Gun Control

Kurt Russell recently spoke out on the subject of gun control when asked about it during an interview.

"If you think gun control is going to change the terrorists’ point of view, I think you’re, like, out of your mind," Russell said to anti-gun Hollywood reporter Jeffery Wells while promoting his new film, "The Hateful Eight." "I think it’s absolutely insane.”

Of course, it didn't take long for someone to make it a poster.

It sounds about right to me.

Again

Two more photos from Tombstone

That's pretty much the way I feel about it.  IF I saw an ISIS flag waving down the street, I'd be hard-pressed not to open fire.

The Mercury Medicare

I've taken to calling The Grand Marquis that, because only old men drive them, but I love mine.  I've talked about it before, it's an '01 with 104K miles on it, with a new timing gear, chains, etc installed at 96K.  Upper and lower ball joints last month, and I was driving it to work yesterday and noticed a miss in the engine, just about the time the Check Engine Light came on.

Well, crap.

The last time I had that problem, my very competent mechanic son showed me how to diagnose and change the coil pack and spark plug on the engine.  It's much different than I used to do that "back in the day" but it's not particularly hard, so after I plugged int he ODBII code reader and learned that the misfire was on #1, I stopped by the parts house and picked up a new coil pack.

When I got home this afternoon, I lifted the hood to let the engine cool, then went inside to let the dog out for his afternoon constitutional, then took out the tools and dove in.  Thirty minutes later I was done.  The engine idles well, and seems smooth, so we'll call that job done.  It took me longer to figure out how to turn off the CEL light than it did to change the parts.

I still remember the Points, Plugs, Conderser drill that my dad taught me all those years ago.  How to set the points, and adjust timing; how to listen to an engine and try to figure out which cylinder was missing, and how to say "to hell with it" and change all the spark plugs.

Nowadays, it's different.  We plug in the code reader and work on the problem that it identifies.  ODBII code readers are available at a wide price range and I won't pretend to tell you which to buy, but nowadays they are indispensable for working on cars.  They sure take the guess-work out of diagnosis.

Thanks, son, for the tutorial those months ago.  The old man thinks he got it right today.  If I need you, I'll call you.

Skin That Thing

If you read this little scribbling, you probably like the movie Tombstone.  I've watched it several hundred times,  can recite the dialogue along with the actors.

We've got this ISIS shit going on, and some wags have been applying Tombstone quotes to the problem.  I like them, like them a lot.

Like this one.

Heh!.  I'll be highlighting some of my favorites in the next several days.

Considering

As much as I enjoy this blog, I'm considering a change or two, but I thought I'd get my (half-dozen) readers input before I made the change.

Last year about this time I started a new route on my firearms journey.  I've gotten really involved in the Cowboy Fast Draw Association.  It takes up a lot of my time, and regular readers will know that many of my blog posts are associated with that hobby.

So, I've been thinking about splitting this blog into two blogs.  One for regular posting and one dedicated simply to Cowboy Fast Draw shooting, guns and equipment.

What say ye?  Keep it like it is, or split it up?  And yes, your opinion matters.

Noreen BN36 (AR in .30-06)

If I were in the market for another AR platform rifle, I'd be hard-pressed not to order one of these.  From the Firearm Blog:

The he local gunshot had it for sale for only $1,549.95. Noreen has them on their website for $1700. They have an assortment of barrel lengths and accessories to customize your .30-06 AR if you want one.

The website is here.

And, of course, the obligatory YouTube video.



All I could think of was "Here, piggy, piggy, piggy!"

This thing would make Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer cry.  I love it.

Ruger Vaquero - III

I got an email from Dennis Miller of Turnbull Manufacturing this morning concerning the Mancum Ruger, and this is what he had to tell me.

This Ruger was here in September of 2010. We fit fancy walnut grips to it, engraved the back strap, polished, prepped, color cased the frame and charcoal blued the rest of the parts. No other information is available about the engraving . We do stamp our Turning Bull logo on some firearms if the customer requests it.

So, that answers some questions, but others remain.  We know several things now that we didn't know last week.

1)This Ruger was born in 1993,probably one of the first ones shipped from the factory, as indicated by its very low serial number.
2) In September of 2010 it made its way to Turnbull Manufacturing Co, where it was engraved, prepped, color-case hardening applied to the frame and the rest of the revolver was charcoal blued.  Mr. Miller tells us that fancy walnut grips were fitted, but the grips now on the revolver are standard Ruger grips.

Several mysteries remain, and might always be mysterious about this revolver.  That's fine.  It's home now and is no longer under glass in a pawn shop.  It will be used.  I am very glad that Mr. Mancum had the Turning Bull logo stamped on the receiver.

CFDA - The Rules

Every game has rules, and those rules change over time.  The idea of a rule is to standardize a competition so that it proceeds in a predictable fashion.  The CFDA has a rule book that it available to everyone.  Occasionally, adendums are issued to promulgate changes to the rules.  Additionally, the director has set forth some tests that a rule must meet.  1) Safety, 2) Necessity, 3) Spirit and Integrity of the Game, and 4) Enforceability.

Under test #2 Necessity, the guidelines plainly state:

The second test of any rule, is the necessity of the rule itself. We could have a rulebook that is a foot thick, I’ve seen them and had to deal with them in other shooting sports. Yes, we do need a set of solid rules that govern, define and provide parameters for our sport. But if we don’t need a rule, let’s not have one to enforce.

That makes sense to me.  If you don't need a rule, then let's not have a rule.  Still, the rules change from time to time and in this month's Gunslinger's Gazette, we find a little leaflet with rules addendums.  One in particular has caused some consternation among the membership, and I'll reprint it in it's entirety for discussion.

Page 23. Technical Violations (Add)#17.DISCHARGING THE GUN WITH THE MUZZLE BEHIND THE HOLSTER IS NOT ALLOWED. It must be clearly obvious to the Line Judge that the front end of the barrel is in front of the outside of the holster pouch cut.
Note: Upon the first warning, the Range Master will assign a Line Judge who's decision will be final.

We got our Gazette last week, but life intruded and we didn't have time to study it.  On Saturday morning as we were walking out the door to the club shoot, Blue Eyed Belle found the addendum and I recommended that she read it to me as we drove to the club.  When she got to the new muzzle rule, I commented "Well, that will stir up some crap."

I was right.  By the time I got home that afternoon and sat down at the computer, the forums had exploded.  Lots of folks upset at the rule, so here's my thoughts on it.

1) I've been in several shooting sports over the years and it has always been my firm conviction that I wanted the muzzle of the gun past the line tangential to my belly button before I hit the bang switch. I do not want to ventilate myself with the handgun.  We use reduced power ammunition in the CFDA game, but that doesn't mean that you can't hurt yourself with it.  Safety First is our motto, as it rightfully should be.   This rule only requires us to have the muzzle forward of the holster.

2)  In the few hours I've spent with our Director, I believe him to have the best interest of the game at heart.  I don't think he'd do anything to hurt the game, or to diminish it in any way.  He may not have fully explained the reasoning behind the rule, but that will be forthcoming.  There is no reason to assign nefarious intent.  This rule may have been forced by liability, or insurance rules, or any number of outside factors.

3) Granted, some folks spend lots of time analyzing their draw, taking video, applying scientific methods and trying to reduce every extraneous movement.  They're competitive, I get it.  We all want to do well and they've spent hours, multiple hours over multiple months, practicing the draw, making changes, trying to be the very best that they can be.  Now, with this rule, they've got to make further adjustments.  This is a game of milliseconds, and every one of those milliseconds means something.
To those folks, I agree, it's tough.

4) Enforceability may be the biggest hurdle for this rule.  The hand judge is the front line of our safety efforts.  The hand judge is assigned to a particular shooter and the responsibilities of the hand judge are too numerous to go into in this post.  But at the moment of the SET command the hand judge is watching several things simultaneously.  She's watching the position of the gun in the holster, she's watching the timing of the light, she's looking for the shooter anticipating the light,   Additionally, she's positioned behind the strong side of the shooter and the angle of her vision may be such that she is unable to observe the precise position of the muzzle at the instant of firing.  This is a game of milliseconds and when the light illuminates, it's faster than the human eye can blink.  The enforceability of this rule will be based on the "clearly obvious" wording before a Line Judge is appointed to watch specifically for this violation.

In short, I think that this is a rule that will be widely understood and rarely invoked.

In summary, I think the rule makes sense.  Yes, it will cause the fastest shooters to make some adjustments and to those guys and gals, I empathize.  You've worked hard to get to the pinnacle of the game and now you've got to make changes.  I feel your pain.But, you'll survive, get stronger, and probably faster.  

**Update**  The Director of CFDA has put an explanation of the rule change on the CFDA Telegraph.  You can go there for the full explanation.  Go to the link for the full explanation, but the pertinent parts are here.

In the first two seasons following this decision, my first concern was that I noticed an increase in shooters that had shot the front cut of their holsters, which did bring up safety concerns. After all, this issue was originally classified under the 2004 Safety Rules.

In the past two seasons, my concerns have grown with the fact that shooters, including some youth and newer shooters are working very hard to practice the "Dump Draw". Dump Draws are made possible by being able to pull the six-gun straight back, while pushing the grips down, and discharging the gun with the front of the muzzle behind the front of the holster pouch. Some are even firing the gun with the front of the muzzle behind the back of the holster pouch. This very type of draw is in direct conflict with the original principles that CFDA was founded upon.

Again, you can go to the link for the whole explanation, but Cal's reasoning makes sense to me.

Those Old Photos

I like looking at old photos, and I wonder about the motivation of the people taking them.  Taking photos in the late 19th and early 20th century was much more complicated than it is today.  Today, anyone can whip out a cell phone and snap a selfie, and lots of folks do that, but back in the day, a photograph required a knowledgable photographer and big equipment.  Let's take this picture, for example.

An undated photo of Co D, Texas Rangers in a camp scene.   Probably late 1800s, early 1900s, my limited research has been unable to date it, but it purports to show a group of Texas Rangers taking a meal.  While Mr. Eastman had introduced his Brownie camera in 1900 to make photography available to the masses, I doubt this photo and many others like it were candid shots.  I suspect that this group of Rangers wanted this photo for a particular purpose. So, they set it up to record a particular event.  I'm sure that many of the men groused about it, but the bosses were firm and the photo was captured.  Then, the film was sent to a processor who used chemistry to print the photo on special paper.  Photography was difficult in those days.

Today, I simply take my cell phone or my digital camera and in seconds have a photo I can use..  Like my propensity to take a random picture of a goofy dawg to post on Sunday morning.

A hundred years ago, photography was a whole lot more difficult.

Happy Hour

It's 4:00 on Friday, and Milady and I have declared Happy Hour.  Cocktails are poured and relaxing is commenced.  We'll put on some shoes later and go out for supper, but right now we're chilling.

Tomorrow is club shooting at the range.

Next week, I have to do some Christmas shopping, but that will wait till next week.

Ruger Vaquero - II

I was showing off my Vaquero at the office this morning, and a friend noticed a logo stamped in the side of the revolver.  A rampant bull in a circle, and wondered about it.  Here's a picture taken from my cell phone.

I went to a computer and started searching for this logo.  I came up with something interesting.

That's a pretty good match for the logo.  I've got an email in to Turnbull Restoration to see if they know anything about the gun I'm now calling the Mancum Ruger.  We'll see what Turnbull can tell me.

Ruger Vaquero

1n 1993, Ruger introduced a variant of their successful Blackhawk revolver, the Vaquero. This single-action revolver more closely resembled the Colt Single Action so beloved of old-west historians and re-enactors.    Originally in .357 magnum and .45 Long Colt, it was an immediate success.  Adopted by the Single Action Shooters Society, it became known as a rock-solid handgun that would handle the stoutest handloads that can prudently be put into a magnum handgun.

However, the Vaquero was a litle heavy, built like a tank, and the Single Action game guys petitioned for a slightly smaller revolver.  In 2005, Ruger came out with a slightly smaller frame, more closely approximating the Colt Peacemaker.  It's still a supremely strong revolver, and it's been adopted, loved, gunsmithed and shot by millions of single action aficionados.  Ruger called this revolver the New Vaquero.  T hose of us who follow such things nowadays call the revolvers the New Vaquero and the Old Vaquero.  Technically, there is no Old Vaquero.  There are Vaqueros and New Vaqueros.

In January of this year, Milady and I got involved in Cowboy Fast Draw shooting.  Regular readers know this fact.  I immediately bought two Ruger New Vaquero revolvers to get us started.  As I crawled through pawn shops, I'd keep my eyes out for good examples of single action revolvers and in the succeddeing months I've picked up a few mre examples, from Uberti and Pietta. Good revolvers all, and beloved by the Fast Draw community.  Still, I kept my eyes open for nice single action revolvers in .45 Long Colt.

This summer, I was cruising through my favorite pawn shop and saw a familiar shape in the case.  I asked to see it.  A Ruger (old) Vaquero in .45 Long Colt, but with the 7.5" barrel.  It was priced a little bit high, above retail for a new New Vaquero, so I passed on it.

In late September, I was passing through the shop and I noticed the Vaquero still in the case.  But the price had been dropped.  Two things came immediately to mind.  First, Ruger no longer cataloges the New Vaquero in the .7.5" barrel.  Those are found in pawn shops near the hens teeth.  Second, this was a very early example of the (Old) Vaquero.  It probably came out of the factory during the first month of production.  The serial number is truly that low.  I gave the counter guy a C-Note and put the gun on layaway.

Then, I went home and told Milady what I had done.  She agreed that the asking price was fair, and agreed that I had done the correct thing.  During the following months, I'd drop by and put a few dollars on the layaway.  On December 1st, I told the pawnbroker that I'd see him after the first of the year and get it out.  He was cool with that.

Today, I got a text from Milady.  "After work, go by the shop and pick up your gun."  I'm a December baby, so my birthday and Christmas are close.  As instructed I went by the shop to pick up my gun, right after work.  A 4473, some light banter with the pawnbroker, and I was out the door.

Damn, it's pretty.  almost pristine, this revolver has been used lightly and loved much.  Someone worked this revolver, and they knew Ruger revolvers.  The hammer comes back smoothly, with no appreciable catches.  The trigger is crisp and clean, and the case-hardening has to be seen to be appreciated.  My poor photography skills don't do it justice.  Deep, rich color case-hardening, it reveals blues, reds and golds.  It's really a beautiful handgun.

As in most old Rugers, the base pin is captured by the ejector, which is nice, the cylinder spins freely when the loading gate is opened, the trigger breaks cleanly with just a trace of creep.  The hammer comes back smoothly.  It's really a fine example of the gunsmith's craft.

Two mysteries currently exist about this gun.  It is apparent is was a special revolver to someone, but I didn't know who until I showed it to Milady.

"Who is Aidan Mancum?" she asked.

"I have no idea.  Why? I responded.

"His name is engraved on the backstrap." She replied.

Sure enough, on the backstrap of the revolver, in delicate scroll script, the name Aidan Mancum is engraved.  I have no idea who Mr. Mancum is, but obviously this was his revolver.  With nicely done scroll engraving and pristine action work, it's obvious to anyone that Mr. Mancum thought this revolver was something special.

The second mystery is who will be using it.  As Milady tried the action, she dropped  it down to a holstered position, then mimicked a draw. "Oh! That's smooth." she said, "The hammer comes back like butter." Her eyes were wide "I like that a lot, and the grips fit me.  I may have to get a long-gun holster."

Regardless, Mr. Mancum.  It's a beautiful revolver and we'll take good care of it.  Personally, I may still be in the market for a long gun.

Terror, Then and Now

My buddy, Jim Birkel, provides an interesting contrast about terrorism then, and now.  He references the Northfield Raid, where the James/Younger gang tried to hold up the bank in Northfield, MN, on September 7, 1876.  The gang targeted the First National Bank of Northfield because they though it would be an easy target.  They were wrong.

Back in those days, there was no FDIC.  If your bank was robbed, the depositors lost money.  Real money.  The hopes, dreams, and security of the depositors would be lost.  When the citizens realized that the bank (and their deposits) was in jeopardy, they armed themselves and met the gang in the street.  You can read about it here. A gunbattle erupted between the gang and the citizens.  The surviving gang members fled on horseback while the townspeople raised posses to pursue.  By the time the pursuit was over, only Frank and Jesse James had escaped and the James/Younger gang was no more.

Another example of townspeople protecting their assets came in October, 1892 when the Dalton Gang tried to rob two banks simultaneously in Coffeyville, Kansas.  Again, the townspeople armed themselves to protect their deposits and a general gunbattle erupted.  By the time the dust had settled, the Dalton Gang had been shot to pieces.

Armed criminals, met in the act of depredation by armed citizens.  In both cases, the citizens might not have been armed initially, but obtained guns from the local hardware store.Common folk, shopkeepers, farmers and townfolk took care of their own business.

That's American exceptionalism.  I doubt that we heard much talk about gun control from the elected officials, but in those days, tar and feathers was still a part of the impeachment process.

Don't Forget Iron Bombs

Tam knocks one out of the park, with a wry posting about war stocks.

The peace dividend is coming around to bite us in the ass, especially with the Obama Administration's fondness for taking up the White Man's Burden in the various "Arab Spring" messes that have created a vast failed state stretching from the Pillars of Hercules to the Hindu Kush.

That's a good point, and she links another article about the Air Force expending munitions a whole lot faster than they can be re-supplied.

The official told CNN that the Air Force has requested additional funding for Hellfire missiles and is developing plans to ramp up weapons production to replenish its stocks more quickly.

The Air Force loves the Hellfire missile because it's so good.  There is very little collateral damage.  It's basically an upgraded anti-tank missle and they cost about $110,000 per each.  War costs money, but when you're dropping a bomb on something, it really should cost less than the something we're destroying, and I bet that dropping a string of Mark 80 bombs would get the job done.  Our weapons don't have to be gee-whiz smart munitions.  We still shoot lots of dumb bullets and do just fine, thank you.

On the places we're dropping these bombs, I wouldn't describe the inevitable result as "collateral damage" so much as "basic improvements".  I'm just sayin'

Gators

We find this story this morning about a guy who went to conduct some burglaries in Florida and got 'et by an alligator.

PALM BAY, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say a man who may have hidden as officers investigated reports of two suspicious men in a Florida community targeted by recent burglaries was killed by an 11-foot alligator.

When he didn't return home after a night of burglary his girlfriend reported him missing.

 Brevard County Sheriff's Maj. Tod Goodyear says 22-year-old Matthew Riggins told his girlfriend he would be in Barefoot Bay to commit burglaries with another suspect. Authorities received calls Nov. 13 about two suspicious men in black walking behind homes and investigated. Riggins was reported missing the next day.

Of course, investigators were forced to euthanize the gator.

 Goodyear said sheriff's divers recovered Riggins' body 10 days later in a nearby lake and the injuries were consistent with an alligator attack. Authorities said Riggins had drowned and the alligator, which behaved aggressively toward divers, was trapped and euthanized.

I don't have much sympathy for a burglar, but being eaten by an alligator has to be a horrible way to meet your maker.

Wings

Got hungry for wings tonite, so I stopped on the way home and picked up some chicken strips.  Why bother with the bones, when chicken strips are right there in the frozen case.

Got home, fried them, then ran them in Daigle's Cajun Pecan and Garlic Sauce.  I found it at Super One.

That was pretty good.  Milady had her fork in the plate and allowed that it was fairly tasty without being overpowering.  If you can find Daigle's sauce, it has the PawPaw seal of approval.

Beat The Drum

The New York Times, in what some are describing as the first editorial on the front page since 1920, has put an editorial on the front page.  The headline tells the tale:

End The Gun Epidemic In America

You can suspect what's coming next.

 But motives do not matter to the dead in California, nor did they in Colorado, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut and far too many other places. The attention and anger of Americans should also be directed at the elected leaders whose job is to keep us safe but who place a higher premium on the money and political power of an industry dedicated to profiting from the unfettered spread of ever more powerful firearms.

It does no good to reason with these people when they use words like "ever more powerful weapons".  The weapons used in California and Colorado weren't particularly powerful.  They were powerful enough, indeed, to commit murder and all reasonable people abhor murder.  These were not reasonable people, and the editorial board at the New York Times are not necessarily burdened by reason either.  No, their purpose is quite plain.  Disarmament.

Certain kinds of weapons, like the slightly modified combat rifles used in California, and certain kinds of ammunition, must be outlawed for civilian ownership. It is possible to define those guns in a clear and effective way and, yes, it would require Americans who own those kinds of weapons to give them up for the good of their fellow citizens.

And there, my friends, is the agenda.  they want us to give them up for the good of  our fellow citizens.  They are unmasked, plainly saying what we have believed them to mean for decades.  Give them all up, turn then in.  Disarm in the face of evil.

The editorial board of the New York Times wraps themselves in the sacred First Amendment to trample on the guarantees of the Second Amendment.  I can think of no more evil purpose than that.

Now, if you'll excuse me I have to load some ammo, and prepare for a trip to the range.

Multi-Automatic Round Weapons

Before I get started, a trigger warning.  I've been drinking Canadian whiskey for an hour or so.  But, we have tonight a new term, coined by  California Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez.  It seems that "multi-automatic round weapons" are available everywhere but in California.  I shit you not.



Do these people have any idea what they're talking about, or do they just make crap up as they go along?  It's both depressing and amusing listening to people who have no idea, talk about things with which they are totally unfamiliar.

They simply sound stupid, which is how Rep Sanchez comes off, dumb as a friggin rock.  Dumber'n a sack of hammers.  Her constituents should be proud.  They elected a complete and total dumbass.

Breaking - Mass Shooting in California

It's still breaking, but I'm hearing reports of fourteen (14) dead and as many or more wounded.

Lots of links later, but I'm watching a live feed on Fox.  The shooters have departed as far as anyone knows and police are processing the crime scene, trying to get information, interviewing witnesses and doing all the smart things.

Interesting that the shooters targeted a conference center in a larger center that helped the developmentally disabled.  And, interesting that the shooters eft the area.  They didn't stick around and fight it out with police, so it's not a standard active-shooter incident.  I'll be following this as it evolves and try to learn as much about it as I can.

My prayers to the victims and families affected.

The Costs and Consequences of Gun Control

In a paper published today by the CATO Institute, Dave Kopel takes apart, step by step, and patiently so that even the dullest politician could understand it, the three pillars of "common-sense" gun control.

I've bookmarked it, and I've linked it, again for you.

I'm busy with life today, so read Mr. Kopel's analysis, or read off my sidebar.  I'll check in later.