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Auction Time: Choice #5

Drive Time

When I originally set this exercise up for myself, I decided to pick only one car per category, the first four categories being “utility”, “performance”, “beach house” and “New Wife”.  (There were other categories, but not enough cars in each to make the choices interesting.)

The final category was entitled “pure indulgence”, and the choices boiled down to the Dino Ferrari or one of the Jag E-types:

After long and often painful contemplation, I first picked the Jag.

…and not too many people would disagree with that choice.  It’s beyond-words beautiful, and the 4.2-liter engine… ’nuff said.

Must say, though, that I’m not too enamored to have a convertible with black upholstery, living as I do in the Texas Oven.  So I went back and looked at the Dino:

It remains, in my opinion, the most beautiful Ferrari ever made:  curves that resemble a gorgeous woman lying on her side, that sweet little 2.4-liter engine purring / snarling right  behind your head… and this one is not in Ferrari Showoff Red, but in a discreet brushed silver, with tan upholstery.

But, but, but… I already had  a sports car — the fantastic Iso Grifo.  So maybe what I needed was something sumptuous:  a luxury car that I could drive around on long road trips.  Something like the 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300:

The 300 (W186 body) was designed to be able to drive all day on the highway at top speed without breaking, and it was (and still is) one of the most reliable cars ever made.  (For more info, read about it here.)

Heavy, stately, luxurious and dependable.  Sounds a little like me, come to think of it.

And a worthy choice, to accompany the four others.

Cartridge Thoughts

The Gun Thing

There’s been quite a bit of discussion in Comments and in my Inbox to various posts recently about rifles and chamberings.  Here’s an example, from Longtime Buddy and Reader Termite:

What are your thoughts on the ubiquitous 1894 30-30? Either Winchester or Marlin; I like the Marlin because you can more easily mount a scope or red dot. Ammo is EVERYWHERE, it is easy to reload, and in the right hands, a 200 yd rifle. Plus, you can usually pick up a decent one for somewhere around $400 – $500, maybe less if you find someone in dire need of cash.
Added bonus: it isn’t an E.B.R.

I’ve often  recommended the 1894 .30-30 as a “do it all” or even “essential” rifle — see here for an example — so all the above can be taken as read with no argument from me.  If you have young eyes, then the iron sights are fine, and if not, the addition of a 1.5-5x scope will fill the bill admirably.

Which brings me on to the main topic of this post:  chambering choices.

Anyone who has spent more than ten minutes on this website will know that if faced with a choice between “traditional” vs. “modern” — on just about everything — I will always go traditional.  When it comes to cartridges, this is even more true.  Many years ago, I wrote a piece which maintained that with only a couple of exceptions, no centerfire rifle cartridges brought to market since 1955 were any better than the offerings on the market prior to that date.  In fact, apart from the 7mm Rem Mag and maybe the 6.5 Creedmoor (jury still out on that one, although I’m told by an insider that the Brit SpecFor guys are just lapping it up), it’s hard for me to think of a “modern” cartridge which, if replaced with an older equivalent, would be sorely missed.

As for the .30-30… sheesh, it’s probably killed more deer in the U.S. than any other cartridge, and in heavily-forested places like Pennsylvania and Maine, likely more than twice as many than any other three  cartridges combined.  And I think that if Bubba’s Gun ‘N Bait Shop doesn’t  have any .30-30 on their shelves, they’re probably breaking a state law, in most states anyway, and it would be wise to steer clear of them.

As a last-ditch gun, I don’t think the 1894 / 336-style lever rifle (of any brand) would be a bad choice.  Here’s a Winchester 1894, made in 1948:

At Collectors, it’s going for $750 (because of the pre-1964 manufacture date).  Later models from other gun makers can be had for around $400, like this Marlin 336 (1963):

…and this price point puts them squarely with the older Mausers I spoke of earlier — the only difference being that these  old girls aren’t pig-ugly.

Damn, I love living in America — where the argument rages not over whether  you can own a gun, but which choice you’re going to make for any specific purpose.  Even, like now, for no specific purpose at all.

Good Friday

Friends and Family

And to all my Christian Readers:  have a Happy Easter, and may all your eggs be tasty (I think  that’s a traditional greeting).

It’s not often we get Easter and Pesach  on the same weekend because of that calendar thing, but here we are.

My best wishes to all of you.

Update:  from Former Bandmate Knob:

Sanity

Disaster, Gummint, Two-Minute Hate

Very long; well worth the read.  (Come on:  you’re shut up indoors with fuck-all else to do;  read  the damn thing.)

If just about all the diseased are old-timers and/or people set with preexisting diseases, the entire response to the pandemic, by individual countries as well as by the global community, may very well be one huge overreaction.
…
According to the video of a Frenchman who claims to have lived 25 years in Hong Kong, one part of the world (and of China!) that is experiencing a low number of deaths in spite of all, or most of, its businesses remaining open. What is the secret? Every single person in the street is wearing a mask.
…
A nationwide scandal erupted in France a week or two ago when a Nice Matin journalist interviewed a woman on the town’s rocky beach. Christiane was tanning in a bikini, and declared that she wasn’t about to give up the sun rays. The next day, the written press picked up the story. They would quote her remarks, only to mention with disgust to what extent she was irresponsible, and selfish, and a shame to her community.
Truth to tell, Christiane may have come across as a bit snobbish and self-centered, but there was just one problem. Christiane was almost entirely alone on Nice’s long rocky beach near la Promenade des Anglais. The beach was virtually empty of people. There were perhaps 3 or 4 sunbathers or sunbathing couples in the background, perhaps 50 to 100 meters away, but otherwise it was deserted. (Indeed, the only time that Christiane was in potential danger or that she was a danger to others was when the Nice Matin journalist showed up!)

Makes sense to me.  Instead of our local KrimPo (Kriminal-Polizei)  arresting people for sunbathing on a deserted beach, or buying “non-essential” products to take home, why don’t they just arrest, detain or fine people for not wearing a mask in public?

Oh, but that would be too simple, you see;  not enough incentive to bully and/or fine people or look into their shopping bags.

Fuck ’em.  At some point, the history of this sad era will be written dispassionately, and the overarching conclusion is going to be that we overreacted, massively, our economy was shut down for no good reason, and governments needed to print trillions of non-existent dollars to “bail” people and businesses out of trouble — when all we needed was several hundred million cheap paper facemasks, and a temporary public order for everyone to wear the damn things outdoors.

Cheers

Disaster, Food & Drink

Of course, it had to be a German:

While appearing on “The Morning Show,” Dr. Rissland was asked about whether or not drinking alcohol could kill any viruses a person may have ingested. “Yes, of course, that’s true,” Dr. Rissland responded. “And the higher the percentage of alcohol, the better it is. For example, if you are a whisky lover, then that certainly isn’t a bad idea,” he continued, while offering this bit of sage advice to pace yourself:  “But of course you need to bear in mind that you can’t do that every 15 minutes, that is something else to consider.”

Speak for yourself, mein medisches freund.  Actually, I think a half-mouthful of Scotch every quarter-hour is a little slow — to judge by the normal spirits-intake rate of several of my friends (Mr. Free Market, Doc Russia and Mrs. Sorenson, to name but three), and mine certainly doesn’t rank far behind.

I think the good doctor shouldn’t confine himself to just whisky / whiskey;  he needs to publish a list of high-alcohol beverages, as a public service, of course.

Needless to say, the fuckheads at the WHO disagree strongly with his considered medical opinion.  But I ask you, O My Readers:  whose opinion would you rather trust:  a conscientious, methodical German doctor, or the idiots who brought you too-late-breaking news of the Chinkvirus?  I don’t think it requires that much thought, really.

The only question remains:  Scotch, rum or brandy?