5 hours ago
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Who Fell off the Map? (or, hey again, guys, I got a new gunnie project...)
So I apologize to my tens of regular readers about being.... uh.... irregular.... Life has gotten a little crazy. I am gainfully employed with Louisiana State Parks, and I love my job. My life's 'new normal' is a lot busier than before, and I don't have internet access at my house, so I still won't be posting SUPER regularly, but I promise I'll try to post at least once every two weeks from here on out....
Ok, so ya'll have to see this gun... it's super ugly, and decidedly ill-functioning to boot, but dad has turned it into a project gun. The stock is made to fit my rifle, and my rifle is a paper-puncher anyway, so we're gonna mount the stock this summer sometime when me and pop can get together, and see if we can wring some more accuracy out of my rifle. Now, it's cut for a right-hand bolt, and my Savage is left-handed, so I'll have to do some relieving work with a rat-tail file, but I think it will come together nicely.... and if it doesn't, well, I'll still have the stock....stock....
So, yeah! there you go, my loyal readers, ya'll will be hearing from me again on a semi-regular basis!
Ok, so ya'll have to see this gun... it's super ugly, and decidedly ill-functioning to boot, but dad has turned it into a project gun. The stock is made to fit my rifle, and my rifle is a paper-puncher anyway, so we're gonna mount the stock this summer sometime when me and pop can get together, and see if we can wring some more accuracy out of my rifle. Now, it's cut for a right-hand bolt, and my Savage is left-handed, so I'll have to do some relieving work with a rat-tail file, but I think it will come together nicely.... and if it doesn't, well, I'll still have the stock....stock....
So, yeah! there you go, my loyal readers, ya'll will be hearing from me again on a semi-regular basis!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Wet Weather Musings
Yesterday was cold, wet, and nasty in my little part of the world. As I was driving home, the weather got me to thinking back to similar days in my childhood, spent wishing I were a bit more warm, and a bit more dry. It was the cold, gray, slow-rain type of day that always reminds me of duck hunting.
Now, I grew up on the poorer end of the middle class scale, and when me and the old man went duck hunting (or any kind of hunting, for that matter) we did it on the cheap. Now out of the types of game I've hunted in my life, none seem to claim as much time and money as duck hunting. I spent many an hour of my childhood poring over hunting catalogs making a mental wish list of all the accoutrement's that I wanted for duck hunting. Of course, if I had gotten all of said gear, I wouldn't be able to move through a swamp bottom without fear of sinking under the weight, but that doesn't seem to slow the 16 year old mind much.
Anyway, I digress... The day that I came to think about due to the weather was a cold, wet nasty day in December, about 2000 or 2001. I had never been duck hunting before, and a few weeks ago, dad got to reminiscing about childhood duck hunts. I asked him to take me duck hunting, and he said he would, as soon as the weather got right. I slunk into the house after a tortuously long day in school, wanting nothing more than to drop onto the couch and forget about the rigors of algebra.
Pop looked at me and wrinkled his brow. "Wanna go shoot some ducks?"
I think it took all of about 3 seconds for me to get changed into camo and grab my boots, shotgun, and a hand full of shells.
Dad pulled on a sweater against the chill.
"You gonna wear THAT, dad?"
He considered the fire-engine red sweater. "What? I'm don't wanna get cold."
I knew we weren't going to get a single thing with dad dressed like that, but I wanted to go hunting, so I went along with it, just for fun.
We hunkered down against the wood line and waited as the temperature dropped and a front rolled in. We shot two ducks that day. I like to think I shot a duck, I really do. I emptied my gun at the sky, at any rate. When we walked over to pick up the ducks, Dad unloaded 1 shell.
"That's it. That'll be the only flight tonight. Unload and we'll walk home."
I hurriedly unloaded the 2 shells I had just loaded.
"I got one, dad!"
He chuckled. Yeah, boy, looks like.
Dad was a good shot.
But I've thought about that day many times. Dad knew another front was coming through, and made sure we were out there a half hour before it reached us. He also knew that the treeline would hide that bright red sweater he was wearing. And, he knew that there was a slough about a hundred yards from our treeline that small flocks sometimes would roost in if they were pushed in by rain.
I'll take hunting advice from a man feeding his family, who knows the land and the local weather patterns over the advice of one of those guys on the Outdoor Life Network any day of the week.
Now, I grew up on the poorer end of the middle class scale, and when me and the old man went duck hunting (or any kind of hunting, for that matter) we did it on the cheap. Now out of the types of game I've hunted in my life, none seem to claim as much time and money as duck hunting. I spent many an hour of my childhood poring over hunting catalogs making a mental wish list of all the accoutrement's that I wanted for duck hunting. Of course, if I had gotten all of said gear, I wouldn't be able to move through a swamp bottom without fear of sinking under the weight, but that doesn't seem to slow the 16 year old mind much.
Anyway, I digress... The day that I came to think about due to the weather was a cold, wet nasty day in December, about 2000 or 2001. I had never been duck hunting before, and a few weeks ago, dad got to reminiscing about childhood duck hunts. I asked him to take me duck hunting, and he said he would, as soon as the weather got right. I slunk into the house after a tortuously long day in school, wanting nothing more than to drop onto the couch and forget about the rigors of algebra.
Pop looked at me and wrinkled his brow. "Wanna go shoot some ducks?"
I think it took all of about 3 seconds for me to get changed into camo and grab my boots, shotgun, and a hand full of shells.
Dad pulled on a sweater against the chill.
"You gonna wear THAT, dad?"
He considered the fire-engine red sweater. "What? I'm don't wanna get cold."
I knew we weren't going to get a single thing with dad dressed like that, but I wanted to go hunting, so I went along with it, just for fun.
We hunkered down against the wood line and waited as the temperature dropped and a front rolled in. We shot two ducks that day. I like to think I shot a duck, I really do. I emptied my gun at the sky, at any rate. When we walked over to pick up the ducks, Dad unloaded 1 shell.
"That's it. That'll be the only flight tonight. Unload and we'll walk home."
I hurriedly unloaded the 2 shells I had just loaded.
"I got one, dad!"
He chuckled. Yeah, boy, looks like.
Dad was a good shot.
But I've thought about that day many times. Dad knew another front was coming through, and made sure we were out there a half hour before it reached us. He also knew that the treeline would hide that bright red sweater he was wearing. And, he knew that there was a slough about a hundred yards from our treeline that small flocks sometimes would roost in if they were pushed in by rain.
I'll take hunting advice from a man feeding his family, who knows the land and the local weather patterns over the advice of one of those guys on the Outdoor Life Network any day of the week.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Monmouth Cap
A few months ago, I made a set utensils for Nancy. She was happy to have the treenware, and asked if I wanted anything. Now, I'm no great knitter (ok, I'm mot a knitter at all...), so I asked her if she'd make me a Monmouth-style cap. She helped me sort out a style and color, and right before Christmas, a package showed up.
The cap nestled within was beautiful.... and .... Large. Now, I'm no small guy, topping the scales at around 280 pounds, and standing over 6 feet tall, but this thing would have fit two of my pumpkin-sized heads. If you look closely, you can see that the hat is rolled up about 3 times, just so I can see.
Nancy sent me an email, which I got a few days later, telling me to 'full' or wash the hat until it fit. Now, to full a wool item, you apparently have to wash but not dry the item. If I would have dried the hat, it probably would have been to small to fit my 2 year old son. So I washed it. It shrunk up nicely, but was still a little too big, so I washed it once more, and hung it up in the laundry room. Ta-da! The hat now fits nicely,the knitting is much tighter due to shrinkage, and I now have a period-correct piece of headgear for those cold days up at the fort. AND.... it's in french colors.
Go check out Nancy's site. She runs a great blog, and she'll probably do a post on the hat real soon.
The cap nestled within was beautiful.... and .... Large. Now, I'm no small guy, topping the scales at around 280 pounds, and standing over 6 feet tall, but this thing would have fit two of my pumpkin-sized heads. If you look closely, you can see that the hat is rolled up about 3 times, just so I can see.
Nancy sent me an email, which I got a few days later, telling me to 'full' or wash the hat until it fit. Now, to full a wool item, you apparently have to wash but not dry the item. If I would have dried the hat, it probably would have been to small to fit my 2 year old son. So I washed it. It shrunk up nicely, but was still a little too big, so I washed it once more, and hung it up in the laundry room. Ta-da! The hat now fits nicely,the knitting is much tighter due to shrinkage, and I now have a period-correct piece of headgear for those cold days up at the fort. AND.... it's in french colors.
Go check out Nancy's site. She runs a great blog, and she'll probably do a post on the hat real soon.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Years Eve
New Year’s Eve was a blast. Before I went to bed the night before, I put on a brisket to cook, real low, in the oven, so I woke up on New Year’s Eve to the decadent smell of freshly cooked brisket. I puttered around the house for a few hours in that heavenly smell, and kissed my wife goodbye, as she was taking the kiddo and going to spend a few hours with my grandma to ask her some stuff about gardening.
Then my dad and brother, Barrett showed up. We had 12 handguns between us. If you look at the picture, starting clockwise from top right, you’ll see: A Ruger Mark III .22, a S&W M&P in .45acp, a Ruger LCP .380, a Springfield G.I. .45 1911, a Kimber CLEII 1911 .45, S&W Model 66 .357, Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum, Model 28-2 6in. .357, Model 28-2 4 in. 357, Ruger Security 6 .357, Taurus Tracker 627 .357, and a S&W 638 in .38spl.
Also, my brother Matt showed up a little later, and brought a Ruger P89 as well. We had an even baker’s dozen. We shot, both copious amounts of ammunition and the B.S., and had a great time.
And suddenly someone walked up. My neighbor Tony showed up. He had been hearing us shoot for over an hour, and decided to come see what we were doing. He’s originally from California, and doesn’t know much about guns. It took all of about 45 seconds for him to want to shoot. I gotta hand it to him, he shot everything we handed to him without complaint. Everything from .22's to .357's to 1911's to............
.44 Magnums.
When we got done shooting and were standing around b.s.ing, I slipped off and put some sausage on the pit. Tony joined us for lunch, and we ate some excellent kielbasa. Then I broke out the brisket, so I could slice it for the get-together I was having later that night. We had to sample it too, of course.
I invited Tony to come over anytime we he heard gunfire and join me on the range. I think he will.
Then I put the brisket, sliced, on the pit, along with the baked beans, and smoked them both for a few hours. My brother Barrett showed back up a few hours later with his girlfriend and her children, and so did my aunt Margaret and Uncle Chuck, along with their girls. We ate brisket and beans and mashed potatoes, along with a nice salad, and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. There were several fine desserts there, including a King cake, which is a Mardi Gras delicacy that is damn hard to find in Florida. Yay!
After everyone left, and I cleaned up, me and the wife sat on the couch and watched Dick Clark’s New Years Eve special on TV, and the kiddo fell asleep between us. We kissed when the ball dropped, even though it was 11pm for us, and went to bed, exhausted, but satisfied with the day.
It was a great day.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Backyard range
One of the great things about living in the country again is the ability to go shooting at will, which is exactly what I did today. Now I have neighbors on two sides, but my property extends for about an acre straight out my back door (not to mention for several acres to the side of my house). Out back, beyond my acre-long stretch on which I have a wood and earth berm pushed up, is approximately a mile of pine tree farm. No one lives in that direction for a good long way, thus it’s safe to shoot (remember, be aware of your target, AND what’s behind it).
So I walked out back and set up a pistol range. There’s really not a good place for a rifle range due to geographical and man-made features, but hey, if I can shoot pistols out back, that’s something right? So, 2 targets were posted, and I shot 25 rounds into each target. 25 shots doing practice drills, and 25 just target shooting. The left-hand target is the practice drill target, in which I pulled the weapon from my pocket, acquired target, fired as quickly as I could using a proper sight picture and recovery. The practice drills take approximately 3 seconds. Looking closely, you can see 4 shots on the backer that didn’t hit the target. They were all second shots. I guess I need to work more on recovery.
So I walked out back and set up a pistol range. There’s really not a good place for a rifle range due to geographical and man-made features, but hey, if I can shoot pistols out back, that’s something right? So, 2 targets were posted, and I shot 25 rounds into each target. 25 shots doing practice drills, and 25 just target shooting. The left-hand target is the practice drill target, in which I pulled the weapon from my pocket, acquired target, fired as quickly as I could using a proper sight picture and recovery. The practice drills take approximately 3 seconds. Looking closely, you can see 4 shots on the backer that didn’t hit the target. They were all second shots. I guess I need to work more on recovery.
I was shooting for more than just fun, however. I have a love affair with my S&W j-frame, but I am not enamored with the factory rubber grips. I was digging around in my dad’s shop the other day, and came across the factory wood grips that came on his model 60. I shamelessly stole them and mounted them up, with his approval. The gun now looks like a j-frame should, in my opinion, and after today’s field test, I’m happy with it’s performance too. 
Also take a look at my grip. I use a weaver stance, and I have large hands. Combined with the relatively small size of the j-frame, I tend to get powder burns on my right (weak hand) index finger. Now, this causes me no discomfort, so I don’t think it’s actually powder burns so much as burnt powder, but it is a pain in the butt to get off my hands. 
Maybe I should soak my finger in Hoppes number 9….
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Snake Woods
My new residence sits on 5 acres of land, only about 1 of which is cleared. My house and shed sits on that acre. The other 4 acres are woods, what I grew up referring to as small woods. Small woods are a group of woods that you own, and are intimately familiar with, that it would be impossible to get lost in. Small woods are fun to wander around in and look at nature, and you can even take game in them, although it's unlikely (but possible) to find deer in small woods.
Now this time of year, it's cold, and reptiles are dormant, but during the spring, my small woods will become the territory of snakes and lizards, and I will be the invader. As a general rule, if I see a non-poisonous snake close by, I'll leave it alone, but if it's poisonous or if I can't tell, I kill it. My child likes the woods, and one less venomous thing out there makes me happier.
Whenever I go to the snake woods, I usually carry my .357 magnum. Now, I carry a snub-nose .38 special every day for self defense, but I may well go my entire life without having to use it. It's a measure against an eventuality that has a very, very small likelihood of ever being needed. If I knew without a doubt one morning that I was going to need a gun for self defense, I'd bring a 12 gauge. But because I don't know, I sacrifice the use of a better tool for one that is more portable and less likely to be seen and cause a stir.
In the snake woods, I carry a .357 because loaded with rat shot, the 4 inch barrel and adjustable sights make it very useful in dispatching small reptiles. I don't really need to worry about concealment, so I carry a gun better suited to the purpose of dispatching snakes.
So I was wondering: what gun do you carry in the snake woods?
Now this time of year, it's cold, and reptiles are dormant, but during the spring, my small woods will become the territory of snakes and lizards, and I will be the invader. As a general rule, if I see a non-poisonous snake close by, I'll leave it alone, but if it's poisonous or if I can't tell, I kill it. My child likes the woods, and one less venomous thing out there makes me happier.
Whenever I go to the snake woods, I usually carry my .357 magnum. Now, I carry a snub-nose .38 special every day for self defense, but I may well go my entire life without having to use it. It's a measure against an eventuality that has a very, very small likelihood of ever being needed. If I knew without a doubt one morning that I was going to need a gun for self defense, I'd bring a 12 gauge. But because I don't know, I sacrifice the use of a better tool for one that is more portable and less likely to be seen and cause a stir.
In the snake woods, I carry a .357 because loaded with rat shot, the 4 inch barrel and adjustable sights make it very useful in dispatching small reptiles. I don't really need to worry about concealment, so I carry a gun better suited to the purpose of dispatching snakes.
So I was wondering: what gun do you carry in the snake woods?
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
More Updates
Well, Life's been a little hectic around casa de la displaced. My life has been a whirlwind that has centered around unpacking, eating home cooking, and hanging out with family. My brother cooked me ribs Sunday.... fall-off-the-bone ribs, at that. Damn, it's nice to be home.
I've laughed a lot this past week, and I've smiled more than I have in the past year. Sometimes from things like seeing family, and sometimes from things a s simple as seeing the leaves change color, or living in the country where the air is fresh. Damn, it's nice to be home.
I went to my 'interview' today. Basically, I found out that I got to wait till the paperwork comes back from processing. I'll likely start work sometime between Christmas and new years. More time with family. After my interview today, I met up with two old friends and had lunch at my favorite Chinese restaurant, Chef Wok. Yes, the egg rolls were as good as I remembered. Damn, it's nice to be home.
I spent the afternoon doing odd jobs for Miss Emelyn Morrison, an old friend. Afterward, she insisted that we have a glass of wine, so I obliged. I headed to my dad's house, where O am typing this and awaiting the rest of the family, for we will be having dinner tonight. Damn, it's nice to be home.
Also, my pop let me borrow a rifle for deer season. Damn, I like guns!
I've laughed a lot this past week, and I've smiled more than I have in the past year. Sometimes from things like seeing family, and sometimes from things a s simple as seeing the leaves change color, or living in the country where the air is fresh. Damn, it's nice to be home.
I went to my 'interview' today. Basically, I found out that I got to wait till the paperwork comes back from processing. I'll likely start work sometime between Christmas and new years. More time with family. After my interview today, I met up with two old friends and had lunch at my favorite Chinese restaurant, Chef Wok. Yes, the egg rolls were as good as I remembered. Damn, it's nice to be home.
I spent the afternoon doing odd jobs for Miss Emelyn Morrison, an old friend. Afterward, she insisted that we have a glass of wine, so I obliged. I headed to my dad's house, where O am typing this and awaiting the rest of the family, for we will be having dinner tonight. Damn, it's nice to be home.
Also, my pop let me borrow a rifle for deer season. Damn, I like guns!
Friday, December 10, 2010
New Digs
Well, we made it. It was a grueling couple of days, but we're here in Louisiana, and we've got a bunch of unpacking to do.
The worst of it all, though, was that I managed to fall out of the back of the moving truck when we were loading it. No long term damage, but I'm a bit stove up right now. Also, I managed to get a fever last night, about the time I got to Dad's house. Still not feeling great, but I guess it's time to go unload the truck. I'll talk to ya'll soon!
The worst of it all, though, was that I managed to fall out of the back of the moving truck when we were loading it. No long term damage, but I'm a bit stove up right now. Also, I managed to get a fever last night, about the time I got to Dad's house. Still not feeling great, but I guess it's time to go unload the truck. I'll talk to ya'll soon!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Updates
So, we started packing today. Master bedroom and master bathroom are packed up, except for the essentials. We are packing 2 rooms a day, so we're right on schedule. We'll be pulling out of St. Augustine FL in exactly one week, then we're west bound for Louisiana.
Also, my computer got a virus yesterday while I was looking up spirit levels. My friends and I were hanging out last night,and as one of my friends is a programmer, I brought the computer and asked him if he could look at it. He fixed it.... but it took him 5 HOURS! I think I owe him one.
Also, my computer got a virus yesterday while I was looking up spirit levels. My friends and I were hanging out last night,and as one of my friends is a programmer, I brought the computer and asked him if he could look at it. He fixed it.... but it took him 5 HOURS! I think I owe him one.
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