Bypass

A comment to yesterday’s teaser about my trip to San Antonio, I got this:

That wasn’t the purpose of the trip, but on the way down, I saw signs for not one but TWO gun shows — one in Waco, the other further south in Temple — and I didn’t go to either.

The reason is quite simple, and it has nothing to do with time — I always allow plenty of it for my road trips, just so I can stop to smell the roses, so to speak, along the way.

I’ve talked before about my disillusionment with gun shows, and to a large extent this is why I didn’t turn off the beaten path to either the Waco or Temple shows.  I was in no mood to be pissed off by only seeing a surfeit of overpriced guns I wouldn’t accept as a gift (e.g. AR-15, Glock), and I had no pressing need for still-overpriced ammo either.

Besides, I know what I’m getting for Christmas, and it’s a doozy.  More on that, later.

Interesting Thought

Getting rid of the revolver:

While I’m typically kitted out with a capable 9mm, on some occasions I’ve run errands with little more than a .38 snubbie in a jacket or coat pocket. And I used to carry one in the console of my car for my “extra” piece.

Not any more, and I’ll tell you why: it surely seems like a sole attacker today is the exception, not the rule.

All sensible arguments.  I have to admit to subconsciously feeling the same way every time I run over to the booze store or 7-11 with only my S&W 637 on my hip, even though I have two speedloaders handy, and can reload reasonably quickly.

Admittedly, the above condition accounts for maybe 10% of my trips away from the house;  for the rest, it’s the 1911 with two spare mags.  But I’m thinking that “90%” should become “all the time”, because if I’m caught inside a store during a flash mob looting spree, even only eight shots of .45 ACP beats five rounds of .38+P, and reloading another eight is far quicker than reloading another five — not to mention the “New York reload” option of just drawing the backup 637 instead of reloading another mag into the 1911…

Choices, choices…


Corollary thought:  unless you live in the boonies, the old Swiss K31 or Mosin carbine is not going to cut it as a trunk gun.   During a situation of mob violence in a suburban / urban setting, it looks as though it’s SKS time…

Prestige

Mr. Free Market points me at this wondrous gun:

…and its review.

Typically, one uses this thing to hunt birds with names beginning with the letter “p” (partridge, pheasant, parrot) in locales such as this:

However, it should be said that the Prestige costs somewhat more than $11,000 — and if I review its characteristics against my shotgun preferences (other than price):

  • side-by-side barrels:  nope (O/U)
  • double trigger:  nope (single)
  • straight “English” buttstock:  nope (pistol grip)
  • splinter forestock:  nope (heavy full)
  • weighs no more than 6.5 lbs:  nope (8+ lbs)

…it fails miserably, on all counts.

Now had he sent me a similar review on this gun, I might have been more drawn to the idea of spending about two-thirds of my annual SocSec income [eyecross]  on a bespoke shotgun.

As you can see, the Sovereign model retails for about half the Prestige, and has ALL my desired features (other than price).

One more time:  shotgun barrels should be side by side like a man and his dog, and not over and under like a man and his mistress.

Sue Them Out Of Existence

…Ford, that is, after the Waukesha incident where (according to the NYT) an SUV killed several people in a Christmas parade.

Ford is clearly responsible for the criminal misuse of its product. Yes, the company is selling a legal product through legal means, but it is ultimately Ford’s duty and moral obligation to ensure that criminals or those with potential future criminal intent are not able to acquire its products, whether through a Ford dealership, a used car dealer, a private party sale, or even by theft.

Silly, is it?  Change “Ford” to “Remington” or “Colt”, and “car” to “gun” — and this is precisely what the media and Left are advocating.

Evil bastards.