No, not mine; I don't think I could take starting that all over. One of the best friends I've ever had and his wife just had a 8lb, 20" girl. All are doing well, and he made it through the c-section delivery without passing out or doing anything else undignified.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got pictures to burn to disc.
Friday, February 17, 2006
And I'm supposed to trust the major media why, again?
They don't have the balls to print the cartoons(with a very few exceptions), they will keep printing pictures from Abu Ghraib that show coalition troops abusing some prisoners(got to keep the outrage up, don't you know?), they won't print pictures or show video of the Sept. 11 attacks because 'they might upset people', and they won't print these. For whatever BS reason they can come up with.
And at a time the Iranian government started enriching uranium- again- all they think is worth talking about is trying to paint Cheney as a drunk and/or director of a conspiracy to scare some people...
And at a time the Iranian government started enriching uranium- again- all they think is worth talking about is trying to paint Cheney as a drunk and/or director of a conspiracy to scare some people...
Canada shows signs of sanity
and begins scrapping the gun registry.
Found this over at Captain's Quarters, which also linked to Alphecca on the matter. Among the important points:
"Canadians will be shocked by the true cost of the federal government's ill-fated gun registry, says new Public Security Minister Stockwell Day.
There's been a lot of criticism of this mess since it began, including, as I recall, some western provinces basically saying "We don't have the money, people and time to waste chasing someone because they didn't want to register their rifle or shotgun, so we ain't enforcing this mess". And yet it kept going, eating money and time at a prodigeous rate, and why? A quote from an article Alphecca linked to in the past:
"And it's not just the uselessness. The registry is also one of those truisms for liberals, one of their articles of blind faith. To a liberal, universal registration of guns is something all intelligent people must support or, well, they're not intelligent. They use gun control as a litmus test for who is and isn't sophisticated and subtle of mind. So that even if you can prove the registry will have no practical effect -- it won't prevent armed robberies or murders, or keep enraged spouses from killing one another -- a liberal still has to cling to it for fear of being seen as NOKD (not our kind, dear). But what troubles me most is what it says about its supporters' attitude toward the people and government. Backing most gun laws amounts to proclaiming trust in government over trust in one's fellow citizens."
That pretty much covers it; "It needs to be done, so we'll keep doing it even though it doesn't actually work, because we have to". I think Kevin at Smallest Minority refers to it as the "It doesn't work, so we have to do it harder" mindset.
This could have some interesting repercussions internationally, too. Brazil votes down a gun ban and kicks the personal disarmament groups in the crotch, and now Canada- long held up as a country 'doing it right'- trashes the registration system. And warns the people that when the find out the actual cost, they're going to be very upset, which admission will upset the gun banners still further("What's money when we're doing the Right Thing? What do you mean you don't want to go broke paying for it? It's for The Children!") Add that to the fact that it has not worked, that crime has continued to rise and so forth(with people who were burglarized being charged with 'unsecure storage' when their vault took two days to break into), it'll be some interesting points to bring up to people.
Found this over at Captain's Quarters, which also linked to Alphecca on the matter. Among the important points:
"Canadians will be shocked by the true cost of the federal government's ill-fated gun registry, says new Public Security Minister Stockwell Day.
Day told The Canadian Press that figures bureaucrats have shown him during briefings for his new portfolio are much higher than previously thought. He would not divulge what the tab is, but said it's upsetting. ..." and
"At last estimate, the gun program was said to be consuming $90 million a year to maintain."
There's been a lot of criticism of this mess since it began, including, as I recall, some western provinces basically saying "We don't have the money, people and time to waste chasing someone because they didn't want to register their rifle or shotgun, so we ain't enforcing this mess". And yet it kept going, eating money and time at a prodigeous rate, and why? A quote from an article Alphecca linked to in the past:
"And it's not just the uselessness. The registry is also one of those truisms for liberals, one of their articles of blind faith. To a liberal, universal registration of guns is something all intelligent people must support or, well, they're not intelligent. They use gun control as a litmus test for who is and isn't sophisticated and subtle of mind. So that even if you can prove the registry will have no practical effect -- it won't prevent armed robberies or murders, or keep enraged spouses from killing one another -- a liberal still has to cling to it for fear of being seen as NOKD (not our kind, dear). But what troubles me most is what it says about its supporters' attitude toward the people and government. Backing most gun laws amounts to proclaiming trust in government over trust in one's fellow citizens."
That pretty much covers it; "It needs to be done, so we'll keep doing it even though it doesn't actually work, because we have to". I think Kevin at Smallest Minority refers to it as the "It doesn't work, so we have to do it harder" mindset.
This could have some interesting repercussions internationally, too. Brazil votes down a gun ban and kicks the personal disarmament groups in the crotch, and now Canada- long held up as a country 'doing it right'- trashes the registration system. And warns the people that when the find out the actual cost, they're going to be very upset, which admission will upset the gun banners still further("What's money when we're doing the Right Thing? What do you mean you don't want to go broke paying for it? It's for The Children!") Add that to the fact that it has not worked, that crime has continued to rise and so forth(with people who were burglarized being charged with 'unsecure storage' when their vault took two days to break into), it'll be some interesting points to bring up to people.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Notes from the range
After 60 rounds of 7.62x54, 20 of .30-06, 30 of 7.62x39, cleaning a bit at the range(corrosive priming), cleaning after I got home, I'm tired.
Guy at the range had a Marlin buffalo gun or whatever they call it; carbine length lever-action in .45-70. He let me put four rounds through it.
A: very smooth action
B: very accurate; first try with it got a 1.5" group at 50 yards
C: if you decide to get one, I have two words: RECOIL PAD. That thing beat on my shoulder worse than everything else I shot. Damn!
There's been two kinds of Korean-made M2 ball in .30-06, the 'PS' headstamp that's non-corrosive and the 'KA' that is mildly corrosive. The 'KA' is a fair bit less expensive than the other- which seems to be hard to find now- so I got a can of it to try out. As should be expected, every bit as accurate in my '03 as the other. I'd prefer not to use it in the M1, so as to not have to worry about the gas system, so I'll keep this stuff for the bolt rifles.
Note to self: shoot groups with .22 handgun before shooting all the other stuff.
Guy at the range had a Marlin buffalo gun or whatever they call it; carbine length lever-action in .45-70. He let me put four rounds through it.
A: very smooth action
B: very accurate; first try with it got a 1.5" group at 50 yards
C: if you decide to get one, I have two words: RECOIL PAD. That thing beat on my shoulder worse than everything else I shot. Damn!
There's been two kinds of Korean-made M2 ball in .30-06, the 'PS' headstamp that's non-corrosive and the 'KA' that is mildly corrosive. The 'KA' is a fair bit less expensive than the other- which seems to be hard to find now- so I got a can of it to try out. As should be expected, every bit as accurate in my '03 as the other. I'd prefer not to use it in the M1, so as to not have to worry about the gas system, so I'll keep this stuff for the bolt rifles.
Note to self: shoot groups with .22 handgun before shooting all the other stuff.
What do we import from Turkey?
And after hearing about this, why don't we boycott ANYTHING from the place?
Heard about this a few days ago, and I've been pissed ever since. Turkey lectures us that we should not 'allow' speech that bothers muslims, and makes this crap? And let's not forget, one reason some things during the Iraq war didn't go as they should have was because at the last minute the Turk government didn't allow us to move troops in from their territory.
They want boycotts and lectures? Here's your damn boycott, we ain't buying anything you have to sell.
Heard about this a few days ago, and I've been pissed ever since. Turkey lectures us that we should not 'allow' speech that bothers muslims, and makes this crap? And let's not forget, one reason some things during the Iraq war didn't go as they should have was because at the last minute the Turk government didn't allow us to move troops in from their territory.
They want boycotts and lectures? Here's your damn boycott, we ain't buying anything you have to sell.
First handgun
This seems to have been a very popular first, the Ruger Single-Six:
This one is the New Model Super Single-Six, to use the whole thing. Big difference between the new and old models was the old was like the Colt SAA; if you wanted to carry it loaded, you had to leave an empty chamber under the hammer. The new model uses a transfer-bar mechanism to allow carry with all six loaded; if it hasn't been cocked and you're not holding the trigger back, the transfer bar is down and the hammer cannot strike the firing pin. Offhand, I don't know if the old model had adjustable sights, new model does, nice square ramp in front.
It also, as Mr. Completely noted, comes with a .22lr cylinder, and another chambered for .22 Magnum. Push the release, pull the cylinder pin, trade cylinders, replace pin and go back to shooting. Now, the bullet for .22 Mag is slightly larger diameter than .22lr, so the bore diameter is a compromise between them. While that probably has some effect on accuracy, it's not enough to worry about unless you're a serious bullseye shooter, and even then if you find the right ammo... This group was shot with Eley Sport from ten yards:
For me, after several hours with centerfire rifles, that's pretty damn good. And no, I didn't remember the magnum cylinder, so I don't have a comparison to show. Next time.
I have no idea how many rounds have gone down the barrel of this, first from me and then from my kids. It's solidly made, reliable and accurate, and for teaching kids it slows them down a bit since they have to cock it for each shot. And it's got one more neat thing: since it was made in 1976, stamped into the top of the barrel is 'Made in the 200th year of American Liberty'. Ruger didn't advertise it, just did it.
I'll agree with the Mr.: if you can pick one up, you should. You'll like it.
This one is the New Model Super Single-Six, to use the whole thing. Big difference between the new and old models was the old was like the Colt SAA; if you wanted to carry it loaded, you had to leave an empty chamber under the hammer. The new model uses a transfer-bar mechanism to allow carry with all six loaded; if it hasn't been cocked and you're not holding the trigger back, the transfer bar is down and the hammer cannot strike the firing pin. Offhand, I don't know if the old model had adjustable sights, new model does, nice square ramp in front.
It also, as Mr. Completely noted, comes with a .22lr cylinder, and another chambered for .22 Magnum. Push the release, pull the cylinder pin, trade cylinders, replace pin and go back to shooting. Now, the bullet for .22 Mag is slightly larger diameter than .22lr, so the bore diameter is a compromise between them. While that probably has some effect on accuracy, it's not enough to worry about unless you're a serious bullseye shooter, and even then if you find the right ammo... This group was shot with Eley Sport from ten yards:
For me, after several hours with centerfire rifles, that's pretty damn good. And no, I didn't remember the magnum cylinder, so I don't have a comparison to show. Next time.
I have no idea how many rounds have gone down the barrel of this, first from me and then from my kids. It's solidly made, reliable and accurate, and for teaching kids it slows them down a bit since they have to cock it for each shot. And it's got one more neat thing: since it was made in 1976, stamped into the top of the barrel is 'Made in the 200th year of American Liberty'. Ruger didn't advertise it, just did it.
I'll agree with the Mr.: if you can pick one up, you should. You'll like it.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Remember the ATF and the VA gun show?
Illegally getting yellow sheets and going to people's homes and talking to neighbors? That mess?
Well, according to Uncle, they ARE being investigated for it. And a damn good thing, too.
I wrote once before that the reason why I always get ticked off when some politician or LE brass hat calls for some new database of people and/or objects is that I know how badly the ones out there now are abused. This was a fine example of the abuse. Let's hope they get their heads handed to them, both in Congress and in the courts when the people affected sue them.
Well, according to Uncle, they ARE being investigated for it. And a damn good thing, too.
I wrote once before that the reason why I always get ticked off when some politician or LE brass hat calls for some new database of people and/or objects is that I know how badly the ones out there now are abused. This was a fine example of the abuse. Let's hope they get their heads handed to them, both in Congress and in the courts when the people affected sue them.
Carnival of Cordite #47
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