CHOOSE LIFE- DON'T COME FOR MY GUNS

Whiskey

2011-05-14T21:04:00.001-05:00

"My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I feel about whiskey:

"If when you say 'whiskey' you mean the devil’s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am AGAINST it.

BUT!

"If when you say 'whiskey' you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman’s step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life’s great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am FOR it.

"This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise."

- Noah Sweat, Mississippi State legislator, April 4, 1952

It's Basically the Charlie Sheen of the Animal Kingdom

2011-03-17T22:28:00.004-05:00

Except with cobras and beehives instead of drugs and hookers...

Imagine a 20/20 interview with a honey badger.

"I eat raw cobra meat for dinner. Their venom just makes me sleepy. I wake up hungry. For another cobra. That is my life, deal with it."

Limousine Liberal Stephen King Blasts FL Governor, asks "Why Don't I Pay 50% in Taxes?"

2011-03-14T07:40:00.004-05:00

Limousine liberal Stephen King asks why he doesn't pay 50% in taxes...

The answer, of course, is that the money-grubbing hypocritical bastard CHOOSES not to...

Gifts to the United States Government

Citizens who wish to make a general donation to the U.S. government may send contributions to a specific account called "Gifts to the United States." This account was established in 1843 to accept gifts, such as bequests, from individuals wishing to express their patriotism to the United States. Money deposited into this account is for general use by the federal government and can be available for budget needs. These contributions are considered an unconditional gift to the government. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to the address below.

Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
3700 East-West Highway, Room 622D
Hyattsville, MD 20782

I'd be interested to know how King pays "only" 28%, given that he has got to make more than $200K a year. I bet the IRS would be interested to know the answer to that, too...

Saturday ATF: Battle Rifle Edition

2011-03-12T19:53:00.005-06:00

Let's talk battle rifles.

By battle rifle, I mean a military service rifle chambered for a full-power cartridge (such as .30-06, 7.62x51 NATO, or 7.62x54R, etc). This is not a resurrection of the endless "AK vs M16/M4 debate, because neither is a battle rifle, neither having an effective range of more than 300 meters (and I think I am being generous with that 300m effective range, especially if we are talking a shorty M4).

No, we are talking about real rifles, the M14, the FAL/L1A1, the G3/CETME, the AR10 and the venerable M1 Garand.

Am I saying that I would go into combat with a Garand over an M4? Yeah, there are situations where I absolutely would. Certainly, the M1 is not well suited for clearing a building or CQB, but for the Three Hundred Meter War it beats a 5.56

"Cherish your enemies; they teach you the best lessons." -Anonymous

Ask a recent returnee from Afghanistan what the favored tactic of the Taliban is. They figured out that the 5.56 is out of gas past 300 meters (especially out of an M4) so they open up on our guys from greater distances with longer range weapons (like mortars, PKs and no doubt many a servicable Enfield) and then scoot before the Americans can close or call in air/artillery support. According to official reports, about half the engagements in Afghanistan are starting at 500+ meters. Why do you suppose the .mil has been refurbishing the dwindling number of M14s (the ones Clinton didn't destroy, or sell/give away (!) to places like Latvia)? 5.56 weapons may be able to hit at extended ranges, but the little bullets aren't able to deliver the goods when they arrive.

Weapons in intermediate cartridges are all well and good when the Air Force and artillery are just a radio call away, but I'm pretty sure, if the excrement hits the air circulation device in this country, it won't be the folks loyal to the Constitution who will be able to call in fighter-bombers and helo gunships to tenderize the enemy.

So anyway, I have tried CETMEs, HK91s and FALs, had my gun-crushes on all, but have settled on the M14. As "Fred" of fredsm14stocks.com says the M14 "has no vices". It's simple (fewer parts than an AK or SKS), reliable, has EXCELLENT sights and trigger, and is quite accurate. The G3 and FAL both have their good points, but are needlessly hobbled by mediocre sights and triggers. And I DO mean NEEDLESSLY, because John Cantius Garand (Peace Be Upon Him) showed the world how to do both, way back in 1937.

Hey, while we're at it, why not a "right" to a tricked out Escalade? And we'll pay for it all with a "right" to a unicorn that craps gold bullion...

2011-03-09T19:18:00.008-06:00

Well hot damn, why didn't somebody think of this sooner? You're a Real Man of Genius, Congressman Jackson!

Our Most Potent Weapon Is Our Refusal. Don't Fly.

2010-11-17T21:40:00.006-06:00

http://wewontfly.com/blog/

To paraphrase Liam Neeson in the movie Michael Collins, our most potent weapon is our refusal. I'm driving about 1500 miles round trip for Thanksgiving, and again at Christmas.

Do not opt out of the scanners and submit to physical violation by the airport gropestapo. Drive, take a bus, take a train, or just stay home. There is no right to board a commercial airliner, that's true enough. So refuse to fly until these bastards back down. Boycott air travel and let the airlines, airport administrators, travel agencies, casinos, resorts, amusement parks, chambers of commerce, etc, know that they are missing out on your $$$ because you will no longer surrender your privacy rights and your basic human dignity (and that of your wives, mothers, sisters and daughters) to the power-tripping perverts of the Titty Squeezing Apes. If the airlines and travel/tourism industry would rather go bankrupt than tell Napolitano and TSA to go to hell, then they deserve to go under.

BTW, the 2001 law creating the TSA gave airports the right to opt out of the TSA program in favor of private screeners after a two-year period, so they CAN tell Napolitano to go stick the rape-scanners up her ample backside.

Tech-Sights: Go get a set...

2010-11-07T20:17:00.005-06:00

Company's link is

http://tech-sights.com/

They make click-adjustable receiver (or receiver cover) mounted peep sights for a number of rifles, including the Ruger 10/22, AK series, SKS, Marlin 60 & 795, Mossberg 702 and CZ-452.

I ordererd their sight set for my CZ-452. These things are great... for those who don't know anything about the CZ-452, the stock iron sights are like those on your standard AK: barrel mounted, and dismal. Tech-Sights' rig gives you a peep sight mounted on your receiver that not only gives you a much better and more precise (M1/M14/M16 style) sight picture, it lengthens your sight radius by 6". Rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation with precise clicks; front sight post can be adjusted for elevation.

Tech-Sights' customer service is also excellent. When I first got the set I sheared a screw by overtightening (yeah Luke it's gonna shoot loose from .22 recoil, ya idjit). Ruined the screw and the clamping piece that holds the rig to the receiver dovetail. Emailed Tech-Sights to order replacements, and Larry at Tech-Sights responded an hour later to let me know the parts I needed would be in the mail the next day, no charge.

Anyway, once I got the sights dialed in I was nailing 3" round targets at 100yds with irons... and I have bad astigmatism. Now I am in the mood to deer hunt with peep sights. China Girl is certainly up to it...

Thought For the Day

2010-10-23T21:10:00.002-05:00

"Rifles are kinda like women- it's usually less trouble to just give them what they want than to try to reason with 'em."

-Luke's gunsmith

Don't.... Stop.... DON'T STOP!

2010-10-16T12:07:00.005-05:00

Feds to the state of Arizona: "Don't you dare enforce federal laws, that's unconstitutional!"

Feds to the state of California: "Don't you dare stop enforcing federal laws, that's unconstitutional!"

Ladies and gentlemen, we are ruled by schizophrenics.

Leftists Are at Best Nitwits, and at Worst, Evil Collectivists Who Need to Die in a Fire.... oh, and Friday ATF-ing

2010-10-08T17:44:00.010-05:00

You know why I despise leftists?

Because we have a news item about some guy living in an unincorporated area with no county fire department, but who DID have access to fire protection from the nearby town’s FD for a VERY reasonable fee... but instead chose to put a six-figure asset at risk to “save” a lousy $75 a year (that's less than many people pay per MONTH for cable TV, and I'd bet a month's pay it's less than the afforementioned guy spends every month on booze, tobacco and lotto tickets)... and THEN started a trash fire (in violation of the county-wide burn ban in place due to the very dry, windy conditions).... which he THEN left unattended which THEN got out of control and burned down his house...

If you read the article, this Rhodes Scholar even ADMITS he had thought that even if he didn't pay the $75 a year, the city would still come out and fight a fire if he had one, because... just because, I guess....

....and EVEN THAT level of negligent stupidity is not sufficient, in the eyes of leftists, for this dingus to deserve to live with the effects of his bad decision.

Even when someone shows that level of bone-headedness, it's STILL “our” responsibility to step in and shield them from the consequences of their own actions. And, oh yeah, any time bad consequences happen to anyone, anywhere, it's a failure of LIBERTARIANISM!!!!!!!!111111!!!!!!

Don’t you dare blame the “victim”, you hear? He's not at fault. “Society” is. “We” are. We somehow “owe” this idiot. Like we “owed” that moron (and many thousands much like her) who bought a house she had no business buying, only to discover that, wonder of wonders, it’s rather hard to pay the mortgage on an $800,000 house on a BUS DRIVER'S salary.

Yes Virginia, there are sometimes negative consequences to being stupid.

That’s a feature, not a bug.

In the immortal words of the great philosopher Ron White, "My give-a-damn’s busted."

BTW, I'd like to know why liberals expected the firemen to risk life and limb to save the pets (there was no one in the house) of a guy who was not only too cheap to pay the $75 a year to protect his house, but too stupid to get his pets out of the house in the HOURS it took the fire to reach it. He had time to make several 9-1-1 calls, but no time to get his three dog and cat out of the house? Really? Damn shame about the dogs, but their deaths are on the homeowner's conscience, not the firemen's... and, given the fact he wouldn't pay $75 a year, what are the odds he'd have tried to underpay or stiff the FD after the fact, had they agreed to his offer to "pay anything"? A city government has no authority to collect taxes and fees outside city limits, after all (his neighbors who subscribe to fire protection from the city contracted with the city voluntarily), and besides, it is a pretty firm legal principle that contracts made under duress aren't enforceable.

Well! That having been said...

A: Becks Oktoberfest
T: Peach-flavored pipe tobacco
F: China Girl, my sweet-shootin' Polytech M-14S; FNP-40

What say the rest of ye? What're ya drinkin'/smokin'/shootin'?

A masters in communications...

2010-09-10T19:20:00.004-05:00

I half expected him to say he lives in a VAN down by the RIVER.

RIP Charles "Straightarrow" Sawders, 1945-2010

2010-08-07T12:37:00.001-05:00

David spread the news that our mutual internet friend, Charles Sawders, AKA "Straightarrow" from the comments pages and gun forums, passed on July 19. I "met" Charles years ago on the old Gunboards.com. We had our share of disagreements, (I am a non-interventionist WRT foreign policy, he was not) but we developed a mutual respect. He's one of the few people I've ever disagreed with, that it actually deeply bothered me that we disagreed, because I knew him to be a thoroughly honorable man. On balance, we had more key views in common, than not. He certainly had a way with words, and I will deeply miss this man I never had the honor of meeting face to face.

I thought it appropriate at this time to pass on a series of true events he related to me, in his own words. He said at the time I was free to pass this along (He was the kind of man who'd never so much as email words he wouldn't want quoted on the front page of the New York Times), but I never did. Without further ado, here is Straightarrow's tale of "The Ticket".

An [semi truck] owner/operator who used to be leased to the same carrier I was lived in a small town of only a few thousand people. Everybody knew everybody else, all went to the only school in town, the oldtimers graduated from the same high school the kids today attend. I used to could tell you where he lived, but I have now forgotten, I do still remember the details. It was about seven years ago that it came to a head.

He was going home for some home time after three weeks on the road. He had the weekend to spend at his house an early Monday delivery in a nearby town and back to his house for a few more days off while he and his logbook healed up.

He had to make a right turn at a stop sign and climb a 5% hill immediately to get to his house after reaching town. As he's climbing the hill, he's still in the low side when the light bar on one of the local cop cars comes on. He gets stopped, gets down and the cop writes him a ticket for speeding. No sh-t! Wrote him for "55 in a 45" within 200 ft of the turn and stop sign. His rig weighed right at 80,000 pounds and was pulling a 5% grade from a dead stop then a right-hand turn.

The cop was a guy he went to school with -not germane to the story, but just to establish the kind of town it was for later in the narrative.

Well, the charge was so ridiculous that Gary went to court and convinced the judge that what he was charged with was physically impossible. He said he was ready to demand a jury trial if necessary, where he would provide all the technical data and expert witnesses that would be needed to prove his position. The judge was intelligent and dismissed the charges. Gary didn't display any anger or grudge, just a fairly decent guy, willing to do the right thing.
Not so the cops.

After that, every time he went home he got a ticket. Always for things you couldn't prove you didn't do, such as crossing the center line, weaving, following too close, failure to signal, etc. etc. He beat the first follow on ticket, again from the original cop because he happened to see a witness who could testify for him that the cop was lying. After that, though, all the tickets stuck and he never got one from the original guy again.
The other cops were teaching him a lesson. When you drive commercially you can have your livelihood taken from you for things like this, therefore many jurisdictions, knowing this, offer to not report this to the DMV if you pay promptly. Legalized extortion.

If he was going to feed his family and make his $2000/month truck payments he had to pay them. When he realized that they were never going to stop harrassing him, he went to a nearby town and hired a lawyer. We discussed this several times, during the next two years, because I kept wondering if his lawyer was doing him any good. His advice was always the same. "Pay it, and send me the copy of the ticket and the receipt for the fine."

Ok, for the conclusion. At the end of two years, he is still getting tickets. He got one, called his lawyer and asked if he should send it to him again. This time, the lawyer told him not to pay it; they had enough, just send him the ticket and go on about his business.

Well, the lawyer filed suit against the town, the cops, the mayor, everybody that didn't have immunity, e.g. the judge, DA , etc. They won almost three million dollars. The town didn't have it. They had to levy a tax against their residents to get it. I believe it was a bond issue, but I could be wrong. Anyway, it was either that or sign all the town's property and incoming revenues over to him, while the judgment collected interest until he was paid.

Now you may think this is a happy ending, but not yet. It was, after I got through talking to Gary. He was still working because he hadn't yet collected, but he was going to because the town decided to cut their losses and not even appeal. But as of the last time I saw him he hadn't collected any money and he was real upset and unhappy because all his "friends" now hated him, because they were having to pay extra taxes to pay him. They were all angry at him and were treating him and his family pretty shabbily, even his kids were being taunted in school. He said he wondered if he did the right thing, what with all his friends mad at him and everything.

That's where I made my only contribution. I explained to him that none of those people were his friends. In a town that small, they all knew what was going on and did nothing to stop the injustice, since it wasn't happening to them. They should have been all over the police and the court and the mayor and anybody else to stop them from abusing their authority. That was their duty as citizens, whether they were his friends or not. And if they were his friends, they had a double duty: civic responsibility and loyalty to a friend. They failed him, they failed themselves and they failed their country, then had the nerve to suggest he did them wrong because he stopped the abuse and punished the abusers. GET ----ING REAL!

His smile was absolutely beautiful, when he told me he hadn't thought of it like that and had been on the verge of forgiving his share of the settlement (the lawyer wasn't giving up his part). He thanked me, he said for helping him to see it clearly. He said when he looked at it like I did, he could see he wasn't losing anything he had had (friends) and was gaining nearly 3 million. He said he felt really great about not feeling guilty.

"You had me at, 'I've got a gun in my truck'."

2010-05-01T12:34:00.008-05:00

Shortest (and best) of the "Zombie" genre...

http://xkcd.com/

Earl Scruggs, Marty Stewart, Steve Martin & Friends- Foggy Mountain Breakdown

2010-04-26T23:06:00.001-05:00

Words cannot contain the awesome.

Yeah... ABOUT that Chicago Handgun Ban...

2010-03-08T18:39:00.007-06:00

The fact that Chicago citizens are currently disarmed and at the mercy of criminal thugs (who will always have guns) is not just the predictable (for anyone with a lick of sense) result of the city's handgun ban... there is prettty strong evidence that it was the INTENT of the ban's chief backer. The Chicago alderman who pushed hardest for the ban, back in the day, was Fred Roti (1920-1999).

Roti was a "made man" in the Chicago mob, according to the FBI and the Justice department.

See the link below for the whole sordid tale, including ample primary source references.

In a nutshell:

1) Chicago Alderman Fred Rotti was a made man in the Chicago mob.

2) The Chief of Detectives for Chicago PD, William Hanhardt, was a crooked cop on Roti's payroll.

3) Hanhardt used his position to oversee and protect a jewelry theft ring for the mob.

4) Mobster Fred Rotti, in his politician guise, pushed for a handgun ban... which didn't make anybody safer... except, surprise, surprise... criminals.

http://nalert.blogspot.com/2008/03/chicago-democrats-and-chicago-mob.html

"Gun control? It's the best thing you can do for crooks and gangsters. I want you to have nothing. If I'm a bad guy, I'm always gonna have a gun. Safety locks? You will pull the trigger with a lock on, and I'll pull the trigger. We'll see who wins."

-Sammy "the Bull" Gravano, Mafia hitman

"Forget it Jake, it's Chi-town."

This one's for MM...

2010-02-11T20:30:00.004-06:00

I knew they weren't too hard to get...

2009-12-20T20:59:00.002-06:00

But damn.

Where was Kanye when we NEEDED him?

2009-09-23T20:55:00.004-05:00

I know, I'm terrible.

And yes as far as I can tell I was first to come up with this.

Explains a lot...

2009-09-10T19:50:00.002-05:00

Couldn't help myself...

2009-07-13T17:16:00.005-05:00

Lunchtime conversation:

Boss: "Luke, I know a pretty gal I ought to introduce you to. She's in Psy-Ops."

Me: "Aren't they all."

The Elephant in the Room: The RKBA "Pragmatists"... weren't.

2009-04-30T20:24:00.005-05:00

Lately I've been thinking about "compromise", "pragmatism" etc.

Most pro-gun Republicans held their noses for McCain, and didn't even try to deny it.

I've often been told that I must be willing to "compromise", that I'm too much of a stickler for limited government, the Constitution and gun rights and (stern lecturing grade school teacher voice) That's Not How You Win ElectionsTM.

"Half a loaf", and all that.

Over and over last year, we were told that basic conservative issues like limited government, fiscal sanity, secure borders, abortion and even gun rights could and should "pragmatically" be negotiated, compromised, watered down or even abandoned whenever there's a hint of a glimmer of a chance that somewhere, somehow, a Democrat might beat a Republican if we were to be so foolish as to go to the wall for our principles during the Most Important Election EverTM.

But at the same time most Republican politicians, pundits and internet chatterers (RKBA blogs and forums included) were willing to go to the wall defending a pre-emptive, undeclared, decidedly unpopular war, even if that meant handing control of Congress and the White House to the Dems.

And don't kid yourselves, it certainly DID mean just that.

So to any gunnies out there who backed the Iraq War: Will you still think it was worth it when the first anti-gun bill hits Obama's desk?

Just asking.

Tell every soldier you know...

2009-02-21T21:25:00.007-06:00

Tell them to remember their oath.

Remind them that if they are given an order to violate that oath, their duty is to REFUSE to obey, and, if need be, to turn their guns against those who gave the order. It's part of that whole "against all enemies, foreign AND domestic" thing.

Tell them to remember their oath.

I remember mine, and I was never un-sworn from it.

Tell them to remember their oath.

Because if they chose to betray their oath on that terrible day (May that day never come, dear Lord!) the order comes down, then honoring my oath to the Constitution will mean WAR against my former brethren, and those who sent them.

Download the movie.

Wow, now there's a shocking discovery...

2009-01-19T22:35:00.003-06:00

Scientific study reveals...

Are you sitting down for this?

Money makes women horny

How to Derail Eric Holder

2009-01-12T18:53:00.002-06:00

David has more ammunition here and here...

Can't wait to get mine...

2009-01-12T18:49:00.002-06:00

Now YOU can own a piece of American History!

David (don't call him Dave) Codrea asks very good questions:

Why did the feds raid Sunshine Mint and steal all their (Ron Paul) Liberty Dollars?

And ask yourself why the one with the illusion of value is apparently "legal," and the government considers the one with actual value not to be.

Spotted at a gun store...

2008-12-02T22:34:00.003-06:00

Say what you will about him, he's a helluva salesman...

Yes, it's my truck. No, I won't help you move...

2008-11-29T19:58:00.003-06:00

Friday ATF: My Pastor (and Presidential Candidate) is a Badass

2008-10-10T00:42:00.005-05:00

The Best in Life (with apologies to Ah-nold)

2008-09-11T18:21:00.005-05:00

To take your chainsaw into the woods, to see the trees fall before you, and to hear the lamentation of the hippies...

Weekend ATF- the Nate's Vacation Edition

2008-08-16T22:51:00.004-05:00

Spent the day hangin' down here in NW Florida with the Bloggerblaster, drinkin' Moosehead, Landshark and smokin' Macanudos and Captain Black. F? FAL, Polytech M14, CETME, Kel-Tec SU-16, PT-1911, FNP-40.

I had such a great time with Nate, Julie, Jeb, Eli, Elkan and Aunt Joy. Nate and I went snapper fishing in the Gulf Thursday. Friday they brought me along for some jet-skiing, which I had never done before. Today (8/16) the gals went shopping with Elkan, and Nate and I chilled with the boys at the RV park. I brought some live shrimp for Jeb and Eli to play with, and they got to dig up a big box of pirate treasure on the beach (honest, I have no idea how that ammo crate full of seashells got there). The boys took to calling me "Uncle Luke", and lemme tell ya, I ate it up. Nate and Julie, y'all have some great kids, and I had a ball. Thanks again for letting me hang out with y'all. I hope you had as much fun as I did, and BTW I miss y'all already!

Who's ready for barbecue?

2008-07-19T19:14:00.002-05:00

Most.

Awesome.

Smoker.

Ever.

Problem solved...

2008-07-15T22:17:00.002-05:00

I have come up with an elegant solution to illegal immigration. First, we bring back Janet Reno as Attorney General. Then we have a hypnotist put her under and tell her that all illegal aliens are six-year-old refugees from a communist dictatorship. That should take care of it...

Ever have a tune you couldn't get out of your head?

2008-07-07T18:29:00.001-05:00

Weekend ATF: For things that go "bump" (or "BRAAAIIIINNNSSS!") in the night...

2008-05-31T23:21:00.002-05:00

IMNHO 'tis hard to beat a combat scattergun loaded with 00 Buck when it comes to repelling boarders. I refer to the sound of a shell being "shuck-shucked" into the chamber as the "universal translator"; EVERBODY knows that noise means.

She'll take 3" magnums but I'd rather have seven 2 3/4" in the magazine instead of six 3". I doubt a goblin would know the difference. With the buttstock carrier and tactical sling that's a total of 20 spare shells at my fingertips, on top of the seven in the magazine.

Yes those are ghost ring sights, and they seem to work pretty well, considering I can shoot skeet with this cylinder-bore gun (if you can hit skeet, you can hit a goblin).

The light is a 3-watt LED that puts out 150 lumens. The Israeli-made forend also has a picatinny rail on the bottom.

Should I add a vertical foregrip? Buttstock with a pistol-grip

So what's your bump-in-the-night gun?

World of WIFEcraft

2008-05-19T11:54:00.000-05:00

I don't even play online games, and I thought this was a hoot!

Too Soon?

2008-05-15T22:11:00.001-05:00

HOW many states, Barry?

2008-05-11T00:23:00.001-05:00

Ya know, if John McAIN'T could resist his compulsion to remind us he's a liberal at every turn, keep his damned yap shut, and just sit back and let the Mocha Messiah run his mouth, he MIGHT actually have a shot.

Here's your flag pin, Barry...

More places...

2008-03-16T23:30:00.001-05:00

I don't condone vandalism, but...

FIX BAYONETS STILETTO HEELS!

2008-03-11T11:45:00.000-05:00

I for one welcome our new Ukrainian overlords...

Seriously, something must be done to address the ever-widening Hottie Gap between America and the former Soviet Bloc.

It's a matter of national security.

I'm on a roll with these things...

2008-03-07T23:32:00.001-06:00

More Fortune Cookie Wisdom:

"What's vice today may be virtue

tomorrow."

(in bed)

That'd be nice...

2008-03-01T20:37:00.001-06:00

Fortune cookie:

"Friends long absent are coming back to you."

Lake City 1974: an excellent vintage...

2008-02-11T01:12:00.000-06:00

With my FAL at 100yds... using 1974 Lake City 147-grn ball surplus... 33-year-old machinegun ammo (came on belts for the G.E. minigun).

I got a bunch of it for $.10/round back in '05. An excellent bargain don't you think?

And to top it off, it's reloadable...

BTW, that's with a dirty barrel, a dirty military-surplus chome-lined barrel.

Ah! But for a mere $1300 more than what I put into my FAL, you can get a Springfield Armory Super Match M1A with a Douglas ultra-heavy air-gauged match barrel, which Springfield bills as capable of sub-1MOA groups "with the proper ammunition" (read: $30/box match-grade).

This poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks will just have to content himself with shooting ~1MOA groups with 30-year-old surplus machinegun ammo. Until I find a pretty doctor gal who'll marry me...

Why I spent my Saturday afternoon canvassing for Ron Paul...

2008-01-12T18:40:00.000-06:00

Answers like THIS...

By the way, I don't know which FAUX "moderator" revealed himself as the most obviously biased jackass that night, Carl Cameron or Brit Hume...

UPDATE: When FAUX re-aired the SC debate, they edited out Cameron's sarcastic "electability" question and Paul's answer, since Paul so deftly turned the tables on them with his response. Can there be any doubt they hate and fear Ron Paul? My pastor, God bless him, explains why...

"Thriller"

2007-12-17T01:12:00.000-06:00

Submitted without comment...

The British Guide to "Conjugal Unpleasantness"

2007-12-16T08:54:00.000-06:00

"Close your eyes and think of England..."

December 16th...

2007-12-15T13:48:00.001-06:00

December 16th, 1773: The Boston Tea Party was an act of protest against the tax and trade policies of the British government, in which American colonists boarded ships of the British East India Company and hurled their cargo of tea into Boston Harbor. The incident helped to spark the American War of Independence.

Besides being a dramatic protest, the dumping of tea into Boston Harbor was perhaps the most famous act of grass-roots political activism in history....

Until tomorrow...

Tech Support: The Early Days

2007-12-14T22:16:00.000-06:00

My brother got ANOTHER buck

2007-12-11T20:44:00.002-06:00

Better than the first, and there's still a bigger one out there. Bro is out of buck tags, so I'm hoping nobody else bags the REALLY nice one before I get home for Christmas...

UPDATE

This is an 11-pointer I got back in 2005. Nothing to snort at, but not *quite* as impressive as Mark's, I must admit.

I need to get home.

Weekend ATF

2007-12-08T21:35:00.000-06:00

What's goin on, y'all? Do I have any readers left? Thimscool, you out there?
The rundown:

A- Staropramen to wash down my smoked venison, maybe some Laphroaig later...

T- Honey flavored pipe tobacco...

F- Something new, a Taurus PT-1911.

That's right, a 1911 made by Taurus. I put it through its shakedown today. It shot like a dream straight from the box without a single hiccup. Accurate enough to draw the attention of a Kimber shooter... who probably ended up wishing he hadn't asked what it cost, heh heh.

The gun is tight, has a hammer forged (NOT cast) frame, slide and barel all fitted by hand, with matching serial numbers. Trigger is the best I've ever come across on an out-of-the-box 1911 that didn't cost over a grand.

It's a whole lot of gun for the money. Go get one.

When in Doubt, Follow the Money

2007-12-03T23:47:00.000-06:00

That's all I have to say about Rev. Hagee...

My brother's ten-pointer...

2007-11-24T17:59:00.000-06:00

Jealous? ME?

Of COURSE I'm jealous!

For Eli JEB...

2007-11-24T00:27:00.001-06:00

I got a new vacuum cleaner! It really sucks... in a good way!

Sports News

2007-11-01T11:43:00.001-05:00

Congratualations are in order for my good friend Nate C., AKA the Bloggerblaster, (above, right) for re-claiming the Firing Randomly Into the Air International Championship title. Nate first won the title in 1987 and defended it for an unprecedented 15-year term prior to the late Saddam Hussein's controversial upset victory in 2002 and subsequent four-year title reign, which ended with the Iraqi strongman's death last year.

Though worlds apart geographically and culturally, Tennessee and Iraq each boast rich traditions of vertical marksmanship. Well done, Nate!

One of the Hallmarks of a Movement that's Gathering Steam...

2007-10-29T18:20:00.000-05:00

...beautiful young women.

The fascisto-cons Have Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin.

We've got... Liv.

I know that paused image is off-putting, but just trust me and play the damned video!

Great Moments In U.S. History - For more funny movies, click here

Isn't she just dreamy, y'all?

This November 5th...

2007-10-28T14:58:00.000-05:00

Let's send a message they can't ignore.

We need as many people as possible to donate $100 or more to the Ron Paul Campaign on November 5th, Guy Fawkes' Day. We're going for the biggest single donation day for any candidate in history.

Remember, remember, the fifth of November...

Weekend ATF: Guest video blogger- The Swedish Chef

2007-09-30T04:22:00.000-05:00

So What Could Ron Paul Actually Accomplish As President?

2007-09-24T19:26:00.000-05:00

I've heard it said that even on the off chance (not looking quite so off these days) Ron Paul did get elected President, nothing would change. That with both parties in Congress arrayed solidly against him, he'd get nothing accomplished.

I beg to differ.

I bet that surprises you. ;)

If all a Ron Paul presidency accomplished was the repeal of even a handful of Slick and Jorge's more onerous executive orders ("Stroke of the pen, law of the land. Kinda cool"... NOT!), it'd be worth it.

But I suspect President Paul would keep a little more busy than that. Just think of all the unconstitutional legislation that would be pronounced DOA by my beloved "Dr. No".

ATF and IRS are both part of the Dept of the Treasury, which falls under direct supervision of the Executive Branch. He might not be able to singlehandedly repeal the income tax, or the federal gun control laws, but he could put all those bureacrats on administrative leave. Hell, make it paid leave, so they wouldn't squawk. Still preferable to having them at their desks (and FAR better than having the federal alphabet-agency ninjas busting down your door).

And talk about a "bully pulpit". Dr. Paul's poll numbers are low right now and so is his name recognition (as to that, who among us knew who the hell BILL CLINTON was in September of 1991?). But when people DO hear Dr. Paul's message, they are proving very receptive. Imagine presidential "fireside chats"... about dismantling big government!

It is not leading-man looks, or a carefully crafted persona, or a compelling personal story that attracts people to Ron Paul. Lord knows it isn't his eloquence on the stump; in his delivery, Ron Paul is no Ronald Reagan, even if he's a much better conservative. But it is in fact Dr. Paul's message, beliefs, and a long record of actually walking the walk, that garner him support. PASSIONATE support. And if a guy like Ron Paul DID manage to get elected President, surely THAT would be a shot across the bow for both wings of the BOYN* Party! More than anything, these clowns want to be re-elected, after all. I suspect you'd see more than a few "Ron Paul Democrats", and I bet you'd also see incumbent Republicans suddenly "get religion", or face Paul-ite constitutionalist challengers in their next primary.

This country needs a DOCTOR!

*BOYN = Boot On Your Neck (H/T to L. Neil Smith)

Try THIS with your AR. I dare ya. I double-dog DARE ya.

2007-09-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

Giraffe wanted to know why I prefer the FAL...

The legend of Ol' Dirty: this FAL has fired over 13,000 rounds (and counting) without a cleaning, and doesn't miss a beat...

This is the closest thing Ol' Dirty has had to a proper cleaning...

Nasty! But it still goes bang every time...

Carbon build-up behind the gas regulator...

Close-up of the gas regulator... note the gas setting. "7" would be wide "open" and "1" would be completely "closed" (all gas flow directed to the piston)...

Range Report: Entreprise STG-58 FAL

2007-09-16T22:37:00.000-05:00

For a while now I have wanted an FAL. "FAL" stands for Fusil Automatique Léger (light automatic rifle). The FAL is a gas-operated, select-fire rifle developed by the legendary Belgiam arms company, Fabrique Nationale. The FAL was adopted, in various configurations, by 90 countries worldwide, and was known as the "Right Arm of the Free World".

The semi-auto FAL shown below was built by Entreprise Arms of Irwindale, CA. It has a new American-made receiver mated with various US and foreign military parts, including a chrome-lined Austrian STG-58 barrel (made by Steyr) which gauged new, Austrian chrome-plated piston and Austrian handguards. I also have the proper STG folding bipod, purchased separately from DS Arms. Finish is an attractive, yet utilitarian, dark gray phoshpate (parkerizing).

Once the gas system was properly adjusted (it has multiple settings to compensate for environment, ammunition and the cleanliness of the gas system), the rifle functioned flawlessly. My only gripe is the very heavy trigger (feels like about ten pounds) which I believe hindered my accuracy a good deal. Still, with sandbags, concentration and a 6x42 Springfield Government Model scope installed, I could shoot 1.5 MOA (1.5" at 100yds) groups with Black Hills .308 Match. Not bad for a semi-auto battle rifle with a chrome-lined barrel (chrome bores are not renowned for accuracy), cobbled together from surplus parts. I am confident that with some trigger work this rifle will be capable of even better accuracy. The Entreprise muzzle brake is surprisingly effective at reducing recoil (as does the rifle's 10 pound heft), but it is LOUD. There were guys with magnum big-game rifles commenting, "What the hell is that thing? Just a .308? Sounds like artillery!"

By the way, if you're looking for a scope mount for the FAL, DS Arms' Extreme Duty mount is the way to go. There are cheap $30 FAL mounts out there, but after those move around on you and lose zero, you'll end up ordering one of these anyhow. Save yourself the trouble.

I know there have been mixed reports about Entreprise Arms, but I am quite pleased with the rifle they built for me.

The other addition to my rifle, besides the scope mount, was a recoil buffer by Buffer Technologies. This is a thin, durable piece of neoprene rubber that sits in the back of the upper receiver. It stops the bolt carrier from battering your lower, absorbing recoil and reducing wear & tear on steel.

She needs a name. Ideas?

Friday ATF: Now Luke's Cookin' with GAS!

2007-09-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

A: Yuengling
T: Captain Black
F:

Fo' shizzle, my bizzle...

2007-09-14T22:18:00.000-05:00

I don't like hip-hop...

except for FREEDOM hip-hop!

Why Ferret-Face Was Laughing

2007-09-09T03:21:00.000-05:00

If this video is any indication, Julie-Annie's chuckle is actually a nervous tic that means, "I'm getting ready to tell a whopper". (Pay attention at about 1 minute into the video...)

Yeah, what he said.

2007-09-06T00:08:00.000-05:00

He's on the wrong side of the biblical threescore-and-ten, his demeanor is as mild as buttermilk, and his physique is wraith-like, but Ron Paul is a steel-spined ass-kicker with dangling anatomy made of solid brass. He is a man in full.

~William Norman Grigg, who also has you-know-whats of a certain cuprous alloy...

As for Dr. Paul being "wraith-like", I think the reason he's so thin, must be that no lobbyist will buy him lunch...

The Doctor Stands His Ground! (Updated)

2007-09-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

Faux News Fascist: "Do you take your marching orders from Al-Qaeda?"

Ron Paul: "No, I take my orders from the Constitution!"

And as for the derisive chuckling at Dr. Paul from the so-called "moderators" (Could their disdain for real conservatism have been any more blatant?)

EDIT: Apparently, it wasn't the moderators, but the Mormon George Hamilton wanna-be and the lithping, dethpicable athpiring fathist Ghoulianni who were chuckling contemptuously over the heroic Ron Paul as he tried to speak. That the Fox crew left those hyenas' mics on so they could be heard laughing, is even more revealing than their laughter. I stand by my statement.

UPDATE: Those neocon chuckleheads seem to think Ron Paul's a hoot, but Peggy Noonan isn't laughing:

After Mr. Paul spoke, it seemed half the room booed, but the other applauded. When a thousand Republicans are in a room and one man of the eight on the stage takes a sharply minority viewpoint on a dramatic issue and half the room seems to cheer him, something's going on.

Ron Paul's support isn't based on his persona, history or perceived power. What support he has comes because of his views. As he spoke, you could hear other candidates laughing in the background. They should stop giggling, and engage in a serious way.

I'm reminded of that famous quote...

First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
And then you win.

~Ghandi

How delicious is this? Ron is winning ANOTHER Faux post-debate "who won" poll! (You can help! Text R6 to 36288 to vote for Ron Paul!)

Laugh it up, fellas. Laugh it up.

What are you waiting for? Get on the Freedom Train!

Official Ron Paul campaign website

Find a Ron Paul Meetup Group near you!

Redneck cred

2007-09-02T20:03:00.000-05:00

I got back from the range and, on impulse, removed the bolt groop, grip frame, butt and forend from my CETME and just stuck the barreled receiver in the dish washer.

Because I can, that's why.

Bachelorhood has its moments.

Weekend ATF

2007-08-25T23:23:00.000-05:00

There's been no alcohol and no smoking tonight, 'cause I've been RELOADING!

Set up my Lee Classic Turret Press last night, put it through its paces, and took some .308 reloads I made with it to the range this afternoon. Had my doubts about the auto-disc powder measure, but it gives pretty consistent powder charges, even with my IMR 4895, which consists of cylidrical "stick" grains. For the exact same powder charge from case to case, you really have to use a powder trickler, which I will take the time to do if I ever get to hankerin' for some custom match-grade ammo. I've been loading 147-grain FMJs pulled from milsurp ammo, so there's little point in messing with the powder trickler for each round.

As for other "F" department business... got a new firearm in the works, a custom job, and that's all I'll say about it at this point.

Now... I'm gonna have a Yuengling. For starters.

Sheep-speak, translated and distilled

2007-08-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

Liberal ninny to wife:

"Well honey, the fact is, I would rather get tied up and watch you get raped, than be a MAN and PROTECT you..."

A Little Acoustic Guitar....

2007-08-19T14:00:00.000-05:00

Weekend ATF: Surplus Ammo Insanity

2007-08-18T18:57:00.000-05:00

Folks who know anything about military surplus ammo prices and availability, know that the time to "buy 'em cheap and stack 'em deep" is long since past.

I went to the gun show in P-Cola today and saw 140-round battlepacks of early-80s production South African 7.62 NATO for $70 each.

This is FIFTY CENTS A ROUND (more, if you include tax), and for what? South African military surplus ammo (not particularly accurate and leaves more powder fouling than true NATO-spec surplus), full-metal jacket (ball), made close to 30 years ago, stored in unknown conditions, and isn't even reloadable!

Needless to say, I passed.

If you wait for a sale at Cabela's, Academy or one of the other big sporting goods chains, it's possible to snap up commercial boxer-primed .308 hunting ammo for less than $12 per 20-round box. And you'd be getting ammo that's reloadable, uses soft-point bullets (FAR more stopping power than military ball), is brand new, and gives better accuracy than the stuff made by the South African army's lowest bidder. (How do ya say, "Good enough for government work" in Afrikaans?)

Three years ago you could get those South African battlepacks for $20-$25 each. And I used to buy them myself. Matter of fact, I still have a few of 'em stashed away. For blasting/practice ammo it was hard to beat... when it was 17 CENTS PER ROUND or less; hell, you could hardly reload .308 that cheaply. But now? There's really little sense in shelling out fifty cents per round for the surplus, when you can get new ammo, better in every way, for just a little more, with reloadable boxer-primed cases to boot.

Cutest Kids in the World

2007-08-16T22:17:00.001-05:00

But they're my niece and nephew, so maybe I'm just a tad biased...

Another Reason to Support Ron Paul

2007-08-13T00:41:00.000-05:00

He scares the ever-lovin' CRAP out of the Faux News reich-wing warmongers...

Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul came in 4th and 5th at Ames, respectively, yet they're missing from Faux News' graphic.

Note the text at the bottom. Guess they're hoping the Ron Paul storm will pass.

See also...

PT II...

Shameful. "Fair and Balanced", my ass.

Dick Cheney shoulda listened to...

2007-08-12T19:32:00.000-05:00

...um, Dick Cheney.

Friday ATF: Takin' Up the Tennessean's Slack. Again.

2007-08-10T20:21:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all, what's goin' on? This is gonna be short and sweet.

A: Laphroaig 10-year-old single malt (last time I drank Laphroaig I was in Scotland. Modelo (blame Nate) in the fridge.

T: Captain Black Gold.

F: Two standbys, and the new gal: CETME 7.62 NATO... Winchester 1897 riot gun... FN FNP.

I think I want another 7.62 self-loader, one that won't beat up the brass. What do y'all think- FAL or M-1A?

Cowboy Wisdom

2007-08-10T16:33:00.000-05:00

If'n you drink whiskey, don't go divin' off the sidewalk. In nearly all cases, the water's too shallow, and in most town's there's a fine.

Boot Hill's full of men who pulled their triggers without aimin'.

Never ask a man the size of his spread.

Anybody can pretend to care, but he can't pretend to be there.

Honesty ain't somethin' to flirt with; you should be married to it.

You give a critter or a man a lesson in meanness, don't be surprised if he learns his lesson.

I miss him too...

2007-08-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

Weekend ATF

2007-08-05T20:59:00.000-05:00

I had a pretty good weekend, how was y'all's?

I got to meet the notorious bloggerblaster and his lovely and gracious wife Dr. Who, and their three cute little boys. Nate and I smoked pipes, talked about guns, and stayed up late drinkin' fine Kentucky bourbon with Dr. Who's sister, the equally lovely Whiskeygirl (who's also gonna be a doc). Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Maker's Mark. Basil Hayden's. Captain Black. Borkum Riff. FN FNP-40. Steyr M1. Taurus PT-101. Winchester 97 riot gun. Good times.

Nate, when are we goin' ~~drinkin'~~ fishin'?

Why Rudy McRomney Fears YouTube...

2007-07-31T21:21:00.000-05:00

Dose Dern Norvegians!

2007-07-28T13:50:00.000-05:00

Two Minnesotans walk into a pet shop near Brainerd. They head to the bird section and Sven says to Olaf, "Dat's dem."

The clerk comes over and asks if he can help them.

"Yah sure, ve'll take four of dem dere little birds in dat cage up dere," says Sven.

The clerk puts the budgies in a paper bag.

Olaf and Sven pay for the birds, leave the shop, get into Sven's pick-up and drive to the top of some big cliffs near Brainerd Lake.

At the cliffs, Sven looks down at the 1000 foot drop and says, "Dis looks like a gut place."

He takes two birds out of the bag, puts them on his shoulders and jumps off the cliff.

Olaf watches as Sven falls all the way to the bottom, killing himself.

Looking down at the remains of his best pal, Olaf shakes his head and says:

"By yumpin' yiminy, dis budgie yumping is too dangerous for me."

VAIT!!! Dere's MORE!

Moments later Knute arrives up at the cliffs.

He's been to the pet shop, too, and walks up to the edge of the cliff carrying another paper bag in one hand and his trusty shotgun in the other.

"Hey, Olaf, vatch dis!" Knute says. He takes a parrot from the bag and throws himself over the edge of the cliff.

Olaf watches as half way down, Knute shoulders the gun and shoots the parrot.

Knute continues to plummet down and down until he hits the bottom and breaks every bone in his body.

Olaf shakes his head and says, "And I'm never trying dat parrot-shooting either."

BUT VAIT!!! Dere's MORE , you betcha...

Olaf is just getting over the shock of losing two friends when Lars appears.

He too is carrying a paper bag, out of which he pulls a chicken.

Lars grasps the chicken by the legs, holds it over his head, hurls himself off the cliff and plummets until he hits a rock and breaks his spine.

Once more Olaf shakes his head. "First der was Sven with his budgie- jumping, den Knute parrot-shooting ... and now Lars...

hen-gliding ."

Vait! Just von more!

Of course you heard of the TV reporter up in St Paul who went down to an American Legion hall to talk with a few WWII vets on the anniversary of V-E Day.

Olaf, the former pilot, was asked if he'd had any close calls while flying against the German Luftwaffe.

"Vell... I remember dis von time I vas comin' back over der channel, ven all of a sudden dees tree fokers came flyin' down on me from out of novere..."

The reporter quickly interjected, "Of course, ladies and gentlemen, the Fokker was a type of German aircraft."

Old Olaf continued, "Ya, but dees fokers vas flyin' Messerschmidts!

Another Baby Bloggerblaster!

2007-07-10T21:28:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Nate and Julie on the birth of their third son, Elkan!

Now... where's my cigar?

The "Nuge" Nails It!

2007-07-04T00:58:00.001-05:00

"I don't like 'repeat offenders'; I like DEAD offenders."

My brother's kid, that's for sure!

2007-07-01T19:15:00.000-05:00

My nephew, with my Dad. My folks brought him to visit his Unca Luke, and we are having a blast!

ATF Friday...

2007-06-22T20:52:00.000-05:00

A: Tiger Lager from Singapore. Not too shabby. I'll be drinkin more beer and havin' fun out on the water tomorrow.
T: Might break out the Captain Black a little later.
F: A grand old 12-gauge Winchester 1897 riot gun. It's an ex-police gun, but I know not from where.

Sound off- what've y'all got goin' on? If you don't have a firearm in arm's reach, hang yer head in shame!

Well, so much for MY Saturday plans...

2007-06-22T17:32:00.001-05:00

Ammo question

2007-06-20T18:18:00.000-05:00

In the comments section, Heidi asks, "Does the ammo really make that much of a difference?"

Sometimes. As for the ammo used on the target below, it was Winchester 165-grn FMJ practice loads that are about $21 for a pack of 100 at Wal-Mart. Not high-dollar stuff. In this case, I think the shooter's skill level was the deciding factor.

Ammo really CAN make a difference. But you'd be surprised- sometimes a particular gun just "likes" a particular load, and not necessarily the high-dollar stuff. So you experiment, find out what delivers reliability and good accuracy in your weapon, and stick with it.

When it comes to ammunition, guns are a bit like women- it's generally less trouble to give 'em what they want than to argue with 'em. ;)

Range Report FNH FNP-40 DA/SA

2007-06-16T11:39:00.000-05:00

This pistol is available in the US in several versions. In addition to classic DA/SA mode (first shot double action), it can be had in single-action only and double-action only configurations. The frame is black polymer, and includes a tactical rail for attaching laser sights and lights (can't wait for my Streamlight TLR-2 to get here). Slide and barrel come in your choice of matte stainless finish or black Melonite, a very durable carbon-nitride finish practically identical to Glock "Tenifer" finish (in fact these are just different trade names for the same chemical process). The pistol comes in a lockable plastic case with 3 magazines (14 round hi-caps that give Dianne Feinswine the vapors, or the neutered, politically-correct 10-rounders, depending on your state's laws), a cable-lock, interchangeable grip back straps (round and flat), owner's manual, and the spent casing from the test round (for "ballistic fingerprinting", I guess).

Cliff Notes version: Get one.

Fit and finish on my pistol are excellent. The trigger pull, both single and double-action, is smooth and not too heavy. There is of course a little take-up in single action, but the trigger breaks cleanly. Frame-mounted de-cocker is ambidextrous. Sights are standard 3-dot combat type; not the best for precision shooting but just what you want for a fighting handgun. Tritium night-sights are available as an option from the factory, or from Ameriglo if you want to change them later.

The FNP is a short recoil operated, locked breech pistol. The barrel uses a Browning cam system employed in a number of other designs of note, including the Sig 220-series. The barrel locks into a steel insert in the frame. Everything on this pistol that needs to be steel, is steel. The rest is polymer.

She ran perfectly right out of the box. Not so much as a hiccup. Feels great in my hand. I was a little worried about the grip checkering, as it's pretty deep, but it didn't bother me at all. Haven't decided whether I prefer the flat back strap or the palm swell.

As for accuracy, once I'd burned through a few magazines, and got warmed up and a little more used to a brand-new gun, it turned in good groups for me at 15 yards. 13 shots (one flier) in a 3" circle at 15 yards from a rest with Wal-Mart's cheapest ball ammo is pretty good for me, considering I had an unfamiliar pistol and I don't get to the range nearly as much as I should. I direct you to a review by Gun Tests magazine. Now, Gun Tests doesn't run ads in their magazine, so they've got nothing to lose by telling it like it is.

Nate, get one and show us what it can really do.

UPDATE Well, as Nate's not available, I asked one of my military co-workers, who can REALLY shoot, to take the FN to the Combat Arms range and see what he could do with it. 14 rounds of Winchester FMJ fired from the isosceles stance, at ten meters.

The mojo's in there.

Friday ATF: Why Wait for Nate?

2007-06-15T20:39:00.000-05:00

The A and T are pretty self-explanatory. For those who've not been paying attention, that's a FN Herstal FNP-40, .40 S&W. Tentatively dubbed "Mary Ann" (see previous post's comments). Yeah, that's a Belgian company, but she was made in Fredericksburg, VA, by (presumably) decent, God-fearing Southrons. I'll take her out to the range bright and early tomorrow, and report back here. Stay tuned.

Anybody out there? Talk to me! What're y'all smokin', drinkin', and shootin'?

What do y'all think?

2007-06-12T21:34:00.000-05:00

Black Melonite...

Or stainless?

Seriously- THIS is the best they can do for a "smear" of Ron Paul?!

2007-06-12T03:28:00.000-05:00

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/06/06/which-gop-candidate-flies-first-class

Kurt from Snook, Tx (a real place, so help me- it's close to Dime Box) put it well:

When you don’t fly private, corporate, special interest or PAC Jets, you have to fly on the commercial flights. When you do that all the time, like Ron Paul, you accumulate Frequent Flyer Miles. When you have enough you get free bumps to first class. Maybe Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, James Gilmore, Sam Brownback should fly commercial more often.. That is the worst you can find on Ron Paul…. Being Frugal and getting rewarded for it.. Please..

And ya gotta love how a bunch of career politicos who're all better-connected and most likely all wealthier than an obstetrician/congressman, can spend an hour or two in the coach section playing "jus' folks" and CNN will buy it. Reminds me of John Kerry with his fancy over-under (price tag still attached) pretending to be a hunter (BTW- how come none of 'em ever go DEER hunting? Too lowbrow?) or Dukakis driving a tank.

In My Humble Opinion...

2007-06-10T20:25:00.000-05:00

A man without a rifle isn't much of a man.

Air rifles don't count

Neither do .22s

Including 5.56 and other "varmint" calibers.

Something with ".30" or "7.62" in it? Now yer talkin'.

If you do not have cows, or at least one horse, you do not need a cowboy hat.

If your LAWN MOWER is not capable of pulling a ground-engaging implement, you need to quit referring to it as a "tractor".

Uncle-blogging

2007-06-03T15:11:00.000-05:00

I like their expressions, as if they're married and she's back-seat drivin'. I seem to recall my dad wearing an expression similar to Blake's a couple times on family vacations...

Oh! Well, that explains it...

2007-06-01T21:22:00.001-05:00

Because We're the Government, and You're Not...

Women are...

2007-05-29T20:47:00.000-05:00

... vexing at times.

C'est la vie. As a very wise Tennessean just reminded me, "There are plenty of girls on the girl tree, dude."

To a certain young lady: sorry things didn't work out the way I (we?) had hoped. If we had gotten the chance to get acquainted under less... distracting circumstances, I'm sure things would have been different.

Lane snapper (Lutjanus synagris)

2007-05-21T02:03:00.000-05:00

I'm afraid the camera could not fully convey the beauty of this magnificent creature.

Ditto for the fish.

Can you identify this object?

2007-05-19T00:10:00.001-05:00

It's soooo obvious...

It's a nappy-headed hoe!

Spot-on, Vox!

2007-05-18T23:27:00.000-05:00

"Any political ideology which focuses on the material world at the expense of human liberty is not only not Christian, it is likely to eventually transform into something altogether anti-Christian."

Amen, Brother Vox! Liberty, after all, is a gift from GOD, who wanted us to be free-- free enough, if we are so foolish, to shrug our shoulders, thumb our noses, or even clench our fist and curse at the One who loved us enough to take human form and die for us.

But liberty also means accepting the consequences of those choices.

Choose wisely.

Grocery store ruminations...

2007-05-18T23:24:00.000-05:00

Do you know the difference between "macaroni" and "elbow pasta"?

About 11 cents an ounce.

Ron Paul to Benito Giuliani: "No, YOU apologize!"

2007-05-17T01:03:00.000-05:00

Surely Giuliani is smart enough to know we weren't attacked on 9/11 "because of freedom and women's rights", any more than the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor because they hated jazz and swing dancing.

Unlike the heroic Dr. Paul, Anthony Gregory is feeling apologetic...

I was just informed that Rudy Giuliani was actually the mayor of New York City during 9/11. Somehow, I didn't realize. He is so modest, he never points this out.

I must withdraw all my criticisms of this heroic man. Being in charge of a city when it is attacked is just the kind of experience that would make someone a great president. Bush was in charge of America when it was attacked, after all.

Rudy was the hero of 9/11. And his humility about it makes him all the more admirable. I mean, here's a guy who put aside his whole day just so he could rush to the aid of his city, despite all the photographers that I'm sure just annoyed him as they tried to turn his altruistic heroism into some sort of glorification of the mayor –– something that he, in all his modesty, would never seek. He was probably in the middle of something important, eating breakfast with his wife as an exemplar of strong, family values, refining his policy of crackdowns on jaywalkers, contemplating the ills in our society that continue to call for men like him to stand up to evil entrepreneurs like Michael Milken. He was probably sitting there, working out the details of New York gun control, anti-porn crusades, and public funding for abortion, when 9/11 hit, forcing him out into the streets to confront the terrorists and speak strongly about how wicked they are.

As long as Rudy Giuliani is alive, we must remember 9/11, and as long as 9/11 is in our memories, we must thank God for Rudy. I feel bad for everything I've ever said about him that was less than properly reverent. How dare Ron Paul not capitulate to Rudy's demand that he retract his condemnations of US foreign policy. The terrorists came and "killed us," as Giuliani later pointed out. I can't wait until a time when all of us can't just get away saying such offensive things as what Paul said, and I expect if Giuliani is in charge, we will be much closer to that wonderful day.

Blast from the Past

2007-05-16T19:13:00.000-05:00

In the gym on base today I ran into Jake Ivie, one of my classmates (Air Force) from the Russian Basic Course at DLI. I haven't seen him in 9 years, yet he recognized me right off the bat, and swore it was if I hadn't aged at all. I'm not vain, but that was nice to hear. Ivie was a rail-thin 19-year-old kid last time I saw him, and I didn't recognize him right away. We spent a few minutes reminiscing about classmates, instructors, and the good old days in Monterey (lovely place, in spite of being full of Californians).

I am not a reunion person. Didn't attend my 10-year high school reunion, and I plan to be busy when the 20-year one rolls around, too. Like I told my best friend from high school, there's a REASON we haven't seen or even talked to 99% of those people since we graduated. Still, sometimes I do wish I'd stayed in touch with more of the folks I met during my Navy days.

Weekend Gun Post: What Coulda Been

2007-05-12T18:10:00.000-05:00

You've probably never heard of the Savage Model of 1907.

You're looking at the other .45 that passed the US Army's grueling torture tests in 1909 for a new .45-cal pistol- tests which led to the adoption of the legendary Colt 1911.

Understand, Colt's Browning-designed pistol did not “beat” the Savage. Both guns performed about equally well, and as you can see, the Savage was a no-nonsense, very streamlined weapon. If you've ever handled one of their smaller automatics, you know Savage made quality pistols. What doomed the Savage and put the 1911 on the road to its (well-deserved) legendary status was the fact that the Colt .45 autopistol was already being produced for the consumer market, whereas the Savage was a prototype. Only about 30 were ever made, of which less than a dozen survive today. The photo above is from the NRA museum.

Don't get me wrong- I love the 1911. But it would gladden my heart if some eccentric gun afficianado with more dollars than sense would bring the .45 version of the 1907 Savage back into production.

Warning: May be habit-forming

2007-05-07T23:12:00.000-05:00

Interlocking fields of fire are FUN...