Fun Turns to Tragedy!!!

The Skinny

I am a gun enthusiast trapped in the People's Republic of Maryland. My political affiliation is Independent, as the Ruling parties are both full of crap, and long ago stopped representing the common man. If the Libertarians weren't such freaks I would probably be one. I am a member of the Nation of Riflemen and damn proud of it. I once took an oath that I would support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. As far as I know I never broke that oath, and will continue to follow it. I am not Politically Correct and will NEVER be Politically Correct. If you need to know more, feel free, Ask.

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Most recent entries

• Where is the human cloning technology when you need it.
• Do your Job
• reloading 223…
• fixed the page finally
• All mounted up
• Backed UP
• Lefty AR update
• Gastro intestinal adventures
• Garand Update
• Lack O Blogging…
• FURY…
• Woot.  SNOW…
• Took longer than expected
• Upgading my Gun Nut Status
• Isoroku Yamamoto

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I think if we could clone this guy he would be great for about 30 states in the union…

It is so refreshing to see a politician who tells it like it is.  Blunt and to the forehead with the big old clue bat…

What is it about the word Illegal that our government just does not seem to understand. 

The easiest way to curb the flow of illegals into this country is to cut off their source of funds.  How about we start enforcing the myriad of laws around employing illegals.  Once you jail the first two or three business owners, word would get out and employers would stop hiring. 

With no jobs available, and the prospect of not being able to send money to home I think the flow of illegals would soon turn to a trickle.  Maybe more of them will stay in their home countries, or better yet, come to America in a legal fashion like my great great grandparents. 

I think the Governor said it best “Do you job”

Hat tip to Smallest Majority

Well as I finally have a .223 that I like to shoot I guess that I need to start reloading for it. 

Since I am not going to be shooting HiPower I figured I would just use the old Dillion 650,  I ruled it out for the .308 as I wanted a lot more precision in my reloads.  The Dillion 650 is good for +/- .1 grains around my 23.4 grain goal for Varget pushing a 77 grain pill.

I have read that a lot of guys are pushing the combo of Varget and the 77 grain SMK past the max load with good results, but I like my guns and my person so I am not going to be looking for more than 23.4 grains.

Now I have a buddy that I am doing this with as he is also running a 1 in 7 twist barrel.  This is where all my fun started in the reloading room.  Showing a new person how to reload takes a lot more attention with all of the steps of reloading.  It breaks your rhythm and habits, for the first time ever I had a couple of reloading gaffs in setup of the machine. 

First I forgot to adjust the long pin that works the case feed ramp to actuate the dropping and position of the cases.  I usually set up the first die and all its ancillary components dealing with the case feeder in one step.  I forgot to move the pin, so it would not push the cases all the way into the case holder disk.  Fixed that but I interrupted my routine on setting up station two which happens to be the powder drop station.  So after I sized the first case and pulled the handle that started on the second stage I had a rude awakening where the powder drop did not get tightened all the way down and went for a tumble,  It got caught but dumped a good bit of Varget on the floor (cry cry).  Got that all cleaned up and then retightened the powder drop, without seating it all the way down.  Repeat of the first dumping but no powder this time.  Got the powder station correctly set the third time.  At least the powder check, seating, and crimp all went off like normal the first time round.

Of course there had to be a problem.  The bolt will not close over the resized cases.  Now I need to look at the press again today with a fresh set of eyes, but I swore that the full length de-capping resize die was all the way down.  Sigh.  I need to check everything one more time and make sure things are in spec.  Case check die on order now.

I also have a super swage on order as I seem to have some cases that have a very tight pocket and are not taking a primer.  I will also be looking to acquire some once fired LC brass so I will be needing the Super Swage

Update: Well I went down to the reloading bench and yes the die was turned all the way down.  I then unbolted the die and took it over to my single stage press and screwed it all the way down.  Cycled the press and had the same thing happen.  I then screwed the die in another half turn,  gee now my bolt will close over the brass casing.  I really did not think that I would have to screw it in another half turn past where it stops, as I have never had to do that with pistol stuff. 

Too bad I bent the de-capping rod in all my stupidity induced fiddling last night.  Not sure if I am going to have to order another full length die or if the de-capping rod is order-able.  I know the de-capping pin is order-able, but I bent the fricking rod the de-capping pin screws into, fricking brute…

I know for my one reader that the page was loading slowly.

Seems like the truth laid bare java script was acting up.

So I shot it,  no more bare truth here.

Larue came through with the mount today.

Got it all wired up and only had to take the Aimpoint off once. Had to turn the mount around when I figured out that since this a lefty AR the mount lever got in the way of the ejection port cover.

Photos of the now completed lefty piston AR coming soon.  Before I loose it in the tragic boating accident that happens far too frequently around these parts…

Larue Tactical seems to be a bit backed up.

I ordered an AimPoint and a mount in order to make my piston AR-15 more Tacticool.  As I get a bit older and my eyesight goes to the crapper (my right eye is fubar which is good since I am left eye dominant and a lefty) I find that I really like optics more than ever. 

So I ordered up a CompML3 with the standard mount on the 9th of April.  I got word that it shipped yesterday on the 23rd.  So that is 15 days.  My buddy that ordered his on the same day, but ordered a cantilever mount has been taunting me since Thursday when his showed up.

I am sure that this thing has been reviewed to death so I am doubting that I will put anything up besides a picture of the AR, which by the way was lost in the tragic boat accident on the Chesapeake Bay.

Well I finally got the Lefty AR build out to the range.  Two hundred round fired by me and no issues.

I love the SDM barrel Yea Yea its not quite carbine size with that 20 inch barrel and 12 inch hand gaurd, but I really don’t care much about having a short package that in real life will probably never be used.  I like the added accuracy from the longer barrel, besides if they are within 20 feet already I have probably done something wrong.

The Gold Trigger from American Trigger Corporation is very nice.  It is a refreshing break from all the modern gritty AR triggers that my friends had on their ARs.  Breaks crisply, not too heavy, and has a phenomenal trigger reset.  I also liked the fact that I just dropped it in, pinned it with the two pins, and forgot about it.

Finally the Adams Arms system just works and works well.  No signs of carrier tilt and no issues, other than the one I knew going in was going to be an issue.  That issue was that the barrel nut on the Larue Hand guard would be a bit thicker and would possibly cause the piston system to short stroke.  I did have this problem occur once or twice at the end of a mag and all that happened was that the bolt did not lock all the way to the rear at the end of a mag, funny how it only happened with my pmags and not my old old GI mags.  The weapon functioned and loaded properly the entire time.  I will put a post up soon about fixing the barrel nut.

Well I am looking day 3 of my latest bout with Diverticulitis.  The pain is greatly diminished but still there.  Hopefully by the end of tomorrow the pain will be gone, but I am not sure that it will be gone by then. 

This may be mashing my weekend plans strait out the window.

I am very tired of living on OJ and water, but till the pain subsides for a full day there will be no solid foods.

Mostly Cajun is not making this any easier.

I bought my Garand last year from James River Armory at a local gun show.  These guys specialize in Civil War period rifles as well as WWII Garands (and I saw their prototype M1A, Yumm) and their specialty on the Garand is a better than Arsenal rebuild.  Despite being from 1943 mine looks like it just rolled out of the factory, and that is the way I wanted it.

Now for the unfortunate.  I finally got to go out and put a few rounds downrange,  Turns out the sear would not hold the hammer back after firing the first round.  I tried two clips of ammo with the same result.  So Sunday night I fired off an email to them.  On Monday morning they responded with an email that I can bring it past, or send it to them.  Fortunately for me they are less than 10 miles away, so I packed the Garand in the Zed and shot down to their location.  Went in and handed it over.  A quick function check later they agreed that there was a problem.  They took it into the back and went to work.  5 minutes later they brought out the now properly functioning Garand with a new sear and hammer.

I mentioned that I saw a M1A on their webpage and they admitted that they are working on one.  They then brought out their test mule which looked more like a finished product than any test mule I have yet seen.  So hopefully they will be in production soon, as the M1A is one of the last military rifles that I am looking to purchase.

People have noticed that there is a Lack o Bloggin going in here.

No people I have not fallen victim to that vile blight on the internet know as Facebook.  Though I do admit to having a page, but that is just because my Fraternity brothers guilted me into it..

Instead I have been spending way too much time working (while I am still employed,  my company is playing Office Survivor).  I have also been spending a lot of time on the archery range.

I did go out and get a BAG firearm but it is an H&K of some variety, so I suck and it hates me.  And since it is an H&K they only sell 10 round mags, but it was the best choice in center fire pistol carbine in .45 ACP.

My Garand also says I suck, and it too hates me.  I bought it last year and did not have time or a range to go shoot it.  I now find that it shoots when you pull the trigger, it loads the next round but it seems that the hammer is not staying cocked, so no shooty on the second trigger pull.  I can cycle the slide and it then shoots again but the next round does not go off.  I contacted the people I got it from and since they are local I will see if they will make it right.  Pretty sure it is a sear issue but my Garand Fu is Weak Sauce.

Fortunately Barney still loves me.  It was like a laser out to 300 yards in 15mph gusts.  It also made all my buddies feel like heros, so it was a good day out at the range on Saturday.  we went through 1500 rounds of ammo in various calibers from shotgun to .308 Winchester.

I moved up a class in IDPA last year to SS in CDP and won my first piece of wood.  I plan on shooting pistol a lot this year as my skills have deteriorated a great deal both before the winter and during the winter.  I hope to get enough trigger time to make expert in CDP before the year ends.  Must find Speed…

Maybe I should do some archery blogging as I sure seem to be shooting my bow better than my pistols at the moment…

Thanks for the kick in the ass Mr Commenter…

Not much else to say…

Well at 7AM this morning when I started up the snow blower we had 27 inches of snow, the snow blower is only 25 inches tall.  So by the time I had the driveway and parking area clear it was two hours later and we had an additional two inches of snow on the just shoveled steps.  So right now we are at somewhere around 30 two 32 inches.

Man I love the snow, at least now that I have a snow blower.  The last big blizzard when we got four to five feet of snow I had a shovel.  We spent three eight hour days shoveling.  I vowed to never have to do that again.  I went out the next weekend and bought a snow blower.  Now as it was winter just after a record snow fall the only place that had any snowblowers was a outdoor power equipment place.  Of course they were expensive and they only had the biggest ones left but after shoveling for 24 hours I could care less about how much it cost or how big it was.

Now I am glad I got the biggest one they had in stock. 

I even had to deploy the drift cutters for the first time ever, Sweet!!!

Well for a while there I thought that the Democrats in MD had learned their lesson on assault weapons bans but no…  They are back…

I bring you…

SB516

Brought to you by the same small minded gun bigots as usual in the People’s Republic of Maryland.  All with a D (increasingly standing for dumb-ass as the entire country is finding out) after their names.

Apparently these dumb legislators have yet to figure out that we vote them out when they try this crap… (look up our last great gun banner: Neil Quinter)

Losers…

Or down grading it to tool if you want to look at it that way.

It was a fairly Merry Christmas at my house this year.

I started it off with a new Hoyt AlphaMax 35 bow with all the associated do-dads and hoojie-himers. I will have to get some pictures of the Bow one day but it shoots quite nicely.  I will be looking for Bambi next deer season.

Next up is something that I have wanted for the better part of 20 years.  Yes I know it is a silly frivolous thing, but dammit I wanted one.

I first laid hands on one back in 1990 at my local range.  Back when the drug dealers would come out from the local cesspool of a city with their pagers and hats on sideways looking all thug.  The guy next to me was doing a bunch of cussing and saying his gun was broke, so I being a helpful guy went and took a look. 

He was shooting a Desert Eagle in .357 Magnum.  It would stove pipe every other round or so, misfeed often, and generally not get through a mag without copious issues.  I asked him to shoot a couple rounds and witnessed the issues first hand.  I then asked him if I could give it a go (all you that have ever fired one know where this is going).  Ripped through the complete mag with nary an issue and handed it back to him.  Explained that he was limp wristing the Deagle and went back to my lane.  He proceeded to limp wrist it and cuss a lot until he exchanged it for a glock.  But for me the seed was planted.

I just have not been able to get the thought of owning one out of my head.  Yes I know they are totally impractical (but as a Marylander except for the politically connected all guns are) but they are a hoot to shoot.  I have shot them all from the .357 Magnum to the .50 Action Express.  With the .357 Magnum being too wimpy and the .50 AE being way over the top, in fact there is a picture out there somewhere of me being inducted into the order of the bloody forehead via the .50 AE brass coming strait back out of the gun and pegging me in the face.  Not fun but made for a good story about the Blog meet at Coal Creek Armory way back when.

So here is my Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum.

I got it for a really good price, it has had less than a hundred rounds through it.  Not a mark on it, no scratches, no scuffs, no rust, no nothing, Pristine. 

The guy I got it from said that it had been very problematic for him to shoot, jams, stovepipes, yada yada yada, and was happy to get rid of it.  As soon as I took a look at what he had loaded in the magazine I figured that I knew what the problem was.  8 rounds of 44 special popped out of the mag with lead bullets.  Both are supposed no no items for a well operating Deagle.  So when I got back home I did a thorough cleaning and took it to the range. 

I got a box of Hornady 44 Mag 240 Grain XTP rounds which is a fairly hot .44 Mag load at 1360fps.  I also got a box of Magtech .44 Mag at 1180fps for comparison.  As expected with .44 Magnum ammo I had zero problems with feeding and ejecting.  At the end of 60 or seventy rounds I had had no issues except for the screws holding the safety lever came loose and the gun would go on safe after each shot, easily remedied with some locktight. 

Every shot was a hoot.  I was grinning like there was no tomorrow.  Fun Fun Fun.  The Hornady ammo definitely is stouter by a good bit, but the Magtech did the job just as well with a bit less recoil, but the recoil was not too bad from either one of the two rounds.  Now all I have to do is collect enough brass and work up my own load for .44 Mag and I should be a happy camper.

Here is one parting pic with the Nighthawk custom for a size comparison between the two.

Glad I have big hands because the Desert Eagle is a handful…

Noted for the quote “we have awakened a sleeping dragon” in reference to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Most of us who pay attention to the world around us already knew that most of america was “at the mall” while we have been at war with Terrorism around the globe.  Americans don’t really pay attention to things until they are directly impacted, as the memory of 9/11/2001 faded so did the average Americans interest in things outside of their 50 mile sphere of personal interest.

Hope has faded, Change did not occur.

It seems the politicians on both sides have gotten complacent about their serfs.

The dragon is stirring, we can and will vote them out.

If that does not work we have a fall back…

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Lets just hope that “Plan B” does not come to pass.
Update: Seems that this video is striking a cord with a lot of people as it has been up and down on you tube and I had to resource it this morning as the original with hundreds of thousands of hits disappeared.  If this one goes away I will link over to Kevin at Smallest Minority as he had it happen to him originally and made his own flash version.