06.28.08
Posted in Firearms at 9:49 am by
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.
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06.23.08
Posted in Christian, Faith, Firearms, Freedom at 3:51 pm by
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.
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04.19.08
Posted in Christian, Faith, Firearms, Freedom, Politics, Religion at 6:12 pm by
233 years ago today a group of simple village and farm folk stood up against the forces of an empire which desired to force upon them its ideals and laws. They “fired the shot heard ’round the world” and after several long years of war they attained their goal - a free and sovereign nation that was built upon Biblical principles with freedom for all. May we all be grateful for the legacy passed down to us by those brave men. It is because of their resolve and dedication and sacrifice that we enjoy the freedom that we have a US citizens.
Now we have candidates to the presidency of the US who would take away the very freedom by which our nation was founded. We have a candidate who denigrates “fly over land” as “bitter people clinging to their guns and religion”. I stand amazed at the current crop of candidates and can only wonder what happened to the spirit of the men who stood that April morning against the forces of a far off king and set the stage for a grand new nation’s entrance upon the stage of the world. Oh that their spirit may spring once more to life in the hearts of my fellow citizens.
Concord Hymn
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled;
Here once the embattled farmers stood;
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps,
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream that seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone,
That memory may their deeds redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
O Thou who made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free, –
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raised to them and Thee.
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03.12.08
Posted in Firearms, Friends at 8:14 pm by
Well, last month I was in the US of A for a couple weeks. Got a chance to toss some lead down range. THAT was a blast! :-) Got to hang out with Hoot and Miss Beth from the Sixshooter Community Forum. Got to hang out with Jim Taylor, Hiram and Fungus Sam, not to mention Miss Twyla and Miss Emily. Got to hang out with my brother Amerileiro. Got to hang out with my sons. And my sister and her family. Stayed overnight with friends in Yale. And stayed overnight with mcassill and Miss Heather. Stayed overnight with friends from my college days the night before I left the country. And …well I had a great time.
While up there I also acquired a Taylor Throat Reamer. My understanding is that Alan Taylor, Jim’s dad, is the one who originated this idea. It reams out the throat on a revolver to remove the constriction some of them have after the barrel is screwed in to the frame too tightly - usually from the manufacturing process. And the PPPPPP definitely had such a constriction, not to mention that the forcing cone was pretty close to non-existent as well. So the reamer came back with me. Once I got settled in and caught up a bit I decided to give it a whirl.
The PPPPPP got stripped down and the reamer was placed through the frame window, entering the rear of the barrel. I screwed the adapter to the rod and put some oil on the threads so it would release easily from the reamer. Then I loaded the reamer up with my Lanolin/ATF lube/preservative and set to work. Just gently rotating the reamer and backing up when I got too much of a bite and starting again, a bit at a time, easy does it. About halfway through the job I decided to check things out. That’s when I found out that the reamer was fixed to the adapter and the rod was the part that came easily out. PANIC ATTACK! Well, not really, but I was a bit concerned. Got some ideas from the guys on the forum - chased down some Loctite type compound and proceeded to loctite the adapter to the rod after a thorough degreasing of the surfaces. Left it in for six hours and had to give it a try. NOT a good idea- the rod unscrewed from the adapter and we were in the same position as before. More goop on the threads and this time it sat overnight - for about twenty hours this time. Since it was the weekend and the powers that be had decreed suspension of all permits there was little call to be in a hurry, but still I went ahead and tried it. Whewwwwww!!!!! Out came the adapter with the rod and the reamer slid out the rear like it was supposed to. So I loaded it back up with oil and finished up the job.
The next step was to slug the barrel again. This time it came out a uniform .357″ like it was supposed to be. Oh, some of the loctite had migrated to the barrel wall. A bit of oil and a tight fitting felt patch on the jag and out it came. I then used a tight patch and some JB Bore Paste to thoroughly clean the barrel and slick it up. This is something I’d read a lot about but never used before. When I was done the inside of the barrel was prettier than the day I brought it home. Nice and shiny.
So, was it a worthwhile investment in time, effort and $$$? A trip to the range would tell the tale. So later that week I packed up the PPPPPP and the new Gamo and the old Crosman 1377 and off to the range I went. Four targets were set up at ten long paces and I used a Taylor-Taffin style rest to brace the PPPPPP as I shot. The first group was not much to brag about - plus I set it a good 10 feet further away than I’d usually shot. That’s when I moved it back to 10 paces from the bench. The next three six shot groups were about half the size of previous groups shot at this distance. Nothing to brag about on an Olympic level, but still a decided improvement. And when I got home the bore cleaned right up, with less patches and solvent than it’d ever taken before - and there was no leading at the rear of the barrel like before either.
So yes, it was worth the investment in time, effort and $$$. The PPPPPP now shoots better, cleans easier and no longer shaves lead. I’d recommend the Taylor Throating Reamer to those who have similar problems with their sixguns. You can pick it up from Brownells. And if you’ve got more than one sixgun, it comes out even cheaper per piece. 
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02.16.08
Posted in Firearms, Freedom at 8:45 am by
Once more it happened. The “authorities” had taken all the “proper” measures. Put in place all the “proper” laws, rules, regulations and controls. And then - well someone didn’t toe the line that they had drawn. It happens all the time, every day in fact - somewhere or several somewheres in the world. And yet one can predict the typical reaction of the sheeple - another call for more rules and regulations to control inanimate objects.
Northern Illinois. West of Chicago. One of the areas of the country in which the God given right to self defense has been limited by ignorant or malevolent (take your pick) authorities. And the results are predictable - some person in search of “revenge” or their “fifteen minutes” (hours? days? whatever the media will give them now) of fame takes an inanimate object and utilizes it to inflict death and destruction on unarmed people. And again, just as predictably, folks start blaming the object instead of the person who used it for harm.
Why are these things happening in precisely the places where folks think they should be “safe”? And their logic tells them that they are safe there, after all, don’t they have the rule of law to protect them? But as the founding fathers pointed out, a republic is only fit to govern a people that is morally, mentally and spiritually fit for freedom. It will not work for a people that have given up their moral, mental and spiritual obligations - which our current society has done for the most part. Where do you find a citizen who is willing to “call a spade a spade” when it comes to what is right or wrong? If one stands up to denounce homosexuality, abortion, sexual promiscuity or any other “sacred cow” then one is shouted down by the mantra of “we must be tolerant” - and so our society has become “tolerant” and given up their moral compass in exchange for the fluctuating, inconsistent and uncertain guidance of “anything goes”. Where do you find a person who takes time to think things through anymore? People want answers NOW - if at all. An excellent example is in the area of mathematical instruction. Kids are not being taught the very basic mathematical principles. They can rarely do any functions in their heads - it all has to be filtered through a calculator. And rather than knowing what is going on in the world around them, folks are mesmerized by the latest “American Idol” or other such “reality” show that has no bearing on real life. And when it comes to a right relationship with God - well folks either delegate that to the church or deny He exists at all.
When it comes to “ensuring safety”, there is no longer a consensus that safety is an individual concern. No one remembers the wise words spoken long ago: “He who gives up freedom in exchange for safety, deserves neither freedom nor safety.” One must be responsible in order to enjoy the fruits of freedom and ensure safety for oneself and one’s family. But our society teaches us that we are NOT responsible - unless taken to a court of law and forced to pay for another’s stupidity because THEY can’t be held responsible for their own stupidity (reference the McDonalds coffee case).
So “It ain’t supposed to happen!” but it will, time and again, until our society wakes up and realizes that inanimate objects are NOT the problem. The problem is that individuals utilize them incorrectly and other individuals are denied the means to defend themselves and others from them. It’s about people, people who have strayed FAR away from their Creator and who choose to violate His principles of conduct.
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02.04.08
Posted in Christian, Faith, Firearms, Freedom, Politics, Religion at 8:19 am by
With 2008 being a presidential election year, we are now about past the middle of the active electioneering that’s been going on since last year. There’s a recurring theme I keep hearing from dyed in the wool members of the supposed “conservative” party and that is “Anyone but a Democrat!” It matters not what the so called “Republican” stands for, all they need to do is say “I’m a REPUBLICAN!” and folks will vote for them. But that’s not what bothers me the most, and is only partially the reason for this post.
What really “gets my goat” is the attitude that “We have to vote for the ‘lesser of two evils’.” The lesser of two evils - is still evil. Let’s see. On one side we have Democrats who are in favor of the sodomite agenda to demean and dishonor marriage by twisting it to include their unholy unions. And they are also in favor of executing unborn children who have done no harm to anyone. And they are in favor of prohibiting the free use of weapons by ordinary, upright citizens. And they are in favor of granting amnesty to the millions of foreign nationals who have violated our laws and invaded our land. On the other hand we have Republican candidates who are in favor of the sodomite agenda to demean and dishonor marriage by twisting it to include their unholy unions. And they are also in favor of executing unborn children who have done no harm to anyone. And they are in favor of prohibiting the free use of weapons by ordinary, upright citizens. And they are in favor of granting amnesty to the millions of foreign nationals who have violated our laws and invaded our land. So, what’s to choose from? Does it really matter which party drags the country into the mud?
Now, I know I’m generalizing and not all the candidates openly support the issues outlined above - but they ALL have abominable track records on one or more of the issues above, issues I’m convinced are of vital importance to the nation. And yet, when one says “Send me a truly conservative candidate who will obey and enforce the US Constitution, uphold moral values, secure our borders and decrease the interference of the Federal government in individual citizens’ lives” people tell me “If you DON’T vote Republican you’ll be putting a DEMOCRAT in the oval office!”
I’ve got news for the Republican party. If they want to REALLY do something POSITIVE and garner the support of the sector of the US population that holds onto traditional values -THEN QUIT TREATING US LIKE IDIOTS BY OFFERING UP LIBERALS IN CONSERVATIVE CLOTHING!!!! If the Republican party endorses a liberal candidate and tries to cram them down the throats of voters with strict conservative beliefs - they are the ones who will be responsible for keeping conservatives away from the polls. Telling us that WE are responsible for the failure of a liberal Republican to win the presidential race is like telling a woman that she is responsible for the actions of a rapist.
I’ve made it clear that I will not be kidnapped. I will not go along with evil men merely because they threaten my life. Nor will I go with them because they threaten the lives of someone else. I will not go along with them because I do not agree with what they are doing. If they kill someone else or if they kill me because I refuse to cooperate - THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PULL THE TRIGGER - NOT ME. In other words, any innocent blood shed is not by my hand but theirs. In the same way, those who offer up a liberal, pro sodomy, pro abortion, pro amnesty for law breaking aliens, pro higher taxes and anti second amendment (or any combination of the above) candidate and say “Vote for them or else” are giving me the same option as those who would attempt to force me to acquiesce to their demand to accompany them at the point of a gun. I simply will not be coerced into violating my principles.
To those who are running the supposed “conservative” party I say “Give me a REAL conservative or I’ll seek out my own. And so will others who are also tired of voting against someone. Give us a leader who will honor the Constitution and the foundations of our nation, give us someone to vote FOR, who represents our values from the heart - or YOU will be responsible for the continued downward spiral of the nation as we sink lower and lower into the moral abyss - one “lesser evil” at a time.
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01.26.08
Posted in Family, Firearms, Friends at 9:13 am by
The last month has been quite busy and I’ve simply not taken the time to post anything. We’ve had plenty of guests and other activities to keep us busy. I did manage a trip to the range when a family stopped in with us for the week. When the lady found out I pack a pistol she almost had a conniption fit. “Aren’t you SCARED? That’s SO DANGEROUS!!!” After some discussion and explanation I finally convinced her to come up to the gun club with us. So we packed up the van and both families and headed up to the range. It was a great day, we had the place to ourselves. I broke out the Crosman 1377 and the East German scoped kids’ air rifle. One thing at a time, starting with a lecture on safety and proper gun handling. Well, things went well. The oldest girl hit well right off with the Crosman. I was impressed. We were shooting up close with only a couple pumps or so and she was hitting the quarter sized bullseye fairly frequently. The son didn’t do that well. The younger daughter did OK and we even got both dad and mom to shoot. Dad had spent some time in the army and did OK. Mom finally got over her nerves and gave it a try.
Then we moved on to the rifle. The stock’s been cut off for kids which makes proper stock weld and such nearly impossible for an adult, but we still had fun. They did better with the scope than with the open sights. Everyone got a chance to try off hand, sitting braced against a stump and prone. The mom only shot off hand and the dad shot offhand and prone.
Then I broke out the PPPPPP. :-) That’s the one that started the whole exercise when the mom found out about it. Ammo’s scarce and expensive but I gave everyone who wanted to try a chance to fire two rounds. Two rounds of 38 spl may not seem like much, but down here it’s a big deal. Again, the older girl shot well. Even with the lousy sights she managed a fairly tight group (can you call two rounds “a group”?) near the center of the target. The younger girl managed to group both her shots just a half inch or two apart - on the top edge of the target paper. I’m not sure what she was using for a sight picture but at least she was consistent! The son again showed less aptitude with the short gun. I don’t recall that the father shot the 38, but the mother did. It took some talking and teasing but she finally consented. One round and I couldn’t see where she hit (I’m guessing she under shot the target). She was “happy” with her shot, she’d shot a “real gun” and that was plenty. But some more joking around and she finally tried the second shot - and nailed the target near the center that time.
I don’t think I made shooters out of the family, but I know I DID give them a different perspective on firearms. And the older girl had a REAL blast - posting pictures of herself shooting the Crosman on her facebook profile upon her return home. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of patience and careful instruction to turn a hostile audience into a more accepting one. Later that afternoon we went up to some thermal springs with them. There they ran into some folks they knew from “back home”. And the formerly hostile to firearms mom told her friends about her trip to the range and “he was very insistent on safety and we had a good time.”
Also this year I’ve started messing around with airguns more. The ‘net is full of modifications for the old Crosman 1377. It was an eye opener to me when I started seeing all the things folks are doing with them. My concern was to find a good rear sight to replace the cheesy plastic hunk of junk that comes on them from the factory. WOW! They offer steel breeches, modified valves, metallic pistons, fancy grips, rifle stocks (tubular, skeleton, thumb hole, ambidextrous, you name it), muzzle brakes, barrel bands, extended probe bolts and who knows what all else. It would be easy to drop several hundred dollars to “trick out” the old Crosman. Well, I ain’t got that kind of money so I won’t be doing it, but perhaps I can pick up a couple of parts while up north and make the Crosman a bit more user friendly.
Also, I got out the old Daisy 120 rifle that’s been quietly rusting in the closet. One of the kids lost the rear action screw years ago and also the rear sight disintegrated. Plastic is NOT a good choice for making certain parts of firearms (or ANY parts for the most part). Rummaging around in the parts bins I found a nut and bolt that would work and the action is now once more fixed in the stock. The chinese “Dremel” came out with a cut off wheel and the screw stud for the rear sight came right off. Then an old Daisy 880 I picked up for parts at a (rare) Colombian yard sale got stripped down. The pumping mechanism is mostly absent. The barrel is a rifled brass tube held inside the sheet metal barrel shroud via the front sight and a clamp on power plant. Hmmm…. I wonder if I could set that up to free float with a metal breech on the Crosman? Time will tell… in the meantime I pulled the rear sight off and measured it up against the 120. Two wide to fit in the groove. Out comes the chinese “Dremel” again with the cutoff wheel. The sight gets stuck in the little vise I finally picked up and work commences… after grooving one side and starting on the other the battery ran down. :( Out comes the hacksaw - it hangs up on the tough steel and narrow kerf from the “Dremel” After some maneuvering around the little ears finally got removed and the edges filed down smooth. Thank God for access to a vise to hold it still for filing. The old 880 sight is now almost affixed to the 120 via a cannibalized screw from the 880. It’s not quite right but shows some promise - now to find a screw that will work, or I’ll just have to tap the hole out to a larger size - if I can find a larger sized screw.
Well, I’ve rambled enough for today. I’d better get busy and get some things done ’round the office and house. I put out some notices that I’m looking for Crosman “parts guns” on a couple of forums. It’d be cool if I could find a couple to play with and bring back with me next month. I’m officially intrigued with the whole Crosman 22XX and 13XX series of pistols.
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11.01.07
Posted in Firearms at 9:59 am by
Growing up we had firearms in the house almost all the time. But most of them were rifles. My first gun was a Daisy BB gun, kind of a “copy” of the Winchester 94 or 92. Then later I picked up a small bore muzzle loading shotgun which was too rusted out to be used much. Around my 14th year my folks gave me a Daisy 880 pellet/BB gun and that is when I started to develop my shooting skills, such as they are. There were occasional pistols around, but at Brazilian prices for ammo they didn’t get shot much. My first cartridge gun was a Rossi double barrel, side by side 22 derringer type pistol. One COULD hit the broad side of a barn with it - provided that one was inside with all the windows and doors shut. It did duty as a ‘dillo gun, administering the coup de grace to the occasional unfortunate armadillo that came into our grasp -but did nothing to teach me to shoot a handgun. A Marksman BB/Pellet pistol did nothing for that skill set either. The muzzle velocity was around fastball baseball speed, you could see the pellet fly through the air - way off target every time. My dad’s brother had a 32 Smith and Wesson long caliber revolver - a Taurus or Rossi I believe, but don’t know for sure. Anyway, most of our shooting was done with long guns.
My first reloading experience was with a Boito shotgun that my dad allowed a visiting fellow from Alaska to put on dad’s quota of firearms. We loaded it with shot but shot it like a rifle. The first time dad let me go hunting was with his old Stevens Favorite - loaded with rat shot. Never got close enough to bag anything with it, didn’t even scare anything real bad. Later dad took it and shot the side of the outhouse - showing a HUGE pattern at a range of about 20 feet. No wonder I couldn’t hit anything with it. Later I learned to shoot with the Daisy 880 and got fairly proficient at harvesting doves and other small game - with a fair percentage of headshots.
When I left home at 17 I had no firearms. After working hard and saving up and turning 18 I went down to a local pawnshop, haggled with the owner for a Winchester ‘94 in 30-30. He lowered his price to meet my offer and I filled out the forms. When he saw that I was only 18 he refused to sell me the rifle - claiming I wasn’t old enough even though state law allowed that I was. To this day I’ve never spent a dime in that shop.
The next year I picked up a couple of rifles and a shotgun from a widow lady. A Remington 760 Gamemaster 30-06, a Remington 511 22 LR and a no-name break action 12 gauge singleshot. She tossed in some ammunition and I was happy as could be. Later the same summer I also picked up a German made 22 single action revolver and started messing around with it some. No one told any different so I carried that pistol with the 22 magnum cylinder in it and shot lr shells through it - with no ill effects. At close range it grouped OK but shot a mile high. Even removing the rear site completely didn’t bring the point of aim close enough to the point of impact and eventually the old gun as “sold down the river”.
Although I got to play with handguns some I remained a rifleman. I could shoot a long gun well enough but never could seem to do much with a pistol. Still, the lure of a packable piece of ordnance was there. It made sense to have a short enough gun that it could be packed out of sight, but ready to hand for shots at game - or in case one needed defense against some varmint - no matter how many legs or ambulatory posture such a varmint might exhibit. So a Ruger Mark II with the 6 7/8″ tapered target barrel was purchased as near to my 21st birthday as Missouri law would allow. At that time they required a “Permit to Purchase” which delayed my acquisition by several days but the Remington 760 was sacrificed in order to provide for the perceived need of a handgun.
Later my cousin purchased the exact same model - but in stainless steel. I always kind of wished I’d held of for the same, but the gun trading fever had kicked in and I couldn’t wait long enough. We’d save and scrimp and pick up a brick of ammo apiece then head out for the chat piles to burn it up. Federal Lightnings were the ammo of choice. We could pick up a brick of the stuff for about $10 at that time - dirt cheap compared to the $10 a box we’d been raised with in Brazil. It didn’t take us long to burn up the ammo but we had a blast doing it. I could always out shoot my cousin on paper, but he excelled on game and side bets. We’d wager a couple of shells on various shots “If you can hit ‘X’ on the next shot I’ll give you two rounds” was a common challenge. I believe I still have the half a penny that stayed in the crack of a rock after I took the top part off with a shot.
That Ruger somehow managed to make it down to Brazil with me later on. By that time it had a Clark trigger and a custom front sight. But the high humidity made it next to impossible to keep the rust at bay. I’d not yet learned to make a good preservative (nor did we have access to ATF or lanolin - the ingredients of my current lube/preservative) so inevitably some rust developed in spite of my best efforts. Also the gun wasn’t registered which made transportation of it a bit “iffy”. So it too went “down the river” to be replaced with a Rossi 38 with a six inch ventilated barrel.
The Rossi was a good gun. It gave me good service and built me a reputation as a pistol shot. Considering that your average Brazilian can’t shoot, that reputation was not too hard to come by. During this period of my life I continued to make meat more with long guns than anything else. A CBC 22 rifle replaced a CVA 50 caliber Blazer rifle I’d gotten into the country. It took care of a number of small game animals and was my “go to” gun for putting meat on the table. A bag of rusty parts was taken to a local smith and a H&R 28 gauge single shot was resurrected, to be loaded only with black powder reloads in full brass shells. It was traded for a basket case Winchester ‘73 which was resurrected - but was too worn to allow reloading of the fired brass. One out of three or four shells would actually crack on the first firing. So it was traded off for a Taurus 32 SWL for my wife.
When we were in the US for several months I picked up an Eddystone P17 Enfield that someone had customized. Got it at a local gunshow for dirt cheap. The next few months I spent building a load for it in preparation for deer season. A Hornady 165 gr BTSP over a dose of Winchester 760 gave me a tiny cloverleaf group at 100 yards. I picked up another box of those bullets and another can of powder on my way home from the range. That same year I also picked up a Norinco 45 acp caliber “Model of the 1911 A1″ because “everyone needs a 1911″. It got shot a lot too - but it was quite tiring to try and find all the brass each time.
By this time we moved to our current country of service. Gun laws were unknown and my old habits of smuggling had ended as I matured into understanding that not all nations have the Second Amendment - and I’m a guest there. Years passed and friendships developed. Some guys found out where we were ministering and that we had no modern means of self defense. Once I did my homework and learned about local law, a bunch of them kicked in and purchased a Llama Cassidy in 38 spl for our use.
So, although I was raised a rifleman, force of circumstances has brought me around more to the portable side of the shooting sports. Last year I scrimped and saved from some expense money we were given for a missions event. Six weeks of traveling over several thousand miles and I ate dollar menu hamburgers washed down with water. At the end of the time of travel I’d managed to save enough to pick up a Crossman 1377 pellet pistol It now provides me the means of doing some low cost practice. I retain hope that eventually I might learn to actually shoot a shortgun in an efficient way.
The Llama Cassidy and miscellaneous pocket residents
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10.15.07
Posted in Firearms, Freedom at 7:27 pm by
Here’s an interesting site. Thanks, Hobie, for putting it up on your blog. It was started by folks reacting to a quote about “people of the gun” who support the right to keep and bear arms. It’s pretty funny that something that was meant as an insult was embraced by those it was meant to demean. I like it. Goes along well with “christian” and “johnny reb” and other such “slights” that folks have born in the past - with pride. “The disciples were called “christians” first in Antioch” state the scriptures. So “people of the gun” is yet another insult that many are willing to embrace. Maybe I should send them a link to the Pistol Packing Preachers website…
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09.25.07
Posted in Christian, Faith, Firearms, Freedom at 10:20 am by
Hoplophobia - An unreasoning fear of instruments (weapons). Hoplophobia is a term that was coined, if I recall correctly, by the late Jeff Cooper. It is an excellent term and describes well those who fear instruments more than the hands that wield them. The very heart and soul of the anti-weapon movement revolves around the idea that individuals are not responsible for their actions, rather it is the object that spurs the criminal to commit the act of violence. This is simply idiocy. It does not take into account the millions upon millions of owners of weapons who do NOT commit crimes of violence. Such an attitude is akin to looking upon all men as potential rapists - because, after all, they’re equipped to do so. Or considering all women to be potential prostitutes - because, after all, they are equipped to exercise that activity. And that’s no to mention the slap in the face of the billions of honest poor upon the planet when we are told that high rates of criminality are due to poverty. What about the billions of poor who do NOT commit crimes? Or the rich who commit crimes?
Criminal activity does not stem from availability of weapons. Nor does it stem from the presence or absence of the Y chromosome. Nor does it stem from poverty - or lack thereof. It stems from the “heart” of the criminal, from his or her way of thinking and manner of justifying his or her actions.
And yet, too many people fear the object, the implement, the instrument - rather than fearing the person who wields that instrument. The person who is capable of utilizing a firearm to commit a crime is also capable of committing crimes via other means. Many, many criminals have extensive “rap sheets” in which their criminal life is partially recorded. I say partially because all that’s there is what they’ve been arrested for or convicted of - not every thing they’ve ever done. And time after time you’ll see the same person guilty of utilizing anything from a broken bottle to a pilfered firearm to commit acts of violence. Often the same person will be guilty of physical aggression with a wide variety of objects, from their own hands to a pool cue to a broken bottle to a baseball bat to a firearm. So why are firearms singled out? Because of their perceived ease of use. And also too often due to the inclination of the people who vilify them to desire to use them themselves. It’s amazing to see the hypocrisy of the anti-weapon campaigners. Many of them have weapons themselves - and yet seek to deprive others of their lawful use. Why? Because of the evil that lays within their own hearts and their fear that others may have that same evil within.
We should not fear inanimate objects. We should fear the latent evil that resides within a considerable portion of the population. And our goal should not be to remove weapons but rather to remove the desire to commit violence against others. And that can only come about by a change of mind.
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God Romans 12:2
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