A little of this, and a little bit of that...

I'm feeling a lot better than I was a couple of weeks ago, although I'm still not as strong as I was. How exactly do I feel you ask? Here, I'll let Ozzy Osbourne tell you.

"Back on earth (you feel me)
Back on earth (reveal me)
Back on earth (still breathing)
Back on earth (reliving)"

I was well enough to go to the range today and took my SKS along with me. I put something in the neighborhood of 80-100 rounds downrange. It felt good to get back out on the range, even if it was finger numbingly cold. The first thing I did is remove the bolt and rough bore site the red dot scope at 25 yards, and once I was hitting well I moved it out to 50, and then 100 yards.

Okay, firstly, the red dot scope has a 4 MOA dot and no magnification (nothing wrong with that), which means that at 100 yards the dot covers a 4" circle. By the time I left I was placing the vast majority of the rounds (mil-surp) within that circle at 100 yards. I'll post a picture later when my camera battery recharges. Secondly, the SKS was never intended to be a sub-MOA rifle. It was made specifically to be just good enough to hit a man sized target in battle and that's it. Yes, I'll say it. The SKS was designed to kill people. That is it's function and there's nothing wrong with that. And at risk of people misunderstanding me, that's why I have it.

May I remind everyone of the Korean shop owners (look at the bottom of the Service & the Second Day sections respectively) who defended their homes and business's during the LA riots with the very same rifle and kept the murderous hordes at bay? And do I even have to bring up Katrina? After today's range session I know I can hit a man sized object 100 yards away from me with this rifle and there's comfort in that. There's nothing like fellow rioters falling all around you screaming to make you change your course of action. If they get closer there's always the 12 gauge loaded with 00 Buckshot, the 9mm and/or the .357 Magnum.

Don't tell me I'm paranoid. In light of recent events, a person would have to be an idiot to go unarmed anywhere in public. Yes, one armed citizen is all it takes to stop a psychotic bent on mass murder. The same people who think it's crazy to carry a weapon think it's perfectly reasonable to have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in their houses. "What, are you expecting trouble?" they'll say, the obvious comeback being, "What, are you expecting a fire?"

Remember the Boy Scout Motto: "Be prepared."

Something that's eating at me a bit happened during my day at the range today. One of the RSO's (a very friendly individual) was talking to another shooter during a break in the shooting and I overheard them talking about gun shows. The RSO stated to the other that gun shows were attended by 10% legal gun owners, 10% law enforcement, and the other 80% were criminals looking to find a cheap gun. The other guy agreed and soon thereafter the "unlicensed dealer" straw man was brought up. They both seemed to think that Oregon had it right in requiring every gun sale be handled through an FFL and NICS. I interjected that in Washington, the WAC puts on the majority of gun shows and you can't buy a gun at a WAC show without being a member, and they do background checks on their members. I also pointed out that statistically, nationwide, less than .1% of crime guns come from gun shows. I never really did get a real response from the two of them. Turns out they're both employed in law enforcement. *sigh* I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out they both believed that something called an "Assault Weapon" really exists.

Anyway, I'm tired and my leg's starting to ache...and the kids need to eat something, so I'll sign off for now.

Later! :-)

Sticker Shock

I know most of you have read about the price of ammo increasing, I know I have, but it didn't really hit home for me until I went to Sportsmans Wharehouse last night to pick up some Federal Premium Gold Medal Target ammo for this weekends "Sharpshooter Shootout" at my gun club. There in the isle I spotted a Federal bulk pack, 525 round .22lr brick selling for $14.99. Egads! This is the same brick that sold just a few months ago for $11. I walked around and checked the price on virgin .357 Magnum brass. It was $15.99, where earlier the same product sold for $10.99. Unless my math is faulty, that's a 50% increase in price for both items! It's a good thing I have plenty of .357 Magnum and .38 Special brass here at the bunker, so I don't have to buy more. I will have to buy some more projectiles next month though, and that I'm dreading!

Oddly, the price on the Federal Premium Gold Medal Target .22lr was still the same, $3.50 per box of 50 rounds. I tried to get a case of it (5% discount that way), but there were out, so I settled for the last eight boxes they had on the shelf. That together with the three (and change) boxes I had stored in the ammo locker made a full case plus.

It's not that I'm hurting for .22lr, really, it's just that my rifle is sighted in for this ammo and I've had good, consistent results at 100 yards with it. Plus, my gun doesn't like the Remington ammo, and the CCI Blazer .22lr I have is inconsistent. In other words, "Stick with what works" or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Oh, and this is what I'll be shooting the Federal target ammo out of this Saturday:

Sweet huh? It started out life as a Wal-mart special, Ruger 10/22 with the 22" stainless barrel. It's been modified with an Adams & Bennett target BBL, Fajen thumb hole stock, a complete Volquartsen trigger group (including recoil buffer) and a Bushnell 3-9x42 scope. If I do my part, it'll group under an inch at 100 yards, with groups at 50 yards well under a quarter. With the factory barrel I was lucky to get "minute of paper plate" at 100 yards. As it is, the rifle is much more accurate than I am at this point.

I'm so glad I have some ammo stored up, but there are other calibers I need. Looks like I'll be placing an order with one of the online ammo companies come payday. Let's face it, if ammo prices keep going up, I'd better get what I can afford before they go any higher.

Like Kryptonite for Jack Booted Thugs

I was watching the video the other day where this guy rigs his car with video equipment in order to catch a thug with a badge who had been harassing him. The video incidentally lead to the JBT's early retirement.

This got me to thinking. There are several instance that I am aware of, and perhaps more that I'm not, of JBT's harassing a law abiding gun owner, or FFL. What I'm advocating is wherever possible, carry an audio or better yet, video recorder on your person (or on your partner's person), so you can document the abuse for all the world to see. There's a reason the ATF agents at Red's Trading Post don't want anyone to film them.

You see, cameras and recording devices are like Kryptonite is to Superman, or sunlight is to vampires, for JBT's. Have you ever turned on the kitchen light at night, in certain parts of the country? If you have, you know what I'm talking about.

The time of laying back and taking it are over. This isn't an all out civil war, but it is war just the same. There are people in this country, in and out of government, who want to take away your second amendment rights. Over 80% of the FFL's in our country are gone now, and more are closing up shop everyday. Don't for a second believe that this is an accident.

Call your Senators and Congressmen and urge them to vote pro-rights. Vote in every election and vote for the candidate that will best support your rights. Oppose EVERY and ANY anti-rights bill, no matter how small. Give no compromise, because we will get none from those who would take away our rights. Document the abuses of government and share them with the world. Shine the light on them so they cannot hide.

It is only together, no matter what you use your firearm for, that we can keep our rights intact and pass them on to our children and grandchildren.