How .22LR Ammo is Made

Lucky Gunner shows us how .22 Long Rifle is made.

Helen Ready Dead

 Media everywhere are reporting that Helen Ready, a singer from the 1970s is dead, at age 78, at her home in Los Angeles.  She was an icon of feminism, 

Honestly, I had to Google her to remember which songs she was noted for.  But, the 70s were a weird time for me, and I didn't pay much attention to music.  I'm sure that the girls who ran in the same circles I ran in were more familiar with her music.

Update.  Mac Davis, singer songwriter, also passed away at his hone in Nashville.  He was 78 years old.

Shotgun Primers

 We use a lot of shotgun primers in CFDA shooting.  Our ammunition uses wax bullets with bras cartridges specifically cut to hold a 209 shotshell primer.  The propellant in the primer is the only propellant available to start the bullet down the barrel.

If you are interested, there is a video on CFDA ammo here.

I'm the storekeeper for our club, responsible for having wax and primers on hand.  And, we use a lot of both.  I normally order primers in lots of 15,000 and that will keep the club shooting for six months.

Across the whole organization, I don't know a single shooter who uses American primers.  The common brands like Winchester, CCI, or Remington don't see to do well in our game.  We use European primers.  Wold, Nobel, Rio, or Fiocchi seem to the the standard.

I've shot them all, and while I have my preference, it's not really important in the current supply crunch.  All of my suppliers were out of primers this morning, so I remembered a place that a good friend had told me about, The Ammunition Store.  Luckily, they had a supply of Wolf 209 primers and I was able to make an order.  If you're looking for ammo or reloading supplies, gie them a look.

Why Are Gun Owners So Annoying?

I do't think we're annoying, Colion, but we sure have been arguing this point since the 1960s.

It's worth arguing.  Again, and again, and agin.  I ust wish that the antos would stop with misleading or woefully ignorant arguments.

Secession

 I'm hearing sour-grapes from the Democrats.  They really are bummed-out that Trump is the president, and they'll likely stay that way for four more years, if my analysis of the current political climate is correct.

Take Lanny Davis, a Clintonista, who is finding himself to be increasingly irrelevant.

Which leads to some interesting questions, purely on an academic level.  Where will the capitol be located?  What type of border controls will be in place?  If, for example, a family from Oregon wants to relocate to Texas, how will that work?  What about the military bases in the new country:  Do you think that the US will give up its bases in San Diego, or Hawaii, or Washington?  Or New London?  No, more likely we'll just keep them, like we kept Guantanamo. 

With tonight's opening of the debate, hopefully, the difference between the candidates will start to become more clearly defined.  Of course, in my mind, they are already clearly defined.  

Browning A5 Friction Ring Setup

Mark talks about how to set up the friction rings on a Browning A5.

The page from Browning is here.

Cool Front

 Awoke this morning to thunder, but got busy anyway, doing some club bookkeeping out in the shop.  When I came in, I decided to look at a weather surface map.

That's a pretty good cold front.  It stretches from the Great Lakes down into Texas.  The weather-weenies are predicting tomorrows low to be in the mid-fifties.  

Tempest In A Teapot

The New York Times, and CNN, and other liberal media (but I repeat myself) and crowing that Prresident Trump paid little or no income tax for the past several years. 

In both the year he won the presidency and his first year in the White House, Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes, the Times reported.

 I once had an income tax professor tell me that if I were never audited, then I was paying way more taxes than I owed.  The IRS doesn't audit you when you are over-paying.  Be that as it may.

From what I understand, President Trump has others watching over his business while he's in the White House, and he takes no salary.  He does have a minor child, but he's living in government housing, so there is that consideration.

If the main ain't making any money, he doesn't have to pay much income tax.  That's a pretty good deal. 

This whole thing is a tempest in a teapot. 

Chicken-Fried Steak

 Belle got hungry for chicken-fried steak, so we set up our assembly line.  She seasons them, flours them, then rolls them into an egg wash.  I take them our of the egg wash, roll them in cracker crumbs, then into the hot oil

We put them in a warm crock pot to keep warm till the crew shows up.

With mashed 'taters, cream gravy, corn, and yeast rolls.  It was a pretty good way to do Sunday dinner.  Now, it's time for a nap.

Prayer March 2020

 It seems that Franklin Graham led a prayer march in Washington DC today, and an estimated 50,000 people showed up.

And, as Insty says, "And, of course, it wasn’t “mostly peaceful,” it was actually peaceful."

If 50,000 liberals had turned out for anything, you'd see it all over the media.  A friend and I were talking last week, and he remarked that there is a vast, peaceful, silent majority that has had a gut-full of liberal nonsense, and we're going to roar on November 3rd.

Texas Reloaded

This is a political ad, and it's a great political ad.

Don't mess with Texas.

RBG's Last Wish

 Evidently, Justice Ginsberg had some sort of last wish about her replacement.  Reportedly, she said, "My fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

In that case, she should have lived another four years, until 2024, or retired in 2015, while Obama was still president.  Simpy because I doubt a new president will be installed in 2017.  We'll still have Trump.

When i die, my fervent wish is that my fervent wish is that my Belle wins the Powerball and does great and wondrous deeds in my memory.  I give my final wish better odds than having Ginsberg's wish come true.  She hanged on as long as possible, hoping that a Democrat president would get to replace her.  She miscalculated, plain and simple.

That seat is not hers, it belongs to the people, and her miscalculation is no reason for the President to delay filling that seat.  Maybe this time, we'll get a true conservative.

Concealed Carry, Holsters, Philosophy

I was asked to do a discussion on concealed carry, holster choices, and other considerations.  I hope it's worth your time.

The holsters I talk about are two Safariland, and two Craft Holsters, the Lynx, and the Comfortable Nylon.

Florida Figures It Out

Governor DeSantis just dropped a tactical nuke on BLM and Andtifa.

There is a difference between a peaceful protest and a riot.  It's time that people start to learn the difference.  The lie that the media has been telling about "mostly peaceful" protests is a lie.  They are either peaceful, or thy're not.

Rain

 We're being lashed by the remnants of TS Beta.  Not much wind, but the rain is a steady downpour.

I will be ver tomorrow, and we can start to dry out.

Will The B-52 Outlast the B-1?

 Strategy Page takes a look at why the B-52 may last to see a century of service.

It seems that there is still a place for a big bomber tat can carry a lot of weight.

If you are interested in gravity bombs, this is worth the read.

Career Move

 On Monday, we talked about a Pineville police officer who reportedly had been ambushed.  Details were sketchy at the time, but I had no idea how sketchy they would become.

It turns our, he shot himself..

PPD says the officer, identified as John Goulart Jr., shot himself, concealed his weapon, and altered the facts. Goulart Jr. has been charged with one count of criminal mischief and one count of malfeasance in office. He has been booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center and his bond will be set by a Rapides Parish District Judge. He has also been placed on administrative leave.

Yeah, I bet he's on admin leave, only until the local disciplinary board meets.  Then, he'll make a career move.  With all the hurricane damage, I hear that there are job openings in  as a roof apprentice, or a drywall installer,  It's good, honest work. 

Louisiana Legislature Calls For Special Session

 It appears that the Louisiana Legislature has called itself into special session to address several items of vital importance to the State of Louisiana.

The session will address the near-bankruptcy of the state unemployment trust fund, work on Hurricane Laura recovery and try to scale back the governor’s emergency powers in the latest battle over Gov. John Bel Edwards’ coronavirus response.

Scaling back Governor Edward's coronavirus edicts is a simple process.  Under current Louisiana law, it takes a simple majority of either house to end a declared emergency. Petitions have been pending for months to do that very thing, but the legislature could not garner a simple majority of either house to end the emergency.  

It is time to end the coronavirus emergency.  We have to learn to live with this thing.  And, over the past six months, most Louisianans have adjusted their habits to be more corona-conscious.  The damage wreaked on the economy by government edicts has a real and devastating impact on jobs and businesses. The governments job at this point should be education, not mandates.

The fact that the Legislature called itself into session is encouraging.  By calling the session themselves, they took Governor Edwards out of the equation.  They are setting the agenda themselves.  I hope that they are strong enough to take care of the legislative business and end the government over-reach.

Ambushed

 The Pineville, LA police department that an officer was inured during an ambush this weekend.

This is bad juju.  Details are sketchy at this time, but we hope they find the goblin who shot the officer.

Strange Weather

We've had a really early cool front move into the area.  Temps this morning are in the 60s with a northerly breeze, but unlike other fronts, this one one overlaid with cloud cover from Tropical Storm Beta,  It was drizzling at 5:00.

Beta is predicted to make landfall along the Teas coast, then make a hard right and head northeast, coming across us sometime later this week as a remnant low, with the accompanying rain.  For us, it's not much of a wind event.

But, with a northerly breeze and temps in the 60s, it's time to break out the gumbo pot.  I'll make a big chicken and sausage gumbo later this morning.  THe family will gather this afternoon and we'l head to the funeral home for visitation.

Tomorrow's weather is expected to be like today;s, and we'll bury Jerome under cloudy skies.  I hope the rain holds off until the graveside ceremony is over.

An Overview of 4-Bore Stopping Rifles

Ian discusses the reasoning behind the stopping rifle

RBG is Dead

 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, long-time hero of the liberal side, lost her long battle with cancer.  She passed away yesterday.  My condolences to her family.  Seriously, she was beloved of someone.  They deserve a chance to mourn.

The media is awash with speculation on who might replace her, or whether she will be replaced before the election.  The anguish from the Democrats is palpable.  Should President Trump presume to nominate a replacement, they will howl, oh how they will howl.

I've watched the last two nominations, and to say that I was appalled at the unfounded allegations is understatement.  It is my sincere belief that somewhere in a small room, someone is being coached with nearly religious fervor in casee our president decides to name a replacement.  I am not the only one who expects this.  

Character assassination is their only weapon.  I certainly won't take it seriously after the last two such attempts.  However, the accuser that raises that allegation should be sworn, subect to cross-examination, and treated harshly by the law 

Rest In Peace, Jerome

 It's hard to know what to say about this man.  I net him very soon after meeting Belle.  He and his wife, Patricia, were Belle's best friends in the whole world.  The year before I met Belle, she, Jerome and Pat had toured Europe together.  They had worked together, played together and were long-time friends.

Jerome was a highly educated an, a native of Waco, TX, he held a PhD in education.  He spent the first part of his career working with mentally challenged and at-risk youth.. He retired from education as soon as he was able, and turned his energy to other pursuits.  He was an auctioneer, and had a deep love and appreciation for antiques.  He always had a project going, refurbishing his old home, which he brought back to near museum standards in beautiful antiques. He got involved in community service, and ran a political race to become the mayor of Pollock, LA, his adopted home town.  He served in that capacity for seventeen years, with  a huge list of accomplishments.

To say that he was interesting was understatement.  He once bought a Rolls Royce online, and drove it around town, until it tried to kill him when the brakes failed.  Then, he sold it where it sat, and bought a Toyota.  He loved auctions and was proud o having sold at one point, gold-painted cow manure.

When he realized, as mayor, that the city property taxes cost more to print the tax notices and collect than the town received in revenue, he put together a proposal, and .abolished the town property taxes.

He loved to dance.  Ballroom dancing.  And he was good at it.  He had no mechanical ability whatsoever.

Most of all, he was a good friend.  Generous to a fault, always seeing the good in people.  

His wife, Patricia, preceded him,  We lost her two years ago.  He mourned her mightily, and talked of her constantly.

We're going to miss him.  He was a constant in my life for the past nineteen years, and a frequent visitor and companion.  He was a regular guest for our Sunday lunch gatherings, and shared the meal with us last week.

Rest in peace, Jerome.

Invest 90L

 With an extremely active hurricane season, we keep an eye on developing storms, especially in the Gulf of Mexico.  There is currently one storm down there that is driving the models crazy.  Invest 90L is expected to become a tropical storm, but they really don't have much agreement in the models.

We're going to have to keep a weather eye o this thing.  They don't have a clue what it might do.

Forgotten Weapons, the Zip 22

I've been watching Ian for several years, and I've never heard him describe a firearm in quite so desultory terms.  Evidently, this thing deserves everything he calls it.

I can see now why he calls it a horrible pistol.  Next, shooting it.  Or trying to shoot it.

I Lol'd, I did.

Enchiladas

 Grandson and I were talking about it yesterday, and decided that it had been a while since I made enchiladas.  Fair enough.  Today, I made two pans, one with red sauce and one with green sauce.

These aren't your standard, store-bought enchiladas.  Good sauce, good cheese, good beef.

Voter Fraud in Louisiana

 Our Democratic governor and our Republican Secretary of State have been disagreeing about how Louisiana will hold the November election.  The Secretary of State wanted in-person voting with absentee ballots allowed.

The governor sued, and the Courts ruled with him.   Now, Louisiana is going to have mail-in ballots, with very little safeguard on the voting process.  The whole plan is rife for fraud.  Of course, the Governor is going to take a victory lap.

Thee Governor's statement is here.

The Court's ruing is here.

Tuesday Afternoon Fishing

 

Heh!

Joe Biden Pushes Assault Weapons Ban

Old Uncle Joe (bless his heart), is now pushing for a full-out "assault weapon ban".  Whatever that means.Joe Biden is no fan of the 2nd Amendment, and sentient individuals need to reect him at the polls in November..  The Democrats have shown that they are not serious about protecting our cities, property, or businesses.  

There is no reason to believe that they are serious about protecting anything but their own power and privilege.

Does Caliber Really Matter?

Does caliber really matter in a citizen engagement?  Claude Warner discusses caliber with Lucky Gunner and brings up some very valid points.

Like so many, my background is military and police.  I am a student of Jeff Cooper, who also had a big military background.  But, the mission of a private citizen in a lethal force encounter is different than the mission of a soldier or a cop in that same encounter.  The citizen simply wants the threat to go away.

There are some compelling arguments here, and they deserve consideration.

Why Not Just Win Games

 It seems that the New Orleans Saints, a football team with a strong fan base, are doing their dead--level best to alienate a big portion of that fan base.

The New Orleans Saints are looking to set themselves apart from the run-of-the-mill social justice message of Black Lives Matter. The team is launching a #SayHerName campaign that focuses on black women in specific. The idea is that black women who are victims of police violence or injustice, in general, are not given the attention that is given to black males who have run-ins with law enforcement.

I'm mot watching the NFL this year, but I haven't watched it since  whats-his-name began his kneeling.

The NFL should be about football, plain and simple, and all this social justice bullshit just detracts from the game.  I think that it might be a better strategy to just win games.  None o the NFL needs to worry about me watching them until they abandon social justice and simply focus on winning games.

Third Raccoon

 Yesterday, Belle say evidence of a third raccoon in the back yard, so we set the trap again.  

Somehow, he managed to drag the cushion from the settee and shred it.  Belle is not amused.

Belle has a friend whose husband loves barbecued coon.  We've texted them.  If we don't hear from them in an hour or so, I'll make further disposition.

Here Comes Sally!

 It looks like Louisiana is in the cross hairs for another hurricane strike.  This time in southeast Louisiana.

Sally is expected to make landfall as a Cat 1 or Cat 2 on Monday afternoon.

I am struck by the similarities between this season and the 2005 season.  In 2005 we had Katrina hit the southeast and Rita hit the southwest, about two weeks apart.  This year, we had Laura hit the southwest and two weeks later, we have Sally headed for the southeast.  I hope that the people in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi are ready. This is liable to get interesting.

The Tyrant Proclains

 I just read the Facebook post that our petty tyrant governor posted yesterday.  It's interesting, and I took a screen grab of it, in case he takes it down later.

That last line is the most outrageous thing I've ever seen a governor proclaim.  "I also want people to be realistic, as Phase 3 with some relatively minor modifications, is likely where we stay until a vaccine is widely available.

Really?  We stay in Phase 3 until a vaccine is available?  Suppose a vaccine is never available?  We're supposed to wear masks for the foreseeable future?

It is withing the legislature's power to end this.  With a simple maority of either house, the entire public health emergency can be over-ridden.  It's time to end this madness and let Louisiana breathe free.

Saturday Morning

 Drinking coffee on the porch at daylight, I watched a flight of teal fly over the pond.  Teal migrate early, normally in mid-September, so this bunch is right on time.  

The Atlantic basin is busy this week, but we are at the height of hurricane season.  Currently, six different blips on the map.

In celebration of Phase 3, the club has decided to hold an invitational match.

The club is meeting today for a practice, and we're going to run some drills.  I'll start coffee out there at 9:00.

Edwards Trying To Kill Bar Business

 Governor John Bel Edwards is doing his dead-level best to kill the bar business in Louisiana.  In his move to Phase 3 of the Covid response, he continues to blame bars for all the Covid illness.

According to WAFB news:

Bars will remain closed to on-premises consumption in parishes with high incidents of COVID-19. The parishes that have a positivity rate of 5% or lower for two consecutive weeks will be allowed to opt in, meaning the parish government will have to make the final decision. Those that open will be subject to many restrictions, including indoor restriction of 50% capacity, indoors and outdoors customers will have to remain seated for table side service only, can have no more than 50 customers outdoors, and social distancing will be required indoors and outdoors, live music will not be allowed, all drinks will have to be ordered at the table and delivered by bar staff to the table, sale of service will end at 10 p.m. and patrons will be cleared from the building by 11 p.m. Individuals younger than 21 will not be allowed in the bar.

The bar business doesn't affect me much, but it is a large part of the hospitality industry in Louisiana, and bar owners and employees  have suffered during this crisis.

Louisiana continues to be under the autocratic rule of a petty tyrant, who wants to pick winners and losers in the local economy.  This latest attack on the economy should draw the ire of the legislature, but it's my opinion that they are a bunch of nutless wondwes.

Tucker: Anarchists are working to tear down America

Tucker Carlson's monologue for 9/12/2020 

Most of what we're seeing on the streets today is utter bullshit.  It's not about justice.  Justice is reasoned, peaceful, and respects everyone's rights.

I also notice that most of these riots occur in places where the malcontents don't have to worry about armed citizens.

Louisiana Moving to Covid Phase 3

 It's about damned time, but our petty tyrant governor ha decided that the evidence is so overwhelming that he can no longer keep us in Phase 2 without facing a popular revolt.  He tries to doom-and-gloom the announcement, telling us that the combination of Labor Day, the hurricane relief, and the opening of schools and colleges, that he is really concerned that we might slip back into the all-pandemic-all-the-time mode.

If you want to watch his barely palatable announcement, you an see it here.

He spent some time explaining why it was a hard decision to loosen restrictions, when if he were a freedom-loving individual, the decision should have been easy.  The one thing that strikes me as odd, is that he has had six months to plan this announcement, but he is putting it off till tomorrow.  Why?  He didn't know that he would have to move to Phase 3 at some point?

Project Update

 The generator is unboxed, assembled, ad running.  For the record, Belle bought this oe from Amazon at the height of the storm.  We were talking about buying a generator, and discussing options, and she clicked on her phone and said, "It'll be here in a week or so."  When it is time to make a decision, Belle doesn't mess around.

Termite mentioned in comments that I should consider a lockout switch to prevent backfeeding electrical current into the grid.  He's right, of course, and I'll have to research that.  Probably b going to my local electrical supply and see what is available under our electrical codes.

Then, it's just a matter of contacting one of my retired electrician friends and seeing how much beer it's going to take to get the job done.

Are We Looking At Civil War

 PJMeia's Tyler O'Neil asks if we are looking at a second American Civil War, and uses the 1850s as a metaphor for where America finds itself today. He argues, as I understand it, that what we are seeing today closely parallels the political climate that America dealt with in the rum-up to secession

He also argues that many Americans are historically challenged and have a misunderstanding of what Lincoln propsed in the run-up to the Civil War..

In fact, abolitionists were the minority in the North and Abraham Lincoln won on a platform of restraining the spread of slavery, not abolishing it. Lincoln wanted to return to the conditions of the Founders’ grand bargain on slavery — allowing it, but with limits — while the South pushed to expand it, steamrolling the limits the Founders put on the institution.

The South arguably brought the war on itself by partisan overreach, and the Left is arguably doing the same thing in modern America.

It's a great argument, and a ten minute read, and I recommend that you give it a look. 

Projects Done

 Busy day today.

Got that leaky toilet fixed.  Of course, it took three trips to the hardware store.  The last trip to Coburn's a local plumbing supply house.  One of these days I'm going to learn to drive the extra three miles to Coburn's and be done with it.

Shortly after Hurricane Laura, the ice maker in the house took a dump.  I realize that having ice on demand is a rich man's problem, but I like having ice on demand. Appliance Parts in Alexandria took care of that, a one stop shop for all your appliance needs.

Tomorrow, I set up the generator.  During the aftermath of Laura, we ordered a generator that should power the shop, where  we can access everything we need during a disaster.  I plan to use the 240v plug on it to power the shop.  I'll run it outdoors, of course, but have a male plug hardwired into the main breaker panel.  Then, when disaster strikes, I'll turn off the main breaker to the grid, power up the generator, and plug the shop into it.  It will power lights and A/C, and keep the refrigerators running.

We won't be as comfortable as we might be in the house, but we'll be a whole lot more comfortable that we were during Hurricane Laura. We can thrown an air mattress  on the floor and sleep cool, at least.

Belle says that the way 2020 is going, we're bound to have an ice storm in December.  I can keep the shop warm, that isn't an issue.

The finger is fine.  The doc gave me some percoset, and I haven't taken one yet.   I'll flush them in another couple of days.

The Weather

 My daughter-in-law, who lives in Los Alamos, NM, records the following on Facebook:

The earliest recorded snowfall in Los Alamos county was previously September 18, 1971.

2020: hold my beer.

At this point, I think that 2020 is just giving us thee middle finger.

 

Rochester Burns

 It seems that the entire command staff of the Rochester, NY, police department has resigned in the wake of another black man's death.

The facts are clear.  Our perp made the decision to take PCP, a street drug known for its unpredictable effects.  Our perp's brother called the police because he was unable to deal with his irrational, intoxicated brother.  The police arrived and took the pep into custody.  Our perp suffered a respiratory event.  The police called for EMT and began CPR. EMT arrived and took the perp to the hospital.

A video appears to show Prude attempting to get up, and then, officers moved in to hold him down. A few minutes later, officers became concerned with Prude’s condition, and he was given chest compressions. When Prude was loaded into the ambulance, he appeared to be nonresponsive. He died a few days later.

He died a few days later?  How is that the polices fault?

Our perp made a cascade of bad decisions, and his brother made a cascade of bad decisions, and suddenly it's the police's fault?   Of course, BLM, Inc sends in a host of outside agitators and burns thee town down, destroying businesses and property.

I don't blame the Chief for retiring. If the city no longer stands behind the police fore, then it deserves to burn.

Truth

 

No Big Deal

 Last night, I slipped and fell at the church.  Not really a big deal, but I stuck my finger into a door hinge on the way down, and crushed it pretty badly.  Walked outside holding my bloody finger and fainted.  I wasn't out fifteen seconds, but when I came-to, Belle had called an ambulance. Embarrassing.

First trip in an ambulance.  Got to the hospital, they ran a bunch of tests, couldn't find anything wrong except my finger, and stitched it up.  I'm fine, really.  I got shocky and fainted.

Typing with nine fingers is weird.  Lots of back-spacing and spell-checking.

The big issue today is a water leak I can't find.  According to the meter, I've used 14,000 gallons since the meter was last read on 08/14,  That is about three times as much water as we normally use.  Can't find a leaky faucet, a running commode, or a wet spot in the yard.  I'm losing about 10,000 gallons a month, and I'm baffled.

I have an expert coming by later and we'll try to figure it out.

**UPFATE** We found it.  I had a toilet leaking that I couldn't hear, but my son could hear it.  This particular son is a Level III Water operator  He runs a municipal water system..

I didn't knnow how much water a leaking toilet would use.  From Google:

Since the water flows down the sewer, leaking toilets don't necessarily leave any signs of a leak, until you get the bill. The average leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water per day. That's over 6,000 gallons a month ($70.06*) for just one leaking toilet!

Tomorrow, I'll re-plumb that toilet.

What Is A Stalking RIfle?

 Dave asks in comments:

Does a stalking rifle have to have open sights? Or are peep sights allowed?

We can agree that the "stalking rifle" probably came about during the heyday of the African safari.  A rifle of serious caliber that could be carried a lot and shot very little.  Most of those rifles had express sights, but I've seen a few with peep sights.  Back in those days, rifle optics were worse than not having sights at all.  Iron sights ruled, simply because they were durable,  quick, and reasonably accurate for the task at hand.

The staking rifle, as I appreciate it, is light, quick, and of sufficient caliber to do the job.  In this modern era, Jeff Cooper's Scout rifle could be considered a stalking rifle.  Light, quick, easy to use.  I have an old Remington 700 in ,308 Win that might fit the bill as a stalking rifle.  It has an 18 inch tube, a low power variable, and is very fast to get on target.  

For that matter, my Winchester 94 might be considered a stalking rifle.  It's light, at about 6 lbs, has a good peep sight, and if very fast in the woods.

To my mind, a stalking rifle is defined more by what it is not.  It is not a precision rifle.  It is no a bench rifle, it is not known for one-shot groups, although many stalking rifles are capable of good accuracy.  It's a rifle that you an carry all day, and take one good shot in the field.

If you're interested in good, classic British stalking rifles, here is a good place to start your education, but beware; this is a rabbit hole that you might not find your way out of.

Who Threw The Molotov?

In Portland, to celebrate 100 nights of rioting, some jazzbo thinks it's a good idea to throw a Molotov cocktail.  The guy who catches fire, disagrees.

C'mon, folks.  There are no peaceful protesters left in Portland.  The folks who show up for these nightly anarchy lessons are simply looking for opportunistic criminality.

I used to help manage an annual festival.  This little town of 20K would host 150K or more.  We'd set up a large misdemeanor booking area at the edge of the festival.    A large, outdoor area surrounded by a chain-link fence.We'd book 'em, cite 'em, and turn them loose after the festival was over.  We had very little repeat business, but we set up the booking area every year.

Portland needs to get a handle on their crowds, so Molotov guy can get extinguished.

Thank God For The Linemen

 I've been thanking these guys every chance I get.  When an entire grid collapses, it takes an army of workers to rebuild it.  Here in southwest Louisiana we have thousands of electrical grid workers trying to get us back into the 20th century.

Here is one post from a lineman to his home company.

We have heard sporadically from our men in Louisiana. When they do have a minute, they would rather reach out to their families which is understandable. However, one Lineman texted this information today:

We are turning two feeders back on today which will include a couple of towns. They are increasing the work force from 500 to 750 workers. The trucks at our location are going through 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel each day. Workers are getting sick from food and ending up in the hospital. It is very hot with lots of snakes in the trees and the fire ants are unforgiving. That’s not the bad part. It’s the fungus on our feet that blisters and bleeds and hurts when you walk. Our feet are always wet. We did find a cheeseburger yesterday at a restaurant and it was delicious. 

We are working our way to the coast and the closer we get, there is nothing left. It is all gone. 

Prayers are still needed for the victims and the workers.

I can't say  enough about the dedication of these linemen. 

The One You Have

 A good friend of mine opined on Facebook:

"In a SHTF situation, I would be hard pressed not to pick the Glock for my handgun and I don't even like Glocks that much."

That is a legitimate opinion from a guy who knows hi way around handguns.  In the past I have opined that in the pantheon of fighting pistols, the 1911, the K-frame revolver, and the Glock 19 all deserve serious consideration. 

But, what millions of people have discovered during the past eight months is that when the S does indeed HtF you will probably be unable to run out and buy the preferred handgun or rifle.  At that point it becomes academic.  What you use to defend home and hearth are the ones you have on hand at the time, whether grandad's 1903 Hammerless, or dad's Remington 11.  Both will suffice in a pinch, and have sufficed for many decades.

When the wind picks up, the limbs start falling and the electrical grid fails (or whatever SHTF scenario you might imagine), the things you have at hand are what you have to work with.  You can't run out and buy a generator, or non-perishable food, or another case of 9mm ammo. You are on your own for three days.  Help is coming, but for the first 72 hours you should not expect any help at all.

People in Louisiana learned this again last week.  Hurricane Laura was the strongest storm to hit Louisiana in the last 160 years.  This morning, many are still without electrical power.  In many locations, the grid was absolutely destroyed.  We are now 12 days into what may become a multi-week adventure for lots of people.This was not a zombie apocalypse of modern fiction, but an apocalypse nonetheless.  What people had when the wind quit blowing was less than what they had when the sind started blowing.  It was a resource-eating, asset-destroying situation.  The default position was what you had on hand when the wind quit blowing.

What is the best SHTF pistol?  The one you have on hand when the wind quits blowing.

The Mauser 98

I'm much too old for a stalking rifle these days, but I've long considered the Mauser 98, in 7X57 to be perhaps the quintessential stalking rifle for North American game.  If you want ammo availability, go with the .20-06, bu the Mauser is one of the classic rifles in game fields all over the world.

Water Table

 After Laura, m first job was to erect a privacy fence that had been destroyed.  Not a bad job, but it required digging holes in the yar.  I'm an old-time post-hole digger, so I got out the tool and started drilling holes in the back yard.  I wanted to set an 8-foot treated 4X4, three (3) feet in the ground, and anchor it with Sacrete.  That is my standard fence building technique.  

The original fence had been put in with 2" thin wall pipe.  It lasted more than ten years, but eventually, the water gets in and rusts the pipes at ground level.  4X4s are best in this region.  Take my word for it.

I dug the first hole and went inside to cool off.  When I came out, the hole had partially filled with water.

That's what happens in Louisiana when we dig a post hoe after a storm. I sent this photo to my son, who lives in New Mexico.  He runs a crew that occasionally digs water wells, and I thought they would get a kick our of seeing water just under the surface.  It's not something they get to see every day.

Moving Day

 Grandson Zach came to live with us in April, 2017.  He's been with us since.  He is a good student, and kept his grades up, graduated with  honors, and now is about to launch is college career.  Today is move-in day at the dorms at Louisiana Tech, and Zach has scholarships, and today is the day we load the vehicles with whatever he needs for college and drop his skinny butt off in Ruston, LA>

Grandson Quinton was supposed to move with him, also to attend LA Tech, his National Guard  unit was activated in support of the recovery effort for Hurricane Laura.  He's crashing with us as well because his unit is 15 minutes away and staying at PawPaw's house is a whole lot more comfortable than staying in the barracks.  Quinton will stay with us until his unit is relieved, then decide if he can salvage the semester, or wait until the next one.  Quinton was also an honor student, and has scholarships pending, but his unit was activated, and he is a soldier.

So, after lunch, we'll make sure that Zach is safely ensconced in this dorm room.  Belle is proud of Zach, and we've done everything we can to prepare him, but now it's time for him to launch.  I"m sure that she will shed a tear, and now I'll have to find another kid to mow the back yard.

Tired

 Lets's face it, I'm out of shape.  And old man said to me a decade ago, "I can still do a full days work, it just takes me most of the week."

When I was younger ad had my hobby farm way out in the country, I could work all day.  Hard, physical labor, I'd get started about 7:00 a.m. and wok til about 5:00 pm, and I'd be tired, ready for supper, a beer and a bath.  

After Laura quit blowing, I started cleaning up, repairing stuff, and I've continued through till today.  But, I"d quit about noon, totally worn out.   I did the same today  I finished up the major hurricane project at about noon toady, rebuilding a privacy fence that Laura destroyed.  Now Belle can sit outside with her housecoat, her slippers and her coffee without having to wave at the neighbors.

This week I've used a post-hoe digger, a chain saw, and most of my carpentry skills.  I'm not complaining, it feels good to be tired from honest work.  But, like that old man from a decade ago, I can still do a full day's work, it just takes me most of the week.

New Gun Owners Surge

Gun sales are still surging, an indication that the Democrats message on gun control is not working.  With the pandemic, the riots in the streets, and the unwillingness of some mayors and governors to enforce the law and protect public safety, many Americans believe that they mst step up and make an attempt to protect their families.

I stand with Colion Noir and other freedom loving Americans who believe that we are our own best security.

Got Power?

 In storm-ravaged Louisiana lately, the most asked question to family and acquaintances this week is; "You got power?"  And, we're not really asking about the power grid, we're asking about air conditioning.  Air conditioning is vital in Louisiana's semi-tropical climate.  It is my contention that the greatest invention of the 20th century is refrigeration.  Whether to cool our food, prevent spoilage, or to cool our living quarters, refrigeration has changed the way people live.

I grew up without air conditioning, as did everyone who lived prior to 1950.  Yet, it's absolutely vital to my existence today.  This past week has seen thousands of small generators sold locally as people try to re-power their homes in the absence of the electrical grid.  To keep food cool, to keep themselves cool.

Yet, it's true that air conditioning takes a huge toll on the electric grid.  California has seen rolling blackouts during peak consumption hours.  Some innovators are looking at ways to make refrigeration more efficient, less energy-hungry.  I applaud their efforts.

At some point in the future, PawPaw's air conditioning unit for the house will crap out, and I"ll be forced to buy a new unit.  You can bet I'll be looking for the most efficient unit

Laura Recovery Update

 To give an idea of the devastation,  a copy/paste from my second son's facebook page.  He works for a small town in Grant parish as a water system operator, keeping clean water flowing and dirty water flowing.  But, he does other things as well.

My guys and I did some more storm cleanup  today, and finally got every road opened up in the town of Pollock.   So at least now you can drive on every street.  When we were finishing for the day, I stopped to talk to a tree clearing crew that clears rightaways for cleco.  These poor souls were from north Idaho,  and were melting.  I asked where they were staying, and he said some "Man camp" down the road.  I asked how many hrs they work a day, and he said normally 16.  I know a few of the Cleco hands, and they are out there just about around the clock.  When I left Pollock this afternoon, there wasn't anyone in town with power, but they are there working on it.  There are countless crews, from around here, and out of state, busting their ass every day to try to get power restored.  So please be patient with them.  Also, a huge thankyou to Mrs Debra Budrow Mrs Judy Sweat Shelton, and Michelle Dezendorf Bordelon for keeping us fed when we couldn't go get lunch.  We will be back at it bright and early tomorrow morning.

The storm hit Thursday morning, and five days after the wind quit blowing, many people are still without power.  cres from as far away as Idaho are here helping us restore power.  It's a Herculean effort with several hundred crews (and over 6000 individuals) helping us.

Belle's office does not yet have internet or phone service, but they do have power.  Just because the storm is over does not mean that the damage is repaired or that life is coming back to normal. 

Life gets a little bit more normal every day.

We Still Have Covid

 As we dig out and rebuild from hurricane Laura, we are reminded that covid is still with us.  I still carry a mask in the vehicle and wear it when necessary.  I understand that going through a major hurricane might play hob with the state's reporting, but a report from WBRZ TV sheds light on the utter incompetence of our state's testing regime.

The state said 532 backlogged cases were among the 1,645 new COVID-19 cases reported to state health officials since Friday.  The latest case information was revealed around noon Sunday and includes cases from both Saturday and Sunday.

Backlog cases?  Why are we getting backlog cases?  How old is that backlog>?

The backlogged 532 cases were as old as July 1. 

July 1st?  That is eight weeks ago.  Those people long since recovered, and the information, at this point, is totally worthless from any rational standpoint.

Our governor, of course, is thrilled.  He's soaking the federal government for both a public health emergency and a natural disaster emergency. He's riding the Covid beast like a spavined mule, and he'll take numbers from anyone who has them, evern if those numbers are eight weeks old and useless from a medical of planning standpoint.