Retro Sunday- The Ruger Bearcat!

My young new shooter signed up for the bowling pin match today using this, his Grandfathers pistol. He did well, finished first in his class with a 6 shot single action revolver! Congratulations to Harrison!

I hope everyone has a great week!

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more...

Briefcase is loaded! Looking forward to tomorrow!

EPA Backs Off!

From Snowflakes in Hell comes this good news!

Yey! Ken Sounds Great!

I just called his cell phone and his wife picked it up. Love the old school phone skills (I still do it too) after introducing myself she asked "May I help you?" After the secret handshake I got to deliver my line to him that he is ugly as homemade sin and he immediately fired for effect. Luckily for me he did not range that and drop 20. That told me he was OK! I look forward to my friend being back soon!

Good news and telling evidence about the power of prayer. Thanks again to all that did!

Vigil

From the talented Troopers Gal comes this post. I am humbled at the young mans composure. I can not add anything to TGals post but Semper Fi.

EPA Considers Banning Lead Ammo!

From fellow Blogger Snowflakes in Hell comes this link.

I urge anyone that is in any facet of shooting activities be it collecting, hunting, competitive shooting, etc. to hit that link to get the info you need to comment to the EPA for the public comment process, the head of the EPA and your elected officials. Surprised the NRA-ILA has not picked up on this, but they have a tool to find your representatives and handy links to tell them what you think! Link to that tool is here.

As many have noted we must be vigilant and never give up the fight. This would have a profound affect on the shooting sports as we know it.

My friends Father has passed.

Thank you all for the prayers and I now ask for you to think of the family during this time. He was 95.

His Son is a friend and I can only offer these words right now: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it". Ecclesiastes 12:7. I find some measure of solace in these words during such times.

I have no other information at this time concerning arrangements. The only thing I can say was at least Paul was there.

A note from Rod Serling...

"It is difficult to produce a television documentary that is both incisive and probing when every twelve minutes one is interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits singing about toilet paper."
— Rod Serling

From Orion Hood

Comes this telling post about the financial state of affairs here. Bonus points for the really great picture of a Wolf.

Thanks!

Link here!

Police: 3-year-old shot himself with Charlotte officer's gun - CharlotteObserver.com

Excuse me?


Police: 3-year-old shot himself with Charlotte officer's gun - CharlotteObserver.com

A new week gets off to a good start!

Congratulations to the 82 year old Gentlemen that completed his basic safety class and qualification with a Bersa .380! Good shooter, just had some trouble racking the slide!

We show no doubt

We show no doubt.

Retro Sunday.......

I actually had a young lady as a first time shooter sorta melt down, start crying and generally freaked out on me on the line today. I checked the NRA RSO manual and there is not a range command for this situation. Luckily for me there was an experienced female shooter that happens to be great in these matters around to help.

Tomorrow I need to help out once again at the range. Ken is still out, but Paul's father in FLA (who is 95) is not doing good. Once again, prayers for the family are requested. We all share a passion for the safe handling of firearms and train new shooters properly. Any time a legal firearm owner does something stupid, it diminishes all of us. That is the underlying reason for the passion we all have.   

So for tomorrow the duty uniform is this:

Retro Sunday will return!

Stay safe!

EEK! Update

So after some old school troubleshooting we have come to the following conclusion:

Why do I say that? Because it is now relying on the other seven cylinders to move it through life. It no longer produces energy to impart to the crankshaft. It is still there, piston moving up and down, valves opening and closing, but for the remaining 7 productive cylinders it is a waste of energy.

So what happened? Perhaps it is waiting to have its mortgage covered by the other 7 cylinders? Kitchen remodeled? Engine block paid for? Did it believe in hope and change? Perhaps.

This example is just a microcosm of this country right now. We are nearing the point of 50 percent of the population paying taxes meaning that they are productive. The other percentage is like my #6 cylinder. Losing one cylinder here has a profound affect on the effective running of this machine. Just like our country. 

WHOOPS! Sorry.... Got carried away here. I do not recommend old school troubleshooting for newer cars. I do not recommend pulling spark plug wires off of a running car unless you have the proper tools or really like electroshock therapy. 

Verdict.... Fuel injector is toast. Compression good, plug not fouled meaning a ring problem, injector being told to fire, but no fuel being delivered to the cylinder. First attempt is a can of Techron to clean. I will find out shortly if that works. I think not, but do the simple stuff first. Then we are off to injector land!

UPDATE! A friend needs help.

Ken is home, he did have a mini stroke and and an additional MRI today to ascertain the amount of blockage in his carotid artery. My source did not know if it was the external, internal, or common. No matter, it did not warrant him to be shoved to OR after the scan.

So now after research it appears that Hallmark does not have a get well card that comes close to: "You are as ugly as homemade sin, but I miss seeing you." I guess I will have to make one!

Thanks Brigid and Supi! I am sure the prayers helped! I hope to exchange witty verbal repartee with my friend soon! 

A friend needs help.

The Gentleman that is the head of the range I shoot at during public hours has been in the hospital for two days. Diagnosis is sketchy right now. Originally thought to be a stroke. Another MRI tomorrow.

I perceive him to be a "gentle giant", a large and self professed retired "fleet sailor" he will not tell you what that was all about, a true measure of those who served. Wicked, caustic humor directed at me that I love; he does get it back and responds that I have the skills in that arena. Yet he will always tell you about the Granddaughter that he loves dearly.

He is a true Gentleman in every sense of the word.   

If you believe in prayer, please pray for him and his family. His name is Ken.

I would miss him greatly; I can only think how much his wife Kitty and their children and Granddaughter would.

So in retrospect my week was not that bad. You have to keep it in perspective. 

Thank You!

Kelly

The reason Al Gore invented the interwebs...

So I can go see a wonderful post by a most entertaining and eclectic fellow blogger (fatale abstraction) and leave a comment like this: Cool! I just ordered onAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH! (THUNK) "He's dead Jim."

Truly the best use of the largest WAN on the planet!

EEK!

On my way home tonight, the faithful daily driver started to "stutter" at speed, idle rough and generally let me know that even after the A/C love it deemed itself not happy.

Before car manufacturers all went to the On Board Diagnostics-II (ODB-II) drive train management system, it was pretty much "roll your own" between the manufactures. My little beater has the Ford Electronic Engine Control - 4 computer. A less sophisticated system to be sure the car has a traditional distributor, so this little gizmo mainly keeps up with air/fuel stuff. Everyone that has an "EEC4" however will have this experience: "EEEKKKKK" oh no, please get me home! I will fix it I promise! Please get me home! She did and the only time she did not it was because there was a new Honda Civic hood ornament attached at speed to the front. Not her fault!

I came home to two really large limbs broken off from my huge oak out front. So far this has been one of these weeks!

And for now back to this:

 I think I have lost a cylinder. Could be a lot of things!

Live From The Community College.....

First night of "Managing and Troubleshooting Networks". The Bookstore does not have the book in stock, so far so good this week! Full class and over half say this is the first IT class they have ever taken. A challenge to be sure!

Mosin Nagant Humor...

From my friend Supi comes a comparison between 3 well established rifles. You may have seen it before but still, it's funny!

Link here.

Take Heart!

There was once a man that uttered truly profound words on the role of government in America. And he was POTUS. Not that long ago. Listen to his words compared to the ones we are hearing now.

It's getting close!

This is how its done! If you can, do more of the same, I will! News report for my Senator meeting the people.

Yes there is a 30 second commercial at the beginning, but worth the wait!

Fox 8 news

Live from a Community College near you!!!

A simple checklist for running an Web development tools class:
1. Students
2. Instructor
3. PC's
4. Adobe Creative Suite 4 with Dreamweaver installed on PC's......DOH!!!!!!

Revert to "Plan 9": Ok class tonight we will not use Dreamweaver. We will replicate the way it was originally done. First find a chicken, draw a pentagram, kill the chicken and pour the blood on the pentagram. Then summon the dark lord to create your Web page, got it? Any questions? Good night, drive safely.

Seriously, not too bad. I always have a jump drive with an "OOOPS"  power point on it just for such occasions.  

School Daze...

Off tomorrow night to start the Fall Semester. I teach basic Flash animation and find this classic really really funny. I always show it to the class after wrapping up the Flash module.

Enjoy! 

Conversation recently.....

At a client location and after getting the security cameras working and attending to the PC's laying about, one of the proprietors of the establishment asked me. "Is there anything you do not know how to fix or operate? My reply: "Yes, women. I have not been able to find any shop manuals or tech briefs on them." 

A great sign!

Wish there were more of them!

From OLD_NFO and thanks!

Retro Sunday- Colt's 150th Birthday

The talented wordsmith Brigid suggested I do some Retro Sundays with old firearm and ammo ads. Thanks B.! I did it last week with a 1962 edition of The American Rifleman. This week I present the Colt American Handgunning magazine from 1986. Let's get started (click pic to enlarge):

So far so good! Any Python fans out there?

I know at least two fans of this weapon, B. and Fatal Abstraction. Oh and me! Here is another blast from the past.The Mustang .380. There are several around and they all work once you understand the proper method of operation. A careless operator will kick up the safety after a shot with an improper grip. Warning! Do not disassemble the lower if you can avoid it! Things will fly around with reckless abandon if you do not know what you are doing!

Another Python ad:

I hope everyone has a great week! Blogging will probably slow up, back to teach two IT classes starting this week. 16 weeks of "Yes the book is technically correct, but does not cover what to do when the CEO calls because he cannot get online to check his stock portfolio or when accounting says they cannot print invoices. Here is how it really works." 

Stay safe!

Two very similar tools...

One of these can be used for great good, or improperly used create grave damage.

In fact that tool shares some operational characteristics with this one:

Once you pull the trigger on either one of these tools, be it the enter key or the trigger, there is no undo button. A negligent discharge of either tool can cause grave bodily damage. 

Words are of such importance that memorable quotes like this spring to mind: "Let the name of Moses be stricken from every book and tablet. Stricken from every pylon and obelisk of Egypt. Let the name of Moses be unheard and unspoken, erased from the memory of man, for all time."

And either with a keyboard or handgun if you have an negligent discharge all one can say is "Mea culpa" and deal with the aftermath. 

Mea maxima culpa 

Getting ready for the weekend!

Ok, so first up is the "redneck engineering" exercise for spent primer collection:

Works for me and now on to "working for the weekend":

The venerable .45ACP. Learned a bit trying to reload this cartridge. Hornady ships a generic .45 caliber set of dies. To get the ACP down you need the ACP taper die. Got it and so now I am back off to the races this weekend!

I also need to see if my spring and recoil guide replacements from Wollf works on this little pony:

 I do like the look as compared to the black plastic guide that came with it! Call me vain! On the left is the hundred rounds of .45 made tonight. All of this will be tested this weekend.

Anybody have a recommended load for zombie bowling pins? Running 4.6 grains with a  185 grain Hornady XTP bullet right now. Running a Colt Combat Commander for this!

So here is some classic comedy!

On Monday I posted some Dragnet video from 1954. Now to see the other side of Jack Webb in a comedy classic with Johnny Carson. They don't make stuff like this any more! Jack took the stuff seriously, period!

Ah...

Well, after throwing some money at it, Boyle's gas law is back in effect in my pedestrian daily ride. Unlike the Federal Government, throwing money at this problem actually worked!

Here is ambient temp at stately manor.

Here is discharge temp on the A/C vent after 8 minutes of operation:

The funny thing about all of this is that the '94 FoMoCo shop manual and the '71 shop manual have the EXACT same text on the theory of operation. It seems that someone has been using cut and paste for a very long time!  

Friends of the NRA Event!

I went last year and it was a really great time (hint: bring money)! They also support the BSA shooting activities. My young scout said that the rifles, ammo, and targets were all supplied by this 501(c) organization. If you are close, go; maybe I will see you there!

Photo: N.C. road crew misspells 'SCHOOL' - CharlotteObserver.com

Photo: N.C. road crew misspells 'SCHOOL' - CharlotteObserver.com

Yep, I live here! Sigh.......If only they put up the "School" zone sign up before this they would have had something to go by, LOL!

A Blast From the Past!

A friend last night said they were watching "The Spy Who Loved Me". I could not get that channel on DirectTV. So as they were watching a classic, I fired up Netflix and found "Dragnet 1954". I would have loved to talk to my friend in real time and poke holes in the movie they were watching, but I found my movie as entertaining. Classic one liners:
"Unless you are growing, sit down"
"Captain James E. Hamilton, Intelligence: Shotgun, extreme close range, double-O. Starkey was hit four times, first two cut him in half.
Sgt. Joe Friday: The second two turned him into a crowd."

"Max Troy: You got nothing to take to court! You got a phone number, it don't prove up. I could write down Eisenhower and it don't prove up for twenty cents. That's all the evidence you got, you take it downtown and they won't let you in the washroom with it! Now get off my back and hand me that ashtray!
Sgt. Joe Friday: You've got the Cadillac - drive over and get it!"

Good stuff!

Here is a link to some video:

 

Retro Sunday Update!

So it is confirmed. The '94 compressor has left this life to become some scrap metal. As it was a catastrophic failure it proceeded to throw debris down stream to other components. I still cannot complain on the "totaled" car. So to plan "B" while repairs are underway. The bolting on of new components is well within my skill range, but purging and cleaning and recharging I simply do not have the tools for nor am I willing to pay for them.

Here is plan "B":

 The '71 is back on the line! Stuffed some evil R-12 refrigerant in it and although it will not last, it will blow cool air! The red decal on the radiator support denotes the proper charging for this system. I need to convert this system to whatever the non polar bear killing stuff is (R-134a maybe?) but that is really expensive. Oh, the compressor looks like it weighs about the same as a Prius, LOL! Suck that tree huggers! 

So it goes!
 

Retro Sunday With a Twist!

For some reason returning from the range today the daily driver "Climate Control System" decided that blowing ambient temperature air around the interior is the new preferred method of operation. Considering that my thermometer here now says 95.7 degrees F., this cannot remain so.

So a little light reading is in order from FoMoCo, Dearborn MI.

I have already used "The Knack" before digging deeper. Jedi tricks are not needed either. After 190K miles, I think the compressor has lost the will to live. Especially if you hot wire the clutch on it and it sounds like a cement mixer!

I hope everyone has a great week! Stay safe!

Young man on the line again! UPDATE!

Young man has decided to shoot in the next bowling pin match, good for him! 

I am humbled to do this again. Today. I have to do everything right. I also have to say I do take some comfort in the fact that skills are still taught. Video for Boy Scouts of America here.

Saturday Night Overload!

OK, so my best shooting buddy and I go run a couple hundred rounds today. Good day!

I'll take that with black iron sights at 7 yards with a Colt .45 any day!

But now here on a Saturday night, here is what's going on:

All of this happiness arrived today while I was gone. The Mustang has a total spring rebuild kit and recoil spring guide rod from Wolfe and Colt sent some stuff for other tools. So if I open the Ziploc baggies can I get a nose hit from Blue Dome air in the holiest of gun places? Nice touch for the cards in each baggie, I guess that is why this stuff costs!

But on the other hand, I have laundry running:

Full review coming, but it seems to work well! Cleaning .45 brass here.


These need attention after today's activity:

The 8 round magazines arrived today. Further preparation for the zombie bowling pins. Silly me! 8 rounds in two magazines please! They need to be cleaned and dry lubed.

I have more people coming tomorrow to go to the range however. I may just chuck a DVD in the player and call it a night! Or not!!!

Back By Popular Demand!

Zombie bowling pin tactical training returns! Last Sunday in August. Info here!

SEAL Dogs!

From The Register comes an article on armored dogs! ".....equipped with infrared nightsight cameras and an "intruder communication system" able to penetrate concrete walls." It's worth it just to go to the article to see an airborne insertion of a man and his dog! 

On the even better side, I bet the dog does not have to paint his head red during Hell week! In fact I would say he probably just pees on the wood pole!

A great little video!

November is coming! I have "hope" for a "change"! Link right now is here:

Retro Sunday!--The American Rifleman 1962

Hat tip to the lovely and talented Brigid (who is celebrating a birthday by the way) for the idea for today's Retro Sunday! I have just the thing thanks to my Mother's mad ninja like yard sale skills. I have the complete 1962 collection of American Rifleman magazine. Let's get started with the front cover of the January edition (click the pic to enlarge):

Do not let some bloggers I know see this ad (remember B. this was your idea):

Yep that's right 125 bucks for a new Python!

Springfield for 30 dollars anyone?

How about a Ruger .44 Magnum Carbine for 108? Super Blackhawk for 116?

And last, the back cover.

I hope everyone has a great week! Stay safe!