Back From The Range

I'm happy, Marv isn't. His is short stroking. We think we found the problem, but it's too late to go back and verify.

Here are some pics of my 50 yard zero targets.

Top left is the initial shots. Top right is second string of five. Bottom left is confirming ten. All of those are British L2A2 Ball, equivalent to US M855. Bottom right is five M193.

Top left is 25 rounds L2A2 Ball. Top right is 30 rounds M193.

Aiming at the targets.

Action shot! See the brass near the right of the frame?

The mighty Colt Junior in .25 ACP

Marv before it started short stroking.

Mommy Update (Bad News)

Dear friends,

We had another Dr.’s appointment today and found that the chemo treatments have been ineffective and the tumor in her hip is larger than before and the cancer is also in another lymph node where it wasn’t previously. After the many powerful drugs she’s tried, her body is worn out and the option of yet another drug would have a greater chance of causing side effects that are unpleasant at best with minimal potential for success. Based on that, Mom has decided to forgo any additional treatment for the cancer now and just medicate the pain.



Hospice has been called and they will begin their in-home services within the next few days (I will be speaking with them tomorrow and getting more detail).



The good news is that mom is not in pain – the pain killers are doing their job. Without the side effects of the chemo treatments, there is also a good chance she will actually start feeling better. Seems strange but that is our reality right now. Mom’s got a great attitude about her future, short as it may be, and has been planning and preparing for this for a year now.



She would love to hear from all of you, but please understand she can’t talk for very long and wants to make sure I told you to please be understanding if she cuts you off and says she needs to rest. So that said, please give her a call and share your stories, memories and love with her. CENSORED. As of now, it’s a little difficult for her to sit at the computer and respond to email, so phone is best.



I’m not taking this quite as well, because hey, it stinks.



I will continue to keep you all posted as we continue through this. Thanks for all of your support.





McSister

Jumping On A Meme Bandwagon

I am John Doe and you are the infidels, CAIR.

Why do I declare myself John Doe?

Resonations from Churchill;

"Still, if you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves."

And Niemöller;

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Stolen In Its Entireity

From here! (Dead Link Dammit)

The game’s afoot in the Arabian Gulf:

The US Navy today began its largest demonstration of force in the Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, deploying two aircraft carriers and conducting simulated aerial attacks.
Manoeuvres involving 15 US warships and more than a hundred planes were certain to increase tension with Iran, which has frequently condemned the US military presence off its coastline.
The exercises began only four days after Iran captured 15 British sailors and marines whom it accused of straying into Iranian waters near the Gulf. Britain and the US Navy have insisted the British sailors were operating in Iraqi waters.
Aboard the carrier USS John C. Stennis, F/A-18 fighter jets rocketed off the deck in one of a dozen rapid-fire training sorties against enemy shipping and aircraft.

I suppose I should probably stay on message and join the 5th Fleet Public Affairs Officer in saying that these maneuvers have nothing to do with the 15 British sailors and marines shanghai’d by the IRGCN four days ago. Which in turn probably has nothing at all to to do with the 300 Iranian agents captured mucking around inside Iraq - and about whom, in response to the State Department’s plea to let some of them go, General Petraeus instead vowed (God bless his little camouflaged heart) to keep imprisoned until they ran out of information or he ran out of food.
But I guess I could point out that, in the highly theoretical case that a decision to stage a show of force demonstration had indeed been made by national command authority in response to the British Insult, it would probably have taken about this long to plan and execute.
Me? I might have gone about it in a different way, I think (and here’s a quick precis on why I’ll never be either a flag officer or a president): Pick an Iranian naval asset - one of those Kilo submarines, just for example - and politely ask the mullahs to de-man it because we’ll coming over in a little while to sink it at the pier. We cannot be deterred and we will not be dissuaded and there’s not a thing you can do to stop us, so how about getting the crew ashore and saving some lives? And by the way until we get 15 Tars and Jollies back, healthy and whole, we’ll be providing a fresh hull number tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, so do try to stay awake.
Any of your warships not currently at sea and seen making preparations to get underway? Assumed hostile and subject to defensive measures. 
And if they part one hair on a British mariner’s head? We sink every vessel in the Iranian fleet, at sea or in port, manned or otherwise. We’re tired of this.
Welcome to Leviathan.

I Am An Anthropogenic Climate Change Denier

Read

Next cocksucker that tells me about the hockey stick gets shot. I am not kidding. And most of you should know that I am aware of how many HOURS a human can survive with a stomach wound. I will also treat the fucking mouth breathing idiot to emergency medical care to alleviate shock, but not blood loss.

I will spell it out slowly for the mouth-breathers.

IT IS NOT MAN. IT IS THE SUN. WE LIVE NEXT TO A MAIN-SEQUENCE VARIABLE STAR, CLIMATIC VARIATIONS WILL OCCUR.

Mr Gore had better pray his life never depends on an action from me. I will watch that fuck die and take no action to save his sorry ass.

Pay attention folks, every single time the press reported on something you knew about, you saw they got it wrong, didn't you? Why do you assume they get it right when you don't know anything about the subject at hand?

Just To Show What A GEEK I Am

GURPS 4e stats on the guns I just made.

The VKb.83/07b is the one billed as an Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator.  The VKb.67/07 is going to be The Lovely Harvey's hurricane gun, we haven't even ordered part one yet.  It's going to be a 16" lightweight barrel, A2 upper with a Mag-Pul MIAD grip and Troy Medieval flash suppressor.

Guns/TL8 (Rifle)
TL Weapon                                                                                  Damage  Acc     Range    Weight RoF    Shots      ST Bulk Rcl  Cost  LC Notes
8    Laconic Arms XM177E3 (5.56x45mm 1:9)                            4d+2 pi    4     460/2900   7.3/1     3      30+1(3)  9†   -4     2    $689   3
8    Laconic Arms VKb.83/07 (5.56x45mm 1:9)                            5d pi       5     500/3200   9.3/1     3      30+1(3)  9†   -5     2    $922   3
8    Laconic Arms VKb.83/07b and 4-12x40 (5.56x45mm 1:9)     5d pi     5+3   500/3200   9.8/1     3      30+1(3)  9†   -5     2    $953   3
8    Laconic Arms VKb.67/07 (5.56x45mm 1:9)                           4d+2 pi    4     460/2900   6.6/1     3      30+1(3)  9†   -4     2    $728   3

VKb.83/07 Trivia

Overall length: 39.75".
Barrel length, 20" free-float.
Weight, empty: 8.5 lbs.
Weight, loaded with 30 rounds M855: 9.34 lbs.

Email I Got From JT

Let's say I break into your house

A lady wrote the best letter in the editorials in ages!!! It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV.

Her point:

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.

Let's say I break into your house.

Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).

According to the protesters:

You are required to let me stay in your house.
You are required to add me to your family's insurance plan.
You are required to educate my kids.
You are required to provide other benefits to me and to my family. (My husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part).

If you try to call the police or force me out. I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.

It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do and I'm just trying to better myself.

I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house.

And what a deal it is for me!!! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.

Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you learn MY LANGUAGE!!! So you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! Only in America!!

If you agree, pass it on (in English). Share it if you see the value of it.

If not blow it off......... along with your future Social Security funds, and a lot of other things.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ? Isn't this about on the mark?? Pass it on...

XM177E3 Trivia

Overall length, stock extended: 36.5".
Overall length, stock retracted: 32.75".
Barrel length, 16".
Weight, empty: 6.5 lbs.
Weight, loaded with 30 rounds M855: 7.34 lbs.

For comparison:
M16A1 is 39" overall, 20" barrel, 6.31 lbs. empty.
M16A2 is 39.625" overall, 20" barrel, 7.88 lbs. empty.
M4 Carbine is 33" with the stock extended; 29.8" retracted, 14.5" barrel, 6.15 lbs. empty.
XM177E2 Commando is 32.5" stock extended; 29.5" retracted, 11.5" barrel, 6.56 lbs. empty.

Ever Wonder How Many Parts Are In An AR15 Lower Receiver?

And judging by the lack of comments, no you haven't.

That's not even everything either; the buffer, buffer spring, receiver extension and the buttstock assembly are not shown.

We Interrupt Our Normal Scheduling To Bring You This Important Message From FuzzyGeff

I'm starting a word-of-mouth campaign against Tracfone. I bought one of their
phones, and had to list an email address in order to activate it. They took
that as a license to send me email ads, and their "unsubscribe" link doesn't
work. There's a feedback section on their webpage, which I used to tell them
that if they sent me another email, they would never see another dime. That
was yesterday; today, I got another spam.

Don't buy from Tracfone. Tell all your friends.

XM177E3 / VKb.83/07 Update

We have shipping indications from Del Ton for the kits!

The tracking number isn't active yet, but they've never lied before. If the time from the other two items is indicative, we will have enough parts to make rifles Friday afternoon, Monday at the latest!

UPDATE!

The tracking numbers are active now and claim a scheduled delivery date of Thursday, 15Mar07! That's got me so stoked I can hardly wait!

Soooper Akoor Ate Sneye Purr Rye Full

Here it is folks, the Daisy Model 105 B. Capable of propelling a 0.177" diameter steel projectile weighing nearly 0.0012 lbs to speeds approaching 275 feet per second!

The deadly accuracy of this high capacity weapon is enhanced by a Yankee Hill Machine Company 9432a free-float fore-end.

Pic eaten by grüe.

Home Repairs / Improvements Continue

The disintegrating INTERIOR door that was the side entrance to the garage has been replaced by a steel exterior door! Not only will the new door be more secure, it can be opened and it keeps the wind out.

The Lovely Harvey bought a new gas grill because our old one collapsed under its own weight from the legs rusting out from under it. To keep the rust from getting to the new one, she took some cinder blocks and excavated a foundation for them so we could set the grill on it. Looks really good!

Funniest Thing I Have Read All Day

"It's up to Congress to end these abuses as soon as possible," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The Patriot Act was never intended to allow the Bush administration to violate fundamental constitutional rights."

Did he READ the thing?

XM177E3 / VKb.83/07 Update

Kits have been ordered from Del Ton, I await them filling the order.

Tools for the assemblies have arrived.

Accessories that were ordered after the kits are in shipping, and should arrive here before the kits actually leave Del Ton. Of all the major kit suppliers, only Bushmaster and Del-Ton are still answering their phones. There's a buying frenzy going on and the supply chain is backed up all the way to the mines where the ore is dug. I'm not kidding either.

In addition to what I am making, I have two others locally talked into doing this too. They want a relatively cheap rifle and I want more experience putting them together. They're going to buy all the parts and I am going to assemble them. By the time I have my licenses in order so I can actually CHARGE people for my skills, I will have skills to sell. Gods I love capitalism!

Just Damn

Dead Link

While he is right that it's his site and he decides what he will allow, this post certainly smacks of, "I'm taking my ball and going home!"

I mentioned once, way back, that he'd successfully used the anti's logic to justify some infringement of our rights. Now he's acting like the hyper-liberals he hates again.

If you don't want people tearing your opinions to shreds, don't fucking post them in public! And if your position is so tenuous that it cannot stand debate, perhaps you should reconsider your position.

A Shining Ray Of Hope Penetrates The Overcast Of Dispair

http://instapundit.com/archives2/003206.php

Build Progress

OK! I have the part that is legally a gun (see pic below) I have ordered the tools to assemble the rest and the parts to make them into de facto firearms instead of merely de jure.

I hate waiting on shipping.

Anvil Arms is the supplier for the lowers, I didn't have to wait for shipping because I got them from the evil loophole gunshow.

Midway USA provided the flash suppressors for two and half the tools. Their shipping is outstandingly fast! Three days from placing the order I had what I ordered.

Del Ton? They are friendly, communicative and SLAMMED. I ordered the other half of the tools from them on the 27th. They arrive today on the Big Brown Truck. The kits and accessories were ordered on the 2nd. The web site says "pending" just like it said ten seconds after ordering.

When I spoke to Betty at Del Ton she said they were getting hit hard with orders and were in the process of moving to a better location. Talk about a double whammy.

No slam on Del Ton here, I just hate waiting.

Finally Fixing The Storm Damage Of 2005

And the damage caused by two miscreants from across the street.

The Hurricanes killed the linkages and the kids shot the panes with a BB gun.

Special THANKS to Marv for helping (doing most) with the install!

He even took some pics.

http://community.webshots.com/album/558000147UXfwXs

Not that it does us any good since webshots went belly up.

The Build(s) Begin

Here are the first three receivers. With these I shall curry favor with people who might wish to invest in my venture. If there is enough favor, then FFL and manufacture begins!

These are actually Anvil Arms lowers, as I mentioned below.

I had to wait an extra hour after they were engraved with the laser to get the Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator back because the owner was showing it around and taking pics of it.

Dead Link To Anvil Arms I highly recommend(ed) them!

Anvil Arms It Is

They are cheaper than Del-Ton for the lowers.

They are in Lakeland, no FFL fees.

They do custom engraving.

This is going to be so cool!

This is going on a 16" chrome lined heavy barrel, an A1 upper with brass deflector, 6 position CAR stock, and DPMS slip-over 5" flash suppressor.

Marv has requested this logo. The text should be the same size as the above. That was a pain in the ass to trace into a usable format. His issue M16A1 was a Hydra Matic gun.

His will be a 20" chrome lined heavy barrel, flat-top upper, YHM folding front sight/gas block with bayonet lug, ARMS #40L folding rear sight, 6 position CAR stock, and DPMS slip-over 5" flash suppressor.

Kits are coming from Del-Ton. Or kits are coming as soon as we are fully funded, I should say.

We're The Government And You're Not

Interview Meme

1: What would your ideal vehicle be, if money and other constraints of reality were no object?

Something that flies, fast. And has really long range. Like an TF-8E Crusader trainer. That would be OK.

2: Which is your favorite author, and why?

Heinlein. I enjoy his writing style and his presentation of his worlds was always interesting to me.

3: Other than where you are, where in the world would you like to live?

Mecca. Because if I could live there, Arabic would be as important to daily life as ancient Greek. Actually, I love the desert. I don't know why, it's just a neat place to me. I could live just about any desert place.

4: What were the things you liked most and least about your time in the military?

I liked most going to the ranges and shooting the main guns. Thrilling. I liked least the endless stupid make-work tasks that pervade combat arms when not in the field.

5: You have just won the biggest lottery prize in the history of the United States. What do you do with the money?

First, pay off all the mundane things like the house and other debts. Second, I have no idea. Answering this is along the lines of "What would you do with super powers?" Which I think is a lot more likely than winning the lottery.

Now, to continue the game...

If you want to play with this meme, leave me a comment saying "Interview me."

I will respond with five questions so that I can get to know you better. Depending on our degree of acquaintanceship, they may be superficial or fairly probing.

The person I've interviewed will update his or her LJ with answers to my questions.

My interviewee will include these rules and an offer to interview someone else in their answer.

When others comment asking to be interviewed, my interviewee will ask them five questions.

Question

At what point to you say, "fuck it," and throw in the towel?

Last week, I called Del-Ton to order one Stag Arms and one DPMS lower receiver. They didn't have DPMS, would Double-Star be fine? Sure, Marv didn't care.

I give them the card information, give them the name of the FFL who had agreed to receive the shipment.

And waited.

And waited.

Today I call Del-Ton. No fax from the FFL, Cole's Gun Shop in Clearwater. Betty at Del Ton says she will call them. She does. They are clueless. Oh, by the way, they're out of Stag now too.

I call Cole's, talk to "Tiny". He promised he will fax it tonight. "You said that last week too, what's wrong with right now?" He promises he will fax tonight. I don't believe him anymore.

I call Del-Ton back. Talk to Betty again. Cancel the order.

NOW I am pissed.

I had really wanted to get this project going again. Now it looks like it never will.

An Excellent Read

How To Build A Cheap AR In 101 Easy Steps

Mommy Update

They determined that mom did not have Colitis, but a bacterial infection. Once that was identified, they put her on antibiotics and she is feeling much much better. They’ve poked and prodded and she’s a little bruised, but says she definitely feels better. Due to all of the poking, they tried to put a PIC line in. Their first attempt in her left arm was unsuccessful, so she has this in her right arm now. There is a possibility that she has a blood clot in her left arm, so today she received an ultrasound on that arm and we are awaiting the results. Sunday she got her first solid food in 4 days and was very happy about that.

Still in the hospital though...

Someone Took A Lot Of Time Translating This To A Wiki

http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/GURPS_Weapons#Guns_.28LMG.29

You know you've arrived when people are making it easier for people to get to the work you donated to them.

Didja Know

Today is the 62nd anniversary of the flag raising on Mt Suribachi?

Spiritual Conflict

Dead Link

I read that. Here's what I think is the money quote, "[Ahmed] Rushdie, a professor in Penn's Near Eastern Language and Civilizations Department and a board member of Masjid Al-Jamia, says the move raises serious issues for Muslims in the area - under Islamic law, it is illegal for Muslims to consume alcohol."

THEN

DON'T

DRINK

ANY

DON'T

BUY

ANY

Gee, that was simple wasn't it? YOUR religion proscribes YOUR behavior, NOT mine. Your imaginary friend says, "no booze for you," then you don't buy any. I must be some sort of Islamic scholar or something to see this where a mere Muslim doesn't.

And this also touches on something the hardcore religious get wrong time and again. You score points with Mr Imaginary by RESISTING temptation, not by eliminating all sources of it. If there is no temptation, there are is no test of faith and conviction. READ YOUR DAMN HOLY BOOKS! I'm a Godless atheist and _I_ have read three different versions of Christian bible and a translation of the Koran. Wanna bet that's a lot more than the typical person sitting in the pews?

Mommy's Sicker

In addition to cancer, my sister sent me this...

"Mom is in the hospital again, this time fighting some severe abdominal pain. At first everyone thought it was her appendix, but after she convinced them that that had been removed a long time ago, they started searching for another cause (some of the younger Dr.s had to be reminded that appendix don't grow back - she had fun with that). At this point, they suspect Colitis, which is basically ulcers in your large intestine, but they haven't given that as the official diagnosis yet and therefore don't have a prescription for a solution.

The Dr.s and nurses suspect she will be in the hospital over the weekend. She is getting pain medication intraveniously. Mom has never responded to pain medication and this is no different, even with morphine, the pain remains. The Dr.s don't think that the new chemo drugs she is on are causing the abdominal pain; this is a separate problem."

Well, fucking joy.

Quote Of The Random Interval

"Tis true that the pen is mightier than the sword, but far more have died for want of a sword than will die for lack of a pen." -- Curtis Mohr

About That AR

Further research has revealed that it just can't be afforded.

Steering away from the lowest price will do that, even if you are avoiding shoddy workmanship and materials by selecting the higher price.

This rapidly changed from a $550 per gun to $750 a gun. And that crosses the line from "worth it" to "why bother". Especially since complete guns are available for just a smidgen more.

Coupled with the legal requirements and their associated fees, it stops being profitable almost instantly.

Oh yeah, the bills didn't miraculously disappear. Still gotta pay to have luxuries like food.

The research was fun though. It's a pity there isn't more to look up.

Advanced orders and cash would change the entire dynamic... Want to get in on the ground floor of a pre-IPO venture in the lucrative gun making market?

Call Your Congressweasels

Tell them that you would be very pleased if HR1022 died in committee.

It's especially important if your Congressweasel is a Blue Dog Democrat. Remind them that we're serious about this shit.

Full On Geeking Out

300 is going to be in theaters on March ninth.

Frank Miller is damn good, and Hollywood is finally figuring out that the source material sold for a reason so messing with it is a bad plan. Sin City proved that comics were a visual medium and translate well to film. 300 looks like it will too!

The battle is justly famous, I only know the glossy details and not the whole thing, but it's the source of some of my favorite lines, "Μολὼν Λαβέ," this was supposedly Leonidas' reply to the Persians when told that if he would lay down his arms the Spartans could leave in peace. It means, "come and take them!" It's the great grand-daddy of, "from my cold-dead hands".

The one liners from the graphic novel are in the trailers, "Our arrows will blot out the sun!" "Then we will fight in the shade."
"Give them nothing! Take from them, everything!"

The story focuses on the heroism and handily ignores a lot of unsavory things about Sparta, but what the hey? In many ways, including the unsavory, Sparta is the true progenitor of the American Spirit, not Athens.

A New Manifesto!

From "The Van Hoffmann Bro's Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness" BUY YOURS TODAY!

What Guys Know About Women

"A man needs a woman, but a man does not need a woman who needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. Also, women aren't as crazy about this Earth stuff. The facts are plain at any big newsstand rack - countless titles, increasingly narrowcast to the pursuits and passions of men - these in turn augmented by thousands of newsletters, events, and clubs. In contrast stands the inch-thick woman's magazine, filled with fashion, perfume and makeup ads. These are interests completely alien to the men of the Earth. The covers of these magazines invariably feature some incredible model with her breasts falling out. If these are woman's magazines, then who are these breasts for? We can't figure it, but it seems pretty clear that this whole beauty business is geared toward impressing other women, not attracting men. Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to have much to do with Earth. It is illustrative of one of the principle communication problems between the sexes. Earth men feel that they are pursuing the natural course for living on Earth and have trouble holding in equal regard those who do not. The wife, therefore, who begrudges the Earth man his occasional fishing trip is not only being an unnecessarily selfish nuisance, but is also interfering with the natural order. In contrast, the wife who understands and encourages the Earth man's necessary forays is a gal and a goddess - highly wondrous but increasingly rare, thanks to the meddling of today's PC liberal clueless killjoys and other wayward muck-ups."

Simplifying My Life

Today's frustration at Bill Jackson's has cemented it.

No more gun stuff. When it started becoming work to go shooting, it stopped being fun. It's also a ton more comfortable with my shirt tucked in and the gun in the safe at home.

This made me think of some other useless things in my life.

Gaming. Who am I kidding? I don't game anymore. No need to waste any more time or money on it.

Cars. Toys for the idle rich. I need basic transportation I can rely on. That can be slow and ugly, can't it. No more money for fast and pretty.

Computers. Now that I am not gaming and have graduated college, I need a computer about as much as Paris Hilton needs more publicity. I have three. Today the laptop and iMac get shut down and may never be restarted. The desktop will continue until it dies, and I don't have any intention of replacing/repairing it.

Cell phone. For the active person who's on the go! My polar opposite, in fact. If you get my voice mail without a ring, guess what? It's off and I am home.

It Just Keeps Getting Funnier

Cancel or Allow

I Just Noticed Something

Have you ever wondered how an obvious nut like Hitler got elected? Ever wonder how that process worked?

Sit back and watch Hillary get elected and UNDERSTAND.

And believe it or not, this does not equate her with Hitler except on the score that lots of people don't like them (at election time) and they got elected anyway.

Update: April 23, 2014.  Turns out I was right about the path, but not the actor.  Obama certainly is treading the path of Fascism.

Like You Know And Stuff