Cobra

While in Florida, Grams told me she got a new gun. She said it was a 6-shot Colt, in .38spl. I was pretty amazed at what I saw. I'm a bone-deep Smith man, as far as wheel guns go, but the Cobra she showed me was a beauty.

It's an earlier model, as the ejector rod isn't shrouded, but if memory serves, it was made after 67, since the grip is short, with the stocks meeting underneath the grip frame.

If there's a Colt collector out there *cough* (Old NFO) *cough* who could narrow down the year range, I'd be interested. Sadly, I didn't jot down the serial number to help narrow it down more.

Ol' Eagle Eye

He's learnin', he is.

Sunday Shooting

My family went out to go shooting today. We had a great time, and shot a bunch of paper, as well as soda cans and water bottles. My dad got all of us together for a picture when we were done. Top row, from left to right: me, with my Springfield 1911, nephew with a Ruger Black hawk in.44, eldest brother with a Ruger Security Six. Bottom row from left to right: sister with Taurus 627 in .357, son with a 1911 look-alike CO-2 BB gun, sister-in-law with a S&W K-frame in .357. It was a nice afternoon.

For Bluesun

In light of his comment on my last post.... Lego Star Wars.

Went to Legoland yesterday....

I think the face says it all...

Fallen brethren

I have a link in my sidebar that I check on a daily basis, the Officer Down Memorial Page. It's a list of all officers that have fallen in the line of duty in the U.S. and it's provinces. Many in the gunnie community can be harsh towards officers, and frankly, as a cop myself, I have mixed feelings about it. These men and women put their life on the line every day for the safety of their communities, and they deserve our respect for that as a group. Are there bad cops? Sure as hell are. I've met a few. They tarnish the badge they wear, and I'd not choose them to have my back in a bad situation. That said, most of the men and women I've met that carry the Thin Blue Line are  good, honest people that want to make a difference, and to help others. We get shitty pay (although we usually get good insurance), little thanks from our superiors, and are often looked at with distain by the public. Still, most cops I know wouldn't take another job with better pay, because the job is a calling... which brings me back to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Yesterday, we lost 3 men in uniform. One was in a car accident, and two were shot. Investigator Cuauhtemoc Estrada's shooter has not yet been apprehended. Estrada was a Marine Corps veteran, and had served with the Cook County Sheriff's office for 20 years.

At a time of the year that we are all thankful to be home, and are celebrating family and Christ, remember that 3 families found out yesterday that they will never again see their father, or son, or brother, or husband.

Hug your family. Tell them you love them. But remember these men who laid down their lives in the name of serving public safety. Weep for them, for though some weak souls hide behind the badge and misuse it, most of them are willing to die to preserve not only their communities, but the integrity of that badge pinned to their chest.

1911

Because 1911.

Deer camera blues

It's been hard, patterning the deer in my little plot. I had some crazy action for the first few weeks the feeder was up, then it slacked off a bit. Then the batteries went dead in the feeder, so I didn't have much action for about 2 weeks. Checking the camera today, though, I see that a doe has stopped by for the last two mornings. Maybe I'll slip out there early tomorrow, and hope she swings by for some chow again.

Sawdust and Linseed Oil

That's what I smell like. It's been an interesting few days, building a table in my grandfather's shop. I've ended up with a piece that speaks to me. The trestle table design is hundreds of years old, and this table, with it pegged joints would be right at home in a french campsite, circa 1750. It will, however reside in my kitchen, and family will gather around it on thanksgiving to celebrate kinship and togetherness. The juxtaposition of circular saws with wooden mallets and chisels was interesting. I did enjoy using some of my period-correct tools, and I pegged everything, using no screws or nails in the project, but I couldn't resist the siren call of the power saw.... my shoulder is thankful, I'm sure.

I have 2 more coats of boiled linseed oil to apply, but the project is done for all intents and purposes, and I'm deeply satisfied with the result.

Woodworking

There's something very soothing about working in my grandfather's shop (right outside the door, actually, so as not to make a mess). I'm using my tools, mostly, but I did borrow his router and saw-horses. Weirdly, although this is one of the most ambitious woodworking projects I've ever tackled, I haven't fretted about the way it's going to turn out. Wood has a soul of it's own, and it's going to do what it wants, to an extent, but I know... I KNOW how this is going to turn out. It'll be the best piece of carpentry I've made yet. No where near as nice as what my grandfather could do, but better than anything I've ever made. It's like he's been looking over my shoulder the past two days, and coaching me, so that I don't rush, and make a mistake. Here you see the table mocked up. I wasn't frustrated, and I had nothing else pressing, but with two hours of daylight left, I KNEW it was time to quit for the day.

It's like Pop's standing here, keeping me from getting ahead of myself.

I miss him deeply, but today, in his shop, I swear he was hanging out with me all afternoon.