My county just voted to add five cents tax to every gallon of gasoline sold in the county.
Their cut of a gallon is now 12¢. It used to be 7¢. The counties to the south are still 7¢ and the county to the north is 9¢.
They claim it will just be $37.50 more a year to the average driver. We're above average here at Casa de McThag, $73.45 is the increase from our average consumption of fuel.
They claim "But the impact, $37.50 a year - the implications of that are less than the cost of Starbucks coffee a month."
That's half a million lattes a month that aren't going to be bought folks. Or Big Macs, or 1/4 Pounders... Opportunity costs and the Gods of the copybook headings will not be ignored.
Pick something that you can no longer buy because you're paying 5¢ a gallon more for gas.
Interestingly the deciding vote was cast by a long hold-out on the issue mere days after he lost a primary challenge.
Also of note: the murmuring to up the gas taxes to maintain our roads coincides with the vote to allow the county employee's to unionize.
But the huge problem is really back on the County Commission's lap, they decided to no longer make developers pay for the impact new developments would have on the infrastructure.
Luckily, I live very near the souther border of the county I live in, I can take advantage of the cheaper gas
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10 September 2014
09 September 2014
Going For The Heart-Strings
The bald guy here is Garry. Garry is, at present, a two time survivor of prostate cancer!
We're working on the third time right this second, dammit.
The treatment he's getting is experimental and we're told primarily funded by generous donations like KTKC generates.
It's obviously not cheap, but we like Garry and would like to keep him around a bit longer; if only to terrorize the wait-staff at Cuban Breezes for the INC meetings.
The other person in the picture wants to keep her grandpa around too.
Donate early, donate often! Be sure to say Team McThag!
Statistic
 |
| From: http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_1054_20-famous-stereotypes-that-are-statistically-b.s./ |
If 1/2 of households had guns in 1970 and 1/3 have them in 2010 that means that the number of gun owners stayed pretty steady at about 100 million households.
I posit that the reason we're seeing this steady state isn't because the percentage is getting smaller, but that gun owners are less likely to admit they own a gun than they used to be.
I certainly would be reluctant to admit it on a survey and I post pictures of my guns to the internet!
Cheap Guns
What constitutes a "cheap gun"?
I've long held that you should own the most expensive gun you can afford.
But then I noticed something.
There's nothing wrong whatsoever with getting a Glock 17 and never buying a "better" handgun. The Glock is far from the most expensive thing out there and with police trade-ins, a used Glock with plenty of life left in it might be a lot cheaper than a new "cheap" gun.
There are quite a few handguns out there that cost a great deal more and don't really offer much improvement (if any) in accuracy, capacity, reliability or toughness. Many are far worse on all four counts and cost 4 to 10 times as much!
This repeats in rifles as well. An AR might not be the best rifle you can buy, but it's solid and its vices are well known. This is the problem the Army is having with the carbine competition. Costs more, doesn't improve (much) upon the gun in service is a hard sell.
Tam deftly put it, and I am quoting from memory, for most people you could sell them a gun that turned to dust after firing round 100 and they'd never know that it did that. They have the gun, the box of ammo they bought the day they picked up the gun and one magazines amount of cartridges missing from the box when their kids start going through all of their stuff after putting their parents in the home.
Even the much maligned Hi-Point can cross that bar!
I've long held that you should own the most expensive gun you can afford.
But then I noticed something.
There's nothing wrong whatsoever with getting a Glock 17 and never buying a "better" handgun. The Glock is far from the most expensive thing out there and with police trade-ins, a used Glock with plenty of life left in it might be a lot cheaper than a new "cheap" gun.
There are quite a few handguns out there that cost a great deal more and don't really offer much improvement (if any) in accuracy, capacity, reliability or toughness. Many are far worse on all four counts and cost 4 to 10 times as much!
This repeats in rifles as well. An AR might not be the best rifle you can buy, but it's solid and its vices are well known. This is the problem the Army is having with the carbine competition. Costs more, doesn't improve (much) upon the gun in service is a hard sell.
Tam deftly put it, and I am quoting from memory, for most people you could sell them a gun that turned to dust after firing round 100 and they'd never know that it did that. They have the gun, the box of ammo they bought the day they picked up the gun and one magazines amount of cartridges missing from the box when their kids start going through all of their stuff after putting their parents in the home.
Even the much maligned Hi-Point can cross that bar!
08 September 2014
07 September 2014
More On F-35
"Rearward visibility is poor and is going to get pilots killed." Paraphrased from a few years ago.
Today's reply:
Here, put on this helmet, hit that switch, look down and tell me what you see.
"Hey, that's the runway!"
Now look over your shoulder and down; tell me what you don't see.
"Hey, I can't see the airframe."
Welcome to the dispersed aperture global view camera system!
They've compromised the Mk 1 Mod 0 eyeball system, yes, but the camera system should make up for it. The best part about it is the hardware is nothing special, thus displays (pun) damn near tedious reliability. The new bit here is the software, which I will admit is chock full of bugs and teething problems; but every report about new revisions is showing positive and steady progress.
I think this little monster is going to be a winner someday.
I only wish that it wasn't so constrained by the USMC part. Looking at what the F-35 program costs I sometimes wonder if it wouldn't have been cheaper to pull an SCB-125 on the LHDs and LHAs; tell the Marines they were getting the Navy version and said the same thing to the Air Force.
You have to admit the Phantom II was a wildly successful program and it remains the sole example that all three tactical aviation arms bought.
Today's reply:
Here, put on this helmet, hit that switch, look down and tell me what you see.
"Hey, that's the runway!"
Now look over your shoulder and down; tell me what you don't see.
"Hey, I can't see the airframe."
Welcome to the dispersed aperture global view camera system!
They've compromised the Mk 1 Mod 0 eyeball system, yes, but the camera system should make up for it. The best part about it is the hardware is nothing special, thus displays (pun) damn near tedious reliability. The new bit here is the software, which I will admit is chock full of bugs and teething problems; but every report about new revisions is showing positive and steady progress.
I think this little monster is going to be a winner someday.
I only wish that it wasn't so constrained by the USMC part. Looking at what the F-35 program costs I sometimes wonder if it wouldn't have been cheaper to pull an SCB-125 on the LHDs and LHAs; tell the Marines they were getting the Navy version and said the same thing to the Air Force.
You have to admit the Phantom II was a wildly successful program and it remains the sole example that all three tactical aviation arms bought.
Dear Brain
Dear Brain,
There's the path I want this post to take.
I want you to stay on that path.
Yes, I know there's pretty butterflies and frolicking squirrels way over there off the path.
The flashing lights and bright colors are likewise enticing...
FOCUS!
Thank you.
The Muse.
There's the path I want this post to take.
I want you to stay on that path.
Yes, I know there's pretty butterflies and frolicking squirrels way over there off the path.
The flashing lights and bright colors are likewise enticing...
FOCUS!
Thank you.
The Muse.
06 September 2014
Well That Didn't Work As Hoped
Decided to try the Europe goes hot during the Cuban Missile Crisis campaign with VMFA-314 in an F-4B.
In 1962 my air-to-air weapon selection is the AIM-9B Sidewinder and the AIM-7D Sparrow.
The AIM-9B is useless against a maneuvering target. The AIM-7D is useless below 2,500' AGL and in nearly all look-down scenarios.
The first mission was an intercept 8v8 looking for enemy Il-28. They attack nape of the earth so the Sparrows are out. They are escorted by 8 MiG-17F; so now it's 8v16. There's another four ship of MiG-17F and a two ship of MiG-21F-13 in the area as well; 8v22! You need 50% of the guys you're supposed to be shooting to count it as a win. I got two Il-28 with sidewinders and 3 MiG-17F (but not the escorts!) with the sparrows. One of the wingmen managed to take out a single Il-28. I am now done accounting our kills. Once I was out of missiles I disengaged and one of my wingmen was shot down before I landed and three had taken some sort of damage. Once I'd taxied back to the pad I ended the scenario (and prolly saved my wingmen since the game doesn't kill them once the player leaves the game).
The second mission was to find four MiG-15bis before they could take out friendly armor. Low level again! I got lucky with one sidewinder on the first Fagot but missed with the remaining three. I fired an AIM-7D at a passing MiG-21F-13 who was perfectly lined up for the shot by pure chance; got him. Then I got nailed by a MiG-17PF. KIA with posthumous Purple Heart.
I think that next time I try for 1962 in a Marine jet I am going for an F-8C. Having a gun of some sort sure would have made life a lot better.
In 1962 my air-to-air weapon selection is the AIM-9B Sidewinder and the AIM-7D Sparrow.
The AIM-9B is useless against a maneuvering target. The AIM-7D is useless below 2,500' AGL and in nearly all look-down scenarios.
The first mission was an intercept 8v8 looking for enemy Il-28. They attack nape of the earth so the Sparrows are out. They are escorted by 8 MiG-17F; so now it's 8v16. There's another four ship of MiG-17F and a two ship of MiG-21F-13 in the area as well; 8v22! You need 50% of the guys you're supposed to be shooting to count it as a win. I got two Il-28 with sidewinders and 3 MiG-17F (but not the escorts!) with the sparrows. One of the wingmen managed to take out a single Il-28. I am now done accounting our kills. Once I was out of missiles I disengaged and one of my wingmen was shot down before I landed and three had taken some sort of damage. Once I'd taxied back to the pad I ended the scenario (and prolly saved my wingmen since the game doesn't kill them once the player leaves the game).
The second mission was to find four MiG-15bis before they could take out friendly armor. Low level again! I got lucky with one sidewinder on the first Fagot but missed with the remaining three. I fired an AIM-7D at a passing MiG-21F-13 who was perfectly lined up for the shot by pure chance; got him. Then I got nailed by a MiG-17PF. KIA with posthumous Purple Heart.
I think that next time I try for 1962 in a Marine jet I am going for an F-8C. Having a gun of some sort sure would have made life a lot better.
05 September 2014
Off To A Great Start!
The standings for KTKC are posted and we're doing great!
$195 for Team McThag and $1,530 total.
Huzzah!
Now I have to go back and see if I promised anything for breaking $200...
$195 for Team McThag and $1,530 total.
Huzzah!
Now I have to go back and see if I promised anything for breaking $200...
Defense News
I tire of breathless reports about the failings of the F-35 program that don't mention which variant they're talking about.
It's actually three different planes. There's so little commonality between them they should have been the F-24A, FV-25A and F/A-26A instead of F-35A, F-35B and F-35C respectively.
Never mind that it should never have kept the -35 designation from the X series anyway! If I get on a designation system rant I'll be all day since I don't think that F/A-18E or F and the related EF-18G should be -18 but should have gotten a new designation number. But the politics of acquisition spoke louder than using the defined system...
F-35 has a bulkhead crack! Some F-35B have a crack, and it is likely related to stresses from the front lift fan and the ginormous barn door on top. I've yet to read an explanation as to why they changed to that large door from the smaller ones.
F-35 tail-hook ineffective! That's specific to the F-35C. The emergency hook on the F-35A works just fine.
Grumble...
It's actually three different planes. There's so little commonality between them they should have been the F-24A, FV-25A and F/A-26A instead of F-35A, F-35B and F-35C respectively.
Never mind that it should never have kept the -35 designation from the X series anyway! If I get on a designation system rant I'll be all day since I don't think that F/A-18E or F and the related EF-18G should be -18 but should have gotten a new designation number. But the politics of acquisition spoke louder than using the defined system...
F-35 has a bulkhead crack! Some F-35B have a crack, and it is likely related to stresses from the front lift fan and the ginormous barn door on top. I've yet to read an explanation as to why they changed to that large door from the smaller ones.
F-35 tail-hook ineffective! That's specific to the F-35C. The emergency hook on the F-35A works just fine.
Grumble...
04 September 2014
Gaming Stories...
I've got a few...
For teaser purposes... Titles.
Warren and the security booth.
Warren and the UH-1H.
Warren and the windshield.
Rhonda and the tail.
Fuzzygeff, Vacuum, Hyperspace and Tie-Downs.
Anglave and the Trusting Tenderfoot.
How much are the complete stories worth?
Make a donation and mention how much in the comments and see if you've unlocked the achievement!
For teaser purposes... Titles.
Warren and the security booth.
Warren and the UH-1H.
Warren and the windshield.
Rhonda and the tail.
Fuzzygeff, Vacuum, Hyperspace and Tie-Downs.
Anglave and the Trusting Tenderfoot.
How much are the complete stories worth?
Make a donation and mention how much in the comments and see if you've unlocked the achievement!
A Suggestion
Willard says that instead of ugly guys in kilts, we should have hot school-girls in leather.
Make a big enough donation and I think we can make that happen.
Y'all will have to settle for 18+ school girls because we're only so creepy here.
Make a big enough donation and I think we can make that happen.
Y'all will have to settle for 18+ school girls because we're only so creepy here.
Guess Again
Concerning the lens flares in Star Trek's reboot by JJ Abrams.
Actually no.
We started noticing and focusing on the lens flares because we'd checked out from the "fun and excitement" already. With nothing else to do, we started noticing things that should have been in the background.
People just don't notice bad camera work and poor lens choices when there's something on the screen engaging them.
Yet, a lot of people walked out of that really fun, exciting movie unable to do anything but complain about lens flare. Ultimately, that's a good thing: Abrams made such a good movie that the biggest problem most viewers had is that the lights did a stretchy thing across the screen.
Read more: http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-public-apologies-we-shouldnt-accept/#ixzz3CLxTUnkw
Actually no.
We started noticing and focusing on the lens flares because we'd checked out from the "fun and excitement" already. With nothing else to do, we started noticing things that should have been in the background.
People just don't notice bad camera work and poor lens choices when there's something on the screen engaging them.
Risk Management
In no way should saying, "this is why you were selected as a victim," be taken to absolve or mitigate the responsibility of the criminal for their actions.
Once the criminal has gotten to the victim selection portion of the event, they've already committed themselves to the commission of the crime.
Someone is going to be a victim and the best you can do is make yourself less enticing to them.
Sometimes there's nothing the victim can do to reduce their chances because the decision to commit the crime is tied to committing it on that person. Stalking falls into this category. The stalker doesn't start with "I'm going to stalk, oh... that random person there." They back into a justification of stalking a particular person based on specious at best reasoning. It's rarely the "at best" scenario. Most of the time the rationale is bug-nuts.
It's a fine line to tread about "blaming the victim." The blame and fault is entirely on the criminal for the crime. It is not, however, unhealthy to ask, "what could I have done differently?"
If every girl walking home drunk from a bar through a bad neighborhood while wearing a slinky cocktail dress and heels gets raped; but not a single sober female jogger in sweats does... There's a pattern to be aware of.
Once the criminal has gotten to the victim selection portion of the event, they've already committed themselves to the commission of the crime.
Someone is going to be a victim and the best you can do is make yourself less enticing to them.
Sometimes there's nothing the victim can do to reduce their chances because the decision to commit the crime is tied to committing it on that person. Stalking falls into this category. The stalker doesn't start with "I'm going to stalk, oh... that random person there." They back into a justification of stalking a particular person based on specious at best reasoning. It's rarely the "at best" scenario. Most of the time the rationale is bug-nuts.
It's a fine line to tread about "blaming the victim." The blame and fault is entirely on the criminal for the crime. It is not, however, unhealthy to ask, "what could I have done differently?"
If every girl walking home drunk from a bar through a bad neighborhood while wearing a slinky cocktail dress and heels gets raped; but not a single sober female jogger in sweats does... There's a pattern to be aware of.
KTKC
We were at $75 yesterday morning.
If we keep up the $25 a day pace we should pull $750 by the time this closes!
Y'all can do it!
There are 15 followers down there, $20 each and we're at $300.
200 people hit this site on average every day; even a BUCK from each of you is $200.
You've got a dollar, don't you?
Leave a comment for ideas that will incentivize you. As long as it's legal and I won't injure myself past embarrassment I'm likely to do it.
If we keep up the $25 a day pace we should pull $750 by the time this closes!
Y'all can do it!
There are 15 followers down there, $20 each and we're at $300.
200 people hit this site on average every day; even a BUCK from each of you is $200.
You've got a dollar, don't you?
Leave a comment for ideas that will incentivize you. As long as it's legal and I won't injure myself past embarrassment I'm likely to do it.
03 September 2014
Your Participation Is Required
In every single crime, the victim is a participant in the victim selection process. In Perfect World®, there'd be no behavior on the victim's part that made them more likely to be selected by the criminal. In real world, there are things you can do that increase your chances of being selected. Wishing that wasn't so doesn't change this.
If I give you my PIN number and ATM card to pull out $20 and you take $200, who is at fault? You. But how much could you have stolen if I'd not given you the card and PIN?
This is the core of the nudie pics drama. If you don't want someone to see pictures of you nekkid; never EVER take a picture of yourself nekkid. That applied before there was an internet. The reason is that there are thieves and scumbags out there who will be more than happy to share them with the world should they ever discover how you've secreted them away.
Celebrities should be aware that all of that doubly applies to them and the security measures that keep a picture of my nekkidness secure are meaningless to someone with real motivation to see them, and the mere fact of celebrity means that motivations exists. That means that celebs need to take extraordinary measures to secure their data. Why? Because we don't live in Perfect World®!
So we lecture the victim and punish the thieves! To skip the lecture assures the victim will be selected again. Becoming self-rightous and indignant when someone points out the victim's participation in the process makes you a fool.
Figured It Out
The reason that President Obama can't come to a decision about ISIS...
Thanks to Bill Clinton they no longer know what 'IS' means and it's in ISIS twice!
Thanks to Bill Clinton they no longer know what 'IS' means and it's in ISIS twice!
02 September 2014
I Just Bleeping Stabbed Myself
Bought me a spiffy kopis style Cold Steel machete.
Hacked at an unwanted tree limb in the back yard, because that's why I bought the thing. It effortlessly sliced right through the limb and because it didn't slow down even a bit, I wasn't prepared to stop it before it hit my poorly placed foot.
In a flip flop...
This could have been so much worse!
Hi, my name is Thag and I am stupid.
Hacked at an unwanted tree limb in the back yard, because that's why I bought the thing. It effortlessly sliced right through the limb and because it didn't slow down even a bit, I wasn't prepared to stop it before it hit my poorly placed foot.
In a flip flop...
This could have been so much worse!
Hi, my name is Thag and I am stupid.
01 September 2014
Not Invited
Clicked on Tam's blog and got...
I'd been on my best behavior lately too! Took showers, used deodorant, chewed with my mouth closed...
Update:
Apparently she's quit and this is how a retired blog looks.
Fair weather and calm seas, Tam!
This blog is open to invited readers only
http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/It doesn't look like you have been invited to read this blog. If you think this is a mistake, you might want to contact the blog author and request an invitation.
You're signed in as mcthag - Sign in with a different account
I'd been on my best behavior lately too! Took showers, used deodorant, chewed with my mouth closed...
Update:
Apparently she's quit and this is how a retired blog looks.
Fair weather and calm seas, Tam!
Oddities
I was just reading that the flight of a bullet gives of an rf signal that a radio can pick up.
That's neat!
I guess the copper of the round passing through the earth's magnetic field is responsible.
Attempts to Google more information have hit the typical wall...
That's neat!
I guess the copper of the round passing through the earth's magnetic field is responsible.
Attempts to Google more information have hit the typical wall...
KTKC '14 Is ON!
Click on the pic to your right, don't forget to click the box for "This donation is made as part of a Fundraising Team" then select "team McThag" from the drop down menu that will appear.
I'd be pleased as punch to have $1,000 channeled through my name this year. I'd be nearly as thrilled to have just $20, but that doesn't do near as much good for the recipients.
We hit $500 and I'll do the "dunk your junk" bit!
The Dog might have to translate anything I say after that though...
I'd be pleased as punch to have $1,000 channeled through my name this year. I'd be nearly as thrilled to have just $20, but that doesn't do near as much good for the recipients.
We hit $500 and I'll do the "dunk your junk" bit!
The Dog might have to translate anything I say after that though...
31 August 2014
OMG
It's sometimes remarkable what gets you to give up going to a forum.
Buh bye arfcom!
Incestual rape isn't funny and isn't a joking matter.
If the site staff isn't even going to give the asshole a time out for it, I don't think I want to be associated with the place any longer.
Which is a shame because there is some good stuff there in some of the more technically focused forums. Losing the retro section as a resource is going to suck.
Buh bye arfcom!
Incestual rape isn't funny and isn't a joking matter.
If the site staff isn't even going to give the asshole a time out for it, I don't think I want to be associated with the place any longer.
Which is a shame because there is some good stuff there in some of the more technically focused forums. Losing the retro section as a resource is going to suck.
29 August 2014
To Put It Another Way
About resurrection-cloning.
There will be a person whose perspective is they went to sleep/blacked out and then woke up.
How they feel about who they are NOW is mostly determined by how they felt about it BEFORE.
I suspect that the people who feel strongly that the clone isn't, and can't be, them won't avail themselves of the service.
If such a service becomes even somewhat widely available I also suspect that the perspective that the clone cannot be you will be lost. Dying and waking up in a new body will simply become how things are and there won't be a philosophical divide about it.
There will be a person whose perspective is they went to sleep/blacked out and then woke up.
How they feel about who they are NOW is mostly determined by how they felt about it BEFORE.
I suspect that the people who feel strongly that the clone isn't, and can't be, them won't avail themselves of the service.
If such a service becomes even somewhat widely available I also suspect that the perspective that the clone cannot be you will be lost. Dying and waking up in a new body will simply become how things are and there won't be a philosophical divide about it.
May Day (US)
It is labor day weekend! One of the few national holidays where I say get out there and SHOP! Why? Because it's a Marxist/Leninist/Socialist holiday. The rest of the world does it on May 1st, but our native commies tried to hide its origins.
So, stick it to the working man and indulge in crass capitalistic behavior! Triple word score if you can force a union worker to work Monday.
So, stick it to the working man and indulge in crass capitalistic behavior! Triple word score if you can force a union worker to work Monday.
28 August 2014
That Whole 1911 v 1911A1 Thing
I was looking at past posts and notice that I mentioned liking the feel of the flat mainspring housing and long trigger.
My how quickly that feeling faded into a desire for it to feel familiar in my hand.
I blame my acquisition of the Hi-Power for the change.
It's kind of illustrative how fickle "feel" can be.
The constant swapping of furniture on the AR's is another indicator.
Even though there's a constant quest to get the perfect feel, it's also amazing how adaptive we can be towards ergonomics we cannot so readily change.
My how quickly that feeling faded into a desire for it to feel familiar in my hand.
I blame my acquisition of the Hi-Power for the change.
It's kind of illustrative how fickle "feel" can be.
The constant swapping of furniture on the AR's is another indicator.
Even though there's a constant quest to get the perfect feel, it's also amazing how adaptive we can be towards ergonomics we cannot so readily change.
Free Insurance
I remember when the $2,500 the NRA offers for insurance on your guns was enough to cover everything I owned...
Now...
The steady accumulation over the past 20 years really shows.
Now...
The steady accumulation over the past 20 years really shows.
Worshipping Milspec
On one hand, milspec is something that's passed stringent testing and made to a very tight tolerance.
On the other, should a genuine improvement in process or material or dimension come along; mil-spec is an inflexible barrier to change.
One need not look farther for an example than the extractor spring on the M16 series. Colt had identified a solution to the problems encountered on many rifles but the DoD determined that it wasn't happening on enough rifles to justify making a change to the supply chain. At least not for a very long time. Even so, further improvement has been made in the civilian sector, and is not (officially) allowed on the mil's guns.
It's especially amusing to watch someone extoll the virtues of mil-spec on their rifle while shunning the very much mil-spec USGI 30-round magazine.
On the other, should a genuine improvement in process or material or dimension come along; mil-spec is an inflexible barrier to change.
One need not look farther for an example than the extractor spring on the M16 series. Colt had identified a solution to the problems encountered on many rifles but the DoD determined that it wasn't happening on enough rifles to justify making a change to the supply chain. At least not for a very long time. Even so, further improvement has been made in the civilian sector, and is not (officially) allowed on the mil's guns.
It's especially amusing to watch someone extoll the virtues of mil-spec on their rifle while shunning the very much mil-spec USGI 30-round magazine.
Cracked
Tam made a post a while back talking about the 10mm's propensity to crack the frame right above the slide stop cut-out.
Colt's solution was to open up the cut-out all the way.
What I noticed today was that 10mm isn't the only place they've done it. My .38 Super came with an open cut-out too.
By way of contrast, my 2006 Springfield USGI in .45 is thus:
Marv's 1983 made .45 is from before the change.
It makes me wonder if .38 Super had the same cracking problem as 10mm or if Colt just made the change to the cut-out on all of their 1911s.
Colt's solution was to open up the cut-out all the way.
What I noticed today was that 10mm isn't the only place they've done it. My .38 Super came with an open cut-out too.
By way of contrast, my 2006 Springfield USGI in .45 is thus:
Marv's 1983 made .45 is from before the change.
It makes me wonder if .38 Super had the same cracking problem as 10mm or if Colt just made the change to the cut-out on all of their 1911s.
27 August 2014
The Way .38 Super Should Be
Because .38 Super was introduced in 1929, the guns were always 1911A1 pattern. Scalloped frame, arched mainspring housing and short trigger.
My gun has the scallops, but it's presently stylish to put the long trigger and flat mainspring housings on them. Which makes the gun feel wrong in my hand.
So I fixed it! I had it in my head that this was going to be hard. Not even a little bit difficult, even lining up the series 80 linkage was a non-event.
Obviously, I've corrected the "problem" by changing some parts around.
I'm kind of bemused at myself here. Purist enough to want it fully in an A1 configuration; but leaving the better, taller sights and not having any sort of kittens about theplastic polymer mainspring housings. Even the series 80 part doesn't bother me.
My gun has the scallops, but it's presently stylish to put the long trigger and flat mainspring housings on them. Which makes the gun feel wrong in my hand.
So I fixed it! I had it in my head that this was going to be hard. Not even a little bit difficult, even lining up the series 80 linkage was a non-event.
 |
| At last, my hand is complete! |
 |
| As she left the Colt factory. |
I'm kind of bemused at myself here. Purist enough to want it fully in an A1 configuration; but leaving the better, taller sights and not having any sort of kittens about the
How Things Work FAL Edition
Because Weer'ds comment section is malfunctioning...
Photos taken of pages from Small Arms of the World 12th Edition, Ezell (1990).
How this all works... In semi the trigger rotates, taking the sear with it and that releases the hammer. The sear pivots on the same pin as the trigger, but is slotted. When the nose of the sear is caught by the hammer, it's pushed back and the tail of the sear rests above a shelf on the trigger. It's this shelf that raises the tail of the sear, thus lowering the nose and releasing the hammer. As soon as the hammer is flying, the sear moves forward and the tail drops down into a groove in the trigger and raises the nose to catch the hammer as the bolt-carrier resets it; which shoves the sear back into the groove so you have to release the trigger to let it slide on its slot and put the tail over the shelf again.
The safety sear tries to catch the hammer every shot. When the bolt carrier locks the bolt, the rest of its movement pivots the safety sear and releases the hammer. In semi-auto mode, that lets the sear grab it, but in auto, the trigger can pivot a bit more and the nose of the sear is held too low for it to grab the hammer; it's the safety sear releasing that sets off the next round.
Military FALs which were "semi-auto-only" have a block on the selector on the outside of the gun. Inch pattern guns have a lobe that will hit the upper receiver preventing it from rotating all the way to the auto position.
Metric guns have a hook that engages a pin on the lower that prevents the same movement.
The shaft of the selector in both cases is still cut with the extra depth that lets the trigger move the nose of the sear below the notch of the hammer. As you can see, a couple of minutes with a grinder or Dremel will restore the auto-mode.
In the US, having the safety sear, or even having the upper cut to accept it, makes your FAL a machine-gun unless you have one of the very few "sear-cut" guns FN imported under the Browning imprint.
Photos taken of pages from Small Arms of the World 12th Edition, Ezell (1990).
How this all works... In semi the trigger rotates, taking the sear with it and that releases the hammer. The sear pivots on the same pin as the trigger, but is slotted. When the nose of the sear is caught by the hammer, it's pushed back and the tail of the sear rests above a shelf on the trigger. It's this shelf that raises the tail of the sear, thus lowering the nose and releasing the hammer. As soon as the hammer is flying, the sear moves forward and the tail drops down into a groove in the trigger and raises the nose to catch the hammer as the bolt-carrier resets it; which shoves the sear back into the groove so you have to release the trigger to let it slide on its slot and put the tail over the shelf again.
The safety sear tries to catch the hammer every shot. When the bolt carrier locks the bolt, the rest of its movement pivots the safety sear and releases the hammer. In semi-auto mode, that lets the sear grab it, but in auto, the trigger can pivot a bit more and the nose of the sear is held too low for it to grab the hammer; it's the safety sear releasing that sets off the next round.
Military FALs which were "semi-auto-only" have a block on the selector on the outside of the gun. Inch pattern guns have a lobe that will hit the upper receiver preventing it from rotating all the way to the auto position.
The shaft of the selector in both cases is still cut with the extra depth that lets the trigger move the nose of the sear below the notch of the hammer. As you can see, a couple of minutes with a grinder or Dremel will restore the auto-mode.
In the US, having the safety sear, or even having the upper cut to accept it, makes your FAL a machine-gun unless you have one of the very few "sear-cut" guns FN imported under the Browning imprint.
What If
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I'd imagine there'd be hasta vs pilum and gladius vs spatha debates on ARXV.com and MIV.net...
Special thanks to Willard for the inspired artwork!
26 August 2014
25 August 2014
1033
Among the things that piss me off about the 1033 program is the fact the Federal Government is giving the material away.
Material that would surely sell would that an exception in 18 USC §922(o) be carved out for CMP.
For some things, they don't even need that exception. There's a passle of folks who'd love to lay hands on unmolested M16A1 uppers for their retro builds. Double infuriating here since many 1033 recipients are tossing that upper into the corner while they make an M4 out of the 1033 gun.
Unrelated to guns, my county nabbed five surplus OH-58C from this program because Bell 206 parts are relatively available only to discover that there's significant differences between the OH-58 and 206 in many important parts. They also found that the idea of cannibalizing parts might get them in trouble because they might not be able to readily restore the parts-birds to "as given" condition.
Material that would surely sell would that an exception in 18 USC §922(o) be carved out for CMP.
For some things, they don't even need that exception. There's a passle of folks who'd love to lay hands on unmolested M16A1 uppers for their retro builds. Double infuriating here since many 1033 recipients are tossing that upper into the corner while they make an M4 out of the 1033 gun.
Unrelated to guns, my county nabbed five surplus OH-58C from this program because Bell 206 parts are relatively available only to discover that there's significant differences between the OH-58 and 206 in many important parts. They also found that the idea of cannibalizing parts might get them in trouble because they might not be able to readily restore the parts-birds to "as given" condition.
Changed The Ammo
Pretty weak complaint.
The change to M855A1 in the trials was because the Army was changing over to the new round and the supplicants would have to accommodate it.
I've been reading about the new round and it wasn't "tailored for the M4", it's a replacement round for every 5.56x45mm NATO gun in the inventory.
Grumble.
The change to M855A1 in the trials was because the Army was changing over to the new round and the supplicants would have to accommodate it.
I've been reading about the new round and it wasn't "tailored for the M4", it's a replacement round for every 5.56x45mm NATO gun in the inventory.
Grumble.
Tea Leaves
Ever see someone doing DNA testing?
They squirt fluids into vials and stuff.
Then a pattern emerges.
Viola! DNA match! or not.
I am not going to pretend I understand the process, what it looks like more than in general or how it works. I do know that it's repeatable. I've seen enough of it explained that I can grasp the idea of what's going on even if I don't know the details.
Someone from the 18th century would call you a witch because what's going on is apparently no different from reading tea leaves.
What's that old line? Something about sufficiently advanced technology?
This sort of thing is what divides the Tech Levels in games.
They squirt fluids into vials and stuff.
Then a pattern emerges.
Viola! DNA match! or not.
I am not going to pretend I understand the process, what it looks like more than in general or how it works. I do know that it's repeatable. I've seen enough of it explained that I can grasp the idea of what's going on even if I don't know the details.
What's that old line? Something about sufficiently advanced technology?
This sort of thing is what divides the Tech Levels in games.
22 August 2014
Credit
To give credit, where credit is due.
When I asked Marv how often he checked to make sure his powder measure was feeding the correct amount of powder; his answer wasn't "huh?"
When I asked Marv how often he checked to make sure his powder measure was feeding the correct amount of powder; his answer wasn't "huh?"
Blame
Got linked to an article about the militarization of the cops.
Nixon and Reagan are entirely to blame it seems.
Except...
It's not JUST them.
Until recently, a president needed Congress to pass the laws they were signing and enforcing. Congress was decidedly one party from 1955 to 1994 in the house and with the exception of 1981-1987 the senate too.
That'd make it bipartisan, wouldn't it?
I also notice that while the Democrats controlled both congress and the white house they didn't rush out to repeal the laws which offend us so today. Nor did any Republican president condemn those laws.
Again, bipartisan.
I'd like to say that the Republicans didn't make things worse when they had both houses and The White House, but Patriot Act...
Do not forget, when you see this politician or that condemning the effects of this law or that; how did they vote on it? It's often surprising to see they supported the law when it was a bill and oppose it now that it's a law. It's depressing that they very seldom get called on it.
Another issue at play here, and its something I have to grudgingly give LBJ credit for, "You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered."
Too much law is passed with the idea that the people administering it agree with the authors of the bill and completely understand what the authors meant by it.
Nixon and Reagan are entirely to blame it seems.
Except...
It's not JUST them.
Until recently, a president needed Congress to pass the laws they were signing and enforcing. Congress was decidedly one party from 1955 to 1994 in the house and with the exception of 1981-1987 the senate too.
That'd make it bipartisan, wouldn't it?
I also notice that while the Democrats controlled both congress and the white house they didn't rush out to repeal the laws which offend us so today. Nor did any Republican president condemn those laws.
Again, bipartisan.
I'd like to say that the Republicans didn't make things worse when they had both houses and The White House, but Patriot Act...
Do not forget, when you see this politician or that condemning the effects of this law or that; how did they vote on it? It's often surprising to see they supported the law when it was a bill and oppose it now that it's a law. It's depressing that they very seldom get called on it.
Another issue at play here, and its something I have to grudgingly give LBJ credit for, "You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered."
Too much law is passed with the idea that the people administering it agree with the authors of the bill and completely understand what the authors meant by it.
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