand on a beach at the high tide mark. 

I think the Senate should confirm Kavanaugh.  Using Holmseian deductive reasoning I thought this whole thing was a put up job on the 14th, and everything since has reinforced that conclusion.  And I don't even like the guy.  This has been the low water mark of SCOTUS confirmations, and Democrats should be ashamed. 

Range 25 September

Let's do the revolver again.

Not perfect, but better.

Here you see 21 DA shots from a 686 6" L-Frame.  Magtexk 158 grain lead round nose. 

I called all the shots in my head except the 'oops' on the last three lower right target.  8 yards.

I KNEW the ones a bit outside the bull area were going to be a bit outside the bull area because I remembered over-thinking those shot.  I thought about the shot rather than shoot the shot.

Yes, I still favor the right half, but not exclusively.

Time to switch guns and see how I do with a J-Frame.

Also on deck, 150 more rounds in the Hudson.

By then maybe some test shots in a 1911.

So a full social calendar.

Theory Vs Practice

So, installing front and rear sights on your Slide...

My gunsmith had a little class.  For two hours he expounded on how to fit sights to dovetails.  All sorts of minutia to consider to keep them straight, not mung up your slide, how neither the dovetails nor the sights are perfect from the factory, how the angles aren't necessarily sharp or the right depth depending on how worn the mill cutter was to start.

Well, I had already worked the rear sight I was fitting for a while.  The metal of the sights is pretty hard, and my file will wear out pretty fast, but how many sights am I gonng fit, lifetime?  I did some prep work on the slide itself, months ago.

The site was about a quarter of the way into the slide.

So, hours of filing, two hours of further instruction and he looks at my work.  "You are doing great!  You can tell by the wear marks that you are filing straight.  Let me see that..."  He takes the sight, touches it to the belt sander, put the slide flat on the table and BAM BAM!... with a rawhide hammer.

"Ok, it's going in fine.  Hit is a coupla few more times til it is straight, centered, and there is the same amount of metal on both sides."

All that.  I was hours in and thought I had hours to go.  And it's done in less than 60 seconds.

And it's good, too.

"Don't get mired in the details."   That's a phrase that applies to nigh every part of gunnie-dom I've been telling myself lately.  Know the details, yes.  But when you do, DO.  Gunsmithing, gear selections, shooting.  Learn, know, do.

Second Amendment

This was the text of a possible amendment, when they were writing the Constitution and Bill of Rights, approved by the Senate.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Here what the House came up with.

A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the People, being the best security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed, but no one religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person.

 They settled on the Senate version in conference, obviously, and that is the 2nd Amendment.

But what if they chose the House version?

The wording shows where the Framers' heads were.  The anti-gun types would have to alter their argument saying "it just means the States have a right to have a National Guard."  Because our side would note that People is capitalized now, so less collective.    Yeah, right

But drop the Quaker conscience, religious exemption bit and it's just:

A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the People, being the best security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed
 
Do a bit more algebra and the difference is:

composed of the body of the People, being the best security of a free State,

versus

being necessary to the security of a free State,


It comes down to economy of words at that point.  Best vis Necessary.  Dropping the 'People' bit as assumed redundant, maybe?

Eliminate Steak Hamburgers and Bacon?

Don't do that. 

Or I start eating Vegans to survive. 

Home Gunsmiffin'

Ok, so I've been using my L Frame 686 revolver some lately, to get my DA revolver skills up a bit.

It's been in the shop a while back.  The timing was off, and I needed an oversized hand.

Anyhoo.  It's getting harder to get the cylinder to release.  I go to the range and can't even open to load the thing.  VERY short range session.  0 rounds fired.

But I know a guy. 

Before that, however, let me take a crack at fixin' it.  Maybe something internal is blocking the cylinder release latch.  I can take the side of and see...  Before that, lemme find that S&W revolver book of mine... where is it...  how bout an internet search?

Well, there's yer trouble right there!  What you bet my ejector rod is backing out a little at a time.  Easy enough to spin it back (anti clockwise to tighten.  you figure that out pretty quick when it doesn't get better).

Wish I had figured that out at the range. 

But, after a good cleaning and degreasing I bet this calls for some blue loctite. 

Welcome Wagon

They move folks around the cubicles in my office, so sometimes I get new neighbors.  Recently, this happened.  These three worked for the company for a while but in other buildings.  All three, together.  So I am the old hand in the department showing them where the printer is and the coffee maker, but they all have a history.

There was a revisit of a subject they clearly have gone over before.

It appears one is in the NRA, and the other two joke and call him a member of a terrorist organization, complicit in mass murder. 

I, of course, kept quiet and listened.  I am 'more' NRA than the NRA guy.  I did tell them to get the FBI on the horn and turn in the NRA member if they really thought him a terrorist.  Ha ha.  We joke. 

Mmmm.

Jim Crow

Naw, naw, O'Rourke.  GUN CONTROL is the new Jim Crow.  Welllllll.... it's the old Jim Crow.  It's the Jim Crow that didn't get written out of the law books but was instead doubled down.  Gun Crow.  Democrats have REALLY never wanted black people to have firearms.  Can't have black people defending themselves.  Republicans haven't covered themselves in glory, but at least they are a little wish washy about it.

Beto says law enforcement is “the new Jim Crow.” This kind of extreme rhetoric divides us on racial lines & inflames hatred. Vast majority of police officers are brave, honorable, and risk their lives keeping us safe; it’s wrong to smear them as racists. https://t.co/Ki8XBrYyj0

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 20, 2018

Well this is nice

I've done a lot of simulator training.  It's relatively easy to program in your own scenarios in some of them.  I've done one where I walk up to a store front that looks like the gun smith shop and, hey, isn't that the owner's wife?  SHE HAS A KNIFE.  Harder to shoot her in the simulator because I know her.

But up in North East Maryland they are trying to come up with Sim programs that train cops to maybe not shoot every dog you see as a matter of routine.  Which is nice.  Poor pups.  Not all of them need shooting, or course, and the police would rather not have to.  Save money in lawsuits that way, too. 


---

And Harford County got in the news after I composed this post.   Killer, in a gun free zone, killing. 

9/21

Maybe this is a better date to remember every year.

Well.

No Shit.

2 Prince George’s Co. officers shot after warrant served at wrong home

The homeowner will not be charged.

      Will NOT....

This gives me a little hope in Liberal Maryland from even MORE Liberal PG County. 

Mega City

"Is Richmond to Boston a Magacity T-Bolt?"

I get asked that all the time.

No really.

People from better parts of the country ask if it is one big urban expanse covering half the eastern seaboard round here.  Like in Judge Dredd.

No.  There is still country between the urban centers.  Well country to ME.  Where a farm when I was a kid a pace with maybe 40 acres of corn?  There used to be cow pastures within a mile of me, wherever I was.  Not since the 80s.  Sure it was only 50 head or so.  I had friends in High School that had farm chores to do. 

There are fewer of them close, but drive 30 minutes and you can see farmland again. 

And it's nothing like you see further afield.  Our combines only do half a dozen rows, at most.  The tractors don't have double wheels.  None of these too close to here.

Maybe on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  The flatter area west of the Appalachians.

And see all the whitetail?  They aren't just living on suburban flower gardens.  Plenty of 3rd growth forest about.  Patches, but there. 

Gun Lawyer

This lawyer is trying to drum up business, but this page describes the strictest Maryland interpretation of gun transport.

"Can I stop for gas on the way to and from the range if my guns are all in lock boxes and in the trunk, T-Bolt?"

Depends.  Is the prosecutor at your coming gun trial a ball-breaker?  If so, don't stop for gas.  Don't run out of gas either.  Or break down.  Or get in an accident.

"What is a Maryland Designated Collector?"

Well, it's like a C&R, but for the state.  I am one, but I have no idea where that little piece of paper is.  The state police see me on the list though.  Maybe I should get another one.  No fee associated with the letter, so why not?

"Then what is an informal exhibition?"

It's me coming to your house and saying "Hey Fred, isn't this a cool 1911?" then leaving.  Maybe.  Depends on DA Ball-Breaker. The law if foggy on what constitutes an informal exhibition.  Do I need to set up tables and have a beef jerky vendor?  Doesn't say.

The Collector bit also helps you buy more than one gun a month.  Which I have managed without declaring my status, so...  The laws seem to be more of a guideline.  Only deployed against ya when they want to deploy against YOU.

Even in DC, tho, more than 40% of gun cases are just dropped.  You get arrested, arraigned, then home you go.  Minus your defense fees.  And God help you if you failed to appear at one of your court appearance when they were just going to drop the charges.  Fresh warrants. 

Trigger Go-Fast

So bumpstocks and whatnot are illegal in Maryland.

But the law is written such that ANYTHING that makes you able to pull your firearm's trigger faster is the same thing as a having a bumpstock and now a crime.  Well a crime after October 1st.

Put some molybdenum grease on your sear-hammer engagement in the 1911?  FELONY!

Put some gun oil on the BOLT of Grampa's pre-64 Winchester .30-06?  You can go mariginally faster cycling that bolt.  FELONY!

Like most gun laws in Maryland... heck most laws, of any flavor...  they are poorly written and subject to all kinds of misinterpretation.  Which is why I'd never avoid jury duty for anything.  ~cough-nullification-cough~.

Shhh, don't tell any Maryland DA's my real name.   They will dump me in voir dire.

---

So, if in Maryland, and someone at the range that looks like he might be a cop asks you if you put any oil on your pistol, tell that guy to go pound sand down a rathole.

It's getting so you can't talk to anyone.  

Masculinity

From an article about a liberal that wants to learn how to hunt. And good for him.

"These are not the best of times to declare one’s pursuit of manly ideals. Masculinity, or at least the toxic manifestations of it, has much to answer for."

Why not?  I don't see a problem with it.  Nor do my work and friends and family.  And plenty of them are liberal.  Maybe you need to stop hanging around folks that think like that, buddy.  There is something wrong with keeping your head in that place.  Some loss of faith in the very civilization from which you spring.  Hell confidence in your very humanity.

Also, he mentions the liberal gun club.  Frustrated lefty gun enthusiasts that don't want to restrict magazines, ban AR's, or be associated in ANY WAY with the NRA.  But the only difference with their postions and the NRA is that they really don't have a problem with a nationwide gun registry.  I guess they haven't come around to grokking "Registration = Confiscation" just yet.  Oh, and they'd NEVER vote for a political conservative, obviously.  So, they'd reject Reagan and Scalia and Thomas and Kavenaugh.  They think the NRA and GOP are the same thing, and the NRA is captured by the Greed Gun Industry.  Naw.  I'm the NRA.  It's not that the NRA is in lock step with the GOP.  It's that the Democrats never put forward a truly progun candidate anymore that reliably votes that way.  If they ever do one the Liberal Gun Club be surprised when the hated NRA supports that Dem.

You know, the LBC even support national CCW reciprocity?  They want a qualifications floor, so a Pennsylvania CCW won't be valid nationwide, but a Utah one might.  Good for them. 

Yeah, DC is like that.

Cruz intern charged with possession of unregistered ammunition.

Yup, right next door.  Six miles from where I sit.  What this sounds like is Cruz had words with someone and the cops were called and took notice.  Well, that call is on the log, and they are certainly gonna look for something.  And something they found, so downtown one of the loud arguers goes.  Happens to be a Texas boy, interning for the Senator.

Most people from Texas might find it odd NOT to find ammo in someone's car.  In fact, this boy from the Maryland suburbs has a box of 9mm in the car that's been there a week and a half.  No gun, mind you.  Just the box of American Eagle 115 grain.

And I'd not think twice about venturing over the line into DC.  Because I rarely do things that would involve the police.  But that's not smart.  Someone could rear end my truck and bingo, police response.  An over zealous cop might notice the red box on the blue seat.  Now I am cross threaded with the Metropolitan Police Department.

99 times out of a hundred, don't even worry.  That one time... LOOK OUT.

I bet intern gets a slap on the wrist.  And would if his boss was Cruz or the assistant deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and a holdout from the previous admin.  Or if he had been some suburban Maryland middle aged man.   But they CAN make an example of him.  It's up to DC officials.  

But the laws in DC are onerous and we need to strengthen protectiong with federal reciprocity and boosting FOPA.

"That's not very libertarian federalist of you, T-Bolt."

Yeah?  Well, fire with fire.  There is a long tradition of the Feds intervening when civil rights are being trampled in this country.

It's a Tradition

Every year.  My town has a Zombie Walk.

I studiously avoid it.

Not because I wouldn't enjoy the spectacle.  I worry I'll have a flashback.

"Wheaton, 2009, when then name on uniform said Suggalewski, but everyone knew me as...  SERGEANT THUNDERBOLT!"

(the 1980s was a different time, with the Greaseman.)

The Hurricane Thing

Just another reason for gummint to boss people around 'for their own good.'  (Whose own good?  The people?  Or the bosses?)

"Do what we say and evacuate or thousand will die!"

Thousands don't die.

"See?  We saved you!  Re-elect me.  What would you do without your betters in local government telling you how to wipe your own butt."

Though I did fill up on Monday and have been topping off gas every evening since then.  "How close are you to the deadly Category 7 hurricane, T-Bolt?"  Maybe 500 miles?