...just how I spent a few hours on one recent afternoon and evening? One look at the pic should give you a pretty good idea. (I actually did not use the oven cleaner although I had thought I would need it.)What a pain in the behind it was too, especially because once I was done I found out that the gas tube on my newly acquired SKS did not fit right. Yep, that means I finally got a replacement Yugo SKS from SAMCO after returning the one they initially sent me as 'new' but that had repaired damage on it. This one was supposed to be 'new' too, but I noticed right away that the price was about $20 or $30 less, and then saw the serial numbers on the stock and handguards did not match one another, nor did they match any of the serialized metal parts! No wonder the gas tube did not fit properly. Then there is also the gas valve that has corrosion on it, blued over corrosion at that. Otherwise it is in very good condition maybe even excellent (mind you I said otherwise), albeit refinished condition. It just ain't new - no way - not even 'new' for an arsenal refinish.I do not understand exactly what is up with ordering from SAMCO - but I am wondering if they have a problem with the word 'new' when they describe their products, or if they think I am a moron, or are they simply inept! I sent em an email requesting either a refund, or a replacement gas tube and if that fits told em I would keep the SKS - but if not then they have to give me a full refund and I'll return it. I don't know if I want to go through this a third time, so if I get a refund this time around I may just cancel the whole order. Then again third time could be the charm. Decisions, darned decisions!All the best,GB
What's this? Two revolvers in a row. You betcha! This one is a black powder reproduction of the Remington 1858 New Army. The particular one pictured is available through Cabelas (I believe it is made for them by Pietta). This is one big sized revolver, and I guess a lot of that is due to its .44 caliber. It needs the heft to control the round and load needed to propel it. It weighs in at 2 pounds 11 ounces, is 14" long and has an 8" barrel. An extra nice feature of this revolver is that it has interchangeable cylinders. No not so that you can fire another caliber, but so that you can reload 6 rounds swiftly. I don't know if this is the same model of gun, but it reminds me of the one used by Clint Eastwood, in one of his westerns years ago, where the character changed cylinders to reload. This is available from Cabelas right now at the sale price of $189.99. For a bit more it is available with target sights, and there are other models also available such as one with case hardened steel, and another with a brass frame. Go here for more info on this particular model: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0006195210082a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=remington+army&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1.I cannot afford one right now (nothing new) otherwise I would pick it up at the sale price . I have owned one or two black powder pistols over the years and I have got to say they are lots of fun. The one that comes to mind immediately was a cap and ball Derringer. I put that one together from a kit. It was a load of fun; but a six shooter in a black powder firearm as opposed to that single shot Derringer, and one for which you can get additional cylinders, sounds like an absolute blast.All the best,Glenn B
Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell on earth. Their very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be 'cured' against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level with those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with imbeciles, infants and domestic animals. - C.S. Lewis, from 'God In The Dock' (
A doff of my virtual hat to Pete K who sent me part of that quote relative to our current financial mess and politics.)
It is a good warning appropriate and applicable to the politics of today, especially so to our current administration under President Obama. Will it be heeded? I tend to doubt it, not at least until it is too late and certainly not before almost irreparable harm has been done to our nation and to our Constitution. Why is this so? Under President Obama, and under politics of the far left in general, too many people want to be among the moral busybodies who need, who are compelled by their own egos, to do good for others, to make sure that we live life as we should but always according to them. Too many believe they are in some way morally, intellectually, politically, financially, ethically, or somehow else superior to the rest of us and they are of the firm belief that they must make life better for the rest of us by ruling over us with the full force of a tyranny. They are compelled by their own conscience, their own inner demons, to do so; now the rest of us must suffer the whims, urges, compulsions, of these demons while they who exercise their will over us take solace from those same demons as if sent from Heaven itself. Sooner or later this form of government, the Nanny State as we call it today, or that of the 'benign' Depot, leads to one thing and one thing alone - revolution! The sad result is that revolution all too often results in the same type of government all over again. With luck though, and with hard work - good planning - a realization that each of us is worth his salt if we have earned it (and earn it we must), then at least for a brief spell in the scheme of things tyranny will be defeated and something akin to our great Republic will be the type of government to emerge from the battle for self rule as governed by law, and for freedom and liberty. One can only hope that someone in Washington will come to the realization that we are more than barnyard animals or mindless imbeciles before it is too late.All the best,Glenn B
...just how I spent a few hours on one recent afternoon and evening? One look at the pic should give you a pretty good idea. (I actually did not use the oven cleaner although I had thought I would need it.)
