Cooking a turkey and having some friends over.
Easter has always been a friends and family day.
I just realized a bit of strangeness about my family though.
Great Grampa and Gramma were Catholic, pretty normal for Italians. The only time I ever saw Grampa in church was when he was in his casket. My Mom and aunt were/are atheists. I thought The Church never let anyone out, like the mafia. ;)
I sometimes think that after all of the horrors of the run-up to Mussolini and what happened to cause GGramps to flee to America that his faith was shaken too much to pass it down to his children. Especially when three of them disappeared without a trace.
However, Easter has always been a "get together" day. A happy day.
Even if The Lovely Harvey cooks turkey and mashed potatoes instead of the more appropriate spaghetti. She doesn't get the Chinese for Christmas tradition either.
31 March 2013
E85 Revisit
Remember when I posted this? E85
It's a recycle of a post back from my LiveJournal days and it generated a LOT of comment there.
Well, independent confirmation from Edmunds.
PS: That was also the post that got me to thinking I needed to have a comment policy. You may notice that you cannot post a comment here anonymously. That E85 post from LJ is why.
It's a recycle of a post back from my LiveJournal days and it generated a LOT of comment there.
Well, independent confirmation from Edmunds.
PS: That was also the post that got me to thinking I needed to have a comment policy. You may notice that you cannot post a comment here anonymously. That E85 post from LJ is why.
30 March 2013
Uncommunicative
I ordered the purple stock set on the 19th.
I guess they weren't kidding with the warning that things could take two to three weeks to process.
I hate waiting.
I guess they weren't kidding with the warning that things could take two to three weeks to process.
I hate waiting.
29 March 2013
Meh Friday
Took the dog to the vet.
Double whammy.
He's been chewing his fur off. Normally that means it's flea season and we forgot to give him his stuff.
Well, we hadn't forgotten this time.
Turns out he's become allergic to his normal K9 advantix® II _AND_ our local fleas find the bouquet to be piquant and fruity.
The vet says that fleas carry other diseases in a seasonal manner and what Shi Shu has managed to catch while the flea meds inflamed his skin is a nice bacteria under his skin.
Now he's got an oral flea slayer and is on antibiotics for a while.
Double whammy.
He's been chewing his fur off. Normally that means it's flea season and we forgot to give him his stuff.
Well, we hadn't forgotten this time.
Turns out he's become allergic to his normal K9 advantix® II _AND_ our local fleas find the bouquet to be piquant and fruity.
The vet says that fleas carry other diseases in a seasonal manner and what Shi Shu has managed to catch while the flea meds inflamed his skin is a nice bacteria under his skin.
Now he's got an oral flea slayer and is on antibiotics for a while.
28 March 2013
Manual NPP
NPP is the RPO code from GM for the dual mode exhaust on a sixth generation Corvette.
There are butterfly valves in the mufflers that, in stock form, open at about 3,000 rpm allowing the exhaust to bypass the muffler.
This gives a small horsepower boost over the base exhaust, six horsepower.
With the valves closed it's as loud as a Cadillac.
I thought this was a performance car!
So I put a push switch in my dead pedal.
Now you can hear the 436hp ofAmerican Canadian LS3 at idle!
There are butterfly valves in the mufflers that, in stock form, open at about 3,000 rpm allowing the exhaust to bypass the muffler.
This gives a small horsepower boost over the base exhaust, six horsepower.
With the valves closed it's as loud as a Cadillac.
I thought this was a performance car!
So I put a push switch in my dead pedal.
Now you can hear the 436hp of
27 March 2013
That Makes Sense
The .38 Super Government Model from Colt is noticeably more accurate than the .45 ACP GI Model from Springfield Armory.
I had attributed it entirely to the trigger and the round.
Today I read about "riding the link".
The barrel of the Springfield has a lot of slop in battery. The Colt, none.
What that means is the Colt's barrel is in the same position, relative to the sights, after every shot. That helps a lot.
I had attributed it entirely to the trigger and the round.
Today I read about "riding the link".
The barrel of the Springfield has a lot of slop in battery. The Colt, none.
What that means is the Colt's barrel is in the same position, relative to the sights, after every shot. That helps a lot.
I Don't Wanna Jynx It
But...
I listed a couple of FAL parts I don't want on Gunbroker.
No reserve, with a buy it now about $15 beloweveryone else new MSRP and starting bid about half the buy it now.
They both sold for the buy it now price on the first day.
WTF?
I am not complaining, I am confused.
And I'm quite pleased.
I listed a couple of FAL parts I don't want on Gunbroker.
No reserve, with a buy it now about $15 below
They both sold for the buy it now price on the first day.
WTF?
I am not complaining, I am confused.
And I'm quite pleased.
26 March 2013
Stay In School Kids
Jim Carrey points out that over a million people have been killed by firearms since John Lennon was murdered.
By gum, he's right.
But he's skipping over some of it. A bit more than half are suicides. No matter how you slice it, someone who uses a gun to check-out is serious and when a gun isn't available will use other means.
But in the past 32.4 years since the death of Mr Lennon, over a million people have been killed by a firearm in the USA. Just a bit under 31 thousand a year.
Well, Jim, got some news for you...
In the whopping 12 years of the Third Reich, they managed to off some 12 million people (and most of them in the last four years of it). It will take us 388 years to catch up Hitler.
In four years Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge managed to at least tie our "score" and might have doubled or tripled it (unlike the NSDAP they didn't keep good records).
36 years of Stalin killed more than 40 million people in the Soviet Union. I think we'd have to use nukes on ourselves to catch up not just rely on small arms.
Chairman Mao snuffed about 35 million people and did it in about five years. He's got us stomped for rate.
Why do I bring up these four dictatorships, Jim?
You'll never guess what they all did before they started murdering their own people.
They took away all of the guns from the everyday citizenry.
By gum, he's right.
But he's skipping over some of it. A bit more than half are suicides. No matter how you slice it, someone who uses a gun to check-out is serious and when a gun isn't available will use other means.
But in the past 32.4 years since the death of Mr Lennon, over a million people have been killed by a firearm in the USA. Just a bit under 31 thousand a year.
Well, Jim, got some news for you...
In the whopping 12 years of the Third Reich, they managed to off some 12 million people (and most of them in the last four years of it). It will take us 388 years to catch up Hitler.
In four years Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge managed to at least tie our "score" and might have doubled or tripled it (unlike the NSDAP they didn't keep good records).
36 years of Stalin killed more than 40 million people in the Soviet Union. I think we'd have to use nukes on ourselves to catch up not just rely on small arms.
Chairman Mao snuffed about 35 million people and did it in about five years. He's got us stomped for rate.
Why do I bring up these four dictatorships, Jim?
You'll never guess what they all did before they started murdering their own people.
They took away all of the guns from the everyday citizenry.
Michael Bloomberg (A Known Jew)
We really have become the Soviet Union, haven't we?
Or we at least have a Media SSR resident among us.
Gun owners are not angry at Bloomberg because he's a Jew, it's because he's a gun grabber.
We'd be just as upset with him if he were a Baptist.
This brings up something, again, that I cannot fathom.
I cannot figure out why so many prominent Jews in politics are so gung-ho about gun control. Of all the peoples on this earth you'd think they'd be the ones with an entire deck of Godwin cards to play whenever anything the NSDAP did comes up, right down to highway funding because Hitler is the guy who broke ground on the first stretch of the Autobahn.
I dunno, it's like black folks wearing white sheets and burning crosses without a hint of irony.
Or we at least have a Media SSR resident among us.
Gun owners are not angry at Bloomberg because he's a Jew, it's because he's a gun grabber.
We'd be just as upset with him if he were a Baptist.
This brings up something, again, that I cannot fathom.
I cannot figure out why so many prominent Jews in politics are so gung-ho about gun control. Of all the peoples on this earth you'd think they'd be the ones with an entire deck of Godwin cards to play whenever anything the NSDAP did comes up, right down to highway funding because Hitler is the guy who broke ground on the first stretch of the Autobahn.
I dunno, it's like black folks wearing white sheets and burning crosses without a hint of irony.
25 March 2013
Correlation Again
Reading this.
They point out that the percentage of murders committed with a firearm is increasing. Still, the overall rate is down. Five murders with a gun, ten with a knife in 2010 vs four murders with a gun, seven with a knife in 2011; there's still four fewer murders! (numbers pulled from my ass for comparison purposes).
They are literally citing the "gun death" that Weer'd points out all the time.
They, correctly, state that there's not much evidence that more guns is causing the reduction in murders and crime overall.
What they are all missing is that there's a lot more guns out there in both numbers and percentages than ever before in Florida history. YET THE CRIME RATE IS GOING DOWN! What that most definitely indicates is more guns does not correlate to more murder or other crimes. It MIGHT indicate that better armed citizens make criminals more reluctant to prey on them as well.
h/t Angrymike
They point out that the percentage of murders committed with a firearm is increasing. Still, the overall rate is down. Five murders with a gun, ten with a knife in 2010 vs four murders with a gun, seven with a knife in 2011; there's still four fewer murders! (numbers pulled from my ass for comparison purposes).
They are literally citing the "gun death" that Weer'd points out all the time.
There were fewer murders this year, including fewer with guns, than last year.
But a higher percentage of those murder were with guns!Nope, not a compelling argument Mr Grabber.
They, correctly, state that there's not much evidence that more guns is causing the reduction in murders and crime overall.
What they are all missing is that there's a lot more guns out there in both numbers and percentages than ever before in Florida history. YET THE CRIME RATE IS GOING DOWN! What that most definitely indicates is more guns does not correlate to more murder or other crimes. It MIGHT indicate that better armed citizens make criminals more reluctant to prey on them as well.
h/t Angrymike
Spec
Getting Tabitha ready for the arrival of the purple stock set from Cavalry Manufacturing.
CavMan is the least communicative and slowest shipping gun parts company I have ever dealt with, by the way.
Cav doesn't offer the purple stocks in mil-spec. I had two commercial-spec carbine receiver extensions (aka buffer tubes) from Del-Ton in the parts bin, but they're far too long. Additionally most commercial extensions have a slanted back end.
So I ordered a replacement extension from Brownells. High Standard brand. The Q&A section indicated an OA length of 7.2" so the "way too long" would be taken care of. Well... As you can see in the above picture, it's closer to 7.75" OA. Proper mil-spec is 7.188" long. It's also identical to the Del-Ton tubes it's meant to replace.
So I enquired of Arfcom's Retro Section.
The UTG-TLU004 fits the bill I was looking for. Except for diameter and materials it's a mil-spec buffer tube. Mil-Spec should be Ø1.15" and made from 7075-T6 aluminum. Commercial is Ø1.17 and is normally made from 6061-T6 aluminum.
Now, if Cavalry Manufacturing will get off their butts and ship the "we have plenty in stock" purple stock set my readers were generous enough to pay for, we're golden. Or purple. Or something.
CavMan is the least communicative and slowest shipping gun parts company I have ever dealt with, by the way.
Cav doesn't offer the purple stocks in mil-spec. I had two commercial-spec carbine receiver extensions (aka buffer tubes) from Del-Ton in the parts bin, but they're far too long. Additionally most commercial extensions have a slanted back end.
 |
| Note the angle. |
So I enquired of Arfcom's Retro Section.
The UTG-TLU004 fits the bill I was looking for. Except for diameter and materials it's a mil-spec buffer tube. Mil-Spec should be Ø1.15" and made from 7075-T6 aluminum. Commercial is Ø1.17 and is normally made from 6061-T6 aluminum.
 |
| Top, UTG. Bottom, BCM. |
 |
| Top, UTG. Bottom, Del-Ton. |
 |
| Mounted with a spare slider from Del-Ton. |
Rant Tag
Posts marked with the "rant" tag aren't necessarily well researched or thought out.
They are venting.
Almost literally ranting and raving.
That there may be a kernel of truth or wisdom in them is happenstance.
They are venting.
Almost literally ranting and raving.
That there may be a kernel of truth or wisdom in them is happenstance.
More
Child vaccinations have killed as many or more people than guns?
Are you fucking high?
Really you stupid dancing monkey: Are. You. Fucking. High?
Two words I know you didn't hear every year during YOUR childhood: Polio Season.
Know, personally, anyone who's died from smallpox?
I know you didn't and don't because those diseases were eradicated vaccinations.
You mention 3 cases of autism against a body of 5000. Check your statistics book, oh wait you probably cannot because you didn't finish high school. I'll help. That's 0.06%. That's quite small. I am willing to bet that if the real incidence of autism to the vaccination you're condemning was 0.06% we'd have a shit-ton more cases of autism than we do. For 2009 that would be around 2,500 cases of autism out of 4.1 million children. It really sucks to be one of the 2,500 but I think I prefer that to a epidemic of the diseases that we're immunizing for.
It's proving a negative, but how many children are alive because of those shots? How many others didn't die from a child carrying the disease around because of those shots?
That whole correlation and causation thing keeps rearing its ugly head. You allude to it when you mention that the drug companies have an interest in keeping those products on the market. You compare it to tobacco.
Wanna know something? There's not a single unbiased study on tobacco here in the US. Every single one of them was funded either by the tobacco companies or by an anti-tobacco organization. There is now so much misinformation about it, that it's impossible to make a meaningful decision. Dammit.
One thing I know about actual science is when the data contradicts the conclusion, the conclusion is discarded. Show me a tobacco study that didn't find what it was expecting, then we'll call your comparison apt.
Wanna know something else the drug companies have a vested interest in? Healthy, happy customers! It means repeat business. It means longer term profits.
When starting this rant I did some googling. Want to know who else I found involved in the immunization schedule? The government. Not once in your tirade did I hear you ask if the vaccinations administered are the products the companies recommend or if they are the product that works at all and is mandated by law.
Uneducated dancing monkeys can shut up any time now.
Are you fucking high?
Really you stupid dancing monkey: Are. You. Fucking. High?
Two words I know you didn't hear every year during YOUR childhood: Polio Season.
Know, personally, anyone who's died from smallpox?
I know you didn't and don't because those diseases were eradicated vaccinations.
You mention 3 cases of autism against a body of 5000. Check your statistics book, oh wait you probably cannot because you didn't finish high school. I'll help. That's 0.06%. That's quite small. I am willing to bet that if the real incidence of autism to the vaccination you're condemning was 0.06% we'd have a shit-ton more cases of autism than we do. For 2009 that would be around 2,500 cases of autism out of 4.1 million children. It really sucks to be one of the 2,500 but I think I prefer that to a epidemic of the diseases that we're immunizing for.
It's proving a negative, but how many children are alive because of those shots? How many others didn't die from a child carrying the disease around because of those shots?
That whole correlation and causation thing keeps rearing its ugly head. You allude to it when you mention that the drug companies have an interest in keeping those products on the market. You compare it to tobacco.
Wanna know something? There's not a single unbiased study on tobacco here in the US. Every single one of them was funded either by the tobacco companies or by an anti-tobacco organization. There is now so much misinformation about it, that it's impossible to make a meaningful decision. Dammit.
One thing I know about actual science is when the data contradicts the conclusion, the conclusion is discarded. Show me a tobacco study that didn't find what it was expecting, then we'll call your comparison apt.
Wanna know something else the drug companies have a vested interest in? Healthy, happy customers! It means repeat business. It means longer term profits.
When starting this rant I did some googling. Want to know who else I found involved in the immunization schedule? The government. Not once in your tirade did I hear you ask if the vaccinations administered are the products the companies recommend or if they are the product that works at all and is mandated by law.
Uneducated dancing monkeys can shut up any time now.
24 March 2013
Low Information
Want to know something?
It's far better to become informed on a topic BEFORE the media or politicians get ahold of it than to form your opinions afterwards.
That way when they begin to get things wrong, you know right away, perhaps in time for your voice to matter.
If you wait until they're debating at the capitol before pull out your smart phone and Google it, you will almost assuredly be getting a lot of hits intended to sway you rather than inform.
Of course that will mean putting down the endless distractions of entertainment and actually studying up on topics...
It's far better to become informed on a topic BEFORE the media or politicians get ahold of it than to form your opinions afterwards.
That way when they begin to get things wrong, you know right away, perhaps in time for your voice to matter.
If you wait until they're debating at the capitol before pull out your smart phone and Google it, you will almost assuredly be getting a lot of hits intended to sway you rather than inform.
Of course that will mean putting down the endless distractions of entertainment and actually studying up on topics...
22 March 2013
Gone Shootin
Dropped a precious box of ammo through the .38 Super and part of a box through the Anaconda.
.45 Colt is super light shooting in a gun with a six inch barrel designed for .44 Magnum.
Again I am just amazed at how good Colt can do with a trigger when they want to.
However, this is a story about the neighboring lane.
At 7 yards I was making one large hole with either gun.
My neighbor was all over her torso target. She was clearly, and vocally, becoming frustrated that she was not printing nice tight groups.
I almost offered to help but... I think my groups are what began the frustration. I get the impression her buddy wasn't much better than she was and my shooting proved that it was possible to do much better.
Her shooting buddy was trying to help, but what he was telling her wasn't registering. I dunno; he wasn't offering bad advice, I just think that she didn't understand what he was saying. She definitely wanted to learn, and was angry that she wasn't.
I feel like I should have stepped in and paraphrased what he was saying to see if it helped.
The best news about her was she kept excellent muzzle discipline and was a very safe shooter. She just needs to figure out how to be more accurate.
She also didn't seem like she was frustrated to the point of giving up. I think she'll keep coming back until she gets it sorted.
.45 Colt is super light shooting in a gun with a six inch barrel designed for .44 Magnum.
Again I am just amazed at how good Colt can do with a trigger when they want to.
However, this is a story about the neighboring lane.
At 7 yards I was making one large hole with either gun.
My neighbor was all over her torso target. She was clearly, and vocally, becoming frustrated that she was not printing nice tight groups.
I almost offered to help but... I think my groups are what began the frustration. I get the impression her buddy wasn't much better than she was and my shooting proved that it was possible to do much better.
Her shooting buddy was trying to help, but what he was telling her wasn't registering. I dunno; he wasn't offering bad advice, I just think that she didn't understand what he was saying. She definitely wanted to learn, and was angry that she wasn't.
I feel like I should have stepped in and paraphrased what he was saying to see if it helped.
The best news about her was she kept excellent muzzle discipline and was a very safe shooter. She just needs to figure out how to be more accurate.
She also didn't seem like she was frustrated to the point of giving up. I think she'll keep coming back until she gets it sorted.
Dozens
Dozens demand that the Pasco County Commission close the gun show "loophole".
WHAT GUN SHOWS?
For that matter, what gun crime?
I know I've asked before, but really...
Pasco has two gun shows a year. I should say we have that many scheduled when you check here, but quite often those shows are cancelled. The Knights of Columbus show will likely be cancelled leaving just the Fairgrounds show.
Being a bedroom community extends to many things. We go elsewhere to work, we go elsewhere to hit the gun show.
Something that burns about that news article.
That old codger they're interviewing who used to live in Newtown? Bast's Filthy Catbox! I am sick and fucking tired of there being no effective means to strip the Gorram Yankee from the people who move down here from the frigid wastelands.
Connecticut, by the way, has closed the "loophole" for handguns.
California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island all have universal background checks at gun shows. I notice that one of those states was in the news recently concerning a mass shooting at a theater... Another of those states is in the news because one of its cities has a rather startling murder rate... Three of those states are not noted for their pastoral lack of serious crime.
If we're going to do something, shall we do something that does something?
I won't even get into how the screaming of "dozens" should override the rights of nearly half a million.
WHAT GUN SHOWS?
For that matter, what gun crime?
I know I've asked before, but really...
Pasco has two gun shows a year. I should say we have that many scheduled when you check here, but quite often those shows are cancelled. The Knights of Columbus show will likely be cancelled leaving just the Fairgrounds show.
Being a bedroom community extends to many things. We go elsewhere to work, we go elsewhere to hit the gun show.
Something that burns about that news article.
That old codger they're interviewing who used to live in Newtown? Bast's Filthy Catbox! I am sick and fucking tired of there being no effective means to strip the Gorram Yankee from the people who move down here from the frigid wastelands.
Connecticut, by the way, has closed the "loophole" for handguns.
California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island all have universal background checks at gun shows. I notice that one of those states was in the news recently concerning a mass shooting at a theater... Another of those states is in the news because one of its cities has a rather startling murder rate... Three of those states are not noted for their pastoral lack of serious crime.
If we're going to do something, shall we do something that does something?
I won't even get into how the screaming of "dozens" should override the rights of nearly half a million.
21 March 2013
Lubricant Sought
Squeaky is in need of some funding for medical experiments treatment.
Hop on over and help out if you can.
She says she's got enough for the docs, but...
Hop on over and help out if you can.
She says she's got enough for the docs, but...
The Boy
The Boy is retarded. In the old fashioned sense of the word. His cognitive processes don't function, for the most part, at a normal level nor do they work in any coordinated manner. He's got an effective IQ of around 40. The emotional development of a 3 year old with the patience of a typical teenager.
For some things, he's actually past normal. Puzzles are easy for him.
He can be violent. The triggers to outbursts are not consistent to us, but probably are to him. If he is focused on something he's fully intent and the world ceases to exist outside that.
He has no concept of cause and effect. When he wants, he wants now and brooks no delay.
He is strong, but not coordinated.
When he experiences his emotions, he experiences them all the way. Nobody loves more fully, or hates more completely. He can shift between them in a heart beat.
Although it's got some outward similarity to autism, it is not. We've done twenty years of testing to find that out. In fact, it is not anything you've ever heard of. The same twenty years of testing have verified that too.
It's "The Boy Syndrome". It combines a lot of other symptoms, but omits others, making it his alone.
It's a hard road being a parent of such a child.
People do not understand.
People shy away like he's contagious, he is not.
We feel so very alone dealing with him.
Sometimes we are reminded that we are not and that many are willing to help.
We thank you for extending that help! Even if it is for something as silly as purple plastic parts for an AR.
For some things, he's actually past normal. Puzzles are easy for him.
He can be violent. The triggers to outbursts are not consistent to us, but probably are to him. If he is focused on something he's fully intent and the world ceases to exist outside that.
He has no concept of cause and effect. When he wants, he wants now and brooks no delay.
He is strong, but not coordinated.
When he experiences his emotions, he experiences them all the way. Nobody loves more fully, or hates more completely. He can shift between them in a heart beat.
Although it's got some outward similarity to autism, it is not. We've done twenty years of testing to find that out. In fact, it is not anything you've ever heard of. The same twenty years of testing have verified that too.
It's "The Boy Syndrome". It combines a lot of other symptoms, but omits others, making it his alone.
It's a hard road being a parent of such a child.
People do not understand.
People shy away like he's contagious, he is not.
We feel so very alone dealing with him.
Sometimes we are reminded that we are not and that many are willing to help.
We thank you for extending that help! Even if it is for something as silly as purple plastic parts for an AR.
20 March 2013
Rename
You might notice that Chevy doesn't make the Vega any more. Nor the Chevette. Nor the Cavalier.
Brand names of products that are unliked get changed to that the negative associations with them don't carry on to the *NEW* *IMPROVED* replacement in the line up.
You might notice that Chevy still makes the Suburban and Ford still makes the F-150. They don't feel that the newer models need to disassociate themselves from the prior offerings.
The National Rifle Association has held that same name since 1871.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (2001) used to be Handgun Control Incorporated (1980) which used to be the National Council to Control Handguns (1974). Popular things don't need to change their name to disassociate themselves from the negative perceptions of their prospective customers.
Brand names of products that are unliked get changed to that the negative associations with them don't carry on to the *NEW* *IMPROVED* replacement in the line up.
You might notice that Chevy still makes the Suburban and Ford still makes the F-150. They don't feel that the newer models need to disassociate themselves from the prior offerings.
The National Rifle Association has held that same name since 1871.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (2001) used to be Handgun Control Incorporated (1980) which used to be the National Council to Control Handguns (1974). Popular things don't need to change their name to disassociate themselves from the negative perceptions of their prospective customers.
19 March 2013
Operation RESET
Operation Reset is the plot of the Twilight 2000 module, Free City of Krakow.
It purports to be a device that can emulate just about any processor via a kind of giant cube of wires.
The author of the module didn't know near as much about how computers work as my players and suspension of disbelief kept them from really accepting the adventure hooks.
I realized, years later, that the MacGuffin doesn't have to be plausible.
That the thing depicted in Operation Reset doesn't work is irrelevant to the plot. That something wired like a telephone switch board with drop wires cannot work like a microprocessor is even less relevant.
The explanation is the DIA couldn't afford to ignore such a device even if it was very unlikely to work, so an operation would be mounted to obtain it. The materials in question would be sought until someone who was an expert could say, "WTF is the BS?"
Still, even that doesn't matter.
All the players need to know is that someone wants this stuff and they'll pay for it.
If I ever get a chance to run T2K again, I will remember this.
By the way, T2K works much better in GURPS than it ever did in its native system. The module The Black Madonna failed utterly with the original rules. GURPS has fright checks, and mechanics to force the atmosphere onto the players. That enhances the effect rather than getting its way.
It purports to be a device that can emulate just about any processor via a kind of giant cube of wires.
The author of the module didn't know near as much about how computers work as my players and suspension of disbelief kept them from really accepting the adventure hooks.
I realized, years later, that the MacGuffin doesn't have to be plausible.
That the thing depicted in Operation Reset doesn't work is irrelevant to the plot. That something wired like a telephone switch board with drop wires cannot work like a microprocessor is even less relevant.
The explanation is the DIA couldn't afford to ignore such a device even if it was very unlikely to work, so an operation would be mounted to obtain it. The materials in question would be sought until someone who was an expert could say, "WTF is the BS?"
Still, even that doesn't matter.
All the players need to know is that someone wants this stuff and they'll pay for it.
If I ever get a chance to run T2K again, I will remember this.
By the way, T2K works much better in GURPS than it ever did in its native system. The module The Black Madonna failed utterly with the original rules. GURPS has fright checks, and mechanics to force the atmosphere onto the players. That enhances the effect rather than getting its way.
Wow!
DL. Thank you!
And of course you can shoot it when you're in town. It might even hook you on 6.8.
PS: The Lovely Harvey, with tears in her eyes, thanks you and everyone who's responded, (AT and MK in particular).
And of course you can shoot it when you're in town. It might even hook you on 6.8.
PS: The Lovely Harvey, with tears in her eyes, thanks you and everyone who's responded, (AT and MK in particular).
New Location
Looks like MagPul is moving.
Where to?
Anyone know how big they are in sq-ft?
I gather that Colt abandoned plans to move into a 1,600 sq-ft facility in Kissimmee recently.
I am sure Florida would love to have them.
Where to?
Anyone know how big they are in sq-ft?
I gather that Colt abandoned plans to move into a 1,600 sq-ft facility in Kissimmee recently.
I am sure Florida would love to have them.
18 March 2013
Just Me?
Is it just me or when someone calls something "bullet proof" you want to shoot it to see if it's true?
Min Max
Learning about guns can give an advantage in some role playing universes.
More than a couple of times we'd made characters for a time period that was more advanced than the one we found ourselves.
I've got a whole list of when cartridges were introduced and more modern guns that fire them.
Such as an Anaconda in .45 Colt.
If I was willing to have custom ammo loaded, the .38 Super 1911 would be useful almost thirty years before its introduction because it shares brass with .38 ACP.
More than a couple of times we'd made characters for a time period that was more advanced than the one we found ourselves.
I've got a whole list of when cartridges were introduced and more modern guns that fire them.
Such as an Anaconda in .45 Colt.
If I was willing to have custom ammo loaded, the .38 Super 1911 would be useful almost thirty years before its introduction because it shares brass with .38 ACP.
17 March 2013
Bleg
Personal time.
My son is pretty severely retarded.
Basically the emotional development of a two year old in a 19 year old body.
This means that we're a single income family because someone has to stay home to tend to him.
Life is a challenge. I'm rising to the challenge most of the time, but it's difficult.
We're doing OK on most things, but luxuries are a bit scanty.
Not asking for pity, like I said, we're doing OK.
A while ago I reported a challenge. If someone were to buy me the purple stock set from Cav Arms, I'd put it on Tabitha.
He's found out about the challenge. He said, "Me do for Daddy!"
Cue sad music and start the tears.
He doesn't have the money. I'm out of horse trades to get them.
What I am asking the readers at large is for donations to the cause and to let him think he made it happen. Which, I guess he will have since I'm relaying his wishes.
Email me at mcthag at gmail dot com to get information on how to contribute.
My son is pretty severely retarded.
Basically the emotional development of a two year old in a 19 year old body.
This means that we're a single income family because someone has to stay home to tend to him.
Life is a challenge. I'm rising to the challenge most of the time, but it's difficult.
We're doing OK on most things, but luxuries are a bit scanty.
Not asking for pity, like I said, we're doing OK.
A while ago I reported a challenge. If someone were to buy me the purple stock set from Cav Arms, I'd put it on Tabitha.
He's found out about the challenge. He said, "Me do for Daddy!"
Cue sad music and start the tears.
He doesn't have the money. I'm out of horse trades to get them.
What I am asking the readers at large is for donations to the cause and to let him think he made it happen. Which, I guess he will have since I'm relaying his wishes.
Email me at mcthag at gmail dot com to get information on how to contribute.
16 March 2013
1911 Versus 1911A1
Just for FuzzyGeff.
Notice how the brand-new Government Model in .38 Super combines the features of both.
Notice how the brand-new Government Model in .38 Super combines the features of both.
Saudi America
It occurs to me that it would not be a very long war to conquer Saudi Arabia and make it a US territory and start the process of making it a state.
The main objection I hear when I mention doing so is the entire Islamic world would then hate us.
"Then hate us?"
If we take over Saudi, Islam will not hate us any more than they do today. They are already all in on hatin' themselves some 'Merkians.
Besides, the attacks from Saudi's neighbors will provide the excuses we need to take about a few more dictatorships whom hate us already.
Who will stop us?
Europe? With what?
Russia? We take the gulf states out of the oil to Europe business to devour it for our consumption, it just makes their oil more marketable. It's a win for them too.
China? Tell them if we don't do this, we'll have no choice but to default on those loans.
Anyone left who's more than a speed bump?
Besides, I seem to recall that in 1941 we went to war to eliminate exactly this sort of totalitarian threat to the world. The people who made that call (Democrats no less) and who fought it are now known as the "Greatest Generation".
The main objection I hear when I mention doing so is the entire Islamic world would then hate us.
"Then hate us?"
If we take over Saudi, Islam will not hate us any more than they do today. They are already all in on hatin' themselves some 'Merkians.
Besides, the attacks from Saudi's neighbors will provide the excuses we need to take about a few more dictatorships whom hate us already.
Who will stop us?
Europe? With what?
Russia? We take the gulf states out of the oil to Europe business to devour it for our consumption, it just makes their oil more marketable. It's a win for them too.
China? Tell them if we don't do this, we'll have no choice but to default on those loans.
Anyone left who's more than a speed bump?
Besides, I seem to recall that in 1941 we went to war to eliminate exactly this sort of totalitarian threat to the world. The people who made that call (Democrats no less) and who fought it are now known as the "Greatest Generation".
Rule of Thumb
Before eating someplace, check out the restroom.
The same people who clean there, clean the kitchen.
The same people who clean there, clean the kitchen.
15 March 2013
Rand Paul Throws 2016 Presidential Election
Story.
If there's one thing I know about pro-life candidates is that they do not have national appeal.
A candidate that says he will ban abortions will not be more than state senator.
Time and time again the voters make their voice heard on this, especially women.
clap
<pause>
clap
<pause>
clap
<pause>
clap
And by the way, Rand, the moment it's human is very much a religious question, you know, First Amendment territory. Congress shall make no law... stuff.
And before anyone goes off on me about this, make sure that God's not involved in your decision process concerning the moment the zygotes become people.
I will not accept religious based arguments on this because I don't believe in your Gods.
I remain open minded enough to be swayed by a convincing and compelling argument, though.
I think that I mentioned, more than once, that I am not very conservative except on guns and economics.
I'll start.
It is a human being when the collection of cells can live in the atmosphere and process nourishment through its digestive tract. Before that it's just human tissue. Example, a heart is definitely human tissue, is it a person?
As long as people are getting pregnant when they don't want kids you're going to have abortions. The procedure is literally medieval. Just like banning guns will not eliminate guns, banning abortion doesn't stop it. There's the pragmatic position.
The only way you're not risking having a kid is to not have sex with another person. There a lots of ways to mitigate against it, but the exact same people who are so damn passionate about banning abortions are the people who also don't want any pubescent to learn about sex except as a DIY kit. Biology wins here. To override biology you need to present a compelling case as to why. You may note that a woman who's getting an abortion has found such a reason.
I'll admit, it's a stupid form of birth control, but is your position helping or hurting?
If there's one thing I know about pro-life candidates is that they do not have national appeal.
A candidate that says he will ban abortions will not be more than state senator.
Time and time again the voters make their voice heard on this, especially women.
clap
<pause>
clap
<pause>
clap
<pause>
clap
And by the way, Rand, the moment it's human is very much a religious question, you know, First Amendment territory. Congress shall make no law... stuff.
And before anyone goes off on me about this, make sure that God's not involved in your decision process concerning the moment the zygotes become people.
I will not accept religious based arguments on this because I don't believe in your Gods.
I remain open minded enough to be swayed by a convincing and compelling argument, though.
I think that I mentioned, more than once, that I am not very conservative except on guns and economics.
I'll start.
It is a human being when the collection of cells can live in the atmosphere and process nourishment through its digestive tract. Before that it's just human tissue. Example, a heart is definitely human tissue, is it a person?
As long as people are getting pregnant when they don't want kids you're going to have abortions. The procedure is literally medieval. Just like banning guns will not eliminate guns, banning abortion doesn't stop it. There's the pragmatic position.
The only way you're not risking having a kid is to not have sex with another person. There a lots of ways to mitigate against it, but the exact same people who are so damn passionate about banning abortions are the people who also don't want any pubescent to learn about sex except as a DIY kit. Biology wins here. To override biology you need to present a compelling case as to why. You may note that a woman who's getting an abortion has found such a reason.
I'll admit, it's a stupid form of birth control, but is your position helping or hurting?
Carry
Roberta X has started a meme with me at any rate.
A $20 is as "fat stacks" as I roll.
Watch? My timepiece is more than a mere watch.
The Colt is immaculate because a) it's still pretty dang new and b) I take exceptionally good care of my guns. Even the Springfield it replaces is barely showing wear on the edges and I carried that for most of six years.
The knife shows less wear than it has in this shot.
A $20 is as "fat stacks" as I roll.
Watch? My timepiece is more than a mere watch.
The Colt is immaculate because a) it's still pretty dang new and b) I take exceptionally good care of my guns. Even the Springfield it replaces is barely showing wear on the edges and I carried that for most of six years.
The knife shows less wear than it has in this shot.
Apart
I see them all talking, laughing and having fun.
I am almost certain I would be welcome to join in.
I might even have been invited to join.
But I don't.
I stand at a distance.
I don't know how to join in.
I never learned.
I am almost certain I would be welcome to join in.
I might even have been invited to join.
But I don't.
I stand at a distance.
I don't know how to join in.
I never learned.
Settled
I read it, but didn't absorb it.
It's right there in the Heller decision.
It's right there in the Heller decision.
Some have made the argument, bordering on the frivolous, that only those arms in existence in the 18th century are protected by the Second Amendment. We do not in- terpret constitutional rights that way. Just as the First Amendment protects modern forms of communications, e.g., Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U. S. 844, 849 (1997), and the Fourth Amendment applies to modern forms of search, e.g., Kyllo v. United States, 533 U. S. 27, 35–36 (2001), the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding.
We have a supreme court ruling that the 2nd isn't about flintlock muzzle loaders.
14 March 2013
Not Quite
This article has been making the link rounds.
I think he's missed some important bits, or at least Mother Jones didn't ask the right questions.
The NRA got "taken over" in 1977? Why would that have happened, Dan? You need to answer that to understand part of what's confusing you. The NRA was founded as a MILITARY marksmanship training organization, so that the next war our troops would be able to shoot what they were aiming at. All of the pastoral training has application for military shooting, but by 1977 the NRA had become a sportsmen only club and didn't oppose any gun laws at all.
Gun Culture 2.0 and NRA '76 are not compatible.
Handguns? Not for carrying.
Detachable magazines? Why are you a bad shot?
Machine guns? Just for the police and military.
GCA 1968? We helped write it!
The NRA in 1976 was a gun control organization Dan.
By the way, they still teach every single one of the hunting and conservation classes they taught in 1976, and they still teach the Boy Scouts. What changed is they started standing up to the gun grabbers.
Only 4% of gun owners are members of the NRA? First off, that's a gigantic percentage compared to, say the NAACP.
Four million NRA members is eight times as many people as the ACLU. How many people do they purport to represent and what percentage is 500k of that?
How large does an organization have to be before they're considered valid? What percentage of the people they claim to represent have to be members?
Why don't more gun owners join the NRA? Because many of us feel that they don't do anything, so why waste the money? Was it the NRA or the Second Amendment Foundation that got Heller to the Supreme Court? NRA or SAF for McDonald?
Or was the NRA actively opposing those cases because they weren't perfect slam-dunk wins?
I agree with him that the NRA needs to change, but I'm not proposing to be more reasonable to the eyes of the gun controllers.
What a great many of us fear are lists.
Do I oppose background checks to be certain that I am not selling a gun to a felon? That depends. If it has to be done through an FFL and the sellers name is recorded, the firearm(s) serial number recorded and the buyer's name is recorded: I oppose background checks as a violation of my 4th Amendment right to privacy.
Come to think of it, I oppose all background checks. Because there's supposition of guilt. I have to prove I am innocent before I can buy a gun? Wrong. You have to prove I am guilty to prevent me.
The present push on background checks also wants to dodge mens rea. It doesn't matter if someone intended to sell a gun to a felon, it only matters that they did. Want to bet that the system failing will not be a positive defense?
Make the forbidden have a scarlet letter on their ID. That's passive. No lists, no records. If they use a fake ID to buy a gun, give them life. Or aren't you serious about this? How about death penalty for being a forbidden person in possession? Isn't this important to you?
But that will discriminate against convicted felons because everywhere they go and use ID people will know? We already discriminate against them all the time. They are already second-class citizens in the eyes of the law. It's a factor in recidivism.
And everything I just suggested has zero effect on the law-abiding. Which is how this should work.
Every single time gun control is pushed it is aimed at the people who didn't do anything wrong and it is always aimed at activities which did not occur in the lead-up to the crime that inspired the push.
Sandy Hook is a great example. The legal owner of the firearm passed their background check and registered the gun in accordance with CT law. The owner was murdered by a family member and the guns stolen. How will background checks and registration prevent that? How will registering guns in Florida have stopped that?
I am sick of being told that I have an absolutist attitude about guns. At least being told like there's something wrong with taking such a position. I became an absolutist when I noticed that there's never an expansion of freedom for gun rights.
1934, reduction in freedom, what are now known as NFA items become heavily taxed and registered.
1968, reduction in freedom, I have buy new guns through an FFL and attest that I am not a forbidden person (but forbidden people don't because it's a violation of self incrimination?). I can no longer buy a new gun that was made outside the country if it isn't sporting enough.
1986, reduction in freedom, I can no longer buy a newly made machinegun no matter how clean my background or law abiding I am. This is the only part of the "Firearms Owners Protection Act" that still stands besides the elimination on record keeping for ammunition sales. Don't believe me, take a 30 round magazine through Boston, DC or NYC.
1992, reduction in freedom, if my gun is not sporting enough it can't have more than a certain number of parts which were made outside the country. Some cosmetically "scary" guns were declared not sporting enough. Ammunition from China magically became more evil than ammunition from Russia and former Warsaw Pact.
1994, reduction in freedom, I have to have my background scrutinized and there are often delays while the system hiccups.
1994, reduction in freedom, I was forbidden to buy new guns that had more than a certain number of "scary" cosmetic features. This one expired but I've been hearing about its return for the past nine years.
I look at EIGHTY YEARS of gun control and I just don't see what I get from it as a law abiding citizen.
Criminals still have NFA items, they just don't register them. Criminals still have guns, they just don't buy them legally. Criminals don't bother counting the foreign content of their guns. Criminals don't submit to background checks. Criminals don't register their guns. Criminals don't obey the law, it's in the fucking job description of being a criminal!
Dan does get that we're sick of being punished for things we didn't do, again. We're sick of giving up our rights and not getting anything in return only to be back at the table being asked to give up more a couple of years later.
Sorry, Dan, you're "a gun owner but..." You're better than many in that group, but you aren't one of us and you don't get it.
h/t Angry Mike
I think he's missed some important bits, or at least Mother Jones didn't ask the right questions.
The NRA got "taken over" in 1977? Why would that have happened, Dan? You need to answer that to understand part of what's confusing you. The NRA was founded as a MILITARY marksmanship training organization, so that the next war our troops would be able to shoot what they were aiming at. All of the pastoral training has application for military shooting, but by 1977 the NRA had become a sportsmen only club and didn't oppose any gun laws at all.
Gun Culture 2.0 and NRA '76 are not compatible.
Handguns? Not for carrying.
Detachable magazines? Why are you a bad shot?
Machine guns? Just for the police and military.
GCA 1968? We helped write it!
The NRA in 1976 was a gun control organization Dan.
By the way, they still teach every single one of the hunting and conservation classes they taught in 1976, and they still teach the Boy Scouts. What changed is they started standing up to the gun grabbers.
Only 4% of gun owners are members of the NRA? First off, that's a gigantic percentage compared to, say the NAACP.
Four million NRA members is eight times as many people as the ACLU. How many people do they purport to represent and what percentage is 500k of that?
How large does an organization have to be before they're considered valid? What percentage of the people they claim to represent have to be members?
Why don't more gun owners join the NRA? Because many of us feel that they don't do anything, so why waste the money? Was it the NRA or the Second Amendment Foundation that got Heller to the Supreme Court? NRA or SAF for McDonald?
Or was the NRA actively opposing those cases because they weren't perfect slam-dunk wins?
I agree with him that the NRA needs to change, but I'm not proposing to be more reasonable to the eyes of the gun controllers.
What a great many of us fear are lists.
Do I oppose background checks to be certain that I am not selling a gun to a felon? That depends. If it has to be done through an FFL and the sellers name is recorded, the firearm(s) serial number recorded and the buyer's name is recorded: I oppose background checks as a violation of my 4th Amendment right to privacy.
Come to think of it, I oppose all background checks. Because there's supposition of guilt. I have to prove I am innocent before I can buy a gun? Wrong. You have to prove I am guilty to prevent me.
The present push on background checks also wants to dodge mens rea. It doesn't matter if someone intended to sell a gun to a felon, it only matters that they did. Want to bet that the system failing will not be a positive defense?
Make the forbidden have a scarlet letter on their ID. That's passive. No lists, no records. If they use a fake ID to buy a gun, give them life. Or aren't you serious about this? How about death penalty for being a forbidden person in possession? Isn't this important to you?
But that will discriminate against convicted felons because everywhere they go and use ID people will know? We already discriminate against them all the time. They are already second-class citizens in the eyes of the law. It's a factor in recidivism.
And everything I just suggested has zero effect on the law-abiding. Which is how this should work.
Every single time gun control is pushed it is aimed at the people who didn't do anything wrong and it is always aimed at activities which did not occur in the lead-up to the crime that inspired the push.
Sandy Hook is a great example. The legal owner of the firearm passed their background check and registered the gun in accordance with CT law. The owner was murdered by a family member and the guns stolen. How will background checks and registration prevent that? How will registering guns in Florida have stopped that?
I am sick of being told that I have an absolutist attitude about guns. At least being told like there's something wrong with taking such a position. I became an absolutist when I noticed that there's never an expansion of freedom for gun rights.
1934, reduction in freedom, what are now known as NFA items become heavily taxed and registered.
1968, reduction in freedom, I have buy new guns through an FFL and attest that I am not a forbidden person (but forbidden people don't because it's a violation of self incrimination?). I can no longer buy a new gun that was made outside the country if it isn't sporting enough.
1986, reduction in freedom, I can no longer buy a newly made machinegun no matter how clean my background or law abiding I am. This is the only part of the "Firearms Owners Protection Act" that still stands besides the elimination on record keeping for ammunition sales. Don't believe me, take a 30 round magazine through Boston, DC or NYC.
1992, reduction in freedom, if my gun is not sporting enough it can't have more than a certain number of parts which were made outside the country. Some cosmetically "scary" guns were declared not sporting enough. Ammunition from China magically became more evil than ammunition from Russia and former Warsaw Pact.
1994, reduction in freedom, I have to have my background scrutinized and there are often delays while the system hiccups.
1994, reduction in freedom, I was forbidden to buy new guns that had more than a certain number of "scary" cosmetic features. This one expired but I've been hearing about its return for the past nine years.
I look at EIGHTY YEARS of gun control and I just don't see what I get from it as a law abiding citizen.
Criminals still have NFA items, they just don't register them. Criminals still have guns, they just don't buy them legally. Criminals don't bother counting the foreign content of their guns. Criminals don't submit to background checks. Criminals don't register their guns. Criminals don't obey the law, it's in the fucking job description of being a criminal!
Dan does get that we're sick of being punished for things we didn't do, again. We're sick of giving up our rights and not getting anything in return only to be back at the table being asked to give up more a couple of years later.
Sorry, Dan, you're "a gun owner but..." You're better than many in that group, but you aren't one of us and you don't get it.
h/t Angry Mike
Hide Bound
The Firearm Blog has an article about the new LWRC Six8, 6.8 SPC rifle.
They've gone their own way on the mag-well. It's a bit wider, and that allows Magpul to make a 30-round PMAG for it. The normal AR mag-well is too narrow and the plastic ends up too thin to make a PMAG for 6.8. The new mag also allows a bit more cartridge overall length (COAL).
That's all good news, really. I'm too cheap to convert though unless the LWRC magazine becomes the only standard for 6.8 and people stop making parts for standard ARs. I don't think that will happen any time soon.
What I want to talk about is the comments to TFB article.
Almost immediately it turned into Grendel or .300 BLK is better or 6.8 was designed as a CQB round.
I'll start with that second one. No. How do we know? The designer is still around, we can ask him. 6.8 was intended to outrange the 7.62x39mm and deliver better wound ballistics than 5.56 (both M855 and Mk.262) from a 14.5" barrel AND involve the fewest changes possible to a standard M4. By the way, better performance at 300 yards also means better performance at CQB. The weapons and ammo as delivered failed to do so. The chambers were cut wrong and the rifling was spec'd for the wrong velocity plus the powder used degraded significantly when exposed to the heat in the area where it was deployed.
This cemented the performance of the round in the minds of many.
However, it is no longer 2004.
The hobbyists got involved with it and began experimenting. The initial goal of the experiment was to get the round to perform as documented by the people who initially developed it.
The first attempts involved the time honored "more powder!" to get the velocity back up to 2,500 fps from the 2,300 with factory ammo. This caused chamber pressure to be alarmingly, perhaps dangerously, high.
Remember when I said the original designer was still around to talk to? The hobbyists talked to him. They compared his notes to the SAAMI chamber specs and found a discrepancy. The leade was too short on the SAAMI drawing. Extending the leade lowered chamber pressure significantly and upped the velocity, but not as much as hoped.
Next the hobbyists noted that the 1:9 rifling specified by SAAMI was settled on by default because that's what .270 Winchester uses and it shares the same 0.277" diameter bullets. The big difference is 6.8 uses the lightest bullets made for .277 and .270 Win uses bullets that cannot be practically used in an AR platform because of length. .270 Win also pushes the lighter rounds 1,000 fps faster. The hobbyists noted that with the slower velocities and lighter rounds than .270 Win they could probably get away with slower rifling. So they had some .277 barrels made with 1:10 and 1:11 twists and experimented with different cuts for the lands and grooves, even some polygonal rifling.
What they got was a dramatic increase in velocity with a dramatic drop in chamber pressures, to well below normal 5.56 in fact.
Now, is it better than 6.5 Grendel? That depends. In general they're very hard to tell apart practically. What length barrel do you want? If you want a 24" barrel 6.5 is clearly superior, especially past 500 yards. Bill Alexander designed it for longer barrels and it really shines there. Where it starts looking poor compared to 6.8 is at the 16" barrel length that's the most popular in the AR world. This is because of case design and powder selection. Short, fat cases like the 6.5 just tend to do poorly at getting velocity out of shorter barrels. To be fair, 6.5 still stomps 5.56 out of a 16" barrel; it just doesn't enjoy a clear superiority to 6.8 here.
Is .300 AAC Blackout better than 6.8? Here I am going to say no. The hottest .300 is ballistically 7.62x39 in a form that feeds well through an AR mag-well. Identical to a round that 6.8 was specifically designed to beat at all ranges (and thanks to hobbyist meets that design goal). What .300 has going for it is it doesn't need a special bolt or magazine (except some loads will hit the front rib of the magazine).
They've gone their own way on the mag-well. It's a bit wider, and that allows Magpul to make a 30-round PMAG for it. The normal AR mag-well is too narrow and the plastic ends up too thin to make a PMAG for 6.8. The new mag also allows a bit more cartridge overall length (COAL).
That's all good news, really. I'm too cheap to convert though unless the LWRC magazine becomes the only standard for 6.8 and people stop making parts for standard ARs. I don't think that will happen any time soon.
What I want to talk about is the comments to TFB article.
Almost immediately it turned into Grendel or .300 BLK is better or 6.8 was designed as a CQB round.
I'll start with that second one. No. How do we know? The designer is still around, we can ask him. 6.8 was intended to outrange the 7.62x39mm and deliver better wound ballistics than 5.56 (both M855 and Mk.262) from a 14.5" barrel AND involve the fewest changes possible to a standard M4. By the way, better performance at 300 yards also means better performance at CQB. The weapons and ammo as delivered failed to do so. The chambers were cut wrong and the rifling was spec'd for the wrong velocity plus the powder used degraded significantly when exposed to the heat in the area where it was deployed.
This cemented the performance of the round in the minds of many.
However, it is no longer 2004.
The hobbyists got involved with it and began experimenting. The initial goal of the experiment was to get the round to perform as documented by the people who initially developed it.
The first attempts involved the time honored "more powder!" to get the velocity back up to 2,500 fps from the 2,300 with factory ammo. This caused chamber pressure to be alarmingly, perhaps dangerously, high.
Remember when I said the original designer was still around to talk to? The hobbyists talked to him. They compared his notes to the SAAMI chamber specs and found a discrepancy. The leade was too short on the SAAMI drawing. Extending the leade lowered chamber pressure significantly and upped the velocity, but not as much as hoped.
Next the hobbyists noted that the 1:9 rifling specified by SAAMI was settled on by default because that's what .270 Winchester uses and it shares the same 0.277" diameter bullets. The big difference is 6.8 uses the lightest bullets made for .277 and .270 Win uses bullets that cannot be practically used in an AR platform because of length. .270 Win also pushes the lighter rounds 1,000 fps faster. The hobbyists noted that with the slower velocities and lighter rounds than .270 Win they could probably get away with slower rifling. So they had some .277 barrels made with 1:10 and 1:11 twists and experimented with different cuts for the lands and grooves, even some polygonal rifling.
What they got was a dramatic increase in velocity with a dramatic drop in chamber pressures, to well below normal 5.56 in fact.
Now, is it better than 6.5 Grendel? That depends. In general they're very hard to tell apart practically. What length barrel do you want? If you want a 24" barrel 6.5 is clearly superior, especially past 500 yards. Bill Alexander designed it for longer barrels and it really shines there. Where it starts looking poor compared to 6.8 is at the 16" barrel length that's the most popular in the AR world. This is because of case design and powder selection. Short, fat cases like the 6.5 just tend to do poorly at getting velocity out of shorter barrels. To be fair, 6.5 still stomps 5.56 out of a 16" barrel; it just doesn't enjoy a clear superiority to 6.8 here.
Is .300 AAC Blackout better than 6.8? Here I am going to say no. The hottest .300 is ballistically 7.62x39 in a form that feeds well through an AR mag-well. Identical to a round that 6.8 was specifically designed to beat at all ranges (and thanks to hobbyist meets that design goal). What .300 has going for it is it doesn't need a special bolt or magazine (except some loads will hit the front rib of the magazine).
Alternate State
Doing an irregular comparison of the not-5.56 ammo for an AR.
Using Midway as my mule.
6.5 Grendel has seven loadings from three manufacturers.
6.8 SPC is the winner in variety. 32 loadings from seven manufacturers.
.300 AAC Blackout takes second with 23 loadings from nine manufacturers.
.300 Whisper is clinging in there with six loadings from three makers.
.30 Remington AR is dead round walking with just four loads cataloged and all from Remington itself.
I notice that the proprietary rounds have the least number of loadings and fewest companies making them, even with Alexander Arms opening up the specs for 6.5.
Much of this is academic since not a single load in any of these calibers is actually in stock.
Using Midway as my mule.
6.5 Grendel has seven loadings from three manufacturers.
6.8 SPC is the winner in variety. 32 loadings from seven manufacturers.
.300 AAC Blackout takes second with 23 loadings from nine manufacturers.
.300 Whisper is clinging in there with six loadings from three makers.
.30 Remington AR is dead round walking with just four loads cataloged and all from Remington itself.
I notice that the proprietary rounds have the least number of loadings and fewest companies making them, even with Alexander Arms opening up the specs for 6.5.
Much of this is academic since not a single load in any of these calibers is actually in stock.
Small Problem
Dottie has a CMMG lower parts kit.
Marv also purchased a CMMG LPK for his 5.56 gun.
They make damn good lower parts kits, but there's just one thing wrong.
The grip on the left is the CMMG, on the right is a take-off from a Colt LE6920.
For some reason CMMG makes their grips a little shorter than everyone else I've used. I wonder if it was to fit inside the box.
It's not been an issue since I use vintage A1 grips or Magpul's MIAD for my AR needs. Plus if I need an A2 grip, I've got about twenty of the full-size ones from helping friends change theirs out for MIAD or MOE.
Marv also purchased a CMMG LPK for his 5.56 gun.
They make damn good lower parts kits, but there's just one thing wrong.
 |
| Can you see it? |
For some reason CMMG makes their grips a little shorter than everyone else I've used. I wonder if it was to fit inside the box.
It's not been an issue since I use vintage A1 grips or Magpul's MIAD for my AR needs. Plus if I need an A2 grip, I've got about twenty of the full-size ones from helping friends change theirs out for MIAD or MOE.
13 March 2013
Glee
I was surfing YouTube for airplane videos and stumbled across Rachel Maddow editorializing about the death of the F-22A.
I didn't disagree with the content, but I can't help but be worried about the undisguised glee in her tone that the program had failed.
She was utterly cheerful about how the program had been underbid and how Lockmart had spread the manufacturing around 88 senator's districts.
Why the fuck is she so gorram'd happy?
Honey, the F-22A was supposed to replace the F-15A and F-15C in the USAF inventory. The last F-15C ran off the line in St Louis in 1990, and that was a contract for Saudi Arabia. The youngest USAF F-15C is 27 years old.
She's right, our procurement system is broken. It's been broken for a very long time too.
Where was the press on reporting abut the multiple failures of the F-22 acquisition? Oh, they were there, reporting the whole time. Why were they ignored? Because nobody trusts them anymore!
If they report the sun comes up in the east most people will buy a compass and check it themselves before believing it.
Why? Think of how many times you've been watching the news on a topic you're well versed in. How often is the media just flat wrong or misleading by omission?
On military purchase issues they've cried wolf about every single thing ever bought since the Spanish American War (look it up!). Now there's actually a wolf and nobody listens.
I've got a partial solution to the issue.
Go back to how we did it in WW2 on procurement. We buy two designs for every need. Yes, that generates waste, but it also keeps the makers honest. The reason for buying two designs was that if one turned out to be a pig, we stopped ordering them and changed our order to the better of the two.
We resurrect the one good part of MacNamara's meddling. If the Navy plane does the job, then the Air Force buys them too. If they complain that the Navy plane costs more because of the carrier equipment, be sure to have them catalog all the money we saved by their exclusive cannot be exported buy of the F-22.
Of course, I'd also have AF Generals shot for showing even the slightest reluctance to buying planes that are good at close-air.
I didn't disagree with the content, but I can't help but be worried about the undisguised glee in her tone that the program had failed.
She was utterly cheerful about how the program had been underbid and how Lockmart had spread the manufacturing around 88 senator's districts.
Why the fuck is she so gorram'd happy?
Honey, the F-22A was supposed to replace the F-15A and F-15C in the USAF inventory. The last F-15C ran off the line in St Louis in 1990, and that was a contract for Saudi Arabia. The youngest USAF F-15C is 27 years old.
She's right, our procurement system is broken. It's been broken for a very long time too.
Where was the press on reporting abut the multiple failures of the F-22 acquisition? Oh, they were there, reporting the whole time. Why were they ignored? Because nobody trusts them anymore!
If they report the sun comes up in the east most people will buy a compass and check it themselves before believing it.
Why? Think of how many times you've been watching the news on a topic you're well versed in. How often is the media just flat wrong or misleading by omission?
On military purchase issues they've cried wolf about every single thing ever bought since the Spanish American War (look it up!). Now there's actually a wolf and nobody listens.
I've got a partial solution to the issue.
Go back to how we did it in WW2 on procurement. We buy two designs for every need. Yes, that generates waste, but it also keeps the makers honest. The reason for buying two designs was that if one turned out to be a pig, we stopped ordering them and changed our order to the better of the two.
We resurrect the one good part of MacNamara's meddling. If the Navy plane does the job, then the Air Force buys them too. If they complain that the Navy plane costs more because of the carrier equipment, be sure to have them catalog all the money we saved by their exclusive cannot be exported buy of the F-22.
Of course, I'd also have AF Generals shot for showing even the slightest reluctance to buying planes that are good at close-air.
Lost Video
I just noticed that my laptop has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
That means I can still play videos through my car stereo! iTunes and DVD.
This is actually handier since the screen on the laptop is 15" instead of 7" and it can be moved to a more ideal viewing spot, like sitting on the rear deck. I even have a remote control for the media on the laptop.
That means I can still play videos through my car stereo! iTunes and DVD.
This is actually handier since the screen on the laptop is 15" instead of 7" and it can be moved to a more ideal viewing spot, like sitting on the rear deck. I even have a remote control for the media on the laptop.
12 March 2013
Content
Burned some CD's for the 6-disc changer. Since it can play mp3 files, I've quite a lot of music in there actually. An irksome bit is stuff that I've paid Apple for must be burned to audio CD's instead of a smaller format like the mp3 or wpl that the owners manual says works. I've not sacrificed a blank disk to see if the Apple default m4a works.
Plus the 3.5mm aux port still allows for the iPod.
I was feeling pretty satisfied and then I discovered that I could change the clock to read in 24 hour time!
For some reason I just prefer 24 hour time. The nav side of the DNX-8120 could show 24, but the media side couldn't. It really bugged me too.
Now I am contented with the stereo that came with the car. It only took me five and a half years...
I think I got caught up in a combination of "ooooh, shiny" and "grass is greener" with the nav unit.
Plus the 3.5mm aux port still allows for the iPod.
I was feeling pretty satisfied and then I discovered that I could change the clock to read in 24 hour time!
For some reason I just prefer 24 hour time. The nav side of the DNX-8120 could show 24, but the media side couldn't. It really bugged me too.
Now I am contented with the stereo that came with the car. It only took me five and a half years...
I think I got caught up in a combination of "ooooh, shiny" and "grass is greener" with the nav unit.
11 March 2013
AFG Again, Naturally
My buddy Anglave is considering getting the same furniture for his AR as Kaylee (except in a different color).
He mentioned being curious about the AFG and how it would mount to the MOE handguards.
He mentioned being curious about the AFG and how it would mount to the MOE handguards.
 |
| No sir, I don't like it. On a carbine it's just the wrong angle. It might be OK on a middy or a rifle, but I think the MOE handguard is about perfect and doesn't need this product. YMMV. |
 |
 |
| You can see the section of rail I used between the two parts here. If this was more than an experiment I would have used the rail section that ran the whole length of the handguard. |
Coping.
Got the phone's windshield mount where I think I can live with it.
Some observations:
This head unit was designed to work with the amp and speakers that came with the car. It shows. Sound is much clearer.
The Google Maps navigation is every bit as good, if not better than the Garmin system that the Kenwood unit had. A neat bit is when you reach your destination, you get a Streetview image of where you were headed. That's cool!
Some observations:
This head unit was designed to work with the amp and speakers that came with the car. It shows. Sound is much clearer.
The Google Maps navigation is every bit as good, if not better than the Garmin system that the Kenwood unit had. A neat bit is when you reach your destination, you get a Streetview image of where you were headed. That's cool!
10 March 2013
OEM Day One
Things are just different today than when I picked up the car in October 2007.
Since then smart phones have come into their own.
The phone, while I have service, is every bit as good for navigation as the head unit. I miss the larger screen and the phone is hard to see in the day.
The aux input still works, so I didn't lose the iPod. In fact, running the iPod from the iPod is better than from the head unit because Apple is better at interfaces than Kenwood.
The OEM radio has an automatic volume adjust that compensates for road noise, I'd forgotten how nice that was.
The controls for the radio on the steering wheel work again! Either there was something wrong with the Kenwood or the adaptor I'd bought.
I find that I really prefer a volume knob to buttons.
I find that I really prefer a tuning knob to buttons.
The CD player can hold six CD's and can play mp3's. I think the iPod might not be needed for much once I burn a few disks for the car.
I'm losing the ability to watch a DVD or video from the iPod. Not a big loss since I rarely did either and my iPod can't play many of my newer movies anyways, must be a resolution issue or something.
Since then smart phones have come into their own.
The phone, while I have service, is every bit as good for navigation as the head unit. I miss the larger screen and the phone is hard to see in the day.
The aux input still works, so I didn't lose the iPod. In fact, running the iPod from the iPod is better than from the head unit because Apple is better at interfaces than Kenwood.
The OEM radio has an automatic volume adjust that compensates for road noise, I'd forgotten how nice that was.
The controls for the radio on the steering wheel work again! Either there was something wrong with the Kenwood or the adaptor I'd bought.
I find that I really prefer a volume knob to buttons.
I find that I really prefer a tuning knob to buttons.
The CD player can hold six CD's and can play mp3's. I think the iPod might not be needed for much once I burn a few disks for the car.
I'm losing the ability to watch a DVD or video from the iPod. Not a big loss since I rarely did either and my iPod can't play many of my newer movies anyways, must be a resolution issue or something.
Depopulated
Judging from the license plates the entire population of the state of Maine is in Tampa this weekend.
Did everyone remember to turn off the lights?
Did everyone remember to turn off the lights?
Spring Forward
Remember when it used to happen in the spring?
For the life of my I cannot figure out why the fuck they do this?
Wouldn't it be better just to shift all of the clocks 30 minutes once and for all time and call it good?
Enjoy the shortest day of the year!
For the life of my I cannot figure out why the fuck they do this?
Wouldn't it be better just to shift all of the clocks 30 minutes once and for all time and call it good?
Enjoy the shortest day of the year!
Traveller
I've been playing Traveller for almost 30 years off and on.
You handle the material for that long you start to know things.
Like the Type-S.
I know that there's a handhold above and to the right of the pilot's seat he uses to swing into place. I know where the padding is to keep from knocking your head.
I know that if you use the regulation tie-down arrangement for the air-raft it rattles while the jump engines are charging.
I know so much about the Suleiman that when I am having trouble sleeping I do a pre-flight walk-around in my head. Better than counting sheep! Did you get all fifteen "Remove Before Flight" and ten "Remove Before Space" pennants and pins?
I do.
You handle the material for that long you start to know things.
Like the Type-S.
I know that there's a handhold above and to the right of the pilot's seat he uses to swing into place. I know where the padding is to keep from knocking your head.
I know that if you use the regulation tie-down arrangement for the air-raft it rattles while the jump engines are charging.
I know so much about the Suleiman that when I am having trouble sleeping I do a pre-flight walk-around in my head. Better than counting sheep! Did you get all fifteen "Remove Before Flight" and ten "Remove Before Space" pennants and pins?
I do.
09 March 2013
Well Poop
My nav head-unit in the Vette crapped out.
It's a DNX-8120 and the row of physical buttons along the bottom have stopped working.
I've returned the stock unit to service.
I'm so bummed out.
It's a DNX-8120 and the row of physical buttons along the bottom have stopped working.
I've returned the stock unit to service.
I'm so bummed out.
Reminded
I am reminded, again, how easy it is to completely nuke someone without realizing it because you've forgotten how you learned it.
I'm self taught about a lot of things because I had nobody who could teach me.
One nice thing about that is you get to see things as they are rather than filtered through the prejudices of others.
That doesn't mean you don't make your own as you learn, but you get to make them honestly.
I've always been a technophile, I love the whiz-bang.
Strangely I'm also a traditionalist. Mostly because the old is often proven out by time testing.
I rarely have the money to be an early adopter, but I also rarely summarily dismiss new tech if the idea is sound.
I'm an early adopter of red-dot optics. To me polymer was the way of the future.
Yet I carry an all steel single-stack pistol while the Glock sits in the safe.
Most of my AR's have no rails at all!
It is easy to lose track of why someone might do what they do.
Some are goals oriented, the end result is what matters.
Some are process oriented, the goal is secondary.
Some have the process forced onto their goals, they have to take things one step at a time. The goal may be compromised by the process, but it's the only path that gets near it.
Some discover goals among the processes.
I'm self taught about a lot of things because I had nobody who could teach me.
One nice thing about that is you get to see things as they are rather than filtered through the prejudices of others.
That doesn't mean you don't make your own as you learn, but you get to make them honestly.
I've always been a technophile, I love the whiz-bang.
Strangely I'm also a traditionalist. Mostly because the old is often proven out by time testing.
I rarely have the money to be an early adopter, but I also rarely summarily dismiss new tech if the idea is sound.
I'm an early adopter of red-dot optics. To me polymer was the way of the future.
Yet I carry an all steel single-stack pistol while the Glock sits in the safe.
Most of my AR's have no rails at all!
It is easy to lose track of why someone might do what they do.
Some are goals oriented, the end result is what matters.
Some are process oriented, the goal is secondary.
Some have the process forced onto their goals, they have to take things one step at a time. The goal may be compromised by the process, but it's the only path that gets near it.
Some discover goals among the processes.
08 March 2013
Bad Plans
Kel Tec has a new, very bright, light out.
Erin has reviewed it.
This image scares me.
This picture apparently comes from Kel Tec themselves.
What the heck are they thinking?
When we grasp something our fingers all want to grasp together, it takes a small amount of brain to say, "not the index finger". Squeezing the button on the light will cause a sympathetic squeezing of the trigger. Under normal circumstances, it will be easy to override that impulse and get a no-bang. But add a little adrenaline and all that will go out the window as stress attack such fine motor control. New meaning for the term "flash-bang".
Never mind how that pistol is going to be flipping up with such a crappy grip.
Erin shows us how to use this light on a weapon;
Solidly mounted and operated by the off hand.
Personally I don't think it would suit me as a weapon light, but it looks dandy as a stand-alone or for use opposite handed with a pistol that doesn't have a light.
Erin has reviewed it.
This image scares me.
This picture apparently comes from Kel Tec themselves.
What the heck are they thinking?
When we grasp something our fingers all want to grasp together, it takes a small amount of brain to say, "not the index finger". Squeezing the button on the light will cause a sympathetic squeezing of the trigger. Under normal circumstances, it will be easy to override that impulse and get a no-bang. But add a little adrenaline and all that will go out the window as stress attack such fine motor control. New meaning for the term "flash-bang".
Never mind how that pistol is going to be flipping up with such a crappy grip.
Erin shows us how to use this light on a weapon;
Solidly mounted and operated by the off hand.
Personally I don't think it would suit me as a weapon light, but it looks dandy as a stand-alone or for use opposite handed with a pistol that doesn't have a light.
Qualifications
What makes a blogger qualified to review a firearm product?
That they have the product in hand and have an opinion and a blog.
That is all.
Do we really need credentialism to start up among the gun blogs? Require degrees in weapon design? Demand a DD214? Should we discount the writings of the autodidactic?
When does someone's opinion become valid? What decides that? Do we have to pass a board?
Along those same lines, who made you the gatekeeper?
If someone writes something out of ignorance, would it not be better to teach than attack? Ridicule rarely leads to learning.
That they have the product in hand and have an opinion and a blog.
That is all.
Do we really need credentialism to start up among the gun blogs? Require degrees in weapon design? Demand a DD214? Should we discount the writings of the autodidactic?
When does someone's opinion become valid? What decides that? Do we have to pass a board?
Along those same lines, who made you the gatekeeper?
If someone writes something out of ignorance, would it not be better to teach than attack? Ridicule rarely leads to learning.
Half Joking
When I say, "like a real person," about myself I am less than half joking.
I very rarely feel a part of a group. I might be a participant, but hardly ever a member.
A guest at the club as it were.
I very rarely feel a part of a group. I might be a participant, but hardly ever a member.
A guest at the club as it were.
07 March 2013
Let There Be Light
The Magpul MOE Illumination Kit includes a cantilevered piece of p-rail and a short piece.
With the cantilever on the carbine handguard and the short piece on the mid-length; the light ends up in almost the same place!
First Dottie:
Now Kaylee:
Both with a light mounted with the receivers lined up. I borrowed The Lovely Harvey's light for this pic...
With the cantilever on the carbine handguard and the short piece on the mid-length; the light ends up in almost the same place!
First Dottie:
Now Kaylee:
Both with a light mounted with the receivers lined up. I borrowed The Lovely Harvey's light for this pic...
Letters
When I put the MOE handguards on Dottie I noticed a little 'M' on top near the slip-ring. I'd assumed it meant Magpul or MOE or something similar.
Today I notice the MOE handguard on Kaylee has a little 'C' in the same place.
C for carbine gas system, M for mid-length... Bet the rifle length one has an R...
Today I notice the MOE handguard on Kaylee has a little 'C' in the same place.
C for carbine gas system, M for mid-length... Bet the rifle length one has an R...
06 March 2013
All Magpul All The Time
I'll probably end up getting a light mount for Kaylee too.
In Arfcom tradition, Squeeker stuck a foot into the shot.
Lost Words
Anon. It means soon or shortly.
I love the way it parses.
"I shall slit your throat anon."
It has a wonderful formality to it, don't you think?
I love the way it parses.
"I shall slit your throat anon."
It has a wonderful formality to it, don't you think?
05 March 2013
WTF USPS
TRACKING NUMBER REDACTED
Priority Mail®
Expected Delivery By:
February 27, 2013
Insured
Acceptance
February 25, 2013, 9:08 am
ELFERS, FL 34680
Dispatched to Sort Facility
February 25, 2013, 4:57 pm
ELFERS, FL 34680
Processed at USPS Origin Sort Facility
February 25, 2013, 6:34 pm
TAMPA, FL 33605
Depart USPS Sort Facility
February 26, 2013
TAMPA, FL 33605
Processed through USPS Sort Facility
February 26, 2013, 9:13 pm
WARRENDALE, PA 15086
Depart USPS Sort Facility
February 27, 2013
WARRENDALE, PA 15086
Processed through USPS Sort Facility
February 28, 2013, 12:43 am
TAMPA, FL 33605
Processed through USPS Sort Facility
March 02, 2013, 12:52 am
TAMPA, FL 33605
Processed through USPS Sort Facility
March 03, 2013, 12:21 am
WARRENDALE, PA 15086
Processed through USPS Sort Facility
March 05, 2013, 10:21 pm
TAMPA, FL 33605
You may notice that it's a week past the expected delivery date and they just keep bouncing the package back and forth between the sorting facilities.
Wonder
I am constantly wondering why the peoples who have suffered the most under gun control are the same people who seem to want it again the hardest.
Look at how many antigun congresscritters are Jewish or black.
Was The Shoah so much fun you want a second go?
Is Jim Crow your bestest bud now?
I'm baffled.
Personally if my ethnic history included an attempted eradication or enslavement (it does, hello, SCOTTISH) I'd look good and hard at anything that the people who tried to wipe me out did. No matter how innocent or innocuous seeming.
It means pulling a Godwin a lot. You'll get lots of, "You know who else had crosswalks? The nazis." moments; but you have to consider the entire path to the death camps and not just the camps themselves.
By the way, Holocaust deniers: It happened and I have the single most important piece of evidence. During the Cold war the Soviets didn't deny it had happened. They had a vested interest in taking the contrary position from the US and they didn't. That's significant.
Look at how many antigun congresscritters are Jewish or black.
Was The Shoah so much fun you want a second go?
Is Jim Crow your bestest bud now?
I'm baffled.
Personally if my ethnic history included an attempted eradication or enslavement (it does, hello, SCOTTISH) I'd look good and hard at anything that the people who tried to wipe me out did. No matter how innocent or innocuous seeming.
It means pulling a Godwin a lot. You'll get lots of, "You know who else had crosswalks? The nazis." moments; but you have to consider the entire path to the death camps and not just the camps themselves.
By the way, Holocaust deniers: It happened and I have the single most important piece of evidence. During the Cold war the Soviets didn't deny it had happened. They had a vested interest in taking the contrary position from the US and they didn't. That's significant.
04 March 2013
Competence
I dunno what to think, but Thorin's party shows a marked lack of competence compared to the Mane Six.
Did You Know
Five of the seven "Century Series" fighters that made it to service had internal weapons bays?
The F-101 has a rotating rack, where two missiles are carried externally and two internally. When the first two are fired, it rotates 180˚ and the other two are now ready.
The F-102, F-106 have extending rails that lower the missile down into the slip-stream for firing.
The F-105 was designed with a conventional bomb-bay but it very rarely used it for weapons. For most of its service the bay was taken up with a fuel tank. That fuel tank had a hardpoint on the bottom of it that stuck out past the closed doors.
The F-111's bomb bay was also rarely used for weapons and most often was occupied by a laser designator and/or FLIR.
Everything that's old is new again and the F-22 and F-35 have internal weapons bays.
Back then it was for speed, today it's for stealth.
The F-101 has a rotating rack, where two missiles are carried externally and two internally. When the first two are fired, it rotates 180˚ and the other two are now ready.
The F-102, F-106 have extending rails that lower the missile down into the slip-stream for firing.
The F-105 was designed with a conventional bomb-bay but it very rarely used it for weapons. For most of its service the bay was taken up with a fuel tank. That fuel tank had a hardpoint on the bottom of it that stuck out past the closed doors.
The F-111's bomb bay was also rarely used for weapons and most often was occupied by a laser designator and/or FLIR.
Everything that's old is new again and the F-22 and F-35 have internal weapons bays.
Back then it was for speed, today it's for stealth.
Setting The Tone
You just kinda know how the day is going to go when you realize that things aren't "riding right" because you've put on your undies on inside-out and backwards.
Officer!
This is to all the law enforcement officers and cops out there.
If you stand with us and not with the gun grabbers, yet are forced to stand there as a prop for some grabby politician...
Wait until the cameras are rolling, the climax of the speech is rolling off the politico's tongue and...
PICK YOUR NOSE!
Not one person watching at home will be paying any attention to Senator Gungrabber at that point.
What's the worst that can happen to you? Picking your nose isn't illegal.
Bonus points if you flick the booger on the politician, but that's not mandatory.
If you stand with us and not with the gun grabbers, yet are forced to stand there as a prop for some grabby politician...
Wait until the cameras are rolling, the climax of the speech is rolling off the politico's tongue and...
PICK YOUR NOSE!
Not one person watching at home will be paying any attention to Senator Gungrabber at that point.
What's the worst that can happen to you? Picking your nose isn't illegal.
Bonus points if you flick the booger on the politician, but that's not mandatory.
03 March 2013
Gigantic Case of Dumbass
Cracked Dot Com (no link) has an article about how we should no longer take the NRA seriously.
#1 Because the NRA has 4.5 million members and there are 50 million gun owners.
Actually, there's more like 80 million gun owners. That seems to make your point better.
4.5 million people is still 1.5% of the total population. 50 million people are almost 17%. Most gun owner objection to the NRA seems to center around the NRA not being hard-core enough.
Shall we look at some other "minorities"?
The latest Gallup numbers suggest that 20% of America is gay (similar to the number of gun owners). Show me an LGBT organization that's got 4.5 million members.
There are close to 39 million black people in the USA. The NAACP has about 300,000 members. Shall we stop taking the rights of black people seriously or just the NAACP?
#2 Because many NRA members are just joining to become a member of a gun club.
Really? REALLY? Got a source to substantiate that claim? They link to a Yahoo! article written by Andy Sullivan (no relation to Andrew). It talks about ONE gun club's experience and...
#1 Because the NRA has 4.5 million members and there are 50 million gun owners.
Actually, there's more like 80 million gun owners. That seems to make your point better.
4.5 million people is still 1.5% of the total population. 50 million people are almost 17%. Most gun owner objection to the NRA seems to center around the NRA not being hard-core enough.
Shall we look at some other "minorities"?
The latest Gallup numbers suggest that 20% of America is gay (similar to the number of gun owners). Show me an LGBT organization that's got 4.5 million members.
There are close to 39 million black people in the USA. The NAACP has about 300,000 members. Shall we stop taking the rights of black people seriously or just the NAACP?
#2 Because many NRA members are just joining to become a member of a gun club.
Really? REALLY? Got a source to substantiate that claim? They link to a Yahoo! article written by Andy Sullivan (no relation to Andrew). It talks about ONE gun club's experience and...
There's another change as well: One year ago, the private club required all 300 of its members to join the National Rifle Association, the nation's largest gun-rights group. Some club members objected, and a dozen or so quit. But most had their NRAcards already, and the rest signed up.
Um, most were already members... Doesn't sound like they signed up just for the gun range. Cart is in front of the horse here, I think.
Shall we compare this to having to join a union just to keep a job? Wanna bet Cracked never writes an article about how we shouldn't take the UAW seriously?
And since anecdote is interchangeable for data at Cracked. I have never been required to join the NRA to join a gun club.
#3 The NRA doesn't represent its members, it represents the gun manufacturers.
Link to the Violence Policy Center about it. Couldn't find a neutral source to cite? Link to a The Nation article making the same claim, without substantiation.
It's gossip. I heard that... What's next, "Save Ferris" on the bill board?
They link to a Slate article where they take a talking point from Wayne LaPierre all out of context. Double out of context, actually. Slate is frothing about how Wayne said that the cops aren't going to be there should a hurricane flatten the neighborhood (and they won't be, just ask anyone who lived through Andrew). Cracked is linking to Slate in support of the gun industry secretly running the NRA?
I'll bet you assumed that nobody would actually read that link, didn't you?
They make the connection that the gun makers are running the NRA because the same lawyers are often representing both gun owners and gun makers in court. Ever think that might be because it's a specialty field? Like medicine. Many of the same lawyers who represent doctors also represent pharmaceutical makers. Many of the same lawyers who represent reporters also represent publishers. It's because they know that corner of their specialty better than someone who isn't a specialist.
There's an allusion to gun makers being immune from product liability. Once again a "reporter" misses what that immunity was. It's qualified immunity from being held responsible for the MISUSE of the firearm. They are not immune from shoddy manufacturing or quality control causing an injury. The reason for this immunity is that a gun is designed to propel a projectile and if it's working correctly, it can cause injury and death. It is also out of the gun maker's control at that point. This immunity puts the responsibility and liability where it belongs, on the person who pulled the trigger.
ADDENDUM: See this by Sebastian, and follow the links.
UPDATE: Remington was recently in hot water over allegations that their Model 700 rifle could fire merely by closing the bolt and there were injuries involved. They went to court just like the makers of cribs and cars.
ADDENDUM: See this by Sebastian, and follow the links.
UPDATE: Remington was recently in hot water over allegations that their Model 700 rifle could fire merely by closing the bolt and there were injuries involved. They went to court just like the makers of cribs and cars.
But! BUT! Even if the gun industry is running the NRA, there are still 4.5 million members who vote. And many of those members (lifetime and longtime) are allowed to vote in the NRA's board of directors, if they object to how the place is being run, they sure don't do anything about it so they must be happy with it.
02 March 2013
The Last F-105D
Maybe not the last, but this is how the last squadron to fly them marked up one of their birds.
The 466 TFS from Hill AFB, Utah, Air Force Reserve marked up a few of their planes in alternate camouflage schemes. This is Euro 1. The plane is armed with six M-117 750 lb. iron bombs, two 450 gallon drop tanks and two AN/ALQ-101 ECM pods. The campaign date is September 18, 1979; a bit early for the Euro 1 camo and far too early for the 466th to be using it (they painted one plane in 1983; 62-301 'My Karma') but not too early for them to have the planes.
My scenario is they were on their way back from training in Germany when the war went hot and are helping to defend Iceland from a Soviet Invasion.
It's actually not that bad a plane for this campaign. There's not much SAM with the ground forces so its lack of countermeasures doesn't hurt so bad as it would over Germany and it has the range and speed to get in and out of most of the target areas. It's not a dogfighter, but a Thunderchief egresses at the speed of heat.
The 466 TFS from Hill AFB, Utah, Air Force Reserve marked up a few of their planes in alternate camouflage schemes. This is Euro 1. The plane is armed with six M-117 750 lb. iron bombs, two 450 gallon drop tanks and two AN/ALQ-101 ECM pods. The campaign date is September 18, 1979; a bit early for the Euro 1 camo and far too early for the 466th to be using it (they painted one plane in 1983; 62-301 'My Karma') but not too early for them to have the planes.
My scenario is they were on their way back from training in Germany when the war went hot and are helping to defend Iceland from a Soviet Invasion.
It's actually not that bad a plane for this campaign. There's not much SAM with the ground forces so its lack of countermeasures doesn't hurt so bad as it would over Germany and it has the range and speed to get in and out of most of the target areas. It's not a dogfighter, but a Thunderchief egresses at the speed of heat.
Support
I have put my money where my mouth is!
I bought Magpul stuff for Kaylee.
I bought some of it from Midway.
I even bought some of it from Amazon, who's recently been accused of being anti.
That .38 Super I bought last night I bought from a small shop that doesn't give a cop discount. He does give active mil a discount though.
His reasoning.
He used to offer that discount, it didn't generate enough extra sales to cover the loss.
He does not refuse to sell to anyone based on their employer (laughing but he's considering banning lawyers and politicians)
He offers an active duty discount because he was once an underpaid soldier and he once got a discount for that. Paying it back.
He asked that I not mention the name of the shop when I asked him if I could blog it.
I bought Magpul stuff for Kaylee.
I bought some of it from Midway.
I even bought some of it from Amazon, who's recently been accused of being anti.
That .38 Super I bought last night I bought from a small shop that doesn't give a cop discount. He does give active mil a discount though.
His reasoning.
He used to offer that discount, it didn't generate enough extra sales to cover the loss.
He does not refuse to sell to anyone based on their employer (laughing but he's considering banning lawyers and politicians)
He offers an active duty discount because he was once an underpaid soldier and he once got a discount for that. Paying it back.
He asked that I not mention the name of the shop when I asked him if I could blog it.
01 March 2013
Loosely Affiliated Colors Of Magpul
All are Magpul CTR Mil-Spec diameter.
L -> R
Black, Foliage Green, Flat Dark Earth and Olive Drab.
Glad
One nice thing about being into odd calibers is when the panic starts, I can still get ammo.
.38 Super is still being delivered!
Handy that, since I recently changed carry guns to that chambering.
.38 Super is still being delivered!
Handy that, since I recently changed carry guns to that chambering.
God's Own
If 30-06 is God's Own Caliber and 7.62x51mm is God's Own Caliber, New Testament...
Does that make .30-30 God's Own Caliber, Talmud Edition?
Does that make .30-30 God's Own Caliber, Talmud Edition?
Thirty Meme
Top to bottom, the thirty plus club...
Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield; SMLE Mk III*, .303 British.
Remington; M1903A3, .30-06
Springfield; M1, .30-06
DSA; FAL 50.00, 7.62x51mm
And I deliberately rotated the picture because it looks odd this way!
SAKO; Kiv/28-30, 7.62x54mmR
Izhevsk; Mosin-Nagant M-1891/30, 7.62x54mmR
VKT: Kiv/39, 7.62x54mmR
Chongqing; Type 53 Carbine, 7.62x54mmR
Winchester; '94, .30-30
EMF Hartford; 1892, .357 Magnum
Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield; SMLE Mk III*, .303 British.
Remington; M1903A3, .30-06
Springfield; M1, .30-06
DSA; FAL 50.00, 7.62x51mm
And I deliberately rotated the picture because it looks odd this way!
SAKO; Kiv/28-30, 7.62x54mmR
Izhevsk; Mosin-Nagant M-1891/30, 7.62x54mmR
VKT: Kiv/39, 7.62x54mmR
Chongqing; Type 53 Carbine, 7.62x54mmR
Winchester; '94, .30-30
EMF Hartford; 1892, .357 Magnum
NY Boycott?
We have a boycott of police and government agencies going by industry members.
Why not a boycott of Hollywood?
With the police ban someone can legitimately say that denying a cop a 15 round magazine might end up getting that cop killed (same as it would us normal folks).
Can that be said of, say, Universal Studios?
Who dies is Quentin Tarantino can't get 30 round magazines?
Who dies if the cops on CSI: Hooterville have to carry revolvers?
Who dies if Stephen Spielberg's depiction of the D-Day landing involves the actors charging up the beach shouting, "PEW PEW PEW, BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA!"
Are our lives really worse off if we starve the dancing monkeys?
Why not a boycott of Hollywood?
With the police ban someone can legitimately say that denying a cop a 15 round magazine might end up getting that cop killed (same as it would us normal folks).
Can that be said of, say, Universal Studios?
Who dies is Quentin Tarantino can't get 30 round magazines?
Who dies if the cops on CSI: Hooterville have to carry revolvers?
Who dies if Stephen Spielberg's depiction of the D-Day landing involves the actors charging up the beach shouting, "PEW PEW PEW, BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA!"
Are our lives really worse off if we starve the dancing monkeys?