Gun Projects

Yesterday at the shop where I picked up some shot shells, I saw a plethora of AR-15s.  They were all over the place, and at reasonable prices too.  Apparently the market is now flooded, except for maybe the ammo.  I feel sorry for those that did the knee-jerk reaction and paid extreme prices for one.

Damn, I forgot to ask if they had any in 6.5mm.  Right now I have 2 weapons on my radar, and AR in 6.5mm and a lever cranker in 454 Casull.  I'm not actively searching, but if I run across one at a fair price, it'll become mine.

Right now I have 2 in the shop for repair and upgrade.  My security six has a sticky firing pin, and the Hi-Power is getting new sights, a trigger job and over-all tightening. 

Next up will be a short barreled Ishipore for a barrel mounted rail and externally threaded barrel. The threaded barrel will allow me to tune the harmonics with the position of a flash hider for improved accuracy.

Summer . . . Blah

I seem to be of the very few that has a dislike for summer in this part of the country.  For me a comfortable room temperature is in the low 60s.  I just came in from outside with sweat dripping off my nose.  The temperature is in the high 70s with 80% humidity, and all I was doing was slowly walking the yard with a bucket in one hand and a pooper scooper in the other.

Maybe it's more the humidity that bothers me.  A few weeks ago I thought 95 in Arizona wasn't all that bad.  It was a hell of a lot more comfortable than 80 here.

Almost Naked

Our neighbor lady with all the horses also has a Great Pyrenees dog.  A large dog that was bread to be a protector of livestock.  This is our second summer here, and I've always felt sorry for that dog in the summer heat.  What I didn't know is that all that white fur is apparently hair, because they don't shed.  A few days ago the dog got a hair cut.  She looks almost naked.

A Little Lonely

The Boss has been gone for over a week.  She went with my son & family to Florida.  I've been doing all the cleaning, dog care, and most of the food preparation for the father-in-law and myself.  Our diet quality has gone to hell in her absence.

The dogs and I have been moping a bit.  The bed appears very large in he absence.  Damn I miss that woman.

Thankfully she'll be home tomorrow night.

Not All Are Our Enemies

Went over to the old house today to check on things.   All was fine so I stopped at one of the local gun shops and bought another case of shot shells.  3 Dram Eq behind 1-1/8 Oz like my shotgun likes in target ammo.  I'm now all set for 2 days of training, in 3 weeks.

On the way home, on I-70, I was slowly coming up on the left side of a tractor trailer rig, when it suddenly swerved part way into my lane, causing me to hit the brakes.  The big truck settled down a bit so I started passing him again.  This time when halfway past he swerved my way again.  This time I hit the gas to get the hell away from that truck.  As it turns out, there was a state cop behind me.  I thought he might pull me over for speeding, but he fell in behind the truck instead.  A mile or 2 later I saw in the mirror that the cop pulled the truck over.  Not all government employees are the enemy.

Wonderful Evening

One of my co-workers is a certified NRA instructor in many disciplines and has also competed with pistol and long range rifle.  He no longer instructs nor competes.  Yesterday I met him at his house and 3 of us went to a private range.  The third being a young police officer.  The private range happened to be part of the facility of a top notch trainer, who not only trains civilians, but also police and other trainers.  So the 4 of us spent several hours having fun.

For me it was especially fun.  I very seldom get the chance to shoot where I can do anything other than stand in one place.  Working from a holster, multiple targets and moving while shooting all are things I've never had the opportunity to try before.  Well that's not quite true.  I worked from a holster and engaged multiple targets during the single IPSC shoot I attended a few years ago.  With a couple of minor suggestions, putting rounds on target while walking really isn't all that hard.

I cycled a few more rounds through my relatively new CZ 710 utility.  It's not quite broken in.  It cyles OK with 3 Dram Equiv behind 1 Oz of shot, but doesn't always have enough recoil to lock open on empty.  With 3 Dram Equiv behind 1-1/8 Oz of shot is more reliable and I can't tell the difference in recoil.

Only 1 of the 3 others had the stones to try my 454 Casull.  He was impressed.

The owner was carrying a $3,000 1911 (Wilson?) in 9mm.  Damn he was good with that thing.  When he offered, I jumped at the chance.  Wow, that thing is accurate and as smooth as silk.  The trigger wasn't all that light, but when I thought "shoot" it fired.  The felt recoil was so light I I was amazed.  After the first shot I stopped and just stared at it.

I didn't realize it until today, but I needed that.

No Shortage There

Yesterday, between fixing the mower at the old house and dropping a couple of guns st the smith, I visited the local Gander Mountain.  Well,  local to the old house anyway.  I haven't been there in quite a while.  The first thing I noticed that significantly more space was allocated to guns and stuff.  Ar-15s?  Lots of them.  Ammo?  No shortage there that I could tell.

I left with a case of clay birds, 5 packs of 12 gauge slugs and a sling for my shotgun.  I'm now set for the Tactical Shot Gun training at TDI coming up next month.

Gun Doctor

After doing a few chores at the old house I stopped by the gunsmith and left 2 handguns for a little work.  One was the old Security Six that I've had for decades.  I've fired thousands of rounds through that old revolver.  It's taken deer from 15 to 120 yards.  Of the many I own, it might be my all time favorite.  Last weekend at the range, the firing pin stuck in the extended position. 

The other was my FEG (Browning clone) Hi-Power.  After thousands of rounds, it has become a bit loose and lost some accuracy.  He's going to tighten it up, work the trigger and add dot the I sights.  Those sights have become my favorite after acquiring a Kahr PM9.

A Bit Stubborn

According to this guy First rule of blogging: Post Something Every Day.  I've never been one to blindly follow rules.  Tell me I'm not to do something, and my first instinct is to do it.  Tell me to do something, and my first instinct is not to do it.  As an example, back around 1990, before the magazine capacity limit went into effect I went and bought a Hi-Power.  I didn't particulary want the thing, but it fit my hand and it holds 13 rounds.  I bought it because the Gov. didn't want me to have one.  And that's pretty much why I got the AR before Obama was elected the first time.

Don't tell me to do anything.  Ask me, and there's a good chance I'll do it.

Way Too Hot

The Boss has joined the eldest and his family on a trip to Florida.  They'll be visiting a beach, my sister and then Disney World for 3 days.  She wanted me to go too, but I declined.  We have 2 dogs and a 92 year old living here that need at least partial attention.  And I've also been there this time of year.  Nooo thank you.  Way too damn hot and humid.

I'd rather go to work, then come home and deal with the dogs and the elderly father-in-law.

Even They Break Eventually

I happen to own  a Ruger Security Six that I outfitted sometime in the 1990s with a red dot sight.  With my hand loads it's been an extremely accurate deer slayer for decades.  Yesterday I threw a box of 158 Gr hollow points at a 8 inch hanging steel plate at 75 yards. A lot of bell ringing resulted.  I quit when the firing pin stuck such that I couldn't close the loaded cylinder.

I know if I send it back to Ruger, it'll get fixed at no charge.  The issue is the delay and the red dot sight.  I'd have to re-mount the sight and go through the sighting in process again.  I think I'll take it to the local smith instead.

That's a bummer.  I had planned on the Hi-Power getting a tightening job next.

Me Neither

The other day I heard an ex-governor say that he doesn't recognize this country anymore.  I agree.  In my lifetime this country has become more government controlled, more government reliance, less individual reliance and less governed by the people.  While this didn't start with this president and legislature, they have surely accellerated the process.  Those on the left probably think this is a good thing, they need to just observe the rest of the world and use some brain power.  If they did that they might realize how wrong they are. 

The best thing about this country has been small government and individual liberty.  That's being systematically destroyed, and recently at an alarming rate.

Unwind a Little

Mothers day, valentines day, fathers day, they're all kind of ho hum in my opinion.  Today was an acception.  Spent time with both sons, 3 hours at the range and a bottle of Buffalo Trace bourbon as a present.  A very good day indeed.

I don't have any idea why, but shooting has always been a great way for me to unwind.  I've always found that activity relaxing.  I sure needed it.

Kind of Rattles a Bit

Back around 1990, before I really got into guns as a hobby and just before the 10 round magazine limit went into effect, I bought myself a birthday present. . . . An FEG clone of the browning Hi-Power.  At the time my handgun battery consisted of a 6" Ruger Security Six and an old Sauer&Son 32 auto.  I really had no use for that pistol, other than thumbing my nose at the government. 

I walked away from the gun show with a pistol that held more rounds then Nanny wanted me to have, and 6 additional evil 13 round magazines.  So why a Hi-Power?  Because it held more than 10, and it fit my hand like no other pistol at that time.  It was designed when the average hand was smaller than today.  I did can the stupid magazine disconnect rather quickly though.  And I still love that thing, despite being shot so much that it's become extremely loose.

A local smith said he can tighten it up for a lot less than buying a new one.  I think I'll take him up on that.

Really ?

Interesting how tiring it is to lay paver blocks.  Spending several hours on 2 knees and 1 arm wears an old man out.  At around 3 I took some time to rest in front of the TV. 

The SciFy channel was showing a story of some folks stuck on an island that was in some kind of time warp.  WWII vintage soldiers and even an old German U-Boat were stuck there.  The only reason I mention this is that the Germans were carrying 30 carbines and Gerands.  The history books must all be wrong, because as I recall those were U.S. weapons.  Go figure.

I Fear It's Too Late

I was completely surprised when Obama was elected the first time.  Certainly the population could see through this used car salesman/preacher.  History proved me wrong.  The voting public had their eyes closed.

And then I was shocked when he was elected the second time.  Anyone with a lick of sense could see that he was terrible for this country.  He promised to fundamentally change the country, and did his best to come through in his first term.  Why is it that more than half of us don't like America?  It must be true because he was re-elected.

And now the same supporters are shocked . . . . shocked that we are becoming, like a speeding train, an entirely different country.  The Fed. Government has the power, and is using it, to control every aspect of our lives.  And maybe, finally, the un-thinking are starting to notice the evil and corruption of this administration and bureaucracy.  When ObamaCare is fully in effect we will be completely controlled by government.  I fear its too late to reverse the evil trend.