Saturday, February 24, 2018

The Good Leftists Have Shared Their View

 
Yeah right! Just in case you think that was a Photoshop job, click here for more info about that sign. The screwballs on the left seemingly are the most hateful and violence espousing people on the planet.
 
All the best,
Glenn B

Don't Miscategorize My Guns

 
All the best,
GB

Friday, February 23, 2018

Some Purdy Good Shootin'

It's nice to know I did something right and nicer yet to have the proof shown to me by the one I did right by.


Just as with my Beretta 92 series pistols, the M9A3 is dead-on-balls accurate.
And, you can believe Ballseye, when I say, that's purdy accurate shooting.

Brendan is not a bad shot at all. By the way, to say "not bad at all" about anything is a Ballseye compliment of the highest magnitude. All the shots were from close in distance. As he put it: "That was 5 yards as quick as I got a sight picture I pulled the trigger. So not exactly rapid fire but it was quick". Nope, not bad at all especially considering he and the pistol are new to one another. I don't know how many shots he put into the pictured target but, in all, he put 400 rounds through the Beretta that day. He continues to make his papa, or as he sometimes puts it "his pop", quite proud.

Now to get him to point shoot at that distance and thus shoot a lot quicker with the same accuracy or close to it. Note, I am not for a moment recommending that anyone only point shoot at 5 yards. Even though it is fairly close, under many if not most circumstances, your shots need to be aimed using the sights at that distance but you still should be able to point shoot at 5 yards. So, you need to practice both. Anyway, as I said, I am proud of him.

All the best,
Glenn B

Sunday, February 18, 2018

I Just Couldn't Wait Until...

...the next Hessney auction in late March and decided to go up that way this weekend to pick up the three pistols I bought at auction last weekend. It amounted to an extra expense, that is if I was to have gone to the next auction in March but I am none to sure I'll be going to that one. I have plans that may have me out of town in another direction for around that time.

So, it was this weekend or bust and I drove up there on Friday night. I spent the night in the cheapest motel I could find, right in Geneva, the Days' Inn. It was okay by me and I only found one bug in my room - yes the six legged variety - but I killed it swiftly and did not see another. Some ugly looking thing about an inch long that was at the junction of the ceiling and the wall over the window. Oh well - at least there were no bedbugs and in fact the place was decent.

Got to the auction house on Saturday morning around 930 and walked right smack into the middle of a stamp, coin and jewelry auction. Ran into the owner and said hello and he suggested I look around at what was being auctioned off. I politely declined by telling him that I did not need yet another addiction. We both laughed at that and while my laugh was a happy one because I would not be spending even more money there, I think he had a bit of dismay in his laugh at not landing me as a customer for yet a different type of auction! I'm only kidding - of course! Anyway, I got to the front desk and told the gal I was there to pick up my guns and she was definitely dismayed. It was evident she was doing something for the auction that was taking place at that precise moment. She asked me, no - actually she told me, to wait.

I waited about ten minutes at most and she attended to me with a smile as usual. Had the guns all signed, sealed and delivered a few minutes after that. I looked around a bit at some items they will have up for sale at the next firearms auction and I am guessing at an antique or estate auction and when I got to liking a couple or few of them very much - I decided to leave. I drove back home, all 300 plus miles with stops for breakfast, lunch, to pick up a box of 38 ammo, at a state forest to shoot the Colt Detective Special (but there was too much snow on the side of the road for me to even think about trying to pull off to park) and a bladder relief stop along the way.  Damn, it took me about 7 1/2 hours to get home, I guess due to my stops and due to a couple of traffic jams, especially the one caused by the snow that started falling just before I hit the northern end of NYC.

After arriving home last night, I filled out the online form to have Colt Archives check out the info about my new Colt Detective Special and issue an archive letter if appropriate.. They offer that service for $75 and it probably will be well worth it to me if they authenticate the Colt DS as 1st issue (because if they do so, it is worth a lot more than I paid for it). The only drawback about requesting them to do so would be if it turns out to be a gun put together from parts to make it appear to be a 1st issue; I think not though but time will tell. Speaking about time, it takes anywhere from 90 to 120 days for the turnaround on submitting the form and them sending out an archive letter. I can wait though as I am not prepared to spend the additional $100 they charge to expedite the matter to only a 48 hour turn around! The nerve of those bastards charging a $100 to make it 48 hours and having a regular time of 90 to $100 days!!!

Today, I cleaned up the three pistols - a Beretta 92FS, Glock 30 and the Colt Detective Special  and gave them each a quick once over inspection. From what I can tell, I did very well on these new to me shooters. While the Colt has a good deal of normal wear from use, both the Beretta and Glock are like new. They both were probably test fired and while the Glock maybe was fired once after that (with very few rounds through it), the Beretta looks to have only ever been test fired. They are extremely clean as far as any wear goes. One thing I must point out that was a disappointment is that the Beretta now comes with a polymer or plastic recoil spring guide rod. I have to check my Beretta (2 repair kit and see if it contains a metal rod. if not, I am going to see about buying one from Beretta or from Numrich gun Parts Corp.. Plastic just does not seem to me like a good choice for that particular piece but then again the Glock two piece recoil spring guide rod is partially polymer, or so I think.

Add to all the above that I just sold two more guns on GunBroker, one for which I have received payment and the other on which I am awaiting it, and I am a happy camper.

All the best,
Glenn B

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

I May Live To Regret Giving Notice...

...at work today that I am resigning within 2 weeks of them finally hiring a full time person to take over the slot I have been covering for over two months now. Then again, it may be the best thing I have done for myself in a long time since I find it very difficult to put up with all the petty workplace shit that takes place each and every workday, the coddling of aliens who entered this county illegally, the anonymous customer survey reports that the aliens can file - of which the bad ones against an employee are considered absolute proof of wrongdoing relative to the yearly employee appraisals, the fact they throw out the good comments on a daily basis and give them absolutely zero credence toward showing the good work accomplished by any employees, the fact they recently enacted an anonymous reporting system for one employee to report another for alleged wrong doing (that I fear will be taken as gospel truth of wrongdoing just as are the anonymous customer survey cards) , the lack of respect between employees (there are three different entities where I work - one a government official, others who do fingerprinting of the aliens and then the security personnel), the amount of outright blatant disrespect of the workers at each site from managerial and supervisory personnel and from the customers (the aliens) as opposed to the liberalized politically correct pampering and self back-patting of aliens who entered the country illegally as well as those who entered legally (but who evidently want to make the United States of America like the shitholes from which they fled), and of course - the fact that I started my federal career arresting illegal aliens and making sure they were removed from within our borders but that now in effect I am in some small manner helping illegals stay here today galls me no end. That even if I am only a security guard who merely hands out and helps with paperwork.

Add to all that there is no way to get a raise because it is a contract job and after 3.5 years there, and good appraisals each year, I certainly think I deserve a raise and maybe even recompense for my travel expenses. I get assigned to cover for other guards who are out on sick leave, vacation or whatever and travel to 6 different offices to do so. I asked for a raise and travel expenses recently and was told both were impossible. So, it all adds up to a very, very, very depressing place to work. I guess my boss laughing at me when he called me today and said something to the effect he had received my resignation - followed by a loud guffaw - put the last nail in the coffin even though he then added that my work was appreciated and I would be welcome back anytime (somehow the laugh kind of ruined that last part). Thus, I did not listen to my own advice, that which I gave my son recently, about not quitting a job until you have a new one lined up - this job just got to sucking hat much I needed out.

So, I will be looking for another job but I think not before I take a road trip of a couple to a few weeks to see Brendan down in AR and maybe who knows what adventures I will have and where I may wind up along the way there and back again. Yes, it may have been a bad move to quit and I may wind up regretting it but as I said it also may be the best move I have made in years or maybe ever! Time will tell which way it will turn out.

Anybody hiring for a decent paying firearms related job?

All the best,
Glenn B

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

The Nut Didn't Fall Far From The Tree At All

Indeed, he planted himself right next to me and his appreciation of the RKBA along with his enjoyment of his liberty to exercise that right, like an oak tree, grows stronger each day under my canopy.


After I told him about my latest pistol acquisitions yesterday, he sent me the accompanying photo of himself with his new toy pistol. It is a Beretta  M9A3, more on it here. Looks like a nice one to me but then I am somewhat partial to Berettas. 

He wanted to get a suppressor too but that has to wait until he is again gainfully employed. I suppose though he will enjoy shooting up what 9mm ammo he has on hand while killing time between jobs. By the way, if anyone knows of a good opportunity for a truck driver, CDL Class A, in or near Benton or Little Rock, AR, let me know and I will pass it on to him.

All the best,
Glenn B




Sunday, February 11, 2018

My Oldest Gun and Some New Acquisitions?

My oldest weapon, by not all that far, is an English Enfield, 1858 Pattern (I think) pistol. It has a manufacture date of 1863. I understand that there are evidently a lot of knockoffs going around that were made in one or more of the Stan counties like Pakistan and Afghanistan and some others made in India. This one though has all the qualities of the real McCoy as I understand it. The proof marks abound and are correct for the era. In addition the great majority of the stampings appear to be fairly deep, a sign of good craftsmanship. Whatever, I believe it is real - so it must be real cause I just said so on the Intraweb!

It's already for dale on GunBroker.com at:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/747109432.


This 92FS is in pristine condition and looks to be unfired.
The Glock 30 also appears to be in unfired new condition.
I have no clue if it is safe to shoot or not. I don't want to find out either - no desire to shoot it. I probably will not keep it all that long, already have it up for sale being I was just at another Hessney auction this weekend and bought three modern pistols while there. The three new ones are a Beretta 92FS in 9mm (looks to have never been fired), a Glock 30 in 45 Auto (allegedly new), and a Colt Detective Special, 1st issue.


When I say first issue, I do not mean a first issue from the recent version of the Colt Detective Special but an original pre-war (as in pre WWII) first issue. It is in what I consider good condition, which means at least 70% of metal finish remaining in my untrained gun rating opinion. I am hopeful it is a real first issue and not a put together from parts gun; everything except the ejector rod seems right - that groove in the knurled part of the rod gives me pause for concern - otherwise, the square butt, the stampings on the barrel, and the serial number date it to 1932 or in other words signify it is indeed a pre-war first issue Colt DS. I'll have to see what Colt would want in the way of a fee to authenticate it (just found out it is going to be $75 but I'll have to wait until I have it in hand to get some information off of it that Colt requires for an archive letter). It may well be worth the cost because if it is a real first issue, then it is worth a lot more than I paid for it - maybe three or more times as much and that would be a very good thing. And yes, that would mean I got a steal on a cop gun!

I believe, I believe, I believe - so it must be a first issue - right!
Maybe though, I ought to have it checked by Colt to make sure.
Yes indeed, it was the cop gun of its time and whoever Christened it with the moniker of Detective Special should have been given a huge bonus by Colt; it was their best selling revolver for decades. Of course, while I paid for those three handguns - I do not have them yet, I need to get a purchase document from my county PD and then return to the auction house with it to take possession. maybe this weekend or maybe in late march at the next Hessney auction.



Speaking of old weapons, that Colt DS is pretty old but not my oldest firearm. My oldest gun is a Chilean Model 1895 Mauser in 7mm Mauser (7x57mm). My next oldest gun is my Ortgies pistol in 32 Auto; it was made in the mid to late 1920s as best I can tell. Pre-war first issue Detective Specials were made from around 1926 through 1936. Mine was made in 1932 according to Colt's 'Firearm Serial Number Lookup - Year of Manufacture' page (an excellent tool to date old Colts). Being it was manufactured in 1932, it is probably my third oldest gun. No wait a minute, I have a European pinfire revolver, that I picked up in January, that is possibly the second oldest gun I own but I do not know the date it was produced so am guessing there. I did not even think o it at first because it is not functional, is basically a rusted and broken POS, and is only good as a wall hangar at best. So let me clarify thusly, my oldest, second oldest and third oldest functioning firearms are as I listed them above before remembering that pinfire revolver which may or may not be the second oldest of my guns (but as I said, it does not count because it is a non-functioning POS).
 
All the best,
Glenn B

Monday, February 5, 2018

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Another Such A Deal - 22WMR Ammo

When is the last time you saw 40 grain 22WMR ammunition selling for as low as $8.99 per box of 50? It had to be awhile back. Anyway, much to my happiness, prices have fallen dramatically to that level just recently at an online ammo dealer I use frequently. In fact, it is offered at the even lower price of $7.99 per box by at least one other dealer as per AmmoSeek.

I am ordering at the substantially higher price of a dollar more per box for a couple of reasons: I am giving my dealer some well deserved loyalty because of: their speed of shipping, their willingness to send ammo to NY State, their always getting my order right, the excellent availability of ammo they have at most times and their overall very decent to excellent pricing. I am also going with my usual dealer because the other dealer did not have in stock the 7x57mm Mauser ammo I also wanted to add to the same order. In addition, that other dealer, who has that much lower price, told me a while back that they refuse to ship to NY even though their website seemed (and still seems) to indicate they will ship to NY - go figure.

Anyway, regardless of where you shop for ammo, now is the time to stock up on 22 magnum ammunition if you need it because prices have not been his low in a long time.

All the best,
Glenn B

Obama's Job Creation Plan...



...was evidently little more than a bogus dream. Maybe he really believed it would have to be magic that would bring jobs to America and thus our economy suffered so badly under him especially with reference to jobs creation or the lack of it. 


On the other hand, it is not magic but the reality of getting things done to spur on the economy, instead of passing more restrictive laws and regulations as did Obama to hinder it, that has led to unemployment being at its lowest in decades and at its all time low for certain ethnic groups. The economy is booming and jobs are being created and filled because of the sensible and proven methods of our president, Donald Trump, to improve it.  What Obama sadly believed was a magic wand was in reality merely a love of our country, an intelligent approach at solving the problem and the gumption to get it done that worked to create jobs. In other words - hard practical work instead of mere political bullshit.

Thanks Mr. President.

All the best,
Glenn B

Yet Another Week At Work

They still have not completed the hiring process for the new person where I work, so it looks like I am on for at least another week. I cannot complain about that, the money I make for what I do is quite welcome and needed to supplement the pension. NY is that expensive that my pension alone does not cut it and it is a pretty darned good pension. How I wish I could convince the wife to move to a less expensive and freer (in terms of liberty) state.

All the best,
GB

Your Requested 2017 TaxAct E-file Notice: New York Return Rejected

NY State - Politicians say no when it comes to calls for ID being required to register to vote and to vote. Yet,  they say it is perfectly okay for ID to be supplied by the tax payer to get your taxes filed electronically. In fact, if you have a license or other state issued ID, they demand you supply your driver's license or your state ID info to them before they will accept your electronically filed tax returns.

"This return has been rejected by the State of New York because it is missing required driver license or state-issued ID information. If the taxpayer and/or spouse has been issued a driver license or state identifcation card, this information must be entered. In the situation the taxpayer and/or spouse does not have a drvier license or state-issued ID, they will need to indicate this within their TaxAct return. You will need to complete the driver's license section of the Filing step within this return and enter the ID information or select "Do not have Identification"."

That is what it said in the email I received today (yes the misspellings and all) after filing my taxes yesterday and clicking on the option to not supply my ID info to them. Now think about that for a second - hey say it is too burdensome for someone to get an ID in order to vote and it is racially fair to require such! Well then, why is it not too burdensome to require me to enter that info onto my tax return and why is that not racially unfair!!! The answer is simple: so, as long as it puts money in NY State's pocket, or assures that someone is not stealing money from the state by way of a tax return filed in someone else's name, it is okay to require ID; yet, when voting for the same officials who think up this utter bullshit it suddenly becomes overly burdensome on ethnic and racial minorities and the elderly to require ID that proves or at least supports your claim to U.S. citizenship and proves your identity, to vote. You cannot make this stuff up, at least unless you are a super-leftist or ultra-right politician (and yes there are idiots on both sides).

All the best,
Glenn B

When Rodents Speak...

...or should that be squeak, and I hear it, I usually set the mouse traps. That is of course except on February 2 each year when I, like millions of others, pay attention to the predictions of the groundhogs. I like to hear what one in particular has to say, Punxsutawney Phil. This year I missed it altogether. It's no that I forgot it was Groundhog's Day on Friday but that I spent most of the day in bed sick as a dog and while I had meant to check on the little critter's prediction I just never got it done that day. Supposedly though, as I just read here, we can expect 6 more weeks of winter (as often is the case, the arsehat groundhog in the zoo on Staten Island in NYC disagrees). It's not like we should not have expected such being that winter does not end until latter end of March but I guess we almost all hope for an early spring.

All the best,
GB

Saturday, February 3, 2018

I Just Read The Memo

It seems to me, and mind you I was a federal LEO / federal agent for 32 years, that if everything in that memo is true then someone at the FBI, the DOJ and the DNC, in fact more than one person at each, needs to be arrested and tried. The charge: at the very least for felony conflict of interest for some in the FBI and DOJ and conspiracy for others if not for all who may wind up having been criminally involved. I believe there are other charges that could and should be filed, and the charges I just mentioned are mere starting points.

What else is there for me to say but it is OBVIOUS to me that there was a concerted effort, a conspiracy, by those within the FBI, DOJ and DNC to assure that Donald Trump would either not become president or would be brought down by way of him being arrested should he have been elected and that all based upon utter made up bullshit. Folks, I think that amounts to an attempted coup or in other words and in my opinion to treason.

If you have not read it yet, you can click on this link to do so. I used to wonder now ad then had we become a banana republic or worse yet had we become just like our enemies in the com-bloc nations of the world. The answer, I think, is yes we finally have done just that - at least our premiere law enforcement department and agency seem to have done so. Now, to whom are we to look for a thorough, impartial and truly just investigation into all of this! I am guessing it could only be a tribunal of the people, by the people, for the people. May the Heavens bless America - and give us the strength to survive our fall into the abyss so we may rise again to greatness.

All the best,
Glenn B

Knocked Out Our Tax Returns Today...

...and was very happily surprised to see we had overpaid by quite the wee bit more than I would have imagined. So, we are going to get an exceptionally nice refund from the federal government and a nice one from the state too. Into the bank at least the federal refund will go. The state refund probably will be used for something on the fun side of life.

The thing that got us a very nice sized federal refund is that my wife cut back a lot on her hours at one of her two part time jobs. That was done so she could babysit our grandson when our daughter works. Well, she did that but I did not change the withholding from my federal pension, which I had already raised a year or two before to assure we would not wind up owing anything at the end of the tax year when she as working the longer hours. It made for an awfully nice refund this year of money that was never missed.

Hopefully the Trump tax plan will not hut us even though we live in uber taxed NY State The U.S. Office of Personnel Management already lowered my withholding from my pension this year but I went in and adjusted it to even a bit more than what it had been last year. I did that because I expect my wife to be working more this year, know my pension will be a bit higher than last year (Trump gave us a small cost of living raise) and am none too certain how the Trump tax plan will effect us. Anyway, I am not of the belief that me paying just the right amount or  owing a bit at the end of the year is good for us, at least not better than letting the feds hold my money and then having them return to us what I would otherwise have wasted. At least when getting a refund, we get it all at once and can either spend/bank some or all of it all at once or just stash it all away at once.

All the best,
Glenn B

Friday, February 2, 2018

Gun Safety - A Rather Risqué Primer

This video on firearms safety certainly is an eye catcher. One of the better minute & a few seconds I have spent all week.



All the best,
Glenn B

Shit - Has It Been Almost A Week...

...since I wrote my last blog-post! Work and my commute each day have kept me busy and normally would have kept me on the tired side. Getting up to hit the head somewhere between 3 to 7 times per night for a few days more than a month now has kept me exhausted. Add to that the fact I have a flulike virus or whatever, have had a tooth ache over the past few days, have gout in my left knee and you can see I have been a basket case. Took the day off today and slept about 4 extra hours this morning. That helped a bit.

I got most of my monthly bills paid today. That was a  relief because there is still some cash from my monthly pension check left over in the account. Later, if I feel up to it, I may see if we have received all of our tax papers and if so may tackle that mess. I hope they owe me and not me them.

I will try to get some blogging done over the next few days and talk about something of more interest than my maladies.

All the best,
GB