Friday, September 30, 2011

Zombie Kinect

Training and zombie survival practice tools are getting more elaborate all the time.  Now there is one that goes with the xBox Kinect system.  It's called Zombie Holdout.

Now Kinect works with your body as the controller.  The sensor knows where you body position is and you move your arms to aim the pistols.  The tech isn't quite there yet, but it is exciting on where it could go.  Plus, there are pr)n application.  If I have to explain that to you...  Go ask your father!

Dual wielding with magically reloading guns against zombies armed with hatchets.

Ok, it's a start.  And it's on Kinect.  So wider platform disbursement for your training needs.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

What, again?

What a wierd dream.  I know, I know, dream post can get tiresome.  I only publish the ones with decent gun content.  Mea Culpa.

I was attending a blog shoot.

RobertaX, Tam, and Robb Allen were there.  They stuck out because they were bloggers I hadn't met before but there were lots of other familiar faces present.  It was like a Northcoast blogshoot, PLUS.  And not in Ohio.

It was on property Roberta knew and very wooded.  It might have been the X's ancestral grounds.  Roberta, it seemed in the dream, was land rich, but money poor, maybe?  The shooting lanes on the acreage were tight and narrow but the berms were very good.  It felt a little too open in other ways tho.  The lanes spoked out 180 degrees from a central area, and that just felt wrong.  But I was the only one feeling hinky about it.

It was here that I had a BIG shooting epiphany.  I was having my usual issues, exacerbated by the relatively long distance to the target than I usually shoot with a 1911.  Then suddenly everything seemed to slow down and all noise was shut out from my conscoiusness.  The target I was shooting at seemed to get magnified in my vision, like I was looking at it with a scope.  The front sight and target were both in focus somehow and it was as steady as a rock in my hands.  My trigger finger was sublime, and when the shot went off I could SEE the bullet's flight as it arced over to hit where I wanted it.  I remember thinking, "so THAT'S what shooting should be like" as it felt like I had gained some sort of Superpower.  Finally.

Then, my gun broke.  What looked like a pot metal M1 Garand receiver fell half out the back of the 1911 on slide lockback.  Odd.  That thing should be too big to fit in there.  It was bigger than the pistol frame.  The broken piece was easily pulled all the way out of the rear of the pistol so I could examine it.  I could see the two spots that had broken around a hole for a pin of some sort.  That's when I met Tam.  She walked up and said, "Let me see the patient... Oh yes, this happens a bit with this brand of pistol and I can get it up and running in a trice.  It's drop in, no real pistolsmithing needed.  Just let me get my box of parts."  I blinked twice and off she went.  It then occurred to me that the lockback may have been from the part failure and not that I was out of ammo.  The slide resumed it's normal position after the loose broken part was removed.  I didn't want to hand Tam a single action BROKEN pistol with a round in the pipe when she came back, but it was tricky to turn to a place to double check it was cleared.  I also decided that it's ok to sit there and look at the thing like a duck in thunder when an impossibly sized part falls off of the gun and doesn't appear, outwardly, to negatively effect its function.  

The dream continued the talk got around to a sorta Stanley #10.25 low-angle rabbet plane Roberta found.  Which is odd, because the company never made a low angle version.  Roberta and I knew what it was, and people asked why we were so impressed.  It's a quite valuable plane model normally, the #10.25 and with this low angle variant, and the obvious age of the thing based on the knob shape... it was probably worth half a mint.  It might be a one off or prototype and made by Mr. Bailey his ownself, and tool collectors, clad in spiked golf shoes, would step over their own mother for the privilege of buying it off Rx.  We talked about a weakness in the design where the cast iron was fragile and susceptible to breakage, and were encouraged that there was no evidence of a brazing repair.  For goodness sake, Roberta, don't drop it.  If you want one for yourself to use, they are made new.  The old ones are collector bait, only.  And I prefer the #289 rabbet plane for the job, at any rate.

Later, after the shoot, we were then at Robb Allen's place.  Which was definitely not Florida, plus Robb was definitely wearing pants.  And Robb was rocking his facial hair, which he call his "Pr0n stache," though it looked more like Clark Gable's stylish, thin, cookie duster.  He told a story about how he got out of the Marines and grew it, and was dating women before he met the woman that was to be his wife (for all I know, in real life, he got married to his wife before he even got into the Corps...)  One of the women hated the mustache and told him to get rid of it or she wouldn't continue to go out with him.  Instead of acquiescing, he fashioned a little puppet out of his mustache, with hands on the tips he could control with wire to make small (and rude) hand gestures, and the head in the center under his nose.  He used this puppet to make fun of the woman, tell her that the stache and Robb were a package deal, and that he would break up with HER if she didn't grow one herself.  And that's how he dumped her.  It was hilarious to everybody in the dream, but that was helped by Robb donning the puppet and re-enacting the scene.  The puppet had an outrageous French accent.

And then the alarm kicked off. 

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

In Cars

One day, my 2001 Durango with 160,000 miles will give up the ghost.  It has been, and still is, a good car.  Maybe the best I've owned.  It is my GOODD (get out of dodge... in a Dodge) car.  But since I only own one car at a time, if I had a Fiat 500 that would also be my GOODD car.  Anyway.

I'll never buy a new car again.  I don't see the point.  Pay twice as much to get to drive the first 40,000 miles myself?  When I intend to add 100,000+ miles to it my own self?  And I had a bad experience with the last new car I owned.

So a recent trip to the garage to get the power steering fixed got me looking at he online used car market.  I paid something like $16,000 for this fambly truckster in 2005.  Now, six years later, if I want to buy a 4 year old car with the same wear I will pay... $16,000.  Not bad.

When I bought the car I have now, I shunted the car payment to a separate account so I could cover the monthly bill.  I never stopped doing that, just put it into savings.  I figured I shouldn't get used to not paying a car payment.  So I now have a sizable sum in liquid form saved up for a rainy day (nigh stormy at this point) or, more likely, that money will go to a down payment on the next car.  With a little luck and time, that pile will go to just buying the next car outright.  Dave Ramsey would be proud.  And I didn't have to eat beans and rice to get here.

I like long trips on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on weekends, for whatever reason, because that's a good time to catch Dave Ramsey.  He is one of the few call in talk radio shows that doesn't annoy me.  The problem with call in shows is that an interesting host turns over their programming to amateurs that like to hear their own voice coming in over the radio.  You have to a be a skilled Boss Jock to make that worth listening to.  I think that was the secret to Rush Limbaugh's success a couple decades ago.  Effective management of the callers.  He was the first one to develop that talent and it got him more sponsors and stations.  Rush could have had a radio show about car repair and done just as well, I think. 

Back to my car.  I chose the Durango because it was a mid sized V8 SUV.  It could cover the 4x4 work I need with snow that twice a year it snows enough, and is good for camping that twice a year I need that, and for hauling a trailer those 3 times a year I need that.  Church picnics, that sort of thing.  And it could haul my crap inside.  A Suburban sized SUV was too big, and the Jeep Cherokee was too small.  Not too many SUV models out there that achieve the Goldilocks effect for me.  The Trailblazer and Escape had other things going against them.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This May Be Going To Far

We don't need the very real scourge of Zombies to jump the shark.  Or, what the kids are calling the phenomena these days:  "Nuke the fridge"

Zombocalypse Insurance

Dangit!  James Rummel stole my thunder.  I was gonna post this tomorrow.  Zombie Insurance.  When I snooze, I lose, I guess.

It's a sucker bet.  It's like betting that you and the rest of the passengers will be killed in the imminent plane crash.  If you win, you are dead.  Only survivors get paid.  And pay.


One thing I noticed in Breda's backyard.

Her squirrels are different.  Commie squirrels.  We don't have them around here. We do have black squirrel on my street, still.  Spread out from the Univ. of Maryland is why, I'm told.  The squirrels around are fewer and smaller.  I think a hawk took care of a bunch this summer.  Growing up we didn't see many raptors.  Now, every lightpole seems to sport one.  The air is cleaner now than in the 70s.  How do I know?  The sky around here is blue, not brown.  Has been since Reagan.  Fewer leaded gas fueled 450 cubic inch engines, maybe? 

We don't have chipmunks about, and she does.  Anymore.  Outdoor cats took care of that, is my understanding.  Her cats are indoor.  Unless there is a jail break.

Also, saw a runned over coyote on the highway.  Never seen a dead coyote around these here parts.  I am assured we have them.  Heck there has been sighting of them and bears inside DC.  In Rock Creek Park.

Come to think of it, I have never seen a deer with a biggish rack in my life outside a taxidermy specimen.  Big deer are dead on the shoulder, but none with horns.  Of course, now that I've said something, I'll see one leaving my house on the way to work.

Monday, September 26, 2011


"'Greatest Generation,' rrrrright. They've been NO help in creating Internet memes."

-Bill Corbett. 

Also known for: "Bill Corbett's my name, and laundry's my game."

Tam's Archaelogical Dig

I love digging down and unearthing the layers of passed gun civilization.  Tam's got herself down to the layers between the Discoambrian era and the beginning of the FeatheroceneCirca 1980.   Hippies had been mostly extinct by that time and would only re-emerge when various evil scientists began puzzling out their genome sequence from skin samples trapped in ancient petrified bong resin.  Now the hippies walk amoung us again, like mosquitoes post DDT bans.

I personally like going back the Prechamberin era and read about how the M14 (just realased!) is going to be the be-all end all last rifle the Army is every going to want need or deploy.  And how the hot new varmint round, the .218 Bee might finally eclipse the .250-3000 for that role (fingers crossed!).

I've heard rumors or evidence of civilizations BEFORE that.  The legendary Hatcherociene.  But I think that's poppycock and balderdash.  Nothing happened before the Prechamberin.

Anyway... Now Tam has gotten me interested in 1980s era stuff.  My formative years.  Where so much much was imprinted and absorbed from a mere handful of Soldier of Fortune Magazines.

I still want the stainless Colt Python I saw, featured prominently, back then, in seemingly every issue.  And bounty hunting looked like a good way to earn a living if you were a Viet Nam vet.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

For Non Blondes

I hear ya, He-Man.  I hear ya.


Well, it is close to deer season....

More Gear Reviews

Continuing my theme of reviewing things that weren't sent to me for free because I am a famous blogger.

Sausage Casing.

Let's say you've been dinosaur hunting and you've been lucky.  You've got yourself a nice Brachiasaur.  But what to do with all the meat after you've filled the freezer.  If you are like me, you dry up some jerky and make some sausage.

The above sausage casing, while durable and held up well when stuff, had a bit of an off flavor.  I'd use it again, but when possible I'll go with natural casing.  Even with all the prep hassle that entails.

And anyone know where I can get 3 tons of sage?  I'm a little low

Friday, September 23, 2011

Guilt Free

Bacon.  Yes, bacon.

Gear Reviews

How come folks like JayG get all the free swag to review on his blog?  It's not fair. Just because he gets 3 times as many eyeballs as me. 

Well, fine.  If no one will send me free stuff I will just review things on spec.

The Zombie Caltrop

I tried this caltrop on successive nights and I must say it was quite disappointing.  It hardly seemed to trip up the undead at all.  Maybe it has a use as something else, but as tanglefoot to slow down your typical brainless horde I would not recommend it.  But it is a bargain at $19.  I'm going back to the more expensive hand forged models that have served me well in the past.


Got the Bear Grylls survival kit.  Don't drink and amazon one-click kids.

That said, it's got some decent stuff in it.  You could do a lot worse on over the counter survival kits.  So I'll throw it in a larger BoB and forget it and it'll prove pretty dang useful someday maybe.

And I still got nuffin

Maybe later, as I am stuck at home with a car in the shop.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

I got nuffin'

Tapped on blog fodder.

Well, maybe this.  On 2 separate occasions folks have done the equivalent of "Is a Mosin Nagant ok of a rifle?"

Well, for that price, I don't see how you can go wrong, really.  Only a few negatives.   Sometime, the extractor is broken.  You'll find that out at the range.  The ammo tends to be corrosive so you gotta watch out for that and clean it good everytime, right away.  Cosmoline can be annoying to clean off when you get it, but that's a one time thing.  And it kicks like a mule. 

That's it.  The negatives I know.  Everything else is positive, pretty much.  Especially, like I said, for that price.  As cheap as a 'tomator stake.'

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Zombie Children

From here.

I see this, or something like this, in my dreams nearly every night.

Do You Remember

The 21st night of September??

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Oh, Tony

Such a shame.  I used to like him...  Now?... 

Why do good celebrities have to open their mouths on political subjects?  So disappointing. 

Sons of Guns

I'm a gun guy, and I am uninterested in the TeeVee show Sons of GunsTop Shot, too, but especially Sons of Guns.  They just don't appeal to me. 

Sons of Guns should be right up my alley.  What with the guns AND the gunsmithing.  Even leaving aside the ginned up Reality Show Drama (tm) that the networks always have to pepper it with. 

I've got nothing against the concept of prime time shows featuring firearms.  They just don't pull me in, in particular.  I'm sure they are quite popular.

Then again, not a whole lot of TV interest me any more.  I'd rather watch a one off show showing a watchmaker making and assembling parts into a timepiece.  I'd schedule me day around that.  I'd buy Irish Spring for that.  (Or whatever was advertised)  But I'm weird.  Viewership for shows I'd be interested in would number in the dozens.

Irish Zombies

I knew there was something funny about that Island.

Irish Zombies.

I hope they took care of em like they did snakes ere these 600 years ago.  Or 1300 years ago, morelike, hopefully.  It may be an odd place, but the Hibernian people are a practical lot.  And they have halfway decent beer.

Jamming a stone between the jaws of a zombie is semi-effective.   Easier than removing all the teeth.


And the Swedes

Sheesh.  Wherever the Vikings went, there be zombies...

Monday, September 19, 2011

Knife on me

Saw this meme here.

"Take the knife out of your pocket and take a picture of it, and post it. Or post a picture of the same knife from a brochure or whatever."

Leave Everybody Alone

I agree with the initial sentiment.  Seen at Rx.  Got me thinking, too.

“Because what I really believe is, let’s spend a little more time leaving everybody alone.”
-Clint Eastwood.

The problem is, I also have the right to think what you are doing is entertaining.  To point, laugh, and ridicule your Juggalo make-up, your pants around your knees.  Your 43 holes, some filled with wine corks, in your face.  The exposed Back Street Boys tattoo on your lower back.  Your super mall-ninja get up.  It's funny.  You're getting laughed at.  Maybe not by me, I'm easy going.  Maybe a bit shy.  If it's a really good instance you are most likely to get snarked at behind your back.  Get used to it.

When people take offense at being ridiculed, then there is that whole "you're now not leaving ME alone..." thing going on.  You gotta take it.  No one is hurting anything but your pride.  It's not justification to apply a beatdown.  Besides, I might be able to defend myself.  An insult is not an invitation to a physical confrontation.  Yet so many make it so..

I'm just saying, if you listen to Clint Eastwood and let your freak flag fly, well that leave people alone bit is a two way street.  Don't get all bent out of shape.  Freak.

Sunday, September 18, 2011


Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.


You gotta a stack of 'orrible crap, pages 3 feet high, you have to type out before you start making good crap.



I don't know, kid.


The Stack

I have so many books in the queue.  The pile!  It's intimidatingly huge!  Plus I am tempted to get a Kindle just to throw a crapton of public domain stuff on there to work through.  Kipling, Burroughs, Conrad, pulp stuff.  Now would be a good time to board up the doors and winders and ride through a zombacalypse.  As long as the gas and water stays on.

And I need to get the scanner running.   So I can prove that my new/old Sherman Remington Rand #17 typewriter is up and running.  I should stencil "Saucy Trollop" on the side of it.  So many Sherman crews stenciled a girl's name on their tank.  Or "Kraut Bane".  That might offend Marko, tho.

Oooo!  "Get to duh Choppah!"

Did you know that there was an upgunned variant of the Sherman tank called the Firefly?  Kinda kismet, there, fellow Browncoats.  It had a gun that could penetrate the Tiger tank.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

M6 Scout



I love the M6 Scout.  Kinda want one. Talked about that before. 

Pay attention.  What caught my attention was what he said about  "reloading .410 shotgun shells in the field."  Ooo, that could be a useful skill.  Trouble is... the video archive isn't archived well, or my Google-fu is weak.  So the skill remains lost to the misty fog of aeons past.  Or something.

Friday, September 16, 2011


A co-worker asks, "Is there a second amendment right to UAVs? Cuz I want my own UAV!"

My answer: I dunno.

Well, military hardware larger than rifles are owned by civilians.  Lots of people bought surplus East German armored cars after the Cold War ended.  There are folks with their own Sherman Tank.  Tom Clancy owns a tank.

Is the Sherman's gun demilled?  Can it fire?  Presumably if you own your own M2 Browning or .30 cal coax machine guns you could mount them on your Sherman.  If the main gun worked, and you could FIND 75mm shells, you'd have to have a $200 tax stamp on each round.  And there aren't a lot of ranges you get to to try it out.  Out west, maybe.  But you'd need your own freight train flat bed car, prolly, to move that thing economically.  It weighs 30 tons.  But if you could afford the tank, and the maintenance upkeep, buying tax stamps for a half dozen armor piercing rounds shouldn't be too big a deal for you.

I imaging the same would go for UAV.  Finding a AGM-65 Maverick missile to mount on your robut plane might be hard.  Same with buying your own F-16.  I'll wager it is easier to buy MiG 25 Foxbats or F-86 Sabres than it is to get an F-16.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Gun Buyback

"Guns are bad, let's get them off the street."

If guns were bad then the 'good guys' wouldn't have them.  Cops and soldiers putting themselves in harms way, armed.  No, people can sometimes be bad.  Even people we thought were the good guys might be bad underneath. 

But guns?  Guns are neutral.  They have no moral will like people do.  But you can't do a people buyback, I guess.  Gun buybacks are what you do instead of something.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011


The mainstreaming of one of the biggest scourges of humanity continues apace.

What are the other equally huge scourges?  I dunno.  Hippies?  Mosquitoes?  Jimmy Carter?

Like All the Cool Kids

I finally retrieved my 80 year old proto-blogging machine from my former in laws basement.  Now I can be like the cooler bloggers.

A Remington Rand Model 17.  One like this:

It was my grandfathers, and it still functions, despite the abandoned mouse nest inside.  Even the ribbon works, if faded.  And with a little kludging, replacement ribbon is still available.  It's built like a Sherman tank, of similar vintage, and almost as svelte and lightweight.  And harder to figure out than I had supposed.  Setting the margins and what those silver knobs and levers do will take a bit of learning curve to surmount.  Prolly some instruction manuals online...  One doohickey is for multiple paper thickness.  Another is for reversing the ribbon direction manually.  Yet another is switching between red and black sections of the ribbon.

Mine was built between 1939 and 1950.  Because that is the years they built this model.

Check THIS ad out!  From here.  Ad copy: "Released to the public a few months before the Nazis invaded Poland, the Model 17 is produced only for the Armed Forces and a few essential industries.  When it is again available to all, remember: this new Remington Rand typewriter, proven under the toughest wartime service, is the finest you can buy."

My typewriter fought the Nazis!  What did YOUR keyboard do?  Troll an anti-gun website comments section with a rational argument grounded in fact and logic?  That's like taking candy from a baby.

What inspired me was the quote I read somewhere, "cars didn't replace the bicycle, why would computers replace the typewriter."  I am ready for desktop publishing, post EMP burst that aces the electric grid for decades. 

It's going on the Singer table.  The sewing machine is electric, but I have the treadle to convert it, if need be.  Yay.

Next project, shortwave radio.  I'm trying to think of vital areas of my life that require electricity.  I am down to AC, refrigerator, and clothes washer.  Oh, and better off grid heat.  If I can figure out a way for those four, I am set for most anything.  And I can handwash clothes.

It's a Remington... that's like gun content, right?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

You too


See? Told you.

Democrats mean Vampires, Republicans mean Zombies.   In the presidency, at least.  And in the local cinema.

Musical Accompaniment by...

Rand Nuclear Strikes started this meme I think.  Tam and others helped popularize it.

"You’re about to get eaten by the zombie hordes. You’ve prepared, but there are more than you every possibly imagined. As you load your last mag into your chosen weapon, what song comes up your MP3 player/IPOD?"

Lots piped up with a tune of choice.  Most were good vengeful tunes.  Righteous songs.  Inspiring swan songs.  Songs that pump up the adrenalin.  Ooo RAH!!

I go a different way.  It's a happy time.  I'm in my element.  I've been preparing for this moment all my life and I feel more alive than ever.  Joyous.  The sun is shining.  It's a great day.  And I'm going to prevail, in this Ultimate Showdown.  You all knew that.

So, my song is something like:

'T-bolt is taking the zombies to school' is a better ep title.

Monday, September 12, 2011

One Last Thing

Found a setscrew on a table at the Northcoast blogshoot.  Who knows where THAT came from.  If I had to guess, it was part of MBtGE's bipod.  He took the screw with him on that assumption, but, who knows?


Having shot MBtGE's CX4 Storm again I came to a realization.

A carbine is not a lightweight weak rifle.  It's a strong, longish, bulky, pistol set on 'Easy' mode.  I think that is what attracts me to them.

Now what good are they other than that...  You won't 'carry' one other than in very extreme shorter range social situations, (like defending your franchise store from rioters and looters.)  You don't hunt with em.  Being fun is a good enough reason.

Sunday, September 11, 2011


I have nothing much to say about this anniversary.  I'm not very satisfied with the results. 

What was I expecting?  I expected that 10 years after 9/11 that a conversation far overseas would go something like this:

"Remember what those guys, that sorta think like we do, did 10 years ago, attacking the hated United States by hijacking airplanes and killing thousands?  Man, THAT was a dumb idea.  Won't do anything like that again."

I don't think we got anywhere near that kind of conclusion. 

That sentiment was true in 1951:

"Remember that idea to do a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?  Man THAT was a dumb idea.  Shoulda negotiated a trade deal with the Yankees instead."

Or in 1822:

"Remember when the Emperor decided to march to Moscow?  HOO-boy, what a boner.  Shoulda stayed home."


I wrote this over a week ago.  It seems, based on other blog readings, that I am not the only one with this sentiment.

With all the investment spent on a truly excellent and capable LARGE military... well I don't want other nations to fear us, per se.  I do want people to value out friendship rather than risk enmity.  Civis romanus sum used to be a passport and, legend has it, a Roman could stride from one end of the empire to the other, drunk off his gourd, with 25 pounds of gold jewelry hanging off of him as if his name was Gaius Misterus T and not have a mohawked hair on his head molested.  All from fear of the molester attracting dire consequences.  That's a bit over the top and might never have been true.  But Civis Americanus Sum should either get you ignored because you are not liked or thoughts of No Worse Enemy, No Greater Friend should leap to mind.  And generally, we'd just stay home anyway, minding our own business.  You don't have to trade with us or watch our TeeVee shows and movies.  But you do have to not seek us out to cause us harm because you don't like Jersey Shore, or what have you.  Heck, I don't like Jersey Shore.  But I am not gonna hurt people that made that show, even if they have earned a beating.  And certainly not people named Sorrentino because they share a name with 'The Situation.'

Saturday, September 10, 2011


NRA?  Don't call early on a Saturday to wake me up and beg for money.

That advice is valuable as I don't give money to people when grumpy, sleepy, and a little hungover.


Wrap Up, Odds and Sods

I'm a bit behind on my chores with that long weekend away from home.  Groceries, laundry, etc.  Added to that is the gun cleaning chore.  Plus some kitchen table gunsmithing.

I oddly had 2 FTF issues with the Colt 1911.  2 different McCormick magazines failed to get the last round in the mag into the pipe.  The nose is in the chamber, but pointer 'up' at a severe angle.Hmmmm.  I don't like that.  Not one bit.  Not til I figure out why.  Tired mag springs?  Not enough oomp in the recoil spring.

If that happens to you, practice your tap-rack-bang.  Might as well make quick recovery second nature to yourself.

I need to break out the LocTite.  Trollops borrowed .44 has a habit I've seen in MBtGE's .44.  The screws like to back out with use.  Dropping a screw on a farm field in Ohio means you'll never see it again.  I noticed the cylinder wouldn't close and though, "Aha!  This is the first time I've been at THIS rodeo."  Easy fix if you notice in time.

I can hit the cylinder release screw on the snubbie, too.  And maybe put the wood grips back on the 229 and loctite THOSE screws as well.

What else?  Hmmm.  Playing with MBtGE's EOTech made me covet one for my ownself again.  Maybe Christmas.

Mike W had a .357 Sig barrel for HIS P229 at the shoot.  I had never shot .357 Sig, but my magazines and gun could take a drop in and run it, so it was nice to see what it felt like.  I don't think I could tell the difference between it and .40!  And .357 Sig ballistics has a lot going for it.  Another thought to mull over.  I could practice with .40 S&W but self-defense rounds could be .357.  With my luck I'd forget to swap barrels between sessions.

Friday, September 9, 2011


Otherwise sensible, non hoplophobic gun owners at work are losing their fudge over a recently available 1 watt $2-300 laser pointer...

Calling for a NICS check type regime to include lasers like this.  They are not calling for background checks and waiting periods and age limits on gasoline and matches purchases, however, and I pointed that out to them patiently, then let the matter drop. 

It's not the deodand, it's the person. I am having a hard time diplomatically explaining this to hysterical people.  They say, "People will think, 'it's just a laser pointer!' and aim for the eyes of cops!!!"

Look, most everyone saw what a laser pointer did to the planet of Alderaan.  People will figure it out or face the consequences of their actions, careless or otherwise.  No need to be a Nanny over it.

And admittedly, it's a very strong laser, able to burn things, pop balloons, and permanently blind people a very good ways away.  But it's been out over a year, and there hasn't been anarchy on the streets, despite dire predictions.  Some people have abused the laser pointer, but they abused 10 mW ones as well at 1000 mW ones.  And when caught the criminals are punished.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Holster Shmutz

I'm glad someone else notices this.  Tam says about her new holster, "the 'smooth-side in' construction allows a clean release with no suede boogers clinging to your heater."

Yeah, I have been bugged by that and didn't know it was a thing for anyone else.  I have a coupla few holsters that do that.  Mostly on leaving shmutz on the edges of the front sight.  And it's annoying.  Distracting, even, when aiming.  Even noticed it on the nice-ish looking Galco paddle retention holster I use for 1911s there at blogger shoot.   

My Milt Sparks doesn't do that.  Smooth side in and out.  And they aren't the only ones doing that, so there is a plethora of choices.  And Kydex stuff, of course, won't give you that.

Another detail to be aware when accessory shopping.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Northcoast AAR

The Ford had it coming.  First 2 shots were from me and MBtGE with .44 magnums.  He got the front passenger window, I drilled the back.  Then it was on like Donkey Kong.  Amazing how easy it is to hit things with that big hog leg from that distance.  I wouldn't hesitate to use it for deer hunting, even with iron sights.

The damage should buff right out.

Other things I learned.  Tannerite is fun, but a 2.5x scope on a Garand and a marginal shooter isn't going to beat the the guys with better optics, better skilles, and ARs.  But I am sneaky.  I noted a charge fell to the ground and no one noticed the little corner sticking up in the grass.  Then, borrow an AR with said optics and polish it off when everyone thinks the fun is over.  Attention to detail wins the race.

Old NFO's SCAR with an ACOG is about the funnest shooting modern rifle I've ever had the privilege of shooting. 

Newbius had a Drilling from Deutschland, pre-WWII.  Pretty.  Two 16 gauge and a single 9.3x74mmR, exposed hammers.  I only shot the rifle part twice. The second time utilizing the double set trigger.  Oh.  My.  That's a nice trigger.  Best I've ever shot.  If you think real hard it will go.


MBtGE's CX4 storm carbine with EOTech sight was the belle of the ball, I think.  It's like .40 shooting on Easy mode.

Bubblehead Les had a Sten.  Danged uncomfortable to shoot and persnickety to run.  There is no place to grip with your shooting hand.  The mag, in place, made it hard to work the bolt.  If I were a Tommy I'd snatch up an MP40 in battle the first time one came available.

Breda didn't shoot me this year, and for that I thank her.  I did get a pellet bounce back from the Drilling.  Bird shot bouncing off a car can do that.  It didn't penetrate the t-shirt, but if it hit an eye without protective goggles that would be bad.  Eyes and ears, people.

Her Bersa didn't hurt as much this year.  Maybe the new Crimson Trace grips?

3 inch 12 gauge shells out of a bolt action shotgun DO hurt.  That'll wake you up in the morning.

Mom Fallacy had her little Beretta .22.  That was a sweet shooter, thought the grip was shaped for right handers. 

Many thanks to Breda for calling in her Posse to all come and have fun, to Heath and Amanda for having a place to eat and drink and nearby relatives to acres to shoot on, and Newbius for making a LOT of pizzas that were the best I've ever had out of a home oven. 

Traffic coming home was GAWDawful, what with the Monsoon rains and the aforementioned 36 mile back up on the PA Turnpike. I usually get sleepy on long drives and struggle to stay away.  When you are worried about dying on the rain slick roads that keeps you alert, I tell ya.  The guy on the motorcycle, I felt real bad for him.


Uh Oh, JayG


Sounds like trouble.  I think the kidnappers mean business.  I hope the helmet is ok.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011


I guess I can scratch that item off my bucket list.

Protip:  Handgun ammo doesn't usually penetrate both doors.  Unless it is .44 magnum.


Nuthin to post now.  I was in that backup on Rt 76 yesterday.  It was only 36 miles long. 

Monday, September 5, 2011


Another Discworld book is coming out.  Snuff.  It's about Sam Vimes, too.  October.

Sunday, September 4, 2011


Seems like there are shortages reported all over.

I noticed the corned beef.

My favorite beer can't get the hops, so it's gone from the shelves until further notice. 

Even Frosty Paws dog treats.

Ammo never recovered from 2008. Not really.  I don't have to tell you all that.  At least firearms came back.

Widespread reports of pharmaceutical shortages all over.

What causes all this?  Well in some cases it's price controls.  Price controls always cause shortages.  It might be the reason for all the shortages.  Gummint monkeying around in healthcare for one, gummint propping up prices for corn ethanol in another.

Saturday, September 3, 2011


Good point!  If I am gonna go into debt spending money on boomstick related stuff, I should prioritize training. 

I've had this problem before though.  What training? 

There are really great instructors I know of, but are often far away, incurring travel and hotel costs to take their course. 

There are many courses nearby, but are usually beginner stuff, and I don't really need an introduction to the 4-Rules.  We've already met. 

And there are instructors, that while they occasionally get kinda close in Virginia for a possible daytripper, they also teach stuff at a level I'm not quite at yet, speed and accuracy wise, and I'd just hold it back.

So it's a quandry, and I'm in vapor lock over it. 

Friday, September 2, 2011

Libyan Gun Control

NPR on the radio this morning had a bit about the future of the country.  Now that the fighting is near over and all those rebels, armed with catch as catch can weapons... well... now there are a lot of young folks with rifles out there.  And that is bad right?  At least to the emerging new Libyan leadership.

They want a Libya firearms turn in now that the fighting is over, and the dictator has been turned out.  During the fighting, stuff was handed out like sales fliers at the door of Bass Pro Shop. 

Because Libya didn't have a gun culture because of that dictator, they don't 'need' guns now.

And only police and soldiers should have guns.  You know, to ensure people's security (which people?)

Pressure will be brought to bear, slowly.  First amnesty turn in, maybe cash incentives, then criminal penalties for failure to disarm.  Maybe.  In the future.  They'll let civilians have pistols, if registered.

Look, you just lived under a crazed dictator and his cronies for 40 years, Libya.  You know WHY it took 40 years to get rid of him and his depravations on the people?  Think on this...  Maybe keeping the 20mm cannon in the back yard may be more hassle than it is worth, but a rifle is a way to make any wannabe-Quadaffies from getting ideas.  Maybe you Libyan should look at our Constitution again.  Don't ask a US media type to help you translate.  Especially not an NPR correspondent. 

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Post Apoc

Here is a decent list of top ten post apocalypse flicker shows. 

Sum up, reverse order:

  • Soylent Green
  • Escape from NY
  • Last Man on Earth
  • 28 Days Later
  • Logan's Run
  • Panic in the Year Zero
  • A Boy and His Dog
  • Dawn of the Dear (1978)
  • Planet of the Apes
  • Mad Max trilogy

I've seen all of them except Logan's Run.  It has too much of a whiff of patchoulli to it, but I should hunker down and watch it.  All the others I have watched multiple times.  Event the obscure ones.  Like I said, a decent list, one to be proud of, but I'm sure people's opinions will differ.

Honorable Mentions or also-rans:

  • a whole host of comet movies in the 90s and before that we often try to intercept in space or withstand.  Of all I'd pick the classic: When Worlds Collide.  Not all comet movies hit an Apocalypse.
  • Waterworld
  • The Postman
  • There are quite a few Level 4 zombie outbreak flicks.  Including World War Z, coming soon
  • Plague movies that wipe out the planet are out there.
  • The Day After
  • On the Beach
  • Threads (three nuke movies)
  • Zardoz (yech)

I think that about covers it.  So aside from seeing Logan's Run to firm up my coverage, what am I missing out on?