Scraping The Bottom

I know that I'm swinging pretty low here, but I was setting up a new computer and the browser's default home page had a link with a picture of a guy shooting a gun with a caption "What's He Shooting?"  This drew my attention and stole a good 5 minutes of my life so I'm paying it forward to you dear reader.

Apparently, the gossip kiddies are up in, well arms, about some pictures of some douchebag from some horrible child exploitation reality TV show shooting a gun at his "estate".  Apparently reality TV d-bags aren't allowed to have guns wherever this picture of said d-bag was taken.  So everyone is weighing in with their opinion.  I'm sure the comment section is a freakish mix of reality TV fans and 2nd amendment types hashing out the intricacies of law and how it applies to TV d-bags with guns.

My opinion?  At least he has a decent grip and his stance isn't terrible.  Other than that, meh...  Who could possibly care?

You Can't Argue With That

I ran across this video that relates (briefly) the Swiss take on defense, as a country and individuals and one citizens take on why he personally is so adamant about self defense.  Turns out a trip to a halocaust museum sparked his determination not to be a victim and he, like I, believe that the way to not be a victim, is to be able to properly defend yourself.

The video also follows the shooter to the Tiro Federale in Campagna Switzerland's national shooting day where over 200,000 Swiss go to the range and shoot their service rifles with government provided ammo.  There are over 500,000 service rifles residing in Swiss homes with a national population of only 7,000,000 people.  The men who are compelled to mandatory service in the military get to keep their service rifle and MUST keep it in their home.

The crime rate in Switzerland is the lowest in the world, I wonder why?  Shouldn't there be blood flowing in the streets with 500,000 ACTUAL assault rifles in homes?

Watch the video for more.

Why Switzerland Has The Lowest Crime Rate In The World

No Trial, No Reports To File

Seattle Police officer Jim Pugel saved the Washington taxpayers a LOT of money.  Good riddance to this dirtbag.  Also, I hope that the friends and family who helped this sorry excuse for a human being find nothing but sorrow and ruin.

Darn Tooten Skippy

From Mike Bane.  Seems Remington is entering the handgun market again.  They're apparently going to take a huge risk on an untried platform.  Oh wait, no, no they aren't, they're gonna make a 1911.  Now some are speculating that they might do something crazy like a polymer 1911 or some other Glock boy non-sense.  Some say they're trying for a .gov contract for a new .45ACP pistol.  I figure they're just wanting to get some of that sweet sweet gun money that's kept this economy from ending up like a WWII Japanese super sub.

Cowboy Action?

Somehow, I look at this picture and think Cowboy Action...

Second Amendment Weekend

Seriously!?  Holy crap!  No word on how effective last year's weekend of awesome was, but I'd guess it was damned successful.

Indiana, you have to get on the ball and do this NOW!  South Carolina legislators, my hat's off to you.

via Alphecca

Stop In Any Language

Seems an Local resident used the universal language for "stop what you're doing right now" when he found a 22 year old male skulking about his domicile.  I'm not sure whether the homeowner was trying to shoot the intruder or warn him when he put a .357 Magnum round through a door, but I'd bet that besides a screwdriver, pocket knife and flashlight that the cops found the scat to Fruit of the Loom ratio was greater than 1:1.

Comin' At Cha 09

We're back after visiting our pards in Texas for the Southwest Regional.  This match was highly anticipated with good reviews from years past and good word from the US Open which is run by the same folks.  I truly expected the best large match experience I've ever had and I may have just had it.  Maybe.  The folks that run the match bill it as a party with a shoot attached and that's exactly what it is.  There's plenty to do and everyone is your best friend, they are without a doubt, some of the kindest folks I've ever met and I had a wonderful time at Badlands Bar3 ranch with its beautiful setting.  I've never felt more welcome anywhere.

The weekend started for us on Wednesday last week as we stopped by Memphis, TN to, well eat Bar-B-Que and visit Beale Street for music and spirits.  We hit Corky's early for excellent Bar-B-Que and with our stomachs full, we headed downtown to a hotel.  BB King's bar is where we spent almost all of our time on Beale listening to the house band and sampling a few more food items and drinking excellent beer while enjoying a good blues band.

Thursday was Graceland and touring "The King's" mansion certainly put a legendary American figure into perspective for me.  I was pretty young when he passed and never really delved into his music and life, but this is a truly American experience that allowed me to see why people thought of him the way they do.  The hall of trophies is incredible and while this house is considered a mansion, by today's standards, it is merely upscale.

After Graceland, we left Tennessee behind and made our way to Texas, set up in the hotel and then wondered why the heck I picked New Boston to stay in.  There's really nothing there, the hotel was great, but there's nothing to do.  Long story short, we were in a dry county!!!  I mean really, who'd have guessed that the shoot was in a dry county?  We prevailed however, and managed to find a package store at the crux of two dry counties on Friday.  We also ventured into Texarkana for some of the best steak you'll ever eat at the Cattleman Steakhouse.  This isn't the Cattlemen chain, but a family owned steakhouse that treated us like kings and stuffed us with shrimp cocktail, calimari, clam chowder and a big, tasty ribeye steak, YUM!

Thursday was the Wild Bunch Match, I didn't shoot it particularly well, but I managed to barely make the top 10 of 37, so I guess that ain't all bad.  The WB match was free and started at 3pm on sidematch day, bad thing is that due to some hickups at the start, we finished in twilight conditions, but we finished and had a good time.  Nothing like knocking the rust off before the main event.

Friday we shot stages 1-5 on the early shift, I shot pretty well for me with one miss on the day.  The stages looked fast and initially we thought these were all going to be burners, but they were really well written with choices to make and things that made you slow down a bit.  They weren't dumbed down stages that let you rip away, you had to think and choose the best way for you.  I find it highly pleasing that Judge and I shot stages differently and when reviewing why we made the choices, figure we both got it right.  That's a good stage when there really isn't a single best way to shoot it no matter your category.

Saturday was stages 6-10 on the afternoon shift.  I had one miss on this day, but I was slower, so not as good a day on Saturday.  I'm still pleased overall and the stages weren't the issue, they were all pretty well written (except for one) and I don't think anyone can complain.  Well, maybe the chickens, everyone hated them.

Comin' At Cha 09 stage 8

Sunday, Judge and I headed out for home early.  We didn't stay for the awards, I kind of regret that, but he had to work on Monday and with nothing to really do other than watch an awards ceremony, we figure it was best to head out for Indiana since it was 12 hours away.

Knowing is...

This is inspired and needs to be a patch, hat and T-Shirt already.  I've seen this around for a little less than a year, but for any GI Joe fans who sat through those craptatious PSA announcements, this is pure win.

Trade Day Time

This weekend will be the 3rd Annual PVR Trade Days.  As the ad says:

3rd Annual PVR Trade Days
October 10th and 11th, 2009
Buy, Sell, Trade. Bring anything related to the Old West and
Cowboy Action Shooting. You are welcome to bring your own
table/display or just use what’s available at the range.

Cowboy Guns
Wild Bunch Firearms
Pocket Pistols and Derringers
Leather of all kinds
Holsters, Belts, Badge Holders
Loading Strips, etc.
Old West Clothing for
Cowboys, Cowgirls and Genteel Ladies
Spurs and Accoutrements
Ammo
Reloading Components
Reloading Tools
Gun Care and Cleaning Supplies
Art

Please price the items you want to sell.

1 of 13

Is it just me?  or does this woman look totally bad-ass?  She's one of the 13 newest female Afghan National Police officers.  I bet Judge & Copper wish they could wear hoods and dark glasses while at work. Anyway, I just hope we (USA) don't totally screw the pooch in Afghanistan, if we do, this woman's life and many other are forfeit.

Tip of the hat to Gunpundit.

It's a trick, get an axe

Boingboing has the story of an Indian family that took a stand against thug militants, took their guns away, killed one and injured two more.  The reason?  One of the thugs wanted to marry Rukhsana Kausar without her consent and when they attacked her family, she pounced on one of the thugs and she and her family fought them off.

I'd like to think that this sort of thing (fighting against thug militants) wasn't such a rarity, but it is.  Cudos to Miss Kausar and her family, nobody deserves to be subjected to thuggery and oppression and if the rest of the world had her tenacity and self-respect, we'd all be better off.  I'd just prefer the family started on a more even ground, but unfortunately, the Indian government wants law abiding citizens to be victims.

Bleg

Folks, to anyone who actually gets to this page, if you can spare the bucks, please help out my niece who's participating in IU's Dance Marathon to benefit Riley Children's Miracle Network.

Thanks a bunch, this is a good charity and I'm proud of my niece.

The inevitable AR followup

Michael Bane has the scoop on Ruger's new rifle following their AR introduction earlier this year.  The SR22 is a 10/22 wrapped in AR trappings.  You can throw AR15 accessories at it to customize it as you wish and yet shoot the economical .22lr cartridge all day to get your trigger time.  The rifle looks good and with the proven 10/22 action and barrel, I'm sure it shoots as good as advertised.  The premise Ruger (and Michael) want us to believe is that we can use this rifle as a surrogate to an AR15.

I'm afraid it isn't that easy.  You see, while this rifle looks similar to an AR15, it simply isn't, the safety selector isn't in the same place, the mags aren't the same, the trigger isn't the same and the bolt most certainly isn't the same.  So what? you may ask.  Well, if you're wanting to get practice with a firearm, you should practice with THAT firearm, not something similar.  I'm sorry, but there are good, cheap conversion kits for AR15s and S&W did it right by making an AR15 in .22lr.  So if you want to shoot a 10/22 that looks like an AR, go forth and purchase this gun, if you want true practice with an AR cheaply, buy an AR and convert it to .22lr.

Dreaming of Texas

Work has settled down a bunch for me after last week and after a full summer of all work and no play, I've been itching for the play part.  Judge, Copper and I will be heading down to Texas in November for the SASS Southwest Regional also known as Comin' At'cha!  Many folks say this is THE regional to go to and being as how I'm always busy and it's hotter than hell in August, Guns of August (Midwest Regional) is out for me.  So, Judge and I were looking for something this time of the year and we figure Texas won't be THAT hot in November and a change of scenery is always nice.  Now if we could find something else to do before the shoot in NE Texas, we could make a true vacation of it.

For now, I've found this video to whet your CAS appetite.

"Comin' At'Cha" SASS SW Regional at the Badlands Bar3

Yep, That's Fast

Caleb points out a video of quite possibly the fastest mover you'll see.  It certainly illustrates very well the time that you have (or rather don't have) when someone charges you.  Could you get three shots on this target?

MVSA IDPA Match - MGM's new charging target - FAST AS HELL

1 down, 99 to go

'nough said

Generations

Last week my father gave me a gun. While that in and of itself if pretty great, it's not the gun itself that is really special, but the guns history. It took a little research, but I managed to figure out a little about the gun.

It is a version of the Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimètre 65 genre "Ruby", however, this one is made by Santiago Salaberrin and it is a .25 auto with the trade name "ETNA" stamped on the gun. There are a number of variations on this weapon, but this one is definitely a pocket pistol designed as a little holdout piece.

So the guns is not really all that special with over 30 factories making versions and copies I would bet these things are lying in boxes and in the tops of closets all over the world. So what's so cool about a 70+ year old gun? My great grandfather was a drummer in a band. He traveled the river boats up and down the Mississippi playing drums and generally doing what a musician would do in the roaring 20's. In his vest pocket for all of those trips was the little "ETNA"

So now I think I'll make sure it's in good working order and carry it with me to work. I can't think of a better legacy or connection to the past.

That was close

So I picked up a Kel-Tec PF9 the other day and took it to the range on Sunday to try it out.  A couple of boxes of Blazer Brass 115g FMJ went smooth as silk and the little gun, while snappy, is controllable and accurate enough.  I then shot a box of Golden Saber 124 +P JHP through it and again, no problem, so I moved on to reloads.  This was also going smoothly until the little gun stopped barking, I did a QA on her and the slide won't budge, rot roh. 

At the range, I couldn't get any movement on the problem, so I packed it up and went home for more serious investigation.  After complete dissasembly, it turns out the bullet in that round set back severely (about .25", looks like a .380ACP now) and bulged the case, locking it in the chamber tighter than bike pants on Rosie O'Donnel, lets just say it was tight.  Thing is though, the gun was just out of battery and my trigger pull resulted in the firing pin striking on the very edge of the primer, another tenth or so and I would have probably been digging Kel-tec out of my hide at best.  Who knows what the worst would have been, I'm just glad I didn't find out.  You wonder sometimes what the difference between a ho-hum range report is and another internet posting of a blowed up pistol, I find it is .10".

Then again, maybe it was God's way of saying I should have been in church on Sunday morning...

Bed Bunker

I want.


The greatest combination since that dude with chocolate ran into that other dude with peanut butter.  Its a gun safe under, no AS a bed. WIN!

Rest well at night with up to 35 rifles and 70 handguns under your bum.

Take Me Down

This is very interesting, as most everyone knows, Winchester ceased production of their lever guns a few years back, they are now doing a very limited run of their iconic 1892 levergun in a take-down version.  Steve at the Firearm Blog has the details, essentially, they'll make 500 20" and 250 24" guns.  I'd have to agree with Steve that they'd really have a hit if they released it in 30-30 and I'd go one further and say it should be in either 18" or 16".  Talk about a near perfect truck/guide gun.
 

X Planes

One of my loves in life are aircraft, mostly military, but aircraft in general.  I get this from my dad who loved the aircraft he grew up with as a kid and couldn't read enough books on the subject of his heroes, men like Robin Olds, Dick Bong, Eddie Rickenbacker, Robert A. Hoover and of course Chuck Yeager.  As I was growing up in the 70's, I developed my own love of the aircraft if not the men who flew them.  The 70's was just after a great period of Supersonic development and the tactics and strategy of air defense underwent a wild developement where the powers felt that it needed to be really freakin' fast and haul missiles.  I identify with the "Century" jets more than any other out there, from the F-100 Super Saber to the truly knarly looking YF-107.  The other planes that were big news in those days were the "X Planes", the experimental aircraft that pushed the limits of what aeronotical engineers could do.  From Yeager's X-1 to the semi-spacey X-15 to the superfast X-51 Scramjet.  Why am I telling you this on a cowboy shooting blog?  Well I had to point as many people as I can to my new favorite blog, X Planes and I figured I should explain why I think it's so darned cool.

Flag This

Michael Bane seems to have the knack for flustering S&W's lock system on big-bore lightweight revolvers.  He's had another instance with yet a different gun, folks have asked me why I won't buy one with a lock on it, this is why.  I will not own a gun that I would intend to carry for self defense that has such a device on it, there are too many other good guns that won't do this and yes, it is the principle that S&W didn't have to ruin their revolvers.

Independence Day

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

SASS Vaquero

I forgot to put this up yesterday.  Ruger has introduced the SASS Vaquero.  Steve at the Gun Blog has more pictures and info on the gun.

From the press release

The high-gloss stainless steel Ruger SASS Vaquero comes with the lower/wider Montado-style hammer found on the Ruger Montado. The SASS Vaquero, chambered in .357 Magnum, features a 4-5/8" barrel, a blade front sight and wider (.140") rear sight, and black checkered, hard rubber grips with SASS grip medallions. Each SASS Vaquero will bear a special serial number featuring the letters "SASS" as a prefix followed by the numeric sequence. These special edition single-action revolvers will only be sold in two-gun sets of consecutive serial numbers and will ship in a red, two-gun carry case.

So they have some nice features that will definitely appeal to SASS competitors and they only come in 4-5/8" barrels and .357Magnum.  That's probably the best combo for competition as you'll not have much recoil with the .38 SASS loadings and the 4-5/8" barrel is short enough and yet remains well balanced.  I myself have just this year added Super Blackhawk hammers to two of my Old Model Rugers to facilitate one-handed shooting and I really like them.  I don't think they sped me up any, but I shouldn't get to many hammer slips, the bain of all Gunfighters.

The new SASS vaquero can be had for $1500 MSRP mid summer 2009 (I'm starting to sound like Jim Scoutten)

Zombie? Where?

Zombieland Trailer 2009

Wild Bunch @ Founder's Ranch

Michael Bane has been shooting the SASS Wild Bunch match at Founder's Ranch this week.  He's posted an after action report, who won what and what worked and didn't work (for him).  I really like shooting Wild Bunch at the local matches and would actually like to see it become a category, but it appears to not be in the cards as I think SASS can make more money holding a separate match.  Too bad really, I think they could attract more shooters, that's always a good thing right?

That Sound You Hear?

Oh, that'd be Sam Colt and John Browning spinning in their graves.

Colt 45 - Holistic music video

I mean, even cool guns and babes can't save this piece of...  uh...  art?

We Need More Of These

As Tam points out, a role model we can all hope to imitate.  The money quote  "It'll never happen to me".  Indeed.

Old Family Friend

Like most gun owners right now, I'm getting bit by the cost of ammunition, sure I reload in most of the calibers I shoot, but the way things are with component availability, let alone cost, I've decided that I need to fall back on the old standby .22lr for plinking and some practice.

On Memorial Day weekend, I was digging in the safe and decided I should clean up my Dad's old .22 squirrel gun, so I pulled it from the dark recesses of the safe and headed to the garage.  My dad's old gun, a Marlin Model 99 .22lr semi-auto was (as I later found out), only made for 3 years, from 1959 to 1961 and was the predecessor to the ubiquitous Marlin Model 60, the main differences are that the Model 60s generally have provisions for mounting a scope and Marlin went from Walnut on the 99 to Birch on the 60.  I'm sure there are minor internal differences, but the actions are essentially the same. 

I always remembered Dad as being a fairly good shot, at least in my estimation, I remember he, my brother and I putting a dime on a post about 20-30 yards away and trying to pick it off between us.  I also remember being so entirely proud of myself for hitting it and spending a half hour looking for said dime, I carried it in my pocket for a year or more.  I suspected he was sand bagging, but I didn't care much, I still hit that dime!  I also recall Dad going out in the morning and coming back before noon with several squirrels for dinner that evening and how good a cook my mom was/is.  A lot of family history is stowed away in the lustrous walnut stock and when I look down the barrel at the the brass bead front sight, I can imagine Dad zeroing in on the next meal.

My Dad's Model 99 isn't worth a whole lot of money, it's got a lot of wear and has seen it's fair share of rust, but I'll fight you for it and It'll be a damned cold day in hell before I sell it.  This is an old family friend that's taught several men and a couple of women how to shoot, provided meals for a poor country family of seven kids and various other family members and until I dug it out that weekend, I didn't realize just how much it meant to me or my family.

Oh, did I mention you could hit a dime with it at 20 yards?  Yeah, that too.

Remember

American cemetery at Normandy

Colleges and Guns

One of the leading assumptions that opponents to college concealed carry is that Students lack the maturity to carry.  Seems like this student certainly has the maturity and did the right thing.  Most opponents would cite that places where students gather would become bloodbaths as immature students resolve differences with guns instead of reason.  They say that the University is no place for guns as ideology should take precedent and guns would inhibit (somehow) said ideology.

One should wonder what sort of reasoning and ideology would have gotten the ten students out of a situation where two armed intruders had separated the group into those to be murdered and those to be raped and murdered?  Anyone?

Luck would have it, one student did have a gun and had the internal fortitude to stand against those that would have done grievous harm to himself and his friends.

I wonder what the producers of last month's ABC hit piece on guns have to say about this?  How did a one student out of ten prevail while outnumbered two to one when ABC's show depicted differently?  The difference?  These thugs didn't know who had a gun and weren't firearms instructors and the stakes were real.

Let's be clear, the gun didn't save these students, one of the students saved them, he just happened to have the correct tool for the job and enough skill to get that job done.  I think all anyone who is for concealed carry on campus wants is to have the opportunity to carry the right tool for self defense against armed opponents.

Family Day

This past weekend was an impromptu Family Day at Thunder Valley.  Judge & Copper's families showed up to see what all goes on at a cowboy shoot and to help us eat the great food at the cookout afterward.  Here are some pictures.

Judge's wife & daughter Dina & Sabrina with Copper's boy Wyatt.

Judge teaching his niece, its what he does

Copper & Wyatt

Dina breakingher first shots (she hit everything in sight)

Copper's wife Christy steps from behind the camera

Sabrina & Wyatt are best buddies

BAG day gun

OK, it wasn't bought on 4/15, but a couple of weekends ago, I picked up a very sweet Colt CCO.  For the uninitiated, a CCO is an officer's frame with a commander slide mated to it, very ideal for concealed carry (CCO stands for Concealed Carry Officers).  I had to give up an AR and a few bucks to get it, but it is certainly worth more than the AR to me and I can get another AR (rather, build one out of the 2 lowers I have).  So far, the CCO is utterly reliable and my only quandry right now is finding a carry ammo that doesn't make my hand throb.  So far, Speer LE Gold Dot 200g +P are sooooo not it.  Suggestions anyone?

The gun came with the "Goodyear" wrap-around grips, I ditched those for the more acceptable double-diamond rubbers that I really like on carry 1911s.  Some say they cling to clothes, but I've not had a big issue with that, the wrap-arounds do fwiw.  Accuracy with the CCO is good and the only other thing I changed on it besides the grips is adding a ring-style hammer that I had Judge order from Fusion for my Officer's model, it was seredipity since the hammer was two-tone and the new CCO was also.

This gun also darned near got Judge into a bit of hot water, I was lunching with his missus when she mentioned that their daughter said uncle José brought daddy a new gun, a little one.  Of course I'd do no such thing and besides, it isn't that small.  The little angel saw me bring it in to their house and show it to Judge while the misses was off shopping at the mega-outlet-mall.

Easter Conversations

Overheard at the Gigante family Easter dinner table.

Conversation #1
Nephew: "Uncle José, why can't I find any ammo?"
Me: "Because everyone's scared of what the new emperor will do to prevent us from buying it in the future and are buying it all up so that the manufacturers can't keep up"
Nephew: "What are they trying to do?"
Me: "Well, there's the tax it to oblivion angle, or the serial number it scheme, essentially, everyone thinks they're gonna do something to make ammo damned hard to come by"
Nephew: "That's stupid"
Me: "yep" goes on to explain what shops he can try to find some decently priced .40SW.

#2
Mom: "ABC had a program on Friday that said having a gun wouldn't do any good since you would be too scared to use it"
Me: "ARGH!" explains how flawed the ABC program was "Would you rather have a chance and a gun or be helpless and hope that the mutant gunning people down thinks you're already dead or runs out of ammo?"

Then there was a conversation about Zombie Jesus and how freakishly strong he was to move that rock (or what I imagine my 2yo great nephew would think of the resurrection of Christ during Sunday school).  It was determined I should never teach Sunday School, go figure.

Lean On Me

OK, this one is out there, I know, but while "researching" pictures of Kendra Wilkinson and her beau at the gun range, I thought it interesting that she exhibits "the lean".  I say this because I see a lot of inexperienced female shooters pickup a long gun and instinctively go into this sort of stance, apparently it is comfortable to them, for what reasons I don't know, but I thought this picture demonstrates it perfectly.

There are better things to quip about, but this has always puzzled me and if anyone has an answer let me know.

BTW, I am not responsible for your actions after clicking through to Kendra's website.

One of Those Days

What's the best thing to do on a Friday afternoon? Well this Friday, I decided it wasn't work.  I had found a shop selling AR lowers for $100 and off I went to Lawguns in Indy, a new shop that opened this week.  I got there and met Anthony who was eager to take my business an after pleasantries, I started on my 4473.  While filling my form out, the phone constantly rang and another customer came in for uppers.  The shop isn't much right now, but it appears they'll be carrying mostly AR type stuff.  I picked up a couple of accessories for my AR and bid Anthony good day.

Off to Beech Grove Firearms!  I had heard great things about this shop and it is a very nice place with a lot of wheelguns and as good of stock of firearms and ammo as I think you can have right now.  The shop is clean, bright and friendly, the prices are a bit on the upper end of reasonable, but they have stock.

On the way home, I got to craving a cigar and so I stopped by the only good cigar store I know of on the South side of Indy, the Pipe Puffer.  It's probably a good thing I don't live in Greenwood as this place would see me a LOT more.  The Cigar selection is very good with pretty much all the major brands represented and a nice selection of each.  The cigars are kept in their walk-in humidor in perfect conditions, so you get a top-notch smoking experience.

The Puffer also has areas for customers to lounge while they enjoy a smoke, think a small tavern that serves smokes and not drinks.  I would have sat in one of the comfy looking leather chairs or sofas had the place not been absolutely packed with folks enjoying the afternoon with friends and tabacco.

All in all, it beat the living hell out of being in my office and one of my ARs is decked out and I've got parts for another complete AR.  Go me!

Stage Strips?

Is this an alternative for cowboy shooters at the loading table?  Reloading strips have long been a part of CAS, providing a convenient way to keep track of the ammo you need for a stage without having to carry a box up to the line or back to your cart after you've loaded.  Tuff products have done what Bianchi won't, make speed strips Quick Strips for .41-.460 calibers.  Now if they made them in 10 or 5 round versions, I think they might get some traction in CAS, they aren't exactly period, but then a bright blue plastic box isn't either.

If these hold .45ACP, I might have to get some for WildBunch since I gave my leather strip to Judge (actually, he pilfered it) and .45ACP will fall out of the wooden ones I've made.

Hmm....

H/T to Les Jones

ATWS

I'm pretty certain Judge should get one of the new Trijicon ATWS to mount on the 30-30 levergun he just got.  I'm sure it wouldn't cost so much and what is more natural than a state of the art, thermal imaging sight on a 105 year old design?  I don't know how much it costs, but with the economic wizardry going on right now, I'm sure Judge could pull it off.

H/T to The Firearm Blog