Mills Holster On Ebay

I had been surfing ebay to try to ascertain a value on my M1911A1's holster when I found this: Rare Mills WW1 era Colt 1911 Cavalry Swivel Holster

Current bid: US $700.00

22 hours 43 minutes to go............

Wow!

Katey's Firearms Facts

Bruce Montague

Pawn Shop Circuit: Stable Selection

I went by Kenny's pawn shop today to see if he had placed the nickel Model 49 out yet. He had not. None of his other stock had moved either. Kenny asked if I had found anything at the gun show, and I told him yes, I got a couple. Kenny had sold his lamo camo shotgun, and the rest of his long gun rack looked kind of empty as well.

Over at Neil's shop the Ruger Redhawk was still under the glass. The two hundred dollar Ruger MKII had not sold yet either. Neil was busy haggling with a man over some stereo equipment, so I just surveyed the selection, saw that little had changed, and waved goodbye. Some days are like that, no changes in selection. That is a good thing I suppose, another gun show is coming up February 10.

Remington Rand Research

My Remington Rand M1911A1 was produced by the Remington Rand Typewritter Company in 1945. Remington Rand was awarded its first M1911A1 order on March 16th, 1942, for a total of 125,000 pistols. The company had no experience building pistols at the time it was awarded the contract. Remington Rand formed a new division (Remington Rand "C" Division) to take charge of building the M1911A1. Remington Rand "C" Division converted a vacant plant into a modern pistol manufacturing facility. The plant was located on Dickerson street in Syracuse, N.Y and was once used for building typewriters. Initially some manufacturing equipment was not available. This caused Remington Rand to acquire parts from other sources to complete the early pistols. They purchased barrels from High Standard, Colt, and Springfield Armory. Disconnectors were purchased from US&S, grip safeties from Colt, and slide stops from Colt and Springfield Armory (2,865 left over from WWI). Remington Rand "C" Division inherited much of the documentation, tooling, and machinery that originally was used by The Singer Manufacturing Co. in their Educational Order.

Consequently some of the parts of the early Remington Rand pistols were made using Singer supplied tooling and fixtures. Careful examination of early Remington Rand pistols will reveal striking similarities in some of the parts to Singer made parts such as the triggers and mainspring housings. The first 255 production pistols where accepted by ordnance inspectors in November of 1942. Initial shipments appeared to perform satisfactorily, but subsequent tests performed by ordnance inspectors revealed serious problems with parts interchangeability. In March 1943 James Rand Jr. stopped production due to a high rate of parts interchangeability test failures. Only after a change in management and a thorough review of the inspection and manufacturing operations was production finally resumed in May of 1943. Throughout production Remington Rand aggressively attempted to innovate and improve the production of 1911A1 pistols.

By March of 1945 they where building the lowest price pistol in the war effort and quality was considered second to none. By the end of the war Remington Rand had produced over 875,000 pistols, almost as many as Colt (628,808) and Ithaca (335,467) combined. Reference: Charles Clawson, “Colt .45 Service pistols”.

I'm currently researching my Remington Rand on the 1911 Forum and at Harley Nolden's Institute For Firearms Research. It looks like the magazine is a General Shaver magazine, and correct for the gun. The General Shaver Division of Remington Rand manufactured magazines that were issued with Remington Rand pistols only and were fully blued, with a spot welded base marked with a " G " on the top of the lip of the base. The General Shaver magazines also had spot welding down the back of the tube.

The Colt barrel is curious. I'm wanting more information on that.

Remington Rand variation information is available here.

Gun Show Dice Roll and Karma

After lunch, I returned to the gun show. I had helped out another gun owner this morning, assisting him in finding the value of his old revolver. It was time for the gun gods to smile on me. I noticed a fellow carrying around a lever action Marlin rifle, who also had an orange tag protruding out his jacket pocket. I ambled over to see what might be attached to the tag. I looked first at the rifle. It was a .22 caliber rifle, an old Marlin. He was asking $350 or so. Considering the condition, I thought that was a bit high.

Finally, as he was about to turn away, I asked "What about the one in your pocket?" He then pulled a topbreak S&W revolver from hiding. The grips had been replaced with pearl grips at some point, no medallions, but they were genuine mother of pearl. I asked what he wanted for it, and he replied $225. I opened the cylinder, and found all the numbers to be matching. It was a .38 Double Action 4th Model. I countered $200, and he said $215. I asked if I could dry fire the revolver and he said yes. I dry fired it, and it functioned. I turned it over in my hands, wondering if I really wanted to add another top break revolver to the stable. I was flying by the seat of my pants on this deal. I did not know the market value of this gun without consulting the book. The book was outside in the car. Just as I was about to return it to it's owner, he said $200 would be fine. Because I had offered, I could not withdraw, so I rolled the dice. I took two Franklins out and handed them over to the gent, and thanked him for my new gun. Then I went out to the car to look it up. I had done OK on the deal. Not spectacular, but I did not take a whooping either. I returned to the arena.

I make no bones about being a 1911 fanatic. I keep track of recent price trends, I buy and shoot old man Browning's .45, and I have found contentment doing so. Because of the historical nature of the 1911, one of my Holy Grail guns has long been a M1911. When I came back inside the gun show, I wandered over to one of my favorite dealers, Cowboy Bob. I was too late. Bob was engaged with a gentleman who was selling a M1911A1 for a friend who had been a Major in the US Army. The pistol had been retained by the officer after he left the service, and was in it's original holster. It appeared to be in good shape. I stood by as Cowboy Bob continued to chat with the seller. If he walked away from Bob's offer, I was prepared to quickly counter, although I wasn't certain I had the cash at hand.

Cowboy Bob offered the man a thousand dollars for the pistol and holster. The man wavered, but his wife poked him in the ribs. Then he agreed. I watched Bob pull ten crisp hundred dollar bills from the wad of cash in his pocket, and he took possession of the pistol. After the seller and his wife walked away, I immediately said "OK Bob, how much are you going to sell that pistol to me for?"

"You want to buy it?" Bob acted surprised. He handed me the pistol, and I saw it was a Remington Rand. Earlier this week I had researched the serial number on a Remington Rand for someone and I saw that this gun's serial fell within the same range. I am not an expert on M1911s, but the combination of a one owner gun, carried but seldom used, and matching slide and frame made me confident that the gun was correct. Bob said "Twelve hundred."

"No tax," I countered. Bob agreed, and I broke out my checkbook. Bob thanked me for not turning the deal into an auction, and I thanked him for his work securing the deal. Thus the dice was rolled twice this afternoon, and karma kept me from taking a shellacking. Expect more on these two purchases soon.

Remington Rand Research

Gun Show Samaritan

It was drizzling rain when I went back to the gunshow this morning to have a look around and to see what walked in. The dealers had some fair prices on new guns, indeed good prices if you lived in some areas, but the supply of reasonably priced older Smith & Wesson revolvers was hard to come by. Since this was a boating and outdoor show as well as a gun show though, there was new blood in the traffic. It just felt right for some old heirlooms to walk in with disinterested yuppies.

I had noticed a fellow in line wearing a ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ cap. That is an almost certain indication of a High Road member. I tentatively walked up, asked him where he got the cap, and then introduced myself. We chatted a bit, and then I resumed watching the crowds.

Later, I was chatting with Cussin' Bob when I noticed a fellow in a white felt cowboy hat with a goatee talking to a dealer about an old N frame. The dealer was offering $200 for the gun, and the owner kept saying he just wanted to know what it was worth, not sell it. I stood by, and listened. When the gunowner finally walked away in frustration, I went up to him and asked to see the revolver. It was a Smith & Wesson N frame chambered in .44 Special, five screws, with a six and a half inch barrel and fixed sights. I told the gentleman that I did not know just what his gun was worth, but I had a book that would tell him what the fair market value was. I explained what the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson was, and offered to retrieve my copy from the car if he wanted.

Once back inside with the book, we opened it on the gunwale of a bassboat. We discussed the condition problems of his revolver, which placed it in the good to very good range. Supica had listed his revolver at $450 to $575. I told the gent that I was not interested in a .44 Special revolver. When he told me it was his late father's gun, I advised him to keep it. I explained how refinishing an old gun destroys it's value, and that as a family heirloom, his revolver is irreplacable should he sell it. He asked me about the yoke sticking, and I pointed out the sideplate screws could have been mixed up, creating a bind on the yoke. I offered to clean and lubricate the old gun for him, free of charge, and I left a reference so he could check me out first. We shook hands, and parted ways. Hopefully, my karma is good now......

Doctor vs Nurse

Scalpel or Sword......Blogrolled!

Take a read on nursing, from a Doc. He got it right.

Nambu vs 1911A1

Thanks to a reader, here is a translation of the video.

Hello, readers! I’m Morohoshi, reporting from Las Vegas.
[Display on lower left: Reporter: Las Vegas office, Etsuo Morohoshi]
The Year 14 Type is an automatic pistol that was formally adopted by the Japanese Army in Year 14 of the Taisho Era, 1925.
Its caliber is 8 mm and its capacity is 8 shots. It was the first pistol to be accepted in Japan as a standard military weapon.
Overall, with the many straight lines in its outline, it bears a strong resemblance to the German Luger.
The rifling is (unintelligible) and, as you can see, very clearly defined, even after 60 years.
When the magazine is installed and you pull on the slide, it stops in the open position. When there is no magazine, the slide stop does not function.
The safety is on the left side of the gun. To place the gun in the “Safe” condition, you rotate the lever 180 degrees (NOTE, “Fire” is forward, “Safe” is back).
Well, then, let’s show you how to field-strip the Type 14.
First, you check the chamber.
Then, you pull the trigger once to lower the firing pin. Next, holding down the rear end of the firing pin extension, which is in the center of the cocking piece, you rotate it counter-clockwise.
Once the cocking piece is off, the firing pin extension and the spring can be removed.
Next, pulling a little on the slide, you pull down on the trigger guard, this releases the trigger assembly, and at the same time, the barrel and bolt come off. You take the bolt out of the receiver, and after you remove the recoil springs and the firing pin, that completes the field-stripping.
The serial number was marked on nearly all the parts.
Once you’ve taken it apart, it seems pretty simple, but in comparison to the American 1911 of the time, you can see that it has more parts after field-stripping.
Well, next, let’s watch a shooting test. We decided to compare it with a 1911, which was a contemporary of this pistol.

I will start by measuring the muzzle velocities.
[Upper left display: Muzzle Velocity Test]
We measured the muzzle energy of the bullets using the muzzle velocities. As you can see, in comparison to the 1911, the Type 14 has much lower power. Particularly, it had less than half the stopping power (NPF) shown by the figures.
The 8-mm Type 14 cartridges we used in this test were not originals. We saw that they were somewhat slower than the standard cartridges of the time, whose muzzle velocity was announced to be 317 meters per second. Also, when we actually fired them, the recoil was on the mild side.
Next, we’ll do a grouping test.
[Upper left display, Target Grouping Test; Bottom display, Distance to target 15 yards]
First, we do a shooting test with the 1911, a pistol we get a lot of opportunities to shoot.
The results: a 4-inch group.
Next is the Type 14 pistol.
We have high expectations for the pistol which, at the time, had a worldwide reputation as a pretty accurate model.
The results: About an 8-inch group.
It was a single-action, so the trigger was smooth and very good, but even though I used the same hold, some of the shots were pretty far off. We could not tell if this was the fault of the pistol or if the cartridges we had used were defective.
Next, we carried out a rapid-fire test.
[Upper left display: Rapid-fire test]
The 1911 has a heavy recoil, so to that extent, it felt less stable.
(Pointing to target) These small holes are the Type 14, and the big ones are from the 1911. The smaller ones show a better pattern. As you might expect, the Type 14 may be a little more appropriate for Japanese.

We carried out a comparison penetration test using 2.5 cm thick boards.
[Upper left display: Pine board penetration test]
(looking at the Box o’ Truth) Now, we’re looking at what we got shooting the 1911. One, two, three, four, five, six… in the seventh board, we have a dent. And the bullet… it still is in about its original shape.
(fires the Nambu)
One, two, three, four… in the fifth board, it’s stopped. The bullet is here. It’s kind of smashed.
The results of the pine board penetration test also put the 1911 out front.

Next, we shoot a helmet.
[Upper left display: Helmet penetration test]
This steel helmet is one that was used by the American Army during the Second World War.
(pointing to the helmet) It didn’t penetrate.
(holding helmet after firing 1911) The 1911 didn’t penetrate either.
Both shots were deflected by the helmet; they didn’t even leave cracks. The dents were also about the same size.
In this test, unfortunately, considering all of the results, the Type 14 pistol did not turn out to be superior to the 1911. On the contrary, we can consider that this is proof of the perfection of the 1911, which is still in active service on the front lines.

Gun Show: Preliminary Findings

After work today, I found myself at the gun show. It was a combination boating/outdoors/gun show, so there were a lot of boats and deluxe campers filling the convention center. As I was making my way through the camper trailers parked outside, I ran into Lester, an old friend and deputy sheriff. Lester told me he was going to the car to retrieve money to purchase a Smith & Wesson his daughter wanted. He bemusedly said it "spoke" to her. That was unusual. Lester is a very practical, non-collector type. We parted ways and decided to meet again inside the show.

Once inside, I found a plethora of Smith & Wessons available, if one were willing to cough up the cash. Among the J frames were two Model 36's priced at $325 and $365. There was a humpbacked Model 49 available for the first $350. A .32 caliber Model 30 was priced at $365, and a Model 37 Airweight Chief's Special was available for $365 as well. For buyer with more money than sense, a nickel Model 36 was tagged at $400. None of these revolvers were flatlatches, or even four or five screws. They were plain old pedestrian S&W revolvers. It was the first day of the show......I will watch these with interest over the next couple of days.

The K frame camp was also well represented with prices all over the map. There were a few Model 10s and Model 64s that looked to have been re-imported by Century Arms International. There were also refurbished Model 64s and 65s with bead blasted finishes and new aftermarket grips. I was not interested in those. I saw no pre-model 10s, and in fact, no five screw guns at all. There was a very rough Model 13-2 tagged at $230. It was a square butt four inch version, and the price was too high in regards to the condition. I found two different Model 10s that has a bit of finish wear, but which were still darned good shootin' guns. One was priced at $265, the other was priced at $325.

I began to look at 1911s, and I did not find many in my price range. There were a couple of parkerized Colt 1991s priced hopefully over $700 by the same dealer. Of course he declared that Colt no longer sells guns to the public. Right.... A dealer from the Pineville are had his NIB Colts at the show, along with many many other new guns. His blued Government Model NRM Colt was priced at $689. He had stainless and Commander versions as well for about $25 more. Other dealers had plenty of over polished and reblued Colt 1911s available in the $700-800 range. One dealer had an electroless nickel Series 70 Colt Commander priced at $900......Dadgum! I have about a thousand total invested in both of my e-nickel Commanders! There was also a 100% oak leaf engraved and reblued Ithaca with carved grips on a table for $800. That was an interesting gun, but the engraving, although skillfully done, did not have a good flow. Springfield GI45s in parkerizing were priced at $489, with stainless GI45s tagged at $515.

I began to look less at guns, and more at accessories and people walking around. I was hoping to spot the elusive N frame brought in be an uninterested heir. While watching for walkers, I purchased a bulk can of my favorite gun oil, Ballistol, and saved a bit on shipping charges. I also found a like new set of Herrett's skip checkered Government Model grips almost covered on a table. The owner was asking $20 for them. I offered $15. He agreed.

Finally, I ran into Lester again. He was fairly strutting. He pulled a three and a half inch Model 27-2 from his belt to show me. Damn, I wished I had seen that gun first. It spoke to me too....It was a well worn Model 27, with a finish that almost looked like worn off parkerizing. The grips were battered, but correct. Lester speculated that this had been a law man's sidearm, and I suspect he was correct. The old gal still locked up tighter than Dick's hat band, and the rifling was good as well. The weathered finish made it an outstanding gun for carry. It was truly a grab and go no worries N frame. I tentatively probed Lester for the price he paid. He said $265 was the price on the tag, and the dealer would not budge. Damn. I told Lester he should be glad the gun spoke to his daughter first! If you ever want to get out from under it, Lester........

It had been a long day of surgeries capped off by gun show meanderings. I left to get some supper and make plans to return tomorrow.

What I Look For

I was asked a few days ago what I look for when gun shopping. Well, the answer is simple, old Colts and Smith & Wessons. There are still a few handguns on my short list that rate a "gotta buy". In time for the gun show this weekend, here they are:

A Smith & Wesson Model 45. This is a K frame M&P, but chambered in .22 long rifle. It was produced as a training gun for the Post Office and Coast Guard. It is the only .22 caliber K frame revolver with fixed sights. They are a relatively rare M&P, and the price usually reflects that.

A Model of 1905 M&P with target sights. Another rare bird. I passed on one in the $300 range a few gun shows back. It had some bad bluing. I still kick myself.

A cut down and chromed Victory Model for $100 or so.

A crushed Victory Model for $50 or less.

A Beretta Model 71 Jaguar like Porta Cat just found........ Damn I'm jealous! Yep, I still keep a few of Italy's finest around.

Another Clark Custom 1911 at a decent price.

Any used Colt 1911 or GI 1911 for a decent price.

Will I find any of these at the gun show? How will I know if I don't go?

Male Nurses

I am a man. I have been a registered nurse since 1993. I am proficient and competent in my field. Before I became a nurse, I served my country in the US Navy, in all male units.

Nobody ever says "She's a black nurse."
Nobody says "She's a Jewish nurse."
Nobody says "She's a lesbian nurse."
Yet it is OK to say "He's a male nurse," as though being nurse strips a man of his masculinity.

Then women call you close and whisper to you "I always thought male nurses were so much nicer." Is this supposed to impress me? Am I supposed to take this as a compliment? Does anyone ever whisper into a black nurse's ear "I always thought black nurses were were so much nicer"?

Do not preach to me about sexism. I know sexism. I experience it every day. I am a man. I am a nurse. I am not a male nurse. My nursing is not defined by my gender. My masculinity is not diminished by nursing.

And you know what? I wear the bouffant in surgery.

ysabellabrave

I found MaryAnne on youtube.com today.
Unbelievable!
Amazing!

Nobody Told Me!!!!!

Welcome to the eighth edition of the Second Amendment Carnival

The Carnival of Cordite may be a thing of the past, but the Second Amendment Carnival makes up for it.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Fooled

My heart skipped a beat as I walked into Neil's pawn shop this afternoon. From across the store, a large shiny revolver with pearl stocks caught my eye from within the case. As I approached the glass, it appeared to be an N frame S&W with a nickel finish. Once there though, my hopes evaporated. It was a Ruger Redhawk with a five and a half inch barrel, in stainless steel. It was a clean gun, but not a S&W N frame. I did not even look at the price. Neil still had the 50th anniversary MKII in the case, $199.

I made my way over to Kenny's shop. A fellow was looking over the lamo camo Winchester shotgun. Kenny had priced it at $149. The price was fair, but the fellow was trying to dicker. Kenny wasn't having any of it. I caught wind of a gun show being part of the Agriculture Exposition this weekend, so I'm hanging on to my disposable cash right now anyway. Maybe I'll find a nice old Smith there.....

CHP Class

Earlier this week, I received notice that the renewal time for my concealed handgun permit was coming up fast. Thus, one of the first things on my list this morning was to check with a friend on getting the required class scheduled. I called Chris, who told me he was teaching a class that very moment. (You have to love cell phones.......) I told him I would be there in five minutes, and I grabbed my carry gun and a box of ammo to qualify with.

As I slipped into the classroom, and behind a table, Chris placed the class on break and asked me if I was armed. I relinquished my 1911 to the locked gun range. Chris brought me up to speed with the lecture, and then told me I really didn't have to stay, that he would issue me the required certificate. I told him I wanted the course.

It was a heartening mix of people taking the course, four white women of varying ages, and two young black men along with eight white men. Sadly, there were no black women present. I sat through another two hours of NRA sanctioned instruction, discussing the parts of handguns and the various methods of shooting them. There were parts of the discussion that I did not perzackly agree with, such as the cautions to not modify your carry gun, and other speculatory statements. I refrained from asking questions and presenting my point of view. Frankly, I was glad to be let into the class on such short notice. Chris was the instructor, I was the student.

After a short break for lunch and a briefing on range rules, it was time to shoot. The handguns in attendance included two Hi Points, an XD, Glocks, several revolvers, and a CZ something or another. There was a very nice flat latch Chief's Special being shot by a young lady, and an older gentleman produced a nickel Model 36-1 in the original box. Both of those old Smiths caught my eye.

Several of the participants were new shooters, so they received some familiarization fire before we began qualifying. Once everyone felt reasonably comfortable, Chris began to let us qualify, four at a time. I had been used as an example during the lecture portion, so it seemed all eyes were on me as I stepped forward to qualify. The course of fire to qualify was pretty rudimentary. Six rounds, reload and fire six more at ten feet. Do the same again at 15 feet. Then again at 21 feet, keeping all shots COM on a LAP1 target. There was no time limit. I had not shot my carry gun in a couple of weeks, but I was determined to show why a 1911 is my choice. I completed each segment of the course of fire in under eight seconds, laid my weapon action open on the table and waited for the other shooters to catch up before running my target out to the next distance.

I guess I was wrong to show off, but the little comments about my old Colt had grated me long enough. The light shining through my target said all that needed to be said. Now I just need to get passport photos.......

Harbingers of Spring

My wife woke me up this morning to see hundreds of red breasted robins dining on bright berries in our holly trees. We marveled over our coffee that we had never seen so may robins in one place. They were like migratory blackbirds, a huge flock.

Then I started my weekend errands. Bastards!

Idiots With Guns #67

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

Pawn Shop Circuit: No Changes

There was a bit of sleet falling as I went on the pawn shop circuit today.
At Kenny's pawn shop today I found a "lamo camo" version of a Winchester 1300 with a sighted slug barrel. Kenny's handgun selection had not changed since I visited last. He also had some type of brass receivered lever action rifle with an octagon barrel. I did not ask to see it, but I did phone a friend who may be interested in it after I left.

Neil still had the Ruger MKII for $199. The Heritage Arms Rough Rider Neil had in .22 with birdshead grips for $99 was sold. Someone made a mistake with that selection, I think. Neil had also sold the H&R 922 that I had returned.

Finally, I drove over to Dave's pawn shop. Dave's selection had not changed except for a couple of Glocks, so I paid another $50 on my layaway gun and drove on home through the sleet.

SAF Files Motion to Hold Nagin, Riley in Contempt

Frustrated by repeated failures to meet court-appointed deadlines, and a pattern of disregard by the City of New Orleans, the Second Amendment Foundation has filed a motion to hold Mayor Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent Warren Riley in contempt of federal court.

A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Jan. 31 in federal district court in New Orleans. The Second Amendment Foundation is suing Nagin and Riley over the confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Joining SAF in the lawsuit is the National Rifle Association.

"Mayor Nagin, Chief Riley and the city's attorney have repeatedly failed to communicate with our legal counsel, even for the most trivial of matters related to this lawsuit," said SAF founder Alan Gottlieb. "We were prepared to file this motion months ago, but gave the city several opportunities to comply with the court, and to begin returning seized firearms to their rightful owners. They haven't done it."

"There comes a time when patience runs out," Gottlieb said, "and people need to be held accountable for what amounts to an arrogant disregard for the seriousness of this lawsuit and the rights of New Orleans gun owners."

The motion notes that Nagin and Riley failed to comply with a discovery order issued last Nov. 29 and asks that the court compel them to answer discovery questions from SAF and NRA attorneys. The defendants had been ordered to exchange initial disclosure information by Dec. 12, but ignored that deadline.

"At first," Gottlieb recalled, "Nagin, Riley and the city claimed they had not seized anyone's firearms. Then, faced with the threat of a contempt motion, they 'discovered' that guns had been taken and were being held at a central location. After that, the city promised to begin returning firearms, but put roadblocks in the way for citizens to retrieve their guns."

"The city's behavior in this matter, and particularly that of Mayor Nagin and Chief Riley, has been deplorable, and it is time for them to behave like adults," Gottlieb said. "Since the day the city began seizing firearms, Nagin and Riley have acted as though they are above the law. It is time they learned otherwise."

Link

Blog Chain

The lovely and talented Monica Ricci, organizer and Makarov packer extraordinaire has tagged me for a blog chain. As a full fledged member of BOMCA (Balding Old Man Clubs of America) any attention from beautiful young women is a flattering but fleeting thing, so I am compelled to respond. The deal is you're supposed to share five off the wall, strange, unusual or just little-known facts about yourself. Then you "tag" five other bloggers who are supposed to do the same thing. Ok, We're off...........

1. My first degree was in Fine Art. I was, at that time, a damned fine painter and printmaker, who painted still lifes inspired by Chardin, Peto and Vemeer, as well as made assemblages similar to Robert Rauschenberg's early work. I no longer paint or do intaglio, but the framework of art philosophy still influences me in everything I do.

2. I am the seamaster of four saltwater aquariums. Four. A total of 675 gallons of circulating sea water complete with fish, crustacean critters and coral held behind tempered glass in my den. These are not things you dry fire at. Why four tanks? Some saltwater fish eat other saltwater fish, critters and coral. If you want to keep them all, you keep them separately.

3. I was once "into" hot rods, and built a '32 Ford. I went through a vintage motorcycle/chopper phase, and finally restored two antique Series IIA Land Rovers early in my marriage. One for me, one for the wife. Real Land Rovers, Marlon Perkins style.

4. I once had a bounty on my head in a foreign country. I will not say where or when or why.

5. I am an Honorable Shellback, 000/0046E.

Now I have to tag five folks......
Lets see.......
Porta Cat
PawPaw
Tamara
Matt
Amy

Rescue Revolvers

The S&W Forum is one of the absolute best places to get information concerning Smith & Wesson revolvers. Posting there can sometimes be intimidating for the neophyte though, because of the level of expertise, as well as the gorgeous photos of rare revolvers owned by the members. Recently some members ave begun posting threads with pictures of neglected revolvers they rescued and renovated for little or nothing. For the pawn shop scrounger, these threads are very heartening and interesting. Here are two.
Rescue Revolver's and Another "rescued" revolver!

Carry Gun Reliability

Marko at The Munchkin Wrangler has a great article up on the 1911 as a carry gun, and on carry guns in general. While I don't have $1500 to plunk down on a NIB semi-custom 1911 that is mass produced with the latest tactical whizbangs, I would be mad as hell if I spent that kind of coin on a gun that couldn't get through a box of ammo without choking.

As long as 1911 packers continue to accept the unacceptable in a carry gun just so they can tote the lastest in tacticality, they will be sneered at by Glock men. The reason is clear. Glocks work, and they work well. They may not be as pretty, they may not be as accurate, they may not be a lot of things the 1911 is, but they work. When a Glock punches holes all day long while a 1911 chokes on it's own gun powder residue with the the 1911 owner making excuses rather than demanding results, the result is clear as day. Glock just whooped that high dollar 1911's butt.

It's time for 1911 owners to stop accepting guns that choke, and for gun writers to stop promoting guns that fail. The 1911 can be an excellent carry gun, fast, powerful, beautiful and reliable. It has to be understood, however, that the most important quality in a defensive weapon is reliability. This is no laughing matter. When guns fail, people often die as a result.

A reliable 1911 can purchased for well under $1500. A reliable 1911 can be built for under $1500 as well. I'm not talking reliability through five boxes of ammo either. I'm talking the same level of reliability that is the Glock's reputation. Drag it through the mud, clean it with a squirt of brake cleaner once a year and never have it fail reliability. With any ammo. You will not, however, get that kind of reliability by making excuses for a gun that chokes. And about the mags and ammo thing Tam, if you load crap ammo into Chinese magazines made out of melted down milk jugs and stuff it in the bottom of your Glock, I'll guarandamntee you the Glock will fail too. Any auto loader depends on top quality ammo and magazines to function. No slam on Tam, I love the gal. She knows what I'm talking about. She knows what she's talking about too.

If you have $1500 and want a 1911 for a carry gun, contact Yost~Bonitz, Clark Custom, Novaks, or another premier gunsmitty. Tell them what you want. They can meet your needs. If you don't have that kind of dough, or if you don't want to invest that money in a gun that will be punished by the rigors of carry, then do what I did. Build your own, or keep the damned thing stock if it functions 100%. Do not accept a chrome sissy pistol that fails over a Glock. Demand a better gun.

Big hat tip to Marko!

Pawn Shop Circuit: Hocked Nickel

I went by Neil's shop first after work today. He still had the 50th anniversary Ruger MKII on his shelf for $199. In addition, he had a Heritage Arms SA revolver in .22LR with birdshead grips. He was wanting $99 for that. Neil was dickering with a young man over a guitar, so I moved on.

Kenny still had his hard chrome Hi Power. The price was still $599. Since I saw it last, I learned that Browning did indeed produce a hard chrome Hi Power. This pistol was no doubt one of those. Kenny also had several Ruger SA revolvers, all in large calibers. One wore the original finish, the other two were nicely reblued. Kenny also had a Smith & Wesson 4516. These are reportedly good guns, but they are a bit clunky for me. I've moved away from double action semi-automatics anyway. I keep a few favorites, but I rarely shoot them anymore.

Kenny told me he took a funny looking Smith & Wesson revolver into hock over the weekend. I asked him what he meant by funny looking. He said it was shaped funny and was "chromed", but it had the S&W trademark logo on it. I was happy that Kenny learned to look for the intertwined S&W, and I continued to query him.
Kenny told me he couldn't show me the gun, but he could look it up for me. He retrieved his bound book and looked up the gun. "It's a 38 model" he said. I asked if this was the caliber. Kenny did not know. I drew a quick sketch of a bodyguard frame, and Kenny said "That's it!" I tried to act nonchalant, even though I had a Model 38 in my pocket at the time. It's one of my favorite carry guns.

I told Kenny "Oh well......Chrome guns are a little flashy for me anyway. I'd rather have an old .38 special." It's a fine line to walk, letting a pawn shop dealer know what you are interested in, and then making him think he doesn't have it in back. I talked with Kenny a bit more, and then went back out into the advancing cold. The rain was falling, and it was getting colder, so I drove on home with a warmth in my hock shop scrounger's heart.

Model 56 Up For Bids

Smith & Wesson Model 56 USAF revolver. This item is an extreme rarity in a military marked S&W. Most were destroyed by the government in Georgia and only 4 were archived at the Springfield armory museum. Three screw K frame target revolver. Two inch barrel with a 6 shot fluted cylinder and walnut grips. Smooth back strap that marked is U.S.

Started at $7,300.00

Yep. Seventy-three hundred.

Idiots With Guns #66

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

S&W Grips On Ebay

Vintage S&W Smith & Wesson Diamond Center Grips

Pre-War N frame magnas.
Perfect for a Registered Magnum.
Watch these puppies escalate.

Winning bid: US $480.01

Smith & Wesson Gun-Cam™

The Smith & Wesson Gun-Cam™ live feed is courtesy of Robert Frenchu. If you notice any movement or discharge from this unattended S&W Model 19, please go to the link provided and notify him.

Self Defense Shooting

Glock Torture Testing

Nothing personal, but I dont care for Glocks.
Still, I have to respect this.

Big hat tip to Bigbore of Adco Firearms

Jeff Cooper on Speed

April 1961--"All good combat shots are fast. Some are very fast indeed. But there is no point in asking whether they are faster or slower than a 'fast-draw' specialist. More pertinent is what the latter can hit, and with what, and how often."

Blunderbuss Bullshit

Today I came across a website called The Housegun that is trying to sell "blunderbuss" barrels for home defense shotguns. The idea behind this is the mythical impenetrable hail of lead that mows down home invaders like a Briggs & Stratton on Bermuda grass.

They say:

"A sawed off shotgun makes a great home defense weapon because the shorter the barrel the wider the projectile spread pattern. A wide spread pattern gives you a better chance of hitting a armed intruder and stopping him from shooting you. The problem has been sawed off shotguns are illegal. The barrel has to be eighteen inches to be legal. We have found a way to get the wider spread pattern of a sawed off shotgun without breaking the law. Our proprietary cone shaped eighteen inch barrel with a three inch round or oval muzzle provides the wide pattern legally. It looks something like the old blunderbuss that pirates used, but works a lot better. It is perfect for home defense because there is less chance of missing in the panic situation created by a armed intruder in your home. Also the projectiles will not travel as long a distance or penetrate walls like other firearms and possibly kill or injure family members, neighbors etc."

Wrong. A shotgun makes a great home defense weapon because of the power it has to incapacitate intruders quickly, not because it is harder to miss with one. A shorter barrel is preferable because it is more manueverable in tight places, not because it spreads the pattern. The "blunderbuss" barrel will destroy the shotgun's ability to penetrate deeply enough to incapacitate. It will make the shotgun effectively useless. You may as well get a coathanger and try to jab your attacker in the eye with it.

If you want proven home defense, get a simple eighteen inch barrel pump 12 gauge shotgun. Next, invest in training. Learn to use it well under all conditions and in tight places. Save the funnels for putting oil in your car. You can not make up for lack of training by sticking more bullshit on your gun. Software beats hardware every time.

Foiled Robbery in NOLA

The 22-year-old wounded suspect died at the scene after taking a pounding from debris thrown onto him by people in the bar, while his companion disappeared on foot, according to witnesses and a bar videotape. Police haven’t yet released the dead man’s name, but said he is from New Orleans.

Would-be robber killed by guard in Mid-City bar
Patrons pelt dying suspect with debris
Sunday, December 31, 2006
By Karen Turni Bazile

Bar owner Frank Barrera acted quickly and quietly when he spotted two men pulling out pistols as they entered his newly opened Mid-City business Saturday about 2 a.m. Pulling an armed security guard behind a wall next to the bar, Barrera waited a few moments as one of the men grabbed a patron and dragged him behind the bar, and moved toward Barrera’s wife, Maria, who had been counting money near the cash register. As the bar customer wriggled free, the guard fired a shot into the robber’s torso, dropping him on the spot.

“That’s the best thing we had to do. I had seen the guys walking in, and that was good. So we got ready,” said Barrera, who opened his La Finca Home Plate Inn at 542 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway six weeks ago. “It’s very hard to explain because it was so fast and happened in maybe 30 or 40 seconds. It’s very scary.” He said his wife of 19 years “almost got shot in the head.”

The 22-year-old wounded suspect died at the scene after taking a pounding from debris thrown onto him by people in the bar, while his companion disappeared on foot, according to witnesses and a bar videotape. Police haven’t yet released the dead man’s name, but said he is from New Orleans. Police and business people in some New Orleans neighborhoods have struggled in recent weeks to cope with armed bar robberies. It wasn’t known if suspects involved in Saturday’s incident will be linked to other incidents that have terrorized patrons and bartenders.

Barrera, 54, said he had operated a nearby restaurant for 30 years before Katrina and worked for months to open the new business, but knew he would need a guard and security cameras to protect his customers in a post-Katrina climate. According to witness and the New Orleans Police Department, the gunman behind the bar was shot once in the left torso by a former criminal sheriff’s deputy working a security detail. The single shot apparently hit a major artery, said officer Sabrina Richardson, police spokeswoman. The Police Department classified the shooting as a justifiable homicide and filed no charges against the guard, but Richardson said the district attorney’s office will review the incident. The department wouldn’t immediately identify the guard.

Beyond official police statements, a security camera tape captured the drama. It shows two armed gunmen charging the bar, which had several customers at the time, and grabbing two patrons as hostages as they tried to get to money that Maria Barrera was counting. As a male hostage broke free behind the bar, the guard reached out from a spot near a corner of the bar and shot the gunman, who had grabbed Maria Barrera. The other gunman fled when the shot was fired. Then patrons took matters into their own hands until police arrived.

The customer who had been held hostage behind the bar grabbed the robber’s gun on the floor as the wounded man reached for it. Still clutching the bag of money, Maria Barrera maneuvered around the would-be robber while two other female bartenders, who had hid under the bar, scooted out with her. Patrons threw various objects at the gunmen as one fled and the other remained on the floor, struggling to get up. Bottles and at least one bar stool were hurled at the prostrate man, and the tape shows one patron climbing over the bar and stripping off his shirt before someone stopped him.

In the tape, the security guard took the suspect’s gun away from the patron who had grabbed it, and the customer reclaimed his stool at the bar and immediately took a swig from his beer. With Spanish and English music blaring from the juke box during service to a lunch crowd Saturday, about 10 hours after the incident, Barrera and others at the split-level restaurant spoke openly about their post-Katrina crime worries.

“I was very lucky,” said Maria Barrera, who added she didn’t know how she managed to move quickly as she faced armed men. “I was looking at two guns,” she said.

Miguel Lara, taken hostage briefly in front of the bar by the gunman who would escape, wasn’t able to free himself. “He was crazy,” Lara said. “He had a gun in my face.”

Others encouraged the Barreras to add security to discourage other bandits. “This needs to be a wake-up call to the thieves that the people are not going to tolerate their thuggery and are going to arm themselves and protect themselves,” said Ronnie Waguespack Jr., an amusement machine operator and longtime friend of Barrera who came to empty the juke box Saturday.

Barrera was pleased to hear promises from police officers who responded to the attempted robbery, who said they would be more vigilant. The bar owner said he wants his customers to feel safe now that he has worked hard to renovate a building that had been badly flooded. Barrera said he has no regrets and rested easily, although for a brief time, before returning to the restaurant Saturday morning. “I slept well,” he said. “We saved my wife. We saved all the other ladies and other customers.”

Police described the second suspect as 5 feet 8 inches tall and 160 pounds, wearing blue denim jeans and a white shirt. Homicide Detective Barret Morton is in charge of the investigation. He can be reached at (504) 658-5300.

1960's Prices

At one time in the United States, handguns could be ordered by mail. Advertisements were in all magazines. Here is one such ad.

US MOD 1911 ARMY
The old reliable standby for more than 50 years; 7-shot, outside hammer, grip safety, new style Parkerized grey finish or blued. Perf. mechanically, VG bore. $55.00

S&W TRIPLELOCK
GOLD SEAL MILITARY MODEL
6-shot, solid frame, swingout cyl, DA, rebounding hammer; 6 & 1/2 barrel, extra housing integral to barrel into which crane and cylinder pin lock, making the action strong enough for the heaviest handloads. On the Gold Seal series, hammer & trigger have inserted bearing points to reduce friction, which together with the superior workmanship of these pre-war guns makes for exceptionally fine smooth crisp actions unequalled by most guns today. Made for the British Army, have now been rechambered. Almost VG in and out $60.00 Bore VG or better $67.50

Yes, there are decimals in those prices. Read them and weep.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Missed Opportunity

I drove back over to Neil's pawn shop with the intent to examine the red label Winchester shotguns again. Alas, it was too late. Somebody had purchased them. Cest le' vie. I suppose I should be upset with myself, but the craftsmanship on the special edition Winnies just wasn't up to what I would expect on such a gun.

Neil still had his Ruger MKII. I'm somewhat of an accumulator of the Ruger MKII, and I prefer them with a bit of surface wear so I don't worry about them much. I don't own a 50th Anniversary MKII. I looked this one over, but it just had too much rust to merit $200, 50th anniversary or not. The special edition aspect of the pistol means nothing if it is not like new. If Neil drops the price to $150, I might bite. Until that time, it can remain in his case as a reminder not to price his guns too high. Neil asked how the Colt Commander was doing, and I told him just fine.

Toys...........

I am sometimes taken to task because I lump toy guns into the same category as real ones when it comes to the 4 safety rules.

True, toy guns will likely never kill anyone unless they disassemble them and then choke on the pieces. Even more insidious and dangerous though, are the perceptions they create among youngsters who are just learning about firearms. What we learn first is what we tend to remember, and what we eventually become. If we learn that firearms, even toy firearms, are fine to use in this manner, then we tend to not take the 4 rules as seriously. As a result, as well, we tend to view death as a temporary abstract condition, not a permanent one.



There was a time that I grew up in where almost every third grade boy got a .22 rifle for Christmas. The real question was whether it would be a Savage, Mossberg, or Marlin, not whether you would get one. Often, boys carried these rifles to school, locked them in their lockers, and then took them home afterwards with no incident. Know what? We all felt safe with boys doing this too. (Of course we still sat under our desks in case the commies dropped the A bomb...)

Back then younger boys used pellet guns and BB guns to hunt song birds. I did as well. Killing your first beautiful bird is a sobering experience. The different emotional reactions to the songbird's death showed us all the differences within ourselves, and often broke up friendships. The birds did not die in vain, however. The one inescapable fact that each bird's loss of life taught all of us, is death is permanent. Thus, when we received our "real" rifle, we knew what we held in our hands, and what it could do if used improperly.

All people took more responsibility for what they owned and for what it could do back then. People took responsiblility for their possessions, and the damaged that those possessions created, if any. Parents took responsibility for their children. Yes, boys played army, but the kind of misguided nihilistic behavior displayed in this video was rare. When it reared it's ugly head among children, they shunned it themselves. They were taught to do so by parents who understood the dangers, and not by a pop culture that glorifies violence. This is why I am opposed to toy guns being used in this manner.

More ebay Madness

Once again, a set of Colt Woodsman "elephant ear" grips went into the stratosphere on ebay.

Winning bid: US $938.79

Wow! The last set went for $575.76, and I thought that was a lot! I would need a Registered Magnum box to keep those things in!



Meanwhile.....These beater pre-war N frame S&W grips are at $90.
I'm missing something here.......I really am.

The Anti-Shirt

Hat Tip to Chris Muir.

Idiots With Guns #65

Darla picked up a Hi Power from the display, turned and posed for her girlfriend to take a photo........Meanwhile Luke continued to unpack his display. This is why gunshows mandate zip ties. I recall seeing one knucklehead snatch a pistol off one vendor's table, a holster off another table, and then pose for a cellphone pic before either vendor could prevent it. Perhaps that's why many gunshows prohibit cameras as well.

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

Pawn Shop Circuit: Hidden Treasures

After work today I drove to both Kenny and Neil's shops. I pulled into Neil's place first. Neil had added a couple of Winchester shotguns to the mix, both fancy with burled wood and gold trimmings. One was a Model 1200, the other was a Model 1400. Neil wanted $189 for the pump, $199 for the auto. Neither shotgun looked like it had seen any use at all, probably just purchased for "investment". I am starting to become interested in shooting clays, so I might be back at his counter on Monday. I will have to think about it a bit first, research prices and such. Neil also had a 50th anniversary Ruger MKII in the case beside a Taurus PT24/7. He had the Ruger priced at $199, but it had a worn finish, with some pitting. I did not look at the price of the Taurus. I spied another one hanging in the back beside a couple of revolvers. I don't need another MKII anyway, unless it is a very good deal.

I wheeled on over to Kenny's, and I found an interesting pistol. This one was a Browning Hi Power, finished in what appeared to be hard chrome. It wore Pachmayr wrap-arounds, and had adjustable sights. It had the Browning gold trigger. I looked it over a bit for Kenny. He had it priced at $599. I kept my thoughts to myself, but I was not certain if Browning ever made a hard chrome Hi Power. Still, the gun had an impeccable finish, and it just seemed "right". I handed it back to Kenny.

Kenny then asked me what I look for in a gun. This knowledge can be a two edged sword. It might cause Kenny to jack up prices on P&R revolvers, it might make him more comfortable accepting older guns he would otherwise refuse. I simply told Kenny I enjoyed older S&W revolvers at good prices, and I like to shoot 1911 style guns. Hopefully that will help my scrounging without raising my prices. Time will tell.

Early Morning Shot

An early morning shot while having coffee.....
There is an advantage to having an accurate airgun in the house........you don't need a cat.

Hit on the run at 15 feet. The cat can stay on the front porch.

IZH46M

Pawn Shop Circuit: 1911 Trouble

I went by Kenny's shop first today. Kenny did not have anything new in stock, at least not in firearms. He did have several new guitars and a mandolin hanging behind the counter. I explained to Kenny again why I wasn't really interested in his Rossi Model 68, but I think he's just humoring me. I don't think he really gets it.

I had a bit of jingle in my pockets and I could not stand it any longer, so I drove over to Neil's pawn shop. I had placed my second nickel Commander on lay away at Neil's in November, and I have been slowly hacking away at the cost. I only owed $120 on it, so I decided to go ahead and bring it home. Eventhough I detest the wrap around rubber Pachmayr grips, I'm not going to alter this pistol. It is pristine, complete with the electroless nickel magazine. Perhaps I'm crazy, but it makes a nice counterpoint to the first nickel Commander I horse traded for earlier this year. At any rate, it is a safe buy at $475. The soft glow of electroless nickel is not really a popular finish. I will likely have the modified nickel Commander refinished in hard chrome when it is completed. I've thought about Robar's NP3 as well. This Commander, though, will stay original.

I was feeling satisfied with myself, so I decided to cruise on over to Dave's shop and see what he had out. When I walked in, I knew I was in trouble. There was a red tag hanging from the trigger guard of the SW1911PD. I asked to see it. Dave took it out of the case and I turned the tag over to reveal a $649 price tag. The pistol didn't have a mark on it. I asked to field strip it. Dave said OK. I struggled a bit due to the full length guide rod, and I muttered under my breath "I wish I had a bushing wrench..." At that point, Dave produced a blue S&W box with all the papers, an extra magazine, and a S&W plastic bushing wrench. That was just too much to bear. I had $180 burning in my wallet, so I took it out and asked Dave to put the whole package on lay away for me. Dave did some quick calculations and came up with $79/month for six months. That's pretty painless, I thought. Dave boxed up the gun, and as he took it through the doors to the safe, I noticed a couple of N frame sized revolvers hanging in hock.........

Serious Business: The Highway Patrolman

The Model 28-2 is a rather unusual Smith & Wesson. It is a revolver that had features deleted rather than added, with the sole purpose of building a more pragmatic gun, not of cutting costs. As such, it became the epitome of minimalism in handgun design. The Model 28, also known as the Highway Patrolman can trace it's heritage directly back to the venerable Registered Magnum. The Registered Magnum later morphed into the Model 27. Law enforcement agencies favored the Model 27, but the high polish and sumptuous topstrap checkering was not practical in a carry gun. To accommodate them, Smith & Wesson followed the path of Staatliches Bauhaus. The minimalistic approach was never to create something that was less, but rather to remove ornamentation from art in an attempt to reveal it's most fundamental form, the essential substance of the work if you will. As as result The Model 28 becomes the N frame imperative.

Pinned and recessed N frame Smith & Wessons are rapidly becoming scarce on the used handgun market. As a firearm created specifically to fire the .357 magnum round, the N frame is a requisite gun for the Smith & Wesson collector.

Representing the essential N frame, the Highway Patrolman is blued, but it is not polished. The topstrap and frame rounds are beadblasted to achieve a stippled appearance. The overall effect is a gun that exudes serious business. It is not a flashy gun. It needs no ballyhoo. It speaks the hardcore indisputable language of the .357 magnum. It speaks that lingo again and again, and that is enough.

I took the Highway Patrolman to the range yesterday, among many other guns to shoot. I was shooting with an old friend who was a shotgunner, but not a handgunner. We shot clays for about an hour, and then we set out targets. I started to work with him on handgunning skills. We were, of course, shooting .22 revolvers, but I had brought along a couple of 1911s and the Highway Patrolman as well. Todd is a man with an interest in history, so he shot my GI 1911 copy and liked it. He then picked up the big N frame Smith, fondled it a bit, felt it's heft, and put it back down. I asked him if he wanted to shoot a cylinder or two through it. Todd declined. "That's a damned serious gun," he said. He was right. It's a unique revolver in a long line of resplendent Smith & Wessons, a gun stripped to it's elemental form, designed for nothing more than deadly social callings, and keeping officers of the law alive. It doesn't get much more serious than that.