A long time friend asks if I can "clean up" his fathers and then his shotgun. It was my friends first one and says it has sit for several decades. I say of course.
He brings me a Remington Model 58 in 16 gauge. This is the first gas operated model offered by Remington. I get to it.
Disassembly quickly showed that everything needed a bath.
Everything that could fit got stuffed into a ultrasonic cleaner. Springs were replaced and attention was given to the gas selector knob. You controlled the amount of gas to the action of the shotty by selecting "H" or "L" denoting high or low brass. I used sight paint to bring that back.
Then the shell latches came out. Supposedly you CAN reassemble the gun without staking them back in but that seems to require about 4 hands, a third eye, and a dead chickens fresh blood arrayed in a replica of the Remington logo. I got the tool to put them back in.
Then attention to the metal. Look at the engraving!
Finally get it all back together.
Now the best part. Function check! It shot fantastic. Although only made from 1956 to 1963, this shotgun and the lessons learned from it morphed into the venerable Model 1100 that is still made today.
I am very proud to give this shotty back to my friend so that he can pass it down to his grandson when the time comes. What a great piece of history. Thanks for dropping it off my friend!
They were kind enough to allow their human and his friend to come along! Murph and The Shekel were present as well. A great evening was had by all (I hope).
Really good to see friends, have some food and shoot some stuff! Too short as always and I really don't entertain guests that often. Hope I'm not rusty.
Care package for my four legged friends was graciously provided by another friend over at Excels at Nothing. They as before were a big hit!
A long time friend scored a "new" for 2016 Colt competition 1911 in 9mm yesterday. He has run 120 rounds through it and compares it favorably to the Colt M45 1911.
I'm gonna try to see him tomorrow and shoot this thing!
In a previous post I misidentified a Winchester Model 94 as a Model 9422. I felt bad. So I immersed myself in these lever guns and Mr. Curmudgeon presented me with one for "Cleaning" this past weekend.
"I have the biggest balls here." I cannot argue with that. They are made of lead to boot. Here is my friend Nancy showing everyone how to kick it old school.
After years of watching her load and fire this thing I have noted it is the same thing every time. Same stance, same hold, same loading procedure. Lessons for modern things as well.
My friend is at it again! The annual Blogshoot hosted by none other than Murphy's Law! Can't wait to see some good friends, eat, and shoot stuff!
I always bring more stuff than I actually shoot however. I'm going to try to keep it simple this year. I don't get to do the long gun thing much around here so maybe a M-1 Garand and Winchester model 94 would be in order.
Hope to see you there! Maybe I'll run into these two while I'm there.....
So I actually had some quality time with some 1911's. Two Commanders pushing 30 years old and a new M45. The 1911 has detractors, but IMHO, they are hard to beat.
As a bonus they are fun to shoot as well! Even more so with good friends.
I don't entertain much here at stately manor. Not because I don't enjoy it, it is just a rare occurrence.
Yesterday Old NFO took time to stop by on his way home. Have not seen him since the last time at Murphy's Law Blogshoot. We ate and went to my home range to shoot some Colt "ponies." The first generation was well represented with Series 80 models in three flavors and someone (guess who) had a current generation Pocketlyte.
He said he sucked. Don't buy that! I would not want him shooting at me. We pushed these pocket pistols out to 15 yards. I provided comic relief with my shooting and a good time was had.
Then a steak, seafood for dinner (complete with cultured sour cream), some quality front porch time solving all the worlds problems and then too quickly it was over.
Come by anytime Sir! Others are welcome as well but this place does not sit well with OCD types =).
A book by my friend over at e.IAf.t. I have not read it yet, but if his Blog and his classes are any indication, this should be a great book!
Wow, why am I hanging out with writers? More importantly why are they hanging out with me =) I am not one but proud to count many among friends here and IRL. I'm more of the Joe Friday of the written word. I have 4 Bloggers books here!
What a thoughtful and useful gift from my friends at work! A pair of Wiley X Valor polarized sunglasses.
So all I need now is to grow a beard, buy a shemagh and I can be an operator operating operationally like this guy =)
Dude, Srsy? Why don't you just use that pedal on the right hand side of the floor board and leave. Oh, and if you are going to fall out the back of a vehicle like a drunken hooker at least be wearing some platform heels and a mini skirt, K?
Many thanks to my friend over at eIAft for the video! He is a great instructor and passionate about what he does.
Thanks again to my friends for the gift and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. Mine has been postponed until Saturday.
I grew up here and that is still the traditional greeting this time of year. Fill in with Hanukkah, meh, etc. as you see fit.
As usual, I win a company Holiday lunch table ornament. Instead of PTO or gift cards sigh....
Of course it suffered some damage on the ride home! I have many gifts, I wanted to point out that although some say Blogging is dead I without this medium would not have met so many special people in real life. Some dude with dogs in WV, a barrister in MI? An ER doc in OH (I think) a walking encyclopedia on everything that goes bang in IN, another special talented blogger and author there as well? Some old guy that likes to travel in VA =) ? And so many more. If I did not call ya out don't take offense. And that is the point of this gift. There are SO many of you. Thank you for reaching out as well. I want to continue that and look forward to meeting many more of you face to face in the coming year. You have been warned =) I live in a small town and I do have friends here but it has been great to meet so many others! I wanted to get this post out tonight before it gets crazy for everyone. I suggest in the middle of the madness that you mentally step back and enjoy. These times are fleeting and even with the madness involved should be savored.
I hope all of you look at the magic of this season with the eyes of a child and it is special for you.
I had a great time meeting old and new friends again this past weekend at Lagniappe's Lair Blogshoot! There does not appear to be any pictures of me shooting anything but I promise, I did! Old NFO brought some *ahem* Ponies. Pediem brought a fantastic S&W Autoloader as well.
I did not know that I would be so busy running a pin shoot! Everyone had fun and it was great to host one up there.
Nancy goes at the pins with a black powder Brown Bess!
Then after one pin still stands, she charges it! That was the highlight of the day for me.
The next day a visit to the Lair to meet the four legged creatures that share ML's space and to see Aaron again.
Oh, Murph, you are supposed to bring traffic TO your Blog, not repel them! Posting pictures of me is a surefire way to drive people away, I just trust that your friends in the pic will cancel me out.
Murph, If you do this again a couple of suggestions. We need a photographer and a less "reactive" table for the pins! I had a great time, we raised money for a good cause, and I got to see friends. How could it have not been a great weekend?
*cough*, maybe not so much. I'm bringing this stuff for the prize table for the pin shoot this Saturday hosted by the best driver on the planet Murphys Law. If you do not believe me, just ask him.
As an added bonus, you MIGHT get the book signed by the Author. As with so many famous people he is: "Scheduled to attend."
All kidding aside, cancer has touched my family and this is a good cause. My Father was one of the first to have his prostrate removed by a DiVinci robot over 10 years ago due to that cancer. My Mother has just been through a double mastectomy due to breast cancer. This stuff sucks. Anything you can do would be appreciated.
I would much rather prefer to see you at the Blogshoot this Saturday as well! A great bunch of people and a good time is to be had!
Or a weak facsimile of such this weekend. Labor intensive and not that great but it beats nothing! Want some? Just some Hydrogen gas venting and 6 or so minutes later, voila! Crappy coffee!
