I felt this tune in my 1971 Mustang on the Pioneer 8 track back in the day. These words mean as much now as then.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Tonight's Puzzle! The M-1 Garand
So taking it apart is easy, does anyone have any hints for this?
So far I have done the usual, simple green and water in the ultrasonic cleaner and then spray down with Break Free. So my question is what to simply wipe down and where to put grease? Any tips on reassembly? What to look for on abnormal wear? Leather sling and proper gas port tools are on the way.
So far I have done the usual, simple green and water in the ultrasonic cleaner and then spray down with Break Free. So my question is what to simply wipe down and where to put grease? Any tips on reassembly? What to look for on abnormal wear? Leather sling and proper gas port tools are on the way.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
If you are going to drink the Kool-Aid....
You might as well go back and get another glass of the stuff! I remember when I had a malfunction on my Colt at uh, Blackwater, USTC, uh, whatever they call themselves now. I will continue training and as they say: "two is one and one is none". So I rambled off to the Metropolis and picked this up.
The last thing I want to happen while traveling and spending money for instruction on a Handgun is to play Gunsmith on a broken Pistol! Much easier to grab another and get back to it. Sigh.... Off to order the Apex stuff for the new one.
As the most interesting man on the planet says, stay thirsty my friends!
The last thing I want to happen while traveling and spending money for instruction on a Handgun is to play Gunsmith on a broken Pistol! Much easier to grab another and get back to it. Sigh.... Off to order the Apex stuff for the new one.
As the most interesting man on the planet says, stay thirsty my friends!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Meet Charlene!
Well after about two months or so, the lesser known variant of the Big Brown Truck of Happiness, the Little White Truck of Happiness brought me this today:
What was inside you ask? Why ladies and gentlemen meet the only Firearm here I have named:
Charlene, a M1 Garand, serial # 586XXXX. Appears to be at the end of the run for this rifle around 1957 if my GoogleFu works right.
The CMP did it right, I have a great manual, target, clip, and other such stuff. So my question for my M1 experts *cough* Murphy, what to do next? I cannot fire it at my home range and it will be a couple of weeks before I can get here to shoot it.
What was inside you ask? Why ladies and gentlemen meet the only Firearm here I have named:
Charlene, a M1 Garand, serial # 586XXXX. Appears to be at the end of the run for this rifle around 1957 if my GoogleFu works right.
The CMP did it right, I have a great manual, target, clip, and other such stuff. So my question for my M1 experts *cough* Murphy, what to do next? I cannot fire it at my home range and it will be a couple of weeks before I can get here to shoot it.
Monday, March 26, 2012
AAR Report- The Appleseed Project
So I go to the RWVA home range for a Appleseed event. Here are my thoughts on this and some helpful pointers if you are going.
First, this a volunteer hosted event. The people there are paying out of their pocket if they are traveling. The cost is minimal as opposed to many other training classes I have attended.
The range was full, but I have to say it was a nice outdoor range and rivaledBlackwater, USTC, oh, whatever they call themselves now. Here is a pic of the 25 meter range (you know, click on a pic to enbiggen):
After a safety briefing here is the first target you shoot, a "Redcoat":
Then some history. OldNFO speaks more about this here.
More instruction, standing, sitting, and prone shooting positions. Oh, the M-4 was reverted to non tacticool. If you are going to one of these get a USGI web sling!
The sling does make a difference and they will teach all of the techniques that give you a natural point of aim (NPOA) with the sling being a integral part of the rifle (and you).
Seeing the rifle front sight moving up and down in a straight line as you breathe is a goal to achieve!
During lunch, the events covering chance, time, perceptions, and a human resolve to be free that started the Revolutionary War was told. The other instructor firing rounds off outside perfectly timed to the narration was profound.
Oh, 2008 date coded MRE lunch and coffee worked well.
So after lunch, we start shooting these under the timer:
This in preparation for the final test. More history at the break and then this:
This was my final attempt to score Rifleman. I did a 144, nowhere close to the 210 needed. No matter. Why? Because the last target shot was another Redcoat:
After a day of instruction and bone tired, I was a better shot!
The second day has no formal instruction.
I enjoyed this immensely and I had a duh moment. They are going to be running this about 20 minutes away from me in May instead of 2 hours away. If anyone is interested I can offer floor space for lodging for this one. I will return to get the qual.
Hints? Take a magazine fed .22LR. Tube fed people have a hard row to hoe. Do not take a magazine that will prevent you from shooting prone. Bolt action? There are timed courses to shoot. If you are not used to going from standing to sitting or standing to prone shooting positions, I suggest you practice at home before attending!
I will go back in May I hope here if my schedule allows. It is worth the effort.
Oh, side note. Leaving Sunday from the hotel, I think I was the only guest in Siler City, NC. The manager came out as I was loading the rifles in the car. He asked if I was a musician, I told him no, I was a rifleman!
First, this a volunteer hosted event. The people there are paying out of their pocket if they are traveling. The cost is minimal as opposed to many other training classes I have attended.
The range was full, but I have to say it was a nice outdoor range and rivaled
After a safety briefing here is the first target you shoot, a "Redcoat":
Then some history. OldNFO speaks more about this here.
Then we get to shooting these targets after a little lesson on IMC: inches, minutes, clicks:
More instruction, standing, sitting, and prone shooting positions. Oh, the M-4 was reverted to non tacticool. If you are going to one of these get a USGI web sling!
The sling does make a difference and they will teach all of the techniques that give you a natural point of aim (NPOA) with the sling being a integral part of the rifle (and you).
Seeing the rifle front sight moving up and down in a straight line as you breathe is a goal to achieve!
During lunch, the events covering chance, time, perceptions, and a human resolve to be free that started the Revolutionary War was told. The other instructor firing rounds off outside perfectly timed to the narration was profound.
Oh, 2008 date coded MRE lunch and coffee worked well.
So after lunch, we start shooting these under the timer:
This in preparation for the final test. More history at the break and then this:
This was my final attempt to score Rifleman. I did a 144, nowhere close to the 210 needed. No matter. Why? Because the last target shot was another Redcoat:
After a day of instruction and bone tired, I was a better shot!
The second day has no formal instruction.
I enjoyed this immensely and I had a duh moment. They are going to be running this about 20 minutes away from me in May instead of 2 hours away. If anyone is interested I can offer floor space for lodging for this one. I will return to get the qual.
Hints? Take a magazine fed .22LR. Tube fed people have a hard row to hoe. Do not take a magazine that will prevent you from shooting prone. Bolt action? There are timed courses to shoot. If you are not used to going from standing to sitting or standing to prone shooting positions, I suggest you practice at home before attending!
I will go back in May I hope here if my schedule allows. It is worth the effort.
Oh, side note. Leaving Sunday from the hotel, I think I was the only guest in Siler City, NC. The manager came out as I was loading the rifles in the car. He asked if I was a musician, I told him no, I was a rifleman!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Packing!
I am packing for an Appleseed event. Sean over at An NC Gun Blog organized the event. So tomorrow after work I will stuff this in to the car:
I will arrive in Ramsuer, NC sometime tomorrow after work.
I freely admit I am not a long gun person. I teach Handguns. Oh, as a side note, I am NOT taking the Lionel train in the background with me!
A good friend offered this rifle to me to take, and it is a "pimped out" Ruger 10/22 and is here now; I will not take it. Anyone knows that if I borrow a gun from them it will be in better condition and cleaner if possible than when I got it. The second thing? He occasionally brings stuff like this by.
Wish me luck and I look forward to meeting fellow gun bloggers and most importantly learn something!
I hope everyone has a great weekend! Blogging will be off until next week.
I will arrive in Ramsuer, NC sometime tomorrow after work.
I freely admit I am not a long gun person. I teach Handguns. Oh, as a side note, I am NOT taking the Lionel train in the background with me!
A good friend offered this rifle to me to take, and it is a "pimped out" Ruger 10/22 and is here now; I will not take it. Anyone knows that if I borrow a gun from them it will be in better condition and cleaner if possible than when I got it. The second thing? He occasionally brings stuff like this by.
Wish me luck and I look forward to meeting fellow gun bloggers and most importantly learn something!
I hope everyone has a great weekend! Blogging will be off until next week.
Monday, March 19, 2012
If You Must Have a Plastic Bullet Hose....
I apologize for my absence here, but with a full new shooter basic pistol class and the same for Concealed Carry the past weekend I have been sorta busy, plus I am getting ready for a two day Appleseed rifle course this coming weekend.
If you are like me, cold steel and warm wood defined any Firearm you carried back in the day. Creeping out of my curmudgeon mind state I bought as some queen of snark called it: "A nine millimeter plastic bullet hose".
I have the plastic holsters for the plastic bullet hose, but all of that went out the window when I bolted a Crimson Trace Lightguard to it.
I contacted Michael at Michael's Custom Holsters at his website and asked if he could make a leather holster for the pistol with the add on weapon light.
I got an E-mail almost immediately, followed with phone calls. I sent a picture of my M&P as it is a bit different than most.
Michael is a artist, he asked if I could wait until he got some thread to match the color of the pistol. That intrigued me and I did have a Kydex holster for it, so however long he wanted to take I thought so much the better. I sent the Crimson Trace Lightguard to him and there were some issues but I have to say they were handled with an "adapt and overcome" attitude by him.
I like paddle holsters for a lot of reasons and I will not bore you with why. The holster arrived today.
My initial thoughts on this holster at first blush? Wow. I cannot wait to get it broke in and the workmanship exceeds my old leather custom shop. I will not name it here, I will say it is somewhere in El Paso Texas though.
I will let y'all know how the breaking process goes and throw up a long term review later, but IMHO, if your gun needs leather to hold it, you might want to give Michael a call.
FTC Crap: I payed for the Holster and The CT Lightguards.
.
If you are like me, cold steel and warm wood defined any Firearm you carried back in the day. Creeping out of my curmudgeon mind state I bought as some queen of snark called it: "A nine millimeter plastic bullet hose".
I have the plastic holsters for the plastic bullet hose, but all of that went out the window when I bolted a Crimson Trace Lightguard to it.
I contacted Michael at Michael's Custom Holsters at his website and asked if he could make a leather holster for the pistol with the add on weapon light.
I got an E-mail almost immediately, followed with phone calls. I sent a picture of my M&P as it is a bit different than most.
Michael is a artist, he asked if I could wait until he got some thread to match the color of the pistol. That intrigued me and I did have a Kydex holster for it, so however long he wanted to take I thought so much the better. I sent the Crimson Trace Lightguard to him and there were some issues but I have to say they were handled with an "adapt and overcome" attitude by him.
I like paddle holsters for a lot of reasons and I will not bore you with why. The holster arrived today.
My initial thoughts on this holster at first blush? Wow. I cannot wait to get it broke in and the workmanship exceeds my old leather custom shop. I will not name it here, I will say it is somewhere in El Paso Texas though.
I will let y'all know how the breaking process goes and throw up a long term review later, but IMHO, if your gun needs leather to hold it, you might want to give Michael a call.
FTC Crap: I payed for the Holster and The CT Lightguards.
.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
All Hands!
Another warrior from the USS Laffey (DD-724) has gone to his final rest.
Obituary posted on the USS Laffey Association Website here.
Obituary posted on the USS Laffey Association Website here.
Funeral will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery Administration Building, 1:00PM, 29 June 2012
Godspeed and requiescat in pace Captain. Thank you for your service to this Nation.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Appleseed help?
So the next two weekends are super busy. This coming one will be a new shooter class on Saturday and the full day CCH on Sunday. The weekend after that will be a two day Appleseed course. The more I can do now in increments to prepare for Appleseed the better off I will be.
The M-1 may show up before then, but I have no ammo and I would really like for Murphy's Law to school me on the operation and give it the once over before I whip that rifle out.
So for now after visiting the Curmudgeon at large he whips these out:
A Remington Model 742 and a Winchester Model 100, both chambered in .243 Winchester. "Two is one and one is none" for training on the road and so 300 rounds of ammo arrived today. The other component is the magazines for these rifles. I found some for the Winchester on-line and ordered two. Seeing the Internet debate on Model 88 vs. Model 100 magazines led me to simply order 2 Model 100 mags.
I have read just about everything on what to bring and how to prepare for this, but does anyone have anymore insightful tips? I fully admit I am not a Rifle person (yet). I hope to become one though!
.
The M-1 may show up before then, but I have no ammo and I would really like for Murphy's Law to school me on the operation and give it the once over before I whip that rifle out.
So for now after visiting the Curmudgeon at large he whips these out:
A Remington Model 742 and a Winchester Model 100, both chambered in .243 Winchester. "Two is one and one is none" for training on the road and so 300 rounds of ammo arrived today. The other component is the magazines for these rifles. I found some for the Winchester on-line and ordered two. Seeing the Internet debate on Model 88 vs. Model 100 magazines led me to simply order 2 Model 100 mags.
I have read just about everything on what to bring and how to prepare for this, but does anyone have anymore insightful tips? I fully admit I am not a Rifle person (yet). I hope to become one though!
.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Don't Forget!
Set your clocks ahead tonight (for most of our listening audience)!
Oh yeah this one too:
Back in the day these clocks were electrically wound mechanical clocks. Notorious for not being accurate. For someone that is really anal about such stuff oh, 25 years ago, you went and bought a Hemmings Motor News to find people that replaced the internals with an electrically driven mechanism. The top picture is the 1971 Mustang and this thing has been dead accurate. For a quarter of a century! The same for the lower picture, the 1966 Mustang.
I don't even know if Hemmings is still around. I found craftsman to restore a rim blow steering wheel (insert joke here), really obscure vacuum motors and oh, just about anything else I needed then. I'm sorta afraid to Google for that publication now.
Oh yeah this one too:
Back in the day these clocks were electrically wound mechanical clocks. Notorious for not being accurate. For someone that is really anal about such stuff oh, 25 years ago, you went and bought a Hemmings Motor News to find people that replaced the internals with an electrically driven mechanism. The top picture is the 1971 Mustang and this thing has been dead accurate. For a quarter of a century! The same for the lower picture, the 1966 Mustang.
I don't even know if Hemmings is still around. I found craftsman to restore a rim blow steering wheel (insert joke here), really obscure vacuum motors and oh, just about anything else I needed then. I'm sorta afraid to Google for that publication now.
Friday, March 9, 2012
The B-29
Murphy's Law has a great post up about the B-29. I know of his uh, desire to wander off the beaten path and explore WWII hardware. Only because of that I offer this photo:
That would be me around 1976 at Wright Patterson AFB in the B-29 Bocks Car.
Yes the sign on the back of the seat says "Please stay out of the seats". I don't think you will get that chance now.
How profound to sit there in that aircraft. I need to go back to see how far WP AFB has come. Many aircraft were sitting outside such as the XB-70 rusting away.
.
That would be me around 1976 at Wright Patterson AFB in the B-29 Bocks Car.
Yes the sign on the back of the seat says "Please stay out of the seats". I don't think you will get that chance now.
How profound to sit there in that aircraft. I need to go back to see how far WP AFB has come. Many aircraft were sitting outside such as the XB-70 rusting away.
.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Hey, It's Tactical!
Uh, OK. I guess so. Much like the Zombie meme for ammo.
So I am getting ready for Appleseed in two or so weeks. The range is good to 450 yards. If I read all the stuff about this weekend correctly the first day will be rimfire and the second centerfire.
I thought I would take a simple (to me) .22LR for the rimfire portion.
REALLY? This is a .22 "Tactical" Rimfire magazine? Prey tell what makes it so? Yes it cost enough, that is a given for tactical stuff, but it's not even black.
So how about this:
Really CCI? They are not even black! The box is cool and all that but can't you do better?
I am going to run all of this stuff through this:
AColt Walther M-4 in .22LR. The rifle was cheap enough. I would much rather have that rifle sitting in the mud or dirt or whatever as opposed to my first choice for this:
A Winchester Model 9422 in .22WMR. I love this rifle and it is one of the first I shot in my youth. I would hate for it now to get beat up. Interesting how what was once a meat gun and beater becomes a safe queen.
So for the second day centerfire shooting it appears the M-1 will not be here and I would not take it without my friends approval and once over.
I have hit up my Curmudgeon at large. I am not a long gun person. He offers a couple of .243 Winchesters. Here is one:
Can't wait to see what the other one is! More important than that is the fact that I know he wants these rifles to sound a loud report again. He wants to know that his rifles still work and wants to know if I am up to the challenge of running them well.
I am humbled and hope I am worthy of the challenge.
So I am getting ready for Appleseed in two or so weeks. The range is good to 450 yards. If I read all the stuff about this weekend correctly the first day will be rimfire and the second centerfire.
I thought I would take a simple (to me) .22LR for the rimfire portion.
REALLY? This is a .22 "Tactical" Rimfire magazine? Prey tell what makes it so? Yes it cost enough, that is a given for tactical stuff, but it's not even black.
So how about this:
Really CCI? They are not even black! The box is cool and all that but can't you do better?
I am going to run all of this stuff through this:
A
A Winchester Model 9422 in .22WMR. I love this rifle and it is one of the first I shot in my youth. I would hate for it now to get beat up. Interesting how what was once a meat gun and beater becomes a safe queen.
So for the second day centerfire shooting it appears the M-1 will not be here and I would not take it without my friends approval and once over.
I have hit up my Curmudgeon at large. I am not a long gun person. He offers a couple of .243 Winchesters. Here is one:
Can't wait to see what the other one is! More important than that is the fact that I know he wants these rifles to sound a loud report again. He wants to know that his rifles still work and wants to know if I am up to the challenge of running them well.
I am humbled and hope I am worthy of the challenge.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The BBTof Happiness Showed Up!
The Big Brown Truck of Happiness showed up today and it is always special when the driver whips out the hand cart to deliver.
I hesitate to show this picture. I don't want to give away my secret supplier, but to my Blog friends I will share. Big order, they shipped and had excellent customer service to boot.
There is 96 pounds of something in these boxes. With Appleseed, Tiger Swan and hopefully other classes coming this year I thought I should stock up. I hope to have a busy training season.
I paid for this so the FTC can pound sand!
I hesitate to show this picture. I don't want to give away my secret supplier, but to my Blog friends I will share. Big order, they shipped and had excellent customer service to boot.
There is 96 pounds of something in these boxes. With Appleseed, Tiger Swan and hopefully other classes coming this year I thought I should stock up. I hope to have a busy training season.
I paid for this so the FTC can pound sand!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Colt Historian has Passed Away
Kathleen J. (Guinan) Hoyt has passed away. I met her at a Colt Convention several years ago. She was friendly as much as she was knowledgeable and really seemed to enjoy being there and meeting collectors.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Post for Firearms Instructors
I enjoy going to classes. Even basic new shooter ones. I look forward to attending two to possibly six classes this year. If I show up in your class remember my motto: qui docet, discet. From the Latin it is translated as "who teaches, learns."
If this attitude is not instilled in you as instructor I may have reservations about you as one. I taught for over a decade at the local Community College, pedestrian classes covering basic networking, security and Web Design. I learned something from every class. The interaction of student and instructor can be profound.
I have learned more about the delivery of instruction concerning the art and science of running a firearm from teaching than almost any class I have been in. This is not to dismiss my training and not meant to disparage any instructors I have had to date. I have learned much from them. I hope I learn more from others.
If you start teaching me "big boy rules" and totally ripping apart my gun handling techniques without telling me why in a logical manner we will not get along.
This Instructor told me. He is an excellent Instructor.
If this attitude is not instilled in you as instructor I may have reservations about you as one. I taught for over a decade at the local Community College, pedestrian classes covering basic networking, security and Web Design. I learned something from every class. The interaction of student and instructor can be profound.
I have learned more about the delivery of instruction concerning the art and science of running a firearm from teaching than almost any class I have been in. This is not to dismiss my training and not meant to disparage any instructors I have had to date. I have learned much from them. I hope I learn more from others.
If you start teaching me "big boy rules" and totally ripping apart my gun handling techniques without telling me why in a logical manner we will not get along.
This Instructor told me. He is an excellent Instructor.
No Free Ice Cream....
I'm eating the Ice cream. I saw one of these today:
And it went sorta like this:
See ya later.
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