Tag: Guns and such

My favorite toy

Christmas Gift Ideas

Good Stuff

Good question.  Here are a few gift ideas you can send to Santa.

From Steve Barnett (for the wealthy among us):  ABBIATICO & SALVINELLI – O/U PAIR 12 GA

A bargain, by the way, for a pair of matched shotguns from this gunmaker.

From Sportsman’s Warehouse:  Henry Pump Action Octagon Rifle .22 LR

Every home should have one.

From Collector’s Firearms:  Smith & Wesson 686-6 Plus .357 Mag

Nobody ever regretted buying one of these, but almost everyone regrets having sold one.

Hinterland Outfitters:  Ruger PC Carbine 9mm

I am seriously considering getting one of these, especially as I’m moving over to 9mm (!!!!) as my primary handgun caliber.

From Academy:  Ruger Wrangler .22 LR Revolver

This might actually be a decent “first handgun” for that grandson / granddaughter / nephew / niece that you love so much.

From Cabela’s:  CZ 612 Home Defense Pump-Action Shotgun 12ga

For those wanting something just a little different from the usual Mossberg / Winchester types…

That’s a decent little list, I think.  Something for everyone.

Changing Times

The Gun Thing

I have mentioned in the past that I planned on giving Connie’s Browning High Power to Daughter for her birthday, for hereditary reasons.  Well, I broached the topic with Daughter, and was surprised when she showed no interest in the Browning at all.

“I have enough handguns.  I mean, I have as many as you do.”  (true)
“But it’s your Mom’s gun.”
“It’s like offering to give me her favorite hammer — it really doesn’t mean anything, but thank you for the offer.”

She’s completely unsentimental about the gun — although I wouldn’t be surprised if the Browning didn’t also trigger some unwelcome memories along the way, but I’m not going to explore that little issue.  She doesn’t want the High Power, and that’s that.

Which is fine by me.  I love the BHP, its Europellet chambering notwithstanding, so it’s not going to go anywhere.

I also listened to Hackathorn and Wilson discussing the 9mm cartridge, and Bill Wilson is of the considered opinion that in terms of tissue damage and even stopping power, the new breed of 124gr 9mm hollowpoints are as effective as the lighter 185gr .45 ACP cartridges — which are exactly what I’m carrying in the 1911 because of recoil (pain) issues with the heavier 230gr.

So the plan has changed.  Son&Heir will indeed be getting my old Springfield 1911 .45 ACP for his birthday, and…

…I’m going to be carrying the High Power 9mm in its place:

…loaded with these: 

You may all pick yourselves up off the floor, now.

And yes, I’m aware that these may be the End Times.

Gratuitous Gun Pic: Ruger SFAR (7.62x51mm)

Gratuitous Gun Pics, The Gun Thing

Okay, it seems as though the writer of this article really likes the new Ruger AR variant (“Small-Frame Autoloading Rifle”), although when last did you see a gun writer say about a new gun: “Nah, this really sucks”?

My longtime reservations about the AR-15 platform notwithstanding, I have to say that I like the look of this little thing, especially when I read about how light it is, for a .308 rifle.

What I’d like is to have one of these… in .270 Win.  Why?  From a hunting perspective, there’s not much the .308 can do that the .270 cannot;  and the reduced recoil of the smaller bullet takes away the need for that anti-social, range-emptying muzzle brake.  (I’m quite serious about this;  the last half-dozen range sessions have been spoiled by the guy next door shooting an AR-15 with a muzzle brake, with earsplitting consequences for me despite the combination of foam plugs and ear protection which have become standard gear for me at indoor ranges.)

Of course, the mechanics (and magazine) of the SFAR would be unaffected by the change to .270 Win as it uses the same casing as the .308 Win;  so all that’s needed is a rechambered barrel for shooty goodness and Happy Days Smileyface Kim.  (Why not the 6.5 Creedmoor?  Because I don’t have any of that on hand, whereas the .270 Win is, let’s say, well represented in Ye Olde Ammoe Locquere.)

But nobody’s going to listen to me;  so there I go, shouting into the uncaring void, again.

On a tangential note:  a kind Reader once offered to send me a replacement extractor for my busted M1 Carbine.  For the life of me, I can’t remember who it was, so please drop me an email if it was you, and we can get the thing taken care of, financially speaking.

Gratuitous Gun Pic – Pioneer Arms AK-47

Gratuitous Gun Pics

While idly wandering through the halls of gunny goodness, I happened upon this variant of the AK-47:

Okay, it’s as ugly as a pig’s ass in springtime — although “pretty” is not a word oft associated the the AK-47 — and that green laminate wood looks like it was on sale in the decking section at Home Depot.

But hold on just a minute.  Why would one use green laminate wood for a deck?  Why, to protect it from the elements (sun, rain etc.);  and if that works for decking, why not for a utilitarian rifle such as this one, to be used in all kinds of stinking weather when battling the Forces Of Darkness?  (If you know wot I mean nudge nudge wink wink…)

Of course, the price ($720) makes my nose twitch, but as so many people remind me, this isn’t 2004 anymore, when an AK could be picked up for a couple-few hundred bucks — and at least the gun  is priced well below the $1,000 mark, which really makes my nose twitch when it comes to the AK-47.

For a stocking stuffer, you could do a lot worse, but you may have to deal with a few sniggers at the range when you unbox it.

Dept. of Righteous Shootings

Righteous Shootings

Here’s the full story, but the executive summary runs as follows:

Shithead with an unknown grievance storms into an Amazon warehouse parking lot and shoots some other guy several times.

Unfortunately for him, this was not Amazon Warehouse (UK) nor even Amazon Warehouse (OR):  no, this was Amazon Warehouse (AZ).

We know this because another Amazon employee happened upon the scene, drew his own gun and shot the Aggrieved One stone dead.


Also good news: the first guy has apparently survived the shooting.

But wait! there’s more:

An Amazon spokesman, Richard Rocha, said the company is working with law enforcement as it investigates the shooting.

He said: “We are deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence in our parking lot.

“We’re working closely with law enforcement as they investigate and are focused on supporting our team during this difficult time.”

The way to “support your team”, Mr. Amazon Spokesman, is NOT TO FIRE Our Hero, who probably saved many lives by his action.

I’ll be watching this closely, because Amazon.

No Exceptions

Anti-Gun Nannies, Law and Order, The Gun Thing

Not so much fun when it affects you personally, is it?

Oregon police are worried that if Ballot Measure 114 (BM 114) is allowed to take effect it may limit them to ten-round magazines and force them to get a permit in order to carry their firearms off-duty.

Among other things, BM 114 bans magazines holding more than ten rounds and requires residents to get a permit before being allowed to own a gun.

BM 114 contains an exemption for officers on duty, but there is confusion as to what hoops officers might have jump through in order to be armed and to maintain a standard number of rounds in their firearms when they are off-duty.

As the title of this post suggests:  no fucking exceptions.  Let cops and other government officials have to live under the bullshit laws that affect all citizens.

Even better would be if Oregon cops (of all jurisdictions) just come right out and say flatly that they’re not going to enforce any of this crap.

But they won’t, of course, and some “supplemental” law is going to be passed which carves out an exemption for law enforcement officers and deputies.

You heard it here first.