IZH 46M....This'un aint no toy!

When I bought a Winchester 1000XS, I knew it was likely to happen. Being able to walk out your back door and shoot targets with an accurate gun at any time you like has amazing appeal. The Winchester air rifle is nice. It is accurate. But I'm much more a pistol shooter than a rifle shooter. Thus, the search for an accurate, well made and cost efficient air pistol was under way.
Through several weeks of internet research, one pistol kept popping up. The IZH-Baikal 46M Match pistol was repeatedly heralded as one of the world's best single stroke pneumatic pistols made. The 46M has won many international competitions competing against some of the best German made air pistols, and it's available at less than half the cost! That sounded like the pistol for me. I placed an order to Pyramyd Air.

Today, I recieved a world class target pistol in the mail for a paltry sum of $269. The 0.177 caliber instrument (I hesitate to even call it a pistol) has a micrometer adjustable rear sight with replaceable steel blades. The front sight blade is also easily swapped out. It has a fully adjustable two-stage trigger that can be adjusted down to telepathy release. The IZH 46M will propel a pellet at 500 ft/sec.

As I stated, this precision instrument is no toy. There is not a shred of plastic on it. Even the knobs on the rear sight are aluminum instead of polymer. I wanted to monkey with the trigger, but I held off and read the manual first. That did not help much. The adjustment instructions presumed knowledge I do not yet possess. I decided to shoot the gun first.

I immediately noticed the Ruskies must have terribly small hands compared to us Americans. I had to sand the grip, especially the bottom piece to accomodate my ham fisted mitts. A little Dremel work, a little 320 grit, and some tung oil, and they were made just for me. Custom grips are available.

The real question though, is how does it shoot? I went out in the back yard and set up some informal targets about 20 feet out. I loaded up the pistol with Daisy flat nosed ammo and nailed every McDonald's toy I shot at. I hung up a few dot targets, and the IZH 46M showed every inadequacy I had shooting off hand. My groups were good, but I knew the gun could do better. So, I benched the pistol and rested it's cylinder on a couple of sandbags. With my inadequacies out of the equation, the gun was a consistent one hole shooter at 30 feet.
The under barrel cocking lever charges the pneumatic cylinder with almost no effort. There is no discernable recoil when firing. The sound it makes is an audible pffffffft. The sound of the pellet hitting the target is potentially more audible. If a shooter uses a padded backstop, a neighbor will never know marksmanship training is occuring next door. The IZH 46M is, of course, a single shot pistol.

Red dot scopes and Weaver scope mounts are available for this pistol. Baikal has a winner here. For under $300 you will likely not find a better made, more accurate true target gun anywhere.

Pyramyd Air Report on the IZH-46M

Say Uncle!

Having served and carried a military issue weapon, I cannot help but sneer when I see some of the latest pristine tactical offerings for armchair combat and fondling.

Here is the real deal. A MEUSOC 1911 and a High Standard hushpuppy. Now that's hard core kick ass beat the hell out of prissy safe queen gun p0rn! Just for you Uncle. FWIW, Uncle has been running an AK series that rocks! Check it out!

THE Gun Story of 2005

Apparently overshadowed by a parade of Creole loonies gnashing teeth and pointing fingers before Congress and fears of FEMA trailers harboring wanton sex offenders, lies the story of hurricaine Katrina, the gun story of 2005, and quite possibly the greatest oversight of constitional rape our country has ever witnessed. I am writing, of course, about the New Orleans Gun Grab Saga.

In September, 2005, somebody gave law enforcement officers orders to confiscate legally owned firearms from New Orleans homeowners. Homeowners who had broken no laws, threatened no person, and who desperately needed those guns for self defense were the target of this confiscation edict. The big question that gun owners had pondered for years was finally answered. When given the order to seize weapons and trample on the US Constitution, many officers did not question the legality of the order. Instead, they willingly carried it out. Armed peace officers entered private homes like storm troopers, forced citizens to the floor, seized their only means of protection, and then loaded those defenseless citizens in military trucks for processing and shipment elsewhere. The unknown answer to the most fearful question was supplied to gun owners by the very actions of the officials involved. Undeniable actions yielded an undeniable answer. Yes, armed law enforcement officials will act on illegal orders from God knows where if the order is given a cloak of authority. Gun owners can no longer trust law enforcement to abide by the US Constitution over an illegal edict declared by rats who will later run and hide any trace of having given the order. Innocence was lost in New Orleans. Reality was seen.

Edwin Compass, disgraced NOLA police chief, has resigned. Compass was quoted as stating, "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons." The rumors surrounding Compass' strange resignation were exposed graft, phantom officers, and a host of other shenanigans, but not a damned thing was said about crapping on the US Constitution.

Compass' second in command, Warren Riley, who now commands the NOLA police force as an interim commissioner, was quoted as saying "No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons." Riley is still running the NOLA department. His stand against the US Constitution has not been questioned. His reward was promotion.

The source of the illegal gun confiscation order has been obscured. Not surprisingly, in documents filed in federal court in Baton Rouge, La., New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, Police Chief Edwin Compass and St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain denied ordering the confiscation of firearms. Governor Kat Blanco is not widely suspected of giving the illegal order. The possibility of Blanco's involvement is covered up by a huge blanket of incompetence thoughout the entire disaster, and beyond.

The illegal confiscations of legally owned firearms, in the wake of the greatest natural disaster we have faced as a nation, have been ignored by the mainstream media. It has fallen off the radar on gun forums. Bloggers have let it be swept under the rug. Gun magazines write glowing reviews about the latest advertised firearm. Yesterday, at a gun counter in Louisiana, I heard doubts that these confiscations ever occured. When Bubba doesn't believe, we are all in trouble! The fact is, these acts DID happen, they were not isolated incidents, and when ordered to seize weapons from disaster victims, many police officers donned their body armor, fired up their tactical vehicles, and willingly obliged.

The United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana agreed with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and issued a restraining order to bar further gun confiscations from peaceable and law-abiding citizens in New Orleans.

Attorneys have been hired to prosecute those involved.

Wayne LaPierre has vowed to make this issue the flagship issue in getting legislation passed to prevent this kind of constitutional desecration from occuring at any other time in the future.

Wayne LaPierre even gave gun owners a rallying cry....Remember New Orleans. He said, "With your help, the National Rifle Association is going to make sure it never happens again. We're going to go state-by-state and change every state law that has some type of emergency powers statute that allows authorities to regulate or confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens when an emergency is declared ...

The example of New Orleans is going to become the worst fear of those who want to ban guns in the good old U.S.A. Never again can the anti-gunners claim that honest citizens don't need firearms because the police and the government are going to be there to protect you ...

And we've got a good slogan that you're going to hear from one end of the country to the other. And that slogan is: Remember New Orleans ...

The next time anyone says to you: 'Are you just afraid or paranoid?' Look them straight in the eye and say: Remember New Orleans.

If they ask you, 'Why does anyone need to own a gun?' Remember New Orleans.

If they say to you, "Why does anyone need a high-capacity magazine?" Look them straight in the eye and say: Remember New Orleans.

What's wrong with a 15-day waiting period? Remember New Orleans.

What makes you think the government would ever confiscate your gun? Remember New Orleans.

Is the second amendment relevant in the 21st Century? Remember New Orleans.

That's our battle cry and let's never, ever let them forget it.”


It's shameful that many gun owners themselves, in four short months, have forgotten. It's disgraceful that some gun owners are actually in denial. It's time to kick your gun owning friends in the ass and get this damned mule train rolling again! The NRA cannot get legislation passed without our support. If we forget, our cause is lost.

These events could be the seminal force for greatest strides in gun owner rights in US history. Do not let the bastards take that possibility away from us! Do NOT forget New Orleans!

LaPierre's complete speech

Reasons I Like a 1911 on my Hip

1. The 1911 gets hits on target faster than any other gun I've shot.
2. The trigger is the best of any gun I've shot.
3. It carries on my hip better than any other gun.
4. The 1911 has three safeties.
5. The caliber is .45ACP
6. I understand every part of it.
7. It's durable.
8. It's old school

Diligentia - Vis - Celeritas; Accuracy - Power - Speed
It’s the gun I shoot the best.

Pictured: Colt NRM Commander

Idiots with Guns #12 New Year's Edition

Here is Buster arriving at a New Year's party snockered on malt liquor and packing his pistol. Alcohol and firearms don't mix folks. Keep them separate and follow the rules. Hopefully Buster did not wake up a eunuch the next morning.

The purpose of Idiots with Guns is not to humiliate, but to educate. Over the years we have seen photos of people who, upon picking up a gun, just cannot resist pointing it at something they should not, with their finger on the trigger. This is usually the camera, another person, or themselves. These photos are often difficult to google up, because of the pages they are shown on. If you have archived any of these photos, feel free to send them in to bayouroversATjamDOTrrDOTcom

The Four Rules
1. All firearms are loaded
2. Never let the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you are not willing to destroy
3. Keep your finger off the trigger unless your sights are on the target
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it

Seven by Seven

I see I got tagged by a Pistol Packing Mama a while back to do the Seven thing.....The old man might be slow, but he's willing.

7 Things to do before I die:
* Visit my old ship, the USS Midway in San Diego.
* Walk my daughter down the aisle.
* Own a Yost~Bonitz 1911
* Dive the Great Barrier Reef again, this time with my daughter.
* Eat lizard with aborigones in the Northern Territory under a sky full of stars, again.
* Drink a beer in Barrio Baretto, again.
* Tell my wife I love her, again, always.

7 Things I cannot do:
* Cross a suspension bridge in an enclosed vehicle.
* Carry a tune without a wheelbarrow.
* Tolerate a phone call at supper time.
* Eat balut or kimchee.
* Genuflect.
* Be late.
* Touch my toes without bending my knees.

7 Things I wish I had done:
* Made a pass a Princess Diana when I met her.
* Bought gemstones instead of massages and beer in Thailand.
* Had a gun engraved in the Philipines
* Kept my father's pre-64 Model 70 Winchester with a Leupold scope and the stock he finished himself. I kept our home instead. Bad choice.
* Kept my mother's Smith & Wesson K22 Outdoorsman.
* Saved more silver dollars.
* Put a flaming sack of crap on Michael Moore's porch and ring his doorbell.

7 Things that attract me to the outdoors
* Pine trees.
* Fresh breezes.
* Morning dew.
* Stars.
* Birds singing.
* Leaves rustling.
* Blasting the hell out of targets with a 12 gauge shotgun while running through a course of fire.

7 Things I say most often:
* Damn.
* Shit hot!
* Make it happen.
* Gotcha corn!
* Check this out!
* Tell 'em I'm not here.
* Where's my remote?

7 Movies I could watch over and over again:
* Band of Brothers
* The Right Stuff
* Reservoir Dogs
* Gettysburg
* The Ghost & The Darkness
* Kill Bill
* Homeward Bound

7 People I want to join in, too
* Zippianna
* Stefani
* Real E
* Nguyen Huu Huy
* Bingyang Hou
* Tammy

There. In case you wondered, I went random on that..........

Pawn Shop Circuit: Needing Nothing

Damn! Sometimes you just can't stop. I swung into Neil's pawn shop today and spied a long magazined corncobbed Winchester on the rack. Neil had just taken a Winnie 1300 Defender out of hock and placed it up for sale. I checked it over, and it looked like it had hardly been shot. Someone had added a TacStar sidesaddle, and a heatshield to it. Neil was wanting $160 for the gun. I figured $30 for the sidesaddle, $25 for the heatshield, and I would be getting an almost unused Winchester 1300 with an eight shot magazine for $105. Hell, who's going to pass that up? It's a rare day indeed when I can just buy a used gun set up the way I want it to be. The only detraction to this shotgun was a missing allen screw in the sidesaddle. When I got home, I gave the good folks at Lyman a call, spoke to an enchanting lady for a couple of minutes and she agreed to send me a handful of those oddball countersunk allen screws. I shall never want again!

I also stopped by Dave's place. He still had the Ruger Security Six. Dave also had a cherry S&W 686-6 in the case today. He is wanting $399 for it. That's to rich for me, and the gun has the worm hole lock anyway.

Amber's financial institution was also lacking in a change of firearms. The Glock 26, surprisingly, was still there.

Vintage Leather and Steel

Victory M&P in a floral carved Brauer Bros holster

Bonnie & Clyde Autographs on ebay!

A Bonnie and Clyde autograph is up for bids on ebay. This piece of paper comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from SandCenterprises. Starting bid: US $1,175.00.

Somehow, I just cannot see the most infamous desperados of the Great Depression handing out autographs as they filled their V8 Ford's gas tank to run from the law. Is anyone else skeptical?

Authenticated samples of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker's handwriting, from letters to their families, can be found here.

Not in my Neighborhood

FEMA is now squawking because they are unable to find suitable places to set up their trailer parks in Louisiana. Why is this, one might ask? Perhaps it is because people in Louisiana remember the Red Cross' refusal to provide law enforcement with a list of names of those residing in shelters. Perhaps it is because FEMA is citing the same confidentiality issue. Perhaps it is because people living near emergency shelters saw spikes in crime rates, had drunks in their front yards wanting to rake leaves, and maybe, just maybe having registered sex offenders still unaccounted for has a lot to do with it.

Sorry FEMA, until you are willing to play ball with my chief law enforcement officer, you can stay the hell out of my backyard with your trailers as well.

Something Every American Should See

This statue currently stands outside the Iraqi palace, now home to the 4th Infantry division. It will eventually be shipped home and put in the memorial museum in Fort Hood, Texas. The statue was created by an Iraqi artist named Kalat, who for years was forced by Saddam Hussein to make the many hundreds of bronze busts of Saddam that dotted Baghdad.

Kalat was so grateful for the Americans liberation of his country; he melted 3 of the heads of the fallen Saddam and made the statue as a memorial to the American soldiers and their fallen warriors. Kalat worked on this memorial night and day for several months.

To the left of the kneeling soldier is a small Iraqi girl giving the soldier comfort as he mourns the loss of his comrade in arms.

This story is disputed by Snopes.

Version 2

This statue currently stands outside the Iraqi palace, now home to the 4th Infantry division in Fort Hood Texas. It will eventually be already was shipped home and put in the memorial museum in Fort Hood, Texas. The statue was created by an Iraqi artist named Kalat Khalid Alussy (whose first name is also rendered in English as 'Kalat'), who for years was forced by Saddam Hussein to make the many hundreds of bronze busts of Saddam that dotted Baghdad was given commissions he could not refuse by Saddam Hussien. "I made the statues of Saddam — even though I didn't want to — because I needed money for my family and to finish my education," he says, reclining in a room decorated with several of his paintings. "And I decided to make statues for the Americans for the exact same reasons."

Kalat, a starving artist with his only patron hiding in a spiderhole, was so grateful for the Americans liberation of his country needing money so badly; he melted 3 of the heads of the fallen Saddam and made the statue as a memorial to the American soldiers and their fallen warriors for $18,000. Kalat worked on this memorial night and day for several months.

To the left of the kneeling soldier is a small Iraqi girl giving the soldier comfort as he mourns the loss of his comrade in arms. As the work neared completion, Sgt. Fuss and the division's commander, Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, decided it needed a clearer connection to Iraq. The general suggested adding a small child to symbolize Iraq's new future, Sgt. Fuss says. When they told the artist they wanted another statue, Mr. Alussy demanded $10,000 more. "He learned capitalism real fast," Sgt. Fuss says.

In February 2004 the work was flown to the 4th Infantry Division Museum at Fort Hood, Texas.

So where does this leave us? As long as we do not see statues of George Bush on horseback in Tikrit, I think we are still ahead of the game.

Hat tip to Gray Eagle
Hat tip to Standard Mischief
More

Victory Model Tops $1000

A US Navy marked Victory Model M&P has topped $1000 on Auction Arms. The revolver is all matching, in near perfect condition with a very nice, correct Boyt USN holster. True, a darned nice package is up for bids. Supica lists the Victory M&P at $400 in As New condition, assigning a 10-25% premium to a Navy inscribed example. That makes $500 for the revolver itself. Of course those prices are now about five years old. Still, this is about the most expensive holster I've seen in a while!

Final price: $1,310.00

Pawn Shop Circuit: Security Six

Dave had brought out a Ruger Security Six in decent condition to add to a selection of rotisserie guns on his shelf. I looked it over a bit, it was in fair shooter shape, but for me, a bit overpriced at $189. I'm a Smith & Wesson type guy, and all I could think of was $189 would buy a decent M&P at Dave's counter. So, I let the Security Six go back under the glass. It will afford someone else .357 magnum protection, and at a good price too!

Neil still had the same selection, along with the jazz guitars from 'Nawlins.

Amber still had her Glock 26 in the case, as well as the Taurus .38 special. Nothing new.

I drove past a couple of other pawnshops, and I thought about stopping, but I did not. I do that fairly frequently. There are over 20 pawn shops in my town. I suppose it's a sign of the times. I only frequent three. Whether it's the overpriced stock, the surly attitudes behind the counter, or the simple prolonged lack of worthwhile guns, I have pretty much stopped looking elsewhere.

Vintage Smith & Wesson K 22 Box Auction

A K 22 box in above average condition is up for grabs on ebay. The price is US $301.01 at present, with 5 days 22 hours of bidding left to go. Yep, that's right. A box. No gun. Expect a lot more bids on this chunk of paste board. I understand there are people out there willing to give more for a K 22 box than many would give for a K 22!
A perfect companion would be this screwdriver.

Final price for the K22 box: US $325.00
The screwdriver: US $86.00

Best Of...: Handgun Scores.

Tam has offered up her best handgun scores of 2005, and I thought I might follow suit. I'll offer two.
The first was a no brainer. I found this five inch Smith & Wesson pre-Model 10 on a pawn shop shelf for $89.
I bought it, polished it up a bit, and have been shooting the hell out of it. This revolver required nothing to be a great shooter. It was all original, all matching, and just in need of some tender loving scrubbing. This wheelgun slides into best buy status not only because of the low price, but because of the fantastic workmanship and value.

Next........a 9mm Colt Commander. I picked up this pistol at a gun show for $650. At the time, I kind of croaked, because I felt I was paying top dollar for this Series 70 pistol. I figured the money I saved on ammo would help pay for the gun, and you know....I've been shooting the snot out of this pistol so I can justify it's cost! I installed a Brown thumb safety, and stag grips, and nothing else.

I had a few failures to extract. I suspect the previous owner was dropping rounds directly into the chamber and slamming the slide on them. I installed a Brown hard core extractor, and had no further problems. I was able to get two extra 9mm magazines from CDNN. This pistol is easily my best buy of 2005.

Getting It Right

If you are a young man spending Christmas with your girlfriend's family for the first time, how do you make the right impression? Do you bring a bottle of wine? How about a ham? Do you give her old man a new tie? Or do you find out what he shoots and buy him a small supply of his favorite ammo?
I was quite surprised and pleased to receive a 100 count box of 45ACP from my oldest daughter's boyfriend. This is the same gift I gave Cussin' Bob of the Flatland Debate Society earlier this week. Being able to converse intelligently about the 2nd amendment and the recent events of constitutional importance in Louisiana is a major plus as well.
This suitor just might not get the porch light turned on.

Merry Christmas

For my readers........on my blog roll you will find a smorgasborg of pre-selected, screened, washed and dried new blogs. No assembly required. Enjoy!

A Wonderful Life

No man is a failure who has friends.

Merry Christmas to all.

Pachelbel's Canon in D

Getting 18.5 Inches

First.......18 inches. That is the number. 18.5 inches is fine & dandy. 17.98 inches is bad legal juju. Cement that in your head.

Next, you need to know how the boys in blue measure barrels so you can be compliant. They close the bolt. Then they drop a dowel marked at 18 inches into the muzzle. If their 18 inch mark ends up outside the muzzle, a trip to the pokey is in order. So.....how do you achieve this nirvana, the shortest legal length without going under?

First, settle on 18.5 inches to give you a little room for error. Get a dowel that will drop into a shotgun barrel. I use a 3/8 inch dowel. Next, mark 18.5 inches on your dowel. Close the bolt of your gun. Drop in the dowel, 18.5 inch measurement first. Now, mark the dowel again at the end of the muzzle. This is your present barrel length. Let's suppose for the moment that is 28 inches.

Now remove the dowel, and subtract the 18.5 from 28, ie the least legal length from the present length. Our result is 9.5 inches. Now, measure back from the muzzle 9.5 inches and mark the measurement on the barrel. Check it again. Put everything down, go have a cup of coffee and check it a third time. When you are totally satisfied that you are of legal length, make your cut.

I like to use a pipe cutter, but a chop saw could also be used. The key is to get a 90 degree cut. Many barrels have a taper, and that can throw you off on a chop saw table unless you compensate for it. Once your cut is made, remove the burred metal, burnish the area of the muzzle, and cold blue it. Finally, drill and tap a hole for a bead. I prefer a big brass bead.

Congratulations! You have now lowered the monetary value of your shotgun, but increased it's versatility markedly as a defensive weapon.

A couple of considerations:
1. The overall length of the shotgun must remain over 26 inches. If not, bad legal juju. As long as you have a full stock, no worries here. Be careful if you decide to make your own pistol grip.
2. Many magazine extensions need more than 18.5 inches of barrel for support. If you are going to use a magazine extension, install it first!

Cool Toy from Christmas Past

Mini Combat Shotgun Part 1

After a dissassembly, lube job, and function test of my daughter's 20 gauge, I went about shortening it tonight. I trimmed the barrel to 18.5 inches with a pipe cutter, radiused and burnished the edge, and then cold blued it.
Next, I took two and 3/4 inches off the stock, resulting in nine and a half inches of shoulder wood. I drilled and tapped the barrel for a brass bead. I will fit a recoil pad in the morning.

Hitler's Gun to be Auctioned

A Krieghoff Drilling combination shotgun and rifle engraved with the initials "A.H." will be going up for bids on Gunbroker next month. The gun is believed to have belonged to Adolph Hitler.

According to the gun's owners, the weapon was seized as a war trophy, by a U.S. paratrooper, from Hitler's mountain hideaway in the Bavarian Mountains. This hideaway, known as the Eagle's Nest was captured in May 1945 by the U.S. Army's 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, made famous in the HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers". The paratrooper later sold the gun to an Army lieutenant who was unaware of the connection to Hitler. The lieutenant settled in Illinois and kept the gun under his bed for years, taking it out only occasionally to hunt. He died more than a decade ago, and his family no longer wants the gun.

The sellers will donate the net proceeds of the auction to the Anti-Defamation League.

See "A system for evaluating historically attributed firearms", by Jim Supica for information regarding firearms attributions. Buy the gun, not the story.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Youth Shotgunning

Yesterday my daughter saw her Daddy and a young friend go to work with combat shotguns. She was impressed by the big holes they made, and how they could wipe out rampaging tin cans with a single pull of the trigger. She confessed she liked the big boomsticks, and wanted one of her own. A purple and pink one, of course.......

Thus, I went pawn shopping on a mission today. I usually go not looking for any gun in particular, letting the serendipity of a new find happen. Today, I wanted a 410 or 20 gauge Mossberg shotgun. I had priced a Mossy 550 410 at $250, and a Mossy 500C in 20 gauge at $200, both new. I'm loathe to buy a new gun and paint it purple and pink though. So, we went pawn shopping.

Neil had a selection of 12 gauges, pumps, autos, and single shots, but no other gauge. He had added a Rossi .357 magnum to his handgun case.

Amber, likewise, had only 12 gauge shotguns. She had a Glock 26 for sale at $359, along with another Taurus .38 special, priced at $120.

Dave had a bunch of 12 gauges, but hidden among them was one skinny magazine. I had him pull out a Western Field 550CD, basically a Montgomery Ward branded Mossberg 500 in 20 gauge. Of course the stock had a standard length of pull, and I needed a youth model. Not to worry, a Mossberg youth stock will bolt right up. Dave had a $119 price tag on the shotgun. He knew he had me, two days before Christmas, with my little girl along for the ride. I asked him for his best price, and he was willing to go an even $100. So was I.


Thankfully, this shotgun already had a metal safety button, a weakness on the Mossberg 500. The forend overlaps the receiver a bit, but not badly. The barrel is a bit long at 28 inches. That will have to be shortened. Then........a purple 12 inch LOP stock. A purple forend. Should I get synthetic? A stock with a pistol grip? This could be fun!

Idiots with Guns #11 Christmas Edition

I couldn't resist! Have a merry, and safe Christmas.

The purpose of Idiots with Guns is not to humiliate, but to educate. Over the years we have seen photos of people who, upon picking up a gun, just cannot resist pointing it at something they should not, with their finger on the trigger. This is usually the camera, another person, or themselves. These photos are often difficult to google up, because of the pages they are shown on. If you have archived any of these photos, feel free to send them in to bayouroversATjamDOTrrDOTcom

The Four Rules
1. All firearms are loaded
2. Never let the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you are not willing to destroy
3. Keep your finger off the trigger unless your sights are on the target
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it

Pre-Christmas Youth Shoot

Today I took Lee back out to shoot. He had remembered his four rules and had been dry firing like crazy since the last time we went shooting. The results showed up immediately. Lee never wavered from the paper plates with his dad's Ruger MKII. I also brought my daughter along to shoot her Ruger 10/22. For these excursions we run a tape for a firing line, and call hot and cold ranges. We always have the actions open and viewable during a cold range, with all hands off ammo and guns until the range is hot again. Standard range procedure.

This time around, I told Lee I was going to introduce him to the finer things of shooting. I brought along a selection of DA and SA revolvers. Lee got to shoot Single Action Army revolvers, my Python, M&Ps and a few other K and N frame Smith & Wessons. Lee developed a fast appreciation for the old wheelguns. As usual, Lee's safety consciousness was exemplary.


For my daughter we set up cans and shotgun shells on an old computer. It's best to have reactionary targets such as this for kids. It keeps them interested, plus they get to see how far the slugs will penetrate things. Before long, Lee was wanting to shoot the computer as well.

Soon, both shooters were on the .22 rifles shooting at reactionary targets 25-50 yards away. After a while, Lee was wanting a louder boomstick, so he moved up to my SMLE.
The kids had a blast. We spent close to seven hours on the range, shooting all kinds of firearms. When we finished we policed our area, and hauled off our trash. My daughter received a trophy for fantastic marksmanship, and outstanding safety consciousness and range etiquette.

Cool Toy from Christmas Past

Update on the Robert Davis Beating

On October 8, 2005, a man was beaten until he was laying on the ground, his blood running into the gutter at the intersection of Bourbon and Conti Streets in New Orleans, Louisiana. Law enforcement, although present, did not intervene to prevent this from occuring. Law enforcement provided the beating. On film.
Shortly after the incident, the three officers involved were arrested and suspended. Their lawyer, Frank DeSalvo claims the officers used reasonable force.

Today, Interim Police Superintendent Warren Riley announced the firing of officers Robert Evangelist and Lance Schilling in connection with the beating. Officer Stuart Smith was suspended for 120 days for roughing up an Associated Press producer who filmed the brutality.
The New Orleans police union disagreed with the decision and plans to appeal it to the Civil Service Commission, said Police Association of New Orleans president Lt. David Benelli. "This case became highly publicized through the media," Benelli said. "In light of the worldwide media frenzy these officers were placed under, it was impossible for them to receive a fair investigation."

So, let me get this straight. These thugs beat a man until he is unconscious and bleeding into the gutter, assault a member of the press who is filming their activity, and then want to blame their misfortune on the tape? Yeah right.

Evangelist and Schilling now face assault and battery charges. No word is available on the federal agents who assisted the NOPD in the beating.

Am I Alone?

Does any one else's gun table look like this?

Why I Love the Old M&P

I love the old Smith & Wesson Military & Police, also known as the Model of 1905, 4th Change. If I see one for sale, chances are, it will follow me home. Call me an addict. Reasons I love the old M&P:

1. This gun has been in production for 100 years. During this time it has received a few upgrades, mainly a short throw trigger, a hammer block safety, and a different front sight, but it has remained essentially the same. It is still in production today as the Model 10, and remains one of the best choices for a defensive handgun.

2. Nothing looks better in stag than an old M&P. This gun can wear blue, nickel, walnut, stag or ivory with equal aplomb. Heck, you can even get it in stainless as the Model 64.

3. There is nothing more satisfying than to step up to the firing line among tactical ninjas spraying lead with plastic fantastics, pull out a 75 year old revolver that looks like a 75 year old revolver, and start drilling bullseyes.

4. The price is usually right. In my area, it is not uncommon to find old M&Ps below $150. They may need a bit of cleaning, they might not be pretty, but they will be reliable, accurate shooters.

5. History. Whether it is a sock drawer special, a deputy sheriff's sidearm, or a revolver that sailed around the world, served in war and as a shore patrol sidearm, these guns have history. When you hold one, if you don't feel a twinge of wonder at what that piece of steel has done, you should just buy combat tupperware and be done with it.

Yep, I own other guns. I love the old 1911, I own some HK tacticalware, some Italian black steel, and quite a few more "modern" guns. When it comes down to a gun I cannot pass up though, a M&P will stop me to look every time.

1 More High Dollar Grip Auction

These antique single action Army grips in hand checkered ivory have an opening bid of US $769.99 and a buy It now price of US $999.99. The seller's description:

Original Turn-of-the-Century Hand-Checkered Ivory 2 pc Grips with Screw and Escutcheon's for Antique First-Generation Colt Single-Action-Army "Peacemaker" Revolvers in Excellent Condition. These Grips came off a early 1905 Colt S/A Pictured, They are Original and Old Guaranteed, There are No Chips, Cracks, Repairs or Damage, Only there is the Normal Checking, Crazing and a flea-bite on the left grip front lower corner, also there is some slight shrinkage that is to be expected on Genuine Ivories that are 100 Years Old. This Pair fit My 1905 S/A perfect along with several other 1st Gen's in My Collection but no guarantee as to how they will fit your Colt 1st Gen. I am starting these hard to find Ivory's out at a reasonable opening price along with a Attractive "Buy-it-Now" for Buyers that don't have the patience to wait......

No bids yet, three days to go.

A Bit Rich for Me!

Here it is, the perfect gift for your favorite Smith & Wesson collector on ebay. Current bid: US $511.00 That's right, five hundred eleven dollars and rising! From the seller's description:

This is an Original Smith & Wesson Registered Pre War 357 Magnum pair of grips. I would still rate these grips in Excellent condition. They are factory take off grips made of wood. The checkering is very clean and sharp. Emblems are large S&W, with the large back-up insert on the inside of the grip. it reads (SMITH & WESSON U.S.PAT. 2081438).

I know I'm not supposed to speak such heresy, but Damn! I could buy two or three Model 28s for what these puppies are going to sell for! This, folks, is the difference between the collector and the accumulator!

Update: The final price........US $592.00

Cool Toy from Christmas Past

Truth

Morgan Freeman may soon be ostracised from the Hollywood elite, having uttered truth in a 60 minutes interview with Mike Wallace.

He says he finds Black History Month “ridiculous.”
“You're going to relegate my history to a month?” asks Freeman. “I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American history,” he says, noting that there are no white or Jewish history months.

How can we get rid of racism?
“Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man,” Freeman says to Wallace. “And I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman. You wouldn't say, ‘Well, I know this white guy named Mike Wallace.’ You know what I'm sayin’?”

Read the interview

Is the 1911 an Outdated Design?

"Of course the 1911 is an outdated design. It came from an era when weapons were designed to win fights, not to avoid product liability lawsuits. It came from an era where it was the norm to learn how your weapon operated and to practice that operation until it became second nature, not to design the piece to the lowest common denominator. It came from an era in which our country tried to supply its fighting men with the best tools possible, unlike today, when our fighting men and women are issued hardware that was adopted because of international deal-making or the fact that the factory is in some well-connected congressman's district. Yes, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the 1911 IS an outdated design....and that's exactly what I love about it."
Rosco S. Benson

Pictured: Springfield GI45