But Ma, it followed me home!

(Click to enbiggen!) 
And the answer for this one is yes I can keep it ! Winchester Model 94 Classic. 30-30. Based on my research it was made in 1967. Not in bad shape either!

Yea!

I'm so proud!

So my student from last months CCH class has been at the range every weekend since. Last week she showed up with one of these:

Ruger SR9c. She is still carrying the S&W Bodyguard, but has come to the semi auto world.

Today, she is back at the range again with her Stepfather, Mother, and Aunt. Mother and Aunt are observing. She wants to know If I want to shoot the Ruger. I say sure. Then she wants to shoot my M&P. OK!

Icing on the cake is that she has named her weapons and shoots both of them, AND is sporting this Tshirt:

I think my work here is done! I am so proud!

The Seventies. I survived.

Here is a mashup video of the original "The Price is Right". Aside from the lovely Anitra Ford what do we have here?

"A NEW CAR!!" Actually two Vegas, two AMC somethings, a Vette, a Maverick, Triumph, and VW Thing.

Somehow GM actually figured out how to make a car out of compressed rust and a self destructing engine. That was the Vega. AMC, I'm not even going there. Triumph electricals were by LUCAS, prince of darkness and walking. The Maverick, I'm not touching. The Thing, well a floating car is cool, but not really one of my design criteria for a land vehicle. 

Of course we have The Spiegel Catalog (Chicago Illinois, 60609) yes I still remember the ZIP code. 

Harvest Gold Washer and Dryer, CHECK! Avocado Green refrigerator, CHECK! My parents had one and it DID serve admirably. In fact I think it was the same model. Retired about ten years ago.

Teledyne Packard Bell Television? Got it!

So thankfully someone replaced the soundtrack with time period correct music. It wasn't all bad back then! 

So in the spirit of full disclosure, I did survive:

Me, 1978! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

HA! Karma is somthing! UPDATE!

I got the city wrong. It's Richmond! 

The Roanoke Tea Party wants to be reimbursed for: "cost of permits and other fees to use the same area in which Occupy Richmond has settled for nearly the past two weeks for free".

HAHAHAHA.....Catches breath.... HAHAHAHA! 

Full story.  

h/t to Free North Carolina!

Occupy Charlotte!

Sister Toldjah brings it here. I don't normally comment on political matters anymore as many others I follow do such a better job than I. If you are following me, you are following them. So on one end of the spectrum we have the above report from boots on the ground in Charlotte, and on the other we have Brigid and Old NFO.

After looking at the above, who would you rather have a nice Dinner Supper with? People camped out in Downtown Charlotte or My Blog friends?

Insight Tech Gear...

The slogan for Insight is "Dominate the darkness". I'm OK with that. If you have a S&W Bodyguard .380 though, YOU will have to dominate with a Surefire flashlight instead of thinking the LASER on this thing will work. I am now waiting on LASER # 3 from S&W. 

I still carry the gun and consider the LASER a fun thing to play with at the range. The gun runs fine without it, but I paid for it and it should work! 

So some words from a show from long ago: "This LASER is no more. It has ceased to be. It's expired and gone to meet its maker. This is a late LASER. It's a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. If you hadn't mailed it back to S&W, it would be pushing up the daisies. It's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-LASER." 
.

I do enjoy this!

Helping a friend commission a safe is a thing I truly enjoy.  This has been a long process. First, external security was addressed, motion lights, bushes, etc. Then we moved to perimeter physical security. Solid doors with good locks. Then the alarm system. Now this:

 Not the best safe out there, but not one of the worst either.

 




















I am so happy that someone has joined the ranks to spend the time, money, and effort to protect what is theirs. 

Anyone have any advice on protecting the original boxes for the rifles? Won't fit in the safe, I am more worried about moisture or insect damage on these. 

Stay safe at the range people!

I'm sure everyone has seen this making the rounds:

"A Bristol police officer was shot by his girlfriend at an indoor shooting range in Piney Flats on Monday, and the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether the shooting was caused by “hot brass” falling down the woman’s shirt."  Story is here.

Ok, now for the rest of the story relayed to me by my operative in Johnson City TN. The news says he was shot by his girlfriend. This came as a surprise to the "girlfriends" husband I am told. I have not verified this yet, but it comes from a reliable source. 

Come on people! Be safe at the range ok? Think of the collateral damage too! 

And people wonder why I don't get involved with customers at the range! Duh! This is as good a reason as it gets! 
 

UPDATE! Not a safe queen....

It shoots great! What a wonderful time that was:

Here we have a Fabico Model 6  8 shot .22LR revolver. Rode hard and put up wet. No one will start a bidding war on this one. It has special meaning to me. My Grandfather carried it. It showed up here recently over 20 years since my Grandfather passed away. I am told he was quite the shot with it, dispatching vermin with great skill. I sadly have little memories of this.

So tonight, I checked it out. Cleaned it up a little. You know I am going to shoot it tomorrow! Cylinder locks up tight. I get a good indent on snap caps. 

So tomorrow I will shoot this mans pistol.

Ace (my grandfather) is on the right. 

So a piece of steel and some plastic can bond generations. I look forward to shooting my Grandfathers pistol. I know stories still told today about him and this pistol. I am honored to pick it up and shoot tomorrow with his gun and to have it here. Monetarily to many it means little. In memories it is priceless to me. 

Note to self.....

If the kitchen pantry looks like this:

AND the MRE looks like the best thing going its time to go to the grocery store, STAT!

Review- The S&W M&P Tactical Pen

So for some reason one of these shows up at stately manor:

My thoughts? It's heavy. It writes well, but I drafted my plans for world domination with it and they failed. I think I need the "Smith and Wesson Strategic Pen" for work such as that.

Nomenclature Change!

In honor of the conversation going on here, there has been a nomenclature change at stately manor. This:

Shall no longer be known as a "Smith and Wesson M&P VTAC 9mm Pistol". All obelisks and pylons with this reference shall be stricken. The name will never be spoken here again.

Henceforth the correct nomenclature shall be: "plastic 9mm bullet hose". 

So let it be written, so let it be done!  

I am once again humbled. And exhausted!

To me, issuing one of these is a big deal. Note what the certificate states (click to well, you know):

The certificates are issued to me. The Statutes are well defined and explicit. Sumdude was selling these for 100 bucks each out of the back of his car at the Waffle House parking lot in Winston Salem some time ago. He got busted and deservedly so.  That cheapens what true instructors do, and more importantly denies people the import and training of what carrying a concealed handgun really means.

I spend all day with people from all walks of life, the motivations they have to give up a beautiful fall Sunday and spend money is profound to me. I will never get rich doing this. Today however was very rewarding, yet emotionally draining.

A young woman today, a Senior at NCSU was accompanied by her Stepfather (I said "GO WOLFPACK" to her and she immediately responded with the correct hand signs, LOL!). She and he told the tale as to why they were both here today. He, a very large man about 6'2" 230 lbs; she a very petite, 5" nothing and looked like she would blow away in a stiff wind. It is so very hard to hear these stories. I must maintain composure as they are spoken in class. Sadly I hear more than my fair share.

She has a restraining order on a former boyfriend that Stepfather says is bigger than he. After the boyfriend took an entire day to beat her at his leisure, she is here now today with one of these:

Smith and Wesson Bodyguard .38. 

I am humbled. For someone to come thru that ordeal, speak of it in public and decide to take action against that ever happening again, I can only be in awe of that spirit. It again overwhelmed me today doing my admittedly pedestrian tasks at hand. God Bless her and her Stepfather. I wish the best to the young lady and her Stepfather. 

So after shooting the Bodyguard 40 rounds during qualification (I exceed State requirements and require weak hand only shooting as well), I allow students to shoot the remaining 10 rounds from a box of ammo if they would like to do so. She says she is done. I understand. That is not a pleasant handgun to shoot. I ask if she would like to shoot this:

A Colt Detective Special made before she was born. She had observed it in class, and remarked how much heavier it was than her .38. She smiled and said "yes please". I left my RSO in charge as I went to get it. 

She shot it and the smile from her face was my reward for the day! I told her that her gun is great for what it is and what it is designed for, but not a "fun" gun to shoot. Actually neither is the Colt, but far better than what she was shooting!

So for now I am here with guns that need to go to the safe, I need to get ready for the "real job" tomorrow and I am very happy for my student today and yet crying. I lament the loss of innocence.

I seem to meet the best people for all the wrong reasons.

I cannot cheapen what she went thru, but I hear too much of violence against good people in class. Sadly, for many that was the motivator for them to be there in the first place.  

   

So today at the range...

I ran a Basic Pistol class. One student sported this t-shirt:

Ok, that's pretty good. Better was the woman that showed up at the range during class to shoot. She had some external leg brace on one leg and was using a 4 legged cane on the other side. Her t-shirt? I was trying to keep from laughing out loud! I was being Mr. Instructor and all that then. Here it is:

So I watch enough to see her whip out a Model 10 and proceed to tear the center out of a target. Well Done! Good on her! 

Congratulations to my 5 students today including a young lady that will turn 18 tomorrow. Her Father was in the class riding shotgun and I needed him there anyway for her to have a pistol in her possession. After the class he said that He enjoyed the class and was retired LEO. He said that she would never listen to the "old man" but would pay attention to someone else. Wise man in my opinion!  

Found it!

I found it! Remember this post? This is my Grandmother at work at the record store. Many good memories there. I have no idea when the picture was taken, but I think it was before I became aware of my surroundings.

Take care of all you hold dear. In whatever form it is.

Ok, I have had enough!

I understand the marketing tie in to Halloween but seriously! First we have this:

What's that for? This:

I was pretty astounded to see this from Brownells.

So I get it, but when you have the CDC and ACE hardware stores all over this too perhaps the meme has been worn out. 

And after that I really am giving the side eye to my Hornady press. I expected better.

If someone needs to tell me to "lighten up Francis" please do!

Has it been a year already?

The North Carolina Transportation Museum is back at it with the opportunity to run a steam locomotive. I did it last year and hope to get back this year.

Here is the link! If anyone wants to go, I know how to get there!

Oh look a Rifle!

So I get handed this thing (as usual click to enlarge):

I miked the muzzle with a .232" diameter. It appears to be magazine fed.

If anyone can offer any help or needs better pics to help let me know! I have no idea here. I don't even know where to start to find out anything about this one! I'm in WAY over my head!

Heh!

From USA Admiral comes this image:

I LOL'ed hard! USA Admiral here.

Woops!

Very few seem to peek into my personal life or comment on it when I throw it out here. OK, I understand. I see what gets the hits and comments. 

So a longtime friend shows up tonight and asks if I want to go to the big honking Gun store tomorrow. Actually yes I do need to go there to check out some safes. There is only so much you can find out about them online. You need to go see them. 

So I ask the person that won the last Bowling Pin competition at the range what should I wear? Not asking about slacks or jeans, oxford shirt or Henley. New S&W or old school Colt M1911. 

We are going to a bad side of nearby Metropolis. He said: "go old school". OK. I am. I also told him I AM NOT going to buy a gun tomorrow. He laughed. 

So for tomorrow old school it is. 

  We will see if I come out with the same amount of guns I went in with!

Sigh.....

So most of the cool kids are converging on some shooty goodness. One is on a trip through Alaska. One is at home but was not wanting to be. I will be over here kicking rocks in the corner. 

So tonight a watercolor painting. It was made for me by someone almost a decade ago. She pretty much sized me up with this painting.

Anyone that makes anything for me is special. The fact she whipped out a quote that pretty much sums me up to this day is profound. From Kahlil Gibran on the painting: "Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody". She took artistic license and modified the quote. No matter.

The rest of the quote she left out: "But how shall I, unless  you yourselves be also the peacemakers, nay, the lovers of all your elements?"

No bother. For this friend from a decade ago I offer this:

I can't embed it. You have to click the link. 

Don't worry though. All of these bullets will not seat themselves! 

I have plenty to do this weekend! 

I'm a supporter

Check the right sidebar. I found out about it at "insert witty title here". Here is one of the best reasons given that motivates me to do what I do. If you can spare some time or change to help domestic violence centers where you are please do so. I met many wonderful people during a fundraiser for my local shelter.

Helping these victims find a voice has to do some good! 

Fighting Back!

And I say good on them! I offered my services gratis to the owner today via email. Lets see what happens now.

The torch is passed!

So after running another several hundred rounds thru the M&P, the stovepiping on reloads went away. It is an enjoyable Pistol to shoot! Brigid speaks of being alone on a range and the import that brings. I can do it about any time, but I enjoy the camaraderie as much as I enjoy the solitude. It is not really solitude. It is you and a machine that you must master. To do that you must master yourself. 

Besides, I don't get out much. 

My 1911 is now officially in semi-retirement. I may even put the original grips back on her. Brigid again shows me an M&P, so here is the Glamor Shot:

   















And just to show that wheel guns count equally here:

I will have another post on this as a fellow blogger asked what is on my other hip on a previous post. It is just as likely to have this on the other hip as another magazine for what is on the other. Hey! we are an equal opportunity employer here! The revolver is a Colt Detective Special.  

Looks like I started something!

Six picked up and ran with it! So did The Feral Irishman. Twice!   So in honor of tonight's concert outing for B., Midwest Chick, and Scout26 I humbly present some sorta classical music! I hope y'all are having a great time!

Is that Richard Pryor introducing the band?