Current Events
Yet another reason I don't watch reality TV.
Monday, July 12, 2010
I spent this weekend assisting at a defensive rifle class with Georges Rahbani, and sometime during the weekend thought of a great article for today.
Then I forgot what it was.
My usual habit is to carry, in the left pocket of my shirt, a small pad and a mechanical pencil. When I have an idea I jot it down, thus preserving it for a time when I can make use of it. That's assuming, of course, that I remember to look at the thing!
The weather was pretty warm this weekend (about 90 degrees) and we were in the sun for most of the two days. I'd shed my normal pocketed button-front shirt for a more comfortable short sleeved Henley. My pad and pencil, of course, was in the regular shirt and when the aforementioned great idea struck, I was without a means to record it. Thus this morning's rambling version of "my dog ate my homework!"
Luckily Chris over at The Anarchangel posted something worthy of commentary. Go read it, then come back for a little discussion.
I tuned in for the first episode of Top Shot, recognized it as yet another overblown social manipulation festival common to reality television, and promptly turned it off. My spare time is quite limited and I have to make hard decisions about what I do with it. Even with guns and shooting Top Shot didn't make my cut, so I didn't know what transpired until Chris filled me in.
Those who live in landlocked states probably have no concept of just what the United States Coast Guard does. Here in Oregon, where Coast Guard helicopters and rescue crews are a common sight, we have a deep appreciation for the sacrifices those men and women make. Despite being ridiculed (or even worse, ignored) they go out and do their job to the best of their ability every day of the week.
Those in the other services are only in danger when they've been activated and deployed, and their tours of deployment are limited in duration (a good thing, do not misunderstand.) The USCG is always on deployment, whether doing rescue work, interdicting smugglers, or protecting our Navy's operations in foreign ports. (That's right - when the U.S. Navy needs help, they call the Coast Guard!) When I was growing up it was widely said that you were more likely to be killed in the Coast Guard in peacetime than in the infantry during wartime. While that may not be literally true, it serves to illustrate the tough job USCG does.
Much of that is because the nature of their missions requires them to always be in harm's way. One of their primary duties is to protect lives in America's waters, and here in Oregon they do so constantly. The USCG's rescue swimmers and helicopter pilots are the best that can be found; until you've witnessed a Dolphin SAR helicopter hovering nearly motionless just feet away from a cliff face, in high winds and torrential rain, you have little appreciation for the skill of those crews. I don't know where one goes to recruit such people, but they must have ice water injected into their veins upon enlistment. They are amazing to watch, and when they appear on scene there is a very strong feeling of relief - even if you're not the subject of their attention.
So, to Caleb and all the other past and present members of the United States Coast Guard, and especially to those stationed here in Oregon, thank you. We appreciate your service, your sacrifice, and above all your professionalism.
-=[ Grant ]=-
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Memorial Day.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Some news from the first day of SHOT.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The 2010 SHOT Show is just getting started. I've compiled some of the more interesting (to me) tidbits about Day One from around the 'net:
S&W GOES TO THE DARK SIDE: I'm surprised that there's not more noise about the new Bodyguard .38. It's a real departure for S&W, having a cylinder that rotates clockwise like a Colt, an integral laser sight, and an ambidextrous cylinder release. There's a good picture of it at Massad Ayoob's blog.
THE RHINO GOES PUBLIC: Chiappa is showing the Rhino revolver in short and long barrels. Here's a pic from Jeff Quinn at Gunblast - those wood grips look great!
A DARN SIGHT BETTER: S&W has introduced a version of the 640, one of my favorite guns, with very prominent tritium sights. While I'm relatively agnostic with regards to glow-in-the-dark feature, the large front and deep rear blades sights should erase one of the Centennial's few criticisms. Again, a good pic from Gunblast. (Are my eyes deceiving me, or is there no internal lock??!)
FLYWEIGHT SHOTGUN: Mossberg has introduced the Model 510, which is a very scaled-down pump shotgun chambered in .410 and 20 gauge. According to Mas Ayoob, it "weighs only five pounds, if that." As you may recall I'm a big fan of the 20 gauge, and I'll be interested in taking a look at this. (Mas' picture makes it look tiny, but the guy holding it isn't exactly a lightweight...)
UH-OH: It wasn't all milk and honey for S&W. The FBI arrested 21 people at SHOT, including a S&W sales exec, for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The indictments were handed down on December 11, but only unsealed yesterday. (Interesting choice of timing and venue, don't you think?) Note the second line of the Reuters story: "21 arrested at Las Vegas gun show" Naaah, no message being sent to the masses there...
COLT OPENS THE DOOR??: Check out this little tidbit, courtesy of Massad Ayoob:
"A Colt exec told me that rumors of a new double action revolver from this fabled old company are false…for now. He indicated, however, that both plans and equipment are in place for this to happen, somewhere down the road."
This doesn't sound like the Python is coming back, but it's intriguing nonetheless.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday meanderings.
Monday, December 28, 2009
THAT TIME OF THE YEAR: I hope everyone had a great (as in safe and happy) Christmas weekend. I hope you'll accept my sincere wishes for a happy New Year - may 2010 be a darn sight better than 2009!
HERE WE GO AGAIN: Maryville, TN has had a couple of accidental shooting deaths in the past weeks. Both incidents involved guns that (brace yourselves) people thought "were unloaded." The Maryville Police Chief, one Tony Crisp, concludes that people just weren't pretending hard enough:
"Treat a gun as always being a loaded gun," he said. "Once you cleared it, check it again."
A more nonsensical statement I cannot imagine! I hope that you will save me the trouble of tearing it apart by seeing for yourself the logic failures therein. How much better it would have been had he taken the opportunity to do some real education by saying something like: "never point a gun - any gun, loaded or unloaded - at anything you're not willing to shoot. Don't let anyone around you do so, either."
SOMEONE ELSE FOR A CHANGE: A couple years back I made an offhand remark about Charter Arms guns. That one little sentence generated a ton of hate mail, including some from Charter's president/owner and their largest distributor. Well, M.D. Creekmore over at thesurvivalistblog.net made a more pointed statement regarding Charter's "quality", and he too heard from Charter's owner. It's in the comments; scroll to the bottom.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Meteorological mayhem.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Oregon is in the midst of an extreme cold snap. We've set some record low temperatures in the last week, but the situation is supposed to improve this weekend. I hope so; while cold, crisp air is fun for a couple of days, a solid week of this below freezing jazz is getting on my nerves.
How cold? It hit 15 at my house last night, but a lot of areas not far from me were recording low single digits. Yeah, I know that's like spring in North Dakota, but here in Oregon it's just not something we deal with all that often. Only about every 10 years or so, in fact.
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It could be worse - last year about this time we had three feet of snow.
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My drill for the last week has been to go into the shop, turn the heaters on, then go back home for an hour or so. By that time, the shop has heated and I can go to work. The only hitch is that it's too darned cold and windy to even think about going to the range, so I've got several guns to test when next week's warmer temps get here.
That's not as bad as the shop that does my bluing, though - their water pipes froze last week and (naturally) haven't thawed yet. Lack of water means they're shut down for the duration. At least they get a vacation out of this...
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2009 has seen record high temps and record low temps in Oregon. I wasn't terribly fond of global warming last summer when the mercury hit a boiling 112 degrees, but I'd gladly take some of it right now. Fickle, ain't I?
(Hmmm...that's a 97 degree temperature differential for the year. That is definitely a record in my lifetime.)
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On the plus side, there hasn't been a cloud in the sky for a week. While it hasn't gotten above freezing, at least it's been sunny!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Wednesday wanderings.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
From The Firearm Blog comes news of yet another AR-15 accessory: the Magpul AFG (Angled ForeGrip). Just for fun I ran it by Georges Rahbani, TBRIYNHO ("The Best Rifle Instructor You've Never Heard Of"), a man who's actually used said firearm - uncounted times - to protect innocent lives in a war zone. His reply was succinct, and one for which he's become slightly infamous: "Thou shalt not hang crap on thy rifle."
(We have a running joke about foregrips in general: we refer to them as 'Pharaoh's Beards', for their uncanny resemblance to a certain dead King of Egypt:
If you're getting the idea that Georges isn't a fan of the things, and that I've been slightly influenced by his "less is more" philosophy, you're right. I do not apologize for repeatedly emphasizing that hardware is not a substitute for skill, no matter how vitriolic the response from the Mall Ninja Society of America.)
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The Management wishes to apologize for the previous crack about Ninjas. We do not mean the real ones, of course. And now, for something completely different...
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Reader Mik alerts me that The Daily Gun Pictures blog has some new images of the Chiappa Rhino revolver, including the longer barreled variants. Interesting stuff.
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I'd be surprised if you haven't heard of the murder of four police officers in our neighbor to the north. There is a training lesson in that tragedy, though it may not be the one you're expecting. I'll get to it next week.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday meanderings.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Not much to say today. I've got a ton of work to do, and have a rare (for me) headache. Seriously - I don't often get headaches. When I do, perhaps once a year, I'm twice as annoyed as those who get them more regularly. I don't do NSAIDs, so I just suffer until it goes away. In the meantime, children, small animals, and insufferable boors are advised to keep their distance.
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Freedom Arms has lost a lawsuit alleging that their Model 83 is defective. As Uncle points out, there's supposed to be a law that prevents such things.
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Tam reports plenty of ammo on shelves. I went to a gunshow this weekend and noticed the same thing; unless you want .380ACP, stocks are just about back to normal. As I explained a while back, it's just a matter of the supply chain refilling itself.
(There are folks out there who flunked Econ 101 and continue to believe it's all some great conspiracy. The value of any theory is in its predictive ability, and so far I'm ahead on that count. Read the comments on my article and you'll find that they're still not happy.)
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Thanks for all the comments regarding our dog. We've come to understand that he'll do what makes him comfortable, regardless of how it looks to us.
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That's it for now - back to work I go, pounding head in tow!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Gub control.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A few days ago I ran across this article on Ohio's 10tv.com site:
I couldn't help but think of this:COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man attempted to hold up a west side store on Thursday night, but he fled after the clerk raised questions about his weapon.
The attempted robbery occurred at a Family Dollar store on Sullivant Avenue.
According to police, a man armed with what appeared to be a handgun entered the store and demanded money.
The clerk apparently did not believe the gun was real and told the man to leave the store. He left without taking any cash. The store's surveillance camera captured images of the man.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call police.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Wednesday wanderings.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
To all our veterans: my sincere thanks for your service and sacrifice. Enjoy this day knowing that there are people in this country who appreciate the job you do.
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Rob R. sent me a tip that Jeff Quinn at Gunblast saw the Chiappa Rhino exhibited at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers show in Reno. (Scroll down to just about the bottom of the page for the pics.) Looks like they're actually coming, though no pricing yet.
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George Ure over at the Independence Journal has an interesting take on government holidays:
===A couple of major insights usually come from Veteran's Day. First is that I've always held that if you give someone a day off to 'observe' something, then they ought to be honor (if not legally) bound to do some observing. I don't mind the bond traders and bankers that get the day off, but if they aren't laying flowers on graves, showing up at a parade, or in some other way honoring those who have paid freedom's highest price, then WTF are they getting the day off for?
Deer season in western Oregon ended last Friday, and I have an observation. While I don't wish to sound like Statler and Waldorf, I'm not at all impressed with the trend toward more powerful cartridges for deer hunting. I've talked to quite a number of hunters in this neck of the woods, and these days the most common caliber chosen for the task appears to be a .300 Winchester Magnum. If one ever needed a perfect illustration of the term "overkill", that would be it.
When I was coming of age, if someone said "deer rifle" that meant a .30-30. If they said "elk rifle", that meant a .30-06. My Uncle Bob, one of the best hunters I know, used a .300 Savage for everything. To find a .30-30 in the woods today is something of a rarity, a little like seeing a red plaid hunting coat: "how quaint!" I can't believe that these calibers have become any less lethal over the last few decades, but I can believe that hunters have become less skilled. Why bother with skill building when you can buy hardware to compensate, right?
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday meanderings.
Monday, September
28, 2009
Spent weekend away from home. No computer. Mailbox very full on return. Yuck.
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Speaking of email, I've noticed an uptick in the spam that makes it through my filters. They're almost always some variation of the Nigerian scam, or an advertisement for Viagra. Apparently I'm on the "greedy and impotent horndog" mailing list.
From a purely intellectual standpoint, I know that these people wouldn't continue their efforts unless they were seeing some return, but on an emotional basis I simply can't fathom that there are a sufficient number of stupid people with positive bank balances to keep them going.
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While I'm on the subject, would someone please tell me who would be fooled by a Nigerian scam from "MICROSOFT CORPERATION"? (Yes, the spelling is theirs.)
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William Safire died on Sunday. Politics aside, his crisp writing and unrelenting crusade for proper language were an inspiration to me. I'm not at all sure my prose even begins to measure up to his standards, but I do know it would be worse without his influence.
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New breakfast taste treat: scrambled eggs and fried summer sausage. Yum!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Hump Day Blues.
Wednesday, July 08,
2009
It's a rare thing when I make social commentary, as Tam and Marko cover such things far better than I ever could. I hope you'll forgive me, however, for this brief interlude from the technical chatter.
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The rest of the world (meaning everything outside of the gun culture) is just now finding out about our ammunition supply issues. I found this column from Maine's Morning Sentinel to be quite interesting. When people who live their lives wholly apart from the concept of self reliance start paying attention to stuff like this, you know something is about to reach critical mass.
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It is my habit to sit down with my lunch and watch the midday news. (The internet, sadly, is still lacking in quality resources for local news coverage, at least here in Oregon.) Much to my surprise, the local network affiliate was running not the news, but the memorial service for a has-been singer/odd duck. ABC, CBS, NBC - all had preempted the news for continuous, live coverage of what amounted to a freak show.
Surely, I thought, the serious news outlets would not fall to this madness. How wrong I was. CNN, FOX, and MSNBC were all covering, not the imploding economy or the federal takeover of private industry or the all-time record deficits or North Korea's saber rattling, but the funeral of a mere pop star.
I've often said that being a pessimist is great, because you can never be disappointed. I guess I just wasn't pessimistic enough.
-=[ Grant ]=-
I feel your pain, Sisyphus.
Wednesday, February
11, 2009
First, please read this sad story over at Xavier's place. When you're done, come back and we'll talk about it a bit.
I wasn't going to comment on the tragedy, but I simply can't ignore it. I'm so tired of reading this kind of story, and I'm even more tired of the shooting community failing - in many cases, simply refusing - to do anything about the situation.
(For some background, please read my article "On Safety." It lays out my arguments, which I will be referencing in these comments.)
Note that Joshua had in fact completed a gun safety course. I can almost guarantee you that his instructor taught him not just Traditional Rule #1, but the very worst, most ignorant, most negligent version of that rule: "all guns are always loaded, until you've verified that they aren't."
What leads me to that conclusion? Simple - I've demonstrated that people feel free to do stupid things with guns that they think are unloaded. The caption to one of Joshua and Alaina's pictures, according to Xavier, said "We triple checked to make sure ALL of the guns were unloaded!"
There, ladies and gentlemen, lies the proof. They did just what their instructor had told them: they checked to make sure that their guns were unloaded, and once that was accomplished they were completely at ease doing (and chronicling) stupid things with them. Monumentally stupid things. That caption says, in effect, "it's OK - we're doing just as we were told."
As a result, a beautiful young woman lies in the cold, hard ground.
In my view, Traditional Rule #1 is more than partly responsible for her death, because it set up the circumstances under which it could happen. It created a mindset that wasn't devoted to safety, but in fact evasive of it. It gave Joshua a mental "out": "I thought it was unloaded!"
Understand this: I think Xavier is a great blogger, a fellow with whom I agree on so many topics. He deserves kudos for putting this story together, but this time his conclusion is dead wrong. He posits that had Joshua and Alaina just followed the rules more closely, this tragedy wouldn't have happened.
My rejoinder is that they did just as they were taught; it's not that they had any lack of adherence. They followed the rules, starting with Traditional Rule #1, just like they were supposed to. If you've read the article I referenced earlier, you know why I believe Traditional Rule #1 abrogates all of the other rules, setting up situations just like this one. It did not prevent this tragedy, any more than it has prevented any of the others I've written about.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. Simply repeating Traditional Rule #1, in a progressively louder voice, isn't working. It can't. Isn't it time we did something better?
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday meanderings.
Monday, February 02,
2009
I wrote last week (one of the lost posts, sadly) about a shooting that happened just north of me in Portland. One of the local stations ran some aspect of that story as their lead every day for a solid week, referring to it as a "shooting rampage."
It's not surprising, though. This is the same television station that was the corporate sponsor of a gun "buyback" event last November, and even did a live remote during their morning news show.
Jerks. I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course.
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A buddy and I have had an email exchange regarding the engine failures on the Airbus which ditched in the Hudson River. As I told him: "I've never flown on an Airbus, and never will. I've owned a French automobile, and the thought of traveling above the earth in a device built by a committee containing engineers from Peugeot (let alone Citroen) scares me to death!"
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Thanks for all who expressed concern over the data loss I experienced last week. I have recovered the lost posts, and as I get time will be formatting (links, pics, etc.) and reposting them.
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Last Friday, Uncle brought us the story of a protest against ROTC arms training. The group's web page reveals a startling fear of inanimate objects, including what they refer to as "high powered pellet" rifles.
I wonder what it's like to travel through life being scared of everything around you...
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Coming up in the next few weeks...I'll have some thoughts on CNC machining, women & guns, facing demons, and more. Stay tuned!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, December 22,
2008
The snow continues to pile up at the farm. This morning we had 16 inches on the ground, and we've been thoroughly covered for a week now. In Oregon, this is a highly unusual occurrence and I'm ready for it to be over!
We got a small dose of ice in between show showers, just enough to lock the snow onto tree branches and provide a means for more snow to pile up. Result: lots of damaged trees. If I were to go outside right now, the branches breaking and trees snapping sound like a firing range!
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I haven't been able to make it to the range to test the guns I've finished, let alone make it into town to ship them. Sadly, unless we get a major thaw it's entirely likely that I won't get anything shipped before the holiday.
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Plastic guns and ovens don't mix. (Obligatory jab at the French omitted, though I'm sure my British friends can fill in the blanks.)
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As if the miserable weather weren't enough, I'm down with a nasty cold. I don't know how I caught it, as I haven't been able to get out to be in contact with a carrier!
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SayUncle alerted me to this little bit of racism. (My thought: someone who assumes that you would want to kill her because of her skin color does so because - deep down - she harbors the fantasy of killing you because of your skin color.)
"Projection", it's called.
-=[ Grant ]=-
And it's not even winter yet.
Wednesday, December
17, 2008
Since Monday, we've not gotten much snow - but the cold persists. Up at our place, we've received a total of about 15 inches, which might not impress anyone in North Dakota but is a LOT of snow for Oregon.
I did manage to get into the shop yesterday, and got some work done. Today we're supposed to get a thaw before another big snowstorm, so I'm hoping to finish some more work.
In other news, Tam admits to a practicality infection.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, December 15,
2008
If you live anywhere west of the Mississippi, you know all about this arctic air mass which has come to roost over our little slice of heaven. It's resulted in a good foot of snow in my front yard, along with temperatures more common to the Midwest than the Northwest.
I'm not even trying to get out of my driveway, and I'm sorry to say that I definitely will not be making the shipping schedule for this week. On the plus side, I'll finally have time to clear out my email inbox.
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To my friends in northern Florida: don't even think of sending me pictures of sunny vistas from your 79 degree paradise, lest you wind up with a large box of the finest Al Gore Global Warming Snowballs. As mentioned above, I have a nearly inexhaustible supply of the stuff sitting around, and am none too happy with the situation. You have been warned.
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Someone sent me this over the weekend:
Aside from the error in nomenclature (since when is a miniature revolver a "derringer"?), it really doesn't look all that different from the guns you can find gracing the cover of Mall Ninja Magazine!
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My little blurb on the lever action rifle generated a greater than normal amount of commentary and email. It seems that there are a lot of fans of the humble "deer rifle" out there! Someday, when I get caught up on all the revolvers needing work, perhaps I'll turn my attention to the lever action.
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Speaking of lever actions...I managed to get out to a gunshow this last weekend, where I was sorely tempted by a Marlin Model 62 in .30 Carbine. To the best of my knowledge it's the only levergun ever to be chambered in that cartridge, of which I'm a fan. It was only sheer willpower (and the fact that I've made several other large, non-firearms acquisitions lately) that kept me from putting my money on the table.
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Which reminds me...does anyone know of a bolt-action ever made in .30 Carbine?
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-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, December 08,
2008
Local gun stores continue to report strong sales. A weekend trip to a large sporting goods establishment saw a handgun selection that was, quite literally, nothing but an empty wall.
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A buddy who runs a commercial reloading operation tells me that reloading components are getting scarce as well. He deals with the kind of component wholesalers that only sell to firms with ammunition loading licenses, and even at that level things like primers and bullets are being rationed.
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Someone asked me what I thought about the Plaxico Burress situation. Short version: I agree with Xavier.
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I'm hearing that the Ruger SP101 in .327 Federal is hard to find. I'm not sure why (my thoughts having been previously stated), but it seems I've been out-voted!
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Blogging for the next couple of weeks will be a little on the light side, as in "more linky, less thinky". I'm working to get a lot of projects out the door before Christmas, just like last year. And the year before. And...well, you get the picture.
(Last year, a few days before the holiday, I had the largest FedEx shipping bill yet. I expect to beat it this year by a comfortable margin.)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, December 01,
2008
Massad Ayoob sent me a note the other day, asking if I'd heard about the Python clone to be made in Turkey. HUH???
According to Magnum Magazine (a highly respected journal out of South Africa), the Turkish arms factory MKEK will be bringing out a Colt clone, presumably sometime in 2009. Magnum's reporters may have seen it at the IWA show in Germany last March, so maybe we'll see it at SHOT this January.
I have my doubts, not because MKEK doesn't have the capability of precision manufacture - they most assuredly do - but because purely sporting arms have not been one of their product lines. Could this be an opening salvo in a move to take on Cerberus?
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From the land that used to be Great Britain, we learn that there is a push underway to reduce alcohol-related injuries. The mechanism? Police will station themselves outside of pubs, and offer flip-flops to those intoxicated patrons wearing high heels. No, they're not kidding.
How far the Empire has fallen...
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I'm not usually much for single actions, but I am a sucker for .44 Specials - and next year, Ruger will be making a limited run of flattop Blackhawks in that caliber. Boy, is that ever tempting!
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The post-election rush continues: Hunter Dan reports that his store received a shipment of five AR-15s just in time for Black Friday. The doors opened that morning, a literal foot race to the gun counter ensued, and less than 120 seconds later they'd all been sold.
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Over the weekend came the report that police in Mumbai cowered as gunmen raged unmolested. Pay particular attention to the coordination of the shooters - a sign of things to come?
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-=[ Grant ]=-
You'd think they'd learn from the mistakes of others.
Wednesday, November
26, 2008
Where are all these stupid people coming from?
I'm planning a new rifle build. In recent years I've been playing around with the hyper-performance 6.5-284, and while I like the round it's time for something a little more mainstream. After careful consideration of all my options, I decided that my next competition/target rifle needed to be a .308. (I've never had a bolt gun in .308; as strange as that sounds, to me the round has always been an autoloading cartridge.)
An important part of any customized rifle is the selection of a stock. Two of the leading contenders for my "perfect" rifle were H-S Precision and McMillan. That was, however, before the story broke that H-S Precision had used a quote from infamous FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi in their latest catalog.
My first thought was the same as when I heard the owner of a high-end rifle company had ignorantly and publicly endorsed an avowed anti-gunner for President: "you've got to be kidding! No one would be that stupid."
Guess I was wrong.
A couple of bloggers actually called H-S to find out if the story was true. (After all, the purported catalog page making the rounds could have been photoshopped.) Turns out that it is, in fact, true - two separate confirmations from H-S employees, one of whom says that Horiuchi "knows" the owner of H-S.
My father told me that the quickest way to judge a person's character is to look at the kinds of friends he/she collects. Guess I know all I need to about H-S Precision.
Looks like McMillan just made another sale.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Snark attack
Wednesday, November
19, 2008
Tam, talking about the Clintons:
Milk. Nose. Out of.Are she and Bill even living together these days? Last I heard, their girlfriends weren't speaking to each other...
-=[ Grant ]=-
Ya think?!?!
Wednesday, November 19,
2008
A news piece on the reality of the "active shooter" scenario was recently aired by WCPO in Cincinnati. The story relates the (somewhat dated) news that law enforcement now understands waiting a half-hour to assemble a tactical team to make entry during such an event costs lives.
What's surprising in this story is the admission that "weapons prohibited" signs actually result in more victims. They point out that not only do weapon-free zones eliminate the ability to fight back against an attacker, the signs themselves actually entice a killer to pick that spot for his spree. As those of us in the self defense movement have been saying, criminals prefer unarmed victims - and what better way to find them than through advertising?
Remember: what seems obvious to us isn't often so to others. Kudos to WCPO for having the courage to look at facts, not hyperbole.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Notes from the front lines.
Wednesday, November 12,
2008
I had a visit with AFGWWWTRA yesterday. We always have a good time, but sadly our get-togethers are too few to suit either of us. Gossiping, to be done properly, requires face-to-face interaction, and we certainly gossip - unapologetically, I would venture to say. (This business gives us plenty of material with which to work!) This time we dug our dirt over a delicious Thai meal, easily one of the best I've had - from a restaurant in a town where I'd not expected such an eatery to even exist.
On my way home I stopped in to visit longtime crony Hunter Dan. (Dan's named after an "action figure" that looks suspiciously like him.) Dan is a manager for a large sporting goods retailer, and of course we discussed the current boom in gun sales. His company has most assuredly experienced the same dynamic, with many of their stores setting sales records.
A cursory glance at their shelves revealed a distinct lack of EBRs, an obvious shortage of autoloading handguns, and - most surprisingly - a dearth of revolvers. Ammo inventory was correspondingly low; where they usually have piles of ammunition stacked on the floor, they had only floor. In fact, the only thing they had in abundance were bolt action rifles.
Interesting. Significant? Time will tell.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, November 03,
2008
Sebastian at Snowflakes in Hell has been getting hate mail over his coverage of the Cooper affair. I feel for ya, buddy, as I've gotten a few of those myself. As has been said, the difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits - and some of the emails received here have obviously not limited out.
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For better or worse, it'll all be over tomorrow night. Thank (insert your favorite deity).
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This weekend I finally got around to listening to the latest Pro Arms Podcast. This episode covers the snubby revolver, and in it Massad Ayoob mentions that he suspects Ruger will introduce an aluminum version of the SP101 next year. Sharp-eyed readers will recall that I'm a fan of the SP, though sometimes I tire at the weight of the thing. A lightweight SP would be Da Bomb, and I'd be first in line to get one.
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Apparently, I'm not the only one who picked up on Mas' comments. Glad to see this great podcast getting some listenership!
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I don't have the time (or the stomach) to prowl the forums, but others do - and luckily Xavier caught this thread on a Ruger Redhawk shedding it's barrel. (I'm mentioned about midway through the entire exchange.) It appears as though it might be the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) problem that Ruger fixed many years ago. There are evidently still a few Redhawks out there that didn't get caught in Ruger's warranty net, and perhaps is something to think about when buying a used example from early in the production run.
---
Someone emailed that he thought my writing was starting to resemble Jeff Cooper's. I'm not sure whether to be flattered or concerned.
---
From SurvivalBlog.com comes this story: it seems that the Brits have a machine gun that shoots itself. Isn't this the same army that fields the SA80 rifle, the gun M-16 haters should thank their lucky stars we're not using? (Owners of British sports cars will understand.)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Friday Extra: Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Friday, October 31,
2008
According to USA Today ("McPaper"), Dan Cooper has resigned from Cooper Firearms. USA Today included a quote sure to cement Cooper's reputation for gullibility:
You bet, Dan, because what a politician says is always sooooooo much more accurate and predictive than his past behavior. (For reference: how do you tell when a politician is lying to you? When his lips are moving!) Guess it's all that HopeyChangey (copyright 2008, TamKo Enterprises) at work, which would seem to be even more powerful than Steve Jobs' Reality Distortion Field.I don't believe that what's being said about Obama and his policies about guns are accurate. I have had a conversation with the senator … he is a stanch supporter of the right to hunt and the right to bear arms.
USA Today also managed to land a quote from Bob Ricker, who heads up the thoroughly discredited "American Hunters and Shooters Association". No surprise that he doesn't like the turn of events at Cooper. (I'll leave it to you to Google all about AHSA and their connections to the DNC, which in turn will tell you how much Ricker's opinion is worth.)
According to the article, the blame for Cooper's ouster goes to those meddling bloggers and muckraking internet forums that prompted a massive grassroots response against him. Of course, in politics when grassroots action agrees with your position/candidate it's "good", but when it doesn't it's "evil".
Tuesday is going to be interesting.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Bill Ruger. Jim Zumbo. And now, I give you Dan Cooper.
Tuesday, October 28,
2008
In the market for a custom rifle? Don't buy a Cooper. I've learned (via Snowflakes In Hell) that Dan Cooper, the owner of Cooper Firearms, is supporting Obama. Not only has he given money to the Obama campaign, he even found the time to sit for interviews; take this story in yesterday's USA Today, for instance.
When this development hit the blogosphere yesterday, it naturally ignited a firestorm. Cooper (singly and collectively) apparently felt the heat, as they quickly put up some spin on their website. "Spin" is exactly the right word - no repudiation of the USA Today interview, instead some platitudes about how they support the Second Amendment. (As it turns out, even their claims of equal support for McCain turned out to be not entirely truthful.)
Let me make this perfectly clear: I believe in a person's right to his or her own political opinions. If Cooper had simply given Obama money and kept his mouth shut, that would be his right and I'd defend it. But by going public, by flaunting his activities in a manner that does harm to the Second Amendment and all those who support it, he's crossed the line. By publicly choosing sides, he's made himself into fair game.
Folks, as you know I don't normally do politics here, but Obama is a serious gun grabber. His record goes back many years, and no matter how many times he says he doesn't want to take our guns, he's lying. Right through his teeth. For sure and for certain. There is no doubt. (Understand that I'm not at all thrilled by McCain, but on this issue there is clear delineation between the candidates, and it's one of great importance to anyone reading this blog. In the "lesser of two evils" competition, McCain comes out on top.)
I don't know what Cooper's motivation is. Perhaps, like Bill Ruger, he figures that Obama will only take "bad" guns away from people, and leave his products alone. Or, perhaps like Zumbo, he's just clueless. I don't know, but one thing is for certain: unless something revelatory is forthcoming from them, I'm never going to consider a Cooper product - and you shouldn't, either.
Contact Cooper; tell them how you feel. Send their contact information to your friends, post it in your gun clubs, hand out flyers at gun shows. Tell any retailer with Coopers on the shelf about Mr. Cooper's sell-out, then give them Cooper's contact info. Encourage them to tell the company exactly what they think of Dan Cooper and his new-found "friends."
Then start saving your pennies for a Barrett - made by a company that understands, and supports, the Second Amendment.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, October 27,
2008
Someone recently speculated that if a certain "feel good" candidate is elected President, semi-automatic handguns would be the first things targeted for control. This would mean an increase in revolver sales (and, presumably, a corresponding increase in services to and for revolvers.) While I'm normally elated at the prospect of more people possessing the hallowed wheelgun, this is not the way I wish it to happen.
---
Gun sales are up on the prospects of the coming election. It would seem that people exercise their rights when others threaten to exorcise them.
---
To those patiently waiting: good news is coming, but not today. More to follow.
---
A boy attending a supervised machine gun shoot in Massachusetts (Massachusetts ?!?!?!) lost control of an Uzi and fatally shot himself in the head. A sad story, to be sure, but one which will no doubt be used to justify a call for increased restrictions on all autoloading firearms. (Read the comments at that site only if you have a strong stomach for stupidity.)
Which, unfortunately, brings us right back to where we started.
-=[ Grant ]=-
FRIDAY SURPRISE: There's something out there
Friday, September
19, 2008
Those of a certain age will remember when, with great fanfare, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched. If you remember the event, you'll also remember a few weeks later it was revealed that the main mirror had a fatal flaw, and speculation abounded that the $1.5 billion telescope (a lot of money back in 1990) would be nearly useless.
That was, however, until the Space Shuttle got up there and repairs were made. Today it's all ancient history, as the repaired Hubble continues to send us some of the most amazing images ever taken of space.
The HST also makes some interesting discoveries. Just recently it was looking deep into space and captured an image of something. I say "something" because scientists can't figure out what it is - it just suddenly appeared in the middle of nowhere, then a few months later just as mysteriously disappeared.
(Cue Twilight Zone theme.)
Read about it here.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Charles Karwan
Wednesday, September
17, 2008
It's sad to report that Charles "Chuck" Karwan died this last week. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, he was a "gunwriter" - but not just any example of the breed. His work stood apart and above most of what you can read today.
Karwan was a West Point graduate and Vietnam veteran whose knowledge of knives, guns and ballistics was encyclopedic, but never pedantic. He had a way of writing that was lean and refreshingly frank, and his books and articles have the distinctive stamp of someone with the practical experience to back up his talk.
It was not uncommon to encounter Chuck at gun and knife shows here in Oregon. A few years back my wife and saw him sitting behind a table at a large knife show, liquidating part of the estate of his friend Rex Applegate. I'd met him before - quite briefly - but had never gotten the chance to really get to know him. This time we talked for quite a bit, long enough that my knife-loving wife got bored and wandered the show by herself.
I was struck by both his intelligence and humility. When I asked why he hadn't been writing as many books and articles lately, he just shrugged and said "you gotta ask the editors!" I guess his firm opinions and no-nonsense style weren't everyone's cup of tea, particularly in the age of "gunzine whores." He had a reputation for being brutally honest, and I for one appreciated that trait - even if is editors weren't always of the same mind.
My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife and family.
-=[ Grant ]=-
FRIDAY SURPRISE: You think you know someone...
Friday, August 15,
2008
If you're over 40, you know the woman in this picture. Not in the sense of personally knowing her, of course, but you know who she is.
Don't recognize her? I'll give you a hint: 1976.
Montreal.
Romanian.
Perfect 10's.
Famous theme named after her.
If you haven't already guessed, that's little Nadia Comaneci - now 46 years old, and married with children.
Her rise to dominate Olympic gymnastics was stunning. I remember watching the broadcast (back then it was on ABC) and being amazed that this little girl could seemingly come from nowhere and beat our own American athletes. With perfect scores, no less!
The whole event was darned near unbelievable. It seemed that her life was charmed; that she was on top of the world.
How little we knew. Romania in the late '70s was far from a paradise; Nicolas Ceaucescu ruled the country with an iron fist, and that included Nadia and her career. I won't give away the rest of the story, but it's a tale I knew nothing about until I read this article in London's Daily Mail.
-=[ Grant ]=-
I do not think it means what they think it means.
Friday, August 01,
2008
I wasn't going to comment on the story about the decapitation on the Canadian bus, but something bothers me about the whole incident.
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) spokesperson characterized the actions of the passengers - who ran screaming from the horrific scene - as "brave".
Now do not misunderstand me here: running away from danger is a normal, human reaction. Saving oneself is a perfectly legitimate response to a life-threatening situation, and is nothing to be ashamed of.
But it's not "brave."
"Brave" would have been tackling the murderer and beating him senseless; "brave" would have been hopping on the lunatic's back and holding him from stabbing while someone else pulled the victim to safety.
Running away? Not so much.
I'm not sure just when our society lost track of the true meaning of words like "brave" and "hero", but I for one am tired of the trend.
-=[ Grant ]=-
FRIDAY SURPRISE: Is that a parsnip in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Friday, July 18,
2008
As the New York Times observes, there are two things you can find in Portland: vegans and strip clubs. That's pretty accurate.
Out state constitution has a very broad protection of freedom of expression, which the courts have consistently held to cover "exotic dancing." The result is that Oregon in general tends to have more strip clubs than other parts of the country. Portland, being the biggest city, naturally has the largest single selection of such establishments.
So, one Johnny Diablo (Carpetbagger-CA) decided to combine his love of vegetarianism and his love of...uhhh....flesh to create the first vegan strip club.
This is not his first attempt at an off-the-wall establishment: he tried a pirate-themed vegan restaurant last year, which despite intense media attention failed miserably. His new venture, Casa Diablo Gentlemen’s Club, has gotten even more media attention, which I cannot recall a strip club ever receiving. When it seems that every other corner has such an establishment, one would have to do something very unusual to warrant any media notice. After all, how many other strip clubs have been profiled on the Earth First website?
Here's a local story on the joint.
Here's the NYT take on the place.
(Disclaimer: I'm not a vegetarian, nor a patron of strip clubs. My omnivorous wife is thankful for both.)
-=[ Grant ]=-
I'm not gloating....
Monday, July 07,
2008
...quite the opposite, in fact.
A client sent me this link to the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department's FAQ regarding handgun ownership. As you know, the recent Supreme Court decision in the Heller case struck down the handgun ban in DC. However, it did not address the ban on semiautomatic handguns in the District, which still stands.
The result is that the only handgun DC residents will be allowed to own is a revolver.
As you are no doubt already aware, I'm a big fan of revolvers. I'm on record as saying that there is no job a good revolver can't do; I originated the phrase "the world isn't flat, your gun shouldn't be either." I believe that owning a revolver displays innate good sense and good taste, and an appreciation of the finer things in life.
Still, people shouldn't be forced to own one by limiting their freedom to choose something else.
It's great that the District's residents may now own a handgun; it's not so great that they won't get a choice in what kind of handgun. I'm hoping that someone will take the District back to court and have that part of their ineffective laws struck down. At that point, residents will be able to decide for themselves what they'd like to own.
If you're in DC, I support your right to decide for yourself which to own: a beautiful, graceful, efficient revolver - or an ugly, ungainly, unreliable, ill-fitting, bottom-feeding, ground littering, reciprocating monstrosity.
(Not that I'm biased, you understand!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Happy Independence Day
Friday, July 04,
2008
BREAKING NEWS: DC v. Heller decision affirmed!
Thursday, June 26,
2008
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) just announced their decision in the District of Columbia v. Heller case: the lower court decision, striking down the onerous firearms laws in Washington, D.C., has been upheld.
The Court has confirmed that the Second Amendment does in fact protect an individual's right to keep and bear arms. Hooray! On the downside, there is only a single majority opinion and at least two dissenting, so it's not a slam-dunk. Still, it's good news.
UPDATE: The full text of the opinion is available at this link. (Note: it's a .pdf file, not a webpage.) Quote from the decision: " possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditional lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home."
You will see this phrase often: "traditional lawful purpose."
-=[ Grant ]=-
Supreme Court update
Wednesday, June 25,
2008
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will announce their decision in the District of Columbia v. Heller case tomorrow morning, commencing at 10:am EDT. The best place to follow their announcement is the SCOTUS Blog, which has live coverage of every Court decision.
Regardless of which direction the Court takes, tomorrow will be groundbreaking in the history of the Second Amendment.
-=[ Grant ]=-
The Hippy-Dippy Weatherman is no more
Monday, June 23,
2008
Those of you who remember that character will be saddened to hear that George Carlin has died.
Carlin, aside from being side-splittingly funny, was the comedy touchstone for my generation. Even when I didn't agree with his politics, I had to laugh at his observations. Most of the time, though, he was simply the insightful man who poked fun at some of our fattest sacred cows. Even when he was profane he was funny, which is something most other comedians couldn't do on their best day. Heck, even my Dad liked the guy!
Everyone has their favorite Carlin routine. Mine was his observation about how Americans accumulate clutter in their lives: "Have you ever noticed that everyone else's stuff is crap, but your crap is 'stuff' ?"
RIP, George.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Nothing surprises me any more.
Friday, June 13,
2008
Presented without comment. You may feel free to draw your own conclusions.
-=[ Grant ]=-
(Tip 'o the hat to Say Uncle.)
A different "Stupid Criminal" story
Wednesday, May 28,
2008
I probably should have waited for the Friday Surprise for this one, but I just couldn't help myself...
The local news is buzzing with the story of a recent liquor store burglary. Yes, burglary - not robbery.
Seems our erstwhile rumrunner broke into a local adult beverage emporium a couple of weeks ago, bringing his own large-size garbage can to carry off the loot. He first raided the cigarette shelves, then proceeded to the liquids of his choice.
Allow me to digress for a moment to explain my strategy in such a situation. First, I don't smoke - never have - so the tobacco products would not interest me. No, were I to find myself alone in a liquor store at o-dark-thirty, trick-or-treat bucket firmly in hand, I would make my way to the single malt shelf. I would then proceed to gingerly (and with all due respect to the golden liquid contained therein) place the bottles in my basket. Starting, of course, with the Islays and working my way inland.
First to go would be the Lagavulin, then the Caol Ila, then (in no particular order) the Bowmore, Ardberg, and Laphroaig. That should easily fill up the 33-gallon can that this fellow toted, but should there be any room left a few bottles of Highland Park would easily fill any gaps. That is what I would do.
This fellow? He spent all that time alone in an adult candy store stealing Jack Daniels. What a waste. The man should be publicly flogged for terminal stupidity and a profound lack of good taste.
-=[ Grant ]=-
A funny thing happened on the way to the Supreme Court
Wednesday, March 19,
2008
Everyone with access to a keyboard is blogging about Heller v. D.C. today. The level of insight varies from brilliant to "yesterday I couldn't spell blogger, today I iz one."
Lest I be thought in the latter category, I will refrain from commenting on the proceedings. I will, however, leave you with this quote from Gun Law News:
That, folks, is the only certainty in this whole case!No matter what the outcome from the Supreme Court, the Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center will declare victory. Then they will initiate fund raising based upon their "victory".
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Monday, March 03, 2008
---
Every once in a while, Tam hits one out of the park.
Read the whole thing - it's good.This is the country where we're supposed to be leading ourselves, not waiting for solutions to be handed down from on high.
---
SayUncle alerts us to this story. Predictable Euro-socialist hand-wringing and whining commence.
(Yes, I would generally agree that brandishing a weapon is both a tactical and legal no-no - but then again, if you're an old, frail lady and someone strange is standing in your yard, refusing to leave, perhaps you are justified.)
---
I missed this until Michael Bane pointed me to it. Hilarious!
---
Happy Monday, everyone!
-=[ Grant ]=-
I hate this...
Wednesday, February 13,
2008
Wednesday Catch-Up
Wednesday, January 30,
2008
Let's see
now...this is the view from my front yard:
Here in Oregon, we're getting historic snowfall amounts - even in our temperate valleys. Record low temps were recorded across the midwest recently, while south of the Mason-Dixon Line Tam has been freezing her tuchus. Personally, I wish someone would explain to me where my share of this "Global Warming" thing is, because I could use it right now...
---
This morning I got an email from AFGWWWTRA, who is en-route to the SHOT show. I'm hoping my secret correspondent will send me back news about neat new revolvers, though I'm not holding my breath. (Note to Taurus: revolvers that shoot shotgun shells are not my idea of "neat.")
---
Note to S&W: the "TR Special Edition" thing is getting a bit long in the tooth, and the guns themselves are getting uglier. If this keeps up, the next one will cost $5k and cause eyes to bleed upon opening the box. Please, no more.
---
Here in Oregon, we're getting historic snowfall amounts - even in our temperate valleys. Record low temps were recorded across the midwest recently, while south of the Mason-Dixon Line Tam has been freezing her tuchus. Personally, I wish someone would explain to me where my share of this "Global Warming" thing is, because I could use it right now...
---
This morning I got an email from AFGWWWTRA, who is en-route to the SHOT show. I'm hoping my secret correspondent will send me back news about neat new revolvers, though I'm not holding my breath. (Note to Taurus: revolvers that shoot shotgun shells are not my idea of "neat.")
---
Note to S&W: the "TR Special Edition" thing is getting a bit long in the tooth, and the guns themselves are getting uglier. If this keeps up, the next one will cost $5k and cause eyes to bleed upon opening the box. Please, no more.
---
Can't blog...
Monday, January 28,
2008
Consolidation in the industry continues
Monday, January 14,
2008
By now,
you've no doubt heard that Remington is acquiring Marlin. This
announcement was followed by copious hand-wringing on forums all
over the 'net - along with no end of opinions showing a disturbing
lack of understanding of both basic economics and the global
marketplace.
Against the backdrop of rapidly increasing costs for raw materials, labor, and shipping, it becomes clear that smaller makers like Marlin are facing a tough stretch of road. It may in fact be the case that their survival can only be assured by coming under the umbrella of a larger, more resilient player in the industry. (Look at Smith & Wesson's acquisition of Thompson-Center for a good example.)
Of course I hope that Marlin's quality does not diminish. (Though raised on Winchesters, I prefer Marlin lever actions for their strength and better administrative characteristics.) I don't think that Remington is so stupid as to intentionally damage something they paid a lot of money to own!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Against the backdrop of rapidly increasing costs for raw materials, labor, and shipping, it becomes clear that smaller makers like Marlin are facing a tough stretch of road. It may in fact be the case that their survival can only be assured by coming under the umbrella of a larger, more resilient player in the industry. (Look at Smith & Wesson's acquisition of Thompson-Center for a good example.)
Of course I hope that Marlin's quality does not diminish. (Though raised on Winchesters, I prefer Marlin lever actions for their strength and better administrative characteristics.) I don't think that Remington is so stupid as to intentionally damage something they paid a lot of money to own!
-=[ Grant ]=-
A little too close to home
Wednesday, December 19,
2007
A recently
discharged Marine decides he wants to become a cop - a member of a
SWAT team, no less. So he signs on with a local Sheriff's Office,
and prepares for his new career by practicing his quick draw.
With a loaded gun.
In the house.
With his wife home.
With his finger on the ?#$@!!*&^% trigger.
Unusually strident for me, you say? Maybe it's because the victim worked at the pet store where my wife and I shop. We even know her dog. We're pissed.
Is this another failure of Traditional Rule #1? Possibly - likely, even. One thing is certain: this guy had some mental justification for doing something stupid with a gun, and his wife paid the ultimate price. I haven't seen any interview with him - yet - but I'll bet one of the first things he'll say is "I thought it was unloaded."
(And to think that one of the "talking points" of the anti-gun crowd is that "only the military and law enforcement can be trusted with guns." Yeah, right.)
If there are any readers of this blog in Clark County, make absolutely sure Sheriff Lucas understands that hiring this fellow would be a really, really bad idea.
-=[ Grant ]=-
With a loaded gun.
In the house.
With his wife home.
With his finger on the ?#$@!!*&^% trigger.
Unusually strident for me, you say? Maybe it's because the victim worked at the pet store where my wife and I shop. We even know her dog. We're pissed.
Is this another failure of Traditional Rule #1? Possibly - likely, even. One thing is certain: this guy had some mental justification for doing something stupid with a gun, and his wife paid the ultimate price. I haven't seen any interview with him - yet - but I'll bet one of the first things he'll say is "I thought it was unloaded."
(And to think that one of the "talking points" of the anti-gun crowd is that "only the military and law enforcement can be trusted with guns." Yeah, right.)
If there are any readers of this blog in Clark County, make absolutely sure Sheriff Lucas understands that hiring this fellow would be a really, really bad idea.
-=[ Grant ]=-
It could have been much worse
Monday, December 10,
2007
By now
you've no doubt heard about the attempted massacre at the New Life
Church in Colorado Springs, CO.
To recap: man takes rifle into church parking lot, where he proceeds to shoot four people (two would later die) before making his way into the sanctuary. Luckily for the 7,000 people there, the church had a volunteer armed security staff, one of whom engaged and killed the attacker before he could get fully into that "target rich" environment.
It's no secret that many churches have, in the last decade, recruited armed volunteer security forces from their members. The media is doing it's level best to imply that the security person involved was an off-duty cop or paid security guard, but the fact is that she was a volunteer member of the church's security team. She was a concerned member who donated her time and skills to help protect her fellow congregates.
The outcome was, at least in my point of view, quite acceptable. I'm sure, however, that the more left-leaning religious organizations in this country will fail to learn from this example. (Were I a member of such an organization, I would reconsider my affiliation.)
Contrast this with last week's mall attack where eight people died - the mall was, like many others around the country, posted to be a gun-free zone. (Interesting tidbit: the mall management apparently removed all signage regarding their weapons policy shortly after the shooting occurred. Perhaps they're trying to cover their rears for the inevitable civil suits heading their way...) The result was the creation of a huge pool of potential victims, of which the gunman took full advantage.
Sadly, the lesson is lost on a surprisingly large percentage of the American public. The media certainly isn't on our sides, so it's up to us. When you find yourself in gatherings this holiday season, and the topic comes up, be sure to give a calm, rational, and factual response to those who fail to grasp the concepts ivolved. The more people whose minds we change, the fewer victims we'll have.
-=[ Grant ]=-
To recap: man takes rifle into church parking lot, where he proceeds to shoot four people (two would later die) before making his way into the sanctuary. Luckily for the 7,000 people there, the church had a volunteer armed security staff, one of whom engaged and killed the attacker before he could get fully into that "target rich" environment.
It's no secret that many churches have, in the last decade, recruited armed volunteer security forces from their members. The media is doing it's level best to imply that the security person involved was an off-duty cop or paid security guard, but the fact is that she was a volunteer member of the church's security team. She was a concerned member who donated her time and skills to help protect her fellow congregates.
The outcome was, at least in my point of view, quite acceptable. I'm sure, however, that the more left-leaning religious organizations in this country will fail to learn from this example. (Were I a member of such an organization, I would reconsider my affiliation.)
Contrast this with last week's mall attack where eight people died - the mall was, like many others around the country, posted to be a gun-free zone. (Interesting tidbit: the mall management apparently removed all signage regarding their weapons policy shortly after the shooting occurred. Perhaps they're trying to cover their rears for the inevitable civil suits heading their way...) The result was the creation of a huge pool of potential victims, of which the gunman took full advantage.
Sadly, the lesson is lost on a surprisingly large percentage of the American public. The media certainly isn't on our sides, so it's up to us. When you find yourself in gatherings this holiday season, and the topic comes up, be sure to give a calm, rational, and factual response to those who fail to grasp the concepts ivolved. The more people whose minds we change, the fewer victims we'll have.
-=[ Grant ]=-
What a mess!
Wednesday, December 05,
2007
First off,
thanks to those who sent emails inquiring about my welfare in the
wake of the storms that battered Oregon. I guess we made the
national news!
The storms dropped a huge amount of rain in our state, as well as our neighbors to the north in Washington. There were places that recorded in excess of a foot of rain inside of 48 hours, and the result was widespread flooding.
Particularly hard-hit are the smaller tributaries and shallower rivers. Interstate 5, the north-south route between California and Canada, is under water at Chehalis, WA and not expected to reopen until at least Thursday. Several towns in Oregon, notably Vernonia and Tillamook, are just now digging out from the muck left behind - that is, if the water has even receded yet.
Of course, the old debate about subsidizing (through government-backed flood insurance) the continuous rebuilding of houses in flood plains has been re-ignited, and the result will no doubt be the maintenance of the status quo. (Isn't that always the case?)
My wife and I live well above any flood-prone areas and have soil which is well drained; we have had no problems other than short power outages and some internet connectivity issues. I am glad, however, that last Saturday I looked up at my gutters and decided to clean out the maple leaves!
-=[ Grant ]=-
The storms dropped a huge amount of rain in our state, as well as our neighbors to the north in Washington. There were places that recorded in excess of a foot of rain inside of 48 hours, and the result was widespread flooding.
Particularly hard-hit are the smaller tributaries and shallower rivers. Interstate 5, the north-south route between California and Canada, is under water at Chehalis, WA and not expected to reopen until at least Thursday. Several towns in Oregon, notably Vernonia and Tillamook, are just now digging out from the muck left behind - that is, if the water has even receded yet.
Of course, the old debate about subsidizing (through government-backed flood insurance) the continuous rebuilding of houses in flood plains has been re-ignited, and the result will no doubt be the maintenance of the status quo. (Isn't that always the case?)
My wife and I live well above any flood-prone areas and have soil which is well drained; we have had no problems other than short power outages and some internet connectivity issues. I am glad, however, that last Saturday I looked up at my gutters and decided to clean out the maple leaves!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Can you hear me now?
Monday, December 03,
2007
Hump day catch-up
Wednesday, July 25,
2007
Saw this on the news last
night, and my very first thought
was "that can't happen - handguns are banned in the UK!" Guess it
just shows the true futility of such laws. (Check the comments,
though - apparently some people think that they're not going far
enough. There are those in this country who think the same
way.
Even when they admit the laws won't work, they pass them anyway.)
---
Say Uncle alerted me to this...c'mon, you know you've always wanted to shoot a propane tank, just to see what happens.
---
Finally, this isn't really gun related, but is just too funny to ignore. Further comment would seem unnecessary.
---
-=[ Grant ]=-
---
Say Uncle alerted me to this...c'mon, you know you've always wanted to shoot a propane tank, just to see what happens.
---
Finally, this isn't really gun related, but is just too funny to ignore. Further comment would seem unnecessary.
---
-=[ Grant ]=-
Deja vu...
Wednesday, July 18,
2007
Grab the
current (August 2007) copy of SWAT magazine, and turn to page 55.
See the revolver at the top of the page? Look familiar?
-=[ Grant ]=-
-=[ Grant ]=-
Yes, there are people who still think this is a good idea
Wednesday, July 11,
2007
Xavier Thoughts chronicles the story
of an elderly
gentleman who, using his gun, confronted a burglar in his home. The
outcome was that the perp got sent to jail. Great, right? Well,
maybe not. This may get ugly when the inevitable civil suit is
filed.
You see, the perp was injured because the homeowner fired an unaimed "warning shot" which fragmented and struck the intruder. As if that wasn't bad enough in these litigious times, the gentleman couldn't help running his mouth on television, which didn't do any good in terms of his legal defense.
I'll leave the analysis to Xavier, who does a much better job than your humble correspondent. I will, however, leave you with this thought: this is exactly why I strongly encourage anyone who even contemplates keeping a firearm for self-defense to take Judicious Use of Deadly Force from Massad Ayoob at the Lethal Force Institute. Had this fellow done so, he wouldn't have left himself open for what will probably be a whale of a civil lawsuit.
-=[ Grant ]=-
You see, the perp was injured because the homeowner fired an unaimed "warning shot" which fragmented and struck the intruder. As if that wasn't bad enough in these litigious times, the gentleman couldn't help running his mouth on television, which didn't do any good in terms of his legal defense.
I'll leave the analysis to Xavier, who does a much better job than your humble correspondent. I will, however, leave you with this thought: this is exactly why I strongly encourage anyone who even contemplates keeping a firearm for self-defense to take Judicious Use of Deadly Force from Massad Ayoob at the Lethal Force Institute. Had this fellow done so, he wouldn't have left himself open for what will probably be a whale of a civil lawsuit.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Happy Independence Day!
Wednesday, July 04,
2007
On this, the
celebration of our country's birth, I wish for everyone a safe,
happy, and inspiring holiday.
I don't usually make political statements on this blog, as I generally find unsolicited discussions of politics and religion to be impolite. After all, if you wanted to read about such things you'd go to a blog dedicated to those topics! However, since our Second Amendment rights are inexorably tied to the political landscape, I think that it would not be out of line to make a comment on this occasion. I hope you'll indulge me for just a minute or so!
Think ahead to the coming elections; at this point there is only one candidate for the highest office in the land, from the major parties, who espouses the principles espoused by our Founding Fathers. (I'll leave it to you to figure out who that person may be, as the individual personality isn't the point of this little diatribe - it's the concept I want to focus on.)
Oddly, many in this country won't vote for such a candidate because they feel those principles are "too radical" or "anarchist." Sad, isn't it, that we have become so fearful of freedom in the last 231 years that we would actively avoid the kind of real personal liberties that our Constitution guarantees!
So far, none of the gun bloggers - even the most rabid advocates of the Second Amendment - have come out in support of such a candidate, preferring instead to focus their endorsements on those who don't challenge the status quo, except in the shallowest manner.
I fear that Patrick Henry is, at this very moment, rolling in his grave.
Freedom - real freedom - is a messy, scary, imprecise thing. Back in 1776 they understood that it isn't always pretty or "fair" (by whatever definition of that word you care to use.) Any attempt to impose order or "fairness" will result in a reduction in freedom, and there is just no way around that. That is just what we've been doing for the last couple of centuries, and you can see the results. Can anyone out there honestly say that they're happy with this?
Here's a little experiment: ponder, today and come November, where your personal intersection of freedom and comfort lies - then vote a little to the freedom side of that line. Push yourself. Encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. In that way, little by little, we might be able to make some headway against the forces who stand for prohibition, limitation, and collectivism.
End of sermon. That wasn't so bad, was it?
-=[ Grant ]=-
I don't usually make political statements on this blog, as I generally find unsolicited discussions of politics and religion to be impolite. After all, if you wanted to read about such things you'd go to a blog dedicated to those topics! However, since our Second Amendment rights are inexorably tied to the political landscape, I think that it would not be out of line to make a comment on this occasion. I hope you'll indulge me for just a minute or so!
Think ahead to the coming elections; at this point there is only one candidate for the highest office in the land, from the major parties, who espouses the principles espoused by our Founding Fathers. (I'll leave it to you to figure out who that person may be, as the individual personality isn't the point of this little diatribe - it's the concept I want to focus on.)
Oddly, many in this country won't vote for such a candidate because they feel those principles are "too radical" or "anarchist." Sad, isn't it, that we have become so fearful of freedom in the last 231 years that we would actively avoid the kind of real personal liberties that our Constitution guarantees!
So far, none of the gun bloggers - even the most rabid advocates of the Second Amendment - have come out in support of such a candidate, preferring instead to focus their endorsements on those who don't challenge the status quo, except in the shallowest manner.
I fear that Patrick Henry is, at this very moment, rolling in his grave.
Freedom - real freedom - is a messy, scary, imprecise thing. Back in 1776 they understood that it isn't always pretty or "fair" (by whatever definition of that word you care to use.) Any attempt to impose order or "fairness" will result in a reduction in freedom, and there is just no way around that. That is just what we've been doing for the last couple of centuries, and you can see the results. Can anyone out there honestly say that they're happy with this?
Here's a little experiment: ponder, today and come November, where your personal intersection of freedom and comfort lies - then vote a little to the freedom side of that line. Push yourself. Encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. In that way, little by little, we might be able to make some headway against the forces who stand for prohibition, limitation, and collectivism.
End of sermon. That wasn't so bad, was it?
-=[ Grant ]=-
Blog Stuff: Technical problems
Friday, June 29, 2007
This has
been a bad week for me, internet-wise. The mail servers at the
company that hosts grantcunningham.com have been experiencing
slowdowns and failures, and my own internet connection
(comcast.com) has been on-again, off-again all week. I'm typing
this on Thursday evening, about 11:00pm Pacific time, and the
connection just came back on. It has been off all day, except for a
few hours this morning.
So, if you've emailed me and haven't gotten a reply, that's why. I just downloaded a whole pile of emails, and I'll try to get through them in the next couple of days.
Thanks for your patience!
-=[ Grant ]=-
So, if you've emailed me and haven't gotten a reply, that's why. I just downloaded a whole pile of emails, and I'll try to get through them in the next couple of days.
Thanks for your patience!
-=[ Grant ]=-
So that's the explanation
Monday, June 25, 2007
SayUncle alerts us to a new Connecticut law
requiring law
abiding gun owners to report firearms thefts immediately or face
the consequences.
He says one insightful thing:
He says one insightful thing:
Punishing the otherwise law-abiding is easy. After all, they don’t shoot back. And going after people who do shoot back is hard.
Yep, that would explain
it.
-=[
Grant]=-
Just to set the record straight
Wednesday, June 20,
2007
One of my
favorite blogs is Marko's "The Munchkin
Wrangler." Marko is
yet another prolific and intelligent blogger from Tennessee whose
interests include firearms and Second Amendment rights.
He wrote an interesting piece a while back, titled "Why the Gun is Civilization." While one could (and some do) argue that his premise is not fully developed, I found it thought provoking. It's worth reading, if only to get you thinking more abstractly.
It seems that I'm not the only person who liked that little essay, as it has apparently been turning up in various guises and attributed to someone else. This is my little contribution to helping the cause: if you see his writing under someone else's moniker, or even unattributed, do your part and let people know who wrote it.
It's a karma thing.
-=[ Grant ]=-
He wrote an interesting piece a while back, titled "Why the Gun is Civilization." While one could (and some do) argue that his premise is not fully developed, I found it thought provoking. It's worth reading, if only to get you thinking more abstractly.
It seems that I'm not the only person who liked that little essay, as it has apparently been turning up in various guises and attributed to someone else. This is my little contribution to helping the cause: if you see his writing under someone else's moniker, or even unattributed, do your part and let people know who wrote it.
It's a karma thing.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Speaking of the people who are supposed to protect you...
Wednesday, April 18,
2007
It seems that a
Secret Service agent's weapon just up and fired all by itself. At
least, that's the way the media is reporting the
incident.
See, it's the gun's fault. Always. This proves it. (I'm being facetious, for those who can't tell.) Expect more of this kind of reporting as the push for extended gun control gathers steam.
-=[ Grant ]=-
See, it's the gun's fault. Always. This proves it. (I'm being facetious, for those who can't tell.) Expect more of this kind of reporting as the push for extended gun control gathers steam.
-=[ Grant ]=-
On Virginia Tech
Wednesday, April 18,
2007
At first, I wasn't
going to comment on the sad crime perpetrated on the campus of
Virginia Tech this week. I figured that everyone, everywhere, was
going to do so (with varying degrees of erudition and insight.) I
decided there wasn't anything I could add. Until...
Listening to the news on the radio, I heard an interview with two students who said that they were in "the room where he was shooting." According to these people, students and faculty were hiding under and behind anything in the room that they felt would provide them some protection, or flat on the floor in the absence of same.
It's what they said next that prompted me to comment: as the gunman shot, he naturally ran out of ammunition, and had to stop to refill his magazines. After taking the time to refill then reload his weapon, he continued his unfettered spree.
He was out of ammunition, and had stopped to reload - why didn't someone, anyone, in the room take that golden opportunity to tackle the murderer? At that point the criminal couldn't shoot anyone, and the risk even to the person who would choose that course of action would have been relatively minor compared to letting him get his firearm back up and running.
The answer is as obvious as it is sad: our society has fully inculcated the victimhood and helplessness mentalities into the last several generations of people. They didn't do anything because they have been taught their entire lives to rely on someone - anyone - else for their safety and well being.
This is what the nanny state has given us. This is what our Founding Fathers, I think, understood when they listed the natural right to keep and bear arms in their Constitution: yes, it's about the ability to resist tyrannical governments. More importantly, though, is the choice inherent in the right.
You see, it's not the exercise of the right in and of itself that matters; it's the existence of the choice to exercise the right that is so very important. Even if one chooses not to exercise the right, in making the choice one has experienced the self-actualization that leads to great inner strength and a heightened sense of self-worth. The very personal decision - no matter what the decision itself is - is what makes for citizens who are self reliant, who can think for themselves, and cannot be corralled like sheep.
When the "transaction cost" of the individual choice is raised - when the ability to decide for oneself is restricted or controlled in any manner - the choice is made not by the individual, but by someone else. The benefits of making the decision are denied the individual, and he/she learns (bit by bit) how to be a subject rather than a sovereign individual. Given long enough, an entire people is conditioned to be subordinate themselves to authority figures; when the "badge" of "authority" is the firearm, the people will prostrate themselves to anyone who wields one. Even a crazed killer.
Milton Friedman was right.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Listening to the news on the radio, I heard an interview with two students who said that they were in "the room where he was shooting." According to these people, students and faculty were hiding under and behind anything in the room that they felt would provide them some protection, or flat on the floor in the absence of same.
It's what they said next that prompted me to comment: as the gunman shot, he naturally ran out of ammunition, and had to stop to refill his magazines. After taking the time to refill then reload his weapon, he continued his unfettered spree.
He was out of ammunition, and had stopped to reload - why didn't someone, anyone, in the room take that golden opportunity to tackle the murderer? At that point the criminal couldn't shoot anyone, and the risk even to the person who would choose that course of action would have been relatively minor compared to letting him get his firearm back up and running.
The answer is as obvious as it is sad: our society has fully inculcated the victimhood and helplessness mentalities into the last several generations of people. They didn't do anything because they have been taught their entire lives to rely on someone - anyone - else for their safety and well being.
This is what the nanny state has given us. This is what our Founding Fathers, I think, understood when they listed the natural right to keep and bear arms in their Constitution: yes, it's about the ability to resist tyrannical governments. More importantly, though, is the choice inherent in the right.
You see, it's not the exercise of the right in and of itself that matters; it's the existence of the choice to exercise the right that is so very important. Even if one chooses not to exercise the right, in making the choice one has experienced the self-actualization that leads to great inner strength and a heightened sense of self-worth. The very personal decision - no matter what the decision itself is - is what makes for citizens who are self reliant, who can think for themselves, and cannot be corralled like sheep.
When the "transaction cost" of the individual choice is raised - when the ability to decide for oneself is restricted or controlled in any manner - the choice is made not by the individual, but by someone else. The benefits of making the decision are denied the individual, and he/she learns (bit by bit) how to be a subject rather than a sovereign individual. Given long enough, an entire people is conditioned to be subordinate themselves to authority figures; when the "badge" of "authority" is the firearm, the people will prostrate themselves to anyone who wields one. Even a crazed killer.
Milton Friedman was right.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Winchester recalls .22 ammunition
Monday, April 09, 2007
Found this notice
on the Winchester website:
Checked my stash...luckily, all of my Xpert ammunition was from the same lot, and is not subject to the recall. Check yours carefully!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Olin Corporation, through its Winchester Division, is recalling several lots of its WILDCAT® 22 (Symbol Number WW22LR) and XPERT® 22 (Symbol Number XPERT22) 22 Long Rifle rimfire ammunition.
Lot Numbers containing Letters: XN, YA, YB or YC
Through extensive evaluation Winchester has determined the above lots of WILDCAT® 22 and XPERT® 22 ammunition may contain double powder charges. Double powder charge weight ammunition may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter to a risk of personal injury and/or death when fired.
To determine if your ammunition is subject to this notice, review the Lot Number. If the Lot Number contains the letters XN, YA, YB or YC return the ammunition to Winchester.
Checked my stash...luckily, all of my Xpert ammunition was from the same lot, and is not subject to the recall. Check yours carefully!
-=[ Grant ]=-
The Parker decision - what you didn't know
Wednesday, March 14,
2007
You've probably
heard of the recent DC District Court decision that confirms what
we all know: the 2nd Amendment is an individual right. Definitely
good news, and the result of a lot of hard work on the part of the
lawyers involved in the case.
Now you probably think that the NRA was in the thick of the legal proceedings, defending our rights and bankrolling the costly fight, just as their countless solicitation mailings claim.
Think again.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Now you probably think that the NRA was in the thick of the legal proceedings, defending our rights and bankrolling the costly fight, just as their countless solicitation mailings claim.
Think again.
-=[ Grant ]=-
On pairing women with guns
Wednesday, March 07,
2007
This article in the Tennessean newspaper
explores the
"phenomenon" of women who choose to carry a gun for their own
protection. It's an interesting read, and when I saw it I was
reminded of my own wife's journey to self-empowerment (in the
ballistic sense.)
I'm of the belief that women should always be proactive with regards to their own safety. Sadly, our current society has inculcated a fear of weapons into the collective conscious of the female half of the population. It takes real fortitude for a lady to swim against that tide and arm herself, and I salute those who choose to do so.
Drawing from my own wife's experience I've formed some very specific opinions on the topic of introducing women to shooting. Guys, if there is a woman in your life who has decided to travel down the road of self protection, I offer you Grant's Rules For Helping Ladies Who Want To Shoot.
1) Don't try to teach her yourself. Aside from passing on bad habits that you have (I don't care if you did qualify as "expert" when you were in the Army), it's difficult to impart what you do right no matter how sincere your desire to help.
Women learn differently than men; precious few men understand this, and even fewer understand how to teach to it. It's not uncommon for women to become extremely frustrated under these conditions, and give up entirely. It may not happen until the lessons are over - you may never know of the damage you've done. Let someone else - someone who is experienced teaching women - do this for you. It doesn't mean you're any less of a man, and it just might save you some grief.
2) Rule #1 is increased by a factor of 10 if she is your GF or wife! Ignore this at your peril! I am not kidding!
3) If possible, get her to a women's only class that is actually taught by a female instructor. (If you're on the west coast, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the women's only classes taught by Gila Hayes at the Firearms Academy of Seattle. She's tops. Seriously.)
4) Don't pick her gun for her. So many times a woman, bowing to the desires of the man who proffers her shooting advice (solicited or otherwise), ends up with a lightweight titanium or scandium revolver that is incredibly ill-suited for her physical makeup. The recoil is brutal (hey, even I don't like shooting them), and their stock triggers can be difficult for petite forefingers to actuate. Yes, you could send it to me and have that problem eased, but let her decide if it is right for her!
(Listen, if you've read my blog for any length of time you know that I'm a rabid proponent of the revolver for personal protection. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a problem extant that a good revolver can't solve. Even so, I acknowledge an autoloader is often the better choice for a woman.) The very best thing you can do is curb your own opinions and take her to a gun range that rents guns, where she can pick her own way through the models. If she picks an autoloader, it won't hurt my feelings. (Not for long, anyhow.) The important thing is that it be her own choice.
Following these simple rules will result in an excited new shooter and harmony at home (where appropriate.)
-=[ Grant ]=-
I'm of the belief that women should always be proactive with regards to their own safety. Sadly, our current society has inculcated a fear of weapons into the collective conscious of the female half of the population. It takes real fortitude for a lady to swim against that tide and arm herself, and I salute those who choose to do so.
Drawing from my own wife's experience I've formed some very specific opinions on the topic of introducing women to shooting. Guys, if there is a woman in your life who has decided to travel down the road of self protection, I offer you Grant's Rules For Helping Ladies Who Want To Shoot.
1) Don't try to teach her yourself. Aside from passing on bad habits that you have (I don't care if you did qualify as "expert" when you were in the Army), it's difficult to impart what you do right no matter how sincere your desire to help.
Women learn differently than men; precious few men understand this, and even fewer understand how to teach to it. It's not uncommon for women to become extremely frustrated under these conditions, and give up entirely. It may not happen until the lessons are over - you may never know of the damage you've done. Let someone else - someone who is experienced teaching women - do this for you. It doesn't mean you're any less of a man, and it just might save you some grief.
2) Rule #1 is increased by a factor of 10 if she is your GF or wife! Ignore this at your peril! I am not kidding!
3) If possible, get her to a women's only class that is actually taught by a female instructor. (If you're on the west coast, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the women's only classes taught by Gila Hayes at the Firearms Academy of Seattle. She's tops. Seriously.)
4) Don't pick her gun for her. So many times a woman, bowing to the desires of the man who proffers her shooting advice (solicited or otherwise), ends up with a lightweight titanium or scandium revolver that is incredibly ill-suited for her physical makeup. The recoil is brutal (hey, even I don't like shooting them), and their stock triggers can be difficult for petite forefingers to actuate. Yes, you could send it to me and have that problem eased, but let her decide if it is right for her!
(Listen, if you've read my blog for any length of time you know that I'm a rabid proponent of the revolver for personal protection. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a problem extant that a good revolver can't solve. Even so, I acknowledge an autoloader is often the better choice for a woman.) The very best thing you can do is curb your own opinions and take her to a gun range that rents guns, where she can pick her own way through the models. If she picks an autoloader, it won't hurt my feelings. (Not for long, anyhow.) The important thing is that it be her own choice.
Following these simple rules will result in an excited new shooter and harmony at home (where appropriate.)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Apologies are hollow when you really believe what you say!
Monday, February 19,
2007
Sorry if this post
is more "linky" than "thinky", but there's a lot happening very
quickly...
It all started last Friday, when Jim Zumbo - a long-time Outdoor Life writer and Outdoor Channel contributor - wrote a piece on his Outdoor Life blog which opined that "assault rifles" weren't used by "legitimate sportsmen" and, essentially, were evil and should be banned. I learned about it from Michael Bane's blog, where he called for Zumbo to apologize.
It didn't take long for the word to start making the rounds, and even the people at the Brady Campaign (the professional gun-grabbers) linked to it as "proof" that assault weapons should be banned. This, just after the resurrected Assault Weapons Ban was re-introduced in Congress last week.
Zumbo, realizing that he was in deep doo-doo, started backpedaling and dropping names of the anointed in an effort to seem as though he's really "one of us." His editor, John Snow, tried to deflect the growing firestorm by posting that Zumbo was really a nice guy, and that people can agree to disagree, and other soft-shoe obfuscation.
Apparently the noise got to the folks at Remington, who have been big sponsors of Zumbo over the years. On the weekend, their CEO, Tom Milner, posted on Bane's blog that Remington would be severing their relationship with Zumbo first thing Monday morning. Though the authorship was in question, David Codrea was able to verify the courageous act yesterday, and come this morning the official Remington website added a statement to this effect.
Tam elated, vows to spend more money.
(Whew. Original content would have been easier!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
It all started last Friday, when Jim Zumbo - a long-time Outdoor Life writer and Outdoor Channel contributor - wrote a piece on his Outdoor Life blog which opined that "assault rifles" weren't used by "legitimate sportsmen" and, essentially, were evil and should be banned. I learned about it from Michael Bane's blog, where he called for Zumbo to apologize.
It didn't take long for the word to start making the rounds, and even the people at the Brady Campaign (the professional gun-grabbers) linked to it as "proof" that assault weapons should be banned. This, just after the resurrected Assault Weapons Ban was re-introduced in Congress last week.
Zumbo, realizing that he was in deep doo-doo, started backpedaling and dropping names of the anointed in an effort to seem as though he's really "one of us." His editor, John Snow, tried to deflect the growing firestorm by posting that Zumbo was really a nice guy, and that people can agree to disagree, and other soft-shoe obfuscation.
Apparently the noise got to the folks at Remington, who have been big sponsors of Zumbo over the years. On the weekend, their CEO, Tom Milner, posted on Bane's blog that Remington would be severing their relationship with Zumbo first thing Monday morning. Though the authorship was in question, David Codrea was able to verify the courageous act yesterday, and come this morning the official Remington website added a statement to this effect.
Tam elated, vows to spend more money.
(Whew. Original content would have been easier!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
New feature: GRANT'S SUNDAY RANT
Sunday, January 28,
2007
Everyone else
rants on their blog, why not me? I generally I find ranting to be
unseemly, but sometimes I run across something so unbelievably
stupid that I just can't help myself!
After all, Straka has his "Grrrrs", and Andy Rooney has made a virtual industry of ranting; heck, there's one gunsmith who has a half-dozen blogs, each of which is a gigantic, incoherent rant! So I think it's not too much to ask to be allowed an occasional "harrumph!"
Our inaugural item comes from one of my "daily reads", the Uncommon Business blog. This is a great blog, chock-full of examples of businesses that you wouldn't normally think of as being viable, yet somehow have found a successful niche. (One could argue that revolversmithing is such a business!)
Their latest entry is for OpenX, a device that was designed to open that annoying plastic clamshell packaging. Go check out the article, then come back and read the rest of my rant.
I'll wait right here. (Cue "Jeopardy" theme...)
Back already? Did you read the whole thing? Good!
When I read the article, I was immediately struck with the thought "man, that's stupid." Don't get me wrong - I'm sure that the engineering is good and the construction quality is more than acceptable; I'm sure it opens clamshell packaging in a most efficient manner, with great aplomb and no doubt accompanied by heavenly choirs.
What I can't understand is why the heck this guy needed to invent the thing in the first place!
You see, I always carry a pocket knife - usually a couple. I've carried a pocket knife since (probably) the 3rd grade. (Back then every kid carried a pocket knife to school. For those born after 1980, I'm not kidding.) Every male I know carries a pocket knife. My wife carries a pocket knife, and has her own collection from which to choose.
When I need to open a clamshell package, I simply reach into my pocket, pull out my trusty pocket knife (a Victorinox Swisschamp, in most cases) and proceed to open the package with a minimum of fuss, bother, and anguish.
Apparently, that's not how everyone does it. There are ill-equipped people out there, just waiting to be frustrated by product packaging!
How is it this guy didn't have a pocket knife?!? Is he afraid of them? Does his social station eliminate the need to carry his own implements? ("Jeeves, please open this package for me.") Do his peers look down on someone who carries such an essential implement? ("I say, Muffy, he is acting positively blue-collar these days! The boys at the club will be absolutely aghast!")
Follow me here: he didn't have a knife with him, which made him conceive of the idea of a package opener; he invented a knife substitute to have with him, in place of that which he didn't have with him in the first place! So, this solves the problem how, exactly? What happens the next time he's presented with a gift that he can't open, because he doesn't have his opener with him, just as he didn't have a knife with him?
(Hmmm....wonder if the OpenX comes in a clamshell package? If so, how is one to open it?? The Helplessness Brigade would be stymied once more!)
Rant off. Until next time!
-=[ Grant ]=-
After all, Straka has his "Grrrrs", and Andy Rooney has made a virtual industry of ranting; heck, there's one gunsmith who has a half-dozen blogs, each of which is a gigantic, incoherent rant! So I think it's not too much to ask to be allowed an occasional "harrumph!"
Our inaugural item comes from one of my "daily reads", the Uncommon Business blog. This is a great blog, chock-full of examples of businesses that you wouldn't normally think of as being viable, yet somehow have found a successful niche. (One could argue that revolversmithing is such a business!)
Their latest entry is for OpenX, a device that was designed to open that annoying plastic clamshell packaging. Go check out the article, then come back and read the rest of my rant.
I'll wait right here. (Cue "Jeopardy" theme...)
Back already? Did you read the whole thing? Good!
When I read the article, I was immediately struck with the thought "man, that's stupid." Don't get me wrong - I'm sure that the engineering is good and the construction quality is more than acceptable; I'm sure it opens clamshell packaging in a most efficient manner, with great aplomb and no doubt accompanied by heavenly choirs.
What I can't understand is why the heck this guy needed to invent the thing in the first place!
You see, I always carry a pocket knife - usually a couple. I've carried a pocket knife since (probably) the 3rd grade. (Back then every kid carried a pocket knife to school. For those born after 1980, I'm not kidding.) Every male I know carries a pocket knife. My wife carries a pocket knife, and has her own collection from which to choose.
When I need to open a clamshell package, I simply reach into my pocket, pull out my trusty pocket knife (a Victorinox Swisschamp, in most cases) and proceed to open the package with a minimum of fuss, bother, and anguish.
Apparently, that's not how everyone does it. There are ill-equipped people out there, just waiting to be frustrated by product packaging!
How is it this guy didn't have a pocket knife?!? Is he afraid of them? Does his social station eliminate the need to carry his own implements? ("Jeeves, please open this package for me.") Do his peers look down on someone who carries such an essential implement? ("I say, Muffy, he is acting positively blue-collar these days! The boys at the club will be absolutely aghast!")
Follow me here: he didn't have a knife with him, which made him conceive of the idea of a package opener; he invented a knife substitute to have with him, in place of that which he didn't have with him in the first place! So, this solves the problem how, exactly? What happens the next time he's presented with a gift that he can't open, because he doesn't have his opener with him, just as he didn't have a knife with him?
(Hmmm....wonder if the OpenX comes in a clamshell package? If so, how is one to open it?? The Helplessness Brigade would be stymied once more!)
Rant off. Until next time!
-=[ Grant ]=-
A thin SHOT show for wheelgun fans
Wednesday, January 17,
2007
Well, SHOT has
come and gone, and Colt had no revolvers in their display. (You may
remember that one of their spokespeople bragged in a magazine
interview that Colt was working on a new revolver design. Everyone
on the forums got all worked up about what Colt might be doing,
endlessly speculating on what they might bring to market. Some
breathlessly suggested that they might be working on a new high end
revolver to replace the Python. Excitement ran and, for some,
continues to run high.)
Except here at the Revolver Liberation Alliance.
As I blogged just recently, Colt has demonstrated through their actions that they aren't interested in the revolver market. I even suggested that mention of a new revolver might be a ploy to make the company more attractive to potential buyers. You'd think that if they really had something going on, they'd show it at the industry's biggest trade show.
They didn't. End of story. (I remain ready to eat my words if they ever introduce this mythical new gun at some future show, but I suspect that I won't be needing to do so.)
In other SHOT news, Charter Arms, makers of "value priced" wheelguns, announced a line of left-handed revolvers. This would be big news if the guns were coming from a maker of high quality firearms, or even Taurus. From Charter it's just a curiosity. The honorable lefties amongst us deserve better.
Dan Wesson, lethargically owned for the last couple of years by CZ-USA, was finally showing a new Model 715. This would be exciting, except that the folks in Norwich proved that they couldn't make this decades-old design correctly last time, and I remain unconvinced that CZ management can do any better. (Let's face it: they've taken two years to produce one display example of a gun that they already had the plans, machinery, tooling, and parts to produce. Methinks they have hired some former Colt people to run the Dan Wesson division...)
Smith & Wesson is fast becoming the schizophrenic gun maker. One the one hand they're making modern "reproductions" of the guns from their heyday (though not to the same level of craftsmanship), while on the other they are coming up with such monstrosities as the new "sniper revolver." (Saw pictures, but the site that hosted them seems to have gone away. If I can find another, I'll post it.) S&W styling has always been a bit "hit and miss", but in the 21st century seems to have devolved to "miss and miss."
Glad I didn't go; I would have been too depressed to leave the hotel room!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Except here at the Revolver Liberation Alliance.
As I blogged just recently, Colt has demonstrated through their actions that they aren't interested in the revolver market. I even suggested that mention of a new revolver might be a ploy to make the company more attractive to potential buyers. You'd think that if they really had something going on, they'd show it at the industry's biggest trade show.
They didn't. End of story. (I remain ready to eat my words if they ever introduce this mythical new gun at some future show, but I suspect that I won't be needing to do so.)
In other SHOT news, Charter Arms, makers of "value priced" wheelguns, announced a line of left-handed revolvers. This would be big news if the guns were coming from a maker of high quality firearms, or even Taurus. From Charter it's just a curiosity. The honorable lefties amongst us deserve better.
Dan Wesson, lethargically owned for the last couple of years by CZ-USA, was finally showing a new Model 715. This would be exciting, except that the folks in Norwich proved that they couldn't make this decades-old design correctly last time, and I remain unconvinced that CZ management can do any better. (Let's face it: they've taken two years to produce one display example of a gun that they already had the plans, machinery, tooling, and parts to produce. Methinks they have hired some former Colt people to run the Dan Wesson division...)
Smith & Wesson is fast becoming the schizophrenic gun maker. One the one hand they're making modern "reproductions" of the guns from their heyday (though not to the same level of craftsmanship), while on the other they are coming up with such monstrosities as the new "sniper revolver." (Saw pictures, but the site that hosted them seems to have gone away. If I can find another, I'll post it.) S&W styling has always been a bit "hit and miss", but in the 21st century seems to have devolved to "miss and miss."
Glad I didn't go; I would have been too depressed to leave the hotel room!
-=[ Grant ]=-
BREAKING NEWS: Revolvers reclassified as "assault handguns"!
Wednesday, January 10,
2007
This from
an article in the Frederick News-Post
in Maryland:
Thanks to SaysUncle for the heads-up.
-=[ Grant ]=-
If a Cobra and a Diamondback are "assault handguns", what does that make a Python?? It seems that the old saw about stupidity and hydrogen being the most common things in the universe has been proven true in what used to be known as the "Free State."Seized from Vaisman's residence were a broad range of weapons including assault handguns. Among the weapons were at least one Colt Cobra and at least one Colt Diamondback.
Thanks to SaysUncle for the heads-up.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Get off the Colt bandwagon, already!
Monday, January 01,
2007
First things
first: Happy New Year!
Now, down to business: once again, I feel it necessary to inject some sanity into a topic that is all over the internet forums.
The latest concerns Colt and their supposed "re-entry" into the revolver market. Several months ago, a Colt executive was quoted in (if memory serves) Shotgun News to the effect that Colt was working on new revolver models.
As you can imagine, this set off a firestorm on the 'net. People were opining like there was no tomorrow about the possible wonderfulness that Colt could be coming up with. I still, months later, am reading the occasional thread wherein some eager enthusiast gleefully anticipates something new from Hartford "any day now!"
Let's look at this logically, OK?
Developing a new gun takes money and talent - and Colt has all but two of those. It's been fairly well established that they have little ready capital, and their massive layoffs over the last several years means that their pool of talent is a fraction of what it used to be - and I doubt that they had anyone as talented as the late, great Karl Lewis to begin with, let alone now.
What they do have, though, is a mothballed line of proven sellers - in this case, the Anaconda, King Cobra, and Magnum Carry revolvers. All are well regarded (even the King Cobra, which always lived in the shadow of the more famous Python), and are made of modern materials and designed from the ground up for automated production. They're sitting in the vaults, waiting to see the light of day, because Colt just voluntarily stopped producing them a few years ago.
So, imagine that you're the CEO of Colt. On the one hand, you've got some ready products that you know will sell, just waiting for you to flip the "on" switch. On the other hand, you could choose to design a new gun from scratch, even though you don't have the resources to do so. Which are you going to choose?
Well, if you're smart (and Colt hasn't been accused of that recently), you bring back the designs you have in the safe and simply start up the production lines again. Easy. Built in market. No development costs. Just start shipping.
But Colt isn't doing that.
Look at it this way: just the Magnum Carry alone would put them back squarely in the hottest segment of the market, which is concealed carry. The MC is a superb gun, and used examples are selling at multiples of their original prices. There is nothing on the market that is competitive with it; it could have a niche all to itself. Scarcely bigger than a S&W "J" frame, it carries a full 6 rounds of .357 goodness! What other gun can boast that? None.
Be absolutely clear on this concept: these are guns that have a built-in market, that they have facilities to produce, that they know how to produce, and that they've chosen not to produce. (That is, if they really wanted to be in the revolver market...)
So why would Colt imply that they're working on a new revolver design, when they won't even produce the proven sellers they have now, and likely don't even have the resources to come up with a new product?
Well, we know that they're up for sale, and the company has reportedly garnered little-to-no interest from potential buyers. But maybe, they're thinking, if they start a rumor that they've got this new, exciting design, it will stimulate enough industry buzz to interest someone in what's left of the grand old name.
Could I be wrong? You bet. In fact, if I am, I'm willing to eat a hearty plate of crow. But actions speak louder than press releases, and Colt's actions say that they have no interest in selling their existing revolvers - let alone make a new one.
(Hey - maybe CZ-USA could buy Colt, which would give them even more revolvers to not make!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Now, down to business: once again, I feel it necessary to inject some sanity into a topic that is all over the internet forums.
The latest concerns Colt and their supposed "re-entry" into the revolver market. Several months ago, a Colt executive was quoted in (if memory serves) Shotgun News to the effect that Colt was working on new revolver models.
As you can imagine, this set off a firestorm on the 'net. People were opining like there was no tomorrow about the possible wonderfulness that Colt could be coming up with. I still, months later, am reading the occasional thread wherein some eager enthusiast gleefully anticipates something new from Hartford "any day now!"
Let's look at this logically, OK?
Developing a new gun takes money and talent - and Colt has all but two of those. It's been fairly well established that they have little ready capital, and their massive layoffs over the last several years means that their pool of talent is a fraction of what it used to be - and I doubt that they had anyone as talented as the late, great Karl Lewis to begin with, let alone now.
What they do have, though, is a mothballed line of proven sellers - in this case, the Anaconda, King Cobra, and Magnum Carry revolvers. All are well regarded (even the King Cobra, which always lived in the shadow of the more famous Python), and are made of modern materials and designed from the ground up for automated production. They're sitting in the vaults, waiting to see the light of day, because Colt just voluntarily stopped producing them a few years ago.
So, imagine that you're the CEO of Colt. On the one hand, you've got some ready products that you know will sell, just waiting for you to flip the "on" switch. On the other hand, you could choose to design a new gun from scratch, even though you don't have the resources to do so. Which are you going to choose?
Well, if you're smart (and Colt hasn't been accused of that recently), you bring back the designs you have in the safe and simply start up the production lines again. Easy. Built in market. No development costs. Just start shipping.
But Colt isn't doing that.
Look at it this way: just the Magnum Carry alone would put them back squarely in the hottest segment of the market, which is concealed carry. The MC is a superb gun, and used examples are selling at multiples of their original prices. There is nothing on the market that is competitive with it; it could have a niche all to itself. Scarcely bigger than a S&W "J" frame, it carries a full 6 rounds of .357 goodness! What other gun can boast that? None.
Be absolutely clear on this concept: these are guns that have a built-in market, that they have facilities to produce, that they know how to produce, and that they've chosen not to produce. (That is, if they really wanted to be in the revolver market...)
So why would Colt imply that they're working on a new revolver design, when they won't even produce the proven sellers they have now, and likely don't even have the resources to come up with a new product?
Well, we know that they're up for sale, and the company has reportedly garnered little-to-no interest from potential buyers. But maybe, they're thinking, if they start a rumor that they've got this new, exciting design, it will stimulate enough industry buzz to interest someone in what's left of the grand old name.
Could I be wrong? You bet. In fact, if I am, I'm willing to eat a hearty plate of crow. But actions speak louder than press releases, and Colt's actions say that they have no interest in selling their existing revolvers - let alone make a new one.
(Hey - maybe CZ-USA could buy Colt, which would give them even more revolvers to not make!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
FRIDAY SURPRISE: You just can't make stuff like this up
Friday, December 29,
2006
Some random news
bits to round out the year...
So, according to Fox News, last Thanksgiving a man breaks into a barn, spray paints some goats, and leaves some porno behind. Guess he didn't have cable...(I'd comment on this story's interesting similarity to the town I grew up in, but thankfully I've managed to suppress those memories!)
In a story out of Russia - one that literally begs for a Yaakov Smirnoff joke - we learn that a pack of squirrels has attacked and killed a dog. What happens if they get guns? THIS:
Finally, in North Carolina they just aren't making desperate criminals like they used to. And "they" say that kids aren't affected by television!
Have a safe and sane New Year's celebration!
-=[ Grant ]=-
So, according to Fox News, last Thanksgiving a man breaks into a barn, spray paints some goats, and leaves some porno behind. Guess he didn't have cable...(I'd comment on this story's interesting similarity to the town I grew up in, but thankfully I've managed to suppress those memories!)
In a story out of Russia - one that literally begs for a Yaakov Smirnoff joke - we learn that a pack of squirrels has attacked and killed a dog. What happens if they get guns? THIS:
Finally, in North Carolina they just aren't making desperate criminals like they used to. And "they" say that kids aren't affected by television!
Have a safe and sane New Year's celebration!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Let's go the carnival - the gun carnival, that is!
Monday, December 25,
2006
Are you familiar
with the concept of a Blog Carnival? If not, you're missing out on
a great way to read about your favorite hobbies, activities, and
interests!
A Blog Carnival (or Festival) is a collection of links to blog entries that fit the subject matter of the Carnival. For instance, a Carnival of shooting will have links to blog posts that deal with the shooting sports, self defense, and other related topics. It's kind of like a gun show in concept, but without Beanie Babies.
For instance, for shooting and firearms topics there is the Carnival of Cordite, the Shooting Sunday Carnival, and the 2nd Amendment Carnival. If you want a lot of great information in one place, check them out!
But, you're asking yourself, how does one find out about Blog Carnivals? There's a great resource to locate carnivals on all sorts of topics: the Blog Carnival List. Check out some of their more interesting entries: the Carnival of Cheese, the Hellenic Religion Carnival, or the Naughty After Forty carnival.
(Hmmm...wonder which one of those will get the most hits??)
-=[ Grant ]=-
A Blog Carnival (or Festival) is a collection of links to blog entries that fit the subject matter of the Carnival. For instance, a Carnival of shooting will have links to blog posts that deal with the shooting sports, self defense, and other related topics. It's kind of like a gun show in concept, but without Beanie Babies.
For instance, for shooting and firearms topics there is the Carnival of Cordite, the Shooting Sunday Carnival, and the 2nd Amendment Carnival. If you want a lot of great information in one place, check them out!
But, you're asking yourself, how does one find out about Blog Carnivals? There's a great resource to locate carnivals on all sorts of topics: the Blog Carnival List. Check out some of their more interesting entries: the Carnival of Cheese, the Hellenic Religion Carnival, or the Naughty After Forty carnival.
(Hmmm...wonder which one of those will get the most hits??)
-=[ Grant ]=-
After-action report: not much to report
Friday, December 15,
2006
Our big wind storm
came and went, and I'm still here!
Winds in my area gusted to just a tad over 60mph; while our lights flickered (and we were treated to a transformer blowing up down the block), we never lost power. Guess the power company has hardened their distribution system in the last few years!
The storm did have a good effect: my neighbor, who has a tree trimming and removal company, is swamped with work. Judging from the number of downed trees just in our area, he's going to have plenty on his plate for the next week or so.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Winds in my area gusted to just a tad over 60mph; while our lights flickered (and we were treated to a transformer blowing up down the block), we never lost power. Guess the power company has hardened their distribution system in the last few years!
The storm did have a good effect: my neighbor, who has a tree trimming and removal company, is swamped with work. Judging from the number of downed trees just in our area, he's going to have plenty on his plate for the next week or so.
-=[ Grant ]=-
FRIDAY SURPRISE: Goodbye to Tom Cruise's most famous ride
Friday, October 20,
2006
The Navy retired
the F-14 "Tomcat" fighter last month. The F-14, one of the premier
fighter aircraft of all time, is being replaced by the
F/A-18.
The F-14 grew out of a failure. In the 1960s Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was on a mission to standardize all kinds of equipment across the various military services - everything from boots to rifles to aircraft. He decided that the Navy (who, remember, operates airplanes off of short aircraft carriers) could use the same fighter as the Air Force (who operate from nice, long runways.) He decreed that the Navy should adopt a variant of the Air Force F-111A, to be designated the F-111B.
The F-111 wasn't exactly a rousing success in its original role, and despite throwing huge amounts of money at the modification project it never did make any of the Navy's goals. It remained grossly overweight, had extremely poor visibility for carrier landings, and at the medium speeds the Navy anticipated it to operate it had less than stellar maneuverability. It proved to be less suitable for the role than the plane it was to replace, the F-4 Phantom II.
It should go without saying that F-111B project died a horrible death, and the F-14 project was initiated. What the Navy got was one of the premier fighter aircraft ever made, and also one of the most visually striking. After giving yeoman service for 34 years, the Tomcat received a heartfelt farewell from the Navy.
F-14 FAQ
Tomcat Alley: The F-14 Site
-=[ Grant ]=-
The F-14 grew out of a failure. In the 1960s Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was on a mission to standardize all kinds of equipment across the various military services - everything from boots to rifles to aircraft. He decided that the Navy (who, remember, operates airplanes off of short aircraft carriers) could use the same fighter as the Air Force (who operate from nice, long runways.) He decreed that the Navy should adopt a variant of the Air Force F-111A, to be designated the F-111B.
The F-111 wasn't exactly a rousing success in its original role, and despite throwing huge amounts of money at the modification project it never did make any of the Navy's goals. It remained grossly overweight, had extremely poor visibility for carrier landings, and at the medium speeds the Navy anticipated it to operate it had less than stellar maneuverability. It proved to be less suitable for the role than the plane it was to replace, the F-4 Phantom II.
It should go without saying that F-111B project died a horrible death, and the F-14 project was initiated. What the Navy got was one of the premier fighter aircraft ever made, and also one of the most visually striking. After giving yeoman service for 34 years, the Tomcat received a heartfelt farewell from the Navy.
F-14 FAQ
Tomcat Alley: The F-14 Site
-=[ Grant ]=-
The Carnival is back in town!
Wednesday, October 18,
2006
The
Carnival of Cordite, that is!
That's right, once again you can get your fix of the best gun blogs on the net. This is a great one - lots of links. Take a look!
-=[ Grant ]=-
That's right, once again you can get your fix of the best gun blogs on the net. This is a great one - lots of links. Take a look!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Brits and illegal guns - one more time
Monday, October 02,
2006
A while back, I told you about the Brits
tracing the source of
the illegal guns in their country to a ring operating out of New
Jersey. Sounded a bit fishy to me...
Well, now we learn that the problem isn't people from New Jersey - it's their own soldiers bringing back stolen guns from Iraq! Of course, this won't matter to the Europeans who belong to the Blame America First Club, but I find it ironic.
Note to Tony Blair: you worry about your mess, we'll worry about ours. Heaven knows that we both have enough to deal with...
-=[ Grant ]=-
Well, now we learn that the problem isn't people from New Jersey - it's their own soldiers bringing back stolen guns from Iraq! Of course, this won't matter to the Europeans who belong to the Blame America First Club, but I find it ironic.
Note to Tony Blair: you worry about your mess, we'll worry about ours. Heaven knows that we both have enough to deal with...
-=[ Grant ]=-
California arresting law-abiding gun owners
Monday, September 25,
2006
I hate to keep
harping on Californians, but come on people - a sunny climate
really can't be worth these continuing assaults on your
constitutional liberties, can it? Are you really so fond of your
upwardly mobile lifestyles that you're willing to voluntarily
surrender your freedoms by continuing to live there?
Read about the latest raids here.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Read about the latest raids here.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Brits prove - AGAIN - that gun laws don't work
Wednesday, September 13,
2006
A tip of the
Revolver Liberation Alliance ball cap (now available here) to Tamara K., who blogged
this CNN story over at the View From The Porch.
So, let's see if I've got this straight: the British police, enforcers of some of the toughest gun laws in the world, busted a gun running operation whose pipeline originated in New Jersey - home of some of the toughest gun laws in the United States? What's wrong with this picture? I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count...
(Oh, and a fat raspberry to Associated Press, who just had to point out the American flag hanging over the porch at the offending house in Britain - a "large" flag, as the article made sure to mention. That, people, is what we call a "cheap shot.")
-=[ Grant ]=-
So, let's see if I've got this straight: the British police, enforcers of some of the toughest gun laws in the world, busted a gun running operation whose pipeline originated in New Jersey - home of some of the toughest gun laws in the United States? What's wrong with this picture? I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count...
(Oh, and a fat raspberry to Associated Press, who just had to point out the American flag hanging over the porch at the offending house in Britain - a "large" flag, as the article made sure to mention. That, people, is what we call a "cheap shot.")
-=[ Grant ]=-
Thoughts on the death of Steve Irwin
Tuesday, September 05,
2006
In case you missed
it, Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin died this weekend after taking a
stingray barb to the chest. He was a man who engendered strong
opinions from all who saw him. Loud, brash, seemingly without fear,
he was certainly a unique personality on television.
What I find intriguing about his death is that he died the way that he said he wanted to (albeit not from a croc):
He died doing what he loved, and that is - to me at least - far preferable to wasting away in a bed in a care facility. Having witnessed such a death, I don't wish it on anyone, least of all me! I hope to go the way Irwin did, a death as large as his life.
I'll leave you with some of my favorite quotes, ideals to which I aspire:
-=[ Grant ]=-
What I find intriguing about his death is that he died the way that he said he wanted to (albeit not from a croc):
"Even if a big old alligator is chewing me up I want to go down and go, 'Crikey!' just before I die. That would be the ultimate for me."
He died doing what he loved, and that is - to me at least - far preferable to wasting away in a bed in a care facility. Having witnessed such a death, I don't wish it on anyone, least of all me! I hope to go the way Irwin did, a death as large as his life.
I'll leave you with some of my favorite quotes, ideals to which I aspire:
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, But rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming WOW --- WHAT A RIDE!!!" - Author Unknown
"You gotta be original, because if you're like someone else, what do they need you for?" - Bernadette Peters
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." - Steve Jobs
-=[ Grant ]=-
California: on the leading edge of gun prohibition - again
Friday, September 01,
2006
The California Senate has passed a bill
that requires
"microstamping", which imprints each fired case with a unique
identifier from gun in which it was fired.
As usual, Tamara K. at The View From The Porch has a great analysis of the situation. Check it out.
I hate to sound harsh, but how long are all you California gun owners going to put up with these kinds of gun control plans? Haven't you figured out that they just don't want you in their state?
-=[ Grant ]=-
As usual, Tamara K. at The View From The Porch has a great analysis of the situation. Check it out.
I hate to sound harsh, but how long are all you California gun owners going to put up with these kinds of gun control plans? Haven't you figured out that they just don't want you in their state?
-=[ Grant ]=-
Winchester is no more, and the buzzards are circling
Wednesday, August 30,
2006
It's all over except the wailing and gnashing of
teeth.
In case you haven't heard - and I don't see how one couldn't have - Winchester has closed its doors permanently. The auction of the remainder of their manufacturing facility is September 27 & 28.
Another sad day in firearms history.
-=[ Grant ]=-
In case you haven't heard - and I don't see how one couldn't have - Winchester has closed its doors permanently. The auction of the remainder of their manufacturing facility is September 27 & 28.
Another sad day in firearms history.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Great firearms links: The Carnival of Cordite
Monday, August 28,
2006
The Carnival of Cordite is a
regular collection of up-to-the-minute links to current gun topics
and discussions. No matter what your shooting interest, you're
likely to find something
that you just have to read!
-=[ Grant ]=-
-=[ Grant ]=-
A new feature: the FRIDAY SURPRISE
Friday, August 25,
2006
Here in Oregon, we once had a thriving retail
enterprise known as Meier & Frank. M&F, as their logo
appeared, was a department store in the grand old tradition - think
of what a Nordstrom department store would look like, and you have
Meier & Frank. The store expanded to several stores here in the
northwest, but never got really "big"; many years ago the family
sold out to a corporation, and the circus began.
Since then, the small but elegant little chain has had several owners (and bad management teams), culminating in their recent acquisition by Macy's.
We should have sensed that this behemoth from the east was up to no good, in the way that RiteAid (another large eastern corporation that purchased another homegrown chain, Payless Drugs) proved to be. Sure enough, Macy's announced that they would eliminate the venerable Meier & Frank name and paste their own (far less stylish) moniker on their buildings.
It is the end of a fond era.
But why "Friday Surprise"? Back in the good old pre-corporate-takeover days, Meier & Frank had a tradition of having some special sale or event every Friday. It was never advertised, but everyone knew about the Friday Surprise. So, to keep the memory of an Oregon institution alive, I'm inaugurating my own version of the Friday Surprise. This is where I hope to share all of the wilder (non-gun related) stories that I come across, pictures, events, personal stuff, and so on.
I hope you enjoy it!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Since then, the small but elegant little chain has had several owners (and bad management teams), culminating in their recent acquisition by Macy's.
We should have sensed that this behemoth from the east was up to no good, in the way that RiteAid (another large eastern corporation that purchased another homegrown chain, Payless Drugs) proved to be. Sure enough, Macy's announced that they would eliminate the venerable Meier & Frank name and paste their own (far less stylish) moniker on their buildings.
It is the end of a fond era.
But why "Friday Surprise"? Back in the good old pre-corporate-takeover days, Meier & Frank had a tradition of having some special sale or event every Friday. It was never advertised, but everyone knew about the Friday Surprise. So, to keep the memory of an Oregon institution alive, I'm inaugurating my own version of the Friday Surprise. This is where I hope to share all of the wilder (non-gun related) stories that I come across, pictures, events, personal stuff, and so on.
I hope you enjoy it!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Revolver history has been made!
Monday, August 14,
2006
Thanks to the precision machining abilities of the Swiss, we now have the world's first revolver that presents a greater hazard from choking than from firing!
I'm not sure whether I'm more amazed with the workmanship, or that police organizations in this country are so imbecilic as to believe that this thing actually constitutes a hazard. As one blogger put it, someone armed with a Sharpie marker is more dangerous!
So, in salute to the vacuous hand-wringers in our media (and their sycophants everywhere), I hereby resurrect the feel-good mantra "won't SOMEBODY PLEASE think of the children?!?!?"
(You heard it here first, folks!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
My family's weddings are a bit "different"
Wednesday, August 09,
2006
This last weekend was the large wedding of one of my close relatives. Since we're known as the "Second Amendment Family", the day would not be complete without some sort of ballistic celebration. What we came up with fit the occasion perfectly.
One of my cousins handloaded some special 12ga shotgun shells with birdseed. (That's right, SEED, not SHOT!) He used a 100% cotton wadding for biodegradability, and a very small amount of powder. (We had originally thought that primers alone would be sufficient to propel the lightweight charge out of the barrel, but that proved to not be the case.) The resulting rounds sent their payload out of a vertical barrel some 25 to 30 feet, and the sound level was approximately that of a .22 Short - just enough to attract attention but not so much that anyone's hearing would be in jeopardy.
After thoroughly checking the shotguns for non-approved ammo, and making sure that no one had any such ammunition on their person, our little Matrimony Militia (a grand total of 4 people) met the happy couple at the entrance of the reception area. We announced them, and (with the best military precision that a bunch of civilians could muster) fired our rounds straight into the air - muzzles held high, well above anyone's head, of course.
The effect was perfect - the birdseed rained down and thoroughly covered the bride and groom, who were surprised and greatly amused at their "shotgun wedding." Their photographer even stifled her laughter enough to thoroughly document the prank, and I'm quite certain that this was a first for her too!
If you are moved to try this, remember SAFETY FIRST. We made sure that everyone involved behaved in a safe manner, from the loading of the rounds to the storage of arms afterwards. The rounds were completely biodegradable (save for the hulls, naturally) and we made sure that all of the standard safety rules were obeyed. Of course, this was well before the bar was opened and absolutely no alcohol was permitted until after the arms were stored in locked trunks. (The fact that this event was held outdoors on private property made the whole thing possible. DO NOT try this at a church or indoors!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Let's look at something greater than ourselves for a change
Wednesday, August 02,
2006
NASA maintains a great website called "Astronomy Picture of the Day". As the name implies, they put up a new picture each day, along with a plain-language explanation by an astronomer.
Be sure to check out their archives - there are some terrific pictures in their collection. Sure to pique anyone's curiosity about what is beyond our little world!
Here's one of my favorites: The Eskimo Nebula.
Sometimes my wildest imaginings pale in comparison to reality. This is one of those times.
-=[ Grant ]=-
When I was a kid we called them "lazy"
Monday, July 31, 2006
The New York Times has a maddening story about men who won't take jobs that are "beneath them" - and end up jobless for years.
Folks, I'm not all that old - I'm still a long way from the big "five oh" - but I was taught that a real man would take a job (any job) to help feed and support his family. The concept of "demeaning" or "beneath me" wasn't mentioned, let alone considered. You had responsibilities, and you did what it took to meet them.
I know it's an old fashioned point of view, and I'm sure the psychologists would say something about it being bad for one's self-esteem, but part of being a man is doing what needs to be done regardless of your feelings. If that means taking a job that is below your self-imposed social status, that's what you do; if it means taking two or three such jobs, then that's what you do.
Apparently these "men" never learned that. Perhaps it's time that someone knocked the concept through their thickened skulls?
-=[ Grant ]=-
Quote of the Week
Friday, July 28, 2006
Pardon my bashing of the French (after all, they do manufacture the superb Manurhin MR-73 revolver), but from James Taranto at the WSJ comes this gem:
"Tour de France winner Floyd Landis denied on Thursday taking performance-enhancing drugs during the race and said he would fight to clear his name after testing positive for the male sex hormone testosterone," Reuters reports.
Only the French would consider the presence of testosterone in a man's system suspicious.
-=[Grant ]=-
Another training vs. intelligence issue?
Wednesday, July 26,
2006
Remember the story I posted a while back about the Washington state police officer who couldn't tell the difference between a Taser and a loaded pistol (wherein the Taser was a bad choice for the circumstance, let alone a firearm)?
Well, the Northwest thankfully does not have a lock on civil servants with sub-par intellects: three New York officers caught in their own crossfire.
What part of "make sure of your target, and what is beyond" didn't these people understand? "Here's your sign!"
-=[ Grant ]=-
Some people are really too stupid for words
Monday, July 24, 2006
Found on the "pdb" blog:
Blind man fatally shoots wife while trying to handle gun, food
MORGANTON - AP
A legally blind man fatally shot his wife while trying to balance a plate of fried chicken and a pistol, authorities said.
Kelly Honeycutt of Morganton was holding a .38-caliber pistol he found in a box while he and his wife were moving into a new home Monday night, said Burke County Sheriff's Sgt. Robert Beall said. He accidentally shot his wife Norita in the head after she handed her wheelchair-bound husband a plate of chicken, Beall said.
Beall said no charges were filed by investigators, but the case was sent to the county prosecutor's office for a final determination.
Beall said the husband was more than 50 percent blind, had limited movement and was in advanced stages of multiple sclerosis. His wife was his caretaker.
"They had a storybook marriage," Beall said. "No history of domestic violence, no indication of alcohol abuse. It just looks like a case of bad timing while handling a gun."
-=[ Grant ]=-
Every once in a while, the New York Times surprises me
Wednesday, July 19,
2006
The New York Times ran this article on getting a concealed weapons permit in Texas. What's surprising is the relative lack (for the NYT, of course) of fear-mongering, class bigotry, or gratuitous put-downs.
Does this mean they've come over to our side? Nawww, but maybe some of their on-the-fence readers will!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Everyone needs a hobby...
Monday, July 17, 2006
He did it!
Friday, July 14, 2006
Have you been following the story of Kyle MacDonald? He started a year ago with a single red paperclip, with the stated goal of trading up in a series of transactions to a house. It was an ambitious plan, and this week he achieves his goal.
Now, I just wonder; could I use the same idea to trade my way into one of those juicy Korth revolvers? Hmmmm.......
-=[ Grant ]=-
News from the IRC
Wednesday, July 12,
2006
In case you missed it, the IRC (International Revolver Championship) were held last month. As usual, Jerry Miculek won (no news there!) This year, however, a new entrant came in at second place, edging out the man who usually takes that slot: Vic Pickett.
The shooter was...Rob Leatham! That's right, good ol' Rob, he of 1911/IPSC fame. What you may not remember is that Rob is a revolver shooter from way back; he shot revolvers at the Bianchi cup before switching - with the rest of the field - to autoloaders. He's no stranger to the wheelgun, certainly!
But that isn't the most interesting thing - the intriguing part is that he shot in the stock gun class, shooting against Jerry (and Vic) who are in open class (optics and compensators.) That's a show of sheer talent, folks. When you can shoot with essentially no hardware assistance against top competitors who are equipped with the best technology available, you're good. Very good. Of course, anyone familiar with Rob's shooting career already knew that!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Celebrity endorsements enter a new era
Friday, June 30, 2006
Seems that former 'Baywatch' babe - and little else of consequence - Carmen Electra is promoting a new investment opportunity.
She'll undoubtedly "convince" a few people to invest - and odds are that all of them will be males under the age of 35.
Hey, sex sells. Just don't expect me to don a Speedo for any advertisement
-=[ Grant ]=-
Methinks Kitsap County, WA deputies need more training
Monday, June 26, 2006
...and better pre-hire screening.
Scenario: admittedly bizarre individual is 30 feet up in a tree. Deputy, who according to the article "wanted to get him down before he hurt himself or others", decides that the appropriate response is to use a Taser. Trouble is, the deputy draws pistol instead of Taser and shoots the man in the leg!
Aside from the obvious stupidity, think about this: the man is up in a tree, approximately the height of a two-story house roof. The deputy decides that the way to get him down is to use a device that disrupts one's motor control. If the deputy had used the Taser, the man would quite probably have fallen 30 feet to the ground!
What outcome did the deputy expect - that the guy would suffer a fall from that height with no injuries? How does this square with the quote about not allowing the man to hurt himself? It doesn't, and that's the problem.
The deputy made two egregious errors - one in judgment, and one in performance. This is someone who should really be doing something else for a living...."you want fries with that??"
-=[ Grant ]=-
How To Recognize Sheeple, Chapter 1
Friday, June 23, 2006
Sheeple are afraid of flashing red lights.
The short story: a bartender lost his grip on reality when he saw a flashing red light on a window display for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Apparently convinced that this was a bomb, he called the police - who, rather than using their heads, evacuated the hotel.
Why is this important to you? Because the people now taking the reigns of power and influence in this country have had their world view shaped by prime time television - where all bombs have flashing red lights and all guns are bad, and giving up a little freedom for some safety is perfectly acceptable. See the connection?
These are the people who vote for anti-freedom politicians; they sit on juries and award ridiculous "pain and suffering" judgments; they go to town meetings and, no matter what the topic, scream hackneyed phrases such as "won't someone please think of the children?" They do these things because they live in a permanent fantasy, where all bombs have flashing red lights, and they have no clue that the real world isn't like what they see on "The West Wing."
It would be funny if their actions weren't so onerous...
-=[ Grant ]=-
Slavery still exists in America...
Friday, June 16, 2006
It's easy to believe that we aren't like other countries; it's hard to imagine that something as horrific as the trafficking of human beings occurs right under our very noses. But it does, and police are having a hard time combatting the problem.
This report details some of the fight against the sub-humans who engage in this "business."
-=[ Grant ]=-
We're almost there
Friday, June 16, 2006
A friend pointed out this article to me. Seems that the total number of legally owned firearms in America is now approaching 290 million, while our population is right around 298 million. We're close to having one firearm for every person in America! (If only they were all revolvers...)
While you're reading that article at Say Uncle, subscribe to their RSS feed. Lots of good gun news comes out of that site!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Another personal data theft
Wednesday, June 14,
2006
Apparently the experts at the National Nuclear Security Administration aren't as careful with their computer data as their name would indicate. Approximately 1,500 people who work for agency contractors were stolen in September 2005 - but not reported until June 9, 2006!
Yep - these are the guys I trust to keep me safe, you betcha. (In case you missed it, that's what we refer to as 'sarcasm'.)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Are you a Bank of America customer?
Wednesday, June 14,
2006
Maybe you shouldn't be...
Seems that BofA is shipping some of their jobs to India (where else?) Not only are they displacing workers, tearing apart lives and contributing to the outflow of jobs from this country, they're adding insult to injury by requiring the to-be-fired workers to train their Indian replacements - under threat of not receiving a severance package!
Read the whole nasty story here.
I'm not a BofA customer, but if I was I'd pull my money out in a heartbeat.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Veteran's Affairs identity theft case grows
Wednesday, June 07,
2006
It seems that the stolen data from a misbehaving VA employee's laptop covers more people than originally thought: it now includes 2.2 million current U.S. military personnel.
But don't think that this is unique - there have been a huge number of data leaks like this in the last year, most of which you never heard about. Check this list of recent data security breaches, then go check your credit report.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Should stupidity be a revenue stream?
Friday, May 19, 2006
Remember Lee Paige, the DEA agent who shot himself in the foot in front of a class of school kids - not to mention a video camera? Well, he's back - and suing the government because, well, because it's a sure way to get rich.
Favorite quote: "He also notes that he is no longer permitted or able to give educational motivational speeches and presentations."
No kidding?!?
-=[ Grant ]=-
The amazing self-destructing revolvers
Friday, May 19, 2006
Many people have been following the situation with the North Carolina Dep't of Corrections and their self-destructing S&W revolvers. If you haven't, here's a link to the story.
These pictures of one such occurrence have been floating around the net:
I've been exchanging emails with C.E. "Ed" Harris, who many will remember from his days as the head of Q.C. at Ruger - when they experienced a similar problem. Here's what he had to say:
"Old problem rearing its ugly head again, not really a new problem. A troublesome sporadic one when people forget about good shop practices and get sloppy.
Stress corrosion cracking is generally caused by contamination by solvents or cutting fluids too high in chlorides. Over-torquing barrels barrels creates a stress rise at the root of the thread which makes the problem worse. Microscopic examination of the failed barrels would be obvious to a competent
engineer, especially familiar to those with aerospace or nuclear power systems experience.
Ruger had a short run of this back in the 1980s when they first starting making stainless magnums. I saw a few dozen guns come back when I worked there. All were traced to one guy on night shift who was over-torquing barrels on Redhawks which didn't quite line up, instead of taking a pass off the front of the frame on a Blanchard grinder as he should have done. He also used a wrong, slippery high sulphur thread lubricant intended for chrome-moly instead of the anti-seize compound used with SS.
This condition is aggravated by tight fit of barrel threads, such as when using a class 3A, combined with high stress, high temperature, and high barrel torque. Ruger fixed their problem by changing to a looser 2A fit on the barrel threads and assembling barrels to the frames using a Loctite product to cement them solidly while reducing stress on the threads and positively preventing any seepage of cleaning solvents into the barrel threads after they left the factory."
If true, this wouldn't be the first time S&W has over-torqued a barrel: the Model 442 Airweight Centennials, particularly in nickel finish, are somewhat notorious for frame cracks under the barrel. A phone conversation with a S&W representative confirmed to me that the cracked frames were caused by barrels that had been screwed in "too tightly."
However, there's always the possibility of user error, such as the use of certain products that contain chlorine compounds (brand name removed for obvious reasons):
"Use of [lubricants containing chlorine compounds] "could" do it, as could any number of other cleaners, especially if used with an ultrasonic which enhances thread penetration."
There are certain "miracle" gun lubricant products out there that contain chlorine compounds, and have become popular amongst the more "martial" crowd. In addition, ultrasonic cleaners have been very popular at many police agencies over the last decade or so.
Well, I got an email from one of the employees at the agency, and he claims that they use Hoppes bore cleaner, and that they do not have an ultrasonic!
So we're back to the first possibility. Given Ed's expertise, I suspect that his analysis is the correct one.
-=[ Grant ]=-
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