My fascination with old and abandoned things often leads to dreams
of great discoveries. Though I've been to a few abandoned places -
all of which are pretty well known, at least locally - I'm
handicapped by geography. Here in rural Oregon, there just aren't
many such places.
There weren't enough people here to have produced a large
urban/industrial base a century ago, our technological history
doesn't go back much more than 175 years in any case, and we've
never exactly been a hotbed of military activity. Thus my dreams of
being the first (or, at least, one of the very few) to visit such a
site remain elusive.
Other people are more fortunate. A British film crew just last year
found the remains of the Aqua Traiana headwaters, the beginnings of
a lost aqueduct that once supplied Rome with fresh water. It's
beautiful and amazingly well preserved, and all lying below a pig
pasture near the village of Manziana, just northwest of Rome.
Just because something's old, doesn't mean that it isn't useful.
That's the apparent philosophy behind one of my favorite places to
spend money: Lindsay's Technical Books.
Lindsay's primary business is reprinting out of print and public
domain books on a wide range of technical topics. If you want to
learn how to run a lathe, construct things out of sheet metal, do
chemistry experiments, build a radio, embalm a body, repair a
locomotive, make paint, or just about anything else from the last
century, Lindsay probably has a book on the subject. That book,
most likely, will only be available from them.
Some of the titles are obscure while some are better known, and
occasionally you'll find one that was once considered the standard
in its field. One of these is the classic "How To Run A Lathe", by
the South Bend lathe company. Many older machinists started their
careers with that book, and Lindsay's is the place to buy a fresh
copy.
(When I was barely a teenager and apprenticing as a watch &
clockmaker, one of my primary references was a book called "The
Watchmaker's Lathe" by Ward Goodrich. At the time it was widely
available, but went out of print a number of years back. Lindsay
acquired it, and now reprints that classic title. It's a bit
disconcerting to see a book from my personal past being sold by a
purveyor of "antique" information!)
A small selection of their books are current, commercially
available titles, while others are specialized works that would
have no other sales venue were it not for Lindsay's odd
clientele.
Of course they have a website (www.lindsaybks.com), but don't expect much.
First, only a small fraction of their titles are on their site -
you need to request a printed catalog to see what's available. Even
then, you won't receive a comprehensive catalog, but after a few
quarterly issues you'll have a pretty good idea of what they've
got.
You can order online, but it's in the form of a secure email: you
type in the catalog number and part of the title - no point &
click or shopping cart at Lindsay's!
They're not convenient, can be downright cantankerous (spend some
time rummaging through the site for a taste of their collective
personality), but they're always fun and educational. When the
latest Lindsay's catalog comes in the mail, I've been known to drop
everything just to browse their latest offerings. If you have even
a passing interest in technology gone by, I guarantee you'll find a
way to spend money with them, too.
Back in 1999 there was a Titan missile base for sale in California
- Chico, if memory serves. If the salesman's information was to be
believed, it was it great good condition, unlike most such
abandoned facilities. I was fascinated by the possibilities of one
of those huge complexes, but it was my brother who came up with the
bright idea to buy the thing, convert it into a "Y2K Survival
Community", and sell condos to rich people skittish about the
coming millennium.
He figured that the three silos - each 150 deep and 55 feet in
diameter - would net 45 condos of about 2,300 square feet each.
Were there that many gullible millionaires who could be relieved of
their money, if they could be assured that their families would
survive the coming catastrophe? People in Hollywood are infamous
for their susceptibility to even wilder schemes, so it seemed
plausible.
Of course we never got beyond the talking stage, and as we all know
nothing much happened on New Years Day 2000. It was fun to
speculate and scheme, though!
That was as close as I ever got to one of those behemoth
underground complexes. I've always wanted to visit one, but never
have, and thus have settled for doing so vicariously.
Just as I did withthisandthisfrom
www.terrastories.com
An email popped into my box on Monday which asked "do you have a
favorite knife steel?" As it happens, I do!
Oregon seems to be a mecca for knife enthusiasts. We boast what is
reputedly the largest knife show in the world (the annual Oregon
Knife Collectors Association show), along with a stellar list of
native knife companies: Benchmade. Kershaw. Al Mar. Gerber. Lone
Wolf. Columbia River Knife & Tool.
If that's not enough, Oregon is home to some of the greatest knife
designers and custom makers, people like Bob Lum, Wayne Goddard,
Bill Harsey, Butch Valloton, Jess Horn, and Ron Lake - as well as a
veritable army of well regarded "up and comers."
With all this edginess around me, is it any wonder I have an
opinion?!?
I've owned knives made from D2, O1, 1095, VG-10, ATS-34, 154CM,
S30v, and probably some I've forgotten about. Of all those
different materials, from a number of different makers, my favorite
steel is one most people consider pedestrian: Sandvik 13C26 (and
its derivatives.)
Sandvik steels are made specifically for cutlery, and boast an
exceedingly fine grain structure. When properly heat treated (in
the area of 58-60 Rc) they make a blade that holds an edge
surprisingly well, won't chip like some of the more esoteric types,
and is still easy to resharpen. As an all-around daily use steel,
I've not found anything that will surpass it.
I know it's not very exciting, and it's not sexy, and it's not high
tech. It just works well at cutting things, which is what I want my
knives to do. My knives get used every single day around the farm,
and I want blades that perform well under such heavy use. Sandvik
steels do so, well enough that I actually seek out those
manufacturers who use the stuff.
I'm novexillologist, nor do I play one on TV. I
am, however, fascinated by historical flags. The synthesis of
design, color, and history make them irresistible (to me, at
least.)
Take the flags of the American Revolution, for example. Everyone
knows the Gadsen flag:
Far fewer are familiar with the Fort Moultrie flag:
In case you weren't aware, my background includes a stint as a
watch & clock maker. That's where I learned my precision
machining skills, and honed my ability to deal with very
complicated devices in which each part has to work perfectly.
I've always been fascinated with timekeepers. I'm not all that keen
on the sway they hold over our lives, and I'm hardly obsessive
about the flows and uses of time, but the mechanisms (and the way
in which they transmit information to humans) intrigue me. Over the
years I've owned some unusual clocks, butDark Roasted Blend brings us a great article on some
really "out there" watches and clocks.
(I'm a little surprised that they didn't include one of the iconic
"mystery clocks" of the 1960s, and one of my all-time favorites,
the Jefferson "Golden Hour" clock:
Somewhere in my pile of old clock parts I have one of these. Maybe
I should dig it out and get it running again - it would look great
on my desk!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
A nebula in the form of a hollow tube. What does it look like from
inside? Sadly, we'll probably never know. In the meantime, Hubble
can show us the outside, and generate wonder at what the rest of
the universe holds. Not bad for a day's work, eh?
The Friday Surprise, for anyone who's been paying attention, is
often devoted to my love of the old and abandoned. (My arch
nemesis, TomW, will no doubt be along soon to point out that
revolvers fit into those categories. Thought I'd beat you to the
punch, Tommy!)
Where was I? Oh, right...anyhow, many times I'll drive along a
little-used road out on the middle of nowhere (Oregon has a lot of
that) and see an abandoned homestead. They always get me to
wondering: why did people walk away from that home? Why didn't
someone else take it over? Was it a lack of something, or an
overabundance of something else? Of course I never find the
answers, but the questions come back with the next deserted
abode.
With that in mind, It's not surprising that I found this
article,Wrong Side Of
The Tracks, more than a little
interesting. It's an informed look at how neighborhoods become
extinct, about how a single house may not always be the whole
story, and how this kind of occurrence isn't confined to the
hinterlands. A great read.
The combination of abandoned structures and obsolete technology is,
to me, irresistible. Radio facilities, underground communications
bunkers, and fortifications of all kinds fascinate me to no
end.
As you might imagine, abandoned power stations would be near the
top of my "can't get enough of that" list, andDark Roasted Blend brings us a
bunch.
One of them is here in Oregon - I know where the building is, but
wasn't aware is was a power plant. I'm glad someone was:
In 1936, an audacious Henry Luce changed the way we looked at the
world. He took a staid publication, gave it a new,
photojournalistic makeover, and created the legendary LIFE
Magazine.
Luce hired the best photographers he could find, and sent them out
to cover whatever was interesting - if not always the biggest
story. LIFE became the must-read periodical for the next several
decades, owing to a combination of superior illustration and good
writing. People of my generation, and those of the previous one,
can easily remember at least one great LIFE photo - if not a whole
bunch. That's what LIFE was about, and it is not too great a
stretch to say that LIFE defined American photojournalism.
Many of LIFE's photographers would become well-known, like Margaret
Bourke-White...
Alfred Eisenstadt...
Gordon Parks...
Ralph Morse...
Robert Capa...
Joen Loengard...
Co Rentmeester...
...as well as many more whose names weren't as familiar, but were
stupendous "shooters" in their own right. LIFE was THE gig to have,
and it attracted (and got) the best talent.
Now, in the digital era,Google and TIME have teamed up to bring the entire
LIFE photo archive to the web. The hundreds of thousands
of images in the LIFE vault are being digitized and indexed by
Google as fast as their scanners will scan. At this moment, only
about 20% of the collection has been archived - but more photos are
added every day, and they hope to be finished with the project in
mere months.
The collection includes everything - photos that have been
published, and those that haven't. You'll get to see images that
didn't make the "cut", those that weren't good enough to be
published, as well as those iconic images for which LIFE was so
well known.
I've written before of my appreciation for the mighty Saturn V
rocket. It was, for my generation, perhaps the singular embodiment
of American achievement. It showed the world what we were capable
of doing when we set our mind to it, in a most spectacular fashion.
(Quaint patriotism? Perhaps. I'm not normally prone to such things,
but the launch of a Saturn V was always a huge event when I was a
kid, and occasionally I miss the "old days." Somehow the Oprah Show
isn't on the same level of accomplishment, but many people in this
country apparently believe it to be!)
The Saturn V - the largest rocket ever made, and the crowning glory
of Dr. Werner von Braun - celebrated its 41st birthday this week.
It didn't need any candles, being able to provide fireworks all by
itself!
Here it is, November 9,
1967, just before coming to life for the very first time. Happy
(belated) Birthday, Saturn V!
Growing up on a farm it was necessary to know how to tie a knot.
One had to be able to secure a load in the back of a pickup, lash a
load of hay to a trailer (we didn't have those ratcheting tie-downs
back then), or tie a tent down to it's pegs. It's not as if I
learned a whole passel of knots, just a few well-proven ones that
were useful in our day-to-day endeavors.
Knots can be both functional and beautiful, though, and in the last
year or so I've learned how to do some fancier braiding and
knot-tying. A lot of my inspiration comes fromStormdrane's
blog- he's always finding neat
things to do with cordage!
Spend some time on his site; it's fascinating and somewhat
addicting. (Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go order some more
paracord...)
Some of you may remember that I have a thing for old, abandoned
places. You may also remember that this predilection most
emphatically includes mines. I've been in a number of them with my
buddy Dan, or my cousin Tim, or both of them. (In fact, they got me
into mine exploring: "hey, Grant, if you like old buildings you'll
LOVE old mines!" They were right.)
It was with great joy, then, that I found theAbandoned Mines of
NY/NJ site. Nice layout, and the pics
are beautifully detailed. Go, and prepare to be captivated.
Nope. This is the Middle East. Yes, it is! It's the beautiful
country of Lebanon.
Hard to believe? What's hard to believe is that people go to Dubai
instead of Baalbeck!
I have good friends who are from Lebanon; from them I've learned a
great deal about the country, the people, and the history. Lebanon
is truly the jewel of the Middle East, with a beautiful coastline,
verdant valleys, and ski resorts. (Yes. Skiing. In the Middle East.
With real snow on real mountains, unlike the artificial stuff that
attracts crowds in Dubai.)
Why, you may ask, is Lebanon known for war and strife instead of
scenery and recreation? The answer would take pages upon pages of
explanation; let's just say that when a healthy national pride is
replaced with violent sectarianism you get hell instead of
paradise. The Lebanon of the late 20th century (and, it appears,
the 21st as well) was closer to the former than the latter, which
tends to explain why the mention of the country brings to mind
bombed-out Beirut instead of the gorgeous Bekaa Valley.
I don't know why, but today's other feature about the vegan strip
club seemed the perfect lead-in for this!
As I've mentioned, I'm not a "hunter" in the sense that most people
use the term. Trophies do not interest me; I've never had my
picture taken with a kill, and don't foresee the day when I would.
For me, hunting is about eating. (I subscribe to the school of
thought that claims "vegetarian" to be an old Native American word
for "lousy hunter.")
At the same time, I'm also a bit of a health nut. I eat organic
food whenever possible, not because I believe in any
leftist/communist causes but because I care about my health. I'm
uncertain about the long-term effects of the processed chemicals
that we put in our bodies, and do whatever I can to reduce or
eliminate them. Thus, the organic food - including delicious meat -
in my diet.
(As an aside, it's always interesting when my wife and I go
shopping in the local healthy food emporiums. Everyone in those
havens of collectivism dresses in the trendy eco-friendly fashions
of the minute. My wife and I, to put it delicately, do not. I'll
admit that we do tend to stick out a bit amongst that crowd, but we
would no matter what we wore.
Just by looking one could tell that we're not like the sheeple that
populate those places, and it's as much about attitude as anything.
One time she whispered in my ear "do you realize there are only two
guns anywhere near this place, and we've got both of them?" I
replied "I wonder how many of these people would faint if they
found out!" We then chuckled softly yet maniacally as we went about
our shopping.)
Forgive the digression.
As it happens, one of the most organic sources of protein available
is wild game. Meat which has been harvested from animals in the
wild not only tastes great, but is great for you. I won't bore you
with the numerous studies which show various kinds of game having
more good things and less bad things than factory-raised protein,
but the facts are clear: wild meat is good for you.
It is odd, therefore, that some of the most vocal anti-hunting
shills in the world wear their organic diets as badges of honor
while denouncing some of the cleanest, purest foods available. It
seems to me that if one is truly concerned about eating a healthy
diet, one must of necessity either grow, or hunt, one's own meat.
Hunting is the proactive approach to maintaining a healthy
lifestyle when one does not have the real estate on which to raise
their own.
(Of course, I don't want to get a trend started, else there
wouldn't be any of that delicious and nutritious game left for
me!)
-=[
Grant ]=-
A proud member of PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals
There are guns that we want - perhaps even "need" - but don't
happen to have. This is not about those.
This is about the gun which consumes large amounts of our
subconscious thought, in the way that the opposite sex did in high
school. Though we desire others, one remains a constant; a gun
that, it seems, we've always wanted and always will. Perhaps one
day our dream is fulfilled, perhaps not - but it never goes
away.
Admit it: you have one. We all have one.
Me? It might surprise you to know that mine is not a revolver.
Don't get me wrong - there are a number of wheelguns I want but
don't yet possess, the specifics changing a bit over time. My dream
gun, though, has remained unchanged for many years now. That is the
way of dreams.
My dream gun is a Mannlicher stocked bolt action carbine in 6.5x55
Swedish. Why? Romance, plain and simple. (That's the great part
about dreams - they don't have to make any sense.)
Since I was a kid I've seen pictures of the lone hunter standing on
a ridge, peering through binoculars at some unseen quarry, with
"my" rifle perched on his knee. A graceful yet purposeful gun,
lithe of line, whose mere presence brings gentility to the
wilderness. (I told you it was romantic!)
Open up a hunting book from the '50s or '60s, and you'll probably
see that picture. I have, more times than I can count. That's the
reason I want one.
Of course I can recite all the technical justifications for owning
my dream. I rationalize that it would make the perfect hunting
rifle (which it would); the 6.5 Swede round is well suited for the
game we have in North America, and it's one of my very favorite
target cartridges to boot. The light weight and short barrel would
make it wonderful to carry and even better to swing on target; it
would be the perfect tool for "snap shooting" and tramping through
our dense coastal rainforest.Yadda yadda
yadda.
But, at the end of the day, it's all about peering off into the
game-filled distance with the Dream perched ever-so-photogenically
onMYknee.
Someone emailed and asked me to detail my reloading die setups.
With pleasure!
For handgun rounds, my setup for .38 Special is typical (and, not
surprisingly, my most-used.) The sizing die is a Lee carbide, which
I've had for decades. I would prefer an RCBS die in this spot,
primarily for the better decapping pin system and easier handling
of it's knurled body, but the Lee is perfectly serviceable (and I'm
too cheap to spring for the new die.) For certain other calibers I
have RCBS or DIllon carbide dies, and as I mentioned last time I
find them all acceptable - but my favorite remains RCBS.
The next station on the press carries a Lyman "M" expander die. The
Hornady powder measure, like other progressive press measures, has
an integral case expander, but I still prefer to expand using the
Lyman die. It expands in a unique manner that reduces lead shaving
and promotes straighter bullet seating, and it works as advertised.
(I do reload a number of calibers for which I don't have "M" dies;
for those I rely on the expander in the powder measure, which works
perfectly well - the "M" die is just in a class by itself.)
The bullet seating die for all calibers is the Hornady with the
sliding bullet alignment collar. It is, hands down, the best
seating die I've used. That sliding collar definitely helps bullet
alignment, especially if the bullet tips a bit on the way up into
the die. The bullet seating depth is precisely adjustable via a
convenient knurled knob, and they have a micrometer seating
adjustment available as an accessory. Absolutely "best in class" in
terms of features.
I never crimp in the seating die. I know, most people do, but I've
found that crimping separately results in significantly better
ammunition. In .38, I use the superb Redding crimp die. This die is
unique, in that it applies a slight taper crimp first, then a roll
crimp. It produces the best .38 ammo I've ever made, and would not
be without it for any cartridge where I want to squeeze out that
last little bit of accuracy.
For all other pistol calibers, I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It
is different than any other crimp die: it has a carbide sizing ring
that sizes all the way to the base of the case, which is difficult
to do in the initial size/decap process. Then it applies a taper or
roll crimp (depending on the cartridge.) The neat part about the
crimp stage is that it is adjustable via a knurled knob, making it
a cinch to get exactly the right amount of crimp. The combination
of to-the-base resizing and perfect crimping make the FCD (as it's
known in reloading circles) great for all calibers, but an absolute
must for rounds going into autoloading pistols. If you're having
trouble getting your reloads to feed, the FCD will solve the
problem. (If you're using a Dillon sizing die, which doesn't size
are far down the case as others, the FCD is especially
useful.)
For rifle rounds I've taken then same mix-and-match approach. (For
those who don't reload bottleneck rifle cases, there are two
approaches to resizing: full-length and neck only. Cases going into
autoloading or lever-action repeating rifles must be full-length
sized for proper feeding. For a bolt-action or single-shot rifle,
you can get away with just resizing the neck of the case itself.
This results in much improved brass life and simplified reloading,
as lubrication isn't needed.)
As mentioned last time, my preferred sizing dies are Redding and
RCBS, for a combination of finish, smoothness, and decapping pin
arrangement. In full length dies I've decided to limit my choices
to RCBS and Redding, mainly because I haven't been all that happy
with Lee's internal finish. If neck sizing only, Lee's Collet Dies
are actually quite nice - I've had pretty good luck with them,
though I still prefer Redding or RCBS because of Lee's decapping
pin design.
When I'm reloading for rifles, I use the same technique that I do
for pistol rounds: I don't seat and crimp in the same operation, as
most rifle reloaders do. As I mentioned before, I've found that
seating and crimping separately results in better quality
ammunition, with more consistent seating depth and crimp
tension.
Again, the seating die of choice is Hornady - their alignment
collar is just as important for rifles as for handguns, and works
just as well. I adjust the die body so that the crimping ring never
touches the mouth of the case, thereby using just the seating
function. I buy a separate seating die to do the crimping, and
simply remove or adjust the seating stem so that it never touches
the bullet. I've found - again - the RCBS and Redding seating dies
are the best in terms of crimp quality. They don't shave brass from
(or deform) the case lips when they're adding a heavy crimp, which
both Hornady and Lee seating dies do. (This isn't important for a
single-shot rifle, but for a tube-fed lever action it sure
is!)
Sharp-eyed readers will note that I mentioned Lyman only once. This
is because I have very little experience with their products other
than the "M" die. Their external finish seems to be a notch below
RCBS and a couple below Redding, though as mentioned I am impressed
with the performance of the "M" die. Readers with more extensive
Lyman experience are encouraged to comment on their other
offerings.
As you can see, there is no one maker of dies that has everything I
want; I'm forced to pick and choose the best for my needs and
desires. It's taken me a long time (and no small amount of money)
to get to this point, but I'm quite happy with the results!
From the comments and emails I've been getting, there is a
resurgence of interest in reloading. At the price of factory
ammunition, I can see why!
I'd like to touch on some things that Jerry brought up inMonday's
comments. Yes, I have rather
extensive experience with Lee, Dillon, and Hornady progressives.
Frankly, each will produce identical ammunition; properly set up,
there is no qualitative difference between the cartridges that come
off any of those brands. If someone is having problems with the
quality of their ammo, switching press brands is quite unlikely to
help!
The primary difference among press makers comes in the ease of
operation and long-term durability. In my experience, Lee presses
require a somewhat higher level of mechanical aptitude to run (and
keep running.) They also have a higher percentage of wear-related
parts replacement, though to be fair every press has certain pieces
that need replacement at regular intervals. It's just that Lee's
tend to be more integral to the operation, and have slightly
shorter life spans.
Again, a Lee will produce fine ammo - you'll just have to "fiddle"
a little more to get it to do so. (Jerry, don't lose hope -
bottleneck pistol cartridges like the .357 SIG are notoriously
difficult to reload, no matter what press you use!)
Jerry also asked about dies. In carbide pistol dies, I like RCBS,
Lee, and Dillon, in roughly that order. Lyman and Redding carbide
pistol dies are fine, in a single stage press. The problem with
them is that their carbide sizing rings have a very small chamfer
at the edge of entry. When operating a progressive press the
larger, rounded chamfer of RCBS, Lee, and Dillon dies results in
much smoother case entry into the die.
This does have a downside - the larger the edge radius, the further
up from the cartridge base the case is sized. That means that the
bottom of the case doesn't get sized as much, which can cause
feeding problems in autoloading pistols. Dillons are by far the
most radiused, which is why I place them at the last of my
"preferred" list. Lee and RCBS, in my opinion, have a much more
"balanced" approach between feeding and sizing. (The Dillon dies,
however, have the very best decapping pin arrangement and Lee the
worst. I guess you just can't have your cake and eat it too!)
The only pistol dies I don't like are Hornady's. Their TiN coating,
while hard enough for the task, isn't as polished as the carbide
rings the others use. Their dies require more pressure on the press
handle, and are noticeably less smooth. In fact, the only die I've
ever had that scratched cases - gouged them, actually - was a
.38/.357 Hornady TiN sizing die. (Hornady's bullet seating die, in
contrast, is the very best I've used. This goes to show that no one
- and I meanno one- does
everything right!)
In rifle dies, all seem to produce accurately sized cases. However,
there is a big difference in the internal finish. Redding dies, not
surprisingly, are the best - very smooth, very consistent, very
nicely made. The RCBS dies are good as well, but some of the Lee
dies I've tried have been a little rougher than I would like. I
haven't had a scratched case with a Lee die, but handle effort
seems higher than the others. They certainly work well enough that
I don't feel a burning need to replace those that I have, but when
I buy new dies I'll stick with Redding and RCBS.
One of the nice things about RCBS rifle dies is their decapping pin
arrangement. Hornady makes a carbide sizing button to replace the
stock steel button on the RCBS decapping rod, which makes internal
neck lube unnecessary.
(Why not just use Hornady rifle dies? Their decapping pin
arrangement stinks. The only brand better than RCBS in that regard
is Redding - who make their own carbide buttons. See why my rifle
die preferences are RCBS and Redding?)
I recently received an email wherein the author took me to task for
recommending theHornady Lock-N-Load APas the tool for the
'serious' reloader. His claim was that 'serious' reloaders always
use Dillon, and nothing but.
Sorry to have to disagree.
My definition of 'serious' is the ballistic experimenter, not the
appliance operator. Someone who reloads for a number of both pistol
and rifle calibers and does a lot of load experimentation
(different bullets, powders, cases, and primers) is, in my mind,
far more 'serious' than the person who simply constructs a single
caliber/bullet/powder charge. Yes, I'll grant you that it's
arbitrary, but it is (after all) my prerogative to do so!
For the person who fits my definition of serious, the Hornady press
remains the progressive tool to beat. (Of course such a person also
needs at least one single stage press, preferably a Hornady that
takes the same LnL die holders.)
Allow me to illustrate. I've become (belatedly, perhaps) a fan of
the .30 WCF cartridge, also know as the "thirty-thirty." (My
odyssey from high-speed, pointy-bullet cartridges to the pudgy
.30-30 is a story in itself. I promise to recount it sometime
soon.) Aside from developing the "perfect" 170 grain hunting load,
I've also been working up a very light load.
This project is to give me a 100-yard load to use against animals
intent on raiding our henhouse (amongst other things.) This load
needs to be accurate, effective enough to kill a coyote-size animal
at 100 yards, low recoil, usable in a repeating rifle, and QUIET.
(Not that I have neighbors that are looking in the windows, but I
like to be considerate. Besides, if I have to get up in the middle
of the night to dispatch an unruly varmint intent on dining
atChe
Chicken, I don't want to cause my
ears to ring for the next 12 hours!)
When I conceived of this project I consulted Ed Harris, whose
knowledge of such loads is perhaps unparalleled. He suggested an
oversized, dead-soft lead bullet over a small quantity of
fast-burning pistol powder. The current long-term test is of a 115
grain flat-point lead bullet of about 5 BHN hardness, sized to
.311", over 4.1 grains of Alliant Red Dot powder. This gives me a
load that is just under supersonic at the muzzle, and from a 24"
barrel about as loud as one of the hyper-velocity .22LR
cartridges.
Once the load passes final testing, I plan to make a whole pile of
'em.
The Lock-N-Load system has proven to be a real time saver in
developing this load. The quick-change dies in the single-stage
press make it much easier to put together 5 or 10 at a time for
testing; when the load is settled, I'll just stick those dies
(already adjusted and ready to go) into the progressive AP and
crank out ammo! Nothing is as flexible, and when you're doing
things that are somewhat out of the ordinary you need that kind of
flexibility.
Enough about presses. In this project I needed to bell the mouths
of the .30-30 cases ever so slightly, so that the very soft slug
could be seated without shaving. Ever tried to buy a .30 caliber
mouth flaring die?
After searching I found the answer: theLee Universal Case Expanding
Die.
It has a couple of interchangeable flaring spuds, one for small
caliber and one for large, which go inside of the die body which is
then topped with a threaded adjuster. You simply turn the knurled
adjuster knob for the precise amount of flare you need - and you
can vary it in incredibly small increments. Frankly, I wish I'd
found this thing years ago - it would have saved me tons of time
and effort.
Of course, mounted in a Hornady LnL bushing I can pop it into any
press setup as needed, so I don't have to buy a dozen of the
things!
Lee comes under fire on the internet forums for being the low-cost
gear supplier, but they have a lot of products that are both well
made and absolutely unique. The Universal Case Expanding Die is one
of them, and every serious reloader needs one on his or her
reloading bench.
I must say that this article is a surprise. We're so used to
reading about "great" drives along the California coast, when we
know that our coastline is both more beautiful and more accessible.
It's great to finally get some well deserved press, not to mention
being ranked among the world's most beautiful roads!
(Did you know that the Oregon coast is open to everyone? That's
right - the entire coastline is public property, and there are very
few spots that are not easily accessed. Take that,
California!)
Terrific article, great pictures. Thanks for the plug, Avi!
Today I thought I'd give you some feedback from my Adventures in
Online Shopping.
When I factor in my diminishing free time, the price of gas, and
the distance between everything in my locale, it becomes faster,
easier and often cheaper to shop online. From clothes to chainsaw
parts, before I do anything else I check the net - and very often,
I choose the
BBToJ*
over my Suzuki.
Most of the time my virtual transactions occur without a hitch, but
on occasion there are problems. Of course, at the other end of the
bell curve are those companies that go out of their way to make the
faceless exchange a surprisingly pleasant experience.
Size and reputation have no bearing on the shopping outcome, even
online. I've had some of my worst purchases from some of the
biggest web stores, and some of my best from little mom-and-pop
sites. It's tempting to think, on encountering a small, amateurish
site, that it is not a place you want to spend your money. Like
those great yet undiscovered restaurants, what you see on the
outside may not be a good indication of what ends up on your
plate!
Take my favorite knife seller,Ragnar's Ragweed
Forge. This has got to be the
ultimate example of a minimalist site, put together on the cheap
and devoid of the e-commerce niceties we've come to expect. No
shopping cart here - just a (secure) online form you fill out by
copying and pasting the catalog number of the items you want! (Back
in the '70s, there was a local chain, a precursor to the Costcos of
the world, called Prairie Market. Its claim to fame - remember,
this is pre-UPC code times - was that you had to write the shelf
price on every item with a grease pencil, so the checker could ring
you up.) What you get for your work at Ragnar's is a superb
selection of hard-to-get knives, terrific prices, reasonable
shipping charges, and fast delivery. Ragweed Forge is almost a
legend on the knife forums, and for good reason.
One little place I've come to like isSage Creek
Outfitters. Located in Idaho, it's a
small outdoor and hunting supply company with a nice website that
belies the personal service they deliver. Their prices are
generally good, they actually have the items in stock, and they are
FAST! I've never had such fast shipping from an online vendor; part
of that is their proximity on our eastern border, but it's still
surprising when their packages show up long before I expect them.
Great folks, and their customer service is as good as
anyone's.
I recently discoveredHave A Life
Outdoors, a small retailer that
handles primarily Gransfors Bruks and associated products.
(Gransfors needs their own blog post, but in the meantime - if you
want the best axes and hatchets in the world,Gransfors Bruksisthechoice.) Again, they're
working hard to make a success of their little niche, with a good
stock and rapid order turnaround.
We heat our house with a woodstove, and with 11 acres of woodlot
I'm always buying some sort of logging equipment or chainsaw part.
My two favorite stores areBailey'sandAmick's. I've never had a problem
with either, they always ship promptly, and their pricing is better
than I can get locally - if I can even find the item. (That's the
reason I started doing business with them in the first place - my
local outlets rarely have what I need in stock. I hate to hear the
term "I can order that for you" - my response is "so can I!")
Bailey's stock is aimed primarily at arborists and loggers, while
Amick's is more of a general outdoor power equipment source. Both
are great places to do business.
Then again, all of the companies I've mentioned have been terrific.
Kudos to all!
-=[
Grant ]=-
*Big
Brown Truck of Joy, aka UPS. A generic term
for any delivery service.
As a child of the West, I'm generally not one to get excited about
the upper-right quadrant of our country. I've visited the
northeast, and in general am not all that attracted to the region.
However, one thing the inhabitants of the region have that
I'mquitejealous of are layers of old
infrastructure, just waiting to be explored.
In the distant past my job occasionally required me to travel to
upstate New York. Even the things that residents of the area
consider commonplace - say, the remnants of the Erie Canal - just
fascinated me, because of the long and storied past of that
engineering marvel. Thus I spent a large portion of my "off" time
visiting local museums and historical attractions.
On one visit to the Rochester area, I took the time to follow the
Canal's path from there to Tonawanda. Since I was in the
"neighborhood" - literally just a few miles - I made the short hop
up to see the fabled Niagara Falls. (It must be said that even I,
somewhat jaded by
close encounters with much higher waterfalls, was amazed at Niagara
Falls. It's worth the trip.)
I got an email the other
day, asking in effect "why just revolvers?" I dashed off an answer
(with so many emails demanding a response, it's hard to write
essays for each one.) I always feel that I haven't done the subject
justice, so here is yet more about why I choose the round gun over
the flat one.
Why revolvers? Because I like them! I like their lines, their
reliability, their accuracy, their power; I like their history, and
that they are prototypically "American" firearms. (I like lever
action rifles for that same reason.)
I like revolvers because they can be made to fit the hand in a way
a slab-sided pistol never can. I like them because of their almost
Zen-like operation: the cylinder goes 'round, the gun discharges,
and when the operator wishes, the process is repeated. I like them
because you can see what's happening; because they are easy to load
and unload.
I did not come to these opinions quickly or easily, you understand.
When I was a kid, all the other kids wanted a Colt "Peacemaker" and
a Winchester '94. Not me - I looked in the Sears catalog (yes, they
carried guns when I was a kid) and dreamed of owning a .45 auto and
an M1 carbine. I was definitely a contrarian from the start!
It wasn't until my advanced years that the lure of the revolver
affected my soul. (Though, as I've related in past posts, it was
more of a challenge to my ballistic manhood than an intellectual
appreciation. Introspection came later.)
Oh, the best thing about revolvers? They aren't made of
plastic!
Many people, it seems, do
not know aboutarchive.org. It is an online digital
library of old (public domain) photos, music, movies, books, and
much more. It is an absolute goldmine for anyone who likes to
peruse life from another era.
Let's say, for example, that you want to see Thomas Edison's 1910
film adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein."Not a problem - archive.org has
it.
If it's old or obscure, I always look for it first at archive.org;
it should come with a disclaimer, though: "Warning! This is a site
that can literally eat up hours of otherwise productive
time!"
If you've been reading this
screed for any length of time, you know my fascination with old and
abandoned places. WebUrbanist, a site that deals with various
cultural scenes and artifacts from all over the world, has
sometimes fed this addiction of mine.
When I was in college, it
was fashionable amongst a certain segment of the student population
to walk around carrying a copy of the New York Review Of Books. The
aim, of course, was to appear worldly and sophisticated to people
who recognized the title, but didn't themselves read it.
The great secret was that very few of the people carrying the NYROB
around, treating it as an icon of sophistication, ever actually
read the thing either!
Many people buy copies of Musashi and Sun-Tzu which they never
read, but which certainly look good on their bookshelves and serve
to create a certain image. It helps, of course, when people quote
common passages fromArt of WarorBook of Five
RIngswithout ever having read
them in their actual context.
So it is withMeditations on Huntingby Jose Ortega y Gasset. It has been called "the
most quoted work in sporting literature", but it appears that no
one has ever actually read the thing!
Allow me to digress for a moment. My own hunting experiences are
relatively few compared to many who read this blog. Though my
father hunted, and I accompanied him at times, it was always a
subsistence kind of affair: he hunted because we needed the meat.
He would go out, get his deer (or elk), and that would be the end
of it. He never took pictures of his kills nor kept trophies;
hunting was a means to an end (to eat) rather than an end in
itself.
As an adult, I wrestle with this. I don't need to hunt, meat being
readily available otherwise, and so have chosen not to (save for
necessary agricultural activities, such as pest and predator
control, which aren't really hunting.) Despite this self-defined
comfort, there has always been a gnawing at the back of my mind:
what am I missing? Did my father derive anything other than protein
from his hunts; was there something more profound at work? (That my
father always hunted solo, eschewing the elk camp and its
beer-fueled antics, left me suspecting that there might be.)
I wanted clarity on the subject, and thought that Ortega might be
able to provide it. Color me surprised when I could find no one,
even seasoned and experienced hunters of my acquaintance, who owned
a copy. Our library system, which spans the largest city in Oregon
to the most backwood hamlet, did not list it in their holdings. How
odd! Such an important work, well known and oft-mentioned, yet no
one seemed to have actually encountered it.
So, when the Second Edition of the Wescott translation ofMeditationsrecently came
out, I availed myself of free shipping on Amazon and ordered it.
Finally I would get to see what all the fuss was about!
The book springs from Ortega's contention that life comes to us (or
we to it) essentially empty, and it derives whatever meaning it has
from the choices that we make relative to each situation in which
we find ourselves. To Ortega, life really exists at the boundary of
man and his surroundings, those surroundings to include our own
thoughts and feelings. Hunting is such an interaction, and creates
meaning by virtue of what it requires of the hunter.
The chase, the stalk, and yes the kill, all have great importance
to the experience; missing any one negates the hunt's meaning.
Ortega contends that the tension created by the sequence is an
essential part of the experience, and without the unease created by
the death of the animal that sequence becomes a farce, devoid of
any meaning. This is the genesis of his most famous quote: "one
does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order
to have hunted." Do not, though, assume that quote to be a
substitute for the book - there is far more contained in that
simple statement than is readily apparent, for it only hints at
Ortega's complete philosophy.
(Like the poseurs I mentioned at the top, walking around with the
NYROB poking out of their pocket, the passage is often intoned by
those who have never read it in context. Having now digested his
whole treatment of the subject, the statement by itself seems a
caricature.)
It's important to understand thatMeditationsisn't about
hunting as much as it is about man's relationship to the hunt.
Remember that Ortega was a philosopher by training and occupation,
holding a doctorate in the subject and chairing departments at
Spanish universities. Thus, he's not a hunter who waxes a bit
philosophic, but a serious philosopher who looks at the act of the
hunt and reconciles it with his overall point of view.
As philosophers go, Ortega is surprisingly readable. Make no
mistake, though - if you hated studying philosophy in
school,Meditationsmay not be your
cup of tea. It isn't about shooting deer, but about allowing the
mind to learn more about itself. It requires introspection, an
ability to deal in concepts rather than kinesthetics, and thus may
turn off some people. However, his work is illuminating enough -
even for the average person - to make it worth the effort.
I highly recommend that you pick up a copy ofMeditations on
Huntingand take whatever length of
time you need to digest what Ortega wrote. I think that you'll come
away with a better understanding of yourself, and a clearer picture
of why you choose - or not, as the case may be - to hunt.
Owing to my unnatural fascination with old and abandoned things, I
find the concept of an aircraft boneyard to be absolutely
irresistible. The most famous of them is no doubt theAerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Centeroutside of
Tucson, butthere are
others.
The Russianshave such
things, too, and they can be a
fascinating glimpse into the "other side" of the Cold War.
If you've hung around here
for any length of time, you've noticed that on Mondays and
Wednesdays I try to keep the blog somewhat on the topic of
firearms, preferably on revolvers.
Today is not going to be one of those days.
Why? I was so busy over the weekend I didn't even get a chance to
think about the blog, let alone write anything! Well, that - and
the fact that my elbow hurts like heck!
As you may recall, I'm suffering from a very painful occurrence of
tendonitis in my right elbow. So painful, in fact, that it hurts to
type! As I mentioned last week I took it fairly easy for several
days, and was feeling vast improvement until I did something so
innocuous that I am startled at the outcome. It involved a Junkyard
Dog.
As it happens I live equidistant from the knife companies of
Kershaw and Benchmade (and, by extension, the firms of Gerber,
Leatherman, and Lone Wolf Knives. I guess you could call this
"Edged Alley"!) Over the years I've bought many Benchmade knives,
and generally avoided the Kershaw brand. Kershaw just didn't have
the quality of blade that I desire in my knives, and despite having
met Pete Kershaw himself I was never persuaded to carry one of his
products.
When Kershaw moved a lot of their production from overseas to right
here in my own stompin' grounds they got my interest, but not
enough to make me want to put one of their products in my pocket
every day. It was when I found that they were transitioning from
the use of cheap 440A and 440C steels to Sandvik steels that I
became truly interested.
(Bear with me - this does eventually get back to my
tendonitis!)
I have quite a bit of experience with Sandvik blades, particularly
with their 12C27 steel as used in thefamous Swedish Mora knives. It is, in my estimation,
one of the better 'all around' steels that one could use on a
general purpose knife. It holds an edge well, is very resistant to
breakage, and is easy to sharpen. The fact that there were almost
no folders made out of that superb yet underrated steel annoyed me
greatly, and I was left to console myself with my Moras.
It was when I found out that Kershaw had gone to Sandvik steel
(13C26, a very close relative of 12C27) that I decided I had to
have one. The Junkyard Dog II had gotten rave reviews over
atBladeforums, so I decided that I was to
get one.
(Luckily my wife intervened, and got one for me as a gift, thus
saving me from the guilt of buying it for myself!)
It arrived at the end of last week, and from the start I was
smitten with it. Fit and finish is quite good, easily up to the
Benchmades that I own, and at the price point it is astounding. I
haven't gotten a chance to resharpen the edge and really test it
yet (any factory edge is downright primitive compared to what a few
minutes with a set of stones can achieve), but I expect great
things.
The trouble is that the blade is really quite heavy, and flicking
it open delivers a solid "whack" to one's muscles. I was
absentmindedly doing that while watching television the other
night: opening and closing it repeatedly, just because it's fun to
do. After about a half-hour of such foolishness I found that my
elbow was as sore as it ever was, and then some!
So now you have, as Paul Harvey would say, "the rest of the
story."
It's confession time: I'm a
geek. A card carrying,
spent-all-my-high-school-time-in-the-library,
know-how-to-use-a-sliderulegeek. I love computers,
think physics should be taught in kindergarden, and generally find
technology of all kinds (modern to ancient) fascinating.
Seems I'm not the only gun blogger to claim that moniker: the
infamousTam purports to be a geek, too - but is she? Is
shereally?
Oh, yeah, she makes a big deal about her old computers - but did
she ever have aDEC
PDP-11/70(runningRSTS, no less) in her garage
like I once did? I think not!
I, on the other hand, can prove my exalted status beyond a shadow
of doubt, as I possess theultimategeek credential: an amateur
radio license. No, not your simple no-code-Tech paper, but a real
I-passed-the-Morse-code-test-and-have-HF-privileges-to-show-for-it
General class ticket. In the world of the terminally socially
inept, the ham radio license is Da Bomb. Let's see you beat THAT,
Tam! Hah! Hah-hah-hah!
(I think I've been reading far too muchMogambo Guru. But I digress...)
This nerd calling-out is just a pathetically unimaginative way of
introducing today's topic: anabandoned Ionospheric Research Stationhidden deep in
the Ukrainian wilderness. You see, such installations are all about
antennas, and any ham radio operator worthy of the title is really
into antennas. I sure am; I have books about antennas, have
pictures of antenna installations, and generally love looking at
anything to do with antennas - the more esoteric, the better!
They don't come much grander than this one, courtesy - once again -
of that web site for all geeks, Dark Roasted Blend. (If after
viewing the site you have an irresistible urge to buy a pocket
protector, I cannot be held responsible!)
As I
promised, here are some more
reloadingaccoutermentthat I've been
playing with this year.
I finally got tired of my haphazard brass organization and decided
to do something about it. At Wal-Mart I bought some Sterilite
6-quart plastic containers, which just happened to fit neatly on
the shelves in my reloading room. Into the containers went all of
my brass, and wonder of wonders - I can see what's in the box! (I
have, of course, labeled them as well.)
Big plus: I can see how much of each I have; no more digging
through cardboard boxes! They've really made dealing with brass
much more pleasant.
Here's an idea that someone gave me (though for the life of me I
can't remember who it was.) At my local pet emporium I purchased
this cat feeder, which has now been turned into a self-feeding
bullet dispenser!
Much better than a tray/bin/overturned box for those long reloading
sessions. Cost: $4.95. I'm looking for Dillon to have them made up
in blue plastic, with a price tag of $19.95. (I'm kidding, I'm
kidding! Sheesh, lighten up!)
Some months back I reported that I was experimenting with new
bullets and powder. I'd been using the Rainier Ballistics plated
bullets for some time, but could never get acceptable accuracy from
them. (This is, as I was to learn, not an uncommon complaint with
the product.) When my stock finally got low enough, I started
looking around for a better but affordable "bulk" bullet for
general use and gun testing.
I came across a polymer-coated lead bullet put out byMaster
Blasters, and gave them a try. I've
gone through about 5,000 now, and am fairly happy with them. They
are a definite step up accuracy-wise from the Rainier, though
they're by no means a top-flight match slug. (For occasions when I
need better accuracy, and can shoot lead, I continue to rely on the
superb bullets put out byLaserCast- still the ones
to beat, in my book.) They are, however, reasonably priced and the
company is fairly quick to ship.
Along with the new bullets, I changed my "everyday" powder. I'd
used Hodgdon Universal Clays for years in 9mm, .45 ACP, and .38
Special +P loads. It is a great powder for those uses - extremely
clean (the cleanest I've used), and good accuracy. When I started
loading standard pressure loads in .38 Special and .44 Special,
however, a problem cropped up: Universal doesn't like light loads!
Once the loading density falls to a certain point, unburned powder
grains become a certainty. They really foul up a cylinder, and
always find their way under the extractor!
I searched for a powder that would burn cleanly and completely,
even with relatively mild loads. I ended up with Alliant Red Dot,
and it has performed very well. It's a bit sootier than Universal,
but burns completely in all loads - even very light .44 Specials.
I've used Blue Dot for years in Magnum cartridges, and was
impressed by it; the Red Dot is just as impressive. (I'm not a fan
of Alliant Bullseye, which I've always found far too dirty, but the
"Dot" line is really quite nice. The fact that you can readily
identify it in the powder measure - they really do have red flakes
and blue flakes mixed in - is a nice bonus!)
This last year I've been using a number of new reloading tools and
components. I'm generally one to "stick with what works", but that
doesn't stop me from looking for something better!
Late last year I bought a new Hornady Lock-n-Load progressive press
(known as the "LnL AP".) This is a five-station auto-indexing press
with a motorized casefeeder. I bought it after becoming
disenchanted with my Dillon and Lee presses - though I can always
find something to like about any press, I'd prefer to have all my
favorite things in one press which means I can never stop
looking!
(Just so you know where I'm coming from, I've often bemoaned the
lack of a true high-grade reloading press. No, Dillon fans, "Big
Blue" isn't it! If you've ever used a Star Universal, you'll
understand. If you haven't, well, go back and read my recent
articleo you need a trigger job?">Do you
need a trigger job, and substitute "press" for
"trigger" - the rest of it is the same!
You may well ask why I don't use a Star if I'm so hot on them.
Well, it's because they're out of business and there are precious
few parts and accessories available on the secondary market.)
Back to the topic....the LnL AP uses the Hornady bayonet-mount die
system, in which the dies are put into adaptor sleeves and
adjusted, then simply popped in and out of the toolhead where and
when needed. Frankly, when this came out I thought it was the
biggest gimmick I'd yet seen. Using the press for a year has
convinced me otherwise. It is incredibly handy!
For instance, I often have the press set up for loading .38/.357.
It's not at all uncommon to need to prep a few pieces of brass to
test actions or extractors or some such thing. I can just pop the
needed die out of the toolhead, then pop it into the single stage
press (which I've fitted with the Hornady adaptor and adjusted so
that the presses have exactly the same die position.)
It also makes doing in-press changes easier on a progressive press.
For instance, I can have a die adjusted for .38 Special, and a die
adjusted for .357, and simply swap them in/out where needed. The
same goes for the powder measure; I can decide to put it in a
different place on the toolhead to accommodate production changes
or simply to experiment. You can't believe how useful the system is
until you've used it - and once you have, you don't want to ever
give it up!
I've come to the conclusion that if one is a SERIOUS handloader -
that is, reloading for numerous cartridges and constantly
experimenting - the LnL AP is the most flexible and most efficient
choice in a progressive press. As I said, I've owned Lee and Dillon
presses too, and while they both have their strong and weak points
the Hornady is just in a different class. Great piece of
gear.
Over the years I've used a number of reloading dies, and no one set
has had everything I wanted. I've gotten to the point that my die
sets are now pieced together with the dies that I like best, not
what a manufacturer has decided to give me.
In handgun sizing dies, I prefer (in order) RCBS, Lee, and Dillon.
I love the Dillon's spring-loaded decapping pin, but hate their low
profile, hex-shaped bodies. (Great when permanently mounted in a
toolhead, rotten if you frequently remove/replace/adjust them.) The
RCBS is much better in the handling department, worse for the
decapping pin; the Lee's decapper likewise is awful, but at least
their body is tall enough to get a grasp on - even if it is smooth
and a bit prone to slippage in one's fingers.
(I should take this opportunity to say that Lee's lock rings suck.
Then again, so do Dillon's, Lyman's, RCBS's, and Redding's, though
admittedly not as much. All of my dies, regardless of make, have
for years worn Hornady lock rings, and the first thing I do with
any new die is to ditch its lock ring and give it Hornady
ring.)
I've recently started using the Lyman "M" series expander die, as
opposed to the expander plug in the powder station. It sizes most
of the case to just a hair under bullet diameter, then has a slight
"step" to bell the mouth so that the bullet isn't scraped when
seating. This is said to promote straighter bullet seating, and in
that regard I believe it does. For me, though, the great part is
that the cases seem to "grab" onto the bullet when you insert it
into the mouth. Unlike with a plain flare, the bullet won't tip as
the case starts moving into the die. You can even put a pullet into
the case mouth and advance between die stations with no tipping!
This is another product that I thought might be "more show than
go", but I've grown to just love the thing.
While we're talking about seating, I think the best seating die is
Hornady's, and no one else is even close. Their sliding bullet
collar is a great idea for helping to straighten bullets as the
case goes into the die, and their seating adjustment is very
precise. All of my seating dies - handgun and rifle - are now from
Hornady.
I don't crimp in the seating die, preferring to do that as a
separate step. I've used Lee's Factory Crimp dies in the past, no
matter what other dies they were with or what press they were on.
I've been very pleased with their smoothness and ready
adjustability, but this year I started using the Redding Profile
Crimp die for .38/.357. It puts a taper crimp on the case, then a
roll crimp at the very end. It is of top quality, like all of
Redding's products, and produces the most consistent, best-looking
crimps of any die I've ever used. I'm hooked.
The major thing I dislike about the Hornady press (and Dillon's,
for that matter) are the primer tubes. I much prefer the Lee tray
loading primer feed, but of course I can't use that on the LnL AP!
I've found a solution in the form of a neat little tool from Midway
called the Vibra-Prime. It's a battery operated collator that fills
the primer tubes for you! Now to be fair, Dillon has a
bench-mounted device that does the same thing, taking about 2
minutes per tube and costing around $200. The Vibra-Prime was about
$30, and does the job in roughly 20 seconds. Hmmm...no contest
there!
Sadly, I'm told that Midway has discontinued the device because of
"poor sales." If you're tired of loading primer tubes one-by-one,
call Midway and tell them you'd like to see the Vibra-Prime
reintroduced!
That's about it for the hardware side. I'll write soon about the
software (bullets and powder) I've been using this year - I've made
some changes there as well.
I like honeybees. Compared
to their shiftless relatives, the combative yellowjacket, honeybees
are a happy and productive insect. Of course, the reason I like
them so much is because they make one of nature's most perfect
foods: honey.
The inside of their hive, where they produce that golden nectar,
has always held a fascination for me. I remember as a kid
occasionally getting a large honeycomb and chewing on the
honey-filled wax, wondering just how the little creatures managed
their magic.
Well, one person thought of a way to watch. I present you with the
Bell Jar Beehive:
I'm always in need of small
containers of various types to hold oils, cleaners, parts, screws,
and other miscellany. They can be hard to find locally, butspecialtybottle.comcarries a huge
selection.
I've used small clear top tins like this for many years; they are
invaluable for many types of small parts. I bought my supply of
them a long time ago, and recently started running low. I despaired
about being able to find them again, but luckily they're in
stock!
I'm looking to purchase a
Mateba MTR8 (notthe Unica
"autorevolver") and a Manurhin MR 93, as pictured in today's
"Revolver Aesthetics" article. If you know of one, or happen to run
across one, please let me know!
We all know the baggage
carried by the brand "Volvo": "Vegetarian." "Boring." "Safe."
"Comfortable shoes." "Risk-averse." Volvo as a company seems to do
little to dispel the image they have, as it's certainly been
successful for them.
There is another side to Volvo, though - the take-no-prisoners,
rough-and-tumble side, represented by their superb line of
all-terrain military trucks. The best known of these models is the
C303, better known as the "Laplander."
The Laplander is a very boxy 4x4 vehicle, similar in design to the
Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer but a bit larger. Powered by the superb Volvo
B30 inline six and possessing front and rear locking differentials,
it it has proven itself more than a match for the toughest terrain.
Look at the ground clearance under the rear axle!
The C303 has developed a worldwide following of passionate
enthusiasts, though (sadly) there aren't a lot of them here in the
U.S. Now I'm not usually one to lust after a mere vehicle, but I've
wanted a Laplander for years. I don't know whether it's the need to
possess something no one else does, a psychological deficiency that
compels me to seek attention, or just a desire to annoy my
ever-so-yuppie neighbors, but I want one. Yes, it's probably
impractical as a day-to-day driver; yes, the fuel economy is
nothing to write home about; yet I still want one!
The "buddy movie" has become
a staple in Hollywood's bag of banal plot staples. They've given us
cop buddy movies, firefighter buddy movies, private eye buddy
movies, superhero buddy movies, and even suicidal women buddy
movies.
In the hands of a master, though, even a cliche becomes fresh and
intriguing. The master, in this case, is Akira Kurosawa, and the
movie in question is the superb "Dersu Uzala."
Dersu is a Nanai hunter who befriends - and is befriended by -
Captain Arsenyev, who is leading a surveying expedition in Siberia
just after the turn of the 20th century. Dersu is the
quintessential mountain man who is completely at home in nature,
while Arsenyev (and his crew of soldiers) are distinctly out of
place in the vast wilderness. Dersu becomes Arsenyev's friend,
showing him not just how to survive in the unforgiving landscape
but also a bit about the meaning of life.
Watch this clip, and note how Dersu not only sees subtle clues
around him, but how he cares for those who he may never meet:
Their friendship grows out of mutual respect, not bravado; what
they share is a heartfelt concern for the land and the people who
inhabit it, as well as the welfare of each other.
The movie is based on the autobiographical novel of the same name,
written by the real Captain Arsenyev about the real Dersu. Kurosawa
had read the book and desperately wanted to bring it to the big
screen, and in the 1970s finally got his chance - spending two full
years filming in the wilds of Siberia. The result may, as some
critics have suggested, be Kurosawa's most beautiful (and certainly
most underrated) work.
Because it is a true tale, this movie teaches us more about the
nature of friendship than anyone in Hollywood can fathom. There are
no plot twists and no happy ending; like life, it proceeds at its
own pace up to the poignant conclusion (which itself brings up back
to the start of the film, reminding us of the cycle of life.)
I saw this film many years ago, and I remembered it as being a
great story. Understand that I'm not a film buff - frankly, I find
it hard to sit through a whole movie - and certainly not a big
Kurosawa fan. That it is one of only a handful of films I actually
want to own tells you that it is something truly special.
Thanks to the generosity of a close friend I now have my own copy,
which I will treasure. The film is hard to find, but it is worth
the search. IfNessmukmeans anything
to you, Dersu Uzala will be one of your favorites too.
Before Honda, before Kawasaki, Yamaha or Suzuki, motorcycle racing
was dominated by the great Italian marques. Legendary companies
like Gilera, Moto Morini, and MV Augusta held consecutive world
titles, some of which would stand for years. All of these makers
had their adherents, but the undeniable "big boy" of Italian
motorcycle racing was Moto Guzzi.
The company was formed when three friends - Carlo Guzzi, Girogio
Parodi, and Giovanni Ravelli - were serving in the Italian Army
during World War I. Part of a flying unit, they had complimentary
skills: Guzzi was a talented, though as yet amateur, engineer;
Ravelli was an up-and-coming name in racing before the war; and
Parodi, like his successful father, had demonstrated business
acumen. The three agreed to pool their talents and form a company
to make motorcycles. Ravelli, sadly, was killed only days after the
war was finished, but Guzzi and Parodi soldiered on to form the
company they'd all dreamed about.
Guzzi designed the machines and Parodi (whose father financed the
enterprise) handled the business aspects of the fledgling firm.
They knew that the key to commercial success was a reputation in
racing, and thanks to their combined skill they were almost
immediately successful at both. Only four months after their first
prototypes were completed, company rider Gino Finzi picked up first
place at the prestigious Targa Florio - a win that surprised the
industry.
The company rapidly expanded their pool of engineering talent, and
they would flex their muscle by making amazing motorcycles: a
magnesium-cased, supercharged 250cc; a 4-cylinder supercharged
500cc in 1930; and a 3-cylinder supercharged 500cc machine in 1940.
Despite these advances, their racing reputation would be made with
their more pedestrian - but wonderfully engineered - single
cylinder twin-cam motorcycles.
Those bikes quickly came to dominate the 250cc and 500cc classes,
racking up win after win. In 1934 they cemented their hold on the
top 500cc class with their introduction of the two-cylinder
500ccbicilindrica,
which allowed them a spectacular win in both the 250cc and 500cc
classes at the Isle of Man TT race in 1935. in 1953 they entered
the hotly contested 350cc class, again with a twin-cam single, and
won every World Championship until 1957.
By the mid-50s, though, they were losing ground in the "top dog"
500cc class. The twin-cam singles were decidedly out of date, while
thebicilindricahad been
inexplicably killed off in 1951. Guzzi needed a new bike that could
not just take on the increasingly successful Gilera and upstart MV
Augusta designs, but would rule over them.
Chief designer Giulio Carcano put his considerable talent to work,
and what emerged in 1955 stunned the world: a water cooled, 500cc
V-8 motorcycle. With dual overhead cams and a separate carburetor
for each cylinder, this audacious design pumped out a
then-unheard-of 72hp at a scarcely believable 12,000 rpm. Guzzi was
ready.
Sadly the tire, brake and suspension technology of the day weren't
up to the demands of the magnificent engine, and theotto
cylindrinever achieved the success
intended. Moto Guzzi retired from racing entirely at the end of the
1957 season, and the bike was shelved. This didn't stop it from
leaving a stumbling block for its rivals, though - in its short
2-season career it set several lap speed records which would end up
standing for more than two decades, a parting shot to those who
would succeed them.
Today only two authentic examples remain, both in the possession of
the Guzzi company in the picturesque Italian town of Mandello del
Lario. They occasionally fire one up for a demonstration run on
their test track behind the factory. The sound of the engine is
unmistakable, and reminds us that there was a time when Italy did,
in fact, rule the world - or at least a small part of it.
I'm sure that by now you're
quite tired of hearing about my interest in abandoned, secret, and
underground places. I love exploring such things, and rarely turn
down the chance to visit an old mine or poke around in the ruins
ofFort
Stevens, right here in Oregon. The
older, danker, and creepier they are the more i like them. I can't
explain this fascination, not even to myself!
I've been thinking that perhaps I've touched on this subject a bit
much, and thought that it was only fair to give some balance - a
counterpoint, as it were - to this keen interest of mine. Just so
you know that there are some places I definitely don't want to
explore, I give youabandoned bio-chem warfare
facilities.
I've previously mentioned
that I have a fascination with abandoned places, and even more for
abandoned/mothballed spaces that are underground.
Well, the folks over at Dark Roasted Blend have someamazing pictures of old underground
facilitiesaround the world. You won't
believe the Tokyo Storm Water System! (OK, it's not really
abandoned, but it's still awfully cool.)
(As you might have guessed, I'm a fan of the History Channel's
showCities of the Underworld. Check it out!)
I may have mentioned that I
spent a period of time in the early 80s as a commercial
photographer. Honestly, I didn't make it all that far; though a
good technician, I wasn't creative enough on demand to sustain a
career. I did learn a lot, though, and I took some of those lessons
and put them to good use in other areas of my life.
One of those lessons - and one of the most important - came in the
form of an article written by Ben Helprin. I have a copy of this
hanging above my workbench, where it serves to inspire me. I don't
know that I'm yet at the "master" stage of revolversmithing, but I
work every day to get a little closer to that ideal.
While obviously photography-centric, this is a profound article for
which you will no doubt find applications in your own life.
Enjoy!
-=[
Grant ]=-
Expert or Master - What's the Difference?
by Ben Helprin
At the top of every craft, there are masters and experts. The
difference between the two was defined by Will Connall (master
photographer, photography teacher, and former head of photography
at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California) this
way:
"Let me", he said, "use the exacting art of platemaking as an
example." (Platemakers are the skilled craftsmen who produce
printing plates for books and magazines.) "If you ask an expert how
he produces the negative for a fine plate, he'll answer: "that's
easy. First I choose the correct size glass plate for the negative
I want. Then, I compute the surface area of the plate and, holding
it absolutely level, I pour exactly one ounce of emulsion for every
40 square inches of surface precisely onto the center of the plate.
Then I rock the glass side-to-side and front-to-back, exactly the
same amount each way, to spread the emulsion evenly. When the plate
is dry, I load it into the copy camera, adjust my lights so that
the original art work is absolutely evenly illuminated and, with
the level of illumination that I use, expose the plate for 20
seconds. I develop the plate for precisely five minutes, process it
normally, the end up with a perfect negative for
reproduction.
"Now," said Connall, "let's ask a master the same question. He'd
reply: Oh, that's easy. First I choose the correct size glass for
the negative. Then, I compute the surface area of the glass and,
holding it exactly level, I pour one ounce of emulsion for every 40
square inches of surface exactly onto the center of the plate.
Well, no, that's really not true. Sometimes I use more than an
ounce of emulsion per square inch. Sometimes less. It depends on
the original copy. And sometimes I don't pour the emulsion exactly
on center. I'll swirl it across to get a different spread. That
also depends on the copy. Anyway, after I pour the emulsion, I rock
the plate side-to-side and front-to-back, exactly the same each
way, to spread the emulsion evenly. But sometimes, of course, I
don't want the emulsion spread evenly. Again, it depends on the
copy. I might want to rock the plate more to one side to get the
emulsion heavier there, or rock it more to the front...anyway, I
rock it, dry it, load it in the camera, and light the copy exactly
evenly - unless of course I want to slightly shade a corner to
knock it down, or highlight a portion of the copy to lighten it up.
I'm not sure exactly how I'll light it until I do it. But after
it's lit, I give it a 20-second exposure. Well, not always 20
seconds...."
And so it goes. Each step of the master's procedure depends, not on
a set series of exacting rules, but on the interrelationship of the
medium, the copy, and the desired final product.
What does this have to do with photography? Well to begin with, it
doesn't mean that you can forget technique or be sloppy in your
execution of it. As Will Connall noted, every master had first to
be an expert. Without that initial perfection of technique, they
could never advance to the master's stage.
Will's apocryphal examples were, however, meant to point out that
technique is by no means the be-all and end-all of photography.
Technique is the base from which you build. But the product itself,
the photograph, must go beyond set rules of technique or
composition, or anything else that says "this, and only this, is
the correct way of producing a photograph."
Look at the work of master photographer Ansel Adams and compare it
to the thousands of technical experts who attempt to imitate him.
The large majority of Adams' imitators do not understand expressive
content, they understand only technique. The do not trust their
inner feelings, the trust only a rigorous set of technical
rules.
A creative photograph is a very unique personal statement, and the
technical aspects of that statement must depend on what you, as an
artist, want to say. Thus, the perfect exposure isn't always one
the reproduces the tonalities of a scene in exactly the same manner
they originally appeared, but one that reproduces them in exactly
the manner you want them to appear. Nor is the perfect print the
one that always exactly matches the contrast of the paper to the
density range of the negative, but the one that exactly matches
paper and film to the contrast as seen by your inner eye. As Paul
Klee said, "the purpose of art is not to reflect the visible, but
to make visible."
So, look at your recent photographs. Are they technically perfect?
If not, you still have a lot of work to do to reach the "Expert"
stage. On the other hand, if your work is technically perfect and
perfectly boring, if it is indistinguishable from everyone else's
technically perfect work, then you have a lot of even harder work
to reach the Master's stage.
If you're into the weird and
esoteric, if strange machines and odd places intrigue you, check
outDark Roasted
Blend. It's a site that showcases
an incredibly eclectic range of, well, things.
The way I was introduced to the site was a link to their entry on
"Creepy High Voltage
Installations" in the former USSR.
Absolutely great stuff!
I could browse this site for hours. (Check out the Tatra car!) You can bet I'm subscribed
to their RSS feed!
An email I received
yesterday revealed thatBrownells(purveyors of
all things pertaining to gunsmithing and gun accessories) has
purchasedSinclair
International, the manufacturer/retailer
of top-end reloading gear.
For years I've wondered why Brownells hadn't gotten into the
reloading equipment business. They carry darned near everything
else related to shooting, but there was a significant gap in their
product line. The folks over atMidway,
who have the reloading business covered completely, added
gunsmithing tools to their line a number of years ago. I'd always
thought that to be a "shot across the bow" of Brownells, and
expected some sort of response. This would appear to be it!
The acquisition of Sinclairwill fill the holes in their
product selection very nicely, and serve to solidify their position
in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see what new products
show up as a result of the combination of these two great
companies.
When I was a
kid, I was fascinated by the idea of carving (or whittlin', as we
called it.) My dad occasionally whittled a whistle, my uncle did a
spoon now and again, but the object that fascinated me the most was
a short wooden chain that my grandfather had hanging on his
wall.
The idea that one could gouge out a series of links, with no
breaks, from a single piece of wood seemed incomprehensible to my
young mind. It seemed almost like magic!
Today, of course, I understand how its done, but now marvel at the
patience necessary to complete such a task. The little chain that
captivated me pales, however, in comparison to this:
...but they can sure be his
undoing if they aren't right!
It's taken me years to assimilate this fully, and I still backslide
occasionally, but the old saw "quality is remembered long after the
price is forgotten" is so true!
Nowhere is this more evident than in thefine garments
from Filson. Filson is an old-line outdoor
clothing maker located just up the road in Seattle. (Yeah, it's a
long road up there, but you get the point.) Filson has been making
top-drawer clothing since the days of the Yukon gold rush, and many
of their current designs actually hail from that era. "Tried and
true" has never been more appropriate!
Filson became known for two materials: "mackinaw wool" and "tin cloth." These are incredibly rugged,
durable fabrics that have no synthetic equivalents. A "tin cloth"
coat will literally last generations, and I have a "mackinaw wool"
coat in my (small) collection that is at least 40 years old and
still in perfect condition despite having been worn in some very
rough conditions.
Styling? What styling? The traditional Filson garments are
functional above all, and whatever style they have derives solely
from their function. The result is a look that has come to be known
as "northwest casual", and to my eyes looks as good as it
works.
This tremendous gear is made right here in the good ol' US of A.
Needless to say, quality of this level is not cheap. It is,
however, worth every penny when you're out in the cold and wet, and
traipsing through vegetation that would shred even the best that
Columbia or The North Face has to offer. After all that, you can
hand it down to your children, who will get the same service out of
it!
It's worth noting that Filson was purchased by an investment group
a few years back, who promptly introduced a line of imported
garments. Some of us watched with horror, convinced that our
beloved Filson was going the way of another once-quality maker from
this area - Pendleton - in transferring production overseas.
Thankfully Filson's new owners didn't succumb, and kept those items
traditionally made in Seattle right where they'd always been. They
added new items made overseas, but at the same time introduced new
items made in the US as well! While I'd prefer seeing everything
made here, kudos to Filson for striking what is probably a
pragmatic balance.
Just look for "Made in the USA" in the product description - Filson
still proudly declares those items that are!
Unless you're using a Lee
reloading press, one of the biggest bottlenecks in reloading is the
chore of filling primer tubes. It is definitely a time waster, and
anything that can speed up the process is welcome here!
Yes, I know all about the Dillon primer tube loader. It only works
with Dillon tubes, isn't all that fast, and is really expensive.
Luckily, the folks at Midway came up with a solution: the Frankford
Arsenal Vibra-Prime!
This little doohickey takes a package of primers and, with the pull
of the trigger, loads their own primer tubes - which, happily,
easily interface with Hornady, RCBS, and even Dillon presses.
This thing is fast - easily 2 or 3 times as fast as it's Dillon
competition. The great part? It's only $32.99!Check it out.
So, let's say that you were going
to buy me a new cel phone. What do you think I'd want?
How about aBlackberry Pearl? Too "Geek bondage." AMotorola Razr? They are SOOOOOO 2006.Nokia N80? If I wanted a slide-out I'd buy
an RV. TheApple
iPhone?
Tempting, and it would go great with my Macs, but no - there's
something evenbetter.
The cel phone Ireallywant is thePortable Rotary PhonefromSpark Fun Electronics. Inside this antique is a fully
functional cel phone module that utilizes all of the phone's
original parts for their intended purposes: the handset, the dial,
and even the two-bell ringer!
My Father, who was an inveterate prankster and a telephone company
employee, would've loved this thing. It would be just the ticket to
out-annoy the clods who use their phones in restaurants, and
imagine the looks you'd get in meetings ("sorry, but I have to take
this call.")
Besides, the whole retro-dial thing goes perfectly with my revolver
persona, don't you think??
I fell in love with the short
story format back in high school. While I cannot stand reading a
whole novel - non-fiction isn't really my "thing" - I do enjoy the
short story. It forces the author to work carefully on character
and plot development, and requires the reader to concentrate on the
storyline.
While my favorite author in this format is Stephen Vincent Benet,
Mark Twain proved himself a master of the short story. One of my
favorites is "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg."
Hadleyburg enjoys the reputation of being an
“incorruptible” town, known for its responsible, honest
people that are trained to avoid temptation. However, at some point
the people of Hadleyburg manage to offend a passing stranger, and
he vows to get his revenge by corrupting the town.
You know, I had a pretty darned
good childhood. I grew up on a small farm, outside a small town (I
remember when the town passed the 1500 resident milestone) that was
nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Range.
After chores were finished and if there were no other pressing jobs
to be done (like hauling hay), I got to do what I wanted. I could
go down to our pond and fish, or take off with my friends Dan
and/or Tom for an overnight camping trip - all with very little
administrative (parental) hand-wringing. Even a two-day trip up the
river and into the woods wasn't out of the question, though such an
outing did prompt some worrying from my mother.
Not a bad way to grow up!
Living as I do in suburbia, I long for the time when we would run
into the forest with little more than a small tent, a blanket, a
sheath knife, maybe a couple cans of baked beans, and a fishing
pole. (If we planned our trip into a particular area that we knew
contained several small caves, we didn't even bother with the
tent.) Woodcraft, such as shelter building and fire making, was an
expected part of any well-balanced upbringing. I miss those
days.
I have found a way to keep the hunger for simpler times at bay: I
curl up with Nessmuk.
What is a Nessmuk? Properly, the question is phrased "Who is
Nessmuk?"
Nessmuk was in normal existence one George Washington Sears. Sears
was a slight, asthmatic individual who was born in 1821 in
Massachusetts, and spent much of his life - at least, that portion
when he wasn't working just to finance his next adventure - in a
canoe or on a boat or in the woods.
He was able to combine his love of the outdoors and his
considerable talent as a writer by having narratives of his
adventures published inForest and Streammagazine.
He wrote two books,WoodcraftandCamping,
which are still in print - combined into one volume titledWoodcraft and
Camping(no surprise there, right?!?) It
is still available to this day, which must be some sort of record
in the publishing business. (Another book, calledAdirondack
Letters,
is a compilation of his articles in Forest and Stream.)
Woodcraft and
Campingis
not a thick book, nor is it solely a "how to" manual. It is the
collected wisdom and insights of a man who lived just to be able to
commune with nature. Nessmuk wrote in a beautiful, lyrical style
that makes the reader salivate with the desire to get out into the
wilderness.
At only $6.95, I believe it to be one of the greatest bargains - as
well as one of the "must haves" - in outdoor literature. I cannot
recommend this book highly enough to anyone who enjoys living in
and exploring the wilderness, or even just dreaming about it!
I admit it: I'm a bit picky about
things. Just how "picky" depends on what the "thing" is, but on the
whole I suspect friends and family would describe me as being on
the "anal retentive" side.
This extends to my clothing. A number of years back, when I was
playing the keep-up-with-the-rest-of-the-yuppies game, I spent a
lot of money on Italian suits and expensive ties. Over the years,
as I've gotten wiser (and perhaps a tad more miserly), I've looked
at clothing for its functional qualities rather than fashion. It's
not as though I don't care how I look, but I don't care if I
impress anyone with my style of dress.
How the clothing works for me in my lifestyle is more important
than anything else. As a result, I've come up with something of a
"uniform" - clothing that I've chosen because I like the way it
functions. I always wear long-sleeve button-front shirts with two
breast pockets - and those pockets must have button flaps. I'll
settle for snaps, but I absolutely abhor Velcro! (Yes, long sleeves
even in the 95+ degree temperatures of summer. In my mind, you can
always roll the sleeves up - but you can't roll a short-sleeve
shirt down for the winter!)
Suitable shirts are easy to find, but pants are another matter. I
like cargo pants; again, I want the flaps to have buttons or snaps
only. What's more, they have to be durable - I wear my chosen
clothing everywhere from hiking to range training to getting
groceries, and they see a lot of wear and tear. (I've torn out the
corners on leg pockets and worn holes through front pockets in as
little as six months!) Of course, they have to fit me well in the
bargain - both with and without carrying a handgun on (or in) my
waistband.
As you might imagine, I wouldn't be writing this diatribe if it
were easy to find pants that met my requirements! Most cargo pants
seem to be built for mall ninjas and yuppies who rarely venture
beyond a Starbucks - their thin, soft material just doesn't hold up
to heavy wear, particularly outdoors. Late in 2005 I bought yet
another couple of pairs of a brand I'd not tried - they lasted a
mere seven months. This was getting to be expensive! I resolved to
find the toughest pair of cargo pants I could.
I started looking at Cabela's canvas "Nailhead" pants - which,
sadly, were discontinued this fall. The Carhartt line looked
promising, but their construction quality wasn't really any better
than any other cargo pants I found. The new Woolrich "Elite" line
has been getting a lot of press, but the material was a bit thin
for my taste (and the price tag.)
I own some original Royal Robbins pants and shorts that must be 10
years old, and I thought that they might do the trick. Of course,
those garments have been spun off to a new company, 5.11 Tactical
Wear - and the quality has gone away. I examined a pair, and they
weren't built nearly as well as my old Royal Robbins examples,
despite having a premium price tag. (I guess you have to pay for
that "tacticool" look!)
Wandering through my local farm store, I chanced upon some pants
that looked promising: the new Riggs "Ranger" work pants from
Wrangler. The material is 10oz ripstop canvas; all pocket
attachment points are double thickness; the knees are double thick;
the front pockets are made from heavier material than my last pair
of pants were; and the cargo pockets have snap flaps, which are
also anchored to a double thickness of fabric.
Other interesting features: the right cargo pocket has a couple of
outside sleeves that hold a folding knife and a cel phone, while
the right hand slash pocket has a reinforced corner edge to clip a
knife to. This this prevents wear of the pocket edge, which is a
nice touch. The back pockets (which I never use) are lined with
Cordura, which makes them darned near wear-proof. Finally, they
come in odd sizes - I wear a 34, but with an IWB holster they're
too small and a 36 is too big - 35 fits perfectly, and Riggs are
available in that size.
I picked up a pair, and I must say I'm impressed. They are far
better built that your average "tactical" pants, and they look good
too - not as "military" as some are. They're available in several
colors, and sold by all kinds of stores all across the country so
availability isn't a problem. (There are at least a half-dozen
stores within 10 miles of me that carry the Riggs line!)
Suggested list is $39.99, which is really a bargain for a garment
of this quality. If you're looking for a great pair of cargo pants
for serious use, check 'em out!
Regular readers are already aware
that I have this "thing" for personal flying machines. (Seehere,
and
here,
and
here.) I
admit it, I'm hooked.
AirScooterhas announced that
their personal helicopter, the AirScooter II, willfinally be available for sale in
2007.
Weighing in a roughly 300lbs and flying at 55 knots, the helicopter
features simplified controls that use no foot pedals - even
amputees will be able to fly!
There's a great video of the craft in action thatyou can see here.
Of course I want one - but the price is likely to be in the
neighborhood of $50,000. It's up to you, folks - order some custom
gunsmithing, and lots of it!Papa needs a new
'copter!
Regular readers may have noticed
that I have a "thing" for flying. This is somewhat contradictory,
as I simply cannot abide flying in an airliner. However, the
thought of flying a personal aircraft is immensely exciting to me -
and the more personal the craft, the more it intrigues me!
Back in the 1950's and 1960's, the Army experimented with personal
flying machines as a way to increase troop mobility. Several
different approaches were tried - some were even successful - but
the Army ultimately decided that the concept itself had sufficient
drawbacks to keep from being adopted.
The most recognized of the entries - and my favorite - was the VZ-1
"Pawnee":
The
Pawnee, though, was only one of several designs.This article
at Damn Interestinggives you all the poop on the
various approaches to the Army's requests.
Jay Leno has one (two, actually.)
In 1924, it ran on kerosene, developed 1,000 ft-lbs of torque, got
15+ MPG, had a top speed of over 100 mph, and had an engine that
ran at 900 RPM while traveling at 75mph.
What was this remarkable vehicle? The Doble Steam car! The Doble
was the pinnacle of steam automobile design, and even today remains
a marvel of engineering. Steam, for those not familiar with the
"antiquated" technology, produces phenomenal, linear power with
almost no noise. I've long been of the opinion that a modern steam
car, taking advantage of advances in metallurgy and computer
control, could be economical, powerful, and clean. What's keeping
Detroit??
In the meantime,check out
this article on the fantastic Doble.(Oh, and be sure to ignore the
idiot commentary from one of the readers, who opines that the steam
car is impractical because of the "dangerous" high pressure boiler.
The Doble used a flash boiler, which doesn't contain a large
quantity of high pressure steam. If it burst, the only result would
be a sudden drop of power and large cloud of water vapor. Maybe he
works for one of the Big 3 - it would explain a
lot!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
OK, I admit it - I'm a sucker for
the idea of personal aircraft, though I do not own one.
Ultralights, autogyros, hang gliders - I love 'em all, even if I've
never flown in or on one!
Of course the ultimate would be owning a personal helicopter, and
it looks like it may now be possible: theGEN H-4 personal
helicopter!
For about $30,000 and a week's worth of assembly work, you can have
a helicopter that weighs only 155lbs and cruises at 55mph.
In the late 1700s, Professor Georg
Christoph Lichtenberg noticed some interesting patterns forming on
the dusty surface of a charged plate. He showed the unusual works
of natural art to his students and peers, and through time they
have become known as Lichtenberg Patterns. The same patterns can
sometimes be seen on the skin of people who have been struck by
lightning.
Formed as the result of high voltage discharges on, or within,
insulating materials, Lichtenberg Patterns can today be captured
permanently by discharging the output of a linear accelerator into
a Lucite block. The resulting three dimensional fern-like patterns
are strangely fascinating!
I've always wanted a flying car,
and every few years I get my hopes up only to have them dashed by
more vaporware.Will this be the onethat finally makes
it?
The Transition is designed for jumps of 100 to 500 miles. It
will carry two people and luggage on a single tank of premium
unleaded gas. It will also come with an electric calculator (to
help fine-tune weight distribution), airbags, aerodynamic bumpers
and, of course, a navigation unit with a global positioning
system.
I recently stumbled acrossThe Ten
Ring, a
great firearms blog by Denise and Bill. They describe it as "A blog
by two self-described gun nuts. One who started as a liberal and
the other who started as a conservative. We helped each other grow
and thrive over the past nine years."
You've got to start by reading their eight-part series
"On Being A Gun Nut." It's some ofthe bestprose I'veeverread about firearms
ownership.Part VII, about being a female gun nut, is
particularly good. Don't miss it!
Here's another great firearms link
carnival: from the Free Constitution blog comes the fourth
installment of theSecond Amendment Carnival. Check it out - lots of great
links!
Russian photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii made
quite a number of photographs prior to the communist revolution of
1918. What makes them unusual is that they are in vibrant
color!
Prokudin-Gorskii invented the technique to do this. What he did was
to shoot 3 nearly identical black-and-white negatives in rapid
succession - through narrow-band red, green and blue filters - then
show them on a screen through those same red, green, and blue
filters to produce color images. With today's digital techniques,
it is possible to assemble these images and view them easily.
During my photographic career, I experimented with his technique
with marginal success, but of course modern color films and papers
made this cumbersome process superfluous. At the time I was playing
with this, I did not know that Prokudin-Gorskii had invented it. It
was, after all, the tail end of the Cold War, and very little was
publicized about Russian technology. It wouldn't be until the fall
of the Berlin Wall, and the disintegration of the Iron Curtain,
that such things became known.
Today, the Library of Congress has one of the largest, and the
only digitally reproduced, portfolio of Prokudin-Gorskii's
groundbreaking work. Absolutely fascinating to view, and a "must
see" for history and technology buffs!
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 SOMEBODYPLEASE
think of the children?!?!?"
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.
If you've read the "About Me" page, you know that I spent many years as a
clock/watchmaker. Consequently, I like timepieces - and sometimes
even really odd ones.
At the Indianapolis Children's Museum is a water clock - in
fact, the largest water clock in North America! I'd really love to
see it in action, particularly at 12:59.
That's cool - but a bit hard to fit in your house. How about
something a bit easier to deal with? How about a bar
code clock on your laptop? Neat bit of programming; now if
someone can just program a Widget like that...
(Sorry, Windows users - Widgets are a Macintosh thing.)
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.......
You've gotta check outp d b, another
gun-centric blog from a pretty sharp cookie who works in avideo game
store. Yeah, one of those
juvenile repositories of self-absorbtion and lack of
sunlight-derived Vitamin D. Who'd have thought that there were
actually active brain cells in a place like that?
Great read...I'm subscribed to the RSS feed, of
course!
-=[ Grant ]=-
This is a site that I read regularly.Damn Interestinghas regular stories about (surprise!) interesting
- and usually little-known - events and happenings in the
world.
This
entrydetails an
almost-forgotten radiation accident at Los Alamos shortly after
World War II. Why did it happen? Someone got careless and ignored
safety precautions, proof that even a PhD doesn't shield you from
the laws of physics.
As I read the story, the parallel with shooting became obvious.
Even the best-trained shooters get careless, or decide that the
rules don't apply to them. The result is usually a negligent
discharge, sometimes with tragic results.
Georges Rahbani, the best combat rifle instructor I know, says
"seemingly obsessive preoccupation with safety is the mark of the
professional." Be obsessive - follow the rules, and make sure
everyone around you does too. Safety is the first thing that you
should think of when you pick up a firearm, and the last thing you
think about as you put it down. Don't get complacent: THINK ABOUT
WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
Tamara K.'s "View
from the porch" blog. Her
tagline: "They report, I deride."
A great blend of guns, humor, gun pictures, and lots of dumb people
to ridicule. Great reading from a gal who works in a gun store and
doesn't suffer fools gladly.
(Hey, any blog that Oleg Volk reads is good enough for me!)
Just when I think I've seen it all, someone comes up with
yetanotherunique use for Google Maps.
Go to this
site, input a UPS/FedEx
tracking number, and iSnoop will generate a Google map showing
where the package is,andan RSS feed that sends the up-to-date
tracking info to your RSS reader!
What else can be done with Google Maps? Check in next week...
Markoo Kloos writes a blog called "the munchkin wrangler" (no typo
- he doesn't use caps on the title.)
One of his posts is titled "why the revolver?" (again with the no caps.) It's a great treatise
on the joys of the wheelgun, and well worth
bookmarking.
-=[ Grant ]=-
When we think of images of World War I, we think "black &
white." But color photography, though in its infancy and quite
expensive, did exist - and was used to capture images of the event
and environs.
This sitehas a
number of pictures taken by the French during the last two years of
"The Great War." Wonderful slices of history, and rarely
seen.
One of my favorites:
This picture show Swiss soldiers
standing guard at the border with France. Switzerland, as you know,
was neutral during the war; images of their soldiers during that
time period are a bit hard to find. To find one in color is a rare
treat. (If you look carefully, you can tell that the picture was
taken through the chicken wire that served to delineate the
borderline.)
I must say that it's a bit unnerving to look through these images,
and not because of gore or mayhem (there isn't any.)
Black-and-white pictures are an abstraction, which is why
photographers like to dabble in the medium. Color, on the other
hand, is "real" - it is a record, where black-and-white is an
interpretation. These pictures draw you in, and make the situations
being captured on film a bit less theoretical. They are almost
haunting...
If you don't yet know about Steve's
Pages, you need to. Here you can download PDFs of an
astonishing array of firearms manuals. Actually, not just firearms
- but reloading equipment, optics, and even high-end flashlights
like SureFire.
One of those "must-have" additions to your bookmarks!
Great idea - turn them into a lamp! From the TechEBlog comes this:
Says the builder: “The pile of CDs that had been massing in
my room was growing to epic proportions. So I decided to make
myself a CD lamp. The circular base was actually cut using a
template on a table saw, then sanded after clamping it in a drill
press. The cold cathode lamp is from NewEgg. “
And to think I've been throwing them away all these years...once
again, proof that I have no creativity whatsoever!
One of my childhood dreams was to build a submarine out of our
above-ground diesel tank, and use it to explore the bottom of our
pond. Despite the fact the the pond was only 8 feet deep at its
deepest, the dream persisted.
Needless to say, I love the current generation of small research
submersibles. Here are somegreat videosof an erupting volcano on the sea floor, taken
from the Jason II sub as part of NOAA research.
(The site is very popular, so you may need to reload a couple of
times to see the video.)
What brings on this question, you ask? Well, I'm sitting here
considering yet another of my afflictions: fountain pens. Yes,
those old-fashioned writing instruments that no one uses any
more.
Except that people do use them!
I re-discovered the joys of writing with a fountain pen about a
year ago. My interest was kindled by the fact that the most
indestructible writing inks are available only in a bottle - from a
company called Noodler's Ink. This stuff is so fraud-resistant that
the only way to obliterate it is to literally dissolve the paper
from under the ink.
Thinking that would be great for check-writing, I unearthed the
fountain pen I'd been given as a gift a couple of decades ago. Now
I had another weapon in my tool chest against identity thieves! But
a funny thing happened: I discovered that writing with a fountain
pen is, in and of itself, a wonderful experience.
A fountain pen lays down ink with NO pressure required - less even
than the best rollerball. That means that, instead of a chore,
writing becomes effortless and non-tiring. If you write a lot, a
fountain pen will be a godsend to you aching hand muscles! The
fountain pen is also more expressive; the ink also has "shading",
which means that each different stroke produces differences in
saturation or width. The "look" of a fountain pen's work is
unmistakable.
As if that wasn't enough, fountain pen inks are available in
hundreds of different colors - just the different shades of blue
which are available is staggering! Blacks? You'd be surprised at
how different a simple black can be from maker to maker - and there
are still browns, greens, reds, purples, oranges...well, you get
the picture.
You have a wide choice in pens, too. Of course there are the great
vintage pens, but there are also dozens of manufacturers of new
fountain pens from all over the world from which to choose. Prices
range from $2.99 to multiple thousands of dollars, with most
falling between $50 and $300.
Intrigued? Your first stop should be the Fountain Pen Network discussion forums, where you
can learn all you need to know. From there, go explore dealers like
iSellPens (my
favorite place to get real bargains), Pendemonium
(sellers of my favorite color of ink, Noodler's Legal Lapis - be
sure to check out their color charts), and Swisher Pens.
There are lots of others, but these will get you started.
Hey, a fountain pen even makes my chicken-scratching look
good!
-=[ Grant
]=-
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