Pawn Shop Circuit: A Forgotten Rifle

Back in April I placed a rifle on lay away at Neil's shop. Today, as I wandered inside, he pulled the rifle from a corner for me. "Uhoh" I said.......I had forgotten about that one. I immediately paid Neil the $100 still owed on the rifle, and thanked him for his kindness in not placing it back into stock. Neil said that was OK, he had forgotten about it too.

The rifle in question is a Winchester 1894 produced in 1964. This particular rifle has features of the pre-64 guns, in that it has a forged receiver, solid pins, machined shell lifter and metal buttplate. The wood is also good on this rifle, although somebody at sometime took a liking to polyurethane. The old Winchester also comes with a micrometer rear sight and a hooded front sight. Total price was $152 after taxes.

I haven't seen any Winchester leverguns for sale since I placed this one on lay away. Perhaps hoarding is beginning to take place after the closing of Winchester. Time will tell. I owe Neil a six pack it seems.

Nawlin's Bound

The Chief Warren Riley Kiss My Ass Shotgun was presented free of charge to a law abiding citizen returning to New Orleans today. This project gun began as a tent sale Remington 870 I bought for $69. The oil soaked wood furniture was replaced with waterproof synthetic graciously donated by a reader. I kept my eyes open for a slick barrel to cut down to 18.5 inches to go with the gun. I found a recipient before I found the barrel though, so the ribbed barrel went on a chop saw. Eighteen and a half inches later, a brass bead went on the end. The Chief Warren Riley Kiss My Ass Shotgun was then ready for the trip to the Big Easy to begin protecting law abiding citizens during the next hurricane season. Laissez les diablerie rouler!

Writer's Block

Tam posted a bunny with a pancake on it's head. That's taken now. I couldn't think of a thing to write either. Here's an Imperial Luger.

Cleaning Guns

Tonight I'm cleaning guns from today's range trip. Pistols, wheelies, and a shotgun.

It's looking like I need to clean my gun cleaning box too......

Pawn Shop Circuit: M1911A1 Follies

I went to Dave's shop first today, and I caught a glimpse of the pistol case as I was walking through the television sets that lined the entrance. My pace quickened and my heart began to race. In the case between the tactical plastic was a familiar outline. As I came to a stop, Dave had intercepted me to pull out the pistol. It was a Essex framed 1911 with an unknown, probably Brazilian slide. Everything looked fine on the pistol, it had very little use. I thought to myself that might not be such a good thing. Dave had a $425 price hanging from the trigger guard. That was to high for me, at least for this pistol.

Essex was a maker of 1911 frames that were sold independently and used by people wanting to roll their own 1911 on a budget. Some of the frames are fine. Others are less than adequate, with misaligned holes and out of spec proportions. Such a pistol at the price of a Springfield GI45 is overpriced in my book. I handed the pistol back to Dave telling him it was nice, but not what I was looking for. We talked a bit about the robbery of a pawn shop in town this week. Some Darwin award candidate had driven a stolen Chevy Tahoe through the front of the store. He became trapped in the vehicle, with the vehicle's axle hung up on a steel parking lot pylon. As he smoked the rubber off the tires trying to get away, his two cohorts looted the store. He finally broke the glass out of the Tahoe and ran. All three suspects are still at large.

I drove on over to Neil's place. He was engaged in some heavy haggling with a dreadlocked customer over a bass guitar. Neil had sold the heritage Rough Rider, and still had the Glock and Sig. Neil had his storage room door ajar again, and I cast a long glance down the counter and through the storage room to catch the handguns on pegboard inside. Immediately recognizable was some type of blued Smith & Wesson N frame with a Hogue grip. There was also what appeared to be a S&W 325PD on the hooks. A spanking new addition was a silvery 1911 type pistol, probably a stainless lightly modified Springfield Mil-Spec, judging across the 50-60 foot distance. Neil remained in conversation with his funky customer, so I just waved and moved on. Jammin'

Idiots With Guns #43

Arkansas wedding photo.

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 always 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 until you are ready to shoot
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it

Almost a Model 10-6

I caught wind of an old revolver to be sold at an estate sale this weekend, and I drove over tonight to view it. It was a nice Model 10-6 heavy barrel, with a D prefix on the serial number. I swung out the cylinder to verify it was unloaded. The trigger was sweet. I have had a hankering for a heavy barreled Model 10, if for no other reason than to round out my Model 10 accumulation. My wife was browsing through the vintage bric-a-brac as I asked the seller what she wanted for the Smith. She stated she was entertaining offers at this time. I removed two Franklins from my billfold and replied I would buy tonight if she was willing. She bit her lip and said she would have to wait. I placed the cash back in my wallet, handed her the revolver, and went to find my wife. She had found some Irish linen. I came home empty handed.

Cali Confiscation Update

It is beginning to appear that the confiscations in California are the work of a police informant, not the use of recorded sales of weapons to locate unregistered guns among multiple gun owners.

More information here and here.

There is still the issue of why the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force even exists.....

What The Hell?

It appears firearms confiscations and worse may be afoot in the sunny state of California. California banned the sale of AK and AR-15 rifles in the year 2000. People who owned so-called "Assault Weapons" prior to the ban were allowed to keep their firearms as ex-post facto laws prevent such things as retroactive gun banning. The State of California, however, required that anyone who had such a rifle prior to the ban undergo a special registration with the California Department of Justice. More recently, California required the registration of 50 BMG rifles by April 30, 2006, after banning their sale and importation.

Surprise! Officers from the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force have now started serving search warrants to residents who are suspected of holding unregistered "Assault Rifles" including 50 BMG target rifles. This "task force" has reportedly confiscated firearms and issued felony charges on at least one individual who was deemed to be out of compliance. If convicted on a felony, that gun owner will never be allowed to legally own any firearms for the rest of his life.

It is unclear how the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force obtained information that would constitute cause for a search warrant. If the gun owner did not register with the State, how did Los Angeles County know what firearms might be in his possession?

Keep your ear to the ground. This one is still developing.........

UZI Shoot

Pawn Shop Circuit: A Nickel Magnum

I went by Kenny's shop after work today, lo & behold, he had pulled out the nickel Smith he alluded to earlier this month. Kenny sauntered over to the gun counter as I walked in, and he pulled out the revolver. "You must think you've got something there." I said as I bellied up to the counter.

She was pretty. Kenny smiled and handed me a pinned and recessed Model 19-4 with a factory nickel finish. He had the gun tagged at $279. I removed the trigger lock and swung open the cylinder. It was unloaded. I tried the trigger. It was sweet. I began the Jim March Checkout as I did a quick calculation, and came up with $250 for this revolver. I figured the nice nickel finish was a benefit offset by the Pachmayer grips, which I dislike.

I offered Kenny two and a half. He looked dejected. I handed the revolver back to him, and then thought to myself......'You know Zave, if this was a nickel Model 10-6 you'd give $179 for it.' I looked at Kenny. I looked at the revolver. This was the Combat Magnum, designed by Bill Jordan. "Hell, here's $40," I said, "Let's put it on layaway."

Lipsey Sistemas

The advertisements began to appear in Shotgun News and Gunlist in February 2006. Sistemas. Colt 1911s produced in Argentina to GI specs by the Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles. These fine firearms were long believed to have dried up on the surplus market. At least three thousand were found by Lipsey's out of Baton Rouge Louisiana. The condition was listed as NRA Good. The price was $289.90 plus $17.50 flat rate shipping. Estimated date of arrival was June. The C&R gun forums were ablaze with updates and speculation regarding these incoming Colts. Some people placed orders for two or three. All were sold before the container reached an American pier.

I almost ordered one or two. The only thing that kept me from it was I already owned two Sistemas, one of which I modified into my carry gun.

Nevertheless, I kept an interested eye on the C&R forums. First, Lipsey's began to charge credit cards before they had the pistols. Then delivery was postponed. Finally, on July 12, 2006, a C&R forum member went to Lipsey's and picked up his pistol himself. He posted photos of what he received in a forum thread. He revealed that his three pistols had all seen heavy use. The finish was long gone, replaced by bright metal and rust. There was pitting. The grips were worn smooth. There was an ugly import stamp on the left side of the slide. These were not the same rearsenaled Sistemas that JLD Enterprises had sold several years back. These pistols were pigs, in a poke.

The angry online handwringing began and many people canceled orders before their pistols even shipped. Others adopted a wait and see approach. When they arrived, the pistols all seemed to be in similar condition. Lipsey's has adopted a money back guarantee approach on these pistols. They decided to waive their usual 10% restocking fee. Many pistols were returned.

Some of these pistols will no doubt be sold for $289. If I were in Baton Rouge, I might just buy one for that. I am certain I will see them on the gun show tables for $400 in a couple of months. They are already showing up on Gun Broker. Sooner or later somebody will ask my opinion. The JLD Sistemas were worth the $389-399 that was charged. These pistols are not. If I could buy one for $250 total though, I'd probably bite. I'd just want one with plenty of "character'.

The Bikini Pic

It was the stuff of myth. An inside wink and a nudge that would never go away. A mystery to be dreamed of and never discovered.

But now, Tam has come clean. There really was/is a bikini pic. Like LawDog, I was offered cash to just cough up a copy, but I never did. Call it respect if you want, I just always thought if the lady wanted it out there, she would post it again.

All I can say Tam is it was nice, but only a prelude to the captivating woman you are now.

Style

Style? What is style?

I used to be a young buck a few years back, and I packed the latest tactical hardware. Back then, it was called Beretta. Mel Gibson carried it in Lethal Weapon, and the military had finally wisened up and gotten rid of that obsolete WW1 pistol for a modern Beretta. I had one too. Glock and HK were the dark force in polymer avant-guard in those days.

I would see the old fogies chomping cigars and shooting their six guns at the range. I would scare my targets half to death with hails of ammo peppering the entire area of the paper. I left no 4X4 inch area unshot. Dadgum I was good! I didn't want to talk about those old men targets. Heck, all they could do was shoot one hole. They were wasting a heck of a lot of target out there. They chomped cigars. I sprayed and prayed. I was, however, in style, at least as depicted in Hollywood.

Over time, I learned to love that old WW1 pistol the military had eschewed. Then I learned to love wide, empty spaces of unshot target and single holes in the center. The next thing I knew, I was fondling a blued S&W P&R sixgun. My fate was sealed. I had grey in my beard. I haven't started to smoke cigars though. After all, I don't want to be "in style"!

Friday Cat Blogging

This is Albert the one eyed cat. When he had a white eyeball hanging ouit of his right eye socket, I never had a problem with Mormons knocking on my door. One look from Albert and they turned and left.

Then my wife took Albert to the vet to be enucleated. Now people knock on my door again. Damn.

Blogging Chair

I finally broke down and bought myself a leather desk chair to blog from. I should have done that a long time ago. It's worth it.
Coming home to shearling houseshoes, a Golden Retriever and a leather chair is luxury.

Idiots With Guns #42

Clarice and Roger were artists. Clarice bought Roger a new Glock for his birthday. Roger had always wanted a gun. They dropped the magazine to take some pictures. They thought the pistol was unloaded. They had never heard of the Four Rules. They did not think they needed to take a handgun safety course.

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 always 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 until you are ready to shoot
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it

A Sunday Go To Meetin' Commander

There are bar-b-que guns, crab boil guns, and then, there are Sunday go to meeting guns. This is a Colt that became the later. When I purchased this stainless Commander, I had little idea what was in store.

I polished the sandblasted rounds down to a more even satin finish after they started getting scuffed up. I went through several sets of grips, before I settled on the present ones, purchased off ebay. My Commander now sports a Dlask trigger, and an Ed Brown memory groove grip safety. I also installed a Wilson Combat barrel bushing, an Ed Brown 20LPI checkered mainspring housing, an 18 pound Wolff mainspring, Novak rear sights, a King's extended thumb safety, and an Ed Brown extended magazine release.

It's a pistol I'm proud to take to church on Easter Sunday. It shoots good too!

Idiots With Guns #41

I had to go ahead and break the Friday tradition and get this idiot some airtime.
Thanks to all who sent him in!
The Four Rules
1. All firearms are always 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 until you are ready to shoot
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it
Yep, he broke every one.

All Together Now!

Save the Earth! World Jump Day is speedily approaching. Do your part!


Dumbasses.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Shotguns and Scopes

I went back by Neil's place this afternoon.
Neil had sold his Helwan, but he still had his Heritage Rough Rider for $79, a Glock 26 for $339, and a Sig P220 in 45ACP for $429. Neil had a good supply of shotguns ready for duck season or hurricane season, whichever need may arise.

I went on to Kenny's shop. Kenny had not placed the nickel Smith he alluded to out yet, but he had sold the old M&P he had displayed for a while. In it's place Kenny had a Walther P99 for $499, and a Glock or two.

Dave still had the RG revolver, as well as a stainless Ruger MKII that appeared to be in next to new condition. Surprisingly he also had a couple of scopes in the case. Neither scope was worth much, they were common deer scopes. Perhaps he will sell them this fall.

Sutures

Sutures suck, especially when they are in your damned trigger finger. Typing is a bitch, I'm a hunt and pecker on a keyboard. It looks like I will be getting a lot of left hand practice at the range this weekend. Damn.

"What the hell happened Xavier?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Damn.

37 Years Ago Today

Thirty-seven years ago today, a drunk Ted Kennedy killed Mary Jo Kopechne. Since that time he has lived off the public dole. Please send your thoughts to the bastard here.

Learn more here.

Rest in peace Mary Jo.

Heavens to Betsy!

I wish I coud be as articulate as LawDog. His comments speak for me.

Like him or not, at least he's on target. This shit needs to stop.

Ghostly Car Ad

This is a car advertisement from Great Britain. When they finished filming the ad, the film editor noticed something moving along the side of the car, like a ghostly white mist. They found out that a person had been killed a year earlier in that exact same spot. The ad was never put on TV because of the unexplained ghostly phenomenon.
Watch the front end of the car closely as it clears the trees in the middle of the screen and you'll see the white mist crossing in front of the car then following it along the road....Spooky!
Is it a ghost, or is it simply mist? You decide. If you listen to the ad, you'll even hear the cameraman whispering in the background about it near the end of the commercial. A little creepy but it seems to be authentic!

Registered Magnum Brochure on Ebay

1930s Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum Catalog Brochure Springfield,Mass. This is a 8 page catalog. Fully illustrated on the 357 Magnum only price was 60.00. Front cover is loose and is torn at the seem where it was folded, Good Condition.

Current bid: US $153.05

Expect this one to escalate as the Registered Magnum collectors find it.

Why Colt?

I'm a Colt aficionado, but I do not always recommend Colts to 1911 buyers.

People buy 1911s for a lot of reasons. When a person is new to 1911s, they have a lot of questions and very little understanding of what they, themselves really want in a pistol. The 1911 is a pistol that demands that you shoot it and find out for yourself what features are important to you. For some folks, the "Kimber" type package of beavertails, swoopy sights, holy triggers and slick finishes is extremely important. These people will likely not be happy with a Colt, at least not yet. There are a lot of brands and variations for them to chose from, but I usually recommend a Springfield Mil-Spec and some range time. Most decline and go buy a Kimber. That's OK, many shoot that Kimber and are happy never knowing anything else. A few will someday move to a Colt, but most never feel the need. Kimber is a good gun, as are Springfields and the SW1911.

Then you run into a person who says "I want a Colt 45. Which one should I get?" or "Are they still made?" This person will not be satisfied with anything but a Colt. Even if they try to get in cheap with a Springfield Mil-Spec, they will buy a Colt within six months. Nothing else will satisfy them. These are the people I steer towards a Colt. You can almost sense it when you first talk to them, they care more about substance than fashion. Some people call it brand blindness, but to many of us it is more than that. It is something you feel, something that emanates from that pistol when you pick it up, something that travels through your bones, something a Colt gives you that no other 1911 does. Either you feel it, or you don't. These are the people who will buy a Colt and build it into what they want. I am one of them. I cannot explain why another brand does not do the same thing. All I know is that it does.

Pawn Shop Circuit: A Helwan

I swung back into Dave's shop today to check on that round butt M&P. Dave would neither confirm nor deny that he had it. That's a good thing. I'll bide my time. Among his other guns, Dave had put out a RG .22 revolver, a snubbie, for $79. Dave's supply of shotguns is replenished for the upcoming hurricane season.

Over at Neil's place, a Helwan had come out of hock. The Helwan is a 8 shot 9mm copy of the Beretta 1951, manufactured in Egypt.Neil had a $119 price tag on it, and that is about what it is worth. I own a Helwan. I bought it because I was interested in Beretta handguns at the time, and I could not find a real Beretta 1951.

The pistol was reliable initially, and fairly accurate, although uncomfortable to shoot. After about 1200 rounds, the slide rails of the frame became so peened that the pistol choked. It took some tools and skill to get the gun running again. In Egypt, and other areas of the Middle East, a pistol is rarely used defensively. It is simply a badge of authority or a tool for executing prisoners. Thus, the Helwan is an acceptable military sidearm there. My Helwan is a CAI import, and so marked. Neil's was the same. I saw no reason to consider it as a purchase.

I did not have a chance to swing by Kenny's.

Who Were They?

On July 13,2006, the US Senate voted on the Vitter amendment, legislation to block future infringements on the right to keep and bear arms. The confiscation of legally owned guns during an emergency such as last year's hurricane Katrina took one more step towards becoming illegal.

Sixteen senators voted against this legislation, and therefore, against a fundemental right, not just an American right that our country was founded on, but the human right to self defense. There were no real surprises, or were there?

These senators were:

Daniel Akaka, Hawaii
Barbara Boxer, California
Hillary Clinton, New York
Christopher Dodd, Connecticut
Dick Durbin, Illinois
Dianne Feinstein, California
Tom Harkin, Iowa
Daniel Inouye, Hawaii
Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts
Frank Lautenberg, New Jersey
Carl Levin, Michigan
Robert Menéndez, New Jersey
Barbara Mikulski, Maryland
Jack Reed, Rhode Island
Paul Sarbanes, Maryland
Chuck Schumer, New York

Déjà vu Note: Under the unblinking eye of the C-SPAN cameras, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) voted against the Vitter amendment. Minutes later he reversed course and voted for it.

When Animals Attack

Barbie did not stand a chance against the gargantuan canine........

Estate Sale Pistol

I went to an estate sale tonight with my wife. I heard there might be a gun or two there. As my wife looked through books and jewelry, I inspected a jewel of a different sort.

The only firearm present was a Savage 1917 .32 caliber pistol. It came with a very nice box, although the pistol itself had some freckling and bluing wear. I checked it for the salespeople. They had placed it underneath a table waiting for my arrival. It was not loaded.

I asked how much the family wanted for the gun, and I was told $400-500. That figured. I guessed that with the box, the pistol is likely worth about $250. I'm not a Savage collector, nor a .32 shooter. The little pistol was slightly intriguing as a vintage CCW piece though. I wrote $200 on the back of one of my business cards and left it with the estate seller.

Idiots With Guns #40

Ah Hell, does this set even need captions?

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 always 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 until you are ready to shoot
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it

US Senate Blocks Emergency Gun Confiscation

Today, the U.S. Senate voted to prohibit the confiscation of legally owned guns during an emergency like last year's Hurricane Katrina, marking another victory for the gun lobby. By a vote of 84-16, the Senate embraced an amendment by Senator David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican. He attached his measure to a domestic security spending bill for the fiscal year starting October 1 that the Senate is expected to pass soon. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its version of the spending bill and negotiators will have to decide whether to keep the gun provision. The House is usually sympathetic to gun owners.

Citing the constitutional right to bear arms, Republican David Vitter said that during an emergency people should be allowed to hold onto "legally possessed firearms to defend your life, your property" at a time when telephone lines and cell phones probably are not operating and victims "can't reach out to law enforcement authorities." Vitter said 10 states have passed similar laws. Louisiana is one of them. Following Hurricane Katrina last August, some emergency workers expressed fears about guns being looted from stores and first-responders being threatened by gun proliferation.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, called the amendment "pay-back time by the National Rifle Association," a powerful lobbying group that opposes gun controls. Sen. Richard Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, added, "You send the National Guardsmen in ... and then snipers start shooting at them and the police make it known this is going to be a gun-free zone. We don't want any National Guardsmen killed because of this national emergency, this disaster. Is that an unreasonable thing?"

Vitter countered that the "declaration or state of emergency in and of itself does not give anyone the right to confiscate guns" and local law enforcement officials should not "trump" the Constitution. Last month, gun lobbyists won another victory when the House voted to overturn a recently enacted law requiring safety trigger locks on all hand guns sold in the United States. That measure, attached to a law enforcement spending bill, awaits Senate action.

Reuters

1938 N Frame Magnas On Ebay

Smith & Wesson N frame pre-war magna grips.

Winning bid: US $319.00

N Frame Target Grips On Ebay

1950's N frame diamond "Coke" grips for the Smith & Wesson Model 29 or any other N frame revolver.

Winning bid: US $305.00

K-22 Box On Ebay

Vintage box for a Smith & Wesson K-22 Outdoorsman revolver.

Winning bid: US $380.75

Day By Day

A M1911A1 Copy

Three years ago, in the Spring of 2003, Springfield began producing a pistol that 1911 shooters had craved for a long time. It was a basic, no frills GI styled 1911 with a forged frame and slide. Right out of the gate Springfield had a potential winner. If priced right, and if reliable, it would fill a void that no other pistol occupied. Like many eager 1911 shooters, I pre-ordered mine. When it arrived, it came with black plastic grips in an olive drab cardboard box. It was one of the first 300 pistols. It had a GI style ejection port, Springfield's ILS system, a teardrop thumb safety, vertical slide serrations, and a standard trigger. It also had a parkerized barrel with a loaded chamber indicator, and the older blocky Springfield front strap. For $400, it was a deal. I took it home.

I had long wanted a real M1911A1, but with the prices they command, and the history they represent, I just could not justify buying a nice one to shoot. I resolved to make the new Springfield pistol a representation of a GI gun.

I began to search and scrounge for parts. I ordered a stamped GI trigger from Numrich. I found an arched and serrated mainspring housing with a lanyard loop on ebay, along with some double diamond walnut grips. I ordered some genuine GI grips from Simpson's Ltd, but I preferred the walnut. Next, I ordered a checkered slide stop and magazine catch from Brownells. The wide spur hammer and GI thumb safety came out of a box of take-off parts. I kept the Springfield grip safety. It is a bit bigger than a GI unit, but it effectively keeps the hammer from biting my hand. I slicked up the action, and purchased a couple of GI magazines at the next gun show.

After 600 rounds or so, the pistol began to have an occasional problem chambering the last round in a magazine. I replaced the recoil spring with a 18.5 pound Wolff spring, and the pistol has cycled fine ever since. My home brew GI pistol is not meant to fool people into thinking it is an actual GI gun. It is meant to simulate a pistol that is much like the guns carried into combat in the past century. Like those pistols, it is not a tack driver, but it does bring a smile to my face each time I shoot it. That's good enough for me.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Hocked Smiths

I went by Kenny's first this afternoon. Kenny had sold his M&P that was a tad high for me. I wondered if he got $275 for it, but I did not ask, and he did not volunteer the information. Instead, he asked me how the nickel Model 10 had turned out. I told him I was pleased with it, that it had cleaned up really nicely, and I was considering using it as a carry gun. Kenny was pleased with that. Then he told me that a customer had brought in another nickel Smith this morning. I tried not to lick my lips in anticipation of the pawn ticket running out. Kenny realized his mistake in telling me what was in the back, and I could get no further information. Kenny had a couple of cheap semi-autos, but that was it.

I drove on to Dave's shop. Dave's shelves were bare. He pulled an old single shot bolt action Remington .22 rifle off the rack to show me. As I was inspecting the rifle, a gentleman brought in an old revolver to pawn with Dave. I saw that it was an old M&P with a round butt. The grips appeared to be of a later vintage, as they were magnas and did not jive with the mushroom shaped pre-1930 ejector knob. Still, it was a nice old M&P. I did not get to see what Dave gave for it, but it looked like three twenties.

I moved on to Neil's place. Neil had sold his Beretta Tomcat, and had added a Taurus P111 and a Heritage Rough Rider revolver. I was not interested in either, so I asked him if he had any Smiths. He just smiled inscrutably.

Video Doesn't Lie

Or does it?

Here is video of the Hudspeth shooting that occured in Shreveport, Louisiana about three years ago. Revealing ideed. More.

Carnival of Cordite #64

Carnival of Cordite #64 is up at Spank That Donkey.

Hollywood

I still chuckle when I see this.

The Snubbie Formula

I went to the range this morning and I took along my most recent purchase, a Model 10-5 snubbie, among other handguns. The snubbie performed well, although every other handgun I shot punched tighter groups. "How can that be?" some might ask.

A snubnose revolver was never meant to be a target gun. They are dedicated defensive weapons. Accuracy is important in self defense, but so is speed. There is a compromise between "accurate enough" and fast enough. It is in this world that the snubbie comes into it's on. The short sight radius of the snubbie allows it to come to sights faster than a six inch or even a four inch barreled gun. Noticeably quicker. Measurably quicker. Not as accurately, but accurate enough to consistently hit a paper plate at 20 feet. On the move.

The snubnosed revolver has other advantages. It will fire when the muzzle is pressed into a target. It has second strike capability. It has revolver reliability. Diligencia, vis, celeritas......Accuracy, power, and speed. If the equation is reliability plus speed divided by accuracy, the answer to the formula just might be a snubbie.

Now THAT'S A Snake!

9 feet, 1 inch.
97 lbs
This rattler was killed at the old Turkey Creek gas plant located just South of the Alibates Turnoff on Highway 136, South of Fritch Texas.
Be careful out there!

~ 1 Nine foot skinned & cleaned western diamondback rattlesnake, cut in 3" to 4" pieces
~ drippings of 20 slices of bacon
~ one cup oil
~ 3/4 lb. cooked ham, diced
~ 8 cups milk
~ 4 tbs brewed coffee
~ 2 cups flour
~ biscuits or toast
~ salt and pepper
~ tabasco sauce, optional
In a cast iron skillet, fry the bacon. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve drippings.
Add the oil to the drippings. Flour rattlesnake and fry over medium heat until golden brown.
Remove each piece as it becomes done and drain on paper towels.
Drain off the oil and drippings reserving 4 tbs. Add 4 tbs of flour. Stir and scrape bottom of the skillet to remove any browned stuck pieces.
Add the ham, coffee and milk. Stir until bubbly. If too thick add water, coffee or milk a tablespoon at a time.
Serve the rattlesnake with biscuits or toast and the ham gravy.
Salt and pepper and/or season with tabasco sauce to taste.
Serves 8-12.

Enjoy!

BBQ Gun

Idiots With Guns #39

Unfortunately, it appears as if Kelly got her little hands on a gun from somewhere. She will get no respect here. No photos of Pomme are available

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