Bodyguard Update!

Remember this? I sent the second version of the Smith and Wesson Bodyguard laser that failed back to the home land. After oh, about 2+ months, this arrived today via USPS:

So the second replacement came in the baggie on the far left, this one came in the spiffy foam container. Pay no attention to the bolt or magazine on the far right. They will be back later as the bench again seems to be backing up! 

So, for now the Mk.1 Mod III laser will be put into service. I noted that several have posted on the Interwebz about the buttons for activation not working. I find it interesting that S&W has sent the buttons (small gray things) with both replacement lasers. I must say that they send the batteries, the Allen wrench, and buttons every time.

So testing coming up! I don't really need the laser, but I am of the thought that I paid for it. If you have a Bodyguard, work the thing! 

Some have posted about the lack of the .380 cartridge in a personal defense incident. I have to say that this would beat a stiff word and a rolled up Newspaper! It is all about tradeoffs. I would much rather have a 1911 or my M&P with me, but sometimes that is not practical. The .380 loaded with personal defense rounds and with the requisite mindset I feel would do well, and better than nothing at all. 

Plastics......

Well, several people kicked my muse in the rear this week but I don't have time to properly post on them. It will take a great deal of thought to give the discussion the time it deserves. That, plus my limited skill in this medium only adds to the discomfort. Lets start here:

So I modified the M&P with a Lightguard. No holster after that. In one day I had this:

Cost? Cleaning a shotgun. For my friend that does this I am thankful. So does getting a holster made of plastic in one day make it better than several weeks in the queue for a custom made leather one at significantly greater cost? For now the answer is: "it depends". Does my friends skill with plastic rival those with skill in leather? I don't know. I don't make holsters. I can't at this time discount either. Having a holster for my carry gun almost immediately is a big deal though.

I love leather holsters on old school stuff. 

 







So as I continue this journey and reevaluate my relationships with Firearms in holsters I carry, the short answer right now is I don't know.

Gotta go, road trip tomorrow! Shoot stuff! 

Many have posted on it....

The USS Laffey DD-724 is home. I look forward to seeing her again. I was not able to get down there. Here is the E-mail from the President of the USS Laffey Association:

ALL HANDS:

THE LAFFEY IS HOME.

I was called to do a 0630 "live" news interview on channel 4. When I parked my car at Pats Point channel 2 news grabbed me for an interview. It was great, even before the sun came up.

The sun DID come up and it was a beautiful, clear day.

It was a very emotional time, watching her from the flight deck of the Yorktown. She was out in the channel and looking good and it brought tears to everyone's eyes.

As she was passing under the bow of the Yorktown I called Joe Folino....it was 0530 in California......and we cried

together. It was a beautiful thing.

They finally got her docked about 0900. The old girl took to her new home and looked very proud to be "FRONT AND CENTER" on display on the main pier. She is the first ship you see in front of the Yorktown.

The news media was all over the flight deck interviewing various shipmates. Associated Press, Channel 2 news Charleston, Channesl 4 and 5 Charleston, The Patch of Mt. Pleasant, Mount Peasant Magazine, and many other independents.

Lee Hunt was our only WWII vet here. He stayed on the pier to watch the arrival and was interviewed after the ship was tied up.

Mac Burdette supplied us with little air horns and a champagne toast. Everyone tooted the horns and toasted the arrival from the flight deck of the Yorktown.

Check out Yahoo news, USA Today website and the news stations in Charleston's websites for the videos and still pix of the move.

Everyone in town has been so excited about this move. We were congratulated everywhere we went.

Did I say that it was a beautiful thing???

I want to thank Mac Burdette, Bob Howard and the entire staff at Patriots Point for saving the "SHIP THAT WOULD NOT DIE" One More Time!!!

Be proud to be a Laffey Sailor today.

We are all heading home tomorrow.

We are emotionally drained and have to go to bed....it 10 PM........what a wild bunch.

Love you all.

Sonny

Show us your Benches!

Over at God, Gals, Guns, Grub,  he was kind enough to show off his gun room and benches. I must say his setup is very impressive. He asked for fellow Bloggers to do the same.Here is my rather pedestrian gun room (click to well, you know):

I really can't handle anything other than basic disassemble and clean here. I can reload however. If I need anything else done I show up at one of my machine shops I have strategically placed around my fair town, LOL! 

The thread however brought me the sadz. For now the bench looks like this:

 












Empty and devoid of life. After having several storied and interesting Firearms here lately, I feel sad. 

Oh wait. I did find this:

A Hopkins and Allen top break .32 Safety Police revolver and the barrel ring from the Glenfield 75 just got back from glass beading. I have not decided to just paint the barrel ring or try the cold bluing stuff out. 

Oh yeah I do need to give this the once over:

Remington Model 742 in .243 caliber. Suddenly I don't feel so sad! 

I'm Waiting on the Tactical Cup Holder Now!

Tam posted about the Crimson Trace Lightguard for the "9mm bullet hose". So I thought I would try one out. Her link to Amazon showed the unit on a training gun. I thought I would need to fix that:

As she points out that immediately makes these useless. 

First step, get the guy I gave that Remington 1900 shotgun back to yesterday to make me another Kydex holster. He will. 

For the Lightguard? Looks like this:

 










That will work! It is not a Surefire flashlight but will light it up! So now I am waiting on the tactical cup holder and GPS nav unit to hang off of this thing. Curse you Tam! 

UPDATE! Remington Arms 1900

Guess what? For the first time in God knows when, this shotgun made some noise today!






I view many posts from Bloggers about how we as legal responsible gun owners are "winning". To be true hearts and minds are paramount. On the other side I present another reason we are winning.

Remember this? (Click to enbiggen any photo)

 














I did some digging. This is a Remington Model 1900 Shotgun. Based on my Google-Fu, this particular boomstick was made from 1906 to 1910. Unfortunately my reference manuals here and more Google-Fu gave very little more information about this shotgun. 

Without a schematic and a gun that does not even show up in the Standard Catalog of Firearms, I chose a minimal cleaning and function check. This shotgun is based on the Model 1894, just made a bit cheaper. 

So first get the crap out of the barrels. Here is what I got:

The action side did not look any better:

The forearm? Pretty much the same:

So here is the forearm action soaking in "something" after cleaning:

Gentle cleaning is rewarded with this:

A long time was spent on the barrels. For some reason the left side one was more uh, dinged up than the right. No matter, they both cleaned up well:

The forearm action? Cleaned up well:

So the wood got some oil soap and lemon oil. The function check? Looked like this with dummy rounds:

That looks great! So later today we shall see how she works. 

For now? For this 100 year old gun? Where is it? Standing guard. Right here:

Imagine how many pistols, rifles, and shotguns are languishing around in basements, attics, back closets, under beds and even forgotten by owners. With even a little care these firearms will function. 

Sadly I will return this shottie to its owner. 

Any advice?

So I am really trying to get the Glenfield Model 75 C Marlin 60 off of my bench. This is my rifle, given to me for the work I did on the other 60. My problem is this. The magazine tube ring that attaches the tube to the rifle was loose. I attributed that to the fact that the dovetail looked pretty beat up. I bought a new one and it arrived today. 

New one on the left, old one on the right. That ring is supposed to go here:

So I have heard several methods to fix this. The rifle is a beater cosmetically, but I would like to keep it around. The options I have been told about are:

Use a punch to rough up the surface of the magazine ring on the bottom where it meets the barrel.

Use a punch to beat the dovetail ON the barrel to hold the ring in place after it is installed.

Use epoxy on the barrel to raise the base of the dovetail.

Use a brass shim to go the same as the epoxy.

Any help out there? I don't know how to proceed. I think any of the above would work.