Terry Lloyd, current article here. You'll notice the headline is US 'unlawfully killed' ITN jornalist. Read on a bit and you have "Mr Lloyd was shot in the back after his vehicle - clearly marked "Press" - was caught up in US and Iraqi crossfire, then shot in the head by American forces as he was taken away in a minibus for medical treatment. " Sounds bad, doesn't it? Especially that 'shot in the head' while being 'taken...for medical treatment', almost like he was executed.
Well, I checked back through the other articles linked at the bottom of this one, and find the following:
There was speculation that US troops may have unintentionally shot Mr Lloyd and two members of his team. 04/10/2006
A British soldier said yesterday that he saw the car of the ITN journalist Terry Lloyd burst into flames after being fired on by an American tank during the invasion of Iraq.
The soldier, understood to be a member of the special forces who was carrying out surveillance, said he thought the tank "engaged" first on a convoy which included the reporter's car and an Iraqi pick-up truck with a gun mounted on the top.
and
He said he saw an exchange of fire between the Iraqi pick-up truck and an American tank for about 30 seconds before the pick-up truck burst into flames. "Vehicle One [Mr Lloyd's vehicle] also ignited and went off to the side of the road to its right and came to rest on the side of a field, burning."
and
Earlier Nick Walshe, an ITN journalist asked by his company to investigate how Mr Lloyd died, said he had spoken to Iraqi witnesses who said Mr Lloyd had been shot in the head by American forces as he was being evacuated from the firefight.
One "very credible" witness, who said he had driven the minibus which took Mr Lloyd to hospital, said he had picked him up after he had been shot in the shoulder and had his arm broken.
Before he could get to hospital the makeshift ambulance came under fire from American soldiers and Mr Lloyd was shot in the head. 7/10/2006
So at this point you've got a reporter who, from the sound of it, was hit while a tank was engaging an enemy vehicle "with a gun mounted on the top", then the minivan somebody had him in came under fire. Do take note of the wording, the nasty American troops shooting him in the head as he was being evacuated.
Then, in an article on 11/10 you get this:
Terry Lloyd, the ITN journalist killed as he reported on the invasion of Iraq in 2003, was deliberately shot by American forces, a solicitor for his family told an inquest yesterday.
The verdict on his death should be unlawful killing, said Anthony Hudson.
Mr Hudson told Andrew Walker, the assistant deputy Oxfordshire coroner, that he could be "satisfied" on the evidence that whoever opened fire on Mr Lloyd did so with the intention of "killing him or causing serious injury".
He said that American forces were willing to open fire on civilians and were not prevented from doing so by their commanders. Got to have that part about us shooting civilians left & right, now don't we? That's followed with: Witnesses said Mr Lloyd died when the American bullet hit him in the head as he was being driven away in a Red Cross ambulance. Earlier it was just a 'minivan', now it's a Red Cross Ambulance being fired on by the evil American troops. Hmmm... But in the current article, it's just a minivan again.
And just to finish things off we have Speaking after the inquest, Mr Lloyd's family described his death as a "despicable and deliberate" act carried out by "trigger happy cowboys".
In a statement read by solicitor Louis Charalambous, the reporter's widow, Lynn, said: "This was a very serious war crime."
She said the soldiers involved should be brought to trial "under the Geneva Convention" for murder.
Mr Lloyd's daughter Chelsey said: "The killing of my father would seem to amount to murder, which is deeply shocking."
One thing in the 4/10 article that bears on all this is that Lloyd and his team were not "embedded" with British or American military units, but were independent "unilaterals". and "The military did not wish to take any responsibility for unilaterals, to such an extent that in a sense they wouldn't even recognise their existence. In my experience the British and the American military do not want unilateral teams operating full stop."
Ok, first thing, I don't doubt that there are various people who don't like the idea of reporters not having their work scanned(censored) before being released, but guess what? The military DOES NOT have any responsibility for reporters who go out on their own. They get in trouble and call for help, I don't doubt they'll get it; but the military- ANY military- has no responsibility for their safety
Second, I don't have enough facts about some things; how far apart were the convoy and tank when this started, what angles, etc? You can have PRESS in big glowing letters on the side, but if someone is seeing the vehicle from the front or rear or quartering, with other vehicles and dust flying, they may not be able to see it. And if you're travelling with an openly armed enemy vehicle, you're an idiot if you don't know that you're taking a big chance.
Third, we've got two different stories about what vehicle he was being evacuated in, either a minivan or Red Cross ambulance. And in either case, I doubt someone opened up on it 'just because'.
And last, we have the general condemnation of the "trigger happy cowboys"(you'd think they'd get tired of parroting that and call them 'gangsters' or something just for variety) and the 'deliberate' murder of civilians, etc.
I have no idea of the political views of the deceased and his family; I have strong guesses about some of the other people involved. I do know this is a beautiful example of why it's a good thing we didn't sign onto the 'International Criminal Court': it would be mailing subpoenas and demands to everyone in sight and over the horizon to try every U.S. troop within fifty miles of this incident.
Cut through all the BS and you have a reporter who was
Travelling with the enemy, and being 'unilateral' I'd bet nobody knew where he was,
Got caught in shot up in a firefight,
And killed when the vehicle he was being evacuated in was shot up, supposedly by U.S. troops.
There's too many questions unanswered in these articles for any hard & fast conclusion. Except that there's a bunch of people who will take any incident and word it to show the 'eeeeeville trigger-happy American cowboys' will shoot up anything and anybody in sight just because they feel like it. I offer my condolences to his family, no strings or conditions; losing a family member is always hard.
But I think they and his death is being used for political purposes.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Other things heard about boot camp
Guys from Wisconsin and Main and Ohio, shipped to southwest OK in August, have certain problems with the climate. Like collapsing from heat. Takes a bit to get used to it.
Rifle range at 112F plus sudden thunderstorm equals soaked uniform, armor and weapon and, since the temp never dropped below 112, absolute freakin' misery for the next few hours.
Comment from one of the guys from Wisconsin: "You've got tarantulas and scorpions and all kinds of critters I never saw before!"
Mice who hide in somebody's ruck in the field and jump out in the barracks have a short life span.
People who've never camped find their first experience in southwest OK to be less than wonderful. Even without the DI there's the ticks, and mosquitos, and lizards and snakes and bats and coyotes, etc.
People from the more southern states do NOT expect what the weather can do here. Like going from lows in the 70's to, within 48 hours, highs in the 70's. And back to lows in the 70's, highs in the 90's. In September.
He started AIT the other day, as in first classes in his MOS, so on it goes.
Rifle range at 112F plus sudden thunderstorm equals soaked uniform, armor and weapon and, since the temp never dropped below 112, absolute freakin' misery for the next few hours.
Comment from one of the guys from Wisconsin: "You've got tarantulas and scorpions and all kinds of critters I never saw before!"
Mice who hide in somebody's ruck in the field and jump out in the barracks have a short life span.
People who've never camped find their first experience in southwest OK to be less than wonderful. Even without the DI there's the ticks, and mosquitos, and lizards and snakes and bats and coyotes, etc.
People from the more southern states do NOT expect what the weather can do here. Like going from lows in the 70's to, within 48 hours, highs in the 70's. And back to lows in the 70's, highs in the 90's. In September.
He started AIT the other day, as in first classes in his MOS, so on it goes.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Oooh, new stuff!
In one of those 'looked here and found a link to somewhere that had a link to here' I found myself at the Cynical Libertarian, looking at(among other things) a ironwood stock setup to make a Ruger 10/22 look like a Steyr AUG. Way to annoy GFWs and use nice wood at the same time.
He also shows a really neat accessory stock for a Marlin lever-action here; that's a really interesting idea.
AND he's another flashlightnutcaseenthusiast. Give him a look.
He also shows a really neat accessory stock for a Marlin lever-action here; that's a really interesting idea.
AND he's another flashlight
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Place you ought to take a look at
This gentleman left a couple of comments, and I looked over at his site. Well worth the trip. Go see Panday's work.
Well, Arizona, what'cha gonna do
about this crap?
Some of the commissioners actually wanted to add 19 more characters to represent the deaths of the 19 terrorist murderers who killed the victims.
The commissioner interviewed, Paul Eppinger, defends it wholeheartedly, claiming that the inscription about "Middle East Violence Causes Attacks" reflects the "fact" that "our foreign policy for years has focused on total support of Israel."
These clowns need a serious whack with a cluebat. And removal from office.
Some of the commissioners actually wanted to add 19 more characters to represent the deaths of the 19 terrorist murderers who killed the victims.
The commissioner interviewed, Paul Eppinger, defends it wholeheartedly, claiming that the inscription about "Middle East Violence Causes Attacks" reflects the "fact" that "our foreign policy for years has focused on total support of Israel."
These clowns need a serious whack with a cluebat. And removal from office.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
We're told the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights is Bad For The Children
Of course it is. After all, a 'child advocate and attorney' says so.
If Oklahoma puts a so-called Taxpayers Bill of Rights into effect, a Colorado child advocate and attorney, warns of dire consequences.
And how does she know this? Gephardt says when Colorado put a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights into effect, children, disabled people and the elderly bore the brunt. Followed by "She says" twice. With The net effect, according to Gephardt, was a major increase in disease, pregnancy and alcohol abuse among young people.
So there you have it. You want a taxpayer's bill of rights? YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN, you bastard. OR the elderly and disabled.
You'll notice she didn't give specific numbers, no study, no nothing. But she tells us so, so it must be, right?
These people are so full of crap I should have one standing in the garden for a month in the spring as fertilizer.
If Oklahoma puts a so-called Taxpayers Bill of Rights into effect, a Colorado child advocate and attorney, warns of dire consequences.
And how does she know this? Gephardt says when Colorado put a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights into effect, children, disabled people and the elderly bore the brunt. Followed by "She says" twice. With The net effect, according to Gephardt, was a major increase in disease, pregnancy and alcohol abuse among young people.
So there you have it. You want a taxpayer's bill of rights? YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN, you bastard. OR the elderly and disabled.
You'll notice she didn't give specific numbers, no study, no nothing. But she tells us so, so it must be, right?
These people are so full of crap I should have one standing in the garden for a month in the spring as fertilizer.
By the way, the History Channel has idiots writing for it
Commie idiots.
At least just idiots. They had a little blurb on last night about the 'anniversary' of castro buttmonkey Che getting whacked. Did you know he believed 'only revolution would help the disparity between rich and poor'?(I'm going by memory here and it pissed me off; I don't swear to the exact words). And that he 'joined political movements in Africa and Latin America'? And was killed by a 'CIA-backed Bolivian operation that executed him'?
Not one goddam word about he murders he committed. Not one hint of the evil this man did. Oh, no, just nice words about wanting to help the poor with a backdrop of pictures of poor campesinos and Che doing good works.
Do these idiots actually give a crap about any of this? Are they ignorant of what they're writing about, or so bigoted they don't care?
At least just idiots. They had a little blurb on last night about the 'anniversary' of castro buttmonkey Che getting whacked. Did you know he believed 'only revolution would help the disparity between rich and poor'?(I'm going by memory here and it pissed me off; I don't swear to the exact words). And that he 'joined political movements in Africa and Latin America'? And was killed by a 'CIA-backed Bolivian operation that executed him'?
Not one goddam word about he murders he committed. Not one hint of the evil this man did. Oh, no, just nice words about wanting to help the poor with a backdrop of pictures of poor campesinos and Che doing good works.
Do these idiots actually give a crap about any of this? Are they ignorant of what they're writing about, or so bigoted they don't care?
Truck bumpers
Windy asked about mine, and it made me think about my first truck. It was a red Ford Courier, one of the first mini-trucks. Actually made by Mazda for Ford(didn't know that when I bought it), four-speed stick, little 1800cc engine. Looking back, it suffered from a number of faults(body rust, not much power, etc.) but it was the first vehicle I bought by myself. And it ran. Good weather and bad, the only real problem I had until it got old was when I got some bad gas that required the carb being cleaned out. Otherwise, one of the most reliable means of transport I've ever had.
When I got it they had two options on the rear bumper, a light stamped-steel job or a heavy welded-steel number made of stock about 1/4" thick. Dad recommended the latter, and it saved the back end of that truck three times.
1. Driving to work, stopped for someone turning into a parking lot and was rear-ended. Sheared two of the mounting bolts and bent the bumper a bit, no other damage.
2. Parked in front of the house and some idiot who hadn't bothered to clean the frost off her windshield when leaving a friends' house ran into it. Scratches, bent bumper and a couple of dents in the tailgate, her bumper and grill were pretty much smashed.
3. On my way to work one snowy night, came to a stop and some idiot slid right into me. Broke a mounting tab and sheared two bolts, bent the bumper(again). His radiator was blowing steam like St. Helens and his grill smashed.
In all that had to straighten that bumper and repaint it a couple of times, but it kept the back end from being smashed up. Best $50 I ever spent.
When I got it they had two options on the rear bumper, a light stamped-steel job or a heavy welded-steel number made of stock about 1/4" thick. Dad recommended the latter, and it saved the back end of that truck three times.
1. Driving to work, stopped for someone turning into a parking lot and was rear-ended. Sheared two of the mounting bolts and bent the bumper a bit, no other damage.
2. Parked in front of the house and some idiot who hadn't bothered to clean the frost off her windshield when leaving a friends' house ran into it. Scratches, bent bumper and a couple of dents in the tailgate, her bumper and grill were pretty much smashed.
3. On my way to work one snowy night, came to a stop and some idiot slid right into me. Broke a mounting tab and sheared two bolts, bent the bumper(again). His radiator was blowing steam like St. Helens and his grill smashed.
In all that had to straighten that bumper and repaint it a couple of times, but it kept the back end from being smashed up. Best $50 I ever spent.
Monday, October 09, 2006
A few other things found in The Telegraph
First off, the 'ID card scheme' being set up in Britain. The cost of issuing biometric ID cards and running the data base that underpins the system will be £5.4bn over the next 10 years, the Home Office has said.
But the forecast, which includes start up and running costs, was immediately denounced as an underestimate by opponents of ID cards. Academics have already predicted that the cost of the scheme could rise to almost £20bn.
I think it's a rule in something like this that if the government predicts 5.4, you'll be damn lucky if it's only five times that.
Moving on, they note problems in France: Muslims are waging civil war against us, claims police union.
And get this: As the interior ministry said that nearly 2,500 officers had been wounded this year, a police union declared that its members were "in a state of civil war" with Muslims in the most depressed "banlieue" estates which are heavily populated by unemployed youths of north African origin.
and
He said yesterday: "We are in a state of civil war, orchestrated by radical Islamists. This is not a question of urban violence any more, it is an intifada, with stones and Molotov cocktails. You no longer see two or three youths confronting police, you see whole tower blocks emptying into the streets to set their 'comrades' free when they are arrested."
Sounds like things are not well over there.
Last thing was surprising, considering how the Church of England has seemed to stand for anything except Christianity and England:
The Church of England has launched an astonishing attack on the Government's drive to turn Britain into a multi-faith society.
In a wide-ranging condemnation of policy, it says that the attempt to make minority "faith" communities more integrated has backfired, leaving society "more separated than ever before". The criticisms are made in a confidential Church document, leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, that challenges the "widespread description" of Britain as a multi-faith society and even calls for the term "multi-faith" to be reconsidered.
If it's bad enough for that bunch to write such a report, it's pretty damn bad. One of the things that happened recently? "
The leaked report follows a week of tension in which a Muslim policeman was excused armed guard duty at the Israeli embassy in London, among other things. Think about that for a minute. I ask, how long do you think a Jewish officer would be employed if he refused to stand guard at, say, the Iranian embassy? Not very damn long, I think.
And forget actual even-handed treatment:It can also be revealed that the archbishop met Miss Kelly, the Communities Secretary, last month to discuss how the Church of England could contribute. Bishops are dismayed that no Christian denomination is represented on the commission. How the hell can you have a program on faith in the country and the friggin' Church of England isn't included?
The article says this is a report written for the Church and leaked to the Telegraph, so there's always the possibility that it'll either be denied, or the Archbishop will wuss out the way he has on most things I've heard about. But at least some people there have actually recognized the problem. As to whether anything will officially be said or done, we'll see.
I'm going to have to check out this paper more often.
But the forecast, which includes start up and running costs, was immediately denounced as an underestimate by opponents of ID cards. Academics have already predicted that the cost of the scheme could rise to almost £20bn.
I think it's a rule in something like this that if the government predicts 5.4, you'll be damn lucky if it's only five times that.
Moving on, they note problems in France: Muslims are waging civil war against us, claims police union.
And get this: As the interior ministry said that nearly 2,500 officers had been wounded this year, a police union declared that its members were "in a state of civil war" with Muslims in the most depressed "banlieue" estates which are heavily populated by unemployed youths of north African origin.
and
He said yesterday: "We are in a state of civil war, orchestrated by radical Islamists. This is not a question of urban violence any more, it is an intifada, with stones and Molotov cocktails. You no longer see two or three youths confronting police, you see whole tower blocks emptying into the streets to set their 'comrades' free when they are arrested."
Sounds like things are not well over there.
Last thing was surprising, considering how the Church of England has seemed to stand for anything except Christianity and England:
The Church of England has launched an astonishing attack on the Government's drive to turn Britain into a multi-faith society.
In a wide-ranging condemnation of policy, it says that the attempt to make minority "faith" communities more integrated has backfired, leaving society "more separated than ever before". The criticisms are made in a confidential Church document, leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, that challenges the "widespread description" of Britain as a multi-faith society and even calls for the term "multi-faith" to be reconsidered.
If it's bad enough for that bunch to write such a report, it's pretty damn bad. One of the things that happened recently? "
The leaked report follows a week of tension in which a Muslim policeman was excused armed guard duty at the Israeli embassy in London, among other things. Think about that for a minute. I ask, how long do you think a Jewish officer would be employed if he refused to stand guard at, say, the Iranian embassy? Not very damn long, I think.
And forget actual even-handed treatment:It can also be revealed that the archbishop met Miss Kelly, the Communities Secretary, last month to discuss how the Church of England could contribute. Bishops are dismayed that no Christian denomination is represented on the commission. How the hell can you have a program on faith in the country and the friggin' Church of England isn't included?
The article says this is a report written for the Church and leaked to the Telegraph, so there's always the possibility that it'll either be denied, or the Archbishop will wuss out the way he has on most things I've heard about. But at least some people there have actually recognized the problem. As to whether anything will officially be said or done, we'll see.
I'm going to have to check out this paper more often.
I wish the Brits would take a note from our Constitution
but I'm not holding my breath.
I took a look at the Telegraph and found this article, Law chief wants new constitution. To me, the most telling part is this:The United Kingdom was probably the only developed country in the world without a clear statement setting out the rights and responsibilities of the Government, Parliament and the judiciary, he said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
See anything missing there? Not a word about the rights of the people(Subjects of the Crown or Citazens or whatever), only 'the rights and responsibilities of the Government'. Which is why, barring a miracle, Britain is screwed.
He does point out a problem with no constitution:"At present, much of what we regard as our unwritten constitution consists of laws that can be changed by a simple Act of Parliament and conventions that may be open to dispute," he said. That's happened over and over. But how much better could it be if the big concern of the people writing a constitution is the 'rights and responsibilities of the Government'? They just write in that Parliament can change any rights of the people they bother to note, and that's that.
All's not lost, he does seem to have picked up on one of our problems:
When there was a dispute in court over whether ministers had exceeded their power, there was a "strong case for the British public knowing that the government is doing the right thing".
But he added: "We need to be wary of unwittingly transferring responsibility from democratically elected MPs to unelected judges." It appears he's seen the crap we have with judges playing legislator, and would like to avoid that. Join the damn club. However, we also get this from another official:
Lord Falconer, the Lord Chancellor and Constitutional Affairs Secretary, came out firmly against the idea of a written constitution in Manchester last month, pointing out that it would allow judges to take decisions on matters best left to Parliament. And, of course, if you have an actual written constitution, you can't just do whatever the hell you want.
I'm not particularly religeous, but there are times I think about falling to my knees and thanking God for the wisdom and foresight of the people who wrote our Constitution. We've got real problems, no question; it would be so much worse if we were stuck with what the Brits are.
I took a look at the Telegraph and found this article, Law chief wants new constitution. To me, the most telling part is this:The United Kingdom was probably the only developed country in the world without a clear statement setting out the rights and responsibilities of the Government, Parliament and the judiciary, he said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
See anything missing there? Not a word about the rights of the people(Subjects of the Crown or Citazens or whatever), only 'the rights and responsibilities of the Government'. Which is why, barring a miracle, Britain is screwed.
He does point out a problem with no constitution:"At present, much of what we regard as our unwritten constitution consists of laws that can be changed by a simple Act of Parliament and conventions that may be open to dispute," he said. That's happened over and over. But how much better could it be if the big concern of the people writing a constitution is the 'rights and responsibilities of the Government'? They just write in that Parliament can change any rights of the people they bother to note, and that's that.
All's not lost, he does seem to have picked up on one of our problems:
When there was a dispute in court over whether ministers had exceeded their power, there was a "strong case for the British public knowing that the government is doing the right thing".
But he added: "We need to be wary of unwittingly transferring responsibility from democratically elected MPs to unelected judges." It appears he's seen the crap we have with judges playing legislator, and would like to avoid that. Join the damn club. However, we also get this from another official:
Lord Falconer, the Lord Chancellor and Constitutional Affairs Secretary, came out firmly against the idea of a written constitution in Manchester last month, pointing out that it would allow judges to take decisions on matters best left to Parliament. And, of course, if you have an actual written constitution, you can't just do whatever the hell you want.
I'm not particularly religeous, but there are times I think about falling to my knees and thanking God for the wisdom and foresight of the people who wrote our Constitution. We've got real problems, no question; it would be so much worse if we were stuck with what the Brits are.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Forming brass for the Nagant revolver
I wrote about the 1895 Nagant revolver a couple of years ago, and about the somewhat odd cartridge designed for it. It's long, the bullet is seated down inside the case, and when the cylinder comes into battery the mouth of the case actually fits inside the breech of the barrel; when fired, the case mouth expands and forms a gas seal that actually does give the bullet a bit more velocity than it has with an open flash gap.
You can get 7.62 Nagant brass from Starline or you can use the Lee dies to form .32-20 brass to work; in both the case is too short to form the gas seal. It works quite well, and the brass lasts longer since it's not being as drastically worked when you fire. If you want the full-length cases, the only two you can buy that I know of are Fiocchi(two drawbacks, it's expensive and due to the dramatic crimp they use it tends to crack at the mouth when fired) and the Russian target ammo some dealers carry(very accurate, generally doesn't crack but berdan primed). Which leaves the option of taking some existing case and forming it.
At the time I got my Nagant I found a post on a gunboard on how to do this and decided to give it a try. Some success, some failure and some bugs in the process as I tried it. Fiddled with it on and off, and here's how I've been doing it.
Needed: .223 cases, a GOOD case lube, a .30 Carbine sizing die, a short piece of brass rod about
1/4" diameter and a drill press. Also some way to cut the excess off when the time comes. Done right this gives you a case with a rim to hold it in place and long enough to give the gas seal.
My procedure
I start off by chucking a case in the drill press with about 1/2" sticking down. Start it turning at low rpm and use a file, flat side vertical, held against the case with the bottom edge in the extractor groove.
I haven't tried to measure how much to take off; the ideal here would be a small lathe where you could repeatedly shave off an exact amount. But until I have/have access to a lathe, drill press it is. I take a bit off, then use some fine sandpaper to smooth the cut area. Do a handful, then wipe them off and head to the loading press.
Put in the appropriate shellholder and run the die down until it touches the holder and lock it. Lube a case(I've been using Imperial Sizing Die Wax) and run it up into the die, just a little; when it wants to stop, stop and back it out. Wipe on more lube, run it up again till it gets tight, pull out and relube. If you've taken enough off the case at the drill press you should be able to run the case almost all the way up in three tries, if not it'll need four or
five. I STRONGLY suggest you rotate the case a bit each time, as if you don't you'll wind up either bending or cracking the rim, and you need it in place
If you did it just right at the first step, inspection will show no raised area and you can do the final forming. Most of the time I didn't take off enough(lathe would probably solve that) and the die will form a lip or rim on the case from brass being pushed down. Here's an original case, and one at this point of the forming:
You can see the belt formed a little above the extractor groove and the sized case is longer.
So when the whole bunch is at this point, take them back to the drill press and use the file to cut off that lip, then sand smooth. At this point you can trim the cases. You can use a jewelers saw or whatever, I usually use the sanding disc on my belt sander to cut them back to the start of the shoulder; they need to be at least 1.5" overall after cutting, then use a deburring tool to clean up the edges. Clean the cases off and back to the press.
Here you'll need a flat piece of steel, only specs are that it be thick enough not to bend and wide enough to cover the shellholder. Take the depriming stem out of the die- you may want to use a universal deprimer to do that and just leave the stem out of the sizer- set the steel on the shellholder, lube the case and push it up into the die,
then run the ram up until it contacts, then lever it all the way; it'll take some pressure and the rim should be the only thing showing below the die mouth. Back off the ram, stick the brass rod through the depriming stem hole into the case, take a light hammer and start tapping. Hit too hard and you can crack the shellhead or break it off, so just tap and if you lubed the case well it should start coming out after a few.
Examine them at this point, look for any cracked rims or other damage that means toss it. If all's well, get out the case trimmer and trim them to 1.5" overall. Depending on the case and how far back you cut it off, you may have to use the expander die to open the mouth up a bit so the trimmer guide will fit in. Then deburr inside & out, clean off the lube and you have cases ready to use. Don't forget: you will need a way to bell the case mouth a bit to let the bullet start in.
Here's a .223 case, one with all the forming done, trimmed to length and one of the Russian target cartridges on the right. Hard to see in this shot but the Russian has a long taper crimp above the bullet(which is a wadcutter seated with the face almost .4" below the case mouth).
I loaded 25 of these reformed cases with standard small pistol primers, a charge of Unique and some 100 grain Hornady hollow-base wadcutters, seating the bullets so the face is about 1/4" below the case mouth. Then I ran them partway into the sizing die to give the case a taper crimp and smooth out any bulges formed when you seated the bullet. Later on, just for the hell of it, I've got some .30 caliber hollowpoints I'm going to try out in these.
That first 25 I tried out at about ten yards, and all fired with no problems, no split case mouths and good accuracy(good for me with those sights; results may vary). Some empties fell right out, some were pretty sticky; I think a combination of not smooth enough where they'd been filed down and maybe a bit too thick there. The Russian brass looks like it's pretty thin-walled, the .223 much thicker so I think it didn't contract back as much after firing. I'm going to thin the cases that stuck just a bit at/above the web and polish them and see how that works out.
Notes
When my old pc crapped out, I lost the information I'd originally saved on this procedure including an e-mail I got from the guy who posted it. If you happen to see this, thanks for helping me work this out.
Most dies will not have a seating stem long enough to push the bullet this deep. You'll have to make a longer stem; I took another die(I used a .30-30) and used a long piece of threaded rod for a stem to seat it. Doing this, you have to make damn sure the bullet is started straight for it to continue straight in. Update: since I wrote this, I tried something: I took unscrewed the top from the seating die and put in a spacer, about .4" long above the seating stem. That allows the Lee die to set the bullet down below the case mouth in full-length cases.
I found that commercial cases were a lot easier to work than military; the mil cases have thicker walls.
I tried annealing some cases to see if that would help in forming them; it didn't.
I had several cases crack at the mouth the second time I expanded them for loading, so I got out the torch and annealed the case mouth area on all. I've got a dozen more ready to trim to length, after that I'll anneal them before expanding the first time. There's a lot of forming done and it's work-hardening the brass; hopefully annealing them at this stage will help them last longer.
Additional: Just found this thread over at The High Road on this very subject, some good information there.
You can get 7.62 Nagant brass from Starline or you can use the Lee dies to form .32-20 brass to work; in both the case is too short to form the gas seal. It works quite well, and the brass lasts longer since it's not being as drastically worked when you fire. If you want the full-length cases, the only two you can buy that I know of are Fiocchi(two drawbacks, it's expensive and due to the dramatic crimp they use it tends to crack at the mouth when fired) and the Russian target ammo some dealers carry(very accurate, generally doesn't crack but berdan primed). Which leaves the option of taking some existing case and forming it.
At the time I got my Nagant I found a post on a gunboard on how to do this and decided to give it a try. Some success, some failure and some bugs in the process as I tried it. Fiddled with it on and off, and here's how I've been doing it.
Needed: .223 cases, a GOOD case lube, a .30 Carbine sizing die, a short piece of brass rod about
1/4" diameter and a drill press. Also some way to cut the excess off when the time comes. Done right this gives you a case with a rim to hold it in place and long enough to give the gas seal.
My procedure
I start off by chucking a case in the drill press with about 1/2" sticking down. Start it turning at low rpm and use a file, flat side vertical, held against the case with the bottom edge in the extractor groove.
I haven't tried to measure how much to take off; the ideal here would be a small lathe where you could repeatedly shave off an exact amount. But until I have/have access to a lathe, drill press it is. I take a bit off, then use some fine sandpaper to smooth the cut area. Do a handful, then wipe them off and head to the loading press.
Put in the appropriate shellholder and run the die down until it touches the holder and lock it. Lube a case(I've been using Imperial Sizing Die Wax) and run it up into the die, just a little; when it wants to stop, stop and back it out. Wipe on more lube, run it up again till it gets tight, pull out and relube. If you've taken enough off the case at the drill press you should be able to run the case almost all the way up in three tries, if not it'll need four or
five. I STRONGLY suggest you rotate the case a bit each time, as if you don't you'll wind up either bending or cracking the rim, and you need it in place
If you did it just right at the first step, inspection will show no raised area and you can do the final forming. Most of the time I didn't take off enough(lathe would probably solve that) and the die will form a lip or rim on the case from brass being pushed down. Here's an original case, and one at this point of the forming:
You can see the belt formed a little above the extractor groove and the sized case is longer.
So when the whole bunch is at this point, take them back to the drill press and use the file to cut off that lip, then sand smooth. At this point you can trim the cases. You can use a jewelers saw or whatever, I usually use the sanding disc on my belt sander to cut them back to the start of the shoulder; they need to be at least 1.5" overall after cutting, then use a deburring tool to clean up the edges. Clean the cases off and back to the press.
Here you'll need a flat piece of steel, only specs are that it be thick enough not to bend and wide enough to cover the shellholder. Take the depriming stem out of the die- you may want to use a universal deprimer to do that and just leave the stem out of the sizer- set the steel on the shellholder, lube the case and push it up into the die,
then run the ram up until it contacts, then lever it all the way; it'll take some pressure and the rim should be the only thing showing below the die mouth. Back off the ram, stick the brass rod through the depriming stem hole into the case, take a light hammer and start tapping. Hit too hard and you can crack the shellhead or break it off, so just tap and if you lubed the case well it should start coming out after a few.
Examine them at this point, look for any cracked rims or other damage that means toss it. If all's well, get out the case trimmer and trim them to 1.5" overall. Depending on the case and how far back you cut it off, you may have to use the expander die to open the mouth up a bit so the trimmer guide will fit in. Then deburr inside & out, clean off the lube and you have cases ready to use. Don't forget: you will need a way to bell the case mouth a bit to let the bullet start in.
Here's a .223 case, one with all the forming done, trimmed to length and one of the Russian target cartridges on the right. Hard to see in this shot but the Russian has a long taper crimp above the bullet(which is a wadcutter seated with the face almost .4" below the case mouth).
I loaded 25 of these reformed cases with standard small pistol primers, a charge of Unique and some 100 grain Hornady hollow-base wadcutters, seating the bullets so the face is about 1/4" below the case mouth. Then I ran them partway into the sizing die to give the case a taper crimp and smooth out any bulges formed when you seated the bullet. Later on, just for the hell of it, I've got some .30 caliber hollowpoints I'm going to try out in these.
That first 25 I tried out at about ten yards, and all fired with no problems, no split case mouths and good accuracy(good for me with those sights; results may vary). Some empties fell right out, some were pretty sticky; I think a combination of not smooth enough where they'd been filed down and maybe a bit too thick there. The Russian brass looks like it's pretty thin-walled, the .223 much thicker so I think it didn't contract back as much after firing. I'm going to thin the cases that stuck just a bit at/above the web and polish them and see how that works out.
Notes
When my old pc crapped out, I lost the information I'd originally saved on this procedure including an e-mail I got from the guy who posted it. If you happen to see this, thanks for helping me work this out.
Most dies will not have a seating stem long enough to push the bullet this deep. You'll have to make a longer stem; I took another die(I used a .30-30) and used a long piece of threaded rod for a stem to seat it. Doing this, you have to make damn sure the bullet is started straight for it to continue straight in. Update: since I wrote this, I tried something: I took unscrewed the top from the seating die and put in a spacer, about .4" long above the seating stem. That allows the Lee die to set the bullet down below the case mouth in full-length cases.
I found that commercial cases were a lot easier to work than military; the mil cases have thicker walls.
I tried annealing some cases to see if that would help in forming them; it didn't.
I had several cases crack at the mouth the second time I expanded them for loading, so I got out the torch and annealed the case mouth area on all. I've got a dozen more ready to trim to length, after that I'll anneal them before expanding the first time. There's a lot of forming done and it's work-hardening the brass; hopefully annealing them at this stage will help them last longer.
Additional: Just found this thread over at The High Road on this very subject, some good information there.
Hardening
Having finally made time to do this, I'm going to harden the blade that was forged here and ground here.
Here's the blade, and that line drawn in is important. Generally, I want to bring it up to critical heat in that range back from the edge, not much farther.
That means that section will be at full hardness, with the area further back tougher to support the hard section. Not a big factor with a small blade like this, and you can harden the entire blade. It is how I prefer to do it on all but smaller blades.
I lit the forge, and made three of the roasting forks while it burned clean and larger, so I had a clean fire with all the coal that will be on/around the steel coked. I also got a small pot I keep for this and filled it with quenching oil. Before I started on the blade I took a piece of steel and brought it up to a bright red, then quenched it to heat the oil; warm oil(around 100F) flows better and gives a more even quench. When it was ready, the blade went into the fire.
Note that it goes in roughly horizontal and with a very low air flow at first to let it soak up heat. Depending on how thick and/or wide a piece is, you may only need the low air blast. The big factor on even heat is to make sure the fire is large enough to bring the whole blade up to temp.
In case you've wondered, you can see how spooked the guard staff is by the fire and hammering:
When the blade is at heat, that mid-to-bright red I've tried to describe, it comes out and is lowered edge first into the oil, at a slight downward angle. I try to submerge from the lower rear corner to the point or just a bit further into the oil at first. Then, after a few seconds with a wide blade, move it up & down vertically just a bit. I hold it in the oil for a good 20-30 seconds and then submerge the entire thing. No picture of this; not enough hands.
Here's how it looks fresh out of the oil.
You can see the difference in color between the area that was fully hardened and that further back. Often you can tell if a steel hardened properly simply by that appearance, best way to check is with a file. A sharp file will, at best, almost bite the steel; generally if the piece fully hardened it'll just skate on the surface.
I'll let the piece cool completely, then give it a second hardening. After it cools from that one, with the oil and scale scrubbed off, it looks like this:
Fully hardened and ready to temper. I'll cover that later.
Here's the blade, and that line drawn in is important. Generally, I want to bring it up to critical heat in that range back from the edge, not much farther.
That means that section will be at full hardness, with the area further back tougher to support the hard section. Not a big factor with a small blade like this, and you can harden the entire blade. It is how I prefer to do it on all but smaller blades.
I lit the forge, and made three of the roasting forks while it burned clean and larger, so I had a clean fire with all the coal that will be on/around the steel coked. I also got a small pot I keep for this and filled it with quenching oil. Before I started on the blade I took a piece of steel and brought it up to a bright red, then quenched it to heat the oil; warm oil(around 100F) flows better and gives a more even quench. When it was ready, the blade went into the fire.
Note that it goes in roughly horizontal and with a very low air flow at first to let it soak up heat. Depending on how thick and/or wide a piece is, you may only need the low air blast. The big factor on even heat is to make sure the fire is large enough to bring the whole blade up to temp.
In case you've wondered, you can see how spooked the guard staff is by the fire and hammering:
When the blade is at heat, that mid-to-bright red I've tried to describe, it comes out and is lowered edge first into the oil, at a slight downward angle. I try to submerge from the lower rear corner to the point or just a bit further into the oil at first. Then, after a few seconds with a wide blade, move it up & down vertically just a bit. I hold it in the oil for a good 20-30 seconds and then submerge the entire thing. No picture of this; not enough hands.
Here's how it looks fresh out of the oil.
You can see the difference in color between the area that was fully hardened and that further back. Often you can tell if a steel hardened properly simply by that appearance, best way to check is with a file. A sharp file will, at best, almost bite the steel; generally if the piece fully hardened it'll just skate on the surface.
I'll let the piece cool completely, then give it a second hardening. After it cools from that one, with the oil and scale scrubbed off, it looks like this:
Fully hardened and ready to temper. I'll cover that later.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Things my son told me about boot camp
A contraband bag of M&Ms can go for $20.
Someone desperate will pay $30 for a can of snuff.
Someone who's really interested in making money can manage to get to the main PX and buy $100 worth of candy, and by or shortly after lights out sell it all for $300.
The contraband 2-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper the DI found can, when slammed into the floor, manage to liberally splash about half the barracks and mess up the wax job on the floor. Which they'd had to do. Which, sometime after the DI finished yelling, caused several people to have an in-depth discussion with the idiot who snuck it in.
An MRE heater, with just a little water added, can be closed up and placed in the bottom of your sleeping bag to keep your feet warm.(I don't know where he picked that one up, but he was the only one in the platoon who knew it. So he collected heaters others didn't use on chilly nights in the field; and a couple of guys, after finding out why he'd wanted them, paid $5 to get theirs back)
Dumbasses who take contraband in their rucks on a field maneuver will have their ruck searched while they're out of camp, and will wind up doing things like moving all the sandbags from around his squad's tent about 300 yards to the river. And back. With dire threats of what will happen if they spill any sand from any of the bags that get ripped.
The platoon lost "two guys because they got hurt who'll have to finish later, and one guy because he's a dumbass".
The new Top Sergeant was so short he looks like a midget on his Harley; and NOBODY is dumb enough to mess with him, because- among other things- he's about 2/3 as wide at the shoulders as he is tall.
Helmet or not, getting hit in the head with a Pugil stick hurts.
Yes, the gas chamber really was that bad.
The issue berets are cheap.
These barracks are a lot nicer than the one he stayed in at Encampment in CAP a few years ago. Which was left over from WWII.
There were no skunks around these barracks, but they still have racoons in the trash.
When they were issued their cleaning stuff for the rifles he asked the DI if there was anything better available. "What do you mean 'better'?" "One-piece rod, some better CLP?" "No, you have to use this shit." Pause. "I keep my good stuff at home".
Somehow, after several weeks, he was the ONLY one in the platoon who knew what CLP stands for.
You weren't supposed to take the trigger mechanism out of the lower receiver for cleaning; instead you're supposed to use cotton swabs and such to clean it out. Figuring out how to take it out, clean it well, AND put it back together properly turned out to be worth $10. From each guy he put it back together for.
They had one guy in the platoon who got a perfect score on the ASVAB tests.
One guy lost 45 pounds.
One guy- God knows how- managed to develop a fat belly.
One guy, during a live-fire exercise, started to point his rifle in a bad direction. He recovered from having approximately 500 pounds of DIs landing on him. And then demonstrating their vocabulary to- at?- him.
They only got to fire an M2 Browning Heavy Machinegun in a simulator; he was disappointed.
The instructor gets excited when you throw a grenade, and it hits one of the tires a ways out and bounces back.
A guy on crutches can use one to kill the rattlesnake he finds in a latrine at one of the ranges.
And the platoon had five guys bitten by Brown Recluse spiders. Including the guy who got bit on the ass, waited five days to go to sick call, and came back after 'they cut a chunk out of my ass and packed bandage stuff in it'. He was, ah, rather uncomfortable for a while...
Someone desperate will pay $30 for a can of snuff.
Someone who's really interested in making money can manage to get to the main PX and buy $100 worth of candy, and by or shortly after lights out sell it all for $300.
The contraband 2-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper the DI found can, when slammed into the floor, manage to liberally splash about half the barracks and mess up the wax job on the floor. Which they'd had to do. Which, sometime after the DI finished yelling, caused several people to have an in-depth discussion with the idiot who snuck it in.
An MRE heater, with just a little water added, can be closed up and placed in the bottom of your sleeping bag to keep your feet warm.(I don't know where he picked that one up, but he was the only one in the platoon who knew it. So he collected heaters others didn't use on chilly nights in the field; and a couple of guys, after finding out why he'd wanted them, paid $5 to get theirs back)
Dumbasses who take contraband in their rucks on a field maneuver will have their ruck searched while they're out of camp, and will wind up doing things like moving all the sandbags from around his squad's tent about 300 yards to the river. And back. With dire threats of what will happen if they spill any sand from any of the bags that get ripped.
The platoon lost "two guys because they got hurt who'll have to finish later, and one guy because he's a dumbass".
The new Top Sergeant was so short he looks like a midget on his Harley; and NOBODY is dumb enough to mess with him, because- among other things- he's about 2/3 as wide at the shoulders as he is tall.
Helmet or not, getting hit in the head with a Pugil stick hurts.
Yes, the gas chamber really was that bad.
The issue berets are cheap.
These barracks are a lot nicer than the one he stayed in at Encampment in CAP a few years ago. Which was left over from WWII.
There were no skunks around these barracks, but they still have racoons in the trash.
When they were issued their cleaning stuff for the rifles he asked the DI if there was anything better available. "What do you mean 'better'?" "One-piece rod, some better CLP?" "No, you have to use this shit." Pause. "I keep my good stuff at home".
Somehow, after several weeks, he was the ONLY one in the platoon who knew what CLP stands for.
You weren't supposed to take the trigger mechanism out of the lower receiver for cleaning; instead you're supposed to use cotton swabs and such to clean it out. Figuring out how to take it out, clean it well, AND put it back together properly turned out to be worth $10. From each guy he put it back together for.
They had one guy in the platoon who got a perfect score on the ASVAB tests.
One guy lost 45 pounds.
One guy- God knows how- managed to develop a fat belly.
One guy, during a live-fire exercise, started to point his rifle in a bad direction. He recovered from having approximately 500 pounds of DIs landing on him. And then demonstrating their vocabulary to- at?- him.
They only got to fire an M2 Browning Heavy Machinegun in a simulator; he was disappointed.
The instructor gets excited when you throw a grenade, and it hits one of the tires a ways out and bounces back.
A guy on crutches can use one to kill the rattlesnake he finds in a latrine at one of the ranges.
And the platoon had five guys bitten by Brown Recluse spiders. Including the guy who got bit on the ass, waited five days to go to sick call, and came back after 'they cut a chunk out of my ass and packed bandage stuff in it'. He was, ah, rather uncomfortable for a while...
Truck + steel safety bumper=
saved back end of vehicle.
On my way home from grocery shopping I stop at a light and hear that 'Oh my God!'-class braking behind me. Look in mirror in time to see idiot in minivan, vehicle nose down and shock on his face, heading toward my rear end.
Shut up, you know what I mean.
Impact. Then I produced a profusion of words, turned the engine off and got out. To find
1. Not a mark visible on my truck, and
2. Headlight glass all over my bumper.
So he lost both right-side lights, and grill and bumper damage, and I may have a scratch or two on my bumper. Shock wasn't enough to trip the cutoff on the fuel pump, either.
I love my truck.
On my way home from grocery shopping I stop at a light and hear that 'Oh my God!'-class braking behind me. Look in mirror in time to see idiot in minivan, vehicle nose down and shock on his face, heading toward my rear end.
Shut up, you know what I mean.
Impact. Then I produced a profusion of words, turned the engine off and got out. To find
1. Not a mark visible on my truck, and
2. Headlight glass all over my bumper.
So he lost both right-side lights, and grill and bumper damage, and I may have a scratch or two on my bumper. Shock wasn't enough to trip the cutoff on the fuel pump, either.
I love my truck.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Well doggies!
The boy done good
No, I haven't posted anything the last couple of days; been a bit busy.
I present to you one of the newest members of the U.S. Army
having graduated from Basic Combat Training today as Private 2nd Class.
It's been an interesting couple of days. Looking at the roster for his battalion, you find names from people with all kinds of skin colors and backgrounds; people from many states and from four other nations(as someone put it, Americans who weren't born here), all having sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. All looking a bit hollow-eyed from heavy work and never quite enough sleep, having spent the last eight weeks learning what for many were completely new skills. And all having made it.
I'll post some more about this later, some stuff he told me. For now I'll just leave it with- in case I didn't say it before- I'm proud of the boy.
No, I haven't posted anything the last couple of days; been a bit busy.
I present to you one of the newest members of the U.S. Army
having graduated from Basic Combat Training today as Private 2nd Class.
It's been an interesting couple of days. Looking at the roster for his battalion, you find names from people with all kinds of skin colors and backgrounds; people from many states and from four other nations(as someone put it, Americans who weren't born here), all having sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. All looking a bit hollow-eyed from heavy work and never quite enough sleep, having spent the last eight weeks learning what for many were completely new skills. And all having made it.
I'll post some more about this later, some stuff he told me. For now I'll just leave it with- in case I didn't say it before- I'm proud of the boy.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The Brit politicians in charge of this should be tarred and feathered
Was at Florida Cracker and found a link to this article:
A paratrooper wounded in Afghanistan was threatened by a Muslim visitor to the British hospital where he is recovering.
Seriously wounded soldiers have complained that they are worried about their safety after being left on wards that are open to the public at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.
On one occasion a member of the Parachute Regiment, still dressed in his combat uniform after being evacuated from Afghanistan, was accosted by a Muslim over the British involvement in the country.
Oh, the MoD has it well in hand, though:
The Ministry of Defence, which said that it had no record of threatening incidents, indicated that there was a military security presence at the hospital and it co-operated closely with local police.
A MoD spokesman said there was "appropriate security" at Selly Oak for the 11 servicemen currently being treated.
This despite "A relative of the Para said the man had twice walked on to the ward where two other soldiers and four civilians were being treated without once being challenged by staff."
She had a link to this one, too:
One soldier recovering from a gunshot wound has described how he spent three weeks in a bed next to a mentally handicapped man who was unable to care for or clean himself.
Another soldier at the hospital recalled one of his comrades who had lost a leg screaming in agony because the morphine had worn off. The pain was so intense that the soldier fainted twice during the 45 minutes he had to wait before a doctor could be found to administer more morphine.
It seems the Brits went a bit overboard with their 'peace dividend':
Before the strategic defence review that followed the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, there were seven military hospitals. But under a programme entitled "Defence Cost Study 15" in 1994, all but one were closed. Royal Hospital Haslar, in Portsmouth, survived but is now being mothballed and is due to close next year when the site will be sold to a developer.
After the closure of the service hospitals, special military wards were created in a number of NHS hospitals which were manned by Forces medical staff. But the MoD has confirmed that this policy has been abandoned because staff shortages and the so-called high tempo of operations made them "unsustainable".
Ok, this dumb Okie has a question: if the 'high tempo' of operations makes keeping a military ward in a hospital "unsustainable", why the !*##% don't they stop the sale of Royal Hospital Haslar and USE THE DAMN PLACE?
There is no excuse for wounded troops being treated this way. Period.
A paratrooper wounded in Afghanistan was threatened by a Muslim visitor to the British hospital where he is recovering.
Seriously wounded soldiers have complained that they are worried about their safety after being left on wards that are open to the public at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.
On one occasion a member of the Parachute Regiment, still dressed in his combat uniform after being evacuated from Afghanistan, was accosted by a Muslim over the British involvement in the country.
Oh, the MoD has it well in hand, though:
The Ministry of Defence, which said that it had no record of threatening incidents, indicated that there was a military security presence at the hospital and it co-operated closely with local police.
A MoD spokesman said there was "appropriate security" at Selly Oak for the 11 servicemen currently being treated.
This despite "A relative of the Para said the man had twice walked on to the ward where two other soldiers and four civilians were being treated without once being challenged by staff."
She had a link to this one, too:
One soldier recovering from a gunshot wound has described how he spent three weeks in a bed next to a mentally handicapped man who was unable to care for or clean himself.
Another soldier at the hospital recalled one of his comrades who had lost a leg screaming in agony because the morphine had worn off. The pain was so intense that the soldier fainted twice during the 45 minutes he had to wait before a doctor could be found to administer more morphine.
It seems the Brits went a bit overboard with their 'peace dividend':
Before the strategic defence review that followed the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, there were seven military hospitals. But under a programme entitled "Defence Cost Study 15" in 1994, all but one were closed. Royal Hospital Haslar, in Portsmouth, survived but is now being mothballed and is due to close next year when the site will be sold to a developer.
After the closure of the service hospitals, special military wards were created in a number of NHS hospitals which were manned by Forces medical staff. But the MoD has confirmed that this policy has been abandoned because staff shortages and the so-called high tempo of operations made them "unsustainable".
Ok, this dumb Okie has a question: if the 'high tempo' of operations makes keeping a military ward in a hospital "unsustainable", why the !*##% don't they stop the sale of Royal Hospital Haslar and USE THE DAMN PLACE?
There is no excuse for wounded troops being treated this way. Period.
I don't care what party someone like Foley belongs to,
and I don't give a rats ass what it does to either party, they should be thrown the hell out of Congress. Period.
And I think this needs to get messy. Because we've got two things feeding this mess:
People who are so worried about harming Their Party by kicking out someone who may be good at pushing The Partys' view of things.
Too damn many people who both want to make being in Congress their lifes work, and who give other such people a pass even on conduct such as this.
Just maybe, if it gets messy and loud enough, there might be enough pressure on some of these clowns to do something. I'm not counting on it, but it would be nice.
And I think this needs to get messy. Because we've got two things feeding this mess:
People who are so worried about harming Their Party by kicking out someone who may be good at pushing The Partys' view of things.
Too damn many people who both want to make being in Congress their lifes work, and who give other such people a pass even on conduct such as this.
Just maybe, if it gets messy and loud enough, there might be enough pressure on some of these clowns to do something. I'm not counting on it, but it would be nice.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Somewhat oldie range test
Marlin Model 81-DL
One of the nice things about what John Ross labeled the 'gun culture' is that people tend to have neat boomsticks, like to talk about firearms and are generally friendly. And if a friend has something new/unusual/they just like, if youleave a testicle as security ask nicely they'll let you take out to the range and try it out. Which brings us to this piece.
Marlin has made a lot of different firearms over time, this one being a bolt-action target rifle with a tube magazine. Bolt handle is long and runs straight down, then turns out into a large round knob. The stock is a hardwood with a red stain, nicely fitted to the action and barrel. It widens in front of the trigger guard and has a flat bottom, sling swivels mounted at the factory. It has an aperture sight on the receiver
with an unusual adjustment system. The elevation you loosen a locking knob and turn a snail adjuster that moves it up or down; for windage there's a locking arm you push to the left to loosen and then push the aperture left or right. Front sight is a gold bead.
The trigger is a two-lever type(yes,I took the action out of the stock to look) that breaks at about 4-5 pounds with a touch of creep.
From what I can find the original model was the 81-B. The 81-DL was manufactured from 1941, then stopped turing WWII. It resumed in 1945 and ran 'till 1964. Stocks on those made before WWII had a forend like this one, postwar rifles a more standard shape and those after 1957 a walnut stock in a Monte Carlo style.
I started off with Federal Champion ammo to zero and generally shake it out, then tried some Eley Sport and some of the S&B that's floating around. It liked the Fed & Eley best, giving groups like this:
For 30 yards with a not overly steady rest, not shabby at all.
Overall a nice rifle, well worth having. I think the trigger could easily be polished to 2-3 pounds and clean, and that's all it would need. If you ran across one it'd be well worth making yours. Or the kids. And if they're a bit small for it, then you can use it till they grow up.
One of the nice things about what John Ross labeled the 'gun culture' is that people tend to have neat boomsticks, like to talk about firearms and are generally friendly. And if a friend has something new/unusual/they just like, if you
Marlin has made a lot of different firearms over time, this one being a bolt-action target rifle with a tube magazine. Bolt handle is long and runs straight down, then turns out into a large round knob. The stock is a hardwood with a red stain, nicely fitted to the action and barrel. It widens in front of the trigger guard and has a flat bottom, sling swivels mounted at the factory. It has an aperture sight on the receiver
with an unusual adjustment system. The elevation you loosen a locking knob and turn a snail adjuster that moves it up or down; for windage there's a locking arm you push to the left to loosen and then push the aperture left or right. Front sight is a gold bead.
The trigger is a two-lever type(yes,I took the action out of the stock to look) that breaks at about 4-5 pounds with a touch of creep.
From what I can find the original model was the 81-B. The 81-DL was manufactured from 1941, then stopped turing WWII. It resumed in 1945 and ran 'till 1964. Stocks on those made before WWII had a forend like this one, postwar rifles a more standard shape and those after 1957 a walnut stock in a Monte Carlo style.
I started off with Federal Champion ammo to zero and generally shake it out, then tried some Eley Sport and some of the S&B that's floating around. It liked the Fed & Eley best, giving groups like this:
For 30 yards with a not overly steady rest, not shabby at all.
Overall a nice rifle, well worth having. I think the trigger could easily be polished to 2-3 pounds and clean, and that's all it would need. If you ran across one it'd be well worth making yours. Or the kids. And if they're a bit small for it, then you can use it till they grow up.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Among the problems with the militarization of police
is the same problem when mistakes happen in regular policing: all to often the officers and agency involved basically stonewall. No apology, no "We screwed up", basically pay for property damage- if they can't get around it- and continue on.
What brought this on was looking over at The Agitator earlier today. This particular section is on
SWAT-type raids on either the wrong address, or due to bad information from an informant. Get a chance, go read through it. It'll really, really piss you off. Both the idiocy of some of these raids('economic in nature' for God's sake), and the amount of money going into armored cars and APCs for law enforcement agencies.
It's bad enough when there's only property damage. How the hell do you tell kids to trust the police when, in a botched raid, they kill the dog? Or, using a SWAT team to arrest a guy on gambling charges, you kill him through negligence? And then cover it up with "A mistake was made" or "Normal procedures for a raid were used, so no charges will be filed"?
More of the cops that don't like this crap any more than we do need to start speaking out about this and doing what they can, because every time one of these idiocies happens, it makes their job that much harder.
What brought this on was looking over at The Agitator earlier today. This particular section is on
SWAT-type raids on either the wrong address, or due to bad information from an informant. Get a chance, go read through it. It'll really, really piss you off. Both the idiocy of some of these raids('economic in nature' for God's sake), and the amount of money going into armored cars and APCs for law enforcement agencies.
It's bad enough when there's only property damage. How the hell do you tell kids to trust the police when, in a botched raid, they kill the dog? Or, using a SWAT team to arrest a guy on gambling charges, you kill him through negligence? And then cover it up with "A mistake was made" or "Normal procedures for a raid were used, so no charges will be filed"?
More of the cops that don't like this crap any more than we do need to start speaking out about this and doing what they can, because every time one of these idiocies happens, it makes their job that much harder.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Basic update: it's almost over
In a few days my son graduates from Basic Training. They've apparently done all the basic for those who are ready to graduate, and a few are trying to make up enough to graduate now; some others will have to stay over and do it again.
This past week was some various live fire practices, building clearing, etc. I think I'll call this one "Avon Calling"
In a few days I'll be heading to lovely Fort Sill to attend. Looks like the boy's done good.
This past week was some various live fire practices, building clearing, etc. I think I'll call this one "Avon Calling"
In a few days I'll be heading to lovely Fort Sill to attend. Looks like the boy's done good.
Friday, September 29, 2006
About the current spitting match
If you've been reading Michelle Malkin or Dean Esmay you'll know what I'm talking about. Short version, Esmay accused Malkin of calling all muslims the enemy and Malkin told Esmay he's an idiot(no, I'm not linking to them, you can find it if you want to wade through it.
I read some of the stuff at Esmays' place this started from, and it's kind of unnerving. I used to read his posts almost every day; in the beginning time kept me from going there as often as before and then the increasingly, I'd have to call it shrill, words and attitude toward most anyone who disagreed with his view on muslims made me stop going almost completely. At this point I doubt I'll go back at all.
Place called Classical Values has this I'll link because I think it's a very damn good piece on the subject. Simply, there are muslims out there who are in the truest sense the enemy. Period. The open enemy is not the problem in this; the problem is all the muslims who, whether out of "I won't criticize another muslim" or being scared to speak up or, in the case of all too many for comfort, secretly hope the enemy wins and destroys the west. These last are too chickenshit to openly say it so they make excuses for the murderering fascists they don't have the balls to openly be; and they make it that much harder for a lot of people to have faith in the (some say mythical) moderate muslims who like living in western society, who like being part of a free country, who hate the idea of the fascists taking over.
Here's the enemy, the open want's-us-dead enemy:
The Gaza imam said the only Christian-Muslim dialogue that is acceptable is one in which "all religions agree to convert to Islam."
Makes it plain, doesn't he?
How about this one?
A leading Muslim spokesman in Germany explained that he was all for free speech, as long as it didn't offend Muslims. The Germans' all-too-typical appeasement of terrorism no doubt makes them "safer" and "creates" fewer terrorists.
There's been far too much of this crap; this "We can call you anything, but if you offend us in any way we'll riot and burn and kill you" attitude from far too damn many muslims. It makes them the enemy: both the open enemy who strikes at us and the secret enemy who stays in the shadows and assists the open enemy.
I don't give a rats ass how you worship or who you worship. As Thomas Jefferson put it, "It matters not whether my neighbor worships one God or twenty; it neither breaks my leg or picks my pocket". But when their method of worship starts breaking legs and picking pockets and killing people...
I read some of the stuff at Esmays' place this started from, and it's kind of unnerving. I used to read his posts almost every day; in the beginning time kept me from going there as often as before and then the increasingly, I'd have to call it shrill, words and attitude toward most anyone who disagreed with his view on muslims made me stop going almost completely. At this point I doubt I'll go back at all.
Place called Classical Values has this I'll link because I think it's a very damn good piece on the subject. Simply, there are muslims out there who are in the truest sense the enemy. Period. The open enemy is not the problem in this; the problem is all the muslims who, whether out of "I won't criticize another muslim" or being scared to speak up or, in the case of all too many for comfort, secretly hope the enemy wins and destroys the west. These last are too chickenshit to openly say it so they make excuses for the murderering fascists they don't have the balls to openly be; and they make it that much harder for a lot of people to have faith in the (some say mythical) moderate muslims who like living in western society, who like being part of a free country, who hate the idea of the fascists taking over.
Here's the enemy, the open want's-us-dead enemy:
The Gaza imam said the only Christian-Muslim dialogue that is acceptable is one in which "all religions agree to convert to Islam."
Makes it plain, doesn't he?
How about this one?
A leading Muslim spokesman in Germany explained that he was all for free speech, as long as it didn't offend Muslims. The Germans' all-too-typical appeasement of terrorism no doubt makes them "safer" and "creates" fewer terrorists.
There's been far too much of this crap; this "We can call you anything, but if you offend us in any way we'll riot and burn and kill you" attitude from far too damn many muslims. It makes them the enemy: both the open enemy who strikes at us and the secret enemy who stays in the shadows and assists the open enemy.
I don't give a rats ass how you worship or who you worship. As Thomas Jefferson put it, "It matters not whether my neighbor worships one God or twenty; it neither breaks my leg or picks my pocket". But when their method of worship starts breaking legs and picking pockets and killing people...
The squirrels are revolting!
In more ways than one
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- An aggressive squirrel pounced on a 4-year-old boy in an attack last week in Cuesta Park in Mountain View, Calif.
Ok, a couple of weeks ago it was racoons whacking cats; now the squirrels are getting nasty.
as many as six people have been bitten or scratched by squirrels since May, and that the attacks have become more ferocious in the last month.
Mind you, the little bastards can bite the tax reform act out of you, clawing the while. But have no fear, the standard responses are up:
Officials say they'll trap and kill the nasties, and
Wildlife advocates also oppose the unusual measure of killing the animals and said it won't solve the problem.
"The squirrels will be back," South Bay wildlife rehabilitator Norma Campbell said. "For every one you take out, two more will come in. It could be a never-ending project that isn't going to accomplish anything."
Two back for every one? Sounds to me like a way to feed the homeless.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- An aggressive squirrel pounced on a 4-year-old boy in an attack last week in Cuesta Park in Mountain View, Calif.
Ok, a couple of weeks ago it was racoons whacking cats; now the squirrels are getting nasty.
as many as six people have been bitten or scratched by squirrels since May, and that the attacks have become more ferocious in the last month.
Mind you, the little bastards can bite the tax reform act out of you, clawing the while. But have no fear, the standard responses are up:
Officials say they'll trap and kill the nasties, and
Wildlife advocates also oppose the unusual measure of killing the animals and said it won't solve the problem.
"The squirrels will be back," South Bay wildlife rehabilitator Norma Campbell said. "For every one you take out, two more will come in. It could be a never-ending project that isn't going to accomplish anything."
Two back for every one? Sounds to me like a way to feed the homeless.
About the lack of forging posts,
sorry 'bout that. Reasons are time(I could always throw something else out and make some time) and physical problems. Specifically, my elbow. I've got a persistant problem, possibly caused/aggravated by lots and lots of heavy hammering over time.
Which really sucks. The stuff I most like to make, namely blades, requires lots of hammering for the bigger ones. On some, depending on the stock you start with, LOTS of hammering with a big hammer. Which I flat cannot do; after a couple of minutes that joint says "I don't want to anymore" and that's that. If I plan ahead and start taking naproxyn the day before I can get some done with no problem, but I dislike taking stuff like that long-term. Which is what it would take to do very much of it.
This is why I can't do some exercising either. Chris at Anarchangel has mentioned his joint problems, and that he has to eat naproxyn like candy to keep things working with a minimum of pain, and it affects how much exercise he can do. I used to do sets of twenty pushups; now I can get three at best before the elbow gives out, and weights or sword practice is equally touchy(though I can do light weights fairly well).
So I do plan to do more forging posts, but it will take a while to do much of it.
Which really sucks. The stuff I most like to make, namely blades, requires lots of hammering for the bigger ones. On some, depending on the stock you start with, LOTS of hammering with a big hammer. Which I flat cannot do; after a couple of minutes that joint says "I don't want to anymore" and that's that. If I plan ahead and start taking naproxyn the day before I can get some done with no problem, but I dislike taking stuff like that long-term. Which is what it would take to do very much of it.
This is why I can't do some exercising either. Chris at Anarchangel has mentioned his joint problems, and that he has to eat naproxyn like candy to keep things working with a minimum of pain, and it affects how much exercise he can do. I used to do sets of twenty pushups; now I can get three at best before the elbow gives out, and weights or sword practice is equally touchy(though I can do light weights fairly well).
So I do plan to do more forging posts, but it will take a while to do much of it.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Carrying Condition One
Or, if you're more traditional, cocked & locked. Most specifically on the 1911-design pistols. I'd been thinking about this a while, and Kim posted this on it, linking to Tam.
If you're not familiar with these, you've got three carry modes:
3. Loaded magazine, chamber empty & hammer down
2. Loaded mag, chamber loaded, hammer on half-cock & safety on(on those pistols that allow it)
1. Loaded mag, chamber loaded, hammer cocked & safety on.
From what I've read, J.M. Browning designed the 1911 to be carried cocked & locked, and unless there's something mechanically wrong with a pistol, it's about as safe as you can get. Short of being unloaded.
On half-cock, in my opinion, NEVER!!! On some, you cannot carry that way, my Kimber for instance will not go on safety if the hammer's on half-cock. And the manual specifically states 'Do not', the design wasn't intended for that. The half-cock notch is supposed to be a safety notch; if the cocked hammer slips or gets jarred off the sear, this notch will catch it before it can strike the firing pin. Plus, there's a story.
There used to be a gentleman named Dan Combs who was firearms instructor for the OK Highway Patrol. Fine man, and one of the damndest shots you'd ever hope to see. One day he was at a range with a Colt Gold Cup match pistol doing some shooting. He fired a shot, put the hammer on half-cock and set the safety, stuck it in his belt(something, from what I've heard, he never did except this time) and reached for binoculars to check the target. And the hammer slipped off the sear and fired the pistol, which sent a 200 grain match bullet and a bunch of hot gasses into his abdomen. He lived through it, but hearing about this as a kid made me decide that when I got a .45(yeah, wanted one even then) I would not carry it that way. Turned out to be a defective sear or hammer notch, can't remember which; when he leaned forward it pushed the hammer forward a bit and... Later on this was reported to the commander at Vance Air Force Base and they had the post inventory of pistols checked; they found two that would do the same thing, for the same reason.
When I carry this pistol, it's cocked & locked for two reasons:
It's the safest way to carry, and
What if you don't have both hands free to charge it in time of trouble?
That last is the one that gives me shivers. There are drills for working the action with only one hand; generally intended for someone who's been injured or otherwise has only one hand available and has to clear a jam or misfeed or reload; they're not something I want to plan on doing when a situation happens. Accounts I've read & heard generally break down to you either have plenty of time to pick up/draw a weapon and ready it, or you have no time at all. In the latter, I damn sure don't want to have to try to fight off some clown with one hand while trying to work the slide with the other because I didn't have the piece charged.
The last reason some say carry Condition 3 is that, if you're attacked and have to shoot, some prosecutor could take the fact that you were cocked & locked as evidence that 'you were just waiting to shoot someone', or try to use that in court to show such bullshit. I agree it's a concern. I also think that if you're dealing with a prosecutor of such idiot mindset, it really doesn't matter how you were carrying, he'll try to use it against you. Hell, he'll try to use anything against you. I'd rather have to deal with that in a hearing than try to work the action one-handed when everything goes to hell.
If you're not familiar with these, you've got three carry modes:
3. Loaded magazine, chamber empty & hammer down
2. Loaded mag, chamber loaded, hammer on half-cock & safety on(on those pistols that allow it)
1. Loaded mag, chamber loaded, hammer cocked & safety on.
From what I've read, J.M. Browning designed the 1911 to be carried cocked & locked, and unless there's something mechanically wrong with a pistol, it's about as safe as you can get. Short of being unloaded.
On half-cock, in my opinion, NEVER!!! On some, you cannot carry that way, my Kimber for instance will not go on safety if the hammer's on half-cock. And the manual specifically states 'Do not', the design wasn't intended for that. The half-cock notch is supposed to be a safety notch; if the cocked hammer slips or gets jarred off the sear, this notch will catch it before it can strike the firing pin. Plus, there's a story.
There used to be a gentleman named Dan Combs who was firearms instructor for the OK Highway Patrol. Fine man, and one of the damndest shots you'd ever hope to see. One day he was at a range with a Colt Gold Cup match pistol doing some shooting. He fired a shot, put the hammer on half-cock and set the safety, stuck it in his belt(something, from what I've heard, he never did except this time) and reached for binoculars to check the target. And the hammer slipped off the sear and fired the pistol, which sent a 200 grain match bullet and a bunch of hot gasses into his abdomen. He lived through it, but hearing about this as a kid made me decide that when I got a .45(yeah, wanted one even then) I would not carry it that way. Turned out to be a defective sear or hammer notch, can't remember which; when he leaned forward it pushed the hammer forward a bit and... Later on this was reported to the commander at Vance Air Force Base and they had the post inventory of pistols checked; they found two that would do the same thing, for the same reason.
When I carry this pistol, it's cocked & locked for two reasons:
It's the safest way to carry, and
What if you don't have both hands free to charge it in time of trouble?
That last is the one that gives me shivers. There are drills for working the action with only one hand; generally intended for someone who's been injured or otherwise has only one hand available and has to clear a jam or misfeed or reload; they're not something I want to plan on doing when a situation happens. Accounts I've read & heard generally break down to you either have plenty of time to pick up/draw a weapon and ready it, or you have no time at all. In the latter, I damn sure don't want to have to try to fight off some clown with one hand while trying to work the slide with the other because I didn't have the piece charged.
The last reason some say carry Condition 3 is that, if you're attacked and have to shoot, some prosecutor could take the fact that you were cocked & locked as evidence that 'you were just waiting to shoot someone', or try to use that in court to show such bullshit. I agree it's a concern. I also think that if you're dealing with a prosecutor of such idiot mindset, it really doesn't matter how you were carrying, he'll try to use it against you. Hell, he'll try to use anything against you. I'd rather have to deal with that in a hearing than try to work the action one-handed when everything goes to hell.
That AZ 'memorial' to 9/11?
It seems the screaming and yelling has gotten some attention. As to whether the commission reviewing it will actually change some things or not(I hope it does), at least the people involved in that mess are feeling some heat, including the governor.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
THIS I wasn't expecting
Couple of weeks ago SOG advertised they were getting in some M1 Carbine receivers at a pretty good price, so I called & asked some questions and ordered one. It came in yesterday.
Mostly it's what I did expect. They were advertised as 'very good' condition, and it is; the only marks other than to the finish are a couple of small dings on one edge of the rear sight dovetail. What was the surprise was the serial number; 9000(correction, my eyes are crossed or something; 90k series) series. Which makes it very early production. I'm not sure how early, I can't find a list anywhere indicating what serial numbers were produced in what year, but considering there were about 6.5 million of them produced in total, it's very early. Which is really cool.
It's the first time I've gotten hold of something like this, where I wondered whether to build it up or keep the thing because of possible collector value. I think I will go ahead and build it, and if I can do it without spending a fortune I'll try to use Inland parts as much as possible; only seems right for something like this.
Additional: I just talked to a guy locally who's something of a carbine expert. He advised me that unless I had an open line of credit, putting it together as a 'correct' Inland isn't a good idea and recited various prices to me. Yikes! Mixed parts it'll be.
Mostly it's what I did expect. They were advertised as 'very good' condition, and it is; the only marks other than to the finish are a couple of small dings on one edge of the rear sight dovetail. What was the surprise was the serial number; 9000(correction, my eyes are crossed or something; 90k series) series. Which makes it very early production. I'm not sure how early, I can't find a list anywhere indicating what serial numbers were produced in what year, but considering there were about 6.5 million of them produced in total, it's very early. Which is really cool.
It's the first time I've gotten hold of something like this, where I wondered whether to build it up or keep the thing because of possible collector value. I think I will go ahead and build it, and if I can do it without spending a fortune I'll try to use Inland parts as much as possible; only seems right for something like this.
Additional: I just talked to a guy locally who's something of a carbine expert. He advised me that unless I had an open line of credit, putting it together as a 'correct' Inland isn't a good idea and recited various prices to me. Yikes! Mixed parts it'll be.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
"Foxes Given Keys To Henhouse,
Film at 11". Or something like that.
Saw this the other day, can't remember where I found the link:
POLICE have agreed to consult a panel of Muslim leaders before mounting counter-terrorist raids or arrests. Members of the panel will offer their assessment of whether information police have on a suspect is too flimsy and will also consider the consequences on community relations of a raid.
Yes, because we've seen how supportive 'Muslim leaders' are of the government grabbing terrorists and making raids, haven't we?
I don't know whether to call this political correctness taken to insane levels or just plain stupidity.
Members will be security vetted and will have to promise not to reveal any intelligence they are shown. They will not have to sign the Official Secrets Act.
'Cause they'd NEVER let word out, would they?
I'm sure there are people out there who think this is a good idea; I think they're either naive or, stupid or on the other side.
Saw this the other day, can't remember where I found the link:
POLICE have agreed to consult a panel of Muslim leaders before mounting counter-terrorist raids or arrests. Members of the panel will offer their assessment of whether information police have on a suspect is too flimsy and will also consider the consequences on community relations of a raid.
Yes, because we've seen how supportive 'Muslim leaders' are of the government grabbing terrorists and making raids, haven't we?
I don't know whether to call this political correctness taken to insane levels or just plain stupidity.
Members will be security vetted and will have to promise not to reveal any intelligence they are shown. They will not have to sign the Official Secrets Act.
'Cause they'd NEVER let word out, would they?
I'm sure there are people out there who think this is a good idea; I think they're either naive or, stupid or on the other side.
R.I.P, Col. Cooper
I first saw this late last night, Jeff Cooper has died.
I guess I actually did my remembrance the other day, and it covers it.
I guess I actually did my remembrance the other day, and it covers it.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
If you never saw how ordering a gun was in the 60's,
take a look at this and weep
These are pages from the January '65 issue of Guns & Ammo. It lists, among other things, a M1 Carbine in a new-made paratrooper stock for $99.95, with standard stock $89.95. M1 Garand for $77.99. An Enfield Jungle Carbine for $34.78, 1903-A3 Springfield or a 1903(High numbers only) for $39.78 with 120 rounds of ammo for $7.20 extra.
Let's see, there's a U.S. Model 1917 for $29.78, 98K Mauser for $32.95, a Walther P.38 for $39.95. And on, and on. And the worst part? You could mail-order them and they'd be delivered to you. Not to an FFL holder for some bloody paperwork, to you.
So thank you GFW politicians. Thank you, GFW nannies and socialists. Thank you so much for making it be assumed that anyone buying a gun is a criminal to be checked out.
Bastards.
Additional: James' comment showed me that I'd not said this as clearly as I should. I don't blame the GFWs for the price rises; inflation does hit on all things. It's the fact that instead of being able to order a firearm from a company, I HAVE to have a license and/or HAVE to have it shipped to a dealer to do the bloody paperwork. Because of the GFWs wanting to order a firearm is looked on as "You're up to something, and we have to check you out before you get permission(aye, there's the rub) to buy it". That's what I blame them for.
These are pages from the January '65 issue of Guns & Ammo. It lists, among other things, a M1 Carbine in a new-made paratrooper stock for $99.95, with standard stock $89.95. M1 Garand for $77.99. An Enfield Jungle Carbine for $34.78, 1903-A3 Springfield or a 1903(High numbers only) for $39.78 with 120 rounds of ammo for $7.20 extra.
Let's see, there's a U.S. Model 1917 for $29.78, 98K Mauser for $32.95, a Walther P.38 for $39.95. And on, and on. And the worst part? You could mail-order them and they'd be delivered to you. Not to an FFL holder for some bloody paperwork, to you.
So thank you GFW politicians. Thank you, GFW nannies and socialists. Thank you so much for making it be assumed that anyone buying a gun is a criminal to be checked out.
Bastards.
Additional: James' comment showed me that I'd not said this as clearly as I should. I don't blame the GFWs for the price rises; inflation does hit on all things. It's the fact that instead of being able to order a firearm from a company, I HAVE to have a license and/or HAVE to have it shipped to a dealer to do the bloody paperwork. Because of the GFWs wanting to order a firearm is looked on as "You're up to something, and we have to check you out before you get permission(aye, there's the rub) to buy it". That's what I blame them for.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Col. Jeff Cooper in bad shape
At Random Nuclear Strikes found a link to this: "Jeff Cooper is in extremely grave condition at this hour. Previously hospitalized for possible surgery, he suffered a heart attack and was revived in the hospital. The heart muscle suffered serious damage. I hope you all can spare a moment of your day for him and his family in your thoughts and prayers...Rob"
I'd heard his health was failing, but didn't know about this. I've written about the man before, partly through disagreeing with something he wrote. Doesn't change that I have tremendous respect for him; he's truly been and done and has done a world of good for shooters of all stripes.
May it go well for him; he's damn well earned it.
I'd heard his health was failing, but didn't know about this. I've written about the man before, partly through disagreeing with something he wrote. Doesn't change that I have tremendous respect for him; he's truly been and done and has done a world of good for shooters of all stripes.
May it go well for him; he's damn well earned it.
Damn, I'd forgotten about these!
And a flea market/garage sale report
A couple of years ago my kids gave me this package, along with a couple of others, for Christmas, which is not only cool but covers parts of my "I would like" list:
Yes, the drum comes off the Thompson. Yes the bayonet comes off and fits in the sheath. The other packages have a Lebel, a #4 Mk1, a sporran, a 1873 Colt, an '03, cutlass, Fairbairn dagger, a kukri & sheath, a PPSH smg and some other stuff. I remember putting it away so I wouldn't lose it when I moved, and ran across it while organizing today.
Which brings up the report. Couple of weeks ago at the market found some books, today found a 2-drawer filing cabinet for $5(filling it involved the organizing). But the biggie is the garage sale, and I didn't find it; Dad did. He called me and said he'd found some stuff at a garage sale, and did I want it. Description followed, and I said yes! So I'm now the owner of the following:
Nice steel desk, small.
MEC progressive shotgun press.
Somewhere between 500 and 1k wads.
About a dozen charge bars.
Two bricks of primers.
About 25 lbs. each of #6, 7.5 and 8 shot
About 4 lbs of powders.
And some assorted parts and pieces.
And you're just gonna love this: $75.
So now I have to learn how to use this, which is pretty straightforward, except for the primer feed. You advance the cases manually, and there's a feeder that's supposed to drop the primer in place. I can put in in place on the press, but I flat cannot figure out how to connect the chain that pulls the arm that drops the primer into the tube.
Screw more organizing for now, I'm going to go buy a bag of buckshot and see if I can find a load for them.
A couple of years ago my kids gave me this package, along with a couple of others, for Christmas, which is not only cool but covers parts of my "I would like" list:
Yes, the drum comes off the Thompson. Yes the bayonet comes off and fits in the sheath. The other packages have a Lebel, a #4 Mk1, a sporran, a 1873 Colt, an '03, cutlass, Fairbairn dagger, a kukri & sheath, a PPSH smg and some other stuff. I remember putting it away so I wouldn't lose it when I moved, and ran across it while organizing today.
Which brings up the report. Couple of weeks ago at the market found some books, today found a 2-drawer filing cabinet for $5(filling it involved the organizing). But the biggie is the garage sale, and I didn't find it; Dad did. He called me and said he'd found some stuff at a garage sale, and did I want it. Description followed, and I said yes! So I'm now the owner of the following:
Nice steel desk, small.
MEC progressive shotgun press.
Somewhere between 500 and 1k wads.
About a dozen charge bars.
Two bricks of primers.
About 25 lbs. each of #6, 7.5 and 8 shot
About 4 lbs of powders.
And some assorted parts and pieces.
And you're just gonna love this: $75.
So now I have to learn how to use this, which is pretty straightforward, except for the primer feed. You advance the cases manually, and there's a feeder that's supposed to drop the primer in place. I can put in in place on the press, but I flat cannot figure out how to connect the chain that pulls the arm that drops the primer into the tube.
Screw more organizing for now, I'm going to go buy a bag of buckshot and see if I can find a load for them.
Just some general notes
The North Carolina 'justice' system needs an overhaul. And a bunch of members need a barbed wire enema from the sound of it.
Mayor Bloomberg(Dumbass-Socialist-D) just can't stand the idea of not controlling peoples' lives.
Why so many Jews still hew to the Democrat party is a mystery.
And the people running the Air Marshall program are, by the evidence, still idiots.
Mayor Bloomberg(Dumbass-Socialist-D) just can't stand the idea of not controlling peoples' lives.
Why so many Jews still hew to the Democrat party is a mystery.
And the people running the Air Marshall program are, by the evidence, still idiots.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Crowning
Gun barrels, that is.
The crown is the very end of the barrel where the rifling ends. It's the last place where the barrel affects the bullet, and if damaged accuracy tends to go to hell. Even tiny burrs or dents where the rifling ends can either damage the bullet slightly or let gas leak out at that spot, throwing the bullet off-balance by just a fraction.
Yes, this is one of my patented, "you can do it yourself but don't yell at me if it don't work" posts. Cleaning up the crown is actually fairly simple, and can be done without a lathe or other fancy(read 'expensive') tooling.
The most basic is you find that, after being dropped, the crown has a little ding in the corner of the bore. Or you find that someone cleaning from the muzzle(and some rifles and pistols have to be) let a steel rod ding the crown. Assuming that's all you have to repair, you've got two ways.
There are cutters made just for this, like this one from Brownell's:
It's a tool steel body with a handle that screws on. Pilots are made for different bore diameters and held in place with a set screw. They make one that's about 3/4" wide and square, for making sure a newly-cut muzzle is true, and a couple of smaller diameter ones with the cutting flutes at different angles, depending on what crown you want. This one is 79 degrees, and that's a .311 pilot for a .303 British rifle. The first step with either of the methods I'm using is make sure the damn gun is unloaded; it'll really, REALLY ruin your day/week/life if it's not and it fires while you're doing this. Then put a tight patch on a cleaning jag and run it up to about 2" below the bore with this cutter and leave it there. With a clean-from-the-muzzle arm, I run the jag in the appropriate amount, then unscrew the rod from it; in either case it'll keep shavings, cutting oil, whatever from falling down the bore and into the action.
With this cutter/guide setup, use a small paintbrush to coat the cutting flutes and crown with oil, actual cutting oil being the best but just plain oil will do, it helps the cutter turn and cut smoothly. Ease the pilot in until the flutes contact the crown and then, with light, even pressure turn it. ALWAYS CLOCKWISE. If you turn it in reverse it can cause a burr to be rolled up on the cutting edge which pretty much ruins it until it can be honed to remove it. Turn it two turns, then take it out. Wipe off the shavings from both pieces and inspect. If you need to cut a bit deeper, oil and repeat.
When this is done, you may be able to use it as is, but you'll generally need to polish the new crown to get rid of the tiny burrs the cutter leaves. Which brings me to the next method, which can be used all by itself to clean up a crown. This high-tech method is
Yep, that's a round-head screw in a drill. Brownell's makes a brass piece just for this, or you can use a small carriage bolt(make sure the head is smooth) or round-head machine screw of steel or brass. I read of one gunsmith who takes steel ball bearings, anneals them, drills a hole in and solders in a piece of drill rod for a shank; he thinks the hard ball works better than a softer metal. Some swear by one with a screwdriver slot, as it'll hold some of the abrasive. They all work, as long as the curve of the head fits into the muzzle properly; small enough diameter & curve to contact the crown, large enough to not be able to slip into the bore. Power can be a cordless drill like this- as long as it is variable speed- or a crank-type hand drill. And you'll need some abrasive compound. I'm using some valve-grinding paste from a tool or auto parts store, this kind comes in a two-sided can with one side coarse and one fine. I've never needed any but the fine stuff.
If you're polishing after using a cutter, pull/push the patch out to clean oil & shavings out of the bore, clean it out then put in a fresh patch. If just using this method, put your patch in. Secure the gun or barrel so it's vertical. Dip the head of the screw or whatever into the compound. Gently set it into the crown and start it turning slowly. I repeat, SLOWLY. You'll be able to feel the compound grinding at first; when you stop feeling that, remove and dip the head again.
No, it's not vertical here; I'm holding with one hand and shooting with the other, so shut up.
Don't just hold the drill vertically, after the first bit start moving the drill in a small circle. After the second time I coat the head I put it in reverse and continue for a minute. The idea is to make sure the cutting occurs evenly around the crown and polishes both sides of the lands and grooves to get rid of any burrs or roughness.
Take your time. After running it both ways, set the rig aside and clean the crown off and inspect it. I use some cotton swabs, put the end in the bore, preferably without touching the compound, and use it to swab the stuff out of the bore. When it's done you'll have a clean, bright ring where the rifling ends, nice and smooth. Use a bright light and a magnifier of some kind to check it out. Remember, if you just had some small dings or a touch of wear it may only take a minute or two of this to completely remove the damaged section, so check often.
When it's done to your satisfaction, use more swabs and patches to wipe off all the compound you can, then pull the patch out to remove anything it caught. Clean the bore thoroughly to make sure you don't leave any trace of the abrasive, and oil. The mechanical part is done.
At this point you can use a bit of cold blue to get rid of the shine, or leave it as is and the next shooting you do will take care of most of that.
That's pretty much it for the basic crowning. The Serious Recrowning would be with, for instance, an old military rifle that was often cleaned without a guide, and the rifling for the last inch or two of the bore may be ruined. The only fixes for that are to either counterbore- basically cutting a cone out of the bore from the muzzle back for a couple of inches, lathe required- or cut an inch or two off the barrel and recrown. Which would ruin it as far as collectibility and authenticity and require putting the front sight back on. If you've got one like that you'll have to decide what you want to do.
Years ago I bought an old Turkish Mauser to turn into a hunting rifle. When I first shot it the best groups it would get were about 6-8" at 100 yards. I cut the barrel off right in front of the front sight, which only removed about 1/2", squared and crowned it and with the same ammo groups shrunk by half. In the end I took five inches off that 29" barrel, which removed all the damaged bore and that rifle will shoot 1" groups or a touch better, depending on ammo and if I'm doing my part that day.
This is one of those "It's simple, but it has to be done right" things. Most gunsmiths don't charge too much to cut & crown a barrel, so if you're worried about keeping things square that may be the way to go. If all you need to do is clean up or recut the crown itself, it is something you can do.
The crown is the very end of the barrel where the rifling ends. It's the last place where the barrel affects the bullet, and if damaged accuracy tends to go to hell. Even tiny burrs or dents where the rifling ends can either damage the bullet slightly or let gas leak out at that spot, throwing the bullet off-balance by just a fraction.
Yes, this is one of my patented, "you can do it yourself but don't yell at me if it don't work" posts. Cleaning up the crown is actually fairly simple, and can be done without a lathe or other fancy(read 'expensive') tooling.
The most basic is you find that, after being dropped, the crown has a little ding in the corner of the bore. Or you find that someone cleaning from the muzzle(and some rifles and pistols have to be) let a steel rod ding the crown. Assuming that's all you have to repair, you've got two ways.
There are cutters made just for this, like this one from Brownell's:
It's a tool steel body with a handle that screws on. Pilots are made for different bore diameters and held in place with a set screw. They make one that's about 3/4" wide and square, for making sure a newly-cut muzzle is true, and a couple of smaller diameter ones with the cutting flutes at different angles, depending on what crown you want. This one is 79 degrees, and that's a .311 pilot for a .303 British rifle. The first step with either of the methods I'm using is make sure the damn gun is unloaded; it'll really, REALLY ruin your day/week/life if it's not and it fires while you're doing this. Then put a tight patch on a cleaning jag and run it up to about 2" below the bore with this cutter and leave it there. With a clean-from-the-muzzle arm, I run the jag in the appropriate amount, then unscrew the rod from it; in either case it'll keep shavings, cutting oil, whatever from falling down the bore and into the action.
With this cutter/guide setup, use a small paintbrush to coat the cutting flutes and crown with oil, actual cutting oil being the best but just plain oil will do, it helps the cutter turn and cut smoothly. Ease the pilot in until the flutes contact the crown and then, with light, even pressure turn it. ALWAYS CLOCKWISE. If you turn it in reverse it can cause a burr to be rolled up on the cutting edge which pretty much ruins it until it can be honed to remove it. Turn it two turns, then take it out. Wipe off the shavings from both pieces and inspect. If you need to cut a bit deeper, oil and repeat.
When this is done, you may be able to use it as is, but you'll generally need to polish the new crown to get rid of the tiny burrs the cutter leaves. Which brings me to the next method, which can be used all by itself to clean up a crown. This high-tech method is
Yep, that's a round-head screw in a drill. Brownell's makes a brass piece just for this, or you can use a small carriage bolt(make sure the head is smooth) or round-head machine screw of steel or brass. I read of one gunsmith who takes steel ball bearings, anneals them, drills a hole in and solders in a piece of drill rod for a shank; he thinks the hard ball works better than a softer metal. Some swear by one with a screwdriver slot, as it'll hold some of the abrasive. They all work, as long as the curve of the head fits into the muzzle properly; small enough diameter & curve to contact the crown, large enough to not be able to slip into the bore. Power can be a cordless drill like this- as long as it is variable speed- or a crank-type hand drill. And you'll need some abrasive compound. I'm using some valve-grinding paste from a tool or auto parts store, this kind comes in a two-sided can with one side coarse and one fine. I've never needed any but the fine stuff.
If you're polishing after using a cutter, pull/push the patch out to clean oil & shavings out of the bore, clean it out then put in a fresh patch. If just using this method, put your patch in. Secure the gun or barrel so it's vertical. Dip the head of the screw or whatever into the compound. Gently set it into the crown and start it turning slowly. I repeat, SLOWLY. You'll be able to feel the compound grinding at first; when you stop feeling that, remove and dip the head again.
No, it's not vertical here; I'm holding with one hand and shooting with the other, so shut up.
Don't just hold the drill vertically, after the first bit start moving the drill in a small circle. After the second time I coat the head I put it in reverse and continue for a minute. The idea is to make sure the cutting occurs evenly around the crown and polishes both sides of the lands and grooves to get rid of any burrs or roughness.
Take your time. After running it both ways, set the rig aside and clean the crown off and inspect it. I use some cotton swabs, put the end in the bore, preferably without touching the compound, and use it to swab the stuff out of the bore. When it's done you'll have a clean, bright ring where the rifling ends, nice and smooth. Use a bright light and a magnifier of some kind to check it out. Remember, if you just had some small dings or a touch of wear it may only take a minute or two of this to completely remove the damaged section, so check often.
When it's done to your satisfaction, use more swabs and patches to wipe off all the compound you can, then pull the patch out to remove anything it caught. Clean the bore thoroughly to make sure you don't leave any trace of the abrasive, and oil. The mechanical part is done.
At this point you can use a bit of cold blue to get rid of the shine, or leave it as is and the next shooting you do will take care of most of that.
That's pretty much it for the basic crowning. The Serious Recrowning would be with, for instance, an old military rifle that was often cleaned without a guide, and the rifling for the last inch or two of the bore may be ruined. The only fixes for that are to either counterbore- basically cutting a cone out of the bore from the muzzle back for a couple of inches, lathe required- or cut an inch or two off the barrel and recrown. Which would ruin it as far as collectibility and authenticity and require putting the front sight back on. If you've got one like that you'll have to decide what you want to do.
Years ago I bought an old Turkish Mauser to turn into a hunting rifle. When I first shot it the best groups it would get were about 6-8" at 100 yards. I cut the barrel off right in front of the front sight, which only removed about 1/2", squared and crowned it and with the same ammo groups shrunk by half. In the end I took five inches off that 29" barrel, which removed all the damaged bore and that rifle will shoot 1" groups or a touch better, depending on ammo and if I'm doing my part that day.
This is one of those "It's simple, but it has to be done right" things. Most gunsmiths don't charge too much to cut & crown a barrel, so if you're worried about keeping things square that may be the way to go. If all you need to do is clean up or recut the crown itself, it is something you can do.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Mosin Nagant chargers
If you've ever used the things to charge your rifle, you know what a pain they can be. It's not simply that they're for a rimmed cartridge; the .303 British slicks right through theirs. It seems to be two things:
Different rifles will or will not work well with them, and
Most of those available are crap.
As to the rimmed part, you have to load them in so that the rim of one is under the rim of the one before, and then charge the rifle with them so aligned. No big deal, the .303 has to be loaded into the chargers in a proper pattern, too. But even with that done, a lot of the chargers/rifles just don't work well. A while back I saw a picture somewhere of a charger with a slot cut in it, don't know if it was original or modified. So I got the jewelers saw and cut a 1/4" slot in the ends of a couple of chargers that worked so-so and gave them a try. Big improvement. Then, at the gun show a couple of weeks ago a guy had some actual Russian-made chargers, Izhevsk marked and all. On the left is one I modified, on the right the Izzy:
I just tried the new ones out, and they work well.
So if you've got some of the reproductions that don't work well, you might try cutting a slot in one and see if it helps.
Different rifles will or will not work well with them, and
Most of those available are crap.
As to the rimmed part, you have to load them in so that the rim of one is under the rim of the one before, and then charge the rifle with them so aligned. No big deal, the .303 has to be loaded into the chargers in a proper pattern, too. But even with that done, a lot of the chargers/rifles just don't work well. A while back I saw a picture somewhere of a charger with a slot cut in it, don't know if it was original or modified. So I got the jewelers saw and cut a 1/4" slot in the ends of a couple of chargers that worked so-so and gave them a try. Big improvement. Then, at the gun show a couple of weeks ago a guy had some actual Russian-made chargers, Izhevsk marked and all. On the left is one I modified, on the right the Izzy:
I just tried the new ones out, and they work well.
So if you've got some of the reproductions that don't work well, you might try cutting a slot in one and see if it helps.
And on the subject of appeasement-minded fools,
remember Van Gogh? The Dutch filmmaker who was murdered because he didn't kiss the prophets ass?
Well, his son is being harassed by BPMs, and it seems the Dutch police don't want to do much about it.
I think Churchill called this 'feeding the crocodile in the hopes that he'll eat you last'.
Well, his son is being harassed by BPMs, and it seems the Dutch police don't want to do much about it.
I think Churchill called this 'feeding the crocodile in the hopes that he'll eat you last'.
The Governor of Arizona is an Idiot
Looking over at Ace of Spades found this: Gov. Janet Napolitano said she hopes the memorial becomes a “place to come and think about what happened'’ and what the United States needs to do in response to that.” We want it to be an educational tool for children grades k-12.” She's speaking of the AZ memorial for 9/11. Which goes back to take in, among other things, the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
In a 9/11 memorial.
Which, of course, also has wise statements like “You don’t win battles of terrorism with more battles,” …..”Congress questions why CIA & FBI didn’t prevent attacks.”……”FBI agent issued July 2001 warning in ‘Phoenix Memo’ “…..”Erroneous US air strike kills 46 Uruzgan civilians’……”Middle East violence motivates attacks in US”….
Is there some actual reason why so many people can't stand the idea of a memorial that says "We were attacked. Many died. Many acted with great courage during this mess."? Instead they have to use it to push their idiot political opinions on others. Remember the statue of the firefighters in NYC? The politically correct couldn't stand that it actually be a statue made from the picture taken because -gasp!horror!- all the firefighters in it were white! Oh, the humanity! So not only did they try to change the statue to be more 'inclusive', they gave all kinds of idiot excuses and implied- hell, flatly stated- that anyone who didn't agree with them was a bigot.
Well, Arizona, you gave us Sen. McCain(the gift that keeps peeing on your leg) and now Gov. Napolitano. You've got some serious making-up to do.
In a 9/11 memorial.
Which, of course, also has wise statements like “You don’t win battles of terrorism with more battles,” …..”Congress questions why CIA & FBI didn’t prevent attacks.”……”FBI agent issued July 2001 warning in ‘Phoenix Memo’ “…..”Erroneous US air strike kills 46 Uruzgan civilians’……”Middle East violence motivates attacks in US”….
Is there some actual reason why so many people can't stand the idea of a memorial that says "We were attacked. Many died. Many acted with great courage during this mess."? Instead they have to use it to push their idiot political opinions on others. Remember the statue of the firefighters in NYC? The politically correct couldn't stand that it actually be a statue made from the picture taken because -gasp!horror!- all the firefighters in it were white! Oh, the humanity! So not only did they try to change the statue to be more 'inclusive', they gave all kinds of idiot excuses and implied- hell, flatly stated- that anyone who didn't agree with them was a bigot.
Well, Arizona, you gave us Sen. McCain(the gift that keeps peeing on your leg) and now Gov. Napolitano. You've got some serious making-up to do.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
George Fraziers' words
While back in this post on Britain, Windy commented "And my parents' generation sacrificed so much and so many dead to -- what? Make the UK safe for yobs? Safe from sardonic garden gnomes? At the expense of women and children? Anyone who works for a living in that country is a fool. Band together and bust some heads, and claim a youth in which the country did not provide what you needed. " Which reminded me of this passage from Quartered Safe Out Here, speaking of what Frazier thought they were fighting for:
...They wanted jobs, and security, and a better future for their children than they had had- and they got that, and were thankful for it. It was what they had fought for, over and beyond the pressing need of ensuring that Britain did not become a Nazi slave state.
Still, the Britain they see in their old age is hardly "the land fit for heroes" that they envisaged- if that land existed in their imaginations, it was probably a place where the pre-war values co-existed with decent wages and housing. It was a reasonable, perfectly possible dream, and for a time it existed, more or less. And then it changed, in the name of progress and improvement and enlightenment, which meant the destruction of much that they had fought for and held dear, and the betrayal of familiar things that they had loved. Some of them, to superficial minds, will seem terribly trivial, even ludicrously so- things like county names, and shillings and pence, and the King James Version, and yards and feet and inches- yet they matter to a nation.
They did not fight for a Britain which would be dishonestly railroaded into Europe against the people's will;; they did not fight for a Britain where successive governments, by their weakness and folly, would encourage crime and violence on an unprecedented scale; they did not fight for a Britain where thugs and psychopaths could murder and maim and torture and never have a finger laid on them for it; they did not fight for a Britain whose leaders would be too cowardly to declare war on terrorism; they did not fight for a Britain whose Parliament would, time and again, betray its trust by legislating against the wishes of the country; they did not fight for a Britain where children could be snatched from their homes and parents by night on nothing more than the good old Inquisition principle of secret information; they did not fight for a Britain whose Churches and schools would be undermined by fashionable reformers; they did not fight for a Britain where free choice could be anathematised as "discriminisation"; they did not fight for a Britain where to hold by truths and values which have been thought good and worthy for a thousand years would be to run the risk of being called "fascist"- that, really , is the greatest and most pitiful irony of all.
No, it is not what they fought for- but being realists they accept what they cannot alter, and reserve their protests for the noise pollution of modern music in their pubs.
In a way that bit in the last sentance is the worst of them all: "they accept what they cannot alter". Which seems to be where it is now; they can protest and yell, but the government ignores them, or worse, tells them they can't be expected to understand why things are actually good.
Maybe what we really need to send to Britain is some tar, feathers and a few rails.
...They wanted jobs, and security, and a better future for their children than they had had- and they got that, and were thankful for it. It was what they had fought for, over and beyond the pressing need of ensuring that Britain did not become a Nazi slave state.
Still, the Britain they see in their old age is hardly "the land fit for heroes" that they envisaged- if that land existed in their imaginations, it was probably a place where the pre-war values co-existed with decent wages and housing. It was a reasonable, perfectly possible dream, and for a time it existed, more or less. And then it changed, in the name of progress and improvement and enlightenment, which meant the destruction of much that they had fought for and held dear, and the betrayal of familiar things that they had loved. Some of them, to superficial minds, will seem terribly trivial, even ludicrously so- things like county names, and shillings and pence, and the King James Version, and yards and feet and inches- yet they matter to a nation.
They did not fight for a Britain which would be dishonestly railroaded into Europe against the people's will;; they did not fight for a Britain where successive governments, by their weakness and folly, would encourage crime and violence on an unprecedented scale; they did not fight for a Britain where thugs and psychopaths could murder and maim and torture and never have a finger laid on them for it; they did not fight for a Britain whose leaders would be too cowardly to declare war on terrorism; they did not fight for a Britain whose Parliament would, time and again, betray its trust by legislating against the wishes of the country; they did not fight for a Britain where children could be snatched from their homes and parents by night on nothing more than the good old Inquisition principle of secret information; they did not fight for a Britain whose Churches and schools would be undermined by fashionable reformers; they did not fight for a Britain where free choice could be anathematised as "discriminisation"; they did not fight for a Britain where to hold by truths and values which have been thought good and worthy for a thousand years would be to run the risk of being called "fascist"- that, really , is the greatest and most pitiful irony of all.
No, it is not what they fought for- but being realists they accept what they cannot alter, and reserve their protests for the noise pollution of modern music in their pubs.
In a way that bit in the last sentance is the worst of them all: "they accept what they cannot alter". Which seems to be where it is now; they can protest and yell, but the government ignores them, or worse, tells them they can't be expected to understand why things are actually good.
Maybe what we really need to send to Britain is some tar, feathers and a few rails.
I've got to second the man from mAss Backwards on this one:
Senator McCain, fuck you. This oath-breaking, Constitution-trashing idiot wants to be President?
No way in hell.
No way in hell.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Camera's back! Photo updates
to the earlier range reports.
Went to visit my parents the last couple of days, only borrowing their pc long enough to post my pissed-off post at the nun-murderers. While I was gone my daughter got back from her trip and I now have my camera back, so here's the shots.
First off, I mentioned the Federal Tactical low-recoil slugs, here's that five-shot group at 30 yards:
The one low left was my fault, I felt things shift just as I squeezed off. That's not a bad group a'tall, for resting the left hand only. I need to hit a range where I can try some of these at 50 and 100.
Second, the M1 Carbine with the scope, first trial, shot at 30 yards. The group on the right was shot with some GI-spec ammo, the left with some handloads using 2400 powder:
A few days later I had a chance to shoot at 100, and was having a lot of trouble, not grouping well at all. I'd bumped the scope loading it into the truck and wondered if I'd damaged it. That mystery was solved when I started to adjust it and realized the thing was moving. Not the reticle, the scope. AND the base. Note to self: it really, really helps if you make sure the screws holding the base on are kind of tight. I'd run out of time at this point, just had time to dismount the scope, tighten things up, remount it and try a couple of groups. Not bad, about 2.5" as I recall. I'll test it again next time I go out, this time with all screws tight since after I got home I took it down and put threadlocker on the screws.
Last, when I was ordering the carbine bullets from GI Brass, they had some 173 grain boattail match bullets for a good price, so I got 100 to try out in the M1 Garand. Loaded up ten, five in some military WRA brass and five in commercial Federal cases with the 'most accurate' load of IMR4895 shown in the Lyman manual to try them out. The WRA-brass loads produced a group about an inch tall and a little less than 2" across,
the Federal-brass load close to an inch larger. Two things here, first that while a single group with each is not a real test, it's very encouraging; second, some of the horizontal spread could very well have been my fault. Which means more testing is in order. Oh, the drudgery.
And the "Dammit!", because when I got home and checked the site to order more of the bullets, they were, of course, out of them. So I'll either have to find more somewhere else, or a commercial bullet that matches up. Good commercial match bullets are out there, just not at nearly as good a price.
I think with a bit of tweaking this loading is capable of very good accuracy. I think I'll tweak it a bit the next day or two.
Went to visit my parents the last couple of days, only borrowing their pc long enough to post my pissed-off post at the nun-murderers. While I was gone my daughter got back from her trip and I now have my camera back, so here's the shots.
First off, I mentioned the Federal Tactical low-recoil slugs, here's that five-shot group at 30 yards:
The one low left was my fault, I felt things shift just as I squeezed off. That's not a bad group a'tall, for resting the left hand only. I need to hit a range where I can try some of these at 50 and 100.
Second, the M1 Carbine with the scope, first trial, shot at 30 yards. The group on the right was shot with some GI-spec ammo, the left with some handloads using 2400 powder:
A few days later I had a chance to shoot at 100, and was having a lot of trouble, not grouping well at all. I'd bumped the scope loading it into the truck and wondered if I'd damaged it. That mystery was solved when I started to adjust it and realized the thing was moving. Not the reticle, the scope. AND the base. Note to self: it really, really helps if you make sure the screws holding the base on are kind of tight. I'd run out of time at this point, just had time to dismount the scope, tighten things up, remount it and try a couple of groups. Not bad, about 2.5" as I recall. I'll test it again next time I go out, this time with all screws tight since after I got home I took it down and put threadlocker on the screws.
Last, when I was ordering the carbine bullets from GI Brass, they had some 173 grain boattail match bullets for a good price, so I got 100 to try out in the M1 Garand. Loaded up ten, five in some military WRA brass and five in commercial Federal cases with the 'most accurate' load of IMR4895 shown in the Lyman manual to try them out. The WRA-brass loads produced a group about an inch tall and a little less than 2" across,
the Federal-brass load close to an inch larger. Two things here, first that while a single group with each is not a real test, it's very encouraging; second, some of the horizontal spread could very well have been my fault. Which means more testing is in order. Oh, the drudgery.
And the "Dammit!", because when I got home and checked the site to order more of the bullets, they were, of course, out of them. So I'll either have to find more somewhere else, or a commercial bullet that matches up. Good commercial match bullets are out there, just not at nearly as good a price.
I think with a bit of tweaking this loading is capable of very good accuracy. I think I'll tweak it a bit the next day or two.
Basic Training update
Damn, the toys tools they get to play withtrain with!
Let's see, AT-6, M203, couple of machine guns, automatic grenade launcher and a M2 .50 caliber simulator. Would(to an extent, anyway) make up for getting up at 0h-dark-thirty to get yelled at and exercise.
Only about three weeks left, and so far he's doing well. I've got the day off to make his graduation("Well, I can take a leave day or retire, but one way or the other...") and I'm looking forward to it.
Let's see, AT-6, M203, couple of machine guns, automatic grenade launcher and a M2 .50 caliber simulator. Would(to an extent, anyway) make up for getting up at 0h-dark-thirty to get yelled at and exercise.
Only about three weeks left, and so far he's doing well. I've got the day off to make his graduation("Well, I can take a leave day or retire, but one way or the other...") and I'm looking forward to it.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Solution to the illegal immigrant problem
Lets begin by bringing our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq. Tell him if he wants to come to America then he must serve a tour in the military.
Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it.
After his tour, he will be allowed to apply to become a citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and he'll be a patriot.
After his tour, he will be allowed to apply to become a citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and he'll be a patriot.
This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves.
If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway.........
...........without the canteen, rifle or ammo.
Problem solved.
Sent by a friend
Some further thoughts on eventual reactions to the RoP
A comment from said the following:
Oh yes, it will be very good for everyone if we get the British, Germans, Japanese, Russians and Chinese back to a killer philosophy. Even better if they all go crazy at once.
Very clever of these muslims to ecourage an attack by today's equivalent of her majesty's Regiments, the Wehrmacht and SS, the Imperial Japanese Army and the Red Armies. Not to mention the Americans. All at the same time.
One problem is that after the 15 minutes it took to destroy all the muslims in the universe the lads might turn on each other.
For the moment overlook the bit about the Chinese and Russians; I think they're already willing to kill anybody anywhere(their governments are) if it'll advance their position. If the Russians had a government that wasn't spending a lot of energy trying to bring back the Soviet state and could properly direct actions against the islamists, there'd be a lot less trouble in that part of the world. But when the Soviet Union fell apart, and the Soviet army fell apart with it, too many people were too busy grabbing power and/or money to actually care about building up Russia. Which is why the mess in Chechnya & assoc. has dragged on so long and been so bad. If the Russians had actually worked to build their military on a modern design as the Russian Army, I think that would've been mostly settled down a long time ago. The Chinese are busy using the islamist states and groups as customers for weapons and to generally cause trouble for everyone else, and between that and knowing exactly how the Chicoms would react to terrorist incidents on their soil, the nutcases have shown restraint there.
All those other countries? Look back through history, and(it's been pointed out before, this is not original to me) every country in Europe has a long history of war and, very often, being highly effective at it. Poland did not survive between two hostile powers for centuries by being weak. In fact, if I remember right the Poles were a large contingent of the forces that stopped the Ottomans cold at Austria. Hungary produced fine officers and shooters, and so on through the countries. For that matter, remember where the Dracula legends began? And why?(hint: 'fighting the Ottomans'). Britain we know about, the problem there being the same as the other countries; EU-suckup 'elites' screwing the nation over in the name of their ideal 'European Union'.
So the islamists finally, somewhere- or several somewheres at once- finally do something so big and/or horrific that the people in a lot of places kick the 'elites' in the ass and out the door and say "Enough". Does anyone except the islamists really think they can't begin kicking ass on a major level? The Poles sent some of their best spec-ops troops to Iraq, and from what I read they're damn good troops, for one instance; what happens when the Polish army and LE forces, for one, get the order to clean house? Or the Brits have enough and decide to remember that overall they were once the best and most respected military forces in the world, and the Brit police are told "Enough with the PC bullshit, time to round up the terrorists; already-trained officers pick up your arms, everyone else we have time for cycles through training, and then Tally-ho!"
So far the Japanese have mostly been concerned with the Chicoms and Norks, happily for them. Tell the truth, unless some idiot decides the old "we need resources so let's conquer Asia" attitude is a good idea(not bloody likely) then a Japanese Self-Defense Force with some serious muscle sounds like a good idea. Among other things, having the Norks worried that a Japanese knockoff development of a EMP bomb will be dropped and fry Dear Leaders' genital stimulation equipment( you don't think the little bastard actually reproduced without help, did you?) seems to be a Good Thing(which would cause damn little harm to the common people there, since electric lights- let alone anything else- are mostly a stranger to them).
Problem with thinking about the good side of this is you have to consider the bad side, and that would be very bad indeed. First in the islamists getting tired of murdering nuns and priests and defiling bodies and committing the aforementioned atrocity at the level that brings this about, then the mess that happens because of it. And I'm very afraid both will happen. Someone wrote about how we can't take it as a given that most of the moslem world actually supports the 'behead those who insult Islam' and murdering people as a part of it attitude, that many may simply be going along with it because they don't want to be a target of the nutcases.
Unfortunately, the answer to that is "So what?" Put a nation in fear of its very survival and it's not going to give a rats ass about how many are supposedly 'our friends we just don't know yet', it's going to say "Time to play whack-a-mole with multiple BIG hammers". At which time they'll have the options of A: help whack the islamic fascists, or B: be taken out with them. And history has shown that lots of innocents WILL be killed, in this case not simply because of the 'fog of war', but because the damned fascists will be using them as shields.
And yeah, in some cases there damn well would be problems after the islamic fascists are whacked; old slights and wars and border disputes might get, let us say, a bit heated. Overall, though, I'm hopeful that in most of the world that wouldn't amount to more than some noise. Some places, like Africa? THAT could get really, really messy.
Oh yes, it will be very good for everyone if we get the British, Germans, Japanese, Russians and Chinese back to a killer philosophy. Even better if they all go crazy at once.
Very clever of these muslims to ecourage an attack by today's equivalent of her majesty's Regiments, the Wehrmacht and SS, the Imperial Japanese Army and the Red Armies. Not to mention the Americans. All at the same time.
One problem is that after the 15 minutes it took to destroy all the muslims in the universe the lads might turn on each other.
For the moment overlook the bit about the Chinese and Russians; I think they're already willing to kill anybody anywhere(their governments are) if it'll advance their position. If the Russians had a government that wasn't spending a lot of energy trying to bring back the Soviet state and could properly direct actions against the islamists, there'd be a lot less trouble in that part of the world. But when the Soviet Union fell apart, and the Soviet army fell apart with it, too many people were too busy grabbing power and/or money to actually care about building up Russia. Which is why the mess in Chechnya & assoc. has dragged on so long and been so bad. If the Russians had actually worked to build their military on a modern design as the Russian Army, I think that would've been mostly settled down a long time ago. The Chinese are busy using the islamist states and groups as customers for weapons and to generally cause trouble for everyone else, and between that and knowing exactly how the Chicoms would react to terrorist incidents on their soil, the nutcases have shown restraint there.
All those other countries? Look back through history, and(it's been pointed out before, this is not original to me) every country in Europe has a long history of war and, very often, being highly effective at it. Poland did not survive between two hostile powers for centuries by being weak. In fact, if I remember right the Poles were a large contingent of the forces that stopped the Ottomans cold at Austria. Hungary produced fine officers and shooters, and so on through the countries. For that matter, remember where the Dracula legends began? And why?(hint: 'fighting the Ottomans'). Britain we know about, the problem there being the same as the other countries; EU-suckup 'elites' screwing the nation over in the name of their ideal 'European Union'.
So the islamists finally, somewhere- or several somewheres at once- finally do something so big and/or horrific that the people in a lot of places kick the 'elites' in the ass and out the door and say "Enough". Does anyone except the islamists really think they can't begin kicking ass on a major level? The Poles sent some of their best spec-ops troops to Iraq, and from what I read they're damn good troops, for one instance; what happens when the Polish army and LE forces, for one, get the order to clean house? Or the Brits have enough and decide to remember that overall they were once the best and most respected military forces in the world, and the Brit police are told "Enough with the PC bullshit, time to round up the terrorists; already-trained officers pick up your arms, everyone else we have time for cycles through training, and then Tally-ho!"
So far the Japanese have mostly been concerned with the Chicoms and Norks, happily for them. Tell the truth, unless some idiot decides the old "we need resources so let's conquer Asia" attitude is a good idea(not bloody likely) then a Japanese Self-Defense Force with some serious muscle sounds like a good idea. Among other things, having the Norks worried that a Japanese knockoff development of a EMP bomb will be dropped and fry Dear Leaders' genital stimulation equipment( you don't think the little bastard actually reproduced without help, did you?) seems to be a Good Thing(which would cause damn little harm to the common people there, since electric lights- let alone anything else- are mostly a stranger to them).
Problem with thinking about the good side of this is you have to consider the bad side, and that would be very bad indeed. First in the islamists getting tired of murdering nuns and priests and defiling bodies and committing the aforementioned atrocity at the level that brings this about, then the mess that happens because of it. And I'm very afraid both will happen. Someone wrote about how we can't take it as a given that most of the moslem world actually supports the 'behead those who insult Islam' and murdering people as a part of it attitude, that many may simply be going along with it because they don't want to be a target of the nutcases.
Unfortunately, the answer to that is "So what?" Put a nation in fear of its very survival and it's not going to give a rats ass about how many are supposedly 'our friends we just don't know yet', it's going to say "Time to play whack-a-mole with multiple BIG hammers". At which time they'll have the options of A: help whack the islamic fascists, or B: be taken out with them. And history has shown that lots of innocents WILL be killed, in this case not simply because of the 'fog of war', but because the damned fascists will be using them as shields.
And yeah, in some cases there damn well would be problems after the islamic fascists are whacked; old slights and wars and border disputes might get, let us say, a bit heated. Overall, though, I'm hopeful that in most of the world that wouldn't amount to more than some noise. Some places, like Africa? THAT could get really, really messy.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Oh, brave muslims!
Murdering old women and hospital workers. Burning churches. Threatening to level the Vatican. Because you don't have the balls to listen to a speech where a prince said a bad thing about islam six hundred freakin' years ago. Oh yeah, these are just WONDERFUL ways to show how peaceful and accepting Islam is.
I repeat what I said before, we've got a bunch of bloody-handed idiots who are in CHARGE of millions of moslems threatening death and blood and fire once again because somebody dared to say something they don't like. And the same idiots will whine and moan that people are prejudiced against them, therefore they DESERVE to die. Moslems are ENTITLED to act like the bunch of seventh-century barbarians they still are, according to them.
I'm sick to death of this crap. I referred to these as acting like spoiled brats; that was in error, and an insult to brats. The BPMs are exactly what I said above, seventh-century barbarians who, it seems, will only understand force.
You know what's going to happen. They'll do something so bad that even most of the nanny-state socialists in various governments will shut up(they'll whine about it, of course) and, as the guy said in the move, hell will come to breakfast. And afterward the surviving idiots will whine about being mistreated(of course) and the dumbass types here will whine about how mean we were(of course), but the threat from these clowns will be stomped. Maybe not forever, but for a long time.
No, I'm not looking forward to it. Yes, I think it'll happen. Among other things, before they turned into the modern incarnation, Italians produced the Roman soldiers that conquered a large part of the world. Various other nations currently playing games(directed by their betters, or course-as the 'betters' see it)have a warrior past that the islamist murderers would do well to consider. Because for the people- not the Euroweenies, the people- WILL hit a limit, and it will get nasty.
And at this point, I think it will happen simply because the dumbass people in various governments and the useful idiots in many countries have gotten the islamist murderers and whiners used to being catered to. "Oh, you're offended! How may we make it up to you?", etc., so they think they can do it forever. I don't think so. I think there are lots of people ready to tell them to go to hell now, but their governments don't listen to them("Listen to the peasants? Surely you jest!"). Piss them off enough, and their governments will be given no choice.
And it'll get messy. And at that point, there will be no other choice.
Oh, excuse me, for the multicultural fools the choice of becoming dhimmi would probably be considered acceptable, and I invite them to move their sorry asses to some of the barbarian parts of the world now; it'll be easier to get there now than it will after.
I repeat what I said before, we've got a bunch of bloody-handed idiots who are in CHARGE of millions of moslems threatening death and blood and fire once again because somebody dared to say something they don't like. And the same idiots will whine and moan that people are prejudiced against them, therefore they DESERVE to die. Moslems are ENTITLED to act like the bunch of seventh-century barbarians they still are, according to them.
I'm sick to death of this crap. I referred to these as acting like spoiled brats; that was in error, and an insult to brats. The BPMs are exactly what I said above, seventh-century barbarians who, it seems, will only understand force.
You know what's going to happen. They'll do something so bad that even most of the nanny-state socialists in various governments will shut up(they'll whine about it, of course) and, as the guy said in the move, hell will come to breakfast. And afterward the surviving idiots will whine about being mistreated(of course) and the dumbass types here will whine about how mean we were(of course), but the threat from these clowns will be stomped. Maybe not forever, but for a long time.
No, I'm not looking forward to it. Yes, I think it'll happen. Among other things, before they turned into the modern incarnation, Italians produced the Roman soldiers that conquered a large part of the world. Various other nations currently playing games(directed by their betters, or course-as the 'betters' see it)have a warrior past that the islamist murderers would do well to consider. Because for the people- not the Euroweenies, the people- WILL hit a limit, and it will get nasty.
And at this point, I think it will happen simply because the dumbass people in various governments and the useful idiots in many countries have gotten the islamist murderers and whiners used to being catered to. "Oh, you're offended! How may we make it up to you?", etc., so they think they can do it forever. I don't think so. I think there are lots of people ready to tell them to go to hell now, but their governments don't listen to them("Listen to the peasants? Surely you jest!"). Piss them off enough, and their governments will be given no choice.
And it'll get messy. And at that point, there will be no other choice.
Oh, excuse me, for the multicultural fools the choice of becoming dhimmi would probably be considered acceptable, and I invite them to move their sorry asses to some of the barbarian parts of the world now; it'll be easier to get there now than it will after.
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