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Archive for June, 2008

Over on the Leverguns.com Community Forum the old game of “pick one” came up again recently. Only this time it was “pick two”. Here’s part of the original post to give context to my answer as outlined below.

You can only pick one rifle – hunting, self protection, plinking, fondling, drooling over… etc. You won’t have any others at home, at camp, in the car, at some member of your families home. You have to choose only one. It has to be one you have or one you are working to own/build etc. I would like to know which one it is, and why. I am leaving a little room to wiggle with the second part of the question.

With that one rifle, you get to have one pistol, same rules, no others anywhere else.

I ain’t played one of these games in a while -but always find them interesting. Shucks, right now I’ve only GOT one handgun and no funds to pick up a rifle. A lot of it has to do with your surroundings and where you live in the first place. Here? Well, here, south of the Rio Grande by a considerable distance, a 38 revolver and a 22 rifle are hard to beat. Ammo’s fairly easy to come up with (“fairly” being a relative term) since those are probably the two most common calibers.

Now, if I were up in the US – it’d be a different story. There??? Well, he threw a monkey wrench into the system with his “only two” with no wiggle room for an “omnipresent” 22 LR. How can you get along without a 22 in the US of A? Skeeter Skelton’s character, Dobie Grant, picked the good ol’ 22 LR as a “one rifle” in a similar exercise. There’s a lot to be said for a 22 rifle – it can take game up to and including black bear and elk – if you pick your shots CAREFULLY. We’re not talking about HUNTING, we’re talking about KILLING – probably with the aid of “non-sporting” methods. The object being to simply fill the pot. A 22 LR will also give you the means to obtain a more potent weapon in a “Red Dawn” type scenario in which the country’s over run by foreign “liberators” and the good ol’ boys have taken to the hills.

So, a 22 rifle and a centerfire hand gun. Picking the handgun is tough too. 38 spl/357 ammo’s almost everywhere, even in this day and age of the WonderNine bottom feeders. But there’s a lot to be said for the power of a 45 Colt in a modern sixgun like a Blackhawk or Vaquero. In fact, it would be easier to download the 45 to “cat sneeze’ levels for plinking/smallgame/etc than it is to hotrod the 38/357 to the level of power which a hot loaded 45 is capable of. In fact, you CAN’T get a 357 up to the level of power the 45 Colt is capable of in a MODERN large framed revolver.

So, choice one - 22 LR rifle and 45 Colt Ruger large frame sixgun.

On the other hand, a good centerfire rifle can be a handy thing to have. You’ve got a HUGE selection up there – I’d seriously consider the 30 WCF – probably in a 94 Winchester configuration. (Grandpa’s ol’ rifle) The 30-30 has taken every game animal on the North American continent – multiple times. It’s not “the end all” of calibers but is still capable of doing everything it ever did do – and better today than 100 years ago since we’ve more advanced choices in bullet design than folks had when it first came out. Ammo’s EVERYWHERE. No self respecting gun shop can consider itself well stocked without a good selection of 30-30 ammo and components are also easy to find and loading tools are common.

And a 22 handgun is a great game getter. You can take small game and even deer size game with carefully placed 22 LR out of a good sixgun. And with a Single Six or other switch cylinder gun you can bend the rules a bit and have two calibers in one sixgun – the 22 WRM allowing you more power for larger animals – even for defensive use against two legged varmints should the need arise. Alan Taylor’s old Single Six with one reamed chamber is another style that has merit. Carry it with one empty chamber which can then have a Mag round slipped in for targets of opportunity.

So, choice two -30-30 rifle and a 22 LR/WRM sixgun.

And then, there’s the good ol’ “common ammo” argument that’s got some good points to it. This third setup is purely hypothetical as I’ve never owned such a rifle – but the theory’s sound.

The 357 Mag out of a carbine length barrel is a fairly powerful round. It ups the ante from sixgun level power to near 30-30 levels of power. Plus, the same rifle can be used to shoot “cat sneeze loads” for small game and other low noise applications. Likewise, a good sixgun in 38/357 makes for a nifty packin’ piece for protection against most threats in the lower 48 as well as offering more “oomph” for small game shooting. So a Winchester, Browning or Rossi 38/357 caliber rifle with a good single or double action small/medium framed revolver could offer excellent service for a wide variety of applications. I’ve loaded more 38 spl than probably all other calibers combined over the years and it’s given me good service over the years. I’ve loaded less 357 (and shot even less of it) but know that it’s been used to take everything on the continent at one time or another.

So, purely hypothetical (since I don’t have them even in storage) would be a 357 rifle/sixgun combo – preferably a small frame Ruger sixgun or a Model 19 or similar S$W along with the handy Model 92 frame carbine.

Choice three – 38 spl/357 mag carbine and sixgun

Of the three? Well, the first combo is my most likely scenario for such a choice as I grew up with a 22 in hand and the 45 Colt would cover the few niches I couldn’t fill with the 22 LR. Probable choice of rifle would be the Winchester 67 as it’s accurate and the one shot capability it has makes you think before pulling the trigger. But there’s some to be said for the stock factory Ruger 10-22, albeit the magazines can be problematic over time. So I guess I named the “only two” combos in order of probability/preference should such a choice ever be made.

Have you ever imagined what the world would be like if the First Amendment to the US Constitution were treated like the Second Amendment has been?  After all, EVERYONE’S in favor of “reasonable restrictions” on the exercise of the Second Amendment and EVERYONE’S in favor of “proper training” for those who choose to exercise their right.  So, what if we demanded that the First (and all the rest) were treated equally?

You’d have to get a permit from your local government in order to post a blog.  You’d be limited to the number of blogs you could have.  You’d be limited in the number of words you could print on a given topic.  You’d not be allowed to use any of that “saturday night special” language – nor any of that “sophisticated military style language”.   The right to worship God as you see fit would be regulated and perhaps limited to “one religious service a month”.  You’d have to have a license from the government to use religious language.  You’d be at the mercy of the BPSRO (Bureau of Political Speech and Religious Organizations) and any regulations they’d dream up to further hamper your freedom.  Anyone who wished to collect or sell Bibles and other religious or political books would have to jump through hoops to acquire the Federal, State and Local permits to do so – and would be subject to surprise visits to check that their paperwork was in order and all such dangerous items were properly stored and accounted for.

And the list could go on and on… how long would folks stand for it?  I fear that the time may not be to far distant when such types of authoritarian infringements might become reality.  Already many laws are in place which say that quoting the Bible is “hate speech” and one can actually be punished quite severely for doing so.  “Radicals” who dare question the furtherance of the “homosexual agenda” to not only “normalize” but actually promote as desirable the sodomite lifestyle are already coming under fire -as are those who question the advisability of promoting obviously flawed “sex education” classes in public schools or who oppose the murdering of pre-born infants.  The infringements have started – it’s probably only a matter of time before the First Amendment will be as heavily fettered as the Second.

The following is an article written by Lowell E. McCoy of Arkansas. From time to time we will be including material from brother McCoy, this is (hopefully) just the first installment.

An online opinion letter, Feb. 12, written by a man named Ken, expresses a prevailing view of people in our country. It shows how far we have moved from our Constitution and the word of God, as well as experience and common sense.
The pertinent part of the letter is as follows: “There is a nagging question, which is: what good have the tax cuts and small government, which conservatives talk about , done for the majority of Americans; like people who vote? If it has done some good, how has that good progressed to masses of homeless, significant losses in the middle class, the current housing crisis and the current economic crisis? Every citizen of every country, particularly the economic leader of the world, should be entitled to health care, education and affordable housing. That is the reason why you have a society. In order that collective resources, properly managed, can provide the best quality of life those resources can afford. Anything less is unthinkable, unethical and a disgrace. It is also anarchy and a fervent (sic) ground for groups like Al Qaeda.”

There are so many fallacies in this that we can respond to only a few. These are disastrous to all of us, including Ken and his kin. No such society can prosper or even exist indefinitely as a free people. What Ken is saying is pure socialism, diametrically opposed to our capitalistic system.

Tax cuts for those who pay taxes contribute to the well-being of all responsible citizens. They stimulate investment and production. Investments increase capital for more new housing, money for those who need loans for purchasing houses, starting businesses and a host of other things which bolster the economy. Production increases the job market, providing more jobs. Products are produced for sale to produce profits, thus building up a better life for all who are willing to prepare themselves to participate in the process. It is not giving anyone anything, but making it possible for people to take care of themselves. This, in turn, gives people self-respect, a sense of accomplishment and motivation for self-improvement and advancement. Cutting taxes does not involve giving the savings directly to those with less money, but it helps enable them to better take care of themselves and that is the proper result which benefits everyone – all of society. Those who do not get tax cuts ought to be thankful for those who do.

There is one more thing about a high percentage of those who are benefitted by tax cuts or lowering of tax rates. They are able to contribute for benefits to those who cannot work and have legitimate needs. According to statistics, Americans are the most charitable people in the world. So, Ken is very mistaken that tax cuts have not helped him and thousands of others, either directly or indirectly.

All of us who are at least age 80 have seen the beginning and progress of socialism in our country. That means government intervention in the citizens’ personal well-being and responsibilities. It has been tried in nation after nation and is always found wanting. It cannot work because it always stymies personal initiative and sense of accomplishment and engenders dependence on the government. It is a surrendering of more and more freedom for government control.

The fact is, that citizens are not entitled to any personal benefit from our government. Why are only health care, education and affordable housing listed as entitlements? Why not demand allowances for automobiles, food, clothing, utilities, household goods, entertainment, vacation time, personal hygiene items, etc?

The Bible teaches that people are to have personal property and assets of various kinds, obtained by their own initiatives and abilities. The Bible says much in both the Old and New Testaments about helping those who are truly poor and needy. Many people of great faith, in the Bible record, were wealthy and they used it for the Lord (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37). Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and lied about what part they gave to the Lord. Not giving it all was not the problem, but lying about the amount was the problem. Peter explained this in Acts 5:4. Paul says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Eph. 4: 28). The parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) shows that God expects us to use our money for gain. Paul was speaking of those who would not work and he said, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2 Thes. 3:10, in the context of 6-15).

From years of experience, it is clear that a very high percentage of those Ken calls the homeless do not have to be homeless. They have not prepared themselves to work; messed up their lives with wasted living; wasted money or some other negligence. Tax cuts have no negative effect upon them. Ken and others are very mistaken.

-Lowell E. McCoy

We started holding public meetings in Pereira on the first Sunday of June in 2002.  That first Sunday we had our family (six of us at the time) and one other family – of three at that time.  Since then the Lord has blessed us and many have joined us in worshiping and studying God’s word.  Many of those have moved on to other cities and other congregations, but the Lord has preserved a remnant here and in the past year has blessed and increased the number of His people here.  Lately we’ve been stretching the folks a bit, encouraging them to move past their “comfort zone” to seek what the Lord is wanting to do through their life.  But I digress.  On June 1st, 2008 we had our annual “Anniversary Bash” This year we held it here at the house and were joined by 39 people, including two new families.  For some of them it was the first time they experienced a “party” in which they didn’t have to drink to have “fun”.  What a novelty to wake up the next day and remember what all happened and to not have a hangover…

A while back I came across a site called www.efolkmusic.com and later www.efolkmusic.org spun off of it.  This is a good source for folk, bluegrass, celtic, gospel, country and old time music.  You can buy the music by the track or order CD’s and other merchandise.  Since we’re overseas it’s been easiest for me to just download and then burn my own CD’s.  Also, this way I get a good variety on each CD and music that I like.  We’re in the land of Vallenato, Merengue, Salsa, Champeta and other sounds which I find hard to adapt to.  efolk, on the other hand, offers music that speaks to MY soul.   And also there’s a lot of “unknown” artists that  you won’t find at your local wallyworld or bulkmusic store.  And if you’ve got a folk, bluegrass or other such band – well, they offer a chance for you to gain a wider audience for your work.