AK Range report.

Okay. So, I'm now about 500 rounds into the test run.  Another 500-1000 to go depending on how well I can survive the heat.  I got it rough sighted in last week and put a couple of hundred rounds through it. Today I finished tweaking the sights so they were as spot on as my tired ol' eyes can get it. Then finished the first box of 500 I had with me.

I actually got a FTF today I had about 100-120 rounds left out of the box and on the second round of a topped off 30 round magazine I had the round hang up and hold the bolt back about half way.

Yes, I know. AK's never jam.  Whatever.  This was bad enough I had to drop the mag and pop the dust cover off to get the round out from behind the bolt.

So, 500 rounds through, not been cleaned or oiled since I put a light, LIGHT coat of hopes on it after I first got it and 1 malf so far.  I've had AR's perform better.  Just saying.

I do have to say that Randy Kline, the gun smith at Jacksonville, TX who put it together, did an excellent job and the trigger is one of the smoothest I've ever had on a military rifle.  I highly recommend him for AK and FAL work.

I'll try to get the next 500 rounds put through it over the weekend if possible.  But it's slow going.  That rifle heats up enough that I can't hold onto the front grips without asbestos gloves after barely 100 rounds.  I had the thing literally smoking today, even with long breaks between magazines to let it cool down.
 

a couple of random thoughts on the state of our society.

So, I'm standing in line at the checkout counter at my local grocery store and I glance at the impulse rack. At the top is adult gummi vitamins.  And I'm left wondering why. 

Have we sunk that low that we can't, as adults, suck it up and take simple vitamins without lacing them with a spoonful of sugar?  I mean, I can understand children's gummi vitamins.  It's hard enough to explain to a little kid that "because it's good for you" is a valid reason to take something.  But seriously, if we're at the point that we have to do that for supposed adults, maybe it's time to rethink how we're raising people.

**********************

I've been hearing a lot of talk from the once and current swamp that is our nation's capital about Immigration reform.  They're talking of this reform. 

Now, I thought that if you were going about reforming some system, there was something broken with the system.  But the only thing that I can see that is broken is the government's willingness to enforce it.  The system was not and is not broke.  The system works absolutely as it should.  Which leaves me wondering what they're trying to cover up by calling it reform.

 

Pass it forward.

Saw this on Old_NFO's blog today and couldn't agree more with the sentiment.  While, yes we do have the right to free speech in this country.  It's not about you, it's about the millions of us who have served and the thousands and thousands who have paid the ultimate price for your right.  In short, its about the country we are proud to live in.

The National Anthem.

(exert below)


This should go up with Jennifer's Dance Monkey Dance.

“So, with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten — straight up, no styling. Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world. Don’t make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification. Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love — not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from the costumes, the makeup and the entourages. Sing “The Star Spangled Banner” with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America , not you.”

Random Musing.

Everybody has mile posts in their life.  Moments when, for better or worse, their life is never quite the same again.  Times, when recalled, a person can point to and say, "This changed my life."

One of those important moments is when you realize you can buy and cook bacon anytime you want.

Train people! TRAIN!

This article was posted to GBC tonight:

Collier judge upholds 'Stand Your Ground' stabbing death defense in teen's bus stop bullying.

What I'm about to rant... about... has very little to do with the actual article and a whole lot to do with idiots that post in the comments.

One of the comments that shall remain nameless to protect his idiocy said, "See, that's the problem. Having never been in the situation of fighting for my life, I don't know how I'd react to that stress..."

THAT'S WHY WE FUCKING TRAIN, YOU MORON!

Listen, few of us have been in that situation.  That's why we "game" it out.  We think about that situation, map out strategies, actions, reactions, discuss the plans with the wife, girlfriend, Rover the dog, whoever.  Then we go to a quality range, either take a class, talk to, or hire a reputable instructor.  See what works, what's been done before, what they recommend. Then we go back re-imagine the scenario, remap the strategies, actions, reactions and plans and then re-discuss what we're gonna do and what we'd like anyone with us to do to either help or stay out of harms way during the situation.

And, for fucks sake, if you've gotten your concealed carry permit (if required by your state) or are carrying a weapon for self defense and you haven't thought about what to do in those situations. FUCKING STOP! FIGURE IT OUT! DON'T BE A MORON!

Call me a moonbat

When I read stuff like this:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/02/aclu-others-slam-obama-for-signing-defense-bill-that-includes-detainee/

It makes me really think we need a truly strict constitutionalists as our next president. Someone who will look at this and strike it off the books on principle.


- Edit: I fixed the link to a FoxNews story that's close to the opinion piece I originally read.  All copyrights belong to FoxNews etc.  No infringement is intended.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My thoughts on this video.

This video:



came out just after the OccupyOaklanders were dispersed/arrested by the police.  I've watched it several times and I've come to some conclusions about this.

She used the term "chemical weapons" twice.  Once before the cut to the Oakland Police Chief's comments and once after.  Notice the police chief didn't say chemical weapons and I would have to doubt that the officer who made the announcement before tear gas was deployed used that term.

When asked if this was an "appropriate response", she pauses and looks up and left.  As if she is trying to remember what she was told.

Call me crazy, but she had to have been coached.  And badly at that.  I can see whoever coached her telling her to make sure to use the words "chemical weapons" but not telling her that throwing bottles and rocks at the police is assault.  So, she's grabbed from the crowd, told what the interviewer will ask, instructed to use the incendiary catch phrases and then gets blindsided when the talking head decides to ask a preliminary setup question not on the script she'd been handed.  At which point the fail became avalanche like in proportions.

I have no idea.

No, seriously.  I have no idea what the fuck she is saying here.  I mean I recognise that the words are English but I'm not sure she's actually, you know, speaking it.  OOH! Maybe she's just getting out of one of them tent revival meetings and she's still speaking in tongues.

I haven't mentioned politics in a while.

I suppose there are a few reasons for that.  But I have to say.

The only job I want the great anointed one to talk about is he won't be seeking a second term for the one he has.

Accusations fly....

Last weekend I was accused of being a gear-do.  Now, since I'm always on a limited budget and thus I have to be careful about what I get and why, I was a bit surprised, to say the least.  I'm not one to rush out and get the latest doodad or gizmo just because.  Well, aside from the latest AR build that is.  But in my defense, that build took more than a year to finish and on an AR, "just because" is a valid enough reason.

But since I'm labeled as one, I thought I aught to do a gear review.  In for a penny, in for a pound.  Or maybe, damned if I do, damned if I don't would be a better one.  Anyway, here goes. My first gear review.

For my first gear review I'm going to review a rifle carrying case. After the latest slew of builds I was left with two rifles without a carrying case.

The two on the right.

My first thought was, "Cool, two carbines. I'll get a double rifle case.".  The more I thought about it though, the less the idea appealed to me. Because I would only be carrying both rifles at the same time on very few occasions, namely Blogorado and events like that.  The M1 Carbine just wont get shot that often.  The occasional range trip really.  It's not going to be a hunting rifle like the AR or the M14 are.  Also, my rifle bags tend to be bulky for whatever reasons, I figured I didn't want to make one doubly so.

So, I sat down and mentally listed what I wanted in a carbine rifle case.  Since most of my ready range stuff had migrated to a separate range bag, I decided I didn't need a case that could carry everything for a trip to the range.  That cut down on size.  I wanted something that I could carry around easily.  By that I mean in and out of the Jeep without having to fold the back down.  I also wanted something that didn't scream rifle.  So, I had a list of sorts.  Something discrete, with a shoulder strap or straps, needn't carry more than the rifle and maybe a couple of mags,

So, I went hunting and found this.

It's available at Cheaper Than Dirt.  It's called the covert carbine discreet rifle case.  Which aside from being named by the Departmental Office of Redundancy Department, really fit the criteria I had in mind. 

It doesn't scream rifle. It does scream equipment, but unless you're a gunnie, you won't immediately think rifle.  It holds the AR, in a broken down form, and two mags quite nicely.  Has carrying handles or a shoulder sling that can be tucked into a pocket in the back, and three pockets on the front for other items. 

See, it can fit a 16" barreled AR Carbine plus optic and a couple mags with no problem.

Granted with the Trijicon on it, it has to fit crosswise, but that's just the way the optic is mounted.  You could just as easily remove the optic.  Everything will still fit in it. 

Things I like about this.  Size for one.  It's easy enough to move it in and out of the Jeep without having to do any fancy maneuvers. The center padded divider.  Your rifle isn't going to beat itself up when it's broken down and in the bag. In fact the padding all the way around this bag is nice for protection. The carry options.  The carry handles are good enough, solidly double stitched. In fact the construction quality of the whole thing looks to be on the better side and I'll keep you up to date on how it holds up to daily use. But the real ace is the shoulder strap.

It's nice and wide where it needs to be, namely across the top of the shoulder. So, even as light as this bag is, it wont ever dig into the shoulder if I have to trek it in the bag any length of time. And it's truly ambidextrous.  Either bottom strap can be buckled in to the bottom of the shoulder strap and the other either tucked away or buckled to the side of the strap to add stabilization.  So, you can easily set it up for offside carry if that's your concern.  The back of the bag has plenty of breathable fabric to help keep it comfortable in hot weather or if you're carrying it for extended periods.

Things I don't like.  The red straps on the inside of the bag.  Yes, they would be good for extra security for the rifle upper and lower, but I don't see a need for them really and they just get in the way.  The three front pockets are basically useless with the rifle in the bag.  There's no give to them and with the rifle on the inside anything you put in them is gonna be sticking through the front or poking your rifle in the bag.  If they'd made them with some way to expand along the sides, that would have been better. Maybe a bit more MOLLE webbing.  There's some on the shoulder strap, but that's about it. But then, a lot of that would have defeated the idea behind the whole "discrete" thing.

I've had friends point out that some states get all PSH'y if you have an assembled rifle in your car and this would be perfect for toting your AR to the range and back, rather than that giant blue plastic case that it came in.

Others of you out there are going to scream that the rifle is disassembled and therefore useless if I happen to need it in a hurry.  First off, I'm not a first responder.  I'm probably never going to need the rifle in a hurry like that.  If, by some wild stretch of the imagination, I did end up like that, my situational awareness is shit and I deserve what I get.  Secondly, come on guys, it's two take down pins.  Last night, because I knew you'd make this argument, I had the thing out of the bag, assembled and loaded in under 30 seconds.  In the dark. If you can't slap two take down pins in faster than I did without the blindfold, then you need to review your understanding of the AR platform.

So, there you go Vine, this geardo has done a geardo review for you.  I didn't rush out and buy the shiny, or pick the first thing I saw that had "tactical" in the title.  I figured out what I needed, what I wanted and got the best bag to fit the requirements. Although maybe that makes me a thinking man's geardo. hmm....

It's a double dip recover?

So, the DOW drops 400 or so point on Friday, then another 600 some on Monday when the great zero stood up at the podium, you know the one that has the seal and everything, and said "Move along, nothing to see here... Nothing to see..."

Quick math... carry the one...

That puts us down 1000 points at the beginning of Tuesday.  When the market creeps up 400 that day, we've got talking heads touting the "Obama Recovery"... ZOMG We all be saved! Praise the Lord Anointed One.... 

Now, today that the market has dropped all it was able to get yesterday and then some by noon, the crickets chirping is deafening.

Edit: And in further news, in true liberal form, they're calling for "reform" of the credit ratings system.  Figures, if something happens they don't like because of their actions... Well, just cheat till it goes away.

I listened on the radio....

To the President's speech today....

I think he's got Baghdad Bob writing for him now.

New EDC knife.

As some of you may or may not know.  I lost my favorite EDC pocket knife while trying to get back from deepest, darkest bad continent.  So, I had to replace it. 

What I had before was a Boker Subcom like in this link.  I loved that thing.  It may have been small, but it fit nicely in the hand, was flat enough that it's not uncomfortable to sit on for good periods of time, held an edge through daily use, had a thick enough blade that it wasn't going to easily break using it to pry or as a screw driver, and the blade was multifunction enough that I could use it to open envelopes or open... other things to the bone.  Had a nice little clip sturdy enough to hold it in the pocket or on the belt without popping off or slipping away.  In short it was the best knife I'd found for EDC in a long while.  The only issue I had with it was it was a liner lock, not a frame lock.  But that's a personal thing.  I feel that liner locks may collapse more easily than a frame lock.  Mind you, I have no experience or evidence to prove that.  The lock looked like it engaged well enough that I probably would never had had that issue.

So, having found something that worked well for me, I wasn't going to spend weeks and loads of money finding something new.  When I went to replace the Subcom, I found that they had a new Chad Los Banos Subcom Titan available.  Still had the good clip (now titanium), and 440C Stainless Steel blade.  But now, the frame is titanium.  All the features that I liked about my original Subom are still there, but just enough improvements to make it worth it to get this and not just replace my original Subcom F.

Below are some pics of mine.  The bottom pic has a quarter in it so you can get an idea of scale.  This may seem like it's too small to be an effective knife.  But honestly, it fits into the hand very nicely and once you have a grip on it, it's not gonna slip out of your hand easily.  And open, it's overall length is 4 1/2" with a nearly 2" blade length.  Plenty long enough unless you have hands like Matt G, or Gigantor the freakishly large being from Planet Bigtron 4.

While it may not be truly ambidextrous, the clip can be flipped from top to bottom and the thumb stud is on both sides of the blade.  But if you want to know all the specs, just follow the link to the Titan above.



Oh and for the record,  while this may have turned into a product review and praise piece.  I bought this knife with my own money and am not being compensated by Boker or their US subsidiary for this post. 

OBL dead.

Apparently, The Anointed One micromanaged the intelligence and operation that resulted in OBL's death.  I wonder how he fit that in between all the golf games. 

Seriously, if his press conference was to be believed.  He was directly involved in all the intelligence and all the briefings.  And then he apologized to the world for America.

Oh and Quote of The Day:
From IRC's #Gunblogger_Conspiracy
(NinjaViking): I wonder if OBL will be counted as another tragic victim of senseless gun violence

Changes, and not the way we'd want them.

Both Libya's and Egypt's regime changes started as food riots. 

Now watch what current gas prices are doing to the price of a gallon of milk.

When gas hit this price at the pumps last time, Bush signed an executive order suspending the moratorium on oil exploration.  And gas prices plummeted to under 2 dollars a gallon in the space of weeks.  Mind you, no actual drilling took place. Just the fact that it could brought price speculation down.  This regime says they can't do anything about it, but they'll form a commission to look in on price gouging by the oil companies.  Seriously?  They banned exploration, banned new drilling, banned just about anything that would make us more energy independent as a nation and when prices do what they will do when that happens, they try to blame someone else.

But, I'm not surprised. This regime believes corporations are evil, that capitalism is evil, that freedom is evil, that being an adult and standing on your own two feet is evil.  This regime would love to see European prices at the pumps here in the states.  It would make their dream socialist state that much closer.

On a side note, have you seen some states are proposing a usage tax on electric and hybrid vehicles to help offset the drop in revenue from sale of gasoline?

How's that hopey changey thing working out for ya?

My initial thoughts on Libya...

and the US's involvment in this "Police Action". And they're not happy ones.

I can't help thinking the only reason Obmama did this was so...

1) He'd APPEAR to be tough to the people in the US and

2) He's set up the precident that the UN takes precidence over the US in international matters. Now, he only does what the UN wants and not till they want it.

So when the UN says we need to go into Ohio to stop whatever, then he'll get to say, "We have to, because we let them in Libya, See... See? Let me be perfectly clear...".

Random Thoughts

The Cricket World Cup roster is composed entirely of countries that used to be colonies of once Great Britain. And they complain about us calling it the Baseball World Series.

All the sports in the US have "ball" in the name. Baseball, Basketball, Football... None of them do outside of the US. Rugby, Cricket, Soccer... Were they worried we wouldn't know it was a sport if they didn't specifiy the ball? (While I'm all for the name Handegg, it just doesn't have the recognition that Football does, no matter how much more accurate and appropriate it is.)

Rugby RAWKS over Handegg, that is all.

A few days rest.

I've got a few days on my hands now. The airplane is down for inspections. It should be back up sometime next week and we have to go pick it up then. But until then, I've got a time on my hands again.

As for all the upheaval that's rolling across the continent... Well, it ain't here so much. You'll notice that it's mostly centered on countries that are predominently muslim. Angola is outside of that belt. That isn't to say it can't happen here, just that it hasn't. Yet.

Right now, northern Africa is a lot like central Africa a decade or two ago. Enter at your own risk.

It's beef for chriminey...

I've come to believe that South Africa, as a general rule*, can take a piece of beef, no matter how bad and truly make it terrible.

*There may be individuals who are the exception. But if there are, they don't live in South Africa.

Just some thoughts from a long drive.

The outgoing speaker of the house, based on her tactics and shenanigans, would have been one the the greatest Soviet Premiers of all time. All the dirty tricks and underhanded dealings and outright threats and corruption would have made Stalin proud. All she needs is a national gulag system to make her complete.... oh wait....

The tax compromise that was maybe almost reached this week. IT'S NOT A TAX CUT! In fact, it's worse than that, it's a 2 year temporary reprieve. Taxes are not going down, they're staying the same, so the situation that's existed for the last two years that's made this mess we're in, IT'S STILL HERE! On top of that we can't run on a temporary economy, that's what this "compromise" has created. Businesses are not going to expand or spend or whatever if they're staring at being in the pickle barrel in two years. And on top of that, 2 years is nothing in terms of business plans. They look at 5 and 10 year business models. I seriously doubt that any smart business will do anything if they know that just as they're getting started, they'll get slapped down with extortionate tax burdens. Looking at individuals, this equates to less than what most of us spend on car insurance per year. You think people are going to look at that 500 dollars and go all spendy crazy? Hell, no. Especially with the government printing money like it's going out of style and devaluing it in job lots. So, all that will happen is in 2 years when the next election cycle rolls around, is the dems will get to shout "SEE, LOWERING TAXES DIDN'T WORK!" Which is complete and utter bull shit. But if you say the lie often enough and loud enough it becomes the truth. The dems have proved that over and over the last few years.

The liberal mindset that will insist on demonizing the item and ignore the fact that it took a person to put that item to an evil purpose, is the same liberal mindset that's running DHS and TSA. They have time and time again refused to look at the people, under the guise of "Oh we can't profile, that's evil.", and demonized the fingernail clippers and bottle of shampoo that you have. We will not be be safe, we will not be anything other than a joke, till we change the mindset that runs these agencies. Listen, some people are bad. That's just the shit of life. And what's even shittier is some people do evil things for what they believe are good reasons. That's just the way it is. The sooner we get over this stupid notion that somehow box cutters are intrinsically evil and realize that it was the fucking nutjob jihadist wielding it that was evil, the sooner we'll actually start making things safer.

And don't get me started on the porno-scanners.

STOP THE PRESSES! We have definitively located the epi-center of fug bucking nuts crazy: http://www.my9tv.com/dpp/my9_news/Berkeley-Mulls-Resolution-to-Honor-Army-Private-Accused-of-Passing-Secret-Info-to-WikiLeaks_49833953 Yes, that's right. These moonbats sitting on the door step to our outgoing speaker of the house's home district have that warped a view of the world. It does go a long way to explaining why Pelosi is the way she is. No?