Category: The Gun Thing

Not just the guns, but all the stuff that goes with them

Hickock’s Last Rifle

Gratuitous Gun Pics, Gun/Ammo Tests

…in which ol’ Hickock45 goes through a whole bunch of his favorite bolt-action rifles, and decides which would be the last one he’d ever sell.  Here’s the list (in case you don’t have time to watch the video):

  • Krag-Jorgensen 1899 carbine (.30-40 Krag)

  • Winchester Mod 70 (.30-06 Springfield) — a pre-WWII version

  • Mauser Gewehr 1898 (8x57mm)

  • Sako 95 Bavarian carbine (6.5x55mm) — a very “modern” rifle

  • Mauser K98k (8x57mm)

  • Mauser Mod 1896 (6.5x55mm) — “Swede”

  • Springfield ’03 (.30-06 Springfield)

  • Lee-Enfield No 4 Mk1 (.303 Enfield) — (WWII issue)

I have fired every single one of these rifles, some of them scores of times, and I love all of them beyond words.

It was an agonizing choice, and I chuckled like hell in sympathy as he moaned and grumbled during the process.

But given the choice of the rifles he had on hand, I think I’d have chosen exactly the same one he did, for pretty much the same reasons he did.

Maybe.

Reminder

History, The Gun Thing

For those who’ve been living on the Planet Zarq and have only recently returned to Earth, or for those with failing memories, let me remind you all of how Othias and Mae’s C&Rsenal has made amateur gun geeks like me completely superfluous (and that is a really good thing).

So if you’re doing nothing special tonight (and over the whole weekend, come to think of it), go there and indulge yourself.

They are absolutely my favorite couple on Teh Intarwebz.

Terminology Change Alert

Gummint, The Gun Thing

Just FYI, remember these guns?

These of course were always referred to as “assault rifles”, “weapons of mass destruction”, “evil black rifles”, “military-only weapons”, etc., etc.

No longer.  According to our very own Gummint, these guns — which have been issued en masse  to IRS agents, USPS inspectors, Fish & Wildlife agents, Dept. of Education bureaucrats and pretty much the entire sub-strata of the Deep State — have been classified as…

Personal Defense Weapons (PDW)

Now I know that one’s first thought would be “Defense against whom?”  because as far as I’m aware, these government thugs agents are not being mugged or attacked in the streets of Baltimore, Oakland or even Chicago, nor are they being ambushed in the deep woods (unless by bears, in which case they’d need something a little more effective than an AR-15) or in post offices (unless by their own coworkers), or in similar situations.

Clearly, these weapons are to be used in “self-defense” against… us.  Against We The People.

Oh, and they’re not being issued with semi-auto AR-15s, but with full-auto M4-style battle rifles (once again:  “battle against whom?”  but I think we all know where this is going).

I don’t think I have to say any more on the topic because we’re all intelligent people, and can draw our own conclusions from the above.

Also just FYI:

(via Ammoseek)

…and the above rifles are two examples of Bushmaster’s M4 “Patrolman’s” line.  Apparently, they are reportedly head and shoulders above the older Bushmaster models, which were always a hit-or-miss proposition [sic], quality-wise.

Click on either pic for the link.

Finally, if you’re ever reproached by some gun-fearing wussy (GFW) about your “assault rifle”, you may correct him with the proper term, as defined by our own Gummint.

Shortcoming

Lifestyle, The Gun Thing

I’ve got this pic set as my laptop’s wallpaper.  Can you see what’s wrong with it?

As the Son&Heir commented:  “No room for even a plinking range.  WTF?”

It’s a good point, although there’s enough space to put a clay-tosser for a little shotgunning fun…

…using only non-toxic shot, of course.

All-American Goodness

Gratuitous Gun Pics, Patriotism, The Gun Thing

Reader Brad_In_IL suggests a theme for a shooty weekend:

“Seeing that this is Memorial Day Weekend, I’ve decided to only shoot pieces which are uniquely and distinctly American. Therefore…

“Saturday will be my Browning / Stoner 2023 Memorial Day Commemorative Shoot, and I’ll be shooting the 1911 and the AR-15… and maybe some .22 pistol (also Browning). No 9mm this weekend… Georg Luger (Austrian) will have to take a rest.” 

An excellent thought:  bringing a little background to the typical “Oh what should I shoot today?”  question that plagues us all.  And going All-American on both gun and cartridge makes it a little more fun, especially as it relegates the 9mm Europellet and the 7.62x39mm Commie to the “Later, Furrin Bastards!” category.

To make life even more interesting, let’s set an arbitrary criterion of “guns and cartridges from before 1900“.

Not so easy now, is it?

Here’s what I would take:

Winchester 1894 (.30-30/.30 WCF or .45 Colt/.45 Long Colt or .44-40)
…and of course Marlin’s and Henry’s versions would be welcome, too.

Browning 1885 High Wall (.45-70 Gov)

Colt Single Action Army (.45 Colt/.45 Long Colt or .44-40)

And of course, there’s some plinking to be done:

Marlin Model 39A (.22 LR)

Winchester Mod 61 (and clones)
(clones allowed because Winchester stopped making them because they’re idiots)

Now, I’m not saying I actually own any of the above (because of that Tragic Canoeing Accident on the Brazos a few years ago), but you have to admit, there’s a whole lotta shooty Murkin goodness on that list.

Your suggestions for the festivities in Comments, as always.