"Here Lie Disarmed Victimes!"

"Lie-in" Protest
January 21, 2008
Richmond, VA

(Heavy emphasis on LIE!)



Thanks to Days of our Trailers.

Here We Go Again

Lautenberg off his meds again introduces gun show bill

WASHINGTON - People wouldn’t be able to buy firearms at gun shows unless they first undergo background checks under legislation Sen. Frank Lautenberg introduced today.

The New Jersey Democrat introduced a similar bill in 1999. The Senate approved it by one vote. But the measure subsequently died.

The current bill to close the “gun show loophole” is co-sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and eight other Democratic senators, including former presidential candidate John Kerry of Massachusetts, have also signed on.

The bill was discussed at a Capitol Hill news conference attended by law enforcement officials, survivors of Virginia Tech shooting victims, and advocates such as Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

“It defies common sense that a loophole in federal law lets unlicensed dealers sell firearms at gun shows without running a background check on the buyer. Our legislation would require background checks for every gun purchased at every gun show across America,” Lautenberg said in a statement.

A 1993 federal law requires people seeking to buy firearms at gun shops and other licensed businesses such as pawnshops to undergo background checks. But a loophole allows them to buy guns from unlicensed dealers at gun shows, Lautenberg’s office said.

Supporters say that loophole allows convicted felons, fugitives, domestic abusers, and others who would fail the background checks to still purchase firearms.

Another Good Reason To Carry a Gun

Harps' death called "random predatory violent killing"

By Natalie Singer
Seattle Times staff reporter

The motive behind the slaying of Shannon Harps wasn't rape, or robbery, or revenge for some perceived slight, King County prosecutors say.

There apparently was nothing particular about the 31-year-old Sierra Club employee that made her a killer's target as she walked to her Capitol Hill apartment on New Year's Eve.

James Anthony Williams, the man accused of Harps' slaying, would later tell detectives she was merely "in the wrong place at the wrong time," according to court documents charging Williams with first-degree murder.

"It is our worst fear — a random predatory violent killing," King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg said during a news conference Tuesday announcing the charges.

Williams, 48, an ex-convict with a long history of mental illness, could face 25 to 33 years in prison if convicted. He's being held in King County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned next Tuesday.

Satterberg and court documents supporting the charge provided new details in Harps' slaying and how she was targeted by a man she apparently had never met. Satterberg also announced Tuesday the creation of a panel to investigate why Williams, whose long history of mental illness and criminal activity — including 248 infractions committed in prison while serving an 11-year sentence for randomly shooting a man in 1995 and a host of violations he committed after his 2006 release — was a free man when the slaying occurred.

The group, made up of prosecutors, officials with the state Department of Corrections (DOC), mental-health workers and law-enforcement officers, will produce a report detailing the efforts to supervise Williams in the 20 months between his release from prison and the slaying, Satterberg said.

"This is not an exercise in blaming anyone other than James Williams for this murder," he said. "It is simply the responsible thing to do — to examine our system when the most intensive supervision scheme we have developed could not prevent this terrible crime."

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Williams saw Harps walking alone on a Capitol Hill street around 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 and began following her.

He was armed with a butcher knife, the same type of knife he had previously told police and social workers he liked to keep with him, according to court documents detailing Williams' criminal and mental-health history.

As Harps reached the stairwell outside her condominium building, Williams began stabbing her repeatedly, commanding her to die, Satterberg said.

A witness heard Harps call for help and saw her stagger out of the stairwell, according to the charging documents.

He dialed 911 and then saw a man emerge from the stairwell, look briefly at him and casually walk away, according to the papers.

Police questioned Williams about an hour after the stabbing after finding him at a nearby bus shelter drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, the same beer found near the scene of the slaying. But they let him go after he said he didn't know anything and witnesses said he was not the man they had seen near the scene of the stabbing.

Williams agreed to give police a voluntary cheek swab while they interviewed him after the slaying. This proved to be the break in the case.

On Friday, police announced that Williams' DNA matched that found on the knife recovered near the crime scene. After questioning him a second time, he confessed, they said, telling detectives he had no particular reason to pick Harps.

At that point, Williams had already been in jail for 10 days after he was arrested for missing a required appointment with a mental-health provider, one of many violations of his probation.

While in prison for shooting a man at a bus stop in 1995, Williams constantly exhibited threatening behavior toward corrections officers and racked up 248 serious infractions, according to court documents.

And after getting out, he spent a total of about 9-½ months of 2007 in jail because of various violations of his community-supervision conditions — requirements he had to meet as part of his release from prison in 2006.

Classified as a Dangerous Mentally Ill Offender, he did receive enhanced supervision in the community, according to the King County Prosecutor's Office and DOC officials.

He was brought before the court several times when he violated his conditions, was once sent to Western State Hospital for involuntary commitment, was sanctioned to various jail terms and was ordered to continue outpatient mental-health treatment, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

In March, he told a police officer that he planned to "shoot all his caseworkers" at Sound Mental Health.

In September, police found an 8-inch butcher knife in his sweat-shirt pocket after the landlord of his Capitol Hill apartment told police he had threatened her. He stayed in jail on that charge until just 10 days before Harps was slain.

Natalie Singer: 206-464-2704 or nataliesinger@seattletimes.com

An abuse victim takes the cops to court

This is just incredible. This woman is lucky to be alive after all she's been through. This woman did everything by the book, but restraining orders are only any good if they're out of Kevlar. Armed self defense is the best option for coming out of a situation alive. The cops have no duty to protect you either.

I wish her luck in her suit, but I don't think she will prevail.

"JONESVILLE - Vernetta Cockerham-Ellerbee peeled back the curtain of her bedroom window and saw the man she once loved enough to marry.

Hunched over in a field across the street, Richard Ellerbee toiled, shoveling clumps of dirt over his shoulder. She glanced past him to the nearby police station in this rural Piedmont town of 2,000. She spotted one of the department's nine officers just beyond the station's front door.

Cockerham-Ellerbee rang the station: He's back, she whispered. He was once again violating the judge's order to stay away. Police didn't catch Ellerbee that day. Cockerham-Ellerbee repeatedly reported her husband's threats during the summer and fall of 2002. He never spent a night in jail.

She didn't know what he was up to with the shovel until he called days later to explain: He was digging graves to bury her and the children.

Ellerbee delivered on his threat in November 2002. He broke into their home and fatally stabbed his teenage stepdaughter, Candice Cockerham. He left Cockerham-Ellerbee for dead, too, slicing open her neck with a shard of glass."

Read the whole thing here.

Ruger Mark II 22/45 magazines

I have a Ruger Mark II 22/45 and a while back I lost the two magazines that came with it, plus a new one I got late last year. The reliability was pretty good with only the occasional jam. Earlier this month, I got two brand new 22/45 magazines ($20/per) from SW and at the match today I was jamming regularly, and in fact it cost me the match.

The jam seems to occur with one fired case getting stuck behind the new cartridge on it's way into the chamber and the bolt & breech face. Jeffersonian has suggested a new extractor, which may well be it. The thing that bothers me is that with the old magazines, jamming was rare. Plus, at the range earlier this month, I borrowed a friends magazine and had jamming problems until I gave that one back to him and he lent me another one. This time it shot like a dream and I had no more malfunctions.

Is there a difference between the Mark II 22/45 magazines & Mark III 22/45 magazines? If so, what is it?

Any other ideas what is going on?

UPDATE: I should have said this earlier, but the replacement magazines I got are from Ruger.

This should put my friends at ease!

22%

Of course the questionnaire didn't say anything about my enemies... ;-)

I got the stuck case out!

Here's what finally ended up working.

First of all I unscrewed the center rod with the decapping pin and expander on it and pulled it out as far as I could. I then drilled out the primer hole and with the aid of some oil and a power screwdriver I drilled a hard, self tapping screw into the primer hole until I couldn't get it in any longer. I placed the die bottom up into the vice with some scrap wood between the jaws and the threads and tightened it down. The next step was to take my pry bar and inserted the head end of the screw into the tear drop shaped nail hole near the straight end. A small piece of wood under the bar gave me the leverage I needed and with a small sledge I tapped the end of the pry bar three or four times and suddenly the case flew out of the die.

I tried a few other methods including channel locks (never could find my pair of lock jaws) and using my reloading press with a shell holder. All this did is chew up the end of the shell and almost pull the bolts on the press through the plywood. That reminds me, I'm going to have to fix that now...

I am so relieved! These dies aren't cheap! I can see now the need for a stuck shell remover kit. It's been added to my "to buy" list come payday.

Just a quick note

Nothing really important...

Readers of this blog are able to reach it by typing in www.therealgunguys.com as well as the familiar therealgunguys.blogspot.com. I've actually had the domain for a while now but I've never pushed it either way.

Like I said, nothing important. I use the blogspot address most of the time myself, but I just wanted to let everyone know that the other is available.

Carry on...

Just something I thought was funny

Book Rec's

Freehold by Michael Z. Williamson

"Sergeant Kendra Pacelli is innocent, but that doesn't matter to the repressive government pursuing her. Mistakes might be made, but they are never acknowledged, especially when billions of embezzled dollars earned from illegal weapons sales are at stake. But where does one run when all Earth and most settled planets are under the aegis of one government? Answer: The Freehold of Grainne, the only developed system that belongs to neither the UNES nor the Colonial Alliance. There, one may seek asylum and build a new life in a society that doesn't track its residents' every move, which is just what Pacelli has done. But now things are about to go royally to hell. Because Earth's government has found out where she is . . ."

Personally, I liked the book or I wouldn't be recommending it, but the sexual content may throw some people off. It can be a little...tedious in places too. I understand this is his first novel and so I've given some allowances for that. I read this in e-book form on my Palm Tungsten E2 in two days. It took me that long because my eyes wouldn't focus after a while and the battery ran dead and I had to recharge it. Plus, I have to get a little sleep! LOL My eyes were so shot from reading in fact, that on a range trip I had trouble reading the scope adjustments because my eyes wouldn't focus on the tiny letters.

A Desert Called Peace by Tom Kratman

"They should have picked their enemies more carefully.

Five centuries from now, on a remarkably Earthlike planet that is mankind's sole colony in space, religious fanatics called the "Salafi Ikhwan" have murdered the uncle of former colonel Patrick Hennessey. That was their first mistake, because uncle was rich and Hennessey was rather a good colonel. But they also murdered Hennessey's wife, Linda, and their three small children, and that was their worst mistake for she was the only restraint Hennessey had ever accepted.

From the pile of rubble and the pillar of fire that mark the last resting place of Linda Hennessey and her children arises a new warrior—Carrera, scourge of the Salafis. He will forge an army of ruthless fanatics from the decrepit remains of failed state's military. He will wage war across half a world. He will find those who killed his family. He will destroy them, and those who support them, utterly, completely, without restraint or remorse.

Only when he is finished will there be peace: the peace of an empty wind as it blows across a desert strewn with the bones of Carrera's enemies."

Carnifex by Tom Kratman

"Revenge: it won't bring your wife and kids back, but it might help with the nightmares.

Patricio Carrera has been waging what amounts to a private world war to bring to justice the murderers of his family. He's raised an army and air force and used them. He's raised a fleet and he's about to use that. He's suborned one republic and is about to undermine another. He's tracked his enemies across half a world, breaking, in the process, any notion of international law that stood in his way.

Now he's deployed his legions to Pashtia, penultimate hideout of the Salafi Ikhwan who have made him what he has become. But with each step further from his home, revenge seems no closer. And with each step he leaves behind him a little of his dwindling humanity.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. Yet the trail itself grows cold, as cold as the snow-capped, windswept mountains of Pashtia. Only Carrera's hate still burns hot, and that's a fire that is slowly consuming him."

I read ADCP and Carnifex, number 1&2 in the series, back to back on my Palm Tungsten E2 in e-book form. Again the only thing stopping me was battery life, sleep and a pair of eyes which would no longer focus. I loved both of these books and the only thing some might find tedious is the detail the author goes into with regards to military structure and weaponry. It's obvious the author knows his military and weaponry well and for me it made it even more immersive.

I am looking forward to Caliphate when it comes out in April!

***

Like Freehold, ADCP and Carnifex are thinly veiled social commentary on the world we live in today. Some of the "Liberal" persuasion may not like these books, but for the rest of us - Enjoy! :-)

If you are interested in getting these books in e-book form like I did, check out Webscription. Like Freehold, many of the Baen Books are available in the Baen Free Library.

UPDATE: I somehow forgot to list links to the authors websites in the original post. Here is the link for Tom Kratman and here is Michael Z. Williamson.

He was a quiet man...

I've just recently become aware of this movie. From the trailer, it appears to tell the story of a man on the verge of exploding and killing everyone in his office one day soon. Being well armed seems to have worked out well for him though for when one day another co-worker goes "postal" and begins shooting up the office, he pulls out his own gun and kills the "maniac with a loaded gun."

I might rent this just to see what kind of slant they put on things, although from the trailer it seems to be more about a romance with a paralyzed co-worker than anything else. We'll see...

However, I did find something interesting from the movie's website. This is their advice on how to deal with a "maniac with a loaded gun" at your own place of employment:

Workplace Violence

Unfortunately, regardless of how diligent we may be in our awareness, some of us may someday find ourselves in a crisis situation. So how can you protect yourself and your coworkers when faced with a hostile, potentially violent person?

1. Understand the mindset of the hostile or potentially violent person. The person has a compelling need to communicate his grievance to someone now! Give him a verbal outlet. Even if he is wrong, the individual is acting on perceptions that are real to him. In the overwhelming number of cases, the person just wants fairness.
2. Practice "Active Listening." Stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen to what is really being said. Use silence and paraphrasing. Ask clarifying, open-ended questions.
3. Avoid confrontation. Instead, build trust and provide help. Be calm, courteous, respectful, patient, open and honest. Never belittle, embarrass or verbally attack a hostile person.
4. Allow a total airing of the grievance without comment or judgment. Make eye contact (but don't stare). Allow verbal venting of emotion. Let the person have his say (not necessarily his way). Ignore challenges and insults and don't take it personally; redirect attention to the real issue.
5. Allow the aggrieved party to suggest a solution. A person will more readily agree to a resolution that he helped formulate. And it might surprise you that the person's suggestion may be very reasonable.
6. Move toward a win-win resolution. Preserve the individual's dignity. Switch the focus from what you can't do toward what you can. With the person's permission, call in additional resources, i.e., supervisor, Human Resources, Employee Assistance Program, Security, or Police.

Well now, I'll just get right on that. Notice there is no mention of armed resistance, inarguably the most effective way of stopping the bloodshed and coming out of the situation alive.

On second thought, I don't think I'll be renting this movie after all.

Fred's Out

That is all.

Happy John Moses Browning Day!

It's that time of year again!

Celebrate the life of this great American by buying a gun or some ammunition, going to the range or taking a new shooter shooting!

...or sign the petition to make this official here.

Range Day

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor ill health shall keep the shooter from going to the range. It was cold and rainy yesterday and I wasn't feeling in the best of health, but I went anyway. Heck, I had guns to shoot and shit.

Mossberg Single Shot .22 (anything):

I got this rifle at the Barberton gun show several months ago for my son to learn on when I feel he is ready for it. It languished for several months in a gunsmiths shop when I found out it wouldn't fire. I bought a replacement firing pin and took it in, but he never got around to it. I got it back and at the last show a gun savvy guy there helped me get the new firing pin installed. Once I got it home, I pulled the bullets from two .22lr cartridges and dumped the powder. I verified that the primer fired on both and put it away until I went up to the range the next day.

Now I'm getting light strikes about 3/4 of the time, although it will fire if the phases of the moon are just right. I also had a problem of cases sticking in the chamber. No, I was not using Remington Golden Bullet ammo, I was using bulk pack Federal which I've had zero problems with.

Of the rounds that did fire the POI was way down and to the right at 25 yards. Obviously the sights need adjustment too. I'll continue to work on it as I have time and money.

One thing I found odd was the ejection. Fired cases ejected almost straight ahead of the rifle, while unfired cases ejected to the right. I've never had a rifle do this before. Peculiar, but not really a bad thing. Like I said, it's just odd.

Yugo SKS (again):

Well, what can I say. *sigh* I set out a target at 100 yards and only had one strike out of a magazine. The POI was way high. Back to 25 yards I came and soon had it zeroed from real good.

I then went back to 100 yards and was hitting high, then low after adjustment and lastly to the right. It was like buckshot...

Something I don't quite understand is going on and I don't yet know precisely what it is.

Either the scope or the mount is shifting under recoil. I've already locktited the set screws on the mount. The scope is supposed to be able to handle the recoil too, so I don't know. I'll keep working at it.

I ran out of time and was going to chrono some Mosin rounds, but it turns out that all of the clubs chrono's have either been shot, or are otherwise non-functional. I don't have one either, so I guess I'm going to have to get one for myself next month, finances willing.

All in all it was a frustrating day at the range, but it was still fun getting outside! :-)

UPDATE: Upon cleaning I have discovered the screws on the scope rings themselves have come loose. These are the ones on the bottom which connect the rings to the scope rail. The front one was loose enough I could turn it with my fingers and the rear one was rattling it was so loose.Looks like I'm going to have to locktite them too.

I originally tightened them down with a pair of channel lock pliers so I know they were tight. The screws holding the mount to the gun are still tight, as are the ones holding the rail posts into the mount. I guess another range day is in order.

Burglars have rights too...

Bullshit. If some idiot comes into my house to steal or otherwise engage in criminal activity, he has no rights. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. I am not going to endanger my life, or the lives of my family members, to ensure that Mr. Bad Guy doesn't get hurt. And if he ends up dead because of his bad choices, it's not my problem.

Of course it would have to be the British. What a perfect example of the failed social experiment called gun control. Yet there are people who would like us to become just like them. It boggles the mind.

From the Telegraph...

----------

Burglars have rights too, says Attorney General

By Melissa Kite and Andrew Alderson

Last Updated: 12:35am GMT 13/12/2004

A fresh row broke out last night about the rights of householders to fight back against intruders after the Government's most senior lawyer defended the rights of burglars.

Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, flew in the face of the Prime Minister's pledge to look again at the law with a view to giving homeowners more rights when he said that existing legislation was adequate.

	Sir John Stevens: confident of support

He said that criminals must also have the right to protection from violence, prompting David Davis, the shadow home secretary, to accuse the government of being dangerously split on the issue.

Lord Goldsmith's intervention came as Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, dismissed fears that giving homeowners greater freedom when tackling burglars would lead to an "arms race" that would put them in greater danger.

He denied that a change in the law, which currently gives homeowners the right to use "reasonable force" when tackling intruders, would encourage burglars to become more aggressive.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Sir John - who last weekend came out in favour of the Right to Fight Back campaign, launched by this newspaper two months ago - said: "I am convinced that enabling householders to use whatever force is necessary will discourage burglars.

"The fact that a would-be intruder knows a householder can respond without the fear of being prosecuted will undoubtedly deter criminal acts." Sir John, who will step down next month after five years as commissioner, said fellow police officers were confident that it would act as a deterrent.

"We are on the ground," he said. "We smell it, we see it, we hear it. We know what we are talking about."

Last week, Tony Blair told the House of Commons that he would look at strengthening the law and a Tory MP has introduced a private member's bill to do so.

Lord Goldsmith, however, appeared to take issue with the Prime Minister's pledge to act. "We must protect victims and law abiding citizens," he said.

"But we have to recognise that others have some rights as well. They don't lose all rights because they're engaged in criminal conduct."

Mr Davis said: "They certainly do lose quite a lot of rights. The Government ought to make up its mind. The Prime Minister says one thing and the Attorney General says another.

"Of course all human beings have rights, but when somebody enters your home to commit a crime they give up a large portion of them."

Some critics of a change in the law have voiced concerns that burglars will feel they have to carry guns, knives and other weapons to protect themselves from householders.

Sir John, however, did not see this as a problem. "I have confidence in the good judgement and common sense of the public in knowing how far they should go."

He said that householders should be able to use whatever force is necessary even if - in exceptional circumstances - it involved killing the intruder.

He spoke of his regret about the repercussions over the verdict on Tony Martin, the farmer who shot dead one burglar and seriously injured another during a break-in at his farm in August 1999.

There was a public outcry when Martin was found guilty at Norwich Crown Court and sentenced to life in prison. The charge and sentence were later reduced to five years for manslaughter.

Sir John did not suggest that the jury had reached the wrong verdict, but added: "The Tony Martin case is unfortunate because it has skewed the debate [on the public's right to protect their home]. But it is a fact that burglars have acted with greater confidence since the Tony Martin verdict and that has to be a matter of regret."

Lord Goldsmith, however, warned of the dangers of using the Martin case to make bad law: "There are very few cases that have given rise to this problem. Besides Tony Martin, there's only one I know about.

"It's always possible to extrapolate from one case and think that something is happening across the country when it isn't."

Mr Blair's announcement of a review of the law came three days after the Conservative Party threw its weight behind a new parliamentary attempt to win more rights for householders to protect them from burglars.

The Telegraph revealed last weekend how Patrick Mercer, the Tory MP, would introduce a Private Member's Bill to change the law in favour of homeowners.

In an article in this newspaper today, Mr Mercer described Mr Blair's promise to consult before taking action as a "classic delaying tactic".

Michael Howard, the Tory leader, yesterday praised this newspaper's campaign. "I pay tribute to the highly effective campaign run over so many months by The Sunday Telegraph. It was the first newspaper to highlight this crucial issue and its persistence has been a key factor in winning this change to the law and in forcing Tony Blair's U-turn," he said. "We now need to ensure that Patrick Mercer's bill gets through parliament. The Sunday Telegraph's continued vigilance will be crucial in ensuring this."

Poll up to your right

I've put up a poll on your right. Please answer honestly, I promise there's no way to tell how you voted unless you tell me. The poll ends at midnight on January 31st, 2008.

What the Anti's Want

Sear and Hammer has a rather graphic video on his blog of a vicious attack in the Netherlands (Rotterdam) in which a woman was stabbed over seventy times by a knife wielding psychopath. The bystanders try ineffectually several times to "karate kick" the attacker into submission without success. This attack goes on for some time before someone is able to drag him off of her. Fortunately the victim lived, although she still suffers from the aftereffects. After trying brutally to kill this woman, the attacker only got four years in prison.

Four freaking years!

In a perfect world, a helpful bystander would have pulled out their gun and blown the motherf&%#@& away. No trial, no parole, no coming back to harm his victim in four years.

Here is what wikipedia has to say about Netherlands gun law:

"Dutch gun law is typical of the Western European approach. Firearm possession is not subject to any constitutional protections, but regulated simply in the Arms and Ammunition Act (Wet Wapens en Munitie). Weapons, including firearms, are divided into four categories, and for each of the categories a certain maximum punishment is set for "voorhanden hebben" (possession), and "dragen" (carrying in public).

Only citizens who are members of hunting and shooting sports clubs may obtain licences for weapons. And even then they may only get a licence for category III weapons (sports weapons).

Firearm possession and use by the military and the police is not subject to Arms and Ammunition Act, but regulated separately.

Sale is only for those age 17 or over."

So basically, every law abiding citizen is unarmed. No wonder the only weapons on display in this video is a knife (held by the bad guy) and hands, feet and a stick (held by the law abiding citizens).

This is the kind of world the anti's want, this is what they want for the USA. They want to make everyone defenseless against every criminal deprivation; like lambs to the slaughter.

Together, we can stop them, but it requires ever diligence and no compromise with evil. And just remember, when they say they don't want to ban your kind of gun, it's only a matter of time before they come for you, and by then there will be no-one to speak up for you.

There are no separate groups. There are no "hunters" or "shooters" or "shotgunners", there is only "Gun Owners". Think about it, with 80M plus gun owners in this nation, do you think the politicians would listen if 80M people stood together with one voice and said "No More!"?

I think they would.

So get involved, join a gun rights group, stand up for your rights, because no-one else is going to. Together, we can stop them and take back all of the rights the second amendment promises up.

UPDATE: Gun Debate Critic has also covered this story and I somehow overlooked it.

Lyman Power Deburring Tool

I finally got tired of hand deburring, primer pocket cleaning, neck cleaning..etc, so I gave in and got the Lyman Power Deburring Tool last night at SW. No more aching wrists and arms! It has attachments for inside and outside neck deburring, primer pocket reaming, primer pocket cleaning and neck brushing/cleaning. Plus you can screw any standard cleaning device into the adapters and use it. The tool can also be used as a power screwdriver if you so desire, and the attachments will fit a standard power screwdriver too. ...and yes, they do sell them separately so those of you who already have a power screwdriver can use them.



Now if I could figure out how to power my RCBS Case Trimmer II I'd be set! :-)

Found during reloading

I found this in a new batch of .223 brass I got at last weekends gun show. Can you spot the problem?

Here, I'll make it easier for you...

I think I'm going to chuck it into the recycling bin. It'll probably work just fine, but I have plenty that aren't wonky I can use, plus the brass isn't too expensive...yet.

Now I just have to figure out how to get that stuck case out of my resizing die... F&%#!

Gun Show Loot

I went to a gun show last Saturday and while I didn't get a new gun, I did get some other cool loot.



Here we see (clockwise from 12:00) a Cold Steel "Bushman" survival knife, Bunker Hill electronic digital safe, a cheap nylon holster (gifted by Jeffersonian), batteries and fasteners (came with the safe), compass (freebie), and two speed loaders with leather belt pouch ( steal at $10) which I got for my Ruger GP100. I also got a bag of previously fired .223 brass for $5.

Most of all it was just fun being there!

More PSH

Gun-Shaped Belt Buckle Causes Police Response

EDMONTON -- A belt buckle shaped like a pistol got a lot of attention at Edmonton City Hall.

The tipster says he noticed the gun as the man was tucking in his shirt. Police descended upon the building shortly before noon yesterday after receiving an anonymous tip that a man was in one of the building's washrooms with a gun.

But it turned out there was no weapon, just the oversized belt buckle.

Edmonton Police Service spokesman Jeff Wuite says the tipster said there was a suspicious-looking guy in the restroom with a firearm tucked into his belt.

Officers responded and found the man, along with two other people.

The trio were put on the ground, handcuffed and searched. Wuite says even though the call turned out to be bogus, police take all firearms calls seriously.

Laughs from the past...

Some people, it seems, have a tenuous at best grip on reality. Consider this which was mistaken for a real product by some of the more fever brained a while back. I wonder if I can get Carolyn "barrel shroud" McCarthy to ban these?

Ginger Beer

Okay, not really beer in that it's only minutely alcoholic, but since it's fermented and cloudy, that's what I'm calling it.

For reference, the recipe and basic procedure can be found here. Personally, this is how I do it, plus a variation or two.

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup of table sugar
Freshly grated ginger root (1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons)
The juice of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon of bread yeast
2 liters of fresh, cold water

Rinse out a two liter pop bottle. With a funnel, put the sugar into the bottle and the yeast. Next add the grated ginger and lemon juice. Next add the water and put the cap on the bottle. At this point I shake the bottle enough to dissolve the sugar and then set it on the counter for at least twenty four hours. When the pressure has built up enough that I can't deform the side of the bottle when pressing hard on it, I put it into the fridge. I feel it is best to let it sit in the fridge another day at least, otherwise it has a sweet, yeasty taste I find objectionable.

Be careful in opening the bottle if you don't want to end up wearing it, as it will have a LOT of C02 pressure built up. One thing I do is pour the ginger beer through a sieve into a large bowl and then rinse out the bottle before pouring the contents back into the bottle through a funnel. This removes the chunky bits of ginger root. If you like floating bits of ginger in your drink, then don't do this.

One word on the grated ginger. Feel free to add as much or as little as you want. Personally, I like the bite of the ginger and the way it warms up the back of the throat, so I add a lot. The lemon juice is optional.

Another way to brew this is to put the shredded ginger, sugar, water and lemon juice into a pan and heat it over the stove. Think - tea... Afterward you can strain the mixture into the bottle and you're ready to go as soon it cools down. If it is too hot, you'll kill the yeast.

One variation on this I've tried with good results is to put some herbal tea bags into the pot and let them steep as well. This adds a sweet, herbal, floral essence to the brew that is not unpleasant.

Anyway, I know this has nothing to do with guns, but I thought people would like it.

Dear Mr. President,

What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand?

That is all.

Sincerely,

Yuri Orlov

*sigh* I now have absolutely zero respect left for George Bush. I just hope the next person to fill the office shows some leadership and integrity that the current holder lacks, but I'm not optimistic.

Now's the time to get those "homeland defense" rifles and ammo folks. Come November, the odds of having an outright enemy of the second amendment in office is a real possibility.

God, I'm so depressed right now...

Typical...

Here's some follow-up from the last post. In this news story, the stalkers family had this to say:

"Ryan Lee Bergner was a "gentle" and "kind" man, and his family "can't even believe" he would break into a woman's house and try to hurt her, his sister-in-law said Wednesday night.

"It's just so shocking for such a gentle person to die in such a violent way," said Becky Bergner, who is married to Ryan Lee Bergner's brother.

"He did not go there that evening to hurt her, as far as the Ryan that we know.""

Pardon me while I throw-up.

A few paragraphs down:

"Officers found Bergner, 41, wearing black leather gloves, sprawled out in the bedroom."

Victim: "Wowee Mr. Bad Guy, what big gloves you have on!"

Bad Guy: "All the better to strangle you with my dear! Plus, I won't leave any nasty fingerprints in your home or on your dead body!"

If I had a dollar for every time the family of the bad guy goes on about what a kind and gently man he was, how he fed the orphans and sheltered stray animal, I'd be a rich guy.

*sigh*

Dial 911 and Die...redux

Thanks to Oleg Volk.

S&W Model 36 "Chief's Special" Info

The last few times I've been in a certain shop which sells guns , I've had a certain revolver calling to me, "Yuri, take me home!" The problem is, I have no real reason to buy it, but yet it still keeps calling my name.

It's a S&W Model 36 "Chief's Special" in ".38 S&W Special", "J" frame, 5 shot snubnose with a 1 7/8" (near as I could measure) pinned barrel. The pinned barrel means it was made before 1982, my research tells me. The firing pin is attached (pinned) to the hammer and the side plate has two screws in it, if that makes any difference.

Condition: It looks for all the world like it spent it's life living in a holster. There is definite holster wear at the muzzle and the breech face bears the distinct impressions of long gone cartridges. It is a little dirty, but that's nothing a good scrubbing wouldn't fix. I pulled back the hammer and cylinder movement seemed to be within acceptable limits. Rifling is a little worn, but looks at least as good as a lot newer revolver which was also on display. The firing pin seems a bit loose and will move slightly up and down (no side to side), is this normal?

Serial #: (update) 82J841. Any idea how old it is?

Price: The shop wants $250 for it. I'm inclined to think this is a fair price.

So...any advice, information or opinions?

Range Day

I managed to get up to the range this afternoon, but I forgot they were on winter hours so I only had an hour to shoot until they closed. So all I had time to do was re-sight in my SKS. I only had time to sight it in at 25 yards, but I plan to go back up there on Friday.

The results were much better today thanks to the thread locker I put on the scope mount set screws; the red dot scope remained rock solid.

I started out with a bore sighter stuck in the end of the barrel and then adjusted the red dot so it was showing the same POI. That done, I took out the bore sighter and loaded the magazine from a fresh 10 round clip. Three shots later I looked into the spotting scope and saw this.


It's a nice grouping (1"=4MOA@25'), but it was about 8.5" higher than where I was aiming. Was the bullet rising? I don't know, but I've experienced the same phenomenon before with other calibers and guns.

I dialed down the elevation and adjusted the windage a few times until I was hitting the center of the target. I found out today if I dialed down the scopes brightness to 5 or under, the apparent size of the dot shrunk and I was able to get much better accuracy. It may seem like a no-brainer I guess, but it hadn't occurred to me until today.

Since I couldn't go out and change targets, being short on time, I decided to pump a few rapid fire magazines through the paper and see what kind of grouping I could get.


Not bad... The sprinkling of hits around the hole in the paper are from when I went a little crazy with the sighting in. There is also two ragged holes in the target, one on top of the other. The bottom one from the sighting in process, and the top 2" - 3" one which have merged.

Not bad I say, considering I had less than an hour of trigger time and was unable to change targets. In addition to the Sarah Brady targets I also have some human silhouette targets I was going to put up at 100 yards. They'll keep till Friday I suppose.

Here's an overview of the whole target:


Remember folks, the worst day at the range beats the best day anywhere else!

UPDATE: DoubleTapper reminded me to include a picture of the SKS I used, which I somehow forgot to post originally. Sorry about that, here it is. :-)

Quote of the Day

"Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them."

-Thomas Paine

Nice Recap on ATR

Robb over at Sharp as a Marble has a nice recap on the Alexander Tristan Riley, ATR, Culturologist, NRAfourever, etc goings ons as of this morning. It seems Instapundit got a hold of the story and as a result, it is getting a lot more publicity now. I give it another month to reach critical mass...so to speak.

Go check it out!

Additional links will be added as I find them.

Pro Second Amendment Bloggers Group

If you are a pro second amendment blogger, I'd like to invite you to join the discussion list here.

This group is intended for pro second amendment bloggers to communicate and discuss issues relating to the second amendment. It is also a potential way for us to plan and coordinate on important issues.

Thanks!

-Yuri

Beam me up Scotty!

...there's no intelligent life down here! At least that's the way it seems over at CeaseFire PA. Turns out that not only do they have an homophobic, racist bigot on their board (see my posts concerning Alexander Tristan Riley), they also have Jennifer W. Stein (that's her on the right), a 9/11 Truther who's into aliens, crystals, past lives and well...

Here, I'll let part of her bio tell the story:

"Jennifer pursues her passion for knowledge in many areas including, archeology, phenomenon experience, including UFO’s crop circles, & ESP as well as the science of consciousness. Jennifer is an avid organic gardener, and loves to faux paint, is an accomplished seamstress, macrobiotic cook, and is happily married to a life time partner, whom she claims is her greatest teacher, and the mother of two young adult daughters, who are her second greatest teachers.

She describes her self as a modern day Kabalist & mystic who studies tuning fork sound dynamics, macrobiotics, Yoga, transcendental mediation, Kabala, Ancient Egyptian mystery school teachings, crop circles, sacred geometry, and ancient civilizations as well as precognitive phenomena. For her these areas overlap like puzzle pieces to understanding her own life experiences and the modern day spiritual evolution engulfing the world. She is a member of the Noetic Sciences organization, which is committed to the study of the evolving human consciousness movement."

Far be it for me to tell someone what, or which invisible man in the sky, to believe in, but wow...just wow.

Attention 9/11 Truthers: "The Terrorists Did It!" Seriously, I know it may amaze you that a bunch of Arabic hicks from bumf*#& Afghanistan could pull something like this off, but you have to look at the evidence. And as far as Aliens go, while they may exist, and logic indicates that there must be some other intelligence somewhere in the universe, why the hell would they spend their time in the armpit of the Milky Way Galaxy doodling in crop fields and checking "Jim Bob" for colon cancer?

How do these people expect us to take them seriously?

See Snowflakes in Hell, The War on Guns, Say Uncle, Armed and Safe and Days of our Trailers all have their takes on this. I'll update the links when I become aware of them.

Idiots with Guns

With apologies to Xavier.

How these two managed to pull the trigger I have no clue. Also, you'd think there'd be plenty of gun related artwork available from multiple sources already. *sigh*

----------

Two accidentally shoot selves making tattoo


CHAPARRAL, N.M. (AP) - Two southern New Mexico men are recovering after accidentally shooting themselves while trying to trace a loaded .357-caliber Magnum as a pattern for a tattoo.

The Otero County Sheriff's Department identified the men as Robert Glasser and Joey Acosta. Both are 22.

The sheriff's department says deputies responded to the shooting in Chaparral on Thursday evening, but Glasser and Acosta were already on their way to a hospital in nearby El Paso, Texas.

Authorities say Glasser was struck in the hand when the gun accidentally went off. Acosta was hit in the left arm.

The injuries were non-life threatening.

Want!

Man, wouldn't this just make the anti's crap themselves? And it's only $799! Time to start saving! I suppose though I really should be saving for an AR. Hmmm...

"These are Romanian FPK sniper rifles in 7.62x54R caliber, PSL style, with two 10rd magazines and a side mount 4x scope. Long barrel with muzzlebrake, Dragunov style stock (color may vary from picture). Nice excellent condition firearms."