"Can you really say it's 9mm Luger if a Luger won't feed it?"
We're going to be trying the Federal Syntech in a Luger!
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31 October 2019
It's So Tiny
Baa Baa Blacksheep has an episode where VMF-214 is competing with an Army Air Corps squadron for who gets to shoot down Admiral Yamato (not, you will note Yamamoto).
They're using real planes and suddenly I'm hit with a sense of scale.
They Blacksheep are trying to sabotage the compass on a P-15D and these familiar actors are standing next to the plane and it's so much smaller than the F4U's we're accustomed to seeing them next to.
I think I never noticed before because I've never had a model of a P-51D next to one for an F4U-4.
I am pretty sure I only built the one Mustang and it was in 1/32.
The numerous F4U's were the 1/48 Monogram kit, and that was a Korean War F4U-5N with 4x 20mm and the radar set.
They're using real planes and suddenly I'm hit with a sense of scale.
They Blacksheep are trying to sabotage the compass on a P-15D and these familiar actors are standing next to the plane and it's so much smaller than the F4U's we're accustomed to seeing them next to.
I think I never noticed before because I've never had a model of a P-51D next to one for an F4U-4.
I am pretty sure I only built the one Mustang and it was in 1/32.
The numerous F4U's were the 1/48 Monogram kit, and that was a Korean War F4U-5N with 4x 20mm and the radar set.
Modern Cowboy
Having fun shopping for a hat...
GURPS stats!
The 4-3/4" barreled single action Army's and clones thereof...
.357 Magnum does 3d pi to 190/2,100 yards with a recoil of 3.
.44 Magnum does 3d+1 pi+ to 210/2,300 yards with a recoil of 4.
.45 Colt does 2d+1 pi+ to 120/1,300 yards with a recoil of 4.
Average damages to an unarmored torso are:
10 for .357 Magnum
17 for .44 Magnum
12 for .45 Colt
Lever guns!
.357 Magnum from a 20" or 16" barrel does 4d+2 pi to 560/3,400 yards.
.44 Magnum from a 16" barrel does 4d+1 pi+ to 410/2,800 yards.
.45 Colt from a 20" barrel does 3d pi+ to 320/2,500 yards.
Average damages to an unarmored torso are:
16 for .357 Magnum
22 for .44 Magnum
15 for .45 Colt
The more modern rounds do better than the old one?
Color me shocked... NOT!
GURPS stats!
The 4-3/4" barreled single action Army's and clones thereof...
.357 Magnum does 3d pi to 190/2,100 yards with a recoil of 3.
.44 Magnum does 3d+1 pi+ to 210/2,300 yards with a recoil of 4.
.45 Colt does 2d+1 pi+ to 120/1,300 yards with a recoil of 4.
Average damages to an unarmored torso are:
10 for .357 Magnum
17 for .44 Magnum
12 for .45 Colt
Lever guns!
.357 Magnum from a 20" or 16" barrel does 4d+2 pi to 560/3,400 yards.
.44 Magnum from a 16" barrel does 4d+1 pi+ to 410/2,800 yards.
.45 Colt from a 20" barrel does 3d pi+ to 320/2,500 yards.
Average damages to an unarmored torso are:
16 for .357 Magnum
22 for .44 Magnum
15 for .45 Colt
The more modern rounds do better than the old one?
Color me shocked... NOT!
Happy Halloween!
Today is one of my favorite days of the year!
Just to toot my own horn, my house is a "must" on beggar's night.
We stopped buying candy because The Boy can't have it; so we changed over to giving out cute little toys.
The toys are, and have been, a huge hit.
Just to toot my own horn, my house is a "must" on beggar's night.
We stopped buying candy because The Boy can't have it; so we changed over to giving out cute little toys.
The toys are, and have been, a huge hit.
30 October 2019
Confidence Returning
Been driving The Precious in the afternoon.
The Boy is loving having "his" car back.
The fuel system doesn't make smells any more.
The clutch holds, and even chirps the tires.
I forgot how nice the 0-60 was until I had to watch perfectly usable gaps in traffic go while driving Moxie.
The Boy is loving having "his" car back.
The fuel system doesn't make smells any more.
The clutch holds, and even chirps the tires.
I forgot how nice the 0-60 was until I had to watch perfectly usable gaps in traffic go while driving Moxie.
TransTraveller
I've occasionally wondered about transgender and science fiction.
The science fiction world where I do most of musing is Traveller.
Little Black Book Traveller is silent on such matters.
But I don't use LBB Traveller for much more than setting notes any more.
GURPS 4e, on the other hand does have something to say.
Biotechnology in Interstellar Wars is at TL9 from about 2100 AD to the end of the period.
GURPS: Biotech p. 170 lists Complete Sex Change (TL9):
It appears that technology makes the matter moot when you can change the plumbing to match the wiring so completely that even the DNA says so.
But is the matter moot?
That depends a great deal on the social acceptance of such procedures. I think that the existence of the procedure kind of says that it's socially acceptable, otherwise it wouldn't have been perfected.
Also implied by the technology is the ability to make the wiring match the plumbing.
So if a man wakes up and finds that they are looking at a stranger in the mirror and wonders where the woman they know themselves to be went... They can go either way.
By way of comparison, today's TL8 gets:
The science fiction world where I do most of musing is Traveller.
Little Black Book Traveller is silent on such matters.
But I don't use LBB Traveller for much more than setting notes any more.
GURPS 4e, on the other hand does have something to say.
Biotechnology in Interstellar Wars is at TL9 from about 2100 AD to the end of the period.
GURPS: Biotech p. 170 lists Complete Sex Change (TL9):
This is a total sex change, with full capacity for reproduction being possible. This requires tissue-engineering organs and transplanting them into the recipient’s body, although at TL11+, proteus nanoviruses can design working reproductive organs and cells within the patient’s own body.
A complete sex change is $30,000 (and three weeks) for a male-to-female change, or $100,000 (and four weeks) for a female-to-male, the latter requiring the creation of an artificial Y chromosome, which is trickier. There is often a requirement for psychological counseling prior to any sex change operation. LC3.
It appears that technology makes the matter moot when you can change the plumbing to match the wiring so completely that even the DNA says so.
But is the matter moot?
That depends a great deal on the social acceptance of such procedures. I think that the existence of the procedure kind of says that it's socially acceptable, otherwise it wouldn't have been perfected.
Also implied by the technology is the ability to make the wiring match the plumbing.
So if a man wakes up and finds that they are looking at a stranger in the mirror and wonders where the woman they know themselves to be went... They can go either way.
By way of comparison, today's TL8 gets:
Superficial Sex Change (TL7/8): Masculinization or feminization of facial and body features, but without genital reconstruction. The subject retains his/her own sex, but when fully dressed appears to be a member of the opposite sex.
Gender Reassignment (TL7/8): The subject completely resembles his/her new gender. Only a medical examination would reveal that a sex change had taken place. To all exterior appearances and for all social interactions, the change is total, except that reproduction is impossible.
Genital Reassignment (TL7/8): As above, but without any masculinization or feminization of features (though this may be added later via a superficial change).
A superficial sex change is $2,000 (one week recovery). A gender reassignment is $10,000 (and two weeks). A genital reassignment is $8,000 (and two weeks).The advance of technology inevitably alters society.
Upcoming Content
Widner's was kind enough to send me 100 rounds of Federal Syntech 9x19mm 138gr SJHP ammo to review.
Federal has a video:
We've a variety of 9mm firearms to test the stuff out with.
No ballistics gel though.
Should be fun!
Federal has a video:
We've a variety of 9mm firearms to test the stuff out with.
No ballistics gel though.
Should be fun!
But They LOOK Cool
I've hardly heard a good report about AK drum magazines.
I've come to realize that it doesn't matter if an accessory works if the only reason you own it is to cause Feinstein and Schumer the vapors.
Historically Unsafe?
The venerable, and multi-named, Colt Single-Action Army, Peacemaker, M1873 has a safety flaw.
It's common to nearly all revolvers of its era, so it's completely forgivable.
The firing pin is attached to the hammer in a manner that makes it unsafe to carry with six rounds in the cylinder.
Kind of makes calling it a "six-shooter" something of a lie when you can only load five and have the hammer down on an empty cylinder.
Armi San Marco and Pietta went with an extended cylinder pin with two detents in it.
You push the cylinder pin release and then press the cylinder pin to the rear where it will intrude into the hammer recess and prevent the hammer from falling all the way to the primer.
It's awkward and irritating to use. Especially so with the Pietta version where there's just a single groove in the cylinder pin which must be perfectly aligned with the cylinder pin release. The Armi San Marco version has the groove running 360° around the cylinder pin.
It's not realistic to expect someone to use this as a means to carry six rounds safely and most likely exists only to allow importation from Italy with a historically correct firing pin. This system also retains period correct guts which has the proper 4-clicks.
Uberti has taken a different path.
Their firing pin floats.
Uberti has a linkage up inside the hammer which presses the firing pin forward when the trigger is being held.
It's not spring loaded, so it will not retract unless you press the firing pin's nose or let gravity pull it down.
This is a lot more practical, but... The lockwork isn't normal SAA and it only has THREE clicks!
Abomination!
It's common to nearly all revolvers of its era, so it's completely forgivable.
The firing pin is attached to the hammer in a manner that makes it unsafe to carry with six rounds in the cylinder.
Kind of makes calling it a "six-shooter" something of a lie when you can only load five and have the hammer down on an empty cylinder.
Armi San Marco and Pietta went with an extended cylinder pin with two detents in it.
You push the cylinder pin release and then press the cylinder pin to the rear where it will intrude into the hammer recess and prevent the hammer from falling all the way to the primer.
 |
| Cylinder pin intruding... |
 |
| ...No firing pin intruding. |
 |
| No cylinder pin intruding... |
 |
| ...Firing pin intruding. |
It's not realistic to expect someone to use this as a means to carry six rounds safely and most likely exists only to allow importation from Italy with a historically correct firing pin. This system also retains period correct guts which has the proper 4-clicks.
Uberti has taken a different path.
Their firing pin floats.
 |
| Firing pin to the rear. |
 |
| Firing pin foward. |
 |
| Holding the trigger. |
 |
| Trigger released. |
This is a lot more practical, but... The lockwork isn't normal SAA and it only has THREE clicks!
Abomination!
29 October 2019
Coincidence
I will admit to taking very poor care of my teeth.
Not that long ago I got inspired to actually do what I was supposed with regards to flossing and brushing.
Also in here, my heartburn and fluttery esophagus stopped needing acid reducers.
I slipped into old, neglectful, habits and my heartburn is back with a vengeance.
It's making me think my heartburn is the nasty stuff from my mouth attacking my throat and not acid from my stomach. This is somewhat reinforced by the heartburn not being relieved by changing diet.
I'm going to get back in the habit of brushing and see what happens.
Not that long ago I got inspired to actually do what I was supposed with regards to flossing and brushing.
Also in here, my heartburn and fluttery esophagus stopped needing acid reducers.
I slipped into old, neglectful, habits and my heartburn is back with a vengeance.
It's making me think my heartburn is the nasty stuff from my mouth attacking my throat and not acid from my stomach. This is somewhat reinforced by the heartburn not being relieved by changing diet.
I'm going to get back in the habit of brushing and see what happens.
28 October 2019
Whrrrrrr Whrrrrrr whrrrrrrr vroom
The Lovely Harvey's Equinox, The Mighty Nox, consumed a battery.
Florida is hard on batteries and this one had come with the car when we bought it used.
Three year old Autocraft. That's about average for our weather, unfortunately.
GM...
Oh, GM...
First! Remove plastic cover over the PCM.
Second! Remove screw holding PCM to the battery tie-down.
Third! Slide PCM off battery tie-down anddiscard fold over out of the way.
Fourth! Grab the 9mm deepwell socket thinking it's a 10mm and try to unbolt the visible nut for the tie-down. Too small. Grab the 11mm, thinking "nothing is 11mm on a GM". Too big. Check inch sizes. Nope. Use crescent wrench.
Fifth! Discover strap is still bolted to something and undo the push-me-pull-you pins to fold decorative plastic cover out of the way. Find the offending screw, discover it's the same size as the nut and use the crescent wrench again.
Sixth! Disconnect battery and discard.
Seventh! Install and connect new battery.
Eighth! Discover your mistake with the 10mm socket and use correct sized tools to reinstall the tie-down strap.
Ninth! Resecure decorative cover.
Tenth! Slide PCM back in place on tie-down and secure with screw.
Eleventh! Slide PCM cover back over PCM!
Twelfth! Take dead battery back to parts store to recover core charge.
Thirteenth! Baffle the staff that it took you their quoted "30 minutes" to change out the battery including travel time.
DONE!
Florida is hard on batteries and this one had come with the car when we bought it used.
Three year old Autocraft. That's about average for our weather, unfortunately.
GM...
Oh, GM...
First! Remove plastic cover over the PCM.
Second! Remove screw holding PCM to the battery tie-down.
Third! Slide PCM off battery tie-down and
Fourth! Grab the 9mm deepwell socket thinking it's a 10mm and try to unbolt the visible nut for the tie-down. Too small. Grab the 11mm, thinking "nothing is 11mm on a GM". Too big. Check inch sizes. Nope. Use crescent wrench.
Fifth! Discover strap is still bolted to something and undo the push-me-pull-you pins to fold decorative plastic cover out of the way. Find the offending screw, discover it's the same size as the nut and use the crescent wrench again.
Sixth! Disconnect battery and discard.
Seventh! Install and connect new battery.
Eighth! Discover your mistake with the 10mm socket and use correct sized tools to reinstall the tie-down strap.
Ninth! Resecure decorative cover.
Tenth! Slide PCM back in place on tie-down and secure with screw.
Eleventh! Slide PCM cover back over PCM!
Twelfth! Take dead battery back to parts store to recover core charge.
Thirteenth! Baffle the staff that it took you their quoted "30 minutes" to change out the battery including travel time.
DONE!
Actually It's Your Fault
While you're smugly blaming people protesting for their rights in a manner you disapprove of for a bill being submitted to Congress...
I want you to look hard at the idea that if you'd actually supported liberty rather then grant succor to our opponents... Wait. Did I say "our"?
Let me start over.
I want you to look hard at the idea that you don't support freedom or liberty at all.
The only people you've ever aligned yourself with are the same people whose goal is to ban everything, not just the open ownership of it.
If you'd aligned yourself with Freedom and supported open carry all along, perhaps a pervasive feeling of desperation wouldn't make people feel that open carrying AT someone is the only political voice they have left.
Desperation leads to people doing stupid, and sometimes counterproductive, things.
But they got desperate because they turned to you, supposed pro-gun and pro-freedom bloggers and pundits and got told that, "Oh, we're perfectly fine with most gun control as long as our narrow, and happy, little rut remains undisturbed."
You, and people like you, are the proximate cause of the protests you condemn so vociferously.
You abandoned them. You betrayed them.
You made common cause with the enemies of freedom.
You can stop pretending to be an advocate of liberty, because you are not.
I want you to look hard at the idea that if you'd actually supported liberty rather then grant succor to our opponents... Wait. Did I say "our"?
Let me start over.
I want you to look hard at the idea that you don't support freedom or liberty at all.
The only people you've ever aligned yourself with are the same people whose goal is to ban everything, not just the open ownership of it.
If you'd aligned yourself with Freedom and supported open carry all along, perhaps a pervasive feeling of desperation wouldn't make people feel that open carrying AT someone is the only political voice they have left.
Just 'cause you don't understand what's going on
Don't mean it don't make no sense
And just 'cause you don't like it
Don't mean it ain't no good
--M Muir
Desperation leads to people doing stupid, and sometimes counterproductive, things.
But they got desperate because they turned to you, supposed pro-gun and pro-freedom bloggers and pundits and got told that, "Oh, we're perfectly fine with most gun control as long as our narrow, and happy, little rut remains undisturbed."
You, and people like you, are the proximate cause of the protests you condemn so vociferously.
You abandoned them. You betrayed them.
You made common cause with the enemies of freedom.
You can stop pretending to be an advocate of liberty, because you are not.
100 Years
Today, 100 years ago, Congress passed The Volstead Act.
This also marks the last time that Congress banned something for our own good in accordance with The Constitution.
That they are still banning things for our own good shows that Congress, collectively, learned nothing from the experience.
That there are people who claim to be pro-liberty who are perfectly fine with these bans says a great deal about how much liberty they really support.
This also marks the last time that Congress banned something for our own good in accordance with The Constitution.
That they are still banning things for our own good shows that Congress, collectively, learned nothing from the experience.
That there are people who claim to be pro-liberty who are perfectly fine with these bans says a great deal about how much liberty they really support.
27 October 2019
Cowboy Action
Took the Uberti "Winchester" '73, EMF New Dakota, Marv's Rossi '92 and his Uberti SAA to the range.
With "Cowboy Action" .45 Colt loads the '73 is rear recoiless.
It shoots to point of aim but... hated buckhorns! Off-hand I found myself doing a pilot induced oscillation left-right for some reason and it scattered my group. I need to work on that.
I got a solid minute of bad-guy at 25 yards, and got 6 of 10 rounds nearly in the same hole at 7 yards. Damn wagging left and right ruined a great group.
I discovered that you have to take care to make sure the rounds are past a detent in the magazine or the next round in the magazine is trying to join the round in the cartridge elevator.
The gate on the '73 is much nicer on the thumb than the '92, but that could be because Uberti deburrs things better than Rossi.
Speaking of Rossi...
Ugh.
We didn't have a single instance of loading it where the round at the gate didn't get stuck. You could get it back out but you couldn't get the rim into the hole. Once you did pull it out, it would generally feed into the magazine just fine.
Feed...
It did not want to feed Federal 158gr jacketed-soft-points. They would present off the elevator and the bolt wouldn't push them in. If you flicked them forward with your finger, they'd go right in, then you could close the bolt. I theorize that it's a combination of not liking the flat nose and not being broken in. The last five rounds Marv tried were feeding, but coarsely.
It liked the 110gr Winchester jacketed-hollow-point a lot better.
On the plus side, the rifle was grouping well at 12 and 7 yards for Marv and was feeling smoother and smoother as he levered more rounds.
His Uberti SAA in .357 gave zero problems and is a sweetie. Marv was a bit taken aback by the recoil, but since an SAA flips vertical, it doesn't hit his delicate recoil adverse wrists very hard.
My SAA clone in .45 continues to delight! My old eyes, one handed and 7 yards still gives a smaller than fist sized group where I want it. The Captain Vulnerable anatomy target I was using had a well ventilated heart!
I have to confess to an oopsie. I thumbed a round rather than cocked it. Happily I was already pointing at the target when I did so, but the gun sure climbed with my grip that loose. Marv asked if that was a ceiling shot, and I replied, "no, but it was close!"
Single actions you can fan and thumb have a bit of a learning curve and a heavy dose of "remember where you are".
With "Cowboy Action" .45 Colt loads the '73 is rear recoiless.
It shoots to point of aim but... hated buckhorns! Off-hand I found myself doing a pilot induced oscillation left-right for some reason and it scattered my group. I need to work on that.
I got a solid minute of bad-guy at 25 yards, and got 6 of 10 rounds nearly in the same hole at 7 yards. Damn wagging left and right ruined a great group.
I discovered that you have to take care to make sure the rounds are past a detent in the magazine or the next round in the magazine is trying to join the round in the cartridge elevator.
The gate on the '73 is much nicer on the thumb than the '92, but that could be because Uberti deburrs things better than Rossi.
Speaking of Rossi...
Ugh.
We didn't have a single instance of loading it where the round at the gate didn't get stuck. You could get it back out but you couldn't get the rim into the hole. Once you did pull it out, it would generally feed into the magazine just fine.
Feed...
It did not want to feed Federal 158gr jacketed-soft-points. They would present off the elevator and the bolt wouldn't push them in. If you flicked them forward with your finger, they'd go right in, then you could close the bolt. I theorize that it's a combination of not liking the flat nose and not being broken in. The last five rounds Marv tried were feeding, but coarsely.
It liked the 110gr Winchester jacketed-hollow-point a lot better.
On the plus side, the rifle was grouping well at 12 and 7 yards for Marv and was feeling smoother and smoother as he levered more rounds.
His Uberti SAA in .357 gave zero problems and is a sweetie. Marv was a bit taken aback by the recoil, but since an SAA flips vertical, it doesn't hit his delicate recoil adverse wrists very hard.
My SAA clone in .45 continues to delight! My old eyes, one handed and 7 yards still gives a smaller than fist sized group where I want it. The Captain Vulnerable anatomy target I was using had a well ventilated heart!
I have to confess to an oopsie. I thumbed a round rather than cocked it. Happily I was already pointing at the target when I did so, but the gun sure climbed with my grip that loose. Marv asked if that was a ceiling shot, and I replied, "no, but it was close!"
Single actions you can fan and thumb have a bit of a learning curve and a heavy dose of "remember where you are".
26 October 2019
Obsolescence
Finally moving my essentials from the ancient OSX 10.6.8 machine to the Windows laptop.
There are solid reasons to keep the 10.6.8 machine as is, but just as solid reasons to stop using it to get on the internet.
The Windows laptop will soon be migrating to Win10. Ick. Don't wanna.
But support is going away for Win7 and Win10 is the least worst supported option unless I wanna go all insane and run Linux. Because I still have a substantial investment in iTunes, Linux is presently not an option.
Soon, though, it will be worth it to strip the DRM from the iTunes files so that I can play the products I have paid for without using the soon to be going away iTunes software.
There are solid reasons to keep the 10.6.8 machine as is, but just as solid reasons to stop using it to get on the internet.
The Windows laptop will soon be migrating to Win10. Ick. Don't wanna.
But support is going away for Win7 and Win10 is the least worst supported option unless I wanna go all insane and run Linux. Because I still have a substantial investment in iTunes, Linux is presently not an option.
Soon, though, it will be worth it to strip the DRM from the iTunes files so that I can play the products I have paid for without using the soon to be going away iTunes software.
Just For Fun
The cowboy and Indian guns are a pure delight.
This is not to say they are purely delightful guns in function and design. They're brutally obsolete.
But they're still enjoyable.
They're fun!
I read so many places in the gunblogosphere where everything is dour need and reduced to efficient functionality that I think many of the writers have forgotten that "new shooter smile" they once wore and fallen prey to thinking that a firearm must have a useful purpose to justify ownership.
I tend to agree, if that's your only firearm.
Don't get so wrapped up in this that you forget to enjoy yourself.
Honestly, nobody is paying most of us to go shooting, so it'd better be fun or you'll stop doing it regular.
My collecting of web gear and LBE to put with guns from the same period is a dual bit of fun. I like playing with cameras and doing, shallow, research into the equipment.
Aside: Have you noticed how expensive helmets of all damn things have gotten to be when trying to get a good issue equipment pic together? M1 steel pots used to cost less than a candy bar. Look at them now!
This is not to say they are purely delightful guns in function and design. They're brutally obsolete.
But they're still enjoyable.
They're fun!
I read so many places in the gunblogosphere where everything is dour need and reduced to efficient functionality that I think many of the writers have forgotten that "new shooter smile" they once wore and fallen prey to thinking that a firearm must have a useful purpose to justify ownership.
I tend to agree, if that's your only firearm.
Don't get so wrapped up in this that you forget to enjoy yourself.
Honestly, nobody is paying most of us to go shooting, so it'd better be fun or you'll stop doing it regular.
My collecting of web gear and LBE to put with guns from the same period is a dual bit of fun. I like playing with cameras and doing, shallow, research into the equipment.
Aside: Have you noticed how expensive helmets of all damn things have gotten to be when trying to get a good issue equipment pic together? M1 steel pots used to cost less than a candy bar. Look at them now!
One Of Us
Marv has joined the ranks of having a lever gun and single action revolver in the same chambering.
He and Harvey have selected 20" Winchester '92 clones and 4-3/4" Single Action Army's in .357 Magnum.
I'm rocking a 20" Winchester '73 and a 4-3/4" SAA in .45 Colt.
Willard is rolling with a 16" Winchester '92 and a Ruger Vaquero in .44 Magnum.
JT, you're next!
At the time of posting, only Harvey and I have gone the extra mile and gotten gun belts and hats.
He and Harvey have selected 20" Winchester '92 clones and 4-3/4" Single Action Army's in .357 Magnum.
I'm rocking a 20" Winchester '73 and a 4-3/4" SAA in .45 Colt.
Willard is rolling with a 16" Winchester '92 and a Ruger Vaquero in .44 Magnum.
JT, you're next!
At the time of posting, only Harvey and I have gone the extra mile and gotten gun belts and hats.
Disaster And A Miracle
ZM Łucznik P-64's have been appearing in the local gun shops lately.
All of them have a smoother safety than mine.
So I set out to find out why.
The safety/decocker has a detent, and that detent isn't playing nice.
So I read up on how to take apart the slide and had no problems doing so.
The disaster happens with a pair of forceps holding the firing pin so I can get the safety in far enough so I can press the detent into its hole.
The forceps slipped and the firing pin and its spring flew up and over my monitor and behind the desk!
"FUCK!" I exclaimed.
Miraculously, I found the firing pin on the floor and the spring under one of the monitors.
"What's wrong with the safety?" you might ask.
The detent spring is way too long and puts too much pressure on the detent which makes it hard to rotate the safety. I clipped a couple coils and it's much better now.
Honestly, it could use a couple more off, but the disassembly and reassembly are just too fiddly.
All of them have a smoother safety than mine.
So I set out to find out why.
The safety/decocker has a detent, and that detent isn't playing nice.
So I read up on how to take apart the slide and had no problems doing so.
The disaster happens with a pair of forceps holding the firing pin so I can get the safety in far enough so I can press the detent into its hole.
The forceps slipped and the firing pin and its spring flew up and over my monitor and behind the desk!
"FUCK!" I exclaimed.
Miraculously, I found the firing pin on the floor and the spring under one of the monitors.
"What's wrong with the safety?" you might ask.
The detent spring is way too long and puts too much pressure on the detent which makes it hard to rotate the safety. I clipped a couple coils and it's much better now.
Honestly, it could use a couple more off, but the disassembly and reassembly are just too fiddly.
24 October 2019
Proof Of Possesson
Bayou Renaissance Man informs us of an insurance fraud where the serial number is taken from a posted photo of a firearm and claimed to be stolen.
The posted pic has an upload date and many of them have metadata which show when the photo was taken. The original file definitely does. These will predate the fraudulent insurance claim.
If you're still in possession of the firearm in question then it's pretty darned obvious you didn't sell it to the criminal in question.
A pain in the ass when it comes up, but straightforward.
The thing is, you don't even need a photo of a gun to make this claim.
Search for the model you want to make a fraudulent claim of with the search term "manufacture date" and you will be rewarded with many partial serial numbers with the last two or three numbers replaced with x's.
Fill in the x's with numbers and pepper your angus for your trial date when you get busted.
The second half of his post is a warning that Google and Facebook are cataloging your gun by serial number and that can be searched for...
Obscuring the serial number isn't really going to save you from them. Especially since they only care if you have a gun, not if you have particular example of that gun.
I admit I've posted a lot of gun pics with little worry about the serial being visible. It seems that Google and Facebook missed me in their catalog because the only serial that comes up is my M16A2 clone I made from an 80% lower and had engraved with a Brony Colt logo, and it's by no means the first hit.
I think this isn't as big a deal as the TFB article makes it out to be.
The posted pic has an upload date and many of them have metadata which show when the photo was taken. The original file definitely does. These will predate the fraudulent insurance claim.
If you're still in possession of the firearm in question then it's pretty darned obvious you didn't sell it to the criminal in question.
A pain in the ass when it comes up, but straightforward.
The thing is, you don't even need a photo of a gun to make this claim.
Search for the model you want to make a fraudulent claim of with the search term "manufacture date" and you will be rewarded with many partial serial numbers with the last two or three numbers replaced with x's.
Fill in the x's with numbers and pepper your angus for your trial date when you get busted.
The second half of his post is a warning that Google and Facebook are cataloging your gun by serial number and that can be searched for...
Obscuring the serial number isn't really going to save you from them. Especially since they only care if you have a gun, not if you have particular example of that gun.
I admit I've posted a lot of gun pics with little worry about the serial being visible. It seems that Google and Facebook missed me in their catalog because the only serial that comes up is my M16A2 clone I made from an 80% lower and had engraved with a Brony Colt logo, and it's by no means the first hit.
I think this isn't as big a deal as the TFB article makes it out to be.
Just A Note
I've bought a lot of stuff from ebay and when I say "there's no real recourse" that means there's no option to make me whole where the juice is worth the squeeze.
Been to this rodeo before from cheap books to expensive car parts.
If your experience is different, then you've been exceedingly lucky in always finding a seller who's willing to stand behind their sale.
For the most part, I've shared that luck. Also, for the most part I've avoided the "all sales final, no returns" auctions; but occasionally have made such a purchase because that's the only seller for the item I want. You roll the dice sometimes.
There's very few things that set me off worse than someone bragging about how great their luck is when I express disappointment that I had a bad turn. Well aren't you special? You going to actually HELP? No? Thought so.
Been to this rodeo before from cheap books to expensive car parts.
If your experience is different, then you've been exceedingly lucky in always finding a seller who's willing to stand behind their sale.
For the most part, I've shared that luck. Also, for the most part I've avoided the "all sales final, no returns" auctions; but occasionally have made such a purchase because that's the only seller for the item I want. You roll the dice sometimes.
There's very few things that set me off worse than someone bragging about how great their luck is when I express disappointment that I had a bad turn. Well aren't you special? You going to actually HELP? No? Thought so.
I Am Sure I Checked It More Recently
When I had The Precious down with Joe, he mentioned that the whole left side of the trans and diff were covered in oil.
I countered that it was from the spray from the broken fuel exit elbow.
He said it was definitely differential fluid and asked when I'd last checked the level.
"Not that long ago..." is what I said.
While I'm certain I'd checked it when I put the trans back in, I forgot to record it.
The last record is from two years and 30k miles ago.
Being a paranoid worrier, I managed to work up a panic attack last night thinking about it.
JOY!
This morning I put the car up in the air and checked it.
It's still full.
I also gave the oily coating a good looking at.
There's no tell-tale smell of sulfur in the oily stuff clinging to the case. It also doesn't really smell like gas residue.
The CV boot on that side is intact and not leaking.
There's no fresh petroleum product anywhere, just saturated dust sticking to the side of the case.
Smell wise, it's most similar to transmission fluid and there's a vent on top of the transmission and it's possible I overfilled it two years ago and it's puked out the vent a couple times, but not recently.
I countered that it was from the spray from the broken fuel exit elbow.
He said it was definitely differential fluid and asked when I'd last checked the level.
"Not that long ago..." is what I said.
While I'm certain I'd checked it when I put the trans back in, I forgot to record it.
The last record is from two years and 30k miles ago.
Being a paranoid worrier, I managed to work up a panic attack last night thinking about it.
JOY!
This morning I put the car up in the air and checked it.
It's still full.
I also gave the oily coating a good looking at.
There's no tell-tale smell of sulfur in the oily stuff clinging to the case. It also doesn't really smell like gas residue.
The CV boot on that side is intact and not leaking.
There's no fresh petroleum product anywhere, just saturated dust sticking to the side of the case.
Smell wise, it's most similar to transmission fluid and there's a vent on top of the transmission and it's possible I overfilled it two years ago and it's puked out the vent a couple times, but not recently.
I Am Disappoint
I bought the Baa Baa Black Sheep (Squadron) DVDs.
Season 1 played (with one dead disc). The dead disc was replaced with one from the second half of season 1 I'd accidentally purchased.
Season 2, all three discs are dead.
WTF?
I am very upset, but there's no real recourse.
Season 1 played (with one dead disc). The dead disc was replaced with one from the second half of season 1 I'd accidentally purchased.
Season 2, all three discs are dead.
WTF?
I am very upset, but there's no real recourse.
I Think I Just Dodged Spending A Lot Of Money
The game, despite how good the GOOD is, the bad is very BAD.
Not worth the money for the new machine, new HOTAS, VR rig and then the expensive modules.
It makes me sad.
23 October 2019
De-Neglected
For the first time in two months, The Precious is bathed and waxed.
When it's not running, keeping it pretty kinda falls by the wayside.
I really REALLY need to hit the interior too.
It's not that hot out tonight, but it's that perfect level of humidity where your sweat doesn't help cool you off at all.
Unrelated to The Precious, mysoccer bowling-dad car, Moxie, has gotten an oil change.
I'm not sure how I feel about the cartridge style filters on top of the engine that both Equinox' have, but I am starting to warm to them.
Whomever was doing the oil changes for my mother in law before she sold Moxie to us hadn't changed the o-ring on the filter cap and torqued it down WAY too far. This kind of quality work is what keeps me wrenching rather than paying.
When it's not running, keeping it pretty kinda falls by the wayside.
I really REALLY need to hit the interior too.
It's not that hot out tonight, but it's that perfect level of humidity where your sweat doesn't help cool you off at all.
Unrelated to The Precious, my
I'm not sure how I feel about the cartridge style filters on top of the engine that both Equinox' have, but I am starting to warm to them.
Whomever was doing the oil changes for my mother in law before she sold Moxie to us hadn't changed the o-ring on the filter cap and torqued it down WAY too far. This kind of quality work is what keeps me wrenching rather than paying.
22 October 2019
This Could Go Horribly Wrong
I am finally firing up the InstaPot Duo and seeing what I can come up with.
Some boneless pork country ribs and our classic soy sauce and garlic getting some heat and pressure.
Fingers crossed!
If this is a disaster, then there's always frozen pizza.
It's only been going for 15 minutes but it already smells great!
Update:
Frozen to fork tender in an hour.
Unmitigated success!
Some boneless pork country ribs and our classic soy sauce and garlic getting some heat and pressure.
Fingers crossed!
If this is a disaster, then there's always frozen pizza.
It's only been going for 15 minutes but it already smells great!
Update:
Frozen to fork tender in an hour.
Unmitigated success!
Open Carry Or Not
I was looking at a holster for a Luger.
When the lid is closed on this gun valise there is absolutely no pistol visible.
If I wear the holster openly, am I concealed or open carrying?
I notice that Florida law is light on definitions about this.
A cell phone and a decent sized snack fits in a Luger holster, I am curious to see if I'd even be asked about the "gun" if I used it as a cell phone carrier.
When the lid is closed on this gun valise there is absolutely no pistol visible.
If I wear the holster openly, am I concealed or open carrying?
I notice that Florida law is light on definitions about this.
A cell phone and a decent sized snack fits in a Luger holster, I am curious to see if I'd even be asked about the "gun" if I used it as a cell phone carrier.
Oil Monitoring
Yesterday's flush, drain and fill of the oil netted some good results.
Pressure is up about 5 psi from prior.
Oil temperature is down 10° from before.
The high rpm run and the flush might have cleaned out the oil cooler some.
I'm happy with that.
Pressure is up about 5 psi from prior.
Oil temperature is down 10° from before.
The high rpm run and the flush might have cleaned out the oil cooler some.
I'm happy with that.
Articulable
It's been a contentious topic, but I think I've managed to create a concise way to state "don't blame the victim."
The person responsible for a crime is the first person in the chain of events who breaks the law.
It can also be rephrased for morality.
If the victim has done nothing illegal or immoral then they're not responsible for the crime.
The main reason to be absolutist about this is you can keep expanding the victim selection process upstream forever.
"If the victim had not been a woman, or never been born, she would not have been raped."
"If the victim didn't even own a car, it would not have been broken into and the gun stolen out of the glove box."
"If the victim didn't own a gun, there wouldn't have been a gun to steal."
"If private ownership of firearms was illegal then thieves couldn't steal guns."
See where this illogical line of thinking goes?
Owning property causes theft when you don't blame the thieves.
You cannot sanitize the world enough to stop all crime.
The person responsible for a crime is the first person in the chain of events who breaks the law.
It can also be rephrased for morality.
If the victim has done nothing illegal or immoral then they're not responsible for the crime.
The main reason to be absolutist about this is you can keep expanding the victim selection process upstream forever.
"If the victim had not been a woman, or never been born, she would not have been raped."
"If the victim didn't even own a car, it would not have been broken into and the gun stolen out of the glove box."
"If the victim didn't own a gun, there wouldn't have been a gun to steal."
"If private ownership of firearms was illegal then thieves couldn't steal guns."
See where this illogical line of thinking goes?
Owning property causes theft when you don't blame the thieves.
You cannot sanitize the world enough to stop all crime.
21 October 2019
The Internet Rocks Sometimes
Someone took the time to track down the planes used in the old Baa Baa Blacksheep show!
Clicky the linky.
They're quite a variety of variations.
Clicky the linky.
They're quite a variety of variations.
We Need A New Term
What should we call someone who is afraid that someone will open carry wrong, but writes masturbatory fantasies of armed revolution?
Not For Beginners?
Every once and a while I pine for
I caught myself thinking, "I've put thousands of miles on all kinds of bikes! I'm not a beginner!"
But I am.
Now.
It's literally been 20 years since I had my butt on a bike, and that was a pretty pedestrian Suzuki GS550L.
I no longer know in my bones what I think I know in my mind.
Bummer.
But... I bet it would come back pretty quick and my learning curve will be faster than someone without any experience; but the fact remains that my skills have probably atrophied to nothing.
New Oil
Today was oil change day!
Added a bottle of Seafoam to the warmed up engine and ran it up to 2,500 slowly and drop to idle for about 10 minutes.
Drained the oil.
Got the same small amount of metallic sludge on the drainplug that's been there every change except the first three. The first three had little trees of metal on the magnet from break-in.
Oil was dark brown as befits 8,390 miles of putt putting.
New Mobil 1 M1-113A filter.
5 qt. Mobil 1 5W-30 Extended Performance and 1 qt. Rislone Engine Treatment added.
I think I will change the oil and filter again 3,000 miles from now, just for spite.
Added a bottle of Seafoam to the warmed up engine and ran it up to 2,500 slowly and drop to idle for about 10 minutes.
Drained the oil.
Got the same small amount of metallic sludge on the drainplug that's been there every change except the first three. The first three had little trees of metal on the magnet from break-in.
Oil was dark brown as befits 8,390 miles of putt putting.
New Mobil 1 M1-113A filter.
5 qt. Mobil 1 5W-30 Extended Performance and 1 qt. Rislone Engine Treatment added.
I think I will change the oil and filter again 3,000 miles from now, just for spite.
Still In Production?
Every once and a while Marv and I look to see if someone in the aftermarket has picked up the torch and started making tire pressure sensors for his '96 Corvette.
Today I encountered this page.
Of note: "If your 1996 Chevrolet Corvette is made after 2007..."
Uh...
Um...
Today I encountered this page.
Of note: "If your 1996 Chevrolet Corvette is made after 2007..."
Uh...
Um...
That'd Be Me
Reading about Old NFO's 50th graduation reunion and his mention that at least a few people had expressed a desire to never see anyone they graduated with again.
I'm someone who's said much the same thing.
I've reconnected with a few people here and there, because I like them as individuals.
I attempted to reconnect with a couple and discovered that the years had simply created too much of a divide.
The vast majority were nameless members of the mob of flesh. I didn't know them then, and they didn't know me.
The common bond of matriculation isn't enough for me to want to see them.
There's few that treated me so awfully that I'd simply WANT to have the fight that's there from my simmering rage.
Nothing constructive would come of it.
The hilarious thing about this is I've been to one of the reunions.
I was under most if their radar in high school, and flew right under it at the reunion.
Nobody who bothered to ask who I was remembered me.
I'm someone who's said much the same thing.
I've reconnected with a few people here and there, because I like them as individuals.
I attempted to reconnect with a couple and discovered that the years had simply created too much of a divide.
The vast majority were nameless members of the mob of flesh. I didn't know them then, and they didn't know me.
The common bond of matriculation isn't enough for me to want to see them.
There's few that treated me so awfully that I'd simply WANT to have the fight that's there from my simmering rage.
Nothing constructive would come of it.
The hilarious thing about this is I've been to one of the reunions.
I was under most if their radar in high school, and flew right under it at the reunion.
Nobody who bothered to ask who I was remembered me.
20 October 2019
Forgot To Mention
The new shifter, in addition to being much more precise, is also about half a gate to the passenger side than it was.
This suits me, I feel less crowded.
But the odd thing is I didn't really notice until I hadn't driven the car for such a long spell.
When I picked it up from the shop I got in and thought it was in 3rd not 1st at first.
This suits me, I feel less crowded.
But the odd thing is I didn't really notice until I hadn't driven the car for such a long spell.
When I picked it up from the shop I got in and thought it was in 3rd not 1st at first.
I Don't Even Want THIS America
Bernie.
I think we need to sit down and talk. You can relay to Horseteeth.
I don't want a New America.
I agree that Present America isn't all that wonderful, but the problem isn't solved by "more but harder" which is exactly what you and Horseteeth are advocating.
I want Old America back.
Besides: Nobody who's played Twilight: 2000 thinks New America is a good plan.
I think we need to sit down and talk. You can relay to Horseteeth.
I don't want a New America.
I agree that Present America isn't all that wonderful, but the problem isn't solved by "more but harder" which is exactly what you and Horseteeth are advocating.
I want Old America back.
Besides: Nobody who's played Twilight: 2000 thinks New America is a good plan.
Politics Ball
Judging from some of the pictures:
The National Basketball League should be supporting the Tibet and Hong Kong protestors.
Why?
Because the protesters are actually paying for seats.
I've seen several images where the only people in the stands are the people holding up signs and being angry at China.
The National Basketball League should be supporting the Tibet and Hong Kong protestors.
Why?
Because the protesters are actually paying for seats.
I've seen several images where the only people in the stands are the people holding up signs and being angry at China.
Ponder This
While I am somewhat sympathetic to the Kurds, because they've gotten a pretty raw deal since before the Ottomans rolled over their patch...
I am not blinded to the idea that they're only friendly to us because we're shouldering a large part of the burden in the form of air support.
When they realize that we're not paving the way to an independent Kurdistan, they will turn on us like snakes.
Which brings us to the point to ponder:
OK, we stay in Syria.
What if we win?
What's the plan for that?
Because I don't like shedding blood for a place to hand it back to the same idiots who fucked it up so bad we had to come in and shed blood for it. That was and is the plan in Iraq and Afghanistan. That was the the plan for Vietnam.
We didn't use this plan for Japan.
I am not blinded to the idea that they're only friendly to us because we're shouldering a large part of the burden in the form of air support.
When they realize that we're not paving the way to an independent Kurdistan, they will turn on us like snakes.
Which brings us to the point to ponder:
OK, we stay in Syria.
What if we win?
What's the plan for that?
Because I don't like shedding blood for a place to hand it back to the same idiots who fucked it up so bad we had to come in and shed blood for it. That was and is the plan in Iraq and Afghanistan. That was the the plan for Vietnam.
We didn't use this plan for Japan.
19 October 2019
Lovely Harvey Marinade
The Lovely Harvey is a great experimenter with cooking.
Which is odd, because she's not very experimentive about eating new things.
A standard marinade for her is soy-sauce and garlic.
So far it's worked on every land animal we've tried it with.
Dirt simple.
Fill a pan or bag with soy sauce so it comes halfway up the meat.
Add about 6 tablespoons of minced garlic per pound of meat (we use the stuff packed in olive oil).
Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Flip (or shake if you used a bag) frequently for about an hour or two.
Toss on the grill until meat is at desired temperature.
Consume!
Which is odd, because she's not very experimentive about eating new things.
A standard marinade for her is soy-sauce and garlic.
So far it's worked on every land animal we've tried it with.
Dirt simple.
Fill a pan or bag with soy sauce so it comes halfway up the meat.
Add about 6 tablespoons of minced garlic per pound of meat (we use the stuff packed in olive oil).
Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Flip (or shake if you used a bag) frequently for about an hour or two.
Toss on the grill until meat is at desired temperature.
Consume!
Burning Off The Carbon
Put a few miles on The Precious today.
Got on the toll road east of here, put her in 4th and set the cruise at 70.
Runs at about 3k rpm like this.
Ran the oil temp up to 221˚ F, but the pressure was running at 50 psi the whole time.
Exited and tooled around the back roads a bit and cruising the speed limit in 6th. Oil temps dropped back to 196˚ or so and the pressure was running about 40 psi down around 1,500 rpm.
It barely dropped at stop lights, where it'd been dropping to 30-35 depending on oil temps before.
I think I melted something with the higher rpm and oil temps that was blocking an oil passage slightly!
Oil change is coming tomorrow.
Also of note: The new clutch is definitely gripping better than the old one. A spirited punch to get ahead of traffic with a bit of wet on the road had the traction control intervening. Last time I tried this, there was enough slip in the clutch that the tires held.
I call that winning!
I'm totally unconcerned about that lifter because the ticking/clanging hasn't repeated since I picked up the car. It's a bleed-down from lack of use. Yes, something is wrong; no it's not a huge worry if I just drive it frequently (gee darn).
Got on the toll road east of here, put her in 4th and set the cruise at 70.
Runs at about 3k rpm like this.
Ran the oil temp up to 221˚ F, but the pressure was running at 50 psi the whole time.
Exited and tooled around the back roads a bit and cruising the speed limit in 6th. Oil temps dropped back to 196˚ or so and the pressure was running about 40 psi down around 1,500 rpm.
It barely dropped at stop lights, where it'd been dropping to 30-35 depending on oil temps before.
I think I melted something with the higher rpm and oil temps that was blocking an oil passage slightly!
Oil change is coming tomorrow.
Also of note: The new clutch is definitely gripping better than the old one. A spirited punch to get ahead of traffic with a bit of wet on the road had the traction control intervening. Last time I tried this, there was enough slip in the clutch that the tires held.
I call that winning!
I'm totally unconcerned about that lifter because the ticking/clanging hasn't repeated since I picked up the car. It's a bleed-down from lack of use. Yes, something is wrong; no it's not a huge worry if I just drive it frequently (gee darn).
18 October 2019
Why Didn't I Think Of This Sooner
We use soy sauce for a lot of things.
$2.99 for 15oz. 19.9¢ per ounce.
A gallon is $22.21. 17.4¢ per ounce.
It adds up!
$2.99 for 15oz. 19.9¢ per ounce.
A gallon is $22.21. 17.4¢ per ounce.
It adds up!
How To Make Radioactive M1911's
This procedure also works on M1 rifles, M1 carbines, M1919 machine guns, M1918 BARs...
Boots, trucks, tanks, artillery...
Blip Blip
Since the clutch is broken in and the fuel system appears to be sorted...
Pulled out onto the local 3-lane and punched it.
Blip!
Shift to 2nd...
Blip!
Going 70....
Drop it in neutral and end up braking all the way to the stoplight because of the traffic I'd caught up with.
The Boy whooping all the way.
If the lifter that was bleeding down was all that weak, we'd have seen something going wrong with this.
Pulled out onto the local 3-lane and punched it.
Blip!
Shift to 2nd...
Blip!
Going 70....
Drop it in neutral and end up braking all the way to the stoplight because of the traffic I'd caught up with.
The Boy whooping all the way.
If the lifter that was bleeding down was all that weak, we'd have seen something going wrong with this.
Doing It Wrong?
Melling lifter set - $125.12
Ultra-Power engine gasket set - $102.79
8x Spark plugs - $17.20
Spark plug wires - $33.79
ARP head bolt kit - $131.46
Grand total $410.36.
This, of course, skips doing the heads and valves while I have them off the car.
I suspect that the $600 would be the same since Joe farms this work out.
Springs are $44.48
Valve stem seals are $50.88 They're included in the engine gasket set.
That brings the DIY to$1,105.72. $1,054.84
Harvey will not be pleased to have to spend more, but I have a hard estimate in hand to show her what listening to me cuss saves.
I think, though, that the $410.36 plus s/h is what I'd do.
One can take prophylactic repair too far.
Ultra-Power engine gasket set - $102.79
8x Spark plugs - $17.20
Spark plug wires - $33.79
ARP head bolt kit - $131.46
Grand total $410.36.
This, of course, skips doing the heads and valves while I have them off the car.
I suspect that the $600 would be the same since Joe farms this work out.
Springs are $44.48
That brings the DIY to
Harvey will not be pleased to have to spend more, but I have a hard estimate in hand to show her what listening to me cuss saves.
I think, though, that the $410.36 plus s/h is what I'd do.
One can take prophylactic repair too far.
17 October 2019
Comments Policy Clarificaion
If you don't sign your name, a name, ANY name to your anonymous comment it'll sit in moderation forever!
Example:
Example:
"What you’ve just written is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on the internet is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."There's been a couple good comments that I want to release, but... One must have standards.
-- YOUR NAME HERE
Fuel System Detailed After Action
The original reason for dropping the gas tank was because the pipe at the flange had cracked and was spraying fuel on top of the tank.
Drop one got the new pump in.
Drop two got the jet line return routed correctly.
Then I did the clutch.
Then I noticed a stronger gas smell than before.
This appears to be because I had the o-rings at the tank for the crossover in the wrong order.
Drop three was to fix that.
During the third reinstallation of the cross-over we (meaning JT who is being blamed) the brittle hard plastic tabs that hold the brittle nylon jet and return lines decided that three times was the charm and BOTH broke off. That caused the fuel pump to just dump into the crossover.
This is despite the in-tank side of this was brand new.
Joe put a new crossover in and a new in-tank jet/return and buttoned her back up.
There's a new problem though. Long crank time, like the fuel system check valve isn't holding. If I prime it a couple times it cranks faster. We're keeping an eye on it and if it's not better by a tank full or a week, take it back down.
Joe told me, over and over, that these parts just fail for no reason during installation and I'd been lucky to get it back in and working the second time.
Drop one got the new pump in.
Drop two got the jet line return routed correctly.
Then I did the clutch.
Then I noticed a stronger gas smell than before.
This appears to be because I had the o-rings at the tank for the crossover in the wrong order.
Drop three was to fix that.
During the third reinstallation of the cross-over we (meaning JT who is being blamed) the brittle hard plastic tabs that hold the brittle nylon jet and return lines decided that three times was the charm and BOTH broke off. That caused the fuel pump to just dump into the crossover.
This is despite the in-tank side of this was brand new.
Joe put a new crossover in and a new in-tank jet/return and buttoned her back up.
There's a new problem though. Long crank time, like the fuel system check valve isn't holding. If I prime it a couple times it cranks faster. We're keeping an eye on it and if it's not better by a tank full or a week, take it back down.
Joe told me, over and over, that these parts just fail for no reason during installation and I'd been lucky to get it back in and working the second time.
Doing It Right?
The cold start tapping of a lifter had the owner of the shop impress upon me the need to do the job right...
Here's a list of what he'd charge to for the whole thing:
His labor - $1,417. (13.5 hours at $105).
LS7 lifter set - $179.99
2x LS3 head gaskets - $88.72
2x valve cover gaskets - $39.76
8x spark plugs - $31.92
Plug wire set - $49.99
ARP head bolt kit - $124.63
Valve stem seal kit - $46.00
2x Exhaust manifold gasket - $15.98
Intake manifold gasket set - $64.34
Beehive spring kit - $200
2 gal DexCool - $33.90
Amsoil oil change and filter - $99.95
Getting the following done to the heads is $600
Surface the heads
Valve job
Install valve stem seal kit
Grand total with tax, title and license: $3,223.67.
There's a huge part of me that's thinking that it can be done in my garage for a lot less.
Like Retired Wrench says, it's easier than that clutch. Hell, it's easier than dropping the gas tank and I did that three times!
Bad luck got me on the tank.
I prolly won't get the parts deals he's getting, but... I think I can do the lifters for about $500.
I don't really WANNA, but I can. It'll be kinda nice to work on TOP of the car for a change.
The real danger is an attack of the stupids and putting in a new cam... The car makes enough power now, I don't need more because I don't use it.
Here's a list of what he'd charge to for the whole thing:
His labor - $1,417. (13.5 hours at $105).
LS7 lifter set - $179.99
2x LS3 head gaskets - $88.72
2x valve cover gaskets - $39.76
8x spark plugs - $31.92
Plug wire set - $49.99
ARP head bolt kit - $124.63
Valve stem seal kit - $46.00
2x Exhaust manifold gasket - $15.98
Intake manifold gasket set - $64.34
Beehive spring kit - $200
2 gal DexCool - $33.90
Amsoil oil change and filter - $99.95
Getting the following done to the heads is $600
Surface the heads
Valve job
Install valve stem seal kit
Grand total with tax, title and license: $3,223.67.
There's a huge part of me that's thinking that it can be done in my garage for a lot less.
Like Retired Wrench says, it's easier than that clutch. Hell, it's easier than dropping the gas tank and I did that three times!
Bad luck got me on the tank.
I prolly won't get the parts deals he's getting, but... I think I can do the lifters for about $500.
I don't really WANNA, but I can. It'll be kinda nice to work on TOP of the car for a change.
The real danger is an attack of the stupids and putting in a new cam... The car makes enough power now, I don't need more because I don't use it.
Once A Always A
I'm going out on a weak limb and speculating that the real reason that ATF is dropping charges in cases like Roh is how this upsets the apple cart with regards to other rulings they've pulled out of their asses.
26 USC § 5845 says:
That seems pretty clear that a machine gun receiver is a machine gun, no?
Well... There's only a tiny difference between a full-auto upper receiver on an AR and a "semi-auto"; a small relief cut for the auto-sear. Wait! Did I say difference?
There's hardly an AR made today that doesn't have that relief near the rear lug.
As near as I can tell, only Colt bothered to make an upper without them, and most of those also have the ginormous hole in the front lug for screws instead of a pin.
And people wonder why Colt lost the AR market?
But! Should the AR's upper be ruled to be the serialized part, and that relief makes it "designed to shoot" automatically... Also, since it's the work of seconds to plug in a lower with all the fun parts, they're also readily restored... H&K had to redesign their upper on the Model 91 because full-auto trigger packs plopped right in.
There are a METRIC fuck-tonne of unregistered machineguns out there. A large enough number that it's far more reasonable to do an amnesty than to attempt to get them all on the registry.
Another ruling that's out of their ass is the once a machinegun, always a machinegun.
For some guns, it's really difficult to undo the receiver so that it's can't be readily restored to automatic fire. For most, though, it's not rocket science.
Take, for instance, the M14. What really sets the receiver off from an M1A is the lug towards the rear of the body which houses the selector and where the automatic connector's rear rides. Cut off this lug and it's no different from an M1A and is no more readily restored to than an M1A can be converted to.
Another thing pulled from their asses is what, exactly, constitutes "readily restored".
26 USC § 5845 says:
The term “machinegun” means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
That seems pretty clear that a machine gun receiver is a machine gun, no?
Well... There's only a tiny difference between a full-auto upper receiver on an AR and a "semi-auto"; a small relief cut for the auto-sear. Wait! Did I say difference?
There's hardly an AR made today that doesn't have that relief near the rear lug.
As near as I can tell, only Colt bothered to make an upper without them, and most of those also have the ginormous hole in the front lug for screws instead of a pin.
And people wonder why Colt lost the AR market?
But! Should the AR's upper be ruled to be the serialized part, and that relief makes it "designed to shoot" automatically... Also, since it's the work of seconds to plug in a lower with all the fun parts, they're also readily restored... H&K had to redesign their upper on the Model 91 because full-auto trigger packs plopped right in.
There are a METRIC fuck-tonne of unregistered machineguns out there. A large enough number that it's far more reasonable to do an amnesty than to attempt to get them all on the registry.
Another ruling that's out of their ass is the once a machinegun, always a machinegun.
For some guns, it's really difficult to undo the receiver so that it's can't be readily restored to automatic fire. For most, though, it's not rocket science.
Take, for instance, the M14. What really sets the receiver off from an M1A is the lug towards the rear of the body which houses the selector and where the automatic connector's rear rides. Cut off this lug and it's no different from an M1A and is no more readily restored to than an M1A can be converted to.
Another thing pulled from their asses is what, exactly, constitutes "readily restored".
Dammit
I just found out a friend has passed on.
He'd been fighting a heart condition and cancer for years.
Cancer finally got him.
Dammit.
His preferred beer was Yeungling. Toast in his honor tonight!
Open roads, Garry.
He'd been fighting a heart condition and cancer for years.
Cancer finally got him.
Dammit.
His preferred beer was Yeungling. Toast in his honor tonight!
Open roads, Garry.
It's Back Hurray I Guess
The owner of the shop informs me that I have a lifter that's bleeding down.
Yay.
That could entail another trip down there and over $3k.
Dick, resin, ground glass, my ass.
Fuck me running.
There's a part of me that thinks a set of lifters and DIY might be a better crutch.
But I'm so sick of it being broken.
I'm so sick of not getting a moment to enjoy the last repair before the next thing breaks.
Yay.
That could entail another trip down there and over $3k.
Dick, resin, ground glass, my ass.
Fuck me running.
There's a part of me that thinks a set of lifters and DIY might be a better crutch.
But I'm so sick of it being broken.
I'm so sick of not getting a moment to enjoy the last repair before the next thing breaks.
16 October 2019
Not As Expected
I look at my empty garage and rather than a sense of loss...
I feel a sense of relief.
I feel apathy about the status of TheShitbox Precious.
I might really be over owning this car.
I'll never be able to afford anything like it again, and I'm not sure I want to.
I feel a sense of relief.
I feel apathy about the status of The
I might really be over owning this car.
I'll never be able to afford anything like it again, and I'm not sure I want to.
Paper Of Record
The Babylon Bee is, I think, the official paper of record of the US; despite being satirical.
Oppressed Chinese Citizens Apologize To NBA
Oppressed Chinese Citizens Apologize To NBA
15 October 2019
The M1911 And CMP
"As of September 2018, the Department of Army retained 90,016 surplus M1911/M1911A1s, not including the 8,000 already transferred to CMP or a prior cache of firearms that had been disposed of through the 1033 Program of the Law Enforcement Support Office within the DLA.7 The conditions and histories of the individual items vary considerably, as shown in Table 6.1. The DLA, which is tasked with storing the surplus items, defines supply condition codes, ranging from A to H, to describe that status of the items. In January 2018, the 8,000 M1911/M1911A1s were transferred to CMP. A large majority of the transferred items had the best condition codes, A (29.6 percent) or B (54.6 percent), while the remainder of the transfers were directly from the Army
Museum and TACOM and did not have documented DLA supply condition codes.
Most of the pistols remaining in possession by DLA/TACOM are in Condition F (84.2 percent) and require repair, overhaul, or reconditioning. About a tenth of the remaining inventory is condemned (Condition H, 9.5 percent). If future transfers are authorized and no new inventory is found, CMP will receive Condition B pistols or worse, and mostly Condition F pistols. This will have implications for the profitability of CMP sales of M1911/M1911A1s in the future and for whether 2018 is a representative year for the analysis."
1,242 guns from the museum system were shipped to CMP.
22 guns from TACOM were shipped to CMP
2,367 condition A were shipped to CMP, 0 remain in inventory.
4,369 condition B were shipped to CMP, 3,240 remain in inventory.
0 condition C were shipped to CMP, 0 remain in inventory.
0 condition D were shipped to CMP, 12 remain in inventory.
0 condition E were shipped to CMP, 2,407 remain in inventory.
0 condition F were shipped to CMP, 75,755 remain in inventory.
0 condition G were shipped to CMP, 14 remain in inventory.
0 condition H were shipped to CMP, 8,588 remain in inventory.
Condition A = New, used, repaired, or reconditioned material that is serviceable and issuable to all customers without limitation or restrictions. Includes material with more than six months of shelf life remaining.
Condition B = New, used, repaired, or reconditioned material that is serviceable and issuable for its intended purpose but is restricted from issue to specific units, activities, or geographical areas by reason of its limited usefulness or short service life expectancy. Includes material with three to six months’ shelf life.
Condition C = Items that are serviceable and issuable to selected customers but that must be issued before Condition A and B material to avoid loss as a usable asset. Includes material with less than three months’ shelf life.
Condition D = Serviceable material that requires test, alteration, modification, conversion, or disassembly. This does not include items that must be inspected or tested immediately prior to issue.
Condition E = Material that involves only limited expense or effort to restore to serviceable condition and that is accomplished in the storage activity where the stock is located.
Condition F = Economically reparable material that requires repair, overhaul, or reconditioning. Includes reparable items that are radioactivity-contaminated.
Condition G = Material requiring additional parts or components to complete the end item prior to issue.
Condition H = Material that has been determined to be unserviceable and that does not meet repair criteria; includes condemned items that are radioactively-contaminated, Type I shelf life material that has passed the expiration date, and Type II shelf life material that has passed the expiration date and cannot be extended.
Taken from "An Evaluation of the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety."
In a nutshell, if you didn't get yours in the first batch, you're very unlikely to get one at all.
They make an analysis of the cost to get those condition F's ready for sale and conclude that it's not viable at the rack grade price, which those pistols will most certainly be.
Bottomless Pit Of Agony And Despair
The Shitbox Precious is off to the shop.
I am getting ready to be fucked the old way... dipped in resin and rolled in ground glass... (100 points if you get that reference).
I am getting ready to be fucked the old way... dipped in resin and rolled in ground glass... (100 points if you get that reference).
14 October 2019
Rumor Has It
Willard has asked why one would want to buy a PMAG with the ammo counting window.
I now have an answer!
Apparently the medium coyote tan PMAG M3 with the window are held to slightly tighter or, at least, more consistent tolerances than the magazines the USMC aren't buying.
I'm getting twitchy that I don't have enough AR magazines again.
Must be because it's fall.
I now have an answer!
Apparently the medium coyote tan PMAG M3 with the window are held to slightly tighter or, at least, more consistent tolerances than the magazines the USMC aren't buying.
I'm getting twitchy that I don't have enough AR magazines again.
Must be because it's fall.
Make It More Illegaler
Ammunition background checks.
Theperson creature who shot up Mary Douglas Stoneman high school passed the background check to buy the rifle; therefore he it would have passed a background check to purchase the ammunition for it.
The problem wasn't that there weren't enough background checks; the problem was not a single politician in Broward County was willing to do what needed to be done with the creature in question and get them convicted/committed and on the prohibited person lists.
Once again it wasn't the citizens who will be punished by such a law who're responsible for the killer getting a firearm and ammunition but a failure of Democrat elected officials.
How about we ban Democrats?
Judging by the "illustrious" rolls of Illegal Mayors Against Illegal Guns; we'd do better without D in politics.
The
The problem wasn't that there weren't enough background checks; the problem was not a single politician in Broward County was willing to do what needed to be done with the creature in question and get them convicted/committed and on the prohibited person lists.
Once again it wasn't the citizens who will be punished by such a law who're responsible for the killer getting a firearm and ammunition but a failure of Democrat elected officials.
How about we ban Democrats?
Judging by the "illustrious" rolls of Illegal Mayors Against Illegal Guns; we'd do better without D in politics.
Glad I Saved It
I have an old Sears floor jack.
I bought it in 1991.
It lasted until just two years ago when it decided to stop lifting and start leaking oil.
The replacement from Northern Tools has decided to stop pumping except for the very bottom of the swing.
Today I looked for a seal kit for the Sears jack, expecting nothing like I got two years ago, and found a company selling the seals!
HUZZZAH!
The old Sears jack is an excellent piece of kit, very controllable. It's not as low profile as TheShitbox Precious would like, but otherwise...
I am happy that I didn't throw my old jack away now.
UPDATE: The Strongway brand jack responded to air purge procedure that's in the owner's brochure. Looks like I'll have two working jacks now.
I bought it in 1991.
It lasted until just two years ago when it decided to stop lifting and start leaking oil.
The replacement from Northern Tools has decided to stop pumping except for the very bottom of the swing.
Today I looked for a seal kit for the Sears jack, expecting nothing like I got two years ago, and found a company selling the seals!
HUZZZAH!
The old Sears jack is an excellent piece of kit, very controllable. It's not as low profile as The
I am happy that I didn't throw my old jack away now.
UPDATE: The Strongway brand jack responded to air purge procedure that's in the owner's brochure. Looks like I'll have two working jacks now.
Cracker Day!
Since we can't celebrate Columbus any more...
Today has been labeled "Indigenous People's Day" by the SJW community.
Fine.
Then today we celebrate the folks who were actually born in Florida, as opposed to the carpet-baggers and snowbirds.
Today has been labeled "Indigenous People's Day" by the SJW community.
Fine.
Then today we celebrate the folks who were actually born in Florida, as opposed to the carpet-baggers and snowbirds.
Service Life
You never know how contentious an issue is until you hit the internet...
At issue is the service life of the M14.
One of the "experts" defending the design has stated that it has a longer service life than the Garand as the primary issue infantry rifle.
The Garand began issue to troops in 1936 and was replaced by the M14 in 1959. That's 23 years for the math deficient.
The M14 began issue to troops in 1959 was dropped to limited service use in 1964. That's five years and 18 years shorter than the Garand, just in case math is too hard.
I am sure they're going to dissemble and try to claim that the limited service counts. If we're going to count that, we need to find out when the last Garand left US service... One could even say that because of the USMC's silent drill team that the Garand is in more active service than the M14 was until they started trying to make ersatz DMR guns from moldy guns in deep storage.
Kent state shows that the Garand was still being issued to the National Guard as late as 1970. If we accept 1975 as "early 1970's or later" for Guard issue then the Garand hung in there for 39 years.
The M14 wasn't issued like that. The M1 still being issued to Guard units as the M14 was being replaced with the M16A1 is very telling. Many (most?) Guard units transitioned straight to the M16A1 from the M1!
For all intents and purposes the M14's service ends when enough M16A1's became available to equip troops. It is not, despite limited issue as a DMR, 1959 to present.
At issue is the service life of the M14.
One of the "experts" defending the design has stated that it has a longer service life than the Garand as the primary issue infantry rifle.
The Garand began issue to troops in 1936 and was replaced by the M14 in 1959. That's 23 years for the math deficient.
The M14 began issue to troops in 1959 was dropped to limited service use in 1964. That's five years and 18 years shorter than the Garand, just in case math is too hard.
I am sure they're going to dissemble and try to claim that the limited service counts. If we're going to count that, we need to find out when the last Garand left US service... One could even say that because of the USMC's silent drill team that the Garand is in more active service than the M14 was until they started trying to make ersatz DMR guns from moldy guns in deep storage.
Kent state shows that the Garand was still being issued to the National Guard as late as 1970. If we accept 1975 as "early 1970's or later" for Guard issue then the Garand hung in there for 39 years.
The M14 wasn't issued like that. The M1 still being issued to Guard units as the M14 was being replaced with the M16A1 is very telling. Many (most?) Guard units transitioned straight to the M16A1 from the M1!
For all intents and purposes the M14's service ends when enough M16A1's became available to equip troops. It is not, despite limited issue as a DMR, 1959 to present.
13 October 2019
HALP!
In light of the Roh case...
Besides the AR, is there another rifle where the half with the trigger and hammer is the "gun"?
So far, it appears to be the only rifle where the barreled part isn't the serialized part.
Maybe the AR-180?
Besides the AR, is there another rifle where the half with the trigger and hammer is the "gun"?
So far, it appears to be the only rifle where the barreled part isn't the serialized part.
Maybe the AR-180?
I Think I'll Just Burn Gallons Of Gas In An Open Pit
AOC has indicated that global warming/climate change has made her decide to not have children.
Anything that keeps them from breeding is a good thing in my book.
Anything that keeps them from breeding is a good thing in my book.
12 October 2019
Barely Overlapping
My life and Dieudonne Saive's barely overlapped.
I'm just past 50 and he's been passed on for just less than 50 years.
I've used, own and carried three of his most famous designs (pictured below) and been issued and used a fourth (MAG / M240 not shown). None were found wanting except the Baby, which is entirely too small for my mitten-like paws.
A person armed as above cannot be considered ill armed.
Repose en paix monsieur Saive!
I'm just past 50 and he's been passed on for just less than 50 years.
I've used, own and carried three of his most famous designs (pictured below) and been issued and used a fourth (MAG / M240 not shown). None were found wanting except the Baby, which is entirely too small for my mitten-like paws.
Repose en paix monsieur Saive!
Feeling A Little Better
I occurred to me this morning that even though I failed to track down and eliminate the gas smell from The Shitbox Precious, what I attempted was the most difficult job on a sixth generation Corvette when you're laying on your back with the car suspended from jack-stands.
After speaking with more than one mechanic about this, they all congratulated me for dropping and reinstalling the tank three times. "These things happen," was a common refrain followed by, "I don't think I would have attempted it without a lift."
When I mentioned that the first two attempts were with the torque-tube, trans and rear cradle out of the car...
They applauded my thinking about it being easier to get at the cross-over with those out of the way and mentioned that a clutch swap was close to being the second hardest job just from the sheer number of things to keep track of.
The fuel system on these things have too many places where luck is the deciding factor of success rather than skill or planning. That's bad engineering.
After speaking with more than one mechanic about this, they all congratulated me for dropping and reinstalling the tank three times. "These things happen," was a common refrain followed by, "I don't think I would have attempted it without a lift."
When I mentioned that the first two attempts were with the torque-tube, trans and rear cradle out of the car...
They applauded my thinking about it being easier to get at the cross-over with those out of the way and mentioned that a clutch swap was close to being the second hardest job just from the sheer number of things to keep track of.
The fuel system on these things have too many places where luck is the deciding factor of success rather than skill or planning. That's bad engineering.
Quote Of The Random Interval
Zoon.
“If you can get past those awful idiot faces on the bleachers outside the theater without a sense of the collapse of human intelligence, and if you can go out into the night and see half the police force of Los Angeles gathered to protect the golden ones from the mob in the free seats, but not from the awful moaning sound they give out, like destiny whistling through a hollow shell; if you can do these things and still feel the next morning that the picture business is worth the attention of one single, intelligent, artistic mind, then in the picture business you certainly belong because this sort of vulgarity, the very vulgarity from which the Oscars are made, is the inevitable price that Hollywood exacts from each of its serfs.”
-- Raymond Chandler
Positive/Negative
Pro-gun people read about a mass shooting and think, "Oh God, NO!"
Anti-gun people read about a mass shooting and think, "Oh God, YES!"
I think that says all that needs to be said about whether the respective groups want there to be more or less mass shooting.
Anti-gun people read about a mass shooting and think, "Oh God, YES!"
I think that says all that needs to be said about whether the respective groups want there to be more or less mass shooting.
There Goes The Cure For Cancer
Armed robber shot dead at Dollar General.
Of note: This is not the first of ten siblings to be shot and killed.
The corpse's sister claims that the clerk who did society a favor should not have been armed and should have called the police, "like he was supposed to".
I think I can sense the disconnect here.
Her criminal siblings should not be impeded from armed robbery. If only the clerk had followed the script, everyone would be happy.
Personally, I think that we have the happiest ending already. Look at all the money we saved on tedious trials and incarcerations and lathering, rinsing and repeating until... he got shot and killed anyways.
Of note: This is not the first of ten siblings to be shot and killed.
The corpse's sister claims that the clerk who did society a favor should not have been armed and should have called the police, "like he was supposed to".
I think I can sense the disconnect here.
Her criminal siblings should not be impeded from armed robbery. If only the clerk had followed the script, everyone would be happy.
Personally, I think that we have the happiest ending already. Look at all the money we saved on tedious trials and incarcerations and lathering, rinsing and repeating until... he got shot and killed anyways.
Fascinating Read
I'm not sure how to summarize it, so just go to the link.
This guy appears to have gotten a "go forth and sin no more" plea deal because a judge ruled that ATF designating the lower receiver of an AR as the serialized part is not in compliance with ATF's own regulations concerning what constitutes a receiver; and that they want this ruling buried because of its implications on future enforcement efforts.
I think I got that right.
I think the judge is correct. The upper is the serialized part on most other rifles with split receivers.
This guy appears to have gotten a "go forth and sin no more" plea deal because a judge ruled that ATF designating the lower receiver of an AR as the serialized part is not in compliance with ATF's own regulations concerning what constitutes a receiver; and that they want this ruling buried because of its implications on future enforcement efforts.
I think I got that right.
I think the judge is correct. The upper is the serialized part on most other rifles with split receivers.
Another Gun Control Success Story
4 dead, 3 injured in Brooklyn.
Two handguns found at the scene of the crime.
And here I was thinking that handgun ownership was severely restricted in New York (spit) Fucking City.
So restricted that the owners are taking a case all the way to the supreme court to get the restrictions reduced.
Restrictions that, I am assured by several, well funded, organizations will make mass shootings impossible.
Well, I guess it's a good thing nobody was open carrying a rifle. Someone might have gotten hurt or gotten a restrictive anti-gun law passed or something.
Two handguns found at the scene of the crime.
And here I was thinking that handgun ownership was severely restricted in New York (spit) Fucking City.
So restricted that the owners are taking a case all the way to the supreme court to get the restrictions reduced.
Restrictions that, I am assured by several, well funded, organizations will make mass shootings impossible.
Well, I guess it's a good thing nobody was open carrying a rifle. Someone might have gotten hurt or gotten a restrictive anti-gun law passed or something.
Can Your Game Do That
The fireball pistol question also raises the reason I love GURPS and why so many people don't.
There are rules for making such a thing at all.
Most games will either have the fireball launching gun in the weapons table, or it's not available at all.
This is the soul of what GURPS IS!
Generic. Universal.
That means a lot more work for the GM in both creating the world, but also informing the players of the definitions and boundaries.
What does having magic, mages and enchantments mean to you? Does it mean the same thing to your players?
What are their assumptions?
World specific games define everything and set the boundaries starting at character generation.
GURPS puts that on the GM.
I'd rather have the flexibility to go anywhere and do anything.
What other game has actual rules for a magic fireball firing single action revolver and a light-saber built right in?
It will, you'll find, be a rather short list.
There are rules for making such a thing at all.
Most games will either have the fireball launching gun in the weapons table, or it's not available at all.
This is the soul of what GURPS IS!
Generic. Universal.
That means a lot more work for the GM in both creating the world, but also informing the players of the definitions and boundaries.
What does having magic, mages and enchantments mean to you? Does it mean the same thing to your players?
What are their assumptions?
World specific games define everything and set the boundaries starting at character generation.
GURPS puts that on the GM.
I'd rather have the flexibility to go anywhere and do anything.
What other game has actual rules for a magic fireball firing single action revolver and a light-saber built right in?
It will, you'll find, be a rather short list.
Fireball Pistol
It came up.
I threw together a world where magic existed in 1879 and had existed for a long time.
It was my modified GURPS: Magic system with a requirement of Mage's Guild membership and an athame for spell casting.
One of the players misunderstood how much magic this implied.
He wanted to go to the hardware store and buy a gun that fired fireballs.
That's not a standard magic item. Not even close.
It was also outside the scope of how I imagined magic in this world so I tabled it.
But I got reminded of it while chatting with FuzzyGeff this evening.
One way to do it is to buy it with points:
The total of the enhancements and limitations add up to -40%. That comes to 7.2 points or [8] because we always round to more expensive for the player!
8-points is fairly cheap, to be honest.
The rules state that if something can be bought with money, then it should be rather than with points.
What would this firearm that uses magic cost?
It the magic is inherent to the firearm itself and conventional .44-40 ammunition comes out as a fireball, then it requires the attention of a real live enchanting mage to make. That's going to make it more expensive than the normal Peacemaker ($450 in G$ or GURPS dollars)
If it's the ammunition that makes it special and the gun is a normal Colt, then we need an alchemist making the projectiles. There are very few to no alchemical products that are cheaper than $50. A normal round of .44-40 is a mere 60¢.
If they're both magic... Mage and alchemist.
They cost whatever I, as the GM, say they should cost. If I like the idea and think it fits the world, they're going to be cheaper than if I don't. A player's attitude about asking for such things can certainly affect my willingness to allow it as well. I've allowed too many things which ended up unbalancing my worlds before.
Basically I need to decide if it's the gun, ammo or both that make the item and decide the relative merit against 2d+1 pi+ versus 2d+1 burn.
Better wipe that gun off if you buy it, the arbitrarily set prices are pulled straight out of my ass.
I threw together a world where magic existed in 1879 and had existed for a long time.
It was my modified GURPS: Magic system with a requirement of Mage's Guild membership and an athame for spell casting.
One of the players misunderstood how much magic this implied.
He wanted to go to the hardware store and buy a gun that fired fireballs.
That's not a standard magic item. Not even close.
It was also outside the scope of how I imagined magic in this world so I tabled it.
But I got reminded of it while chatting with FuzzyGeff this evening.
One way to do it is to buy it with points:
Innate attack; 2d+1 burn damage. Range 10/100, Acc 3, RoF 1, Rcl 1. 5pts per die. [12]
This needs to be modified to be more like an 1879 era revolver's stats or nobody would buy one.
Increasing the range to 120/1200 is a +40% enhancement.
It should be able to be fanned, the rules for fanning led me to rule that the increase in the RoF is completely offset by the reduction in skill while doing so, so +0% enhancement.
Revolvers of the day are less accurate than the default power: Acc 2; -5% limitation.
Revolvers have six shots: Limited Use, 6 shots, slow reload 5-sec per round, -5% limitation. This assumes that ammo is readily available.
Revolvers have recoil and it will come up when fanning, so Rcl 2, -10% limitation.
It's magic so it cannot be used in a no-mana zone: Accessibility, not in no-mana; -5% limitation.
It's a physical object that can be damaged, broken or break-down: Breakable, DR 14, 6 HP, can break down; -15% limitation.
It's a small physical object: SM -6; -10% limitation.
It's a physical object that can be stolen: -30% limitation.
The total of the enhancements and limitations add up to -40%. That comes to 7.2 points or [8] because we always round to more expensive for the player!
8-points is fairly cheap, to be honest.
The rules state that if something can be bought with money, then it should be rather than with points.
What would this firearm that uses magic cost?
It the magic is inherent to the firearm itself and conventional .44-40 ammunition comes out as a fireball, then it requires the attention of a real live enchanting mage to make. That's going to make it more expensive than the normal Peacemaker ($450 in G$ or GURPS dollars)
If it's the ammunition that makes it special and the gun is a normal Colt, then we need an alchemist making the projectiles. There are very few to no alchemical products that are cheaper than $50. A normal round of .44-40 is a mere 60¢.
If they're both magic... Mage and alchemist.
They cost whatever I, as the GM, say they should cost. If I like the idea and think it fits the world, they're going to be cheaper than if I don't. A player's attitude about asking for such things can certainly affect my willingness to allow it as well. I've allowed too many things which ended up unbalancing my worlds before.
Basically I need to decide if it's the gun, ammo or both that make the item and decide the relative merit against 2d+1 pi+ versus 2d+1 burn.
Better wipe that gun off if you buy it, the arbitrarily set prices are pulled straight out of my ass.
11 October 2019
K-15 Korrection
The Model 15-3 Willard generously donated to my SEALs in Vietnam gun collection came with some God awful ugly stocks:
Before bequeathing it to me, he found much nicer target stocks.
While they're period correct for the model, they're not for the setting.
So I got a replacement set from Midway and applied the no-name grip adapter from The ElectroySmith Model 10. The down side of no-name grip adapters is you might have to file off some material to make them fit your gun and stocks...
That's more like what a budding gun-snob SEAL would pack!
It also has the bonus of making the ElectrolySmith more in keeping with her neglected appearance. Never mind that the grip adapter wasn't available when she was new...
Before bequeathing it to me, he found much nicer target stocks.
While they're period correct for the model, they're not for the setting.
So I got a replacement set from Midway and applied the no-name grip adapter from The ElectroySmith Model 10. The down side of no-name grip adapters is you might have to file off some material to make them fit your gun and stocks...
That's more like what a budding gun-snob SEAL would pack!
It also has the bonus of making the ElectrolySmith more in keeping with her neglected appearance. Never mind that the grip adapter wasn't available when she was new...
CVE-63 Has Been Located
USS St. Lo was located back in May.
She's something of a confirmation of the idea of it being bad luck to rename a ship.
She was laid down as USS Chapin Bay then USS Midway then USS St. Lo.
Then she was murdered by a kamikaze.
Speaking of bad luck names, Samuel B Roberts is only running at 1/3 success for avoiding catastrophic damage, but interestingly 2/3 for making it to decommissioning.
FFG-58 had terrible and excellent luck.
She's something of a confirmation of the idea of it being bad luck to rename a ship.
She was laid down as USS Chapin Bay then USS Midway then USS St. Lo.
Then she was murdered by a kamikaze.
Speaking of bad luck names, Samuel B Roberts is only running at 1/3 success for avoiding catastrophic damage, but interestingly 2/3 for making it to decommissioning.
FFG-58 had terrible and excellent luck.
Just Wait Until They Ban Plumbing
At least when near a million people in Florida lose power, it's because something damaged the lines, like a hurricane.
California leads the nation in idiocy, again.
One wonders if the wealthy denizens of the area have generators which let them ride out this stoppage in comfort while the little people suffer.
One also wonders if the emissions from those generators is better or worse than the power plant that's shut down while in fire prevention mode.
I watch a crew every year clear trees away from the line running in my back yard. That's all it takes to prevent wind from hitting the lines and causing problems. 49 states call this normal maintenance.
One does not.
h/t Mike at Cold Fury
California leads the nation in idiocy, again.
One wonders if the wealthy denizens of the area have generators which let them ride out this stoppage in comfort while the little people suffer.
One also wonders if the emissions from those generators is better or worse than the power plant that's shut down while in fire prevention mode.
I watch a crew every year clear trees away from the line running in my back yard. That's all it takes to prevent wind from hitting the lines and causing problems. 49 states call this normal maintenance.
One does not.
h/t Mike at Cold Fury
Pocket Firepower
Just 109 years separated in design, but identical in intentions.
Colt Pocket Hammerless in .380 ACP and S&W M&P 9 Shield in 9mm Parabellum.
The Shield is smaller in every dimension but width, holds the same number of rounds with the flush magazine, has better sights, is lighter and fires a more powerful 9mm round. What's more, it's actually hammerless!
Technology marches on.
I think it's interesting is they both have a passive safety that's activated by the act of firing. The Colt with a grip safety, the S&W with the articulated trigger.
Colt Pocket Hammerless in .380 ACP and S&W M&P 9 Shield in 9mm Parabellum.
The Shield is smaller in every dimension but width, holds the same number of rounds with the flush magazine, has better sights, is lighter and fires a more powerful 9mm round. What's more, it's actually hammerless!
Technology marches on.
I think it's interesting is they both have a passive safety that's activated by the act of firing. The Colt with a grip safety, the S&W with the articulated trigger.
It'd Cost Me My NCRS Points
This entire fuel pump fiasco has me thinking of sacrificing my National Corvette Restorer's Society score and coming up with a way to make the fuel system serviceable without accidentally breaking things.
There's no real reason for the jet line and return to run inside the crossover.
But...
The real problem with this whole mess is the limited access to where the crossover enters the tanks.
Access that could be provided by cutting a slot into a frame gusset and box welding the slot.
Then you could lower the tank 6" and get at the collar from the wheel well instead of from underneath and between the back side of that gusset and the transmission.
But that would have added $20 to the cost of making the frame. GM hates spending money on things like making future repairs possible without replacing more than what's broken.
The tank pressure vent on the top should be a replaceable item on its own, not something that's molded into the tank. I loath inseparable assemblies and there's far too many of them in this thing's fuel system.
And it's ALL because of The California Air Resources Board. It's their standards on permeability that led to how this is all sealed up.
Ironically, this mania for sealing things lead to materials that grow brittle and begin leaking on their own. This releases more fuel vapor in a few days than the older "unsuitable" materials did over decades.
Gods be damned greenies!
There's no real reason for the jet line and return to run inside the crossover.
But...
The real problem with this whole mess is the limited access to where the crossover enters the tanks.
Access that could be provided by cutting a slot into a frame gusset and box welding the slot.
Then you could lower the tank 6" and get at the collar from the wheel well instead of from underneath and between the back side of that gusset and the transmission.
But that would have added $20 to the cost of making the frame. GM hates spending money on things like making future repairs possible without replacing more than what's broken.
The tank pressure vent on the top should be a replaceable item on its own, not something that's molded into the tank. I loath inseparable assemblies and there's far too many of them in this thing's fuel system.
And it's ALL because of The California Air Resources Board. It's their standards on permeability that led to how this is all sealed up.
Ironically, this mania for sealing things lead to materials that grow brittle and begin leaking on their own. This releases more fuel vapor in a few days than the older "unsuitable" materials did over decades.
Gods be damned greenies!
10 October 2019
Spoke To The Shop
The Shitbox Precious goes into the shop in St Pete on Tuesday morning.
Joe, the owner, made me feel a lot better about my predicament.
The nylon-like fuel lines that go from the pump in the driver's side tank to the passenger side tank and back are the bane of this design.
E is the driver's side pump/sender assy. H is the passenger side pump/sender assy. N and P are the lines in question.
The orange things at each end of N and P are where they separate from the tank assemblies.
These lines, while designed for being in fuel, are still attacked by it. They get brittle.
Dropping the tanks stresses them a lot.
I replaced the in-tank portion of these lines when I did the pump, but didn't do the lines in the cross-over or passenger tank.
Bearing in mind that any disturbance to these lines can break them, I dropped the tank THREE times.
A break was bound to happen.
Joe's going to send a camera up in there and find the break.
The good news is these parts are not expensive or scarce. The labor is what gets you in the ass.
Joe, the owner, made me feel a lot better about my predicament.
The nylon-like fuel lines that go from the pump in the driver's side tank to the passenger side tank and back are the bane of this design.
E is the driver's side pump/sender assy. H is the passenger side pump/sender assy. N and P are the lines in question.
The orange things at each end of N and P are where they separate from the tank assemblies.
These lines, while designed for being in fuel, are still attacked by it. They get brittle.
Dropping the tanks stresses them a lot.
I replaced the in-tank portion of these lines when I did the pump, but didn't do the lines in the cross-over or passenger tank.
Bearing in mind that any disturbance to these lines can break them, I dropped the tank THREE times.
A break was bound to happen.
Joe's going to send a camera up in there and find the break.
The good news is these parts are not expensive or scarce. The labor is what gets you in the ass.
09 October 2019
I'm Handing This To The Professionals
Convinced that because the cross-over o-rings were the source of the smell, I went to drop the driver's side tank today.
This is the first time I've tried it with the transmission in the car.
In the process of disconnecting the cross-over... the tank fell right out of the car.
Breaking the evap line that runs to the top of the tank.
This is a part of the tank, so you have to replace the tank if this breaks.
Luckily, I had a spare tank!
So I swap out the fuel pump from the old tank to the used tank. This is the biggest pain in the ass EVER.
JT came over and helped me get it in the car.
His help cost him more than I am worth because his Caddy just up and quit. We tow him to a dealer and I gave him a ride home.
I finish buttoning up The Precious and get her ass back on the ground.
I go to start her to get her nose out of the air and off the ramps...
Crank crank crank crank... nothin'.
FUCK!
I can't tell if the pump is running.
There doesn't appear to be pressure at the rails.
I jumper the relay and I think I can hear the pump running. Still no pressure at the rails.
Something is amiss.
There's a speed shop in St Pete that specializes in Vettes. They can tell me what's wrong.
Because in each of the four times I've had the tank out I've managed to break something else.
To date this has cost me more than just taking to St Pete in the first place would have cost me.
This is the first time I've tried it with the transmission in the car.
In the process of disconnecting the cross-over... the tank fell right out of the car.
Breaking the evap line that runs to the top of the tank.
This is a part of the tank, so you have to replace the tank if this breaks.
Luckily, I had a spare tank!
So I swap out the fuel pump from the old tank to the used tank. This is the biggest pain in the ass EVER.
JT came over and helped me get it in the car.
His help cost him more than I am worth because his Caddy just up and quit. We tow him to a dealer and I gave him a ride home.
I finish buttoning up The Precious and get her ass back on the ground.
I go to start her to get her nose out of the air and off the ramps...
Crank crank crank crank... nothin'.
FUCK!
I can't tell if the pump is running.
There doesn't appear to be pressure at the rails.
I jumper the relay and I think I can hear the pump running. Still no pressure at the rails.
Something is amiss.
There's a speed shop in St Pete that specializes in Vettes. They can tell me what's wrong.
Because in each of the four times I've had the tank out I've managed to break something else.
To date this has cost me more than just taking to St Pete in the first place would have cost me.
Other Side Of The Coin
While I don't blame victims for being victimized...
There's a lot of simple things you can do to keep from becoming a victim.
Like locking doors.
Like not leaving valuables visible, accessible and unattended.
Why make it easy for the criminal?
But there's some misconceptions about how hard you're making it for the criminal.
A car isn't less secure than your house.
A car is a different kind of opportunity.
The difference is in exposure time.
Someone stealing something out of a car is generally in plain view of any passerby.
Someone stealing out of a house is not, and thus has much more time to work on the problem of finding valuables.
Having your 72" flat screen visible from the street is in the same category as leaving your wallet on the dash.
In an ideal world, one without thieves, the wallet and the television are safe.
Because we don't live in that world, it's prudent to take precautions.
There's a lot of simple things you can do to keep from becoming a victim.
Like locking doors.
Like not leaving valuables visible, accessible and unattended.
Why make it easy for the criminal?
But there's some misconceptions about how hard you're making it for the criminal.
A car isn't less secure than your house.
A car is a different kind of opportunity.
The difference is in exposure time.
Someone stealing something out of a car is generally in plain view of any passerby.
Someone stealing out of a house is not, and thus has much more time to work on the problem of finding valuables.
Having your 72" flat screen visible from the street is in the same category as leaving your wallet on the dash.
In an ideal world, one without thieves, the wallet and the television are safe.
Because we don't live in that world, it's prudent to take precautions.
Saying What I've Said Before Again
All you have to do is search for the term "victim" and you can find how I feel about blaming the victim.
I literally said it years ago. Not that anyone read it...
But there's something about blaming the victim that doesn't often come up any more.
Have you ever looked at the FBI stats for rape and compared them to a change in how the police and courts handled the victims?
When we started applying the philosophy that the rapist was the one responsible for the rape, irregardless of the sexual history of the victim or their manner of dress...
More rapists went to jail. Fewer rapes occur.
Blaming the victim for their portion of the victim selection process absolves the criminal of their crime.
This absolution leads to less stringent investigations and fewer convictions.
It's easy to blame the victim. It's also lazy.
Blaming the victim is also morally reprehensible.
The immoral like to talk big and cluck at how stupid the victims are, but they're really enabling the criminal and providing cover for their actions. After all, the immoral aren't blaming them for their crimes...
The criminal is responsible for their crime. That the victim made it easy is irrelevant.
Focusing on irrelevancies is a good sign that someone has no point to make and no moral ground to stand on.
I literally said it years ago. Not that anyone read it...
But there's something about blaming the victim that doesn't often come up any more.
Have you ever looked at the FBI stats for rape and compared them to a change in how the police and courts handled the victims?
When we started applying the philosophy that the rapist was the one responsible for the rape, irregardless of the sexual history of the victim or their manner of dress...
More rapists went to jail. Fewer rapes occur.
Blaming the victim for their portion of the victim selection process absolves the criminal of their crime.
This absolution leads to less stringent investigations and fewer convictions.
It's easy to blame the victim. It's also lazy.
Blaming the victim is also morally reprehensible.
The immoral like to talk big and cluck at how stupid the victims are, but they're really enabling the criminal and providing cover for their actions. After all, the immoral aren't blaming them for their crimes...
The criminal is responsible for their crime. That the victim made it easy is irrelevant.
Focusing on irrelevancies is a good sign that someone has no point to make and no moral ground to stand on.
08 October 2019
Flying
Marv says The Precious should be eligible for frequent flier miles.
To get the tank high enough...
First, the front wheels go up on the ramps.
Then the ass end is lifted to the limit of the jack. Set jack stands.
Insert a block on top of the jack, lift to the limits of the jack again. Set jack stands.
UGH.
Now the big question is if I can get the crossover off with the exhaust in the way. I dunno. The service manual says to drop the intermediate pipe.
To get the tank high enough...
First, the front wheels go up on the ramps.
Then the ass end is lifted to the limit of the jack. Set jack stands.
Insert a block on top of the jack, lift to the limits of the jack again. Set jack stands.
UGH.
Now the big question is if I can get the crossover off with the exhaust in the way. I dunno. The service manual says to drop the intermediate pipe.
Vichy Gunowners Support This Idea
Victim of gun theft gets rest of collection stolen by state under color of law.
This is where blaming the victim ultimately leads.
Punishing the victim is very popular with Vichy Gunowners.
They spend far more time condemning the practice of keeping a gun in a car than they do blaming the person actually at fault, the thief.
Congratulations, Vichy Gunowners, your advocacy has been codified in Connecticut!
Why stop at "don't keep a gun in your car and it won't get stolen" and go straight to "don't own a gun and there's no gun to be stolen!"
This is where blaming the victim ultimately leads.
Punishing the victim is very popular with Vichy Gunowners.
They spend far more time condemning the practice of keeping a gun in a car than they do blaming the person actually at fault, the thief.
Congratulations, Vichy Gunowners, your advocacy has been codified in Connecticut!
Why stop at "don't keep a gun in your car and it won't get stolen" and go straight to "don't own a gun and there's no gun to be stolen!"
Utterly Unmotivated
To get the tank out... The Precious needs to be 16-20" in the air at the tank.
That means raising it up in stages.
It gets increasingly precarious as you get higher.
Then the damned exhaust has to come out.
Now you can wrestle with the crossover by braille.
Now you can disconnect the evap by braille.
Then you can lower the tank to see if you can see where that gas smell has been coming from.
I'm spent.
I'm sick of the large number of steps to do get prepared to start working on the broken part.
I'm growing to hate this car so much.
That means raising it up in stages.
It gets increasingly precarious as you get higher.
Then the damned exhaust has to come out.
Now you can wrestle with the crossover by braille.
Now you can disconnect the evap by braille.
Then you can lower the tank to see if you can see where that gas smell has been coming from.
I'm spent.
I'm sick of the large number of steps to do get prepared to start working on the broken part.
I'm growing to hate this car so much.
07 October 2019
One More Character And I'm Done With The Project
I mentioned when I started this, I'd be making a TL8 character too.
TL8 is modern day.
TL8 is where the TL Project will stop because TL9 needs world building before you can start character generation.
Definitely need to make a Transhuman Space character though. Not sure what TL that ends up being because it's originally 3e and the tech levels are all slightly different for 4e.
TL8 is modern day.
TL8 is where the TL Project will stop because TL9 needs world building before you can start character generation.
Definitely need to make a Transhuman Space character though. Not sure what TL that ends up being because it's originally 3e and the tech levels are all slightly different for 4e.
Just Takes Buckets Of Money
Say you just dropped $1,500 on a new PC to play DCS.
Say you simply must play the F-14, because Maverick and Goose. $80. Your RIO has to plunk down for the machine and their own copy of the plane too.
Because immersion is all... You need some HOTAS.
Virpil makes a stick that sure mimics the F-14 one. Cleverly named the VFX. €159.95 ($175.72) and that is JUST the part you grab with the buttons and switches.
You'll need a base, €169.95 ($186.71); and an extension to connect them, €49.95 ($54.88)
Then you're going to need a throttle.
Virpel VPC MongoosT-50CM2 for €269.95 ($296.57)
or
Thrustmaster Warthog for $299.99
≈$715
There's an alternate plan where you buy the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS bundle, then replace the stick handle and add the extension.
$661.80
Then pedals...
Virpel VPC ACE-1 €299.95 ($329.53)
or
Thrustmaster TPR $533.99!!!
Yeah...
$1,200 on top of a $1,500 game machine and I'm not even sure that the game machine has the VR goggles included.
Of course you can go cheaper. Stick to the Warthog HOTAS for $446.97 and use the much cheaper Thrustmaster TFRP pedals for $89.99. $536.96.
Say you simply must play the F-14, because Maverick and Goose. $80. Your RIO has to plunk down for the machine and their own copy of the plane too.
Because immersion is all... You need some HOTAS.
Virpil makes a stick that sure mimics the F-14 one. Cleverly named the VFX. €159.95 ($175.72) and that is JUST the part you grab with the buttons and switches.
You'll need a base, €169.95 ($186.71); and an extension to connect them, €49.95 ($54.88)
Then you're going to need a throttle.
Virpel VPC MongoosT-50CM2 for €269.95 ($296.57)
or
Thrustmaster Warthog for $299.99
≈$715
There's an alternate plan where you buy the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS bundle, then replace the stick handle and add the extension.
$661.80
Then pedals...
Virpel VPC ACE-1 €299.95 ($329.53)
or
Thrustmaster TPR $533.99!!!
Yeah...
$1,200 on top of a $1,500 game machine and I'm not even sure that the game machine has the VR goggles included.
Of course you can go cheaper. Stick to the Warthog HOTAS for $446.97 and use the much cheaper Thrustmaster TFRP pedals for $89.99. $536.96.
Skirting WTF Japan Territory
I've been watching, and enjoying, an anime called Cells at Work, it's really strange.
It's also amazingly accurate with regards to science and biology if you accept the conceit that each individual cell is a person.
It's also amazingly accurate with regards to science and biology if you accept the conceit that each individual cell is a person.
Teachin'
Took a not-quite-a-new-shooter to the range yesterday with Marv.
It was a bit strange, I've known this person since she was nine. She's 22 now.
She's mid-process of getting her CCW and is a little nervous about the shooting portion of the class.
She needn't have been. She's a decent shot.
She's still making up her mind about if she's going to carry a snubby revolver or teeny 9mm, and has one of each.
She asked more questions about the law than the guns, which is a solid sign she's paying attention to the right stuff about carrying.
We learned something about the SIG P365 and astigmatism too. The shape of the rear sight tends to make an arc thanks to the corners of the rear sight notch fuzzing out when you're focusing on the front sight; so you put the front sight at the top of the arc instead of flush with the top of the rear sight and you end up shooting low.
She says she can see the correct alignment if she concentrates, so that's what she's working on.
We also discovered that my Ruger Standard doesn't like 21gr CCI Copper-22™. Several stoppages.
It was a bit strange, I've known this person since she was nine. She's 22 now.
She's mid-process of getting her CCW and is a little nervous about the shooting portion of the class.
She needn't have been. She's a decent shot.
She's still making up her mind about if she's going to carry a snubby revolver or teeny 9mm, and has one of each.
She asked more questions about the law than the guns, which is a solid sign she's paying attention to the right stuff about carrying.
We learned something about the SIG P365 and astigmatism too. The shape of the rear sight tends to make an arc thanks to the corners of the rear sight notch fuzzing out when you're focusing on the front sight; so you put the front sight at the top of the arc instead of flush with the top of the rear sight and you end up shooting low.
She says she can see the correct alignment if she concentrates, so that's what she's working on.
We also discovered that my Ruger Standard doesn't like 21gr CCI Copper-22™. Several stoppages.
06 October 2019
Still Need More Smoke
The F-16CM block 50 has hit DCS for early release.
Lots of stuff is not yet enabled.
Watching a few vids on YouTube about it is like a walk down Falcon 4.0 Memory Lane.
I'm one of the people who downloaded the realism patches and had the full start-up on the ramp enabled.
I am so familiar with what they're showing from all the time I spent playing Falcon...
DCS is also now the first combat flight sim to have all four teen fighters native to the game.
F-14B (A coming soon), F-15C, F-16CM/50 and F/A-18C lot 20.
Shut up and take my money?
Well...
So far, only the F-15C is full release and it's running the standard model for the systems. The others are at various stages of pre and open release but run full advanced system modeling (every switch works or will work and every system works or will work).
I'm excited that flight sims are experiencing a renaissance.
I am bummed that I don't have the system to even begin to enjoy it.
I'm squirreling those pennies though!
Also on my list of wants is the announced F-4 Phantom (likely a late model F-4E) and F-8J Crusader.
Lots of stuff is not yet enabled.
Watching a few vids on YouTube about it is like a walk down Falcon 4.0 Memory Lane.
I'm one of the people who downloaded the realism patches and had the full start-up on the ramp enabled.
I am so familiar with what they're showing from all the time I spent playing Falcon...
DCS is also now the first combat flight sim to have all four teen fighters native to the game.
F-14B (A coming soon), F-15C, F-16CM/50 and F/A-18C lot 20.
Shut up and take my money?
Well...
So far, only the F-15C is full release and it's running the standard model for the systems. The others are at various stages of pre and open release but run full advanced system modeling (every switch works or will work and every system works or will work).
I'm excited that flight sims are experiencing a renaissance.
I am bummed that I don't have the system to even begin to enjoy it.
I'm squirreling those pennies though!
Also on my list of wants is the announced F-4 Phantom (likely a late model F-4E) and F-8J Crusader.
But He Wasn't Armed
http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/man-charged-with-manslaughter-after-fatal-punch
Punch, fall, head hit, dead.
Just making sure this gets noted outside Tampa.
Punch, fall, head hit, dead.
Just making sure this gets noted outside Tampa.
04 October 2019
What A Dog's Breakfast
HB 273 would change:
790.053 Open carrying of weapons.—(1) Except as otherwise provided by law and in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any person to openly carry on or about his or her person any firearm or electric weapon or device. It is not a violation of this section for a person licensed to carry a concealed firearm as provided in s. 790.06(1), and who is lawfully carrying a firearm in a concealed manner, to briefly and openly display the firearm to the ordinary sight of another person, unless the firearm is intentionally displayed in an angry or threatening manner, not in necessary self-defense.(2) A person may openly carry, for purposes of lawful self-defense:(a) A self-defense chemical spray.(b) A nonlethal stun gun or dart-firing stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device that is designed solely for defensive purposes.History.—s. 1, ch. 87-537; s. 173, ch. 91-224; s. 3, ch. 97-72; s. 1205, ch. 97-102; s. 3, ch. 2006-298; s. 1, ch. 2011-145.
to
790.053 Open carrying of weapons.—(1) Except as otherwise provided by law and in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any person to openly carry on or about his or her person any electric weapon or device.(2) A person may openly carry, for purposes of lawful self-defense:(a) A self-defense chemical spray.(b) A nonlethal stun gun or dart-firing stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device that is designed solely for defensive purposes.History.—s. 1, ch. 87-537; s. 173, ch. 91-224; s. 3, ch. 97-72; s. 1205, ch. 97-102; s. 3, ch. 2006-298; s. 1, ch. 2011-145.
That translates to open carry, no license required.
For some reason 790.01 is amended from:
790.01 Unlicensed carrying of concealed weapons or concealed firearms.—(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who is not licensed under s. 790.06 and who carries a concealed weapon or electric weapon or device on or about his or her person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who is not licensed under s. 790.06 and who carries a concealed firearm on or about his or her person commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.(3) This section does not apply to:(a) A person who carries a concealed weapon, or a person who may lawfully possess a firearm and who carries a concealed firearm, on or about his or her person while in the act of evacuating during a mandatory evacuation order issued during a state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to chapter 252 or declared by a local authority pursuant to chapter 870. As used in this subsection, the term “in the act of evacuating” means the immediate and urgent movement of a person away from the evacuation zone within 48 hours after a mandatory evacuation is ordered. The 48 hours may be extended by an order issued by the Governor.(b) A person who carries for purposes of lawful self-defense, in a concealed manner:1. A self-defense chemical spray.2. A nonlethal stun gun or dart-firing stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device that is designed solely for defensive purposes.
to
790.01 Unlicensed carrying of concealed weapons or firearms.—It seems to me like the changes to 790.053 eliminate the need to mention firearms in 790.01 (3) (a).(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who is not licensed under s. 790.06 and who carries a concealed weapon or electric weapon or device on or about his or her person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who carries a concealed firearm on or about his or her person into any place described in s. 790.06 (12) (a) commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, or s. 775.083.(3) This section does not apply to:(a) A person who carries a concealed weapon, or a person who may lawfully possess a firearm and who carries a firearm, on or about his or her person while in the act of evacuating during a mandatory evacuation order issued during a state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to chapter 252 or declared by a local authority pursuant to chapter 870. As used in this subsection, the term “in the act of evacuating” means the immediate and urgent movement of a person away from the evacuation zone within 48 hours after a mandatory evacuation is ordered. The 48 hours may be extended by an order issued by the Governor.(b) A person who carries for purposes of lawful self-defense, in a concealed manner:1. A self-defense chemical spray.2. A nonlethal stun gun or dart-firing stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device that is designed solely for defensive purposes.
Unless there's other language barring the carry of firearms in an evacuation zone not changed with this bill.
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