From the Bench..

I think my friends Handgun started out as a Ruger MkIII. He HATES bowling pins. He wants to dispatch them with all speed. So he wandered by tonight to apply some locktite to the bolt assist gismo.

I think it looks like a space gun carried by Marvin the Martian. That's just me (click to enbiggen):

So with the mods he shot well last weekend, and props to him. Red Dot optic, trigger job, etc, etc. Perhaps I am becoming a Luddite? 

If I am going to shoot pins with a .22 I would much rather have this:

Colt Match Target Woodsman. The first pistol I fired! I will try it to see if technology is a match for decades of experience!

Happy 50th!

Wedding anniversary that is! In the great Lottery of Life I pulled the right numbers here. My Parents are celebrating 50 years together. I cannot say enough about what great parents, teachers, mentors, and friends they are to me to this day. They sacrificed much for me. Enjoy this day and I love y'all! (Click to enbiggen) 

Added bonus on the pic, Jennifer asked on her Blog how you became a gunnie? Answer in pic! I wish I could find that shadow box on the wall now!

Tango Juliet

Wins the Interwebs today! Link.

Whew!

I am really tired of seeing bowling pins! Our fundraiser ran all month and the finals were Friday. We raised over 1500 dollars for the domestic violence shelter here. Many thinks to my friends Brigid and Murphy's Law who posted about the event on their Blogs. Thanks again!

To add to the bowling pin overdose my range had its usually scheduled match today. A lot of people I have not met before showed up to shoot! The event is sponsored by Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte.

Older Gentleman showed up today and whipped out a "race gun". He announced that he was 71 and his range bag was covered in "I shot in this match" pins. I figured he would smoke everyone or really suck. He smoked it:

3.6 seconds! 

FTC thingy- I did not receive any compensation for mentioning the range or Hyatt's. So there!  

What a Country!

So I can take this class and possibly meet Murphy's Law as a classmate ? I think he is sandbagging me as he has already done it once. Oh, and while I am in Virgina I can possibly get a ride in this? 

Hey, Old NFO? want to join us? We would be glad to have ya!

Wish I had a correct piece of hardware to put in this for the flight as I will be wearing a parachute!

USTC Day Four

So after the Basic Pistol class I hang around for the one day M1911 Armorer Class. My associate left after the Basic Pistol class giving me the first real nights sleep in three days. So it looks like this again:

They brought out Rock Island Mil-Spec 1911's for all three of us (I was the only civilian there). So take this:

And make it look like this oh, about 4 or 5 times:

The instructor was knowledgeable and cussed like a sailor throughout the day. I had my Series 80 with me during the class. USTC has a very dim view of the Series 80 Firing pin safety and the instructor immediately told me from memory the Brownell's part number for the frame shim to remove it from my pistol.

One of my fellow students was accompanied by a large black Lab dog. I thought nothing of it at the time but noticed later that he was a double amputee on both legs. He was young and a USTC employee. He said that Jonsie (the service dog) was going to get "stripper glitter" on him that evening in Elizabeth City. Wanted to know if I wanted to come. Sadly, I was leaving after this class. 

So in the morning I am looking at what I think is a old school overhead projector. Wrong! Looks like this:

Whatever he was doing to the gun was displayed on 6 flat screen monitors and he had the ability to zoom in on whatever part he was working with.

I DID learn some stuff. I will not tell everything here, but for starters: Cleaning firearms with ultrasonic cleaners with 50% Simple Green and 50% water. RIG grease is the USTC preferred grease. Synthetic motor oil for lube. Interesting stuff. 

So I had to come home and do this to my Pistol:

 

She had a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner and I am replacing the original trigger with the Pachmayr match target trigger.

I also removed the Series 80 Firing pin parts.

The trigger is adjustable for overstop and I dialed that in. It does make a difference on shooting this gun and finding reset. Other than that I really could not tell a difference on the removal of the Series 80 stuff, but less moving parts are better right?

If you go to USTC, the Food Lion grocery store is you friend. Do not spend ten bucks for lunch at the Chow Hall. Selection on the weekends for this class is limited. Grab a cup of coffee and something out of the vending machine if the Pro Shop is closed.

I enjoyed it and perhaps I will go back for Tactical Pistol I sometime.

Happy Father's Day Pop!

Jennifer asks how you became a "gunnie". I have not responded to that post. I know no other path. My Father and Grandfather's always had several around. For defense, for putting food on the table. To me pistols, rifles, and shotguns were simply tools, much like the axe in the wood shed or a coal bucket for the stove. 

I have several common mechanical items that tie me to my Father. The 1971 Mustang that he purchased new is here. The 1966 Mustang we purchased and restored is here. The most enjoyable mechanical thing that links me to my Father is this (click to embiggen):

He tells me about his training in the Army with it as an MP. He's pretty damn good with one still after all of these years. 

I hope to shoot with him again soon. We will of course be shooting a M1911. For all of my degrees on the "I love me wall" in my house he is most proud of certifications associated with these tools. 

So don't be this person.


If they are still with you cherish it. Make the effort to talk to them on this day. We DO have disagreements but I am proud to be his son. I hope I have lived up to his expectations of me.

Happy Fathers Day Pop. I love you!