A bill to sort out what accidentally exposing your concealed carry gun means is worming its way through committees in Tallahassee.
First, I'm not going to bother getting excited until it's completely out of committee.
Second I am SO happy we're doing this AGAIN.
This is the third time they're trying to make accidental exposure legal in some way.
The previous two time were nullified by the courts, at the behest of the various police organizations.
Remember how I complain that our pro-gun organizations are experts at holding actions, but worthless on the offense?
Way back in 2011 we almost got a bill that would have cured this problem.
Pro-gun organizations which weren't the NRA or USF got the accidental exposure verbiage changed to permitted open carry.
The staffers narc'd on Marion about her withdrawing support for the bill. This led to a poison pill, which had been removed in committee, being added to the bill on the floor.
What about open carry doesn't accomplish what coverage for accidental carry does?
A bit later we got accidental exposure protection that was so nebulously defined so as to be no protection at all. It left it up to the opinion of the viewing officer and when you add the court's automatic deferment to that opinion; you get no defense.
So now we're back at it again... AGAIN...
Does this one end with, "and this time we mean it, don't make us come down there,"?
Now we're going to be fined for violating the concealed part. $25 for first offense, $500 for second, misdemeanor criminal offense for third plus which is up to 60 days in jail or $500 (since offense 2 is $500, I bet they're going to go for jail time).
I notice that what isn't changed is the discretionary and subjective opinion of the local law about if the person was accidentally exposed.
Thagstrodomas predicts: Printing, which is completely legal now, will become accidental exposure in the jurisdictions which can't learn that it's not 1986 anymore and the fines will rack up.
31 January 2018
The Final Duty
Looks like we're going to have to take Shi Shu for his last walk on Friday.
He's old. 14 is damn old for a Shiba Inu.
His mind appears to have wandered off. He's blind and deaf.
He's clearly in some pain too.
It's time.
I don't want it to be!
He's a good dog.
He's old. 14 is damn old for a Shiba Inu.
His mind appears to have wandered off. He's blind and deaf.
He's clearly in some pain too.
It's time.
I don't want it to be!
He's a good dog.
30 January 2018
Dear Brownells And Midway
Postal Innovations is a rip off.
Giants like you guys should be able to beat what I'd pay to ship with the Post Office, so why can't you manage it?
For what you're charging for handing it to UPS to take to my regional postal hub; you can get a 1st class box!
First Class would be three days.
Postal Innovations is a week.
What makes this stick out is there's several smaller places that offer 1st class and Priority Mail for less than you're charging for the package to take four extra days.
If one of you would get your ass wired together and charge better shipping rates you'd rape the other guy on lost sales until they caught on.
HINT, ignore what the sales and marketing people from UPS and FedEx are telling you. They don't care about your customers, just sales.
Giants like you guys should be able to beat what I'd pay to ship with the Post Office, so why can't you manage it?
For what you're charging for handing it to UPS to take to my regional postal hub; you can get a 1st class box!
First Class would be three days.
Postal Innovations is a week.
What makes this stick out is there's several smaller places that offer 1st class and Priority Mail for less than you're charging for the package to take four extra days.
If one of you would get your ass wired together and charge better shipping rates you'd rape the other guy on lost sales until they caught on.
HINT, ignore what the sales and marketing people from UPS and FedEx are telling you. They don't care about your customers, just sales.
Friendly Hate
Occasionally the jib of military humor and rivalry seems quite serious if you're not in on it.
Like saying The Air Force is an honorable alternative to military service.
I've seen some folks get downright ruffled in the feathers about such remarks.
The armor-cavalry thing is along those lines too.
When I was in, both armor and cavalry were 19 series MOS, and thus both were Armor Branch.
Armor and Cavalry Regiments both had tanks at the time too.
The "contentious" line was between the Cav Scouts and Tankers about who were the REAL Cav.
We definitely agreed that Air Cav wasn't cavalry at all. If you dismount to fight, you're a dragoon.
Like saying The Air Force is an honorable alternative to military service.
I've seen some folks get downright ruffled in the feathers about such remarks.
The armor-cavalry thing is along those lines too.
When I was in, both armor and cavalry were 19 series MOS, and thus both were Armor Branch.
Armor and Cavalry Regiments both had tanks at the time too.
The "contentious" line was between the Cav Scouts and Tankers about who were the REAL Cav.
We definitely agreed that Air Cav wasn't cavalry at all. If you dismount to fight, you're a dragoon.
Sneaky And Underhanded
There's a cavalry tradition of awarding a hat and spurs...
It's apparently quite formal now.
When I was in an armor unit, attached to an Infantry division, it was very ad-hoc.
Because we were tankers, the true descendants of actual cavalry, not so called calvary whom are the unwanted spawn of dragoons with aspirations above their station; we embraced what traditions we could that separated us from the sea of sky-blue all around us.
My platoon went out and bought the Stetsons, badges and braids for a dining out. Flagrantly violating the uniform regulations, we all wore our pants tucked into our tanker boots too!
This was back in the day when the dress uniforms were green instead of everyone looking like they were wearing dress blues.
The Colonel was amused, but we were firmly told to never do that again. So we wore them off duty.
When we did German tank school and earned those sexy black berets (that just anyone can wear today) we stopped wearing the cavalry hats. Ever notice that Rangers could tolerate some tankers wearing a black beret earned from the Heer, but as soon as anyone else got to wear them, they changed color?
I sold mine.
I kinda wish I hadn't now.
You don't notice how expensive a Stetson is when you're blowing the platoon fund on 20 of them, but when you price a replacement you've got to pay out of pocket for... yikes!
If anyone has a 7-3/8 sized one they're just gonna throw away anyways, lemme know!
It's apparently quite formal now.
When I was in an armor unit, attached to an Infantry division, it was very ad-hoc.
Because we were tankers, the true descendants of actual cavalry, not so called calvary whom are the unwanted spawn of dragoons with aspirations above their station; we embraced what traditions we could that separated us from the sea of sky-blue all around us.
My platoon went out and bought the Stetsons, badges and braids for a dining out. Flagrantly violating the uniform regulations, we all wore our pants tucked into our tanker boots too!
This was back in the day when the dress uniforms were green instead of everyone looking like they were wearing dress blues.
The Colonel was amused, but we were firmly told to never do that again. So we wore them off duty.
When we did German tank school and earned those sexy black berets (that just anyone can wear today) we stopped wearing the cavalry hats. Ever notice that Rangers could tolerate some tankers wearing a black beret earned from the Heer, but as soon as anyone else got to wear them, they changed color?
I sold mine.
I kinda wish I hadn't now.
You don't notice how expensive a Stetson is when you're blowing the platoon fund on 20 of them, but when you price a replacement you've got to pay out of pocket for... yikes!
If anyone has a 7-3/8 sized one they're just gonna throw away anyways, lemme know!
Finally A Purpose
Marv has discovered a use for two seemingly useless things!
Mounting the bayonet to the heel-rail allows you to get mechanically assured shoulder weld when firing, using the natural strength of your radial artery...
Designated Shorthand
We've got two Springfield Armories.
There's the National Armory that was in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's been closed for near 50 years and is a national historic site now.
There's also a gun manufacturer in Geneseo, Illinois. They've been around since 1974.
Most of the time, it's clear which one you're talking about from the context and age of the gun.
Occasionally there's guns they've both made...
Here on the nearly unlimited space of a blog, it's easy to make it clear if you need to.
With a single line limitation of the weapon's tables...
Springfield means the national armory.
Springfield Armory means Inc.
This is a house rule.
There's the National Armory that was in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's been closed for near 50 years and is a national historic site now.
There's also a gun manufacturer in Geneseo, Illinois. They've been around since 1974.
Most of the time, it's clear which one you're talking about from the context and age of the gun.
Occasionally there's guns they've both made...
Here on the nearly unlimited space of a blog, it's easy to make it clear if you need to.
With a single line limitation of the weapon's tables...
Springfield means the national armory.
Springfield Armory means Inc.
This is a house rule.
Accessorizing
Marv has noticed that the toe of the butt on his Gen2 Sub-2000 has a short bit of rail.
Is it for a light?
Is it for a laser?
Is it for a bayonet?
Is it for a bipod?
Marv's stumped.
Is it for a light?
Marv's stumped.
28 January 2018
27 January 2018
If Only The Press Had Not Picked A Side
Perhaps Mr Dershowitz would have been appraised of his candidate's proclivities if the media had spent a tenth the time on Democrat candidate's lives as Republican.
Is It A Tactic
I am wondering if Trump's DACA compromise isn't a tactic.
He's not caving completely, and giving the Dem's much of what they want while his base also gets nearly all of what they're after.
I wonder if the "unacceptable" to his base items are in there because he's reading that the Dems won't accept anything that isn't complete capitulation to their position.
If so, he can say, "look I tried to compromise, and they won't do it, so we're going it without them now."
Fingers crossed.
He's not caving completely, and giving the Dem's much of what they want while his base also gets nearly all of what they're after.
I wonder if the "unacceptable" to his base items are in there because he's reading that the Dems won't accept anything that isn't complete capitulation to their position.
If so, he can say, "look I tried to compromise, and they won't do it, so we're going it without them now."
Fingers crossed.
Inclination
The M1911 feels wrong when you rack the slide.
It's the recoil spring.
It's screwed. It's bendy and some coils are small and others are large. I think it's not the right length and hit coil bind a few times.
New ones are cheap!
And on the way.
Update:
Added pics and noticed that the ends don't look right for a 1911 spring.
It's the recoil spring.
It's screwed. It's bendy and some coils are small and others are large. I think it's not the right length and hit coil bind a few times.
New ones are cheap!
And on the way.
Update:
Added pics and noticed that the ends don't look right for a 1911 spring.
26 January 2018
Not Quite What It Appears To Be
Willard is the proud owner of a genuine M1911. Note that there's no A1 there.
If you look on the slide you see:
And:
No Springfield Eagle on this side.
But the serial number says it's a Springfield National Armory gun made in 1915.
It's definitely a refinished gun, with the barrel having marks that date a refurbishment near WW2.
We've several theories and no facts.
It could have been arsenal reworked and parkerized for WW2, then released to civilian hands where someone put it back to blue.
The Colt slide could have been added during an arsenal rework because the original was out of spec somehow; or it could have been added by a previous owner to enhance the value of the gun.
Or a dozen other likely possibilities.
It'd be ironic if the refinishing owner did slide swap to increase the value since a complete Springfield made gun is now more valuable than a "commonplace" Colt, because they made many fewer examples.
Spot the differences! Willard's Springfield/Colt M1911 and my Springfield Armory M1911A1 clone.
If you look on the slide you see:
But the serial number says it's a Springfield National Armory gun made in 1915.
It's definitely a refinished gun, with the barrel having marks that date a refurbishment near WW2.
We've several theories and no facts.
It could have been arsenal reworked and parkerized for WW2, then released to civilian hands where someone put it back to blue.
The Colt slide could have been added during an arsenal rework because the original was out of spec somehow; or it could have been added by a previous owner to enhance the value of the gun.
Or a dozen other likely possibilities.
It'd be ironic if the refinishing owner did slide swap to increase the value since a complete Springfield made gun is now more valuable than a "commonplace" Colt, because they made many fewer examples.
Enfranchised
I was staring at the 2018 NRA Board ballot.
I really only know three names.
Google is apparently not my enemy on looking up these people.
I've made my choices and the ballot is in the mail!
I really only know three names.
Google is apparently not my enemy on looking up these people.
I've made my choices and the ballot is in the mail!
25 January 2018
Damn You Maths
GURPS: High Tech Adventure Guns gives stats for the M1892 rifle. This is the 30" barreled standard rifle.
The 220 gr bullet zooming along at 2,000 feet per second from Wikipedia gives...
6d+1 pi and 1,000/3,900.
Plugging the numbers into Douglas Cole's formula gives...
6.12 dice or 6d pi. A bit short of the 6.15 needed to get 6d+1, but since there's a 10% fudge factor... you can say 6.12 is anything between 5.51 and 6.74.
Rifles of the World 2e agrees with this bullet weight and velocity for the M1892 rifle.
A "factory load" for 220 gr is shown at 2,200 feet per second in Cartridges of the World 11th Edition under "current American rifle cartridges". This is the spec for the .30 Army (.30-40 Krag) in Cartridges of the World 11th Edition under military cartridges as well.
6.76 dice or 6d+3 pi aka 7d-1 pi. The fudge factor ranges between 6.08 and 7.43 or 6d and 7d+2.
Rifles of the World 2e says this matches "high velocity" ball ammunition introduced with the M1898 rifle.
Hmmmmm.
High Tech 4e p. 165 has Extra-Powerful (+P) Ammunition. It's simply a 10% boost to damage, range and ST.
6d+1 plus 10% is 7d! 1,000/3,900 plus 10% is 1,100/4,290. ST 10† plus 10% is 11†. We're courting .30-06 stats here (7d+1 pi; 1,100/4,500; ST 9†).
Vehicles gives a range of 940/4,600 for either round because it's based on a bore/barrel length ratio.
Now the problem.
Remington says their ammunition specs are with a 24" barrel, same as my Krag.
180 gr bullet zinging out the muzzle at 2,430 feet per second.
Cole's formula gives 6.76 dice, just like the 220@2,200 round in a 30" barrel.
The vehicles range formula gives 790/4,200. At least the shorter barrel has less range...
Nothing matches!
Douglas Cole's formula adhere well to the conventions of 3rd edition GURPS (revised). I use the GURPS: Vehicles range formulas because Mr Cole wrote a completely new range system for his GURPS games. GURPS: Vehicles is a 3e book, and the range numbers often did not match published numbers of other guns.
A huge hunk of the problem is along with the 4th edition GURPS gun stats were handed off to Hans Christian-Vortisch. OK, that's not a problem, it's a new edition, new methods of figuring out the guns.
Maddeningly, many of the numbers match between 3e and 4e for lots of guns. The only change being piercing replacing crushing for damage type.
So you end up fudging, a lot.
Since the modern ammo in a 24" gives the same damage as period "+P" ammo out of a 30" barrel... I think my stats for Sportified Krags is going to be 7d pi and say the shorter barrel gives the same range stats as the normal powered ammo. I'm not sure about the ST requirements yet, going to get subjective on that after a trip to the range.
The 220 gr bullet zooming along at 2,000 feet per second from Wikipedia gives...
6d+1 pi and 1,000/3,900.
Plugging the numbers into Douglas Cole's formula gives...
6.12 dice or 6d pi. A bit short of the 6.15 needed to get 6d+1, but since there's a 10% fudge factor... you can say 6.12 is anything between 5.51 and 6.74.
Rifles of the World 2e agrees with this bullet weight and velocity for the M1892 rifle.
A "factory load" for 220 gr is shown at 2,200 feet per second in Cartridges of the World 11th Edition under "current American rifle cartridges". This is the spec for the .30 Army (.30-40 Krag) in Cartridges of the World 11th Edition under military cartridges as well.
6.76 dice or 6d+3 pi aka 7d-1 pi. The fudge factor ranges between 6.08 and 7.43 or 6d and 7d+2.
Rifles of the World 2e says this matches "high velocity" ball ammunition introduced with the M1898 rifle.
Hmmmmm.
High Tech 4e p. 165 has Extra-Powerful (+P) Ammunition. It's simply a 10% boost to damage, range and ST.
6d+1 plus 10% is 7d! 1,000/3,900 plus 10% is 1,100/4,290. ST 10† plus 10% is 11†. We're courting .30-06 stats here (7d+1 pi; 1,100/4,500; ST 9†).
Vehicles gives a range of 940/4,600 for either round because it's based on a bore/barrel length ratio.
Now the problem.
Remington says their ammunition specs are with a 24" barrel, same as my Krag.
180 gr bullet zinging out the muzzle at 2,430 feet per second.
Cole's formula gives 6.76 dice, just like the 220@2,200 round in a 30" barrel.
The vehicles range formula gives 790/4,200. At least the shorter barrel has less range...
Nothing matches!
Douglas Cole's formula adhere well to the conventions of 3rd edition GURPS (revised). I use the GURPS: Vehicles range formulas because Mr Cole wrote a completely new range system for his GURPS games. GURPS: Vehicles is a 3e book, and the range numbers often did not match published numbers of other guns.
A huge hunk of the problem is along with the 4th edition GURPS gun stats were handed off to Hans Christian-Vortisch. OK, that's not a problem, it's a new edition, new methods of figuring out the guns.
Maddeningly, many of the numbers match between 3e and 4e for lots of guns. The only change being piercing replacing crushing for damage type.
So you end up fudging, a lot.
Since the modern ammo in a 24" gives the same damage as period "+P" ammo out of a 30" barrel... I think my stats for Sportified Krags is going to be 7d pi and say the shorter barrel gives the same range stats as the normal powered ammo. I'm not sure about the ST requirements yet, going to get subjective on that after a trip to the range.
Bubba Recursive
I detest buck-horn sights.
Luckily, there's other options most of the time.
Like this!
It's not even all that expensive.
Yes, I am proposing to Bubba on my Bubba'd Krag.
Luckily, there's other options most of the time.
Like this!
It's not even all that expensive.
Yes, I am proposing to Bubba on my Bubba'd Krag.
24 January 2018
Verily When It Rains It Doth Pour
Willard dropped off a second box of .30-40 Krag. 180gr Remington Core-Lokt.
I think we're ready for a quick trip to the range!
As soon as I have free time and Willard can attend. He deserves to witness the fruits of generosity first hand; the "that was cool!" smile.
I think we're ready for a quick trip to the range!
As soon as I have free time and Willard can attend. He deserves to witness the fruits of generosity first hand; the "that was cool!" smile.
Unicorn
Drove out to the Hell and Gone Pawn and Gun Shop.
I bought them out of .30-40.
One box.
I'm back-ordered for two boxes of the Hornady stuff at Midway too.
It occurs to me that I've an example of all the classic American thirty caliber rifle cartridges now.
.30-30, .30-40, .30-06, .300 Savage and 7.62x51mm.
I bought them out of .30-40.
One box.
I'm back-ordered for two boxes of the Hornady stuff at Midway too.
It occurs to me that I've an example of all the classic American thirty caliber rifle cartridges now.
.30-30, .30-40, .30-06, .300 Savage and 7.62x51mm.
23 January 2018
Can't Even Get Fake Ammo
I can't find snap caps in .30-40 as well as being unable to find live ammo.
This is Willard's fiendish plan.
This is Willard's fiendish plan.
I Sense A Great Disturbance In The Force
Remember Willard and I making a brown retro style AR-10?
Well, Brownell's has gone one better...
Just $1,700, but the cost will certainly be defrayed by him selling the imposter.
Well, Brownell's has gone one better...
 |
| https://www.brownells.com/.aspx/bapid=606/ClientPage/brownells-retro |
Full Circle
Mauser is back in business?
They've got a new sporting gun, the M18.
Sure looks like a Remington 700 from across the room.
Since nearly all sporting bolt-guns are descended (and greatly economized) from the original Mauser military bolt-guns... it's interesting to see Mauser making much the same thing as everyone else.
I wish them well!
PS:
The initial chamberings are clearly targeted at Willard. To hurt him. They offer .270 Win, but not .30-06.
They've got a new sporting gun, the M18.
Sure looks like a Remington 700 from across the room.
Since nearly all sporting bolt-guns are descended (and greatly economized) from the original Mauser military bolt-guns... it's interesting to see Mauser making much the same thing as everyone else.
I wish them well!
PS:
The initial chamberings are clearly targeted at Willard. To hurt him. They offer .270 Win, but not .30-06.
Of CourseThey Look Alike
Ravenclaw Eric notes that my Krag resembles his Krag.
There's probably a reason for that.
In the way back...
With the introduction of the Springfield M1903 and after its upgrade to .30-06 all of the Krag-Jørgensens became surplus.
It did not happen instantly in 1906, they were still manufacturing the M1898 rifle until 1904.
I don't have hard numbers, but it probably began in the 1910's. That we purchased "Enfield" M1917's instead of sending troops with the old guns says that it probably happened before our entry into WW1.
At any rate there were over 320,000 M1898 rifles made which never saw war and some might never have seen troops.
Like trapdoor Springfields they got dumped on the market for bargain prices, as did the ammunition.
.30-40 is more than enough for deer.
A lot of, perhaps most, surplus Krags became huntin' rifles.
A 30" barreled, full stocked, military rifle is a bit much for deer hunting. The 1903 pattern sights are a bit much period.
Cutting down the stock, lopping off 6" of barrel and putting on new sights sure makes it handier out in the brush! At least as handy as your huntin' buddy's Winchester, for 1/5th the price!
The ammo was available for nearly free too!
The way to have your M1898 turned into a handy hunting carbine, back in the days before Tapco was to just swing by the local gunsmith and have him do the work. This was also in the days when there was a local gunsmith just about everywhere and even a mediocre smith back then was a friggin' genius compared to what we tend to find nowadays.
The handy-huntin' Krag made from a full-size rifle falls into the same pattern over and over by various smiths. Just make it look like the picture of the carbine. Why? Because those carbines were surplussed with the rifles, and their new owners were pleased as punch with them.
So we end up with a clone of the original carbine because there's over 320,000 donor rifles and under 50,000 carbines. Supply and demand.
There's probably a reason for that.
In the way back...
With the introduction of the Springfield M1903 and after its upgrade to .30-06 all of the Krag-Jørgensens became surplus.
It did not happen instantly in 1906, they were still manufacturing the M1898 rifle until 1904.
I don't have hard numbers, but it probably began in the 1910's. That we purchased "Enfield" M1917's instead of sending troops with the old guns says that it probably happened before our entry into WW1.
At any rate there were over 320,000 M1898 rifles made which never saw war and some might never have seen troops.
Like trapdoor Springfields they got dumped on the market for bargain prices, as did the ammunition.
.30-40 is more than enough for deer.
A lot of, perhaps most, surplus Krags became huntin' rifles.
A 30" barreled, full stocked, military rifle is a bit much for deer hunting. The 1903 pattern sights are a bit much period.
Cutting down the stock, lopping off 6" of barrel and putting on new sights sure makes it handier out in the brush! At least as handy as your huntin' buddy's Winchester, for 1/5th the price!
The ammo was available for nearly free too!
The way to have your M1898 turned into a handy hunting carbine, back in the days before Tapco was to just swing by the local gunsmith and have him do the work. This was also in the days when there was a local gunsmith just about everywhere and even a mediocre smith back then was a friggin' genius compared to what we tend to find nowadays.
The handy-huntin' Krag made from a full-size rifle falls into the same pattern over and over by various smiths. Just make it look like the picture of the carbine. Why? Because those carbines were surplussed with the rifles, and their new owners were pleased as punch with them.
So we end up with a clone of the original carbine because there's over 320,000 donor rifles and under 50,000 carbines. Supply and demand.
Elephant In The Room
I read an article on Facebook how a Doctor in Michigan is being deported to Poland because of two misdemeanor convictions when he was 17.
He's 43 now and has been in the US for nearly 40 years.
He was living here legally, his parents brought him along when he was 5.
There's a lot of sturm and drang over him not speaking a word of Polish and how he's been an upstanding, valuable member of society for the past 27 years.
But apparently didn't like it here enough to bother with becoming a citizen, huh?
I'd have more sympathy if he'd bothered.
I've an attitude about citizenship and think that "permanent residence" status begins with the application for that citizenship.
I think there should be steep limits on how long a foreign national can remain in the country and enforce those limits brutally. Like 90 days at a time, at least four days out of country for each day in, and not more than 720 days lifetime.
To me this doctor is just another example of someone enjoying all of the benefits of a society without fully joining in. Don't tell me he didn't have time to get it done.
Why don't we talk about his parents too? Why didn't they naturalize him? Are they citizens? Are they still here?
And, oh yeah, if your legal status is so tenuous that two misdemeanor convictions from 27 years ago can send you packing back to the old country: DON'T BREAK THE FUCKING LAW.
I am sure the good Doctor will discover that learning Polish is easier than his residency was.
He's 43 now and has been in the US for nearly 40 years.
He was living here legally, his parents brought him along when he was 5.
There's a lot of sturm and drang over him not speaking a word of Polish and how he's been an upstanding, valuable member of society for the past 27 years.
But apparently didn't like it here enough to bother with becoming a citizen, huh?
I'd have more sympathy if he'd bothered.
I've an attitude about citizenship and think that "permanent residence" status begins with the application for that citizenship.
I think there should be steep limits on how long a foreign national can remain in the country and enforce those limits brutally. Like 90 days at a time, at least four days out of country for each day in, and not more than 720 days lifetime.
To me this doctor is just another example of someone enjoying all of the benefits of a society without fully joining in. Don't tell me he didn't have time to get it done.
Why don't we talk about his parents too? Why didn't they naturalize him? Are they citizens? Are they still here?
And, oh yeah, if your legal status is so tenuous that two misdemeanor convictions from 27 years ago can send you packing back to the old country: DON'T BREAK THE FUCKING LAW.
I am sure the good Doctor will discover that learning Polish is easier than his residency was.
If I Could Just Think
Burning in the legs has eased with the warmer temps, but the rain brings the throbbing-stabbing...
If I could think better, I'd figure this out on my own.
Marv's SUB-2000 got zeroed right after we fixed the oven.
Dead nuts on at 7 yards got us 6" high and 3" left at 25. This is the first time I've bumped into the round hitting higher at a longer range.
This is a simple geometry thing that's escaping my mind.
Scope-bore offset causing this?
If I could think better, I'd figure this out on my own.
Marv's SUB-2000 got zeroed right after we fixed the oven.
Dead nuts on at 7 yards got us 6" high and 3" left at 25. This is the first time I've bumped into the round hitting higher at a longer range.
This is a simple geometry thing that's escaping my mind.
Scope-bore offset causing this?
22 January 2018
Bubba Doesn't Always Ruin Them
Willard dropped this off today, declaring that we were celebrating my birthday. I got kudos for not making the rookie mistake of saying, "but it's not my birthday."
This "carbine" started life in 1903 as an M1898 rifle. This is, bar none, the most common version of the Krag-Jørgenson made.
Whomever did the work did a great job.
Part of the sportification process was removal of the rear sight...
A new front sight was fitted to the 6" shorter barrel.
A far simpler rear sight was added as well.
The bore is shiny and new looking.
There will be a shooting report in about seven months when the seasonal run of .30-40 Krag happens.
HOT HOT HOT
I forgot to mention; here I was thinking I'd fixed The Lovely Harvey's car.
The random misfire went from all four cylinders to just two with the application of Sea Foam to the fuel. She reports that it's feeling better everyday.
Carbon build up on the valves does that. Getting better means that the foam is dissolving the carbon, but takes some time.
Just to prove there's no rest for the wicked, in the midst of a really bad batch of misfires and surges... the temp gauge near pegged. Not quite to the red line before it dropped back down, but alarmingly high.
I'd already replaced a lot of the cooling system, but we'd never done a thermostat.
Cheap.
Easy.
Harvey had never seen a test of one so I boiled the old one for her. It didn't open.
She was uncertain that anything was supposed to happen, so I boiled the new one too. It opened dramatically and she said, "Oh! It's obvious now!"
New thermostat installed and suddenly she's got heat again!
Here's an odd one, no heat is an early symptom of a stuck thermostat in her car because it's a two stage unit and the second stage feeds the heater core. So in a partial fail the radiator will still get flow, but not the core.
The random misfire went from all four cylinders to just two with the application of Sea Foam to the fuel. She reports that it's feeling better everyday.
Carbon build up on the valves does that. Getting better means that the foam is dissolving the carbon, but takes some time.
Just to prove there's no rest for the wicked, in the midst of a really bad batch of misfires and surges... the temp gauge near pegged. Not quite to the red line before it dropped back down, but alarmingly high.
I'd already replaced a lot of the cooling system, but we'd never done a thermostat.
Cheap.
Easy.
Harvey had never seen a test of one so I boiled the old one for her. It didn't open.
She was uncertain that anything was supposed to happen, so I boiled the new one too. It opened dramatically and she said, "Oh! It's obvious now!"
New thermostat installed and suddenly she's got heat again!
Here's an odd one, no heat is an early symptom of a stuck thermostat in her car because it's a two stage unit and the second stage feeds the heater core. So in a partial fail the radiator will still get flow, but not the core.
21 January 2018
Debugging
The oven has been repaired.
An actual, no shit, BUG between the contacts on the selector switch.
An actual, no shit, BUG between the contacts on the selector switch.
Rough Day
Something went pop in my ankle and now I have a sharp stabbing pain from ankle down around my heel.
This crap makes it so hard to be cheerful.
This crap makes it so hard to be cheerful.
Entitlement
I remember being told that my VA disability was an entitlement program, same as any other welfare plan.
I am fascinated that the government shutdown will stop the payments on my disability, but won't stop any other entitlement payments.
Almost as if VA disability isn't the same as the others.
I am fascinated that the government shutdown will stop the payments on my disability, but won't stop any other entitlement payments.
Almost as if VA disability isn't the same as the others.
20 January 2018
A Small Difference
What's the difference between Viagra and The Pill?
Men pay out of their own pockets for Viagra.
I've yet to see a rally with a bunch of guys demanding free access to boner pills.
I have seen a rally with a bunch of women demanding free access to contraceptive pills.
I assume it's sexist to have noticed that.
Men pay out of their own pockets for Viagra.
I've yet to see a rally with a bunch of guys demanding free access to boner pills.
I have seen a rally with a bunch of women demanding free access to contraceptive pills.
I assume it's sexist to have noticed that.
Curating The SPGMMS Collection™
Curating the Some People Gun Museum and Marching Society Collection™ is a delight and an honor.
Delight in that I get to grok these guns in their fullness without spending vast amounts of money on them.
Honor in that I am trusted with the firearms that have had vast amounts of money spent on them.
Don't believe how expensive? Check my gunbroker listings!
Uh...
Yeah...
Anyways...
It's let me play with guns that I would not have been able to experience outside of a brief pawing in a gun-shop.
Delight in that I get to grok these guns in their fullness without spending vast amounts of money on them.
Honor in that I am trusted with the firearms that have had vast amounts of money spent on them.
Uh...
Yeah...
Anyways...
It's let me play with guns that I would not have been able to experience outside of a brief pawing in a gun-shop.
Immigrant
I love immigrants! My ancestors were immigrants!
But I wanna talk about a specific one.
David Tran.
Founder of Huy Fong Foods.
Huy Fong is the company that makes the original Sriracha Sauce.
Mr Tran was a refugee from South Vietnam.
He's an AMERICAN now.
Did you know that Huy Fong Sriracha is entirely made in the USA? From crops grown in near walking distance from the facility where it's made?
He came here legally, figured out a better mousetrap, built it, and is living the American Dream.
The best part, to me, is that his only care is that we people who love hot sauces are able to get some.
Huy Fong didn't trademark Sriracha. Their wholesale price has remained flat for decades. They don't charge licensing for restaurants to use the sauce.
My hat is off to him.
But I wanna talk about a specific one.
David Tran.
Founder of Huy Fong Foods.
Huy Fong is the company that makes the original Sriracha Sauce.
Mr Tran was a refugee from South Vietnam.
He's an AMERICAN now.
Did you know that Huy Fong Sriracha is entirely made in the USA? From crops grown in near walking distance from the facility where it's made?
He came here legally, figured out a better mousetrap, built it, and is living the American Dream.
The best part, to me, is that his only care is that we people who love hot sauces are able to get some.
Huy Fong didn't trademark Sriracha. Their wholesale price has remained flat for decades. They don't charge licensing for restaurants to use the sauce.
My hat is off to him.
Fading Desire
The list of guns I'm actively wanting is getting remarkably small.
I'll keep picking at the .25 Collection, but I'm out of the cheap and easy to find guns. Expensive and obscure is the future!
I want a Warsaw Pact counterpart for my M16A2 Twilight: 2000 themed gun. Wood stocked AK-74 or Tantal preferably.
I want a well-done sportified Krag. As an example that Bubba wasn't always a ham-fisted amateur.
Just for the giggles I want a Win92 clone in .45 Colt.
Someday I need to replace Harvey's .357 Magnum SAA (or clone thereof). That gun went to fix something on something and she's wanted it back ever since it left. She doesn't SAY anything, of course, but you can tell. Especially when she looks at her Win92 in .357...
There'd be other guns on this list, but since I've become an off-site storage facility for some people I can just dust their guns for free.
I'll keep picking at the .25 Collection, but I'm out of the cheap and easy to find guns. Expensive and obscure is the future!
I want a Warsaw Pact counterpart for my M16A2 Twilight: 2000 themed gun. Wood stocked AK-74 or Tantal preferably.
I want a well-done sportified Krag. As an example that Bubba wasn't always a ham-fisted amateur.
Just for the giggles I want a Win92 clone in .45 Colt.
Someday I need to replace Harvey's .357 Magnum SAA (or clone thereof). That gun went to fix something on something and she's wanted it back ever since it left. She doesn't SAY anything, of course, but you can tell. Especially when she looks at her Win92 in .357...
There'd be other guns on this list, but since I've become an off-site storage facility for some people I can just dust their guns for free.
The Important votes.
There's the five Republicans who're really Democrats and the five Democrats who're wanting to be Republicans for the election coming up.
It's important because flipping the votes to party line wouldn't have changed the outcome.
These are the 10 senators who showed what they really think.
I am starting to think that Paul votes no on any budget because he thinks that there should be no government and thus no spending.
Some leadership there, Mitch. You followed the Democrat party line.
A Pittance
For a mere $350 the local pawn shop has a Bubbafied Krag-Jørgensen.
It's one that was done with care by a competent gunsmith and I would dearly love to compare it to Willard's M1898 rifle.
Alas, with so many other irons in the fire, I lack the critical funding to make such a comparison.
Generous contributions by loyal readers could make this happen! Perhaps even get a box of the ever elusive .30-40 to do a firing comparison!
It's one that was done with care by a competent gunsmith and I would dearly love to compare it to Willard's M1898 rifle.
Alas, with so many other irons in the fire, I lack the critical funding to make such a comparison.
Generous contributions by loyal readers could make this happen! Perhaps even get a box of the ever elusive .30-40 to do a firing comparison!
On The Other Hand
As I get older, I am suddenly more capable!
When I was 20 it was not certain that I could kick someone's ass who was twice my age.
Now that I am 49...
When I was 20 it was not certain that I could kick someone's ass who was twice my age.
Now that I am 49...
Shut Down
The early rumors say that the Democrats care more about non-citizens than veterans.
I know. I was shocked too.
But this is something you should remind your more liberally bent friends and family over, since it's currently popular to support we traditionally discarded veterans.
People who served honorably are less important than those who are breaking the law just by being in the country.
I know. I was shocked too.
But this is something you should remind your more liberally bent friends and family over, since it's currently popular to support we traditionally discarded veterans.
People who served honorably are less important than those who are breaking the law just by being in the country.
19 January 2018
Unrepresented
Until recently, I had a Senator in Tallahassee to represent me.
He resigned amidst a sexual harassment scandal.
No special election to replace him since he was term limited out in November anyway.
Joy.
He resigned amidst a sexual harassment scandal.
No special election to replace him since he was term limited out in November anyway.
Joy.
Unlike Some
While I'm up here complaining about the lack of positive trajectory imparted by the NRA to Florida's gun laws...
I'm a member and making monthly payments for my life membership so as to get a vote on who's on the board.
While I might disagree with some people (who're actually on my side), even loudly, I want to make sure that I'm not calling them names or being insulting.
If I've done so, please comment and reference the post where I did so and I should be able to apologize.
I'm very frustrated at the lack of activity from Tallahassee and how the roadblocks to progress seem to all come from the same general region of the state.
I'm sick of being told what great people the folks who're presently failing to make headway are. For eight years they've been useless.
I don't expect that to change and it's very disheartening.
It makes me grumpy.
Grumpy when it's below the LEGS ACHE LIKE THEY ARE ON FIRE temperature threshold puts me on a short fuse.
I'm a member and making monthly payments for my life membership so as to get a vote on who's on the board.
While I might disagree with some people (who're actually on my side), even loudly, I want to make sure that I'm not calling them names or being insulting.
If I've done so, please comment and reference the post where I did so and I should be able to apologize.
I'm very frustrated at the lack of activity from Tallahassee and how the roadblocks to progress seem to all come from the same general region of the state.
I'm sick of being told what great people the folks who're presently failing to make headway are. For eight years they've been useless.
I don't expect that to change and it's very disheartening.
It makes me grumpy.
Grumpy when it's below the LEGS ACHE LIKE THEY ARE ON FIRE temperature threshold puts me on a short fuse.
Shoulder Holster Down Side
The base pad of the magazine keeps hitting the power button on my phone.
SIGH.
Talk about a first-world problem.
SIGH.
Talk about a first-world problem.
Eight Years
At present the Florida Congress is in session for the eighth time since open carry first got to committee.
It doesn't appear that we're even submitting a bill this session.
I want to know why, since our "allies" are so strong and powerful...
With a supermajority in both houses...
With a Governor who's stated he'd sign open carry, campus carry and airport carry...
That we cannot move things out of committee.
That our "allies" are more upset at US than at the people who keep stabbing us in the chest. They're not stabbing us in the back, they're openly flaunting it.
Why can't our "allies" do the damn math?
The strong and powerful who cannot get anything accomplished are not, by definition, strong or powerful.
Fond remembrances of better times when they could move the world don't change they've become weak and powerless.
Or, if they still have strength and power, it's not being wielded to do more than maintain the status quo. A status quo which is not being seriously challenged BECAUSE of said supermajority and governor. You don't need to exert any strength to go with the flow.
I can tell urine from rain on my back.
Perhaps these things don't matter to our strong and powerful "allies" and you defend them so strongly because you don't want more places open to carry?
It doesn't appear that we're even submitting a bill this session.
I want to know why, since our "allies" are so strong and powerful...
With a supermajority in both houses...
With a Governor who's stated he'd sign open carry, campus carry and airport carry...
That we cannot move things out of committee.
That our "allies" are more upset at US than at the people who keep stabbing us in the chest. They're not stabbing us in the back, they're openly flaunting it.
Why can't our "allies" do the damn math?
The strong and powerful who cannot get anything accomplished are not, by definition, strong or powerful.
Fond remembrances of better times when they could move the world don't change they've become weak and powerless.
Or, if they still have strength and power, it's not being wielded to do more than maintain the status quo. A status quo which is not being seriously challenged BECAUSE of said supermajority and governor. You don't need to exert any strength to go with the flow.
I can tell urine from rain on my back.
Perhaps these things don't matter to our strong and powerful "allies" and you defend them so strongly because you don't want more places open to carry?
18 January 2018
Kids These Days
Nuclear anxiety is becoming...
Bitches, I grew up during the Cold War, served in its last days even.
I remember when people talked about how Ronnie was going to get us all killed when he would piss off the Russians and set off World War III.
Remember Twilight: 2000? When it was published in 1985 it was a viable scenario for WW3 to start from.
I lived under the threat of mutual assured destruction.
From a nation with enough warheads and delivery systems to assure that assurance.
I served in a posting where units like 11 ACR was to be a speedbump to the Soviet hoards so we'd have time to get to the tanks. Our job was to slow the Soviets down enough for troops from the US to get to their equipment at the POMCUS sites. We weren't expected to survive a conventional exchange with The Warsaw Pact, and our deaths were expected to trigger a general nuclear exchange once some local commander decided to fire a Pershing...
I'm sorry but the worry from North Korea or Iran is just not as big for me.
The feeling is more along the lines of, "I wish they'd fire of a nuke in anger so we could just end the issue." It'd be better if we didn't get alternating 8 years of appeasement to these nuclear aspirants.
Bitches, I grew up during the Cold War, served in its last days even.
I remember when people talked about how Ronnie was going to get us all killed when he would piss off the Russians and set off World War III.
Remember Twilight: 2000? When it was published in 1985 it was a viable scenario for WW3 to start from.
I lived under the threat of mutual assured destruction.
From a nation with enough warheads and delivery systems to assure that assurance.
I served in a posting where units like 11 ACR was to be a speedbump to the Soviet hoards so we'd have time to get to the tanks. Our job was to slow the Soviets down enough for troops from the US to get to their equipment at the POMCUS sites. We weren't expected to survive a conventional exchange with The Warsaw Pact, and our deaths were expected to trigger a general nuclear exchange once some local commander decided to fire a Pershing...
I'm sorry but the worry from North Korea or Iran is just not as big for me.
The feeling is more along the lines of, "I wish they'd fire of a nuke in anger so we could just end the issue." It'd be better if we didn't get alternating 8 years of appeasement to these nuclear aspirants.
17 January 2018
With The Cold Comes
Burgers?
Every time the mercury dips significantly there's a run on hamburger, patties and buns at the local Winn Dixie.
Even The Boy is affected and we went and bought burgers and buns tonight. I admit, it sounded good when he mentioned it.
When it gets cold I think stew, soup or chili. Not ballpark fare.
Every time the mercury dips significantly there's a run on hamburger, patties and buns at the local Winn Dixie.
Even The Boy is affected and we went and bought burgers and buns tonight. I admit, it sounded good when he mentioned it.
When it gets cold I think stew, soup or chili. Not ballpark fare.
Coldpacalypse Two
The chillering!
Brace yourselves,Damnyankees Godless Northerners Readers from places where winter happens for reals, for the whining from Florida!
It might. MIGHT. Make it to freezing tonight! Lows might get into the 20's.
OK, so I'm not going to hanging out front in shorts, but...
No precipitation is expected and it's not going to last but a night or two with the highs in the 50's to 60's.
However, it's the end of the world.
The funniest part about this kind of weather is the people complaining loudest are the people who've moved here recently from some place that The Gods Forsake every year.
Brace yourselves,
It might. MIGHT. Make it to freezing tonight! Lows might get into the 20's.
OK, so I'm not going to hanging out front in shorts, but...
No precipitation is expected and it's not going to last but a night or two with the highs in the 50's to 60's.
However, it's the end of the world.
The funniest part about this kind of weather is the people complaining loudest are the people who've moved here recently from some place that The Gods Forsake every year.
SNERK
No Chevy B-Body owner will let this line slide, "In the powerful [Crown Victoria Police Interceptor]..."
Oh, Mr Ayoob...
250 horses and just shy of 300 ft-lb in a 4,127 lb car isn't really all that powerful. It sounds powerful with that 4.6 in full grunt, but it's just not getting all that inertia overcome very quickly.
h/t Andy.
Oh, Mr Ayoob...
250 horses and just shy of 300 ft-lb in a 4,127 lb car isn't really all that powerful. It sounds powerful with that 4.6 in full grunt, but it's just not getting all that inertia overcome very quickly.
h/t Andy.
Note The Spelling
Two misspellings that I run into too often.
It's C-A-M-A-R-O. Not Camero.
It's B-E-R-E-T-T-A. Not Baretta.
It's C-A-M-A-R-O. Not Camero.
It's B-E-R-E-T-T-A. Not Baretta.
16 January 2018
There's Things That You Expect To Be Easy To Find
You'd think that as prominent and popular as 9x19mm Luger/Parabellum/NATO is; that it's history would be very detailed on several web pages.
It's there in broad strokes, but often not in detail.
Trivia and minutia like what WAS the first load and its designation?
Things like that.
I've got a book that covers WW2 German ammunition well enough, but not pre-WW1, WW1 and interwar years.
I've found a couple of gems detailing British 9x19mm over the years, including the Imperial/Colonial usages.
It's there in broad strokes, but often not in detail.
Trivia and minutia like what WAS the first load and its designation?
Things like that.
I've got a book that covers WW2 German ammunition well enough, but not pre-WW1, WW1 and interwar years.
I've found a couple of gems detailing British 9x19mm over the years, including the Imperial/Colonial usages.
Facebook?
Facebook is showing up as a significant source of traffic today.
People are clicking a link to the blog from Facebook, that is.
It feels odd.
I should look that the other stats to see if I can figure out what post is attracting the attention.
Based on what I've seen of Facebook and other social media it's probably, "look what this idiot said, let's mock them where they cannot see!" than, "look at what a great point this person made on their blog you should see it!"
I suppose I could be upset...
People are clicking a link to the blog from Facebook, that is.
It feels odd.
I should look that the other stats to see if I can figure out what post is attracting the attention.
Based on what I've seen of Facebook and other social media it's probably, "look what this idiot said, let's mock them where they cannot see!" than, "look at what a great point this person made on their blog you should see it!"
I suppose I could be upset...
Obvious Objections
Do you know what kind of people object to meritocracies?
Envious people who have no merit.
They want the rewards of work and talent without either.
Envious people who have no merit.
They want the rewards of work and talent without either.
15 January 2018
All Things Considered
I like my 2nd Gen Glock better than I like my M&P9.
The little twitch to the right I am working on correcting with the S&W doesn't happen with any other semi-auto in my inventory.
The oscillation I get with the M&P only occurs with it.
In all honesty; the 9mm that I shoot best is the dearly loved Browning Hi-Power.
I have the frustrating M&P because Marv and Harvey really prefer it and I standardized on what they own. Being able to trade magazines in hurricane apocalypse is a nice thing.
I kind of shoved that whole AR deal down their throats and all...
On the plus side, the M&P has replaceable back-straps. On the down side, none of the three sizes seems to fit my hand well. I've changed between the small and medium size several times now. With what I was instructed on Sunday, the small seems to work best with my new hand positioning.
I am seriously considering following in Marv's footsteps and getting an Apex forward-reset trigger for it. In purple, of course.
The little twitch to the right I am working on correcting with the S&W doesn't happen with any other semi-auto in my inventory.
The oscillation I get with the M&P only occurs with it.
In all honesty; the 9mm that I shoot best is the dearly loved Browning Hi-Power.
I have the frustrating M&P because Marv and Harvey really prefer it and I standardized on what they own. Being able to trade magazines in hurricane apocalypse is a nice thing.
I kind of shoved that whole AR deal down their throats and all...
On the plus side, the M&P has replaceable back-straps. On the down side, none of the three sizes seems to fit my hand well. I've changed between the small and medium size several times now. With what I was instructed on Sunday, the small seems to work best with my new hand positioning.
I am seriously considering following in Marv's footsteps and getting an Apex forward-reset trigger for it. In purple, of course.
It's Not COLD Cold
Nor is it expected to get to actual COLD.
I guess high 20's are genuine cold. But when they're not expected to last more than an overnight, it's not really COLD.
Just cold.
I got to watch the panic at two Wal Marts where people were looking for space heaters, since more than a couple houses down here have no built in heat.
I watched one couple pass on the $40 unit and leave in disappointment the $25 unit was out of stock. Man, I've been there where a $15 difference means no-purchase...
I guess high 20's are genuine cold. But when they're not expected to last more than an overnight, it's not really COLD.
Just cold.
I got to watch the panic at two Wal Marts where people were looking for space heaters, since more than a couple houses down here have no built in heat.
I watched one couple pass on the $40 unit and leave in disappointment the $25 unit was out of stock. Man, I've been there where a $15 difference means no-purchase...
No Shock
Luke just falling over dead surprised you?
Why?
Losing the will to live runs in his family.
Why?
Losing the will to live runs in his family.
Flat Shooting
It's popped up before.
We all talk about flat shooting rounds. If you already know this stuff, tune out now.
Hardly anyone talks about what is meant.
We need to start with some basic physics. This will be very broad strokes and is going to ignore some aerodynamics.
All other things being equal... A bullet fired will fall to the earth at the same rate as a bullet dropped from the same height.
It's about half a second from shoulder height to the ground in 1g.
If fired horizontally a bullet fired from shoulder height will hit the ground the same half second later as one dropped from shoulder height.
If it's going 1,000 feet per second, that means it will hit the ground 500 feet down range. 2,000 feet per second will hit 1,000 feet down range, etc.
The faster your bullet is going, the straighter the arc the bullet is travelling along appears. Thus "flatter".
It looks even flatter when you consider that your barrel is rarely parallel to the ground, but is almost always angled up relative to the line of sight. Same arc, just rotated a bit, but the arc is the same and the faster bullet gives a shallower sagitta, appearing flatter than the sagitta of a round that needs to have the barrel much more elevated to get the same bullet impact.
We all talk about flat shooting rounds. If you already know this stuff, tune out now.
Hardly anyone talks about what is meant.
We need to start with some basic physics. This will be very broad strokes and is going to ignore some aerodynamics.
All other things being equal... A bullet fired will fall to the earth at the same rate as a bullet dropped from the same height.
It's about half a second from shoulder height to the ground in 1g.
If fired horizontally a bullet fired from shoulder height will hit the ground the same half second later as one dropped from shoulder height.
If it's going 1,000 feet per second, that means it will hit the ground 500 feet down range. 2,000 feet per second will hit 1,000 feet down range, etc.
The faster your bullet is going, the straighter the arc the bullet is travelling along appears. Thus "flatter".
It looks even flatter when you consider that your barrel is rarely parallel to the ground, but is almost always angled up relative to the line of sight. Same arc, just rotated a bit, but the arc is the same and the faster bullet gives a shallower sagitta, appearing flatter than the sagitta of a round that needs to have the barrel much more elevated to get the same bullet impact.
Snooze
The only thing about those near seven hours of panel discussion of the AR that would have made my head explode...
Would have been my forehead hitting a landmine on my desk for when I fell asleep.
Dear podcasters and panel discussion people:
If you have ten minutes of content, you have ten minutes of show; not an hour.
May I also suggest a format rule of thumb?
Tell me what you're going to talk about. Talk about it. Summarize what you just talked about.
Ten minutes of "Hi, I'm someone you've never heard of."
Ten minutes of "These are the great people who make my show possible."
Ten minutes of "Here are other people you've never heard of who're taking part in the show."
Means half an hour of me wondering what this show will be about. I'm long gone before you come to your point.
If this is a video format, STOP TWITCHING AND FIDGETING!!!
For all audio, I don't wanna hear your Darth Vader respiration or anything from your mouse or keyboard.
kthanxbye
Would have been my forehead hitting a landmine on my desk for when I fell asleep.
Dear podcasters and panel discussion people:
If you have ten minutes of content, you have ten minutes of show; not an hour.
May I also suggest a format rule of thumb?
Tell me what you're going to talk about. Talk about it. Summarize what you just talked about.
Ten minutes of "Hi, I'm someone you've never heard of."
Ten minutes of "These are the great people who make my show possible."
Ten minutes of "Here are other people you've never heard of who're taking part in the show."
Means half an hour of me wondering what this show will be about. I'm long gone before you come to your point.
If this is a video format, STOP TWITCHING AND FIDGETING!!!
For all audio, I don't wanna hear your Darth Vader respiration or anything from your mouse or keyboard.
kthanxbye
14 January 2018
Ï€ Is 3 In GURPS
In GURPS an M1911 firing caliber .45, ball, M1911 does 2d pi+
That's mil-spec ammo doing approximately 885 fps 25'6" from the muzzle.
185gr Golden Sabre JHP by Remington flinging along at 1015 fps at the muzzle does...
2d(0.5) pi++... differing from ball only because it's a hollow-point.
The same sort of thing happens with 9x19mm too. 115gr ball and 124 gr ball end up being the same.
Heavier rounds going slower and lighter rounds going faster end up within a point of one another and often so close the the original round's damage numbers that it's a wash.
Judging from Lucky Gunner's neat little charts it's a fair simulation of "reality" for game purposes. It at least follows some expectations from the real world in parallel so the players won't complain too loud about it.
The lack of expansion in some of those rounds is even accounted for in the game rules, with GM having to make the call about whether a round is sufficiently advanced to skip the expansion check.
With our above example, and Lucky Gunner's chart, we can make an argument that it does expand reliably enough to avoid the roll.
That's mil-spec ammo doing approximately 885 fps 25'6" from the muzzle.
185gr Golden Sabre JHP by Remington flinging along at 1015 fps at the muzzle does...
2d(0.5) pi++... differing from ball only because it's a hollow-point.
The same sort of thing happens with 9x19mm too. 115gr ball and 124 gr ball end up being the same.
Heavier rounds going slower and lighter rounds going faster end up within a point of one another and often so close the the original round's damage numbers that it's a wash.
Judging from Lucky Gunner's neat little charts it's a fair simulation of "reality" for game purposes. It at least follows some expectations from the real world in parallel so the players won't complain too loud about it.
The lack of expansion in some of those rounds is even accounted for in the game rules, with GM having to make the call about whether a round is sufficiently advanced to skip the expansion check.
With our above example, and Lucky Gunner's chart, we can make an argument that it does expand reliably enough to avoid the roll.
Code Cleared
Replaced the Cataclysmic Converter and down-stream oxygen sensor on The Lovely Harvey's car today.
Much help and sanity preservation provided by one JT!
The check engine light had reported the rear O2 was reading wrong, but we put it off since it didn't really affect drivability.
Sometime in the intervening time, the cat had become soured as well and was starting to clog up.
Added to carbon fouled valves from too much cheap gas (she's listening NOW about that) we got some random misfires on all four cylinders.
With the new O2 and cat it's running better, but still not completely cured. Sea Foam is in the tank to start attacking the carbon deposits and will be applied every couple tanks for a while too.
The check engine light is now off except when doing the flashing for intermittent misfire.
Huge win.
Much help and sanity preservation provided by one JT!
The check engine light had reported the rear O2 was reading wrong, but we put it off since it didn't really affect drivability.
Sometime in the intervening time, the cat had become soured as well and was starting to clog up.
Added to carbon fouled valves from too much cheap gas (she's listening NOW about that) we got some random misfires on all four cylinders.
With the new O2 and cat it's running better, but still not completely cured. Sea Foam is in the tank to start attacking the carbon deposits and will be applied every couple tanks for a while too.
The check engine light is now off except when doing the flashing for intermittent misfire.
Huge win.
Helping Hand
Today at the bowling pin shoot I did something that had happened to me before.
It's like pilot induced oscillation, I jerk the gun ever so slightly to one side, miss; overcorrect back, miss; overcorrect... lather rinse repeat. Until I pause, take a deep breath and refocus.
Turns out the fix is fairly simple. I have to find the spot on my finger that pulls the trigger straight back.
The range officer running the match noticed and took time after the match to talk to me about it.
I have homework! Dry fire time.
JT, with his first ever bowling pin shoot on his, like, third trip to the range ever as an adult reports he had a great time and learned a bunch.
He got some one-on-one from the RO too! Guess who else has homework!
Bowling pins are a blast!
One of the fixtures at the range is a dedicated wheel gun shooter. He had a 7-shot .357, 7" S&W there and talked himself into staying for the shoot rather than leaving for home.
He placed 2nd! Against the guy who wins every time...
Each pin-shoot the rules are a little different, so it's not repetitive.
Did I mention it was a blast?
It's like pilot induced oscillation, I jerk the gun ever so slightly to one side, miss; overcorrect back, miss; overcorrect... lather rinse repeat. Until I pause, take a deep breath and refocus.
Turns out the fix is fairly simple. I have to find the spot on my finger that pulls the trigger straight back.
The range officer running the match noticed and took time after the match to talk to me about it.
I have homework! Dry fire time.
JT, with his first ever bowling pin shoot on his, like, third trip to the range ever as an adult reports he had a great time and learned a bunch.
He got some one-on-one from the RO too! Guess who else has homework!
Bowling pins are a blast!
One of the fixtures at the range is a dedicated wheel gun shooter. He had a 7-shot .357, 7" S&W there and talked himself into staying for the shoot rather than leaving for home.
He placed 2nd! Against the guy who wins every time...
Each pin-shoot the rules are a little different, so it's not repetitive.
Did I mention it was a blast?
13 January 2018
Speaking Of Flying Dimes
Winchester's PDX1 Defender for guns like the Taurus Judge and S&W Governor fires disks that are remarkably coin-like.
I'm pretty certain that everyone agrees that these are the ideal gun and ammo for any situation.
For values of ideal which are less than...
I'm pretty certain that everyone agrees that these are the ideal gun and ammo for any situation.
For values of ideal which are less than...
Ammunition History
Without a gigantic stack of hoary old gun magazines, how would one track the first appearance of, say, .45 ACP hollow-points in 185gr sizes?
Then, once you'd found that, is there an accompanying, "here's what I was thinking," from the person or persons who developed it?
One reason I ask is that I remember that light for the caliber bullets going fast for the cartridge came about after the '86 Miami shootout and were, in essence, gaming the FBI's 500 point testing criteria.
The problem with this is, "I remember," and I have enough doubt about that timeline to want to have something more substantial to rely on.
I also noticed, hunting the internets for performance numbers on 185gr .45 ACP that there's a lot of bare gel testing many if not most citing the FBI's 12-18" penetration numbers as ideal.
The FBI testing was a lot more shooting than bare gel.
There's several regimen with various things shielding the gel, like cloth, sheet metal, glass, and drywall in addition to bare gel.
Lucky Gunner has compiled some heavy cloth and gel numbers, which are interesting reading anyway.
Then, once you'd found that, is there an accompanying, "here's what I was thinking," from the person or persons who developed it?
One reason I ask is that I remember that light for the caliber bullets going fast for the cartridge came about after the '86 Miami shootout and were, in essence, gaming the FBI's 500 point testing criteria.
The problem with this is, "I remember," and I have enough doubt about that timeline to want to have something more substantial to rely on.
I also noticed, hunting the internets for performance numbers on 185gr .45 ACP that there's a lot of bare gel testing many if not most citing the FBI's 12-18" penetration numbers as ideal.
The FBI testing was a lot more shooting than bare gel.
There's several regimen with various things shielding the gel, like cloth, sheet metal, glass, and drywall in addition to bare gel.
Lucky Gunner has compiled some heavy cloth and gel numbers, which are interesting reading anyway.
Alternate Historeality
FuzzyGeff and I are kind of enamored with GURPS: Technomancer, as you might surmise from reading other blog entries...
We've both made the Merlin versions of ourselves.
FuzzyGeff made a fox chimera, I made myself up as a snake chimera.
It gets me thinking about how many things would be different even if much else remained the same.
I'd likely not have joined the Army as a tanker, no legs makes working pedals a problem. But a USA with chimera might have controls that anyone can use.
But even if I'd joined as a tanker, I couldn't have broken my legs falling from a tank. My middle-eastern adventure would have been much the same.
Healing magic would have fixed everything I'd broken in the fall regardless, so I'd have made my entire enlistment, possibly even reenlisting. That would probably have given me time to finish my transition out of tanks. That would have lead to an entirely different life than I led from a medical discharge.
With magic, maybe my DD214 would have all three years on it...
The Lovely Harvey has a severe phobia about snakes, so that relationship would never have started. Never mind that lacking the crippling injuries from service would mean I'd never ended up in Florida. More likely Virginia with how my military career was progressing...
We've both made the Merlin versions of ourselves.
FuzzyGeff made a fox chimera, I made myself up as a snake chimera.
It gets me thinking about how many things would be different even if much else remained the same.
I'd likely not have joined the Army as a tanker, no legs makes working pedals a problem. But a USA with chimera might have controls that anyone can use.
But even if I'd joined as a tanker, I couldn't have broken my legs falling from a tank. My middle-eastern adventure would have been much the same.
Healing magic would have fixed everything I'd broken in the fall regardless, so I'd have made my entire enlistment, possibly even reenlisting. That would probably have given me time to finish my transition out of tanks. That would have lead to an entirely different life than I led from a medical discharge.
With magic, maybe my DD214 would have all three years on it...
The Lovely Harvey has a severe phobia about snakes, so that relationship would never have started. Never mind that lacking the crippling injuries from service would mean I'd never ended up in Florida. More likely Virginia with how my military career was progressing...
In A Vacuum Made Of Spherical Cows
There are many methods of "determining" how effective your ammunition is going to be without even loading a round, let alone firing one.
Some correlate well with actual wounds, some do not.
Some correlate until the edges are approached.
Some are more tied to the rules of a competition.
Some are abstractly tied to the rules of a game where no guns are actually fired.
You almost have to delve into the history of the tests to see how they relate to real world performance.
You've got to see what proxies are in play.
Some correlate well with actual wounds, some do not.
Some correlate until the edges are approached.
Some are more tied to the rules of a competition.
Some are abstractly tied to the rules of a game where no guns are actually fired.
You almost have to delve into the history of the tests to see how they relate to real world performance.
You've got to see what proxies are in play.
Wait That's Not Right
Sectional density should be mass/area.
Sectional density for bullets is weight / bullet diameter squared.
So the area of a 9mm is 0.126736 using the ballistic sectional density formula instead of 0.09954?
The area of a square with the bullet diameter is what is being calculated, not the area of circle.
I think we've hit a rule of thumb again.
So our 115gr bullet has a ballistic sectional density of 0.13 or an engineering sectional density of 0.165...
It makes one wonder what happened.
Related:
The Wikipedia article on Sectional Density appears to have been written by someone for whom English is a second language.
Sectional density for bullets is weight / bullet diameter squared.
So the area of a 9mm is 0.126736 using the ballistic sectional density formula instead of 0.09954?
The area of a square with the bullet diameter is what is being calculated, not the area of circle.
I think we've hit a rule of thumb again.
So our 115gr bullet has a ballistic sectional density of 0.13 or an engineering sectional density of 0.165...
It makes one wonder what happened.
Related:
The Wikipedia article on Sectional Density appears to have been written by someone for whom English is a second language.
12 January 2018
Cum Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
"Flying dimes with no sectional density moving at Warp Factor Six are how we got Miami..."
No.
Firstly, the fight happened not because of a poor selection of handguns or handgun ammunition but a decision to force a confrontation on the FBI's part.
Second, bringing pistols to a rifle fight was the main problem once the fight started.
Third, the FBI issue loads were 158gr .38 Special +P lead semi-wadcutter hollow-points, 115gr 9mm Winchester Silvertip jacketed hollow-points, and 12 gauge 2-3/4" 00 buckshot.
Fourth, .38 Special +P, 158gr LSWC-HP has a sectional density is 0.176. 9x19mm 115gr Silvertip hollow-point has a sectional density of 0.130. .705 US Mint 35gr has a sectional density of 0.010.
Fifth, the 9mm the FBI selected was notorious for not expanding.
Sixth, it was a 9mm round that delivered the fatal shot to both criminals. What those rounds did not do was instantly stop the fight. THIS is what led to a decade of .40 caliber not high velocity, light bullets.
Finally, not a single .45 ACP was even present, let alone fired, so why bring it up?
On Tiptoes
I know I've avoided talking about some things the way I want to say them because I didn't want to upset some people whom I wanted to like me.
It's forgetting important lessons from High School again.
Bearing in mind that important lesson I remembered that the "thoughts" and "opinions" of the football team and cheerleaders don't fucking matter!
No, really, they don't.
Most especially when you catch them at someone else's house breaking new ground in logical fallacies that's going to take Latin scholars years to define.
What's Latin for appeal to authority, namely THEM, combined with a dash of ad hominem?
Yeah, could have made their point just as well by not leaving a comment at all.
The intended audience might think it's still cute, but I've come to find it tiresome.
It's childish.
It's forgetting important lessons from High School again.
Bearing in mind that important lesson I remembered that the "thoughts" and "opinions" of the football team and cheerleaders don't fucking matter!
No, really, they don't.
Most especially when you catch them at someone else's house breaking new ground in logical fallacies that's going to take Latin scholars years to define.
What's Latin for appeal to authority, namely THEM, combined with a dash of ad hominem?
Yeah, could have made their point just as well by not leaving a comment at all.
The intended audience might think it's still cute, but I've come to find it tiresome.
It's childish.
Code Of Silence?
I know a couple three combat vets.
I know they don't talk about some stuff except with other combat vets.
Lord if I could get them to open up outside the clique.
Getting them to repeat some of what they've said about so many things gun and gun fighting related would be educational to say the least.
I am also frustrated with, "don't you fucking put that on your goddamn blog!"
So I don't repeat their stories.
But I sure want to!
It's an interesting mix of positions, especially with regards to gun-games and gun-schools.
Some things they ponder and say, "hmmmm, that's not a half bad way of doing it." Some things they say with deep contempt, "that shit will get your ass killed."
And I get to be vague about what. Dammit.
On some things you kind of have to say, "yeah yeah, Grampa, drink your Geritol®," because the world has moved past the plasticity of their synapses. Other things are fundamental truths that don't change just because the wood content of the rifle has dropped to zero.
There's squabbling about what's become obsolete, what's passe, and what's still valuable. There's little that's utterly absolute, but the things that are absolute are Cold Equations absolute.
Even the obsolete ideas have some merit because I am conversing with a living combat veteran.
One thing I can repeat though: The preferred method of clearing a house is to use the radio to call in artillery until you're empty lot clearing. No, the police can't do that. But you did ask what the best way to do it was, didn't you?
I know they don't talk about some stuff except with other combat vets.
Lord if I could get them to open up outside the clique.
Getting them to repeat some of what they've said about so many things gun and gun fighting related would be educational to say the least.
I am also frustrated with, "don't you fucking put that on your goddamn blog!"
So I don't repeat their stories.
But I sure want to!
It's an interesting mix of positions, especially with regards to gun-games and gun-schools.
Some things they ponder and say, "hmmmm, that's not a half bad way of doing it." Some things they say with deep contempt, "that shit will get your ass killed."
And I get to be vague about what. Dammit.
On some things you kind of have to say, "yeah yeah, Grampa, drink your Geritol®," because the world has moved past the plasticity of their synapses. Other things are fundamental truths that don't change just because the wood content of the rifle has dropped to zero.
There's squabbling about what's become obsolete, what's passe, and what's still valuable. There's little that's utterly absolute, but the things that are absolute are Cold Equations absolute.
Even the obsolete ideas have some merit because I am conversing with a living combat veteran.
One thing I can repeat though: The preferred method of clearing a house is to use the radio to call in artillery until you're empty lot clearing. No, the police can't do that. But you did ask what the best way to do it was, didn't you?
Racist!
The term "chain migration" is now racist because blacks came to America in chains.
First, allow me to renew my idea that any black person who thinks they have it rough in the USA, emigrate to... pick a place where those chains were first applied by your fellow black people.
Second, buy a fucking dictionary. Many words have multiple definitions.
Third, "serial migration" might also be a good term for it, but that too will be called racist because serial is a homophone of cereal and black slaves were forced to grow grains.
This is not really about racism. It's about trying to stop the argument by playing the racist card because that argument is going against them.
First, allow me to renew my idea that any black person who thinks they have it rough in the USA, emigrate to... pick a place where those chains were first applied by your fellow black people.
Second, buy a fucking dictionary. Many words have multiple definitions.
Third, "serial migration" might also be a good term for it, but that too will be called racist because serial is a homophone of cereal and black slaves were forced to grow grains.
This is not really about racism. It's about trying to stop the argument by playing the racist card because that argument is going against them.
Fuel Conundrum
The Precious has a compression ratio of 10.7 to 1.
The owner's manual states: "[U]se premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration could be slightly reduced, and you might notice a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock."
The owner's manual states: "[U]se premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration could be slightly reduced, and you might notice a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock."
The grades of gas in FL tend to be 87, 89 and 93 octane. Those three grades can also be up to 10% ethanol.
Ethanol free gas is available in 90 octane.
Today the prices were...
87 octane regular unleaded $2.349
89 octane plus unleaded $2.649
93 octane premium unleaded $2.949
90 octane ethanol free unleaded $2.909.
I remember before ethanol became mandatory that my car got better mileage. I wonder if being short an octane from recommended matters all that much; cheaper per gallon and going farther on each gallon sure seems worth the trade.
The Architecture Seems Familiar
Something about this reminds me of the architecture from The Planet of the Apes.
I think it's the odd lattice structure thing in the upper left.
It's amusing that the Obama Presidential Library should strike tones from a dystopia.
Aid
I am wondering.
Is there any nation that's subsisting on foreign aid that isn't, to use the current vernacular, a shithole?
It sure seems like there's a lot of places where there's a handful of very rich "leaders" ruling a population of destitute poverty with nary a productive economic activity to be had.
Is there any nation that's subsisting on foreign aid that isn't, to use the current vernacular, a shithole?
It sure seems like there's a lot of places where there's a handful of very rich "leaders" ruling a population of destitute poverty with nary a productive economic activity to be had.
11 January 2018
Now We're Cookin'
Adding disaster upon disaster in the kitchen...
Our delightful Pampered Chef 5-qt. saute pan no longer has any non-stick coating in the center.
It's nice, but $203 is a lot for a pan when you aren't flush with inheritance cash.
Wal Mart has a very similar pan by Tramontina for a mere $25...
Let's see... the Pampered Chef lasted about 8 years... so the Tramontina only needs to last a year to be the same value.
This adventure has also got me convinced I need a some stick rather than non-stick cookware for searing, caramelizing and browning. I'm sick of soggy home-fries!
Our delightful Pampered Chef 5-qt. saute pan no longer has any non-stick coating in the center.
It's nice, but $203 is a lot for a pan when you aren't flush with inheritance cash.
Wal Mart has a very similar pan by Tramontina for a mere $25...
Let's see... the Pampered Chef lasted about 8 years... so the Tramontina only needs to last a year to be the same value.
This adventure has also got me convinced I need a some stick rather than non-stick cookware for searing, caramelizing and browning. I'm sick of soggy home-fries!
Dear Hollywood
I know you picked the reticle from a PSO scope because it looked cool.
But that swoopy ski-ramp thing on the left, that's a ranging device.
So you can figure out the range to the target based on the height of a person.
That means if someone knows how to use that ranging reticle, they can also see that you filmed it at about 25m.
Then show the character much farther away.
But that swoopy ski-ramp thing on the left, that's a ranging device.
So you can figure out the range to the target based on the height of a person.
That means if someone knows how to use that ranging reticle, they can also see that you filmed it at about 25m.
Then show the character much farther away.
Reflex Armor?
Diamene sure sounds like it behaves like a staple of GURPS: Ultra Tech armor.
The actual mechanisms are different, but the behavior is the same. I am not sure if reflex or monocrys is the more apt description.
Today is supposed to be TL8. Reflex happens at TL9 and Monocrys happens at TL11.
Living in the future!
The actual mechanisms are different, but the behavior is the same. I am not sure if reflex or monocrys is the more apt description.
Today is supposed to be TL8. Reflex happens at TL9 and Monocrys happens at TL11.
Living in the future!
10 January 2018
Active Night
You may have heard that we had the president of the local chapter of a motorcycle club murdered recently.
Saturday was his funeral and there was the expected influx of bikers to attend.
Tonight, because I'm outside enjoying a smoke, I can hear an unusual amount of v-twin traffic and an unusual amount of police siren.
The sheriff has been vocally concerned about there being a bit of a gang war here over the murder and has been paying the overtime for the deputies to head it off.
Interesting times? Hope not.
Saturday was his funeral and there was the expected influx of bikers to attend.
Tonight, because I'm outside enjoying a smoke, I can hear an unusual amount of v-twin traffic and an unusual amount of police siren.
The sheriff has been vocally concerned about there being a bit of a gang war here over the murder and has been paying the overtime for the deputies to head it off.
Interesting times? Hope not.
Hat Tip
It's clear that someone is linking back to some of my posts because they get twice as many hits as others.
I don't have anything to tell whom but I'd add you to the sidebar if I knew who you are...
Just sayin'...
I don't have anything to tell whom but I'd add you to the sidebar if I knew who you are...
Just sayin'...
Annual ATF Photo
This should be some kind of gun blogger meme! Post a pic of your alcohol, tobacco and firearm.
This year I even remembered to include some E for BATFE!
Plus a hint of Lovely Harvey legs!
09 January 2018
You Seem Particularly Worried
Eric Pratt has sent me another email worrying about unpaid parking tickets making one a fugitive from justice, and thus a prohibited person.
This seems a suspiciously specific worry.
Like someone has a lot of unpaid tickets to worry about.
This seems a suspiciously specific worry.
Like someone has a lot of unpaid tickets to worry about.
08 January 2018
Are Those Liberal Tears I Smell
Democrat Ordered Study To Expose Illegal Online Gun Sales Backfires
Almost as if we gun owners have been telling the truth when we've been saying there's no loopholes left.
Almost as if we gun owners have been telling the truth when we've been saying there's no loopholes left.
6,000 Hours
Still trucking away!
It's not near so dim as the picture makes it seem. Optics are mercurial things for photography.
I have to think that the 400 hour rating was with carbon batteries and former Communist quality control expectations. The Energizer Ultimate Lithiums just have to be running longer because they've got more amp-hours in them.
It's not near so dim as the picture makes it seem. Optics are mercurial things for photography.
I have to think that the 400 hour rating was with carbon batteries and former Communist quality control expectations. The Energizer Ultimate Lithiums just have to be running longer because they've got more amp-hours in them.
Crime Think
The crime does not begin with victim selection.
The first part of the crime is a mindset.
"I'm walking through a neighborhood and checking for unlocked car doors," is the first step for snatch and grab car burglary.
A gun laying in plain view in the seat of a car does not cause an honest person to check the doors.
But someone who's already in the, "if I walk past a car and see something valuable, I'm checking the doors, and if they're open I am taking it," mindset is breaking in.
We'll give you an example: The Lovely Harvey.
She works in a by-law and by company policy gun-free-victim zone because they've a .edu in their address.
She's got to do the gun shuffle or be disarmed on the 35 mile commute.
The .edu she works at is in a, shall we say, culturally diverse area. You might have even read about the serial killer in that area!
So she, by law, must leave the gun in the car while at work.
You can't lock the glovebox on her car.
I'm convinced, without evidence, that her iPod was visible and that got the thief to check the doors. The Boy might not have gotten his door latched when they returned home, which means none of the doors will lock when the button is pressed on the remote!
Once inside, the thief checked the other storage compartments and hit the jackpot.
It's been a learning experience for us.
Interestingly, you can lock the trunk latch and prevent access from the interior. So now the gun is in the trunk rather than the glovebox. There might even be additional security measures that I am not detailing here.
A problem with the mandated disarmament is the number steps you place between the thief and your gun in the car equals the number of steps between you and your gun in the car... Speed of access vs retention again.
It would be far better if it could stay on her at work.
She was a participant in the victim selection process, not a participant in the crime. The criminal participated in both selection and crime.
The first part of the crime is a mindset.
"I'm walking through a neighborhood and checking for unlocked car doors," is the first step for snatch and grab car burglary.
A gun laying in plain view in the seat of a car does not cause an honest person to check the doors.
But someone who's already in the, "if I walk past a car and see something valuable, I'm checking the doors, and if they're open I am taking it," mindset is breaking in.
We'll give you an example: The Lovely Harvey.
She works in a by-law and by company policy gun-free-victim zone because they've a .edu in their address.
She's got to do the gun shuffle or be disarmed on the 35 mile commute.
The .edu she works at is in a, shall we say, culturally diverse area. You might have even read about the serial killer in that area!
So she, by law, must leave the gun in the car while at work.
You can't lock the glovebox on her car.
I'm convinced, without evidence, that her iPod was visible and that got the thief to check the doors. The Boy might not have gotten his door latched when they returned home, which means none of the doors will lock when the button is pressed on the remote!
Once inside, the thief checked the other storage compartments and hit the jackpot.
It's been a learning experience for us.
Interestingly, you can lock the trunk latch and prevent access from the interior. So now the gun is in the trunk rather than the glovebox. There might even be additional security measures that I am not detailing here.
A problem with the mandated disarmament is the number steps you place between the thief and your gun in the car equals the number of steps between you and your gun in the car... Speed of access vs retention again.
It would be far better if it could stay on her at work.
She was a participant in the victim selection process, not a participant in the crime. The criminal participated in both selection and crime.
Continuity
Took the multi-meter to the wires...
I have continuity through the thermal fuse circuit. I still don't know where the thing is physically located.
But if it was dead, there should be no continuity and, by the way, the broiler shouldn't work either.
The broiler works like gangbusters.
That pretty much leaves the thermostat.
GE p/n WB21X5212.
$200 or so for new-old-stock on ebay.
Yikes!
$200 is about 25% the price of a whole new oven. I have not checked the used market yet.
I have continuity through the thermal fuse circuit. I still don't know where the thing is physically located.
But if it was dead, there should be no continuity and, by the way, the broiler shouldn't work either.
The broiler works like gangbusters.
That pretty much leaves the thermostat.
GE p/n WB21X5212.
$200 or so for new-old-stock on ebay.
Yikes!
$200 is about 25% the price of a whole new oven. I have not checked the used market yet.
Thirty
Thirty years ago today I left Fort Knox, Kentucky, C-1-81AR and the Armor Training School for my first active duty station in Stuttgart, West Germany (or Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland as Rudy the Rad would have it).
So much has changed.
There were two Germany's then.
There was a Soviet Union.
Czechoslovakia was one nation.
Heck, we flew Pan Am from JFK to Frankfurt am Main.
So much has changed.
There were two Germany's then.
There was a Soviet Union.
Czechoslovakia was one nation.
Heck, we flew Pan Am from JFK to Frankfurt am Main.
It's A Bit Strange
The "En Memoriam" blogroll on the sidebar is updating more often than most of the blogs written by people I've met in meatspace.
People whom I know are alive and well are blogging less than people who're pushing up daisies.
People whom I know are alive and well are blogging less than people who're pushing up daisies.
Not Secure
Nothing stored in your car is secured.
Nothing.
Not even that lock box bolted to the floor.
I'm mechanically inclined and I've spent a lot of time taking cars apart (sometimes even getting them back together).
I've astonished more than one friend with the speed with which I removed their old stereo to facilitate the installation of a new one. "And I didn't even break anything taking it out!" I'd reply.
Car security is a filtering mechanism.
You hide things out of sight so that a thief doesn't see something worth breaking the glass.
You lock the doors so the thief has to risk breaking the glass.
You bolt a lock-box to the floor of the trunk so that it takes more time for the thief to steal what's in it.
You hope that the thief doesn't have a means to bypass your locks. You hope they don't have tools to breach your lock-box. Hope.
Would you be surprised to learn that when your car got burglarized it was probably the thief's second or even third visit?
The victim is a participant in the victim selection process. The victim is not a participant in the crime.
The first visit is to determine if you're someone worth stealing from.
Subsequent visits are to see if you've made a mistake or plain let your guard down. They only have to get lucky once, you have to be lucky every time.
Sooner or later you're going to experience a loss. Count on it.
Nothing.
Not even that lock box bolted to the floor.
I'm mechanically inclined and I've spent a lot of time taking cars apart (sometimes even getting them back together).
I've astonished more than one friend with the speed with which I removed their old stereo to facilitate the installation of a new one. "And I didn't even break anything taking it out!" I'd reply.
Car security is a filtering mechanism.
You hide things out of sight so that a thief doesn't see something worth breaking the glass.
You lock the doors so the thief has to risk breaking the glass.
You bolt a lock-box to the floor of the trunk so that it takes more time for the thief to steal what's in it.
You hope that the thief doesn't have a means to bypass your locks. You hope they don't have tools to breach your lock-box. Hope.
Would you be surprised to learn that when your car got burglarized it was probably the thief's second or even third visit?
The victim is a participant in the victim selection process. The victim is not a participant in the crime.
The first visit is to determine if you're someone worth stealing from.
Subsequent visits are to see if you've made a mistake or plain let your guard down. They only have to get lucky once, you have to be lucky every time.
Sooner or later you're going to experience a loss. Count on it.
I've Got A Solution
Since we're down on people storing their gun in their car when at football games...
Let's confront why someone might tuck their pistol under their seat in the first place.
In Florida it's illegal to bring my gun into the stadium.
My solution is to just not attend football games.
That solution doesn't help me when I go to the courthouse. Or to schools. Or to work.
The local gun shows all ban carry, for fuck's sake!
To keep the gun from being stored in the car we'd have to leave it at home. That's suboptimal at best, since we all decided to get a carry permit for a reason and if we never carry that sort of subverts those reasons, doesn't it?
The real solution is to not have to disarm at our destinations.
What good is a carry permit that only works at your own home and in your own car?
What good is a carry permit where you have to be disarmed from your car to the building you're going to and back?
We often speak of avoiding gun-free victim zones. Why aren't we demanding those become smaller and fewer?
Let's confront why someone might tuck their pistol under their seat in the first place.
In Florida it's illegal to bring my gun into the stadium.
My solution is to just not attend football games.
That solution doesn't help me when I go to the courthouse. Or to schools. Or to work.
The local gun shows all ban carry, for fuck's sake!
To keep the gun from being stored in the car we'd have to leave it at home. That's suboptimal at best, since we all decided to get a carry permit for a reason and if we never carry that sort of subverts those reasons, doesn't it?
The real solution is to not have to disarm at our destinations.
What good is a carry permit that only works at your own home and in your own car?
What good is a carry permit where you have to be disarmed from your car to the building you're going to and back?
We often speak of avoiding gun-free victim zones. Why aren't we demanding those become smaller and fewer?
07 January 2018
Like Talking To A Wall
It's a sure law of economics.
If there's a demand for something, there will be a market for it.
If there's no ready way to obtain something, roundabout means will be used.
California has laws that make it difficult to get some guns.
People have figured out how to work around that constriction in the supply legally by manufacturing their own "serialed" part. Serialed is in quotes because, under Federal law, you don't need to put any markings at all on a gun you're making for your own use.
Thanks to people figuring out the work-around, the knowledge on how to make your own "firearm" is widely available.
There's nothing so innocent that cannot be used criminally.
Since I dabble in "ghost guns"... I did a lot of research before paying for stuff.
There's a mens rea clause to the law. I cannot make a gun specifically to be sold unless I first obtain a manufacturing license from BATFE. However, I can later sell a gun I've made for myself if I mark it that I made it and give it a serial number. The law is vague about defining "intended to sell" and "intended for own use but sold it later", so be very careful here.
Even if you have the proper manufacturing licenses, you have to mark the gun with your name, location and a serial number.
And pay taxes and fees.
If you're in the business of selling firearms, you also need to be licensed.
The Axel Galvez is in trouble for manufacturing and selling without the proper licenses plus not marking them or paying any of the fees and taxes.
What loophole? A loophole is where something that's supposed to be banned by law turns out to be perfectly legal under some circumstances.
But clearly, we need more laws to keep people who break laws from breaking laws? Do I have that right?
Also, you might notice that Mr Galvez got caught. Not so easy as the article makes it seem, is it?
If there's a demand for something, there will be a market for it.
If there's no ready way to obtain something, roundabout means will be used.
California has laws that make it difficult to get some guns.
People have figured out how to work around that constriction in the supply legally by manufacturing their own "serialed" part. Serialed is in quotes because, under Federal law, you don't need to put any markings at all on a gun you're making for your own use.
Thanks to people figuring out the work-around, the knowledge on how to make your own "firearm" is widely available.
There's nothing so innocent that cannot be used criminally.
Since I dabble in "ghost guns"... I did a lot of research before paying for stuff.
There's a mens rea clause to the law. I cannot make a gun specifically to be sold unless I first obtain a manufacturing license from BATFE. However, I can later sell a gun I've made for myself if I mark it that I made it and give it a serial number. The law is vague about defining "intended to sell" and "intended for own use but sold it later", so be very careful here.
Even if you have the proper manufacturing licenses, you have to mark the gun with your name, location and a serial number.
And pay taxes and fees.
If you're in the business of selling firearms, you also need to be licensed.
The Axel Galvez is in trouble for manufacturing and selling without the proper licenses plus not marking them or paying any of the fees and taxes.
What loophole? A loophole is where something that's supposed to be banned by law turns out to be perfectly legal under some circumstances.
But clearly, we need more laws to keep people who break laws from breaking laws? Do I have that right?
Also, you might notice that Mr Galvez got caught. Not so easy as the article makes it seem, is it?
Fuck It Memory Hole It Is!
Dunno if it's can't or won't see what I am saying.
Done trying to explain it.
Done trying to explain it.
06 January 2018
Rabbit Hole
I know what you're trying to say.
What you're not reading is what us "people with the vapors" are trying to say.
We agree that locking your guns up is something you should do.
We disagree that locking your guns up is something you have to do by law.
Why is important.
While slippery slope is a debate fallacy, incrementally passed laws are real.
We properly decried the asinine rules that Washington DC had in place for firearms storage. Those laws were built from the framework of reasonable rules. Responsible rules, if you will.
Iowa started down this road (and stopped before it got far) while I lived there. I remember this debate. Guess who you sound like? It's not the pro-gun side.
The reason you don't sound like the pro-gun side is because you're mentioning a certain event and particular politician who has said more on guns than just this one time. They're advocating the path to DC levels of restrictions and you post we should be storing our guns under lock and key at all times? They're advocating punishment and liability for gun owners who fail to store their guns in the manner you prescribe. I know you didn't actually say it, but you did cite the event they're talking about as evidence of why you should store more securely.
Can you see how that looks? If I have the vapors, you're tone deaf.
There's a world of difference between "should" and "must". We're trying to explain why we oppose "must".
We're trying to explain that we've seen this line of reasoning before and where it leads too often. But that worry is dismissed in an insulting manner.
Look, if I wasn't worried about every little anti-gun thing I would not have suffered through reading the fix-NICS bill and researching the language. You've got to watch them like a hawk!
The reason we're getting on you about this is because nearly every time we get conciliatory with the anti-gunners on something reasonable, we often get fucked hard by it. Don't give them the opening if you don't have to.
What you're not reading is what us "people with the vapors" are trying to say.
We agree that locking your guns up is something you should do.
We disagree that locking your guns up is something you have to do by law.
Why is important.
While slippery slope is a debate fallacy, incrementally passed laws are real.
We properly decried the asinine rules that Washington DC had in place for firearms storage. Those laws were built from the framework of reasonable rules. Responsible rules, if you will.
Iowa started down this road (and stopped before it got far) while I lived there. I remember this debate. Guess who you sound like? It's not the pro-gun side.
The reason you don't sound like the pro-gun side is because you're mentioning a certain event and particular politician who has said more on guns than just this one time. They're advocating the path to DC levels of restrictions and you post we should be storing our guns under lock and key at all times? They're advocating punishment and liability for gun owners who fail to store their guns in the manner you prescribe. I know you didn't actually say it, but you did cite the event they're talking about as evidence of why you should store more securely.
Can you see how that looks? If I have the vapors, you're tone deaf.
There's a world of difference between "should" and "must". We're trying to explain why we oppose "must".
We're trying to explain that we've seen this line of reasoning before and where it leads too often. But that worry is dismissed in an insulting manner.
Look, if I wasn't worried about every little anti-gun thing I would not have suffered through reading the fix-NICS bill and researching the language. You've got to watch them like a hawk!
The reason we're getting on you about this is because nearly every time we get conciliatory with the anti-gunners on something reasonable, we often get fucked hard by it. Don't give them the opening if you don't have to.
05 January 2018
Deserving
Since people are confused by the moral position that evil done with something stolen from me is not my responsibility...
If someone steals from you and does something good with what was stolen, do you deserve praise?
A reward?
If you don't think you deserve a reward, why would you think you deserve to be punished?
I know it's a difficult moral philosophy to wrap your head around.
We're so accustomed to the reality that leaving a $100 bill on the table unattended while you go to take a leak means that bill will be gone when you get back we tend to forget that the thief is still the sole responsible agent in the stealing.
Being a sane and adjusted to the real world we live in means that if want to keep that $100 we don't leave it there unattended.
The victim is a participant in the victim selection process. But it doesn't make them a participant in the crime.
Crime doesn't start with opportunity. Opportunity is discovered after other decisions are made by the criminal.
Stealing a gun from an unlocked car is an example. How did the thief know the car was unlocked? They'd decided to steal before they checked the handle. Taking solace in their decision to only steal from unlocked cars rather than breaking windows is weak sauce. So is taking pride in taking the small precaution in locking your door and avoiding that thief.
Thinking, "I am checking to see if that car is unlocked, if it is I am checking to see if there's anything worth stealing and if there is, I am stealing it," is a criminal act in its own right. Leaving the door unlocked with something valuable inside is not a criminal act.
Morally, blaming the victim when their property is, forcibly, outside their control is wrong. Malum in se.
Nothing Magic
How does one say it?
There is nothing magical about any modern 9mm pistol that makes the ammunition more effective than what's launched from Georg Luger's creation.
If you have a P.08 that runs with the ammo you're firing, each round will do as much damage as any other 9mm.
Where a modern gun tends to spank a Luger is in how finicky they are about ammo. Modern guns do tend to eat anything you feed them. They also keep eating well past when you should have cleaned them to keep the gun from getting anything it comes into contact with irreparably filthy.
So what are we getting with a modern design that we're not with a P.08?
Simplicity and ease of manufacture.
There's a reason that a market where a Luger is a $3,500 gun in shootable condition that nobody has bit the bullet and started making them again. Stoeger tried, and failed, to make that profitable.
The venerable Browning Hi-Power holds its own with modern guns for reliability and capacity; but not weight or cost. The last new Browning might be rolling off an assembly line in Portugal as I type this (probably not, it's Saturday morning in Portugal as I type this). Browning has made fewer and fewer HP's over the years and the price has been in the low four digits for a new one for a long time as well. Plus you have to compete with an 82 year old secondary market.
A modern gun is much more affordable because they're designed to be easy to crank out on machines that use the absolute minimum amount of highly paid labor. The parts are made near-net to begin with and require fewer operations to get to their final forms.
It's why everyone is using plastic for the frames. The material is more than strong and durable enough and can be made into very complex shapes that come out in finish form with a single operation! And it's inexpensive too.
If you already have the Luger and it's what's to hand when Bad Bob™ breaks into your rec room; use it!
If you don't have any pistol at all and are looking to get one, get a new gun.
Same beans, more of them, less costly.
There is nothing magical about any modern 9mm pistol that makes the ammunition more effective than what's launched from Georg Luger's creation.
If you have a P.08 that runs with the ammo you're firing, each round will do as much damage as any other 9mm.
Where a modern gun tends to spank a Luger is in how finicky they are about ammo. Modern guns do tend to eat anything you feed them. They also keep eating well past when you should have cleaned them to keep the gun from getting anything it comes into contact with irreparably filthy.
So what are we getting with a modern design that we're not with a P.08?
Simplicity and ease of manufacture.
There's a reason that a market where a Luger is a $3,500 gun in shootable condition that nobody has bit the bullet and started making them again. Stoeger tried, and failed, to make that profitable.
The venerable Browning Hi-Power holds its own with modern guns for reliability and capacity; but not weight or cost. The last new Browning might be rolling off an assembly line in Portugal as I type this (probably not, it's Saturday morning in Portugal as I type this). Browning has made fewer and fewer HP's over the years and the price has been in the low four digits for a new one for a long time as well. Plus you have to compete with an 82 year old secondary market.
A modern gun is much more affordable because they're designed to be easy to crank out on machines that use the absolute minimum amount of highly paid labor. The parts are made near-net to begin with and require fewer operations to get to their final forms.
It's why everyone is using plastic for the frames. The material is more than strong and durable enough and can be made into very complex shapes that come out in finish form with a single operation! And it's inexpensive too.
If you already have the Luger and it's what's to hand when Bad Bob™ breaks into your rec room; use it!
If you don't have any pistol at all and are looking to get one, get a new gun.
Same beans, more of them, less costly.
Are You Sure It's Not A Lot More Recent
"Not before Donald Trump has a modern president been more polarizing."
Pardon me, but I remember Bill Clinton.
But if he doesn't qualify, I remember 8 years of Bushitler.
I also remember Ronny being a bit divisive too...
Pardon me, but I remember Bill Clinton.
But if he doesn't qualify, I remember 8 years of Bushitler.
I also remember Ronny being a bit divisive too...
Ease Of Victimization
I don't blame the legitimate owner of anything for it's post-theft misuse.
I think it is wrong to do so.
It doesn't matter to me how easy a victim made it for a thief to steal.
Why?
Because your security isn't as good as you think it is.
Really.
How do I know that?
Because I was entirely too chummy with some real thieves for a short period of time. (Then I sold the motorcycle [rimshot]).
Your house is no more secure than an unlocked car. Don't even say, "but I have..." It doesn't matter.
But let's say it does.
How many steps of security before you're not culpable for what a thief does with your property post-theft? Two? Three? More? How shall we codify that?
Have you ever raged against safe-storage laws? If you blame the victim of theft for what thieves do with stolen property and think the legitimate owner should be legally responsible for it; you're in tacit support of safe-storage laws. Because you are, in fact, saying that it should be illegal to store an item below a minimum legal standard.
Also for the guns in cars crowd... I know I've read about range days that mentioned going to a local eatery after shooting. Did the restaurant have a gun-safe for patrons? OR WERE YOUR GUNS IN YOUR CAR? Ooops. Be sure to let me know why it's different when YOU do it.
For the keys in the ignition people, just google up "bait car" or check YouTube for a couple episodes. Not only do the people who take the cop's running car get arrested, it's not considered entrapment.
I think it is wrong to do so.
It doesn't matter to me how easy a victim made it for a thief to steal.
Why?
Because your security isn't as good as you think it is.
Really.
How do I know that?
Because I was entirely too chummy with some real thieves for a short period of time. (Then I sold the motorcycle [rimshot]).
Your house is no more secure than an unlocked car. Don't even say, "but I have..." It doesn't matter.
But let's say it does.
How many steps of security before you're not culpable for what a thief does with your property post-theft? Two? Three? More? How shall we codify that?
Have you ever raged against safe-storage laws? If you blame the victim of theft for what thieves do with stolen property and think the legitimate owner should be legally responsible for it; you're in tacit support of safe-storage laws. Because you are, in fact, saying that it should be illegal to store an item below a minimum legal standard.
Also for the guns in cars crowd... I know I've read about range days that mentioned going to a local eatery after shooting. Did the restaurant have a gun-safe for patrons? OR WERE YOUR GUNS IN YOUR CAR? Ooops. Be sure to let me know why it's different when YOU do it.
For the keys in the ignition people, just google up "bait car" or check YouTube for a couple episodes. Not only do the people who take the cop's running car get arrested, it's not considered entrapment.
Starve The Prick
Michael Shannon, a known dancing monkey, has indicated that Trump supporters should die.
He's appearing in several movies now.
Don't go see any of them.
Most especially don't go see 12 Strong. If you must see it, wait a bit and download the torrent.
Don't feed the hand that hates you.
He's appearing in several movies now.
Don't go see any of them.
Most especially don't go see 12 Strong. If you must see it, wait a bit and download the torrent.
Don't feed the hand that hates you.
Shoot Me First
Reading this and the comments (I even made one) and I, again, wonder...
How often is the armed guard or uniformed cop capped before the crime gets going?
You'd think that would be easy to find, wouldn't you?
We know the adage that the bad guy stops once a good guy with a gun shows up, right?
We can't prove the negative, but how many crimes never happen because the good guy with a gun is openly and obviously there before the crime started?
One of the reasons that being a cop isn't a particularly dangerous occupation, despite the circles they run in, is they've all got guns and everyone knows they have guns.
I think we're overlapping our worldviews again.
If you're going to assault a location, it makes sound military sense to take out the weaponry of the opposition first.
But does it make criminal sense?
We equate the threat of violence with the use, because they're the same for us in the reply.
But the threat of violence is a means to an end for the criminal, as is its use. They seek the path of least resistance. Literally.
How often is the armed guard or uniformed cop capped before the crime gets going?
You'd think that would be easy to find, wouldn't you?
We know the adage that the bad guy stops once a good guy with a gun shows up, right?
We can't prove the negative, but how many crimes never happen because the good guy with a gun is openly and obviously there before the crime started?
One of the reasons that being a cop isn't a particularly dangerous occupation, despite the circles they run in, is they've all got guns and everyone knows they have guns.
I think we're overlapping our worldviews again.
If you're going to assault a location, it makes sound military sense to take out the weaponry of the opposition first.
But does it make criminal sense?
We equate the threat of violence with the use, because they're the same for us in the reply.
But the threat of violence is a means to an end for the criminal, as is its use. They seek the path of least resistance. Literally.
Underscoring My Point Beautifully
I sometimes wonder if I watched the same movie. The answers he's not finding are answered in the damn thing.
But he'd have had to pay attention.
He also doesn't shoot. How can we tell?
Helpful Hints From FuzzyGeff
Do you find that boiling water for your tea each morning to be a tedious chore?
Just boil an entire gallon then freeze it for later use. It will keep for weeks!
Just boil an entire gallon then freeze it for later use. It will keep for weeks!
But Does It Have Mutti Marks?
According to Willard, if your men have the magic marks put on your rifle, they like you!
Update: It was amusing for me to watch Larry Vickers try to open up the grenade sight the wrong direction.
04 January 2018
Attempted Oven Repair
The bake element is not working.
The replacement element is not working.
Troubleshooting continues.
The replacement element is not working.
Troubleshooting continues.
03 January 2018
Bayonet Debate Addendum
Another great use of a bayonet, that doesn't even require an actual bayonet, is to use the mounting lugs to cause hoplophobic brains to aneurysm!
What Use Are Critics
I just watched an entertaining video titled Bright. Thanks for recommending it Miguel!
The reviewers hate it. Running 28% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Yet Netflix says it's their most viewed original ever.
Viewers like it. 88% at Rotten Tomatoes.
It's like the anti-Last Jedi.
I'm starting to think that critics have forgotten why we spend money on entertainment.
Hint, it's in the very word.
Entertain.
Bright is entertaining. Yes, it's a tired buddy cop film. But I propose that it had to trod well established tropes to introduce the parts that aren't old and worn.
Like the unquestioned racism of a typical D&D game-world?
I'm glad it was planned as two movies. The first is the establishing shot. The second should be where we see the story they want to tell.
Hollywood doesn't think in longer than a single episode arcs.
I am definitely entertained! I will even cop to wearing rose colored glasses viewing it because we played with tropes like this several times in our gaming. There was even an officially published game that did genre mixing like this called Shadowrun.
The reviewers hate it. Running 28% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Yet Netflix says it's their most viewed original ever.
Viewers like it. 88% at Rotten Tomatoes.
It's like the anti-Last Jedi.
I'm starting to think that critics have forgotten why we spend money on entertainment.
Hint, it's in the very word.
Entertain.
Bright is entertaining. Yes, it's a tired buddy cop film. But I propose that it had to trod well established tropes to introduce the parts that aren't old and worn.
Like the unquestioned racism of a typical D&D game-world?
I'm glad it was planned as two movies. The first is the establishing shot. The second should be where we see the story they want to tell.
Hollywood doesn't think in longer than a single episode arcs.
I am definitely entertained! I will even cop to wearing rose colored glasses viewing it because we played with tropes like this several times in our gaming. There was even an officially published game that did genre mixing like this called Shadowrun.
02 January 2018
Bay Nets
Willard gave me this gem the other day.
The sole marking:
A distinct lack on the cross guard where markings belong.
The scabbard is loose as a promiscuous foreign prostitute of questionable moral fiber. The screws holding the grip scales are, in keeping with the stainless construction of the blade, bright stainless steel.
There's also one niggling little problem...
That's all the farther down it goes.
The sole marking:
A distinct lack on the cross guard where markings belong.
The scabbard is loose as a promiscuous foreign prostitute of questionable moral fiber. The screws holding the grip scales are, in keeping with the stainless construction of the blade, bright stainless steel.
There's also one niggling little problem...
That's all the farther down it goes.
We're Still Debating This?
The fighting utility of the bayonet is right up there with the functionality of elan vs Maxims.
They just aren't useful combat weapons anymore. Just like horses aren't good combat transportation anymore.
Yet... you will still find a circumstance where they can be applied today.
For horses, well there's a movie coming out soon.21 Jump Street 12 Strong (transposed the number, oops)...
For bayonets, and my Gods memories are short, there's prisoner poking!
It's useful to have the capability to poke POW's because oft-times they out number the guards in a ratio that Crazy Horse would have loved to have had atLittle Big Horn Greasy Grass (winners get to name the battle). Poking a prisoner elicits a different response from shooting one.
Shooting a prisoner can cause the herd to stampede. "They're shooting us all!" being the thought.
Stabbing an out of line prisoner is more local and more likely to elicit a, "Dave had it coming, Dave's like that," and even that response being more localized.
Plus, the prisoners nearly always feel that you WILL stab them with the slightest provocation, where you won't shoot them. Even if the opposite is true.
They just aren't useful combat weapons anymore. Just like horses aren't good combat transportation anymore.
Yet... you will still find a circumstance where they can be applied today.
For horses, well there's a movie coming out soon.
For bayonets, and my Gods memories are short, there's prisoner poking!
It's useful to have the capability to poke POW's because oft-times they out number the guards in a ratio that Crazy Horse would have loved to have had at
Shooting a prisoner can cause the herd to stampede. "They're shooting us all!" being the thought.
Stabbing an out of line prisoner is more local and more likely to elicit a, "Dave had it coming, Dave's like that," and even that response being more localized.
Plus, the prisoners nearly always feel that you WILL stab them with the slightest provocation, where you won't shoot them. Even if the opposite is true.