Foreign Ammo Energy Conversions

I ordered myself a few boxes of Prvi Partizan 44 Magnum 300gr SJFP Ammunition, this evening, from Palmetto State Armory. I placed the order in anticipation of me soon to be acquiring my new Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum revolver. The gun has been shipped to my dealer and my guess is it will arrive on Monday. I will pick up a box or two of ammo from the gun store but also wanted to get a few more online because it is quite a bit less expensive than what is available locally (but make no mistake about it, 44 Mag is expensive handgun ammo).

 

I took a look at the PSA website and they offered zero additional info on the ammo other than what it is and how much it costs. I then went over to Target Sports USA's website. I knew already, they did not have it in stock because I checked earlier. I also knew that while they still showed it on their site as an out of stock item, they also had information like muzzle energy and muzzle velocity listed for it. According to the info at Target Sports USA, the muzzle velocity is 1279 FPS and the muzzle energy is 1059 foot pounds. That is pretty impressive but I wanted to make sure they got it right so I also visited the Prvi Partizan website. Prvi Partizan had some different numbers up for this ammo showing a muzzle velocity of 390 m/s (meters per second) at 0 distance, and Energy [J] at 0 distance (or in other words probably at the muzzle) of 1479.

Hmm, what the heck did all that mean. It meant I needed to get some conversions figured out. I went to my favorite conversion website, US standard & metric unit converter calculator by Science Made Simple. I was easily able to discover that 390 meters per second is equal to 1279.5 feet per second. Target Sports USA was just essentially spot on for the muzzle velocity, only off by .5 FPS. So I am guessing that when Prvi Partizan says that the Energy [J] at 0 is 1479, they mean at the muzzle. As for converting the muzzle energy from Joules to foot pounds, that site also did it for me. Muzzle energy of 1479 Joules equals 1090.85 foot pounds. That is a bit different than what it says on the Target Sports USA website for the same ammo but I will settle for either the 1091 or 1059 because either way that is going to be one heck of a hammer blow to a Brown Bear's skull or spine if Brendan and I need to defend ourselves from one during our Alaska trip. After I did those calculations online, I was using the calculator that came with Windows whatever version I have) and found out that I could have used said calculator too since it has a conversions mode.

As for the Brown Bear defense aspects of this ammo, I have done my homework to some decent degree. This ammo is in essence going to be practice ammo because I intend to buy 300 grain ammo with hard cast bullets to use when we are in the field as opposed to this ammo with its semi-jacketed flat points. If I cannot find any by the time of the trip then this Prvi Partizan stuff will have to do. In doing that homework I just mentioned, I also came to learn that bear spray is a much more effective way to handle a charging brown bear and results in less injuries and deaths (to the people) than when only using a firearm. Bear spray, from what I can gather, is an absolute necessity in brown bear country and we will have that too. I have to wait until we get to Alaska to buy it or at least to pick it up at a store after ordering it online from down here. There is no way you can legally take that size a can of pepper spray onto a plane - not in carry-on or checked luggage but I have digressed.

Getting back to the subject of this post, the info about where you can do conversions, for foreign muzzle energy and muzzle velocity measurements, is all good to know if you are buying ammo from a foreign maker who lists its ammo energy in Joules and lists its velocity in meters per second.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn  B

Emergency Food Larder Rotation - How Often Is Often Enough

I have some emergency food on hand in case of whatever. Maybe whatever will take the form of a hurricane with power outages and roads closed, a nationwide strike of leftists, civil unrest, and earthquake (even NY lies on a fault line), a military invasion, terrorism or a fucking zombie apocalypse (who knows what the future my hold and it may be as weird as that last one). t's not a lot of food, really it is not. I have enough on hand for my immediate family for maybe a month (or two if we stretch it). Every now and then, I buy something new and throw it in with the rest. Sometimes I remember to mark it with the date I figure it would best be used by. In the past, I wrote down a date a few months before the best used by date on the packaging; now I don't pay that nearly as much mind as I used to. You see, I forgot to label something back in 2011 or was it 2012. It had a best used by date of around may 2013. I found it a few days ago - a case of can chicken - whoops. I was hungry so I opened one of them but only after throwing a badly dented one in the trash. Yeah, it was probably good but I remember when I was a kid that dented cans often meant the seal got broken but that was back then. Nowadays, I think they seal them better but why take a chance, so out it went. Anyway, I put can opener to tin, gave it several twists of its handle, and I had myself what looked and smelled like some wholesome, if not delicious, canned white meat chicken.

I made myself a bowl of chicken salad by tossing in about 4 or 5 tablespoons of mayo (or more), a small handful of dried onion flakes, some garlic powder, a goodly amount of black pepper, some few dashes of sea salt, a nice dollop or three of Bauer's mustard and some Japanese green mustard sauce. It took me a big mouthful or two to realize it was excellent. I had it with a single slice of heavy rye bread (I am on a sort of on a spinoff of the Atkins diet - cutting back on carbs but eating almost everything else). That I am still here today testifies to the fact that it did not kill me. Heck, it didn't even make me belch or fart.

I can't wait to have another can of that stuff (not that I am big on canned food but I eat it when convenient). I am in no hurry though and should that chicken sit around for another year or two, I probably would not hesitate more that to give it a quick sniff and look before glomming it down. I figure it has got to be good in those cans for at least 10 years, maybe more. Hell, if I was starving after a zombie apocalypse or the devastation of a nuclear holocaust, I would eat it if it was 20 years old and still sealed. I don't know if I would go much beyond that but then it is emergency food after all.

Now, normally such is not the case with me and I usually rotate what emergency food supplies I have on hand as time goes by. As I think I wrote up above, I normally mark a date on the outside of the packaging - a date by which I figure I should use it, but it is no longer a date prior to the best if used by date. Now it is a year or two, maybe even three, after that date. If I see that the food is getting close to the date I wrote on the packaging, then I break it out and eat it. Well, I may not eat it but it does get eaten. In the case of canned green beans or corn kernels, I feed that stuff to my tortoises. They love it. When it comes to caned tuna, the whole family will wolf that down, my son will probably eat some of the chicken, maybe even my daughter when she visits but I doubt my wife will touch it. Something else, that I know my wife will not eat, is Spam. No worries there though, my son and I both love it. Of course, if it truly was a SHTF situation where food was low, everyone would be glad I had it stashed away. If it comes to TEOTWAWKI, heck they would be happy not only to have it but to fight for it to protect it from vandals, thieves, scavengers and berserkers (or in other words from leftists). Still though, I am guessing it would be best to rotate what emergency food stores one has in stock about no more than within a year or three of the expiration of the best used by date. I know, it doesn't say "expires on" or "must use before", it says "best used by"; so it will almost certainly always last loner than that, but why take too many chances.

Luckily, we don't have to depend on an old man in a cave to tell us whether or not the food we have in store is bad or good; I use my nose for that and if worse came to worse would use a Geiger counter. Then again, it might not be such a bad thing to have an old geezer watching out for you!
 

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

 

All the best,

Glenn B

30 Days Without An Ale or Bier...

...and I must say, it's about time I enjoy one or three tonight. I have been on a lower carbohydrate diet (note, I did not say low carbohydrate diet) during which I have cut out all candy (with the exception of maybe 5-6 lemon drops), all cake, all cookies, all chips, almost all pretzels and even a lot of my normal bread and other carbs intake. Back on April 13, I wrote up a post about this all in which I admitted I had one hard cider in the first two weeks of my diet. Now, that wasn't like I was being a teetotaler, I was still drinking hard spirits (no carbs) but yes, I even had cut back on them. back then, it seemed I had not lost a pound but I should point out that hen weighed a few days later, I was down 3 or 4 pounds. Not much but a start.

I have not weighed myself since back then and have absolutely no clue if I have lost any additional weight since then and I have not been exercising regularly, hell almost none at all as far a cardio goes and except for the fact I have been doing yard work a few days a week and going to home depot to pick up some heavy stuff another day or two per week, I would have almost zero exercise. before  go on much more, let me clarify something, while I have not weighed in lately to see if any poundage has come off, I am pretty sure I have lost weight so yes I do have a clue. Today, while putting down lumber and concrete blocks for a raised garden bed, with the shoveling and pushing around soul that went with it, my pants just about fell off three  or four times. I'm guessing I must have lost another pound or three. Not more than that mind you because I am still a fat slob but that is all it takes when I am not wearing a belt for my pants to start wanting to drop off. I have also noticed my face looks thinner or at least less rotund.

I guess that is all well and good. It would even be okay, I suppose, if I had not lost a pound. The main purpose of my diet was not so much to lose weight as it was to lower my blood sugar. I truly have no idea if that has been lowered or not, that will require a trip to my doctor for a fasting blood test. My guess though would be that I have had to have done so. If I get tested and the glucose levels have not gone down, I was border line diabetic, then something is amiss with the test or with my glands (the adrenal glands can cause diabetes when not functioning properly and once addressed blood sugar returns to normal). I imagine though that I was borderline diabetic because I glommed down high sugar and high carbohydrate snacks like a nonstop eating machine and did little exercise to burn it all off. Even when I started regularly exercising for several months, the levels did not go down much. So, in an attempt to avoid diabetes, here I am eating a lower carbohydrate and sugar diet. I hope it is working and sooner or later, maybe when we get back from Alaska in early June, I will have the appropriate tests to see how I am doing.

Tonight though, I am cheating on the diet. I just had a nice soft pretzel with some horseradish mustard on it and am still enjoying a V-Twelve Ale by Victory Brewing Company. As the name implies, it is 12% alcohol by volume. That is one heck of an alcohol level for a an ale and I must say that this particular Belgian style abbey ale lives up to what it says on the bottle's label - Liquid Luxury. It is one of the most delicious ales I have ever imbibed. I am not going to go into all that ritualistic yuppy-leftist tomfoolery, or right leaning-smug-snobbery, stuff about it tasting like it has hints of berries and nuts with an after taste of allspice and apples but I will say it is an excellent and great tasting ale. It comes in a 1 pint 9.4 fluid ounce bottle which is just enough to catch a bit of a buzz from one and a decent buzz from two, especially after the potato vodka and moonshine cherry cocktail I enjoyed before popping the cork on the ale. I strongly recommend it. If I can find more of it on my next trip to Costco, I will buy several of them.

Anyway, I figured that after 30 days of dieting (I started it on march 30), whether or not I have lost even a single pound, or have lowered my blood sugar or not, I was long overdue for a good ale or bier and this one is certainly as good as I could have wanted after that long of a drought.

If you ever want to check out some good beers and ales, I recommend Victor brewing Company. While I have only had five of the brews they offer to date, every one so far was excellent. See what they offer here: http://www.victorybeer.com/beers/.

All the best,
Glenn B

Obama and GDP Growth - A Disaster

Unless there is some sort of economic miracle for the United States over the about the next nine months, President Obama is looking like he is set to become one of the worst presidents ever (fourth from the bottom) relative to the growth of the GDP (kids, if you don't know what is the GDP, go back to school and pay attention and if your teachers don't know - well they should be fired). More here.

I seem to vividly recall how leftists and other assorted moon-bat liberals loved to harangue Ronald Reagans trickle down economics but truth be told he did better than the current NIC when it came to the growth of the GDP. My bet though is that now, the left will say the GDP is not an indicator of economic growth; after all what is a good leftist to do when they can't have the facts going their way? They twist it and turn the facts, lie about them and corrupt them until  they make right to suit themselves - even if the result is pure bullshit.

My thanks and a hat tip to PVQ for having the link on his FB page.

All the best,
GB

I Was Browsing Through Today In History Type Sites...

...when I saw that today was the wedding anniversary of a very infamous couple although, the he was much more infamous than the she since she was usually in the background. He was truly evil and she, she was somehow his lover, probably more in a twisted sexual way than anything else but the fact is they got married and it was likely out of love. It was a move of desperation for them; they both knew they did not have long to live. Yet, it probably was still an act of real love.

It is not something people often think about when considering the lives of these two people or just the more infamous one of the couple but there it is, they were married on April 29, 1945, full knowing death was upon them. In fact, just one day later - both Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun were dead (probably by suicide or murder suicide). I can't quite wrap my mind around which one of those acts, the marriage or the suicide or maybe both, showed us that Adolf Hitler had human desires, needs and emotions other than raging hatred. In his own terribly twisted mind, he needed and wanted a loving relationship like the rest of us and he could, probably did in fact, actually love someone.

There was no reason for him to marry Eva Braun otherwise. He  just as easily could have kicked her out of the bunker. Then again, maybe that would have been the more loving thing to have done. Anyway, it just struck me as freaky that such a monster as Hitler could really have loved anyone and that anyone could have loved an evil madman like him in return. No matter how much it boggles one's mind though, they were married. She signed her name "Eva Br Hitler" on their marriage certificate and of his love for her and her love for him there is little if any doubt. Just because you can love though does not mean you are not evil personified and what two words fit Hitler than those.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Prefer Cruz As The Nominee But He Is Getting...

...just a bit ridiculous in that he announced Carly Fiorina as his VP running mate at this early stage.

Is he out of his mind picking her now. No, I suppose not. I suppose there is some logic to it, at least to a man in dire straits like Cruz. That logic would be, that by announcing a woman as his running mate now, he main gain some momentum in the upcoming primary in Indiana. Wait a minute, did I just say that is logical - the desperation in that move  may really mean he is out of his mind. He is not going to win Indiana. He is not going to win the nomination. It is going to Trump unless the Rebooblikans screw him over and thus give Clinton the win by selecting anyone else as their nominee. Then, that could be exactly what they want to do, just ask Fred.

http://fredoneverything.org/the-mask-comes-off-putrefaction-most-foul/

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Remington 721 Barrel

On the off chance one of my readers may need a barrel for a rifle of yesteryear, I am selling a Remington 721 barrel. See the ad at the link:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=555632009

All the best,
Glenn B

It's Sort Of A Trump Ad...

...isn't it?

All the best,
GB

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
GB

What Voters Look Like

Actually, I think that is quite off he mark. The angry people, those who want to fight the establishment, are voting for Trump too and in much greater numbers than for Cruz. Let's face it, they are pissed off and want to do something about current politics and they are not sheeple by a longshot.

 

I much prefer Cruz , his politics are closer to mine than any other candidate in the running right now. As far his policies with which I do not agree go, I probably can tolerate them. That said, I must also say that I am beginning to believe that Cruz does not stand even as much of a chance as Kasich of winning the nomination and that is disappointing. Of course Kasich can only get in by the same old underhandedness with which we have become familiar on the part of Republicans in recent years. I know one thing, if Kasich gets the nod from the RNC, I will never vote for a Republican again.

 

I also know one other thing, if Trump actually gets the nomination you had best think hard deciding not to vote because he is the candidate as many say they will do. Not voting for him because you do not agree with him on some of the issues would only allow that piece of leftist white trash, Hillary Clinton, to destroy America. If there is only one thing I believe about Trump - and that I think you can believe too - it is that he truly wants to make America great again and because of that it will not be politics as usual if and when he gets in.

 

A hat tip to Sarah C who had that pic posted on her FB page.

 

All the best,

Glenn B

A Lot Less Of Everyman's Evening Eyeful...

...is probably forthcoming. One of my favorite readers has been visiting my sight a lot less lately because of the photos I post in Everyman's Evening Eyeful. I guess to some folks it is an eyesore not an eyeful. It may seem less than evenhanded on my part but since this lady's friendship means much to me, I think I'll be dropping the daily postings of Everyman's Evening Eyeful. You can easily find that stuff yourselves by doing a Google search or looking through Reddit.

I may just post them on the weekends, or one or twice per week, or something like that or I may stop it altogether. I need to think on it a bit. For now though, the ones I already have scheduled, which are about a weeks worth, will post as planned. After that, I can find something else to post.

Please note, she did not ask me to remove Everyman's Evening Eyeful, nor even hint that I do so. I am merely going to do whatever I do with it, cut it back or just stop posting it altogether, out of respect for her sensitivities. because I appreciate her feedback on my blog and because she is truly a very nice person and a good friend even though we have never met face to face.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

 

All the best,

Glenn B

Gunpowder & Alcohol Do Not Mix...

... and that goes for anyone including police officers.

A New York City Police officer, Brendan Cronin, who was arrested in April 2014 for reportedly randomly shooting two men as they sat in their car at a red light, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. He was facing up to 25 years and, I think, got off relatively easy after copping a plea by pleading guilty to attempted murder among other charges. He supposedly was so totally shitfaced drunk at the time of the shooting that when arrested he said did not remember anything. He also reportedly told arresting officers that he was "on the job" - a phrase meaning he was a police officer. Prior to the shooting, he reportedly had spent the day at the NYPD range at Rodman's Neck, in the Bronx. After that it is reported he went out drinking with friends (whom I suspect were other officers) in a bar near to the range during which time he consumed several drinks including multiple whiskies and beers. More here and here.

There was apparently no way out of this for him, otherwise I would bet he would never have plead guilty. There reportedly was a surveillance video of some sort, never released to the public, showing the shooting. It evidently would have resulted in his being nailed to a cross had he plead not guilty and gone to trial in my estimation.

Yes, the victims are both suing the city, the NYD and the shooter.
New York City probably will be paying mega-bucks to the plaintiffs due to this sloshed shithead shooter.

It is best never to mix gunpowder and alcohol but if you are going to drink while armed, then at least do so in moderation if you must do it at all and make sure you firearm has been unloaded, taken down and secured before taking the fist sip. It may save you some jail time, a lot of money and headaches and may result in someone not getting shot.

All the best,
Glenn B

Lest You Think I Forgot - Happy Passover...

...to all of you who celebrate it. I headed upstate on Friday evening and did not think of getting the greeting done before I left although I kind of, sort of, did not forget it was Passover's commencement at sundown that day. How could I forget in the traffic I hit while traversing NYC! Anyway, it is not over yet, it last for a few days more and I wish you a truly happy celebration of the passing over of your children by the wrath of God.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Is It Odd That I Have A Favorite Pot?

No, I don't mean a favorite variety of marijuana, I mean pot in which we cook things.

It used to belong to my great-grandparents. They made things like goulash or stewed paprika chicken in it. Whatever they cooked in it was delicious as far as I can remember, in fact I have never eaten better goulash than what Poppy used to make in it (but I must admit my wife's goulash is it's equal as is her paprika chicken the equal of Poppy and Mommy's).

As far as I know, it is pure and very thick aluminum although I guess it could be some sort of alloy. I am also going to guess that if you wanted to buy one like it today, it might not cost an arm and a leg but would set you back at least one of them. It probably wasn't cheap when it was first purchased either.

I cooked some really excellent seafood chowder in it not too long ago. Shrimp, scallops, squid, octopus or octopi as you prefer (or is it octopussies), and clams in red wine (this time it was Beaujolais but I also use sherry at times) with a little salt and pepper and a secret spice added. It was absolutely delicious but probably did a good deal of clogging a artery or three. Yesterday the wife made spaghetti and meat balls and simmered the meatballs in the sauce in that pot for hours. It was heavenly.

As for how long it's been in the family, I seem to recall it as far back as when I was a lad between 6 and 7 or so and my bet would be that Mommy and Poppy had it for years before that. It is a friggin family heirloom, I hope it stays in the family for a long, long, long time and that my descendants love it and what is cooked in it as much as I have done to date.

All the best,
Glenn B

Hmm, Is That Rotting Buttered Popcorn I Smell...

...or is it something else? That could have been the question that a movie theater asked herself before opening a door to an emergency stairwell from which a strong odor was emanating. It wasn't buttered popcorn at all but the week old decomposing remains of a woman who had died there. More here.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Must Be Losing My Mind - I'm Selling Guns (or at least trying)

Shit, I listed three guns for sale today - what is wrong with me!

As for the guns I am selling, with two of them - a Taurus PT140 G2 Millenium and a Savage Stevens Model 320 Security Shotgun (version with scope rail) - I will have absolutely no qualms about selling and being rid of them. I have absolutely no use for any handgun in .40 S&W, especially the PT140 G Millennium - it is the replacement Taurus sent me for the PT145 Millennium Pro (.45 ACP) that I sent to them under a recall. (By the way, I received a letter from Taurus last week saying I should expect to be contacted by them soon, at which time they will propose something to make me a satisfied Taurus customer again. That time has apparently not arrived yet and I am still waiting.) As far as the shotgun goes, it has a pistol grip. I do not like the pistol grip or shooting with it but let me tell you I know someone who loves it. My buddy Arthur I. Tis apparently cannot get enough of it cause he comes on strong after I shoot with pistol grip Model 320. 

If I sell the third one, my Marlin X7 in .308 WIN, that may result in a good amount of seller's remorse. I like everything about it except for the fact that it has an internal magazine. In that regard, I prefer my Savage Axis XP with removable box magazine. I also like the fact that the Savage's metal parts are stainless steel. Yet, the Axis has one heck of a stiff and creepy trigger and therein may lie the seller's remorse because the Marlin X7 has an exceptionally smooth and crisp trigger and it is adjustable down to 2.5 pounds. That is nice, very nice. I wish the darned Axis XP had Savage's Accu-Trigger but it does not.

Right now, I have the Marlin and the Taurus listed only in a local gun forum's firearms for sale area. It would be easy enough to pull the Marlin's sale offering, it's not like it's on GunBroker where any legitimate bid would mean I would be obliged to sell it. Speaking of GunBroker.com. that is where I have the Savage Stevens Model 320 listed.

I don't know exactly what has possessed me as of late but it's not like I am suddenly anti-gun or anything like that. Maybe I have an affliction that is affecting my better judgment, maybe not. Maybe I can just use the money, after all our Alaska trip is just over a month away and I could sure use some cash for that. That second one is the much more likely reason but I have to tell you, good reason or not, it will do nothing to alleviate the aching emptiness one feels when one suffers from seller's remorse.

All the best,
Glenn B

I'm Selling A Shotgun

I am selling my Savage Stevens Model 320 shotgun. If you are interested, you can see it here:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=554894548

Yeah, I know, I should have cleaned it better before taking pictures but truth be told, I was too lazy. Regardless, it is a decent deal on this shotgun since it is the version with the rail, which is the more expensive of the different offerings for this model.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Who Would Have Thunk It - A Helpful Guide From ATF (BATFE)

It is not often that firearms owners think of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives as being helpful to gun owners, they often can be whether they meant to be or not. I have found them helpful when requesting information about C&R firearms and how to obtain a C&R license. Truth be told though, we should not ever be required to obtain such a license for any reason and thus ATF can be seen as a hindrance to our rights and liberties. After all, what are regulations but restrictions of liberties and rights. All that aside, the ATF does sometimes provide the firearms enthusiast with some helpful information. For example, they have a decent illustrated PDF publication that should be very helpful to someone not particularly familiar with firearms nomenclature.

It is not as complete on the subject as it could, or probably should, be and even contains at least one mistake (or somewhat less than fully accurate description of a part as it showed a magazine floor plate and indexed it as a magazine) that I caught at first glance but nonetheless, I think it should be helpful to inexperienced and experienced shooters alike who are seeking knowledge of firearms related terminology. See it here:

https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/firearms-imporation-verification-guidebook-terminology-nomenclaturepdf/download

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

 

All the best,
Glenn B

Some Fucker Tried To Open An Account...

...with my wife's ID today, or recently, through Capital One Bank. They contacted me about it today and dealing with that took all the time in my half hour lunch. I checked her credit report and mine this evening when I got home. It does not look like anything is amiss, at least not yet. As I understand it, it can take a month for something to show on the credit report. Anyway, it did show credit inquiries made by capital One on both her and me a couple of days ago. Now I have to call them back to see why they ran a check on me too, maybe just part of the checks they ran when the fraudster tried to open an account in my wife's name or maybe something else targeting me.

I have at least two credit protection plans at the current time, my wife at least one plan, none of them picked this up and reported it to us! What could I expect, I got one from a private company where my identity was stolen and another (including my wife's) for the U.S. government after OPM let thieves steal tens of millions of federal employees and retirees info. Oh well, am keeping my fingers crossed and will have to check with those credit & ID protection plans to see what is going on and why they did not catch it and report it to us.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Mr. Islamist Never Hangs Around - When He Hears This Mighty Sound

'Oink, oink, "Here I come to save the day" means that mighty pig is on his way, oink, oink, oink...'

For those of you too young to get the mighty pig thing, click here. If you don't get the point of the image, go vote for Bernie or Hillary.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
GB

I Took The Plunge And Ordered A 44 Magnum

I'd procrastinated long enough and if I would have put it off much longer there was a good chance we would be going to Alaska next month without a backup revolver for bear defense. So it was time and today was that time and I went to my dealer and I placed an order and he said it should be at the store by the end of the week. That means I should have it on my license by early or mid next week. Now to think about getting some ammo for it. I intend to get at least a couple hundred rounds to a case of 44 magnum and one or two boxes (at most) of solid core ammo for actual use in the field. That way we can get used to firing this beast with the less expensive ammo and also fire just enough rounds of the more expensive solid ore ammo to make sure it is sighted in for it before we leave for the north country. Of course, I'll also need a decent holster for it - nothing fancy - just something good enough to be comfortable and to assure the revolver is there by my side when needed.

With all that, I am certain that pretty soon my bank account be hurting from lack of anything to keep it filled up. Hopefully my boss will be calling me in for a decent amount of work before Brendan and I leave on our trip. That way, I can heal the cash gushing gash that this purchase is about to make in my savings account. Knowing a bit about shooting and breaking in a new handgun, I am figuring my bank account is not the only thing that will soon be in pain - so to will my arms and shoulders. As for them, I guess I'll not only have to shoot it frequently but will have to do some weight training toward strengthening the muscles used to hold a revolver. It won't require much weight but will require lots of repetitions and a good amount of time holding the weight out while in a pistol grip stance. I want to do that because the revolver will weigh in at about 3/4 of a pound more than the heaviest handgun that I already own (unloaded weights). A mere 3/4 of a pound may not seem like much, at least until you are at the range, taking time to slow fire, and have your arms out in front of you as you would when shooting and then get thumped by the recoil again and again and again. Then, I am guessing it may seem like 10 pounds were added to the equation. So a little bit of strengthening up my arms is in order. As far as Brendan goes, he works hard all day making deliveries by truck. His arms are probably fine but I'll try to get in some shooting with him in a freer state, like PA, where he can legally shoot a handgun at a range.

Shit, I forgot to say what it is that I ordered! It's a Ruger Redhawk Model 5029 (strange they do not show that model on their website) 44 Rem Mag revolver with 5.5" barrel and high visibility front sight. I put the cart before the horse and ordered it before conforming with Ruger that the front sight on this one is readily interchangeable with the ramp front sight they have on other Redhawk revolvers. If they get back to me and tell me no, then I am going to change the order to the regular model with 5.5" barrel topped by the ramp front sight. My dealer told me they are interchangeable but I want to make darned sure that they are before paying for it. I also want to find out why the other 5.5" barrel Redhawk models are shown as 11" total length and this one as 10.8" while the weight and all other specs, except front sights, are the same for each model. By the way, the unloaded weight of this monster is 49 ounces - that's 3.6 pounds. I ordered one other thing for it too, three (3) HKS Speedloaders.

Now to start looking for ammo and a holster.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

Light Blogging Expected This Week

I am scheduled to work a few days this week and will probably spend the other(s) one(s) trying to arrange for an estimate for a new garage door. One of the springs on our old door snapped in two. I figure we're lucky no one was in the garage at the time. Had anyone been in the path of the spring part, attached to a pulley and cable, that went flying toward the door it most assuredly would have resulted in a serious injury.

Since I will be tied up with that other stuff, I expect light blogging; however, gentlemen, Everyman's Evening Eyeful posts have been prescheduled for the whole week already.

All the best,
Glenn B

UC Berkley Reportedly Cutting 500 Jobs - Who Would Have Thunk It

Apparently, the leftists and liberal whiners at that school, who called for an increase in the minimum wage for school employees, did not think of it nor did their compatriots in the unions that called for the same wage increases. More here.

The conditions at UC Berkley should be taken as a warning of what is to come if the everything for free socialist Bernie Sanders or the redistribution of your money diva Hillary Clinton are elected to the presidency. If either one wins we will in all likelihood be brought to our fiscal knees.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Western World Is Commiting Suicide By Islamist

A man, who as a child was a so called "poster boy" for integrating Muslin refugees into Sweden and who starred in a 2005 Swedish documentary called  ‘Without Borders — A Film About Sport And Integration’ has reportedly been arrested as a suspect in a bombing, a terrorist act, that killed at least 32 in Brussels. He is reportedly seen on video carrying the explosives (source). 

By way of my rights under the first amendment, I must point out that I am of the personal opinion that: When any country in the west invites refugees from any Muslim nation to within its borders, it is in effect potentially inviting its own killers and conquerors onto its soil. That politicians, bureaucrats, leftists and other
whining arsehats have not realized this and taken appropriate steps to insure the safety and lives of their citizens truly is mind boggling. Political correctness be damned, let's start living with a survival mindset instead of a suicidal one.

All the best,
Glenn B

You Have Got To Select Your Robbery Victims Better...

...than did the alleged robber wearing the white hat. When you walk into a place to rob it, pull a handgun and then announce you are committing a robbery, you had best hope that the guy to whom you are closest is not an off duty police officer with a survivor's mindset. Witnesses inside the store stated that the suspect had announced a robbery (source).

In this instance, the officer did everything right from what I could tell (with that big whited out circle obscuring the view). The greater part of the video shows the suspect walking around outside the business, then finally entering a about 2 minutes and 13 seconds of the video. It takes a little while after that to get to the action because they then cut to what is going on inside before he enters the store.



There was no hesitation on the officer's part to defend himself and everyone else in the store; he had the right mindset. Trying to draw on the guy and say "Police don't move, drop your gun" would only give the bad guy the time to point his weapon and fire. For all I know though, the officer may have even said something as he drew and brought his own weapon to bear on the suspect but as I said - he did not hesitate and fired. The alleged bad guy was still holding his gun, his hands were not raised in surrender or anything like that - shooting him was the right thing to do as far as I can tell. Why detectives supposedly said they are trying to determine if the guy pointed his gun at the officer is confusing - the threat was there and imminent regardless.

A follow-up article on the shooting says the suspect not only drew a pistol (which has reportedly been confirmed as a replica) but also drew a knife and opened it. That only made the threat even worse and considering the fighting stance that the guy took, the officer made the only decision he should have and could have made to assure every potential victim in the store survived unharmed.

You can bet though, that Black Lives Matter, the ACLU or some other group of anti-cop and bigoted arsehats is going to whine and moan that the alleged robber did not have his pistol pointed at anyone and thus he did not pose a threat. Let's get real here for a moment - when a guy walks in, draws a pistol, pulls out and opens a knife, and announces he is robbing the place that makes the threat to life or of serious bodily harm both real and imminent. The fact that he is holding the gun and knife at the moment he announced the robbery would or should give any REASONABLE person probable cause to believe that they imminently are about to be either killed or suffer serious bodily harm. In my opinion, if the facts are as reported in the article, that was a good shoot - plain sand simple.

All the best,
Glenn B

Everyman's Evening Eyeful

All the best,
Glenn B

What Weapon???????????

Has it come to cops thinking a holster is a weapon? It seems so because not only did someone call in a bogus call to campus police that a man had an "unconcealed weapon" but the officers were responded and acted as if a holster, an empty on at that, amounted to a weapon (source).



As for the attitude of the 'suspect' versus that of the officers, I think the student was much more respectful than the officers (mind you the kind of wise arse student was apparently someone off camera). I think the white haired cop should be retrained on how to deal effectively and respectfully with the public and possibly disciplined because of his piss poor attitude and his seeming total disrespect for a citizen. His stepping back later did nothing to alleviate what had already passed, in my opinion.

The other officer was more respectful but I had to wonder, how many times did the guy have to tell him he did not have a weapon? That officer's insistence that the student needed permission from the school to wear an empty holster was foolish at best and apparently a total misinterpretation of the rules as is evidenced by the fact that the citation he issued to the student was later rescinded by the school. Writing him a citation was not only ridiculous but evidently without legal merit at all. The officers may have also failed understand who was, and deal with, the real troublemaker in this incident, the person who called in a student with an "unconcealed weapon". I have to wonder again - what weapon!

I understand them checking out the call but the way they did was all wrong. Once they confirmed the student was unarmed they should have bid him good day and been on their way to educate the caller who initiated the whole mess in the first place. No matter how you look at it, a man wearing an empty holster is not a man carrying an "unconcealed weapon"!

All the best,
Glenn B

The Rationale As To Why She Opted To Defend Herself

The below video was posted on YouTube back in 2012. So, the incident depicted happened that year or before. Too bad the word of why the pharmacist had decided to acquire pepper spray, and not just any pepper spray, has not been spread to more people. It is the same exact argument that can and should be used to arm yourself with a firearm for self-defense purposes.



Luckily all that was needed in this situation was pepper spray but had it been me, in a first encounter with the guy, then as soon as I had read the note I likely would have opted to have taken cover and then drawn my sidearm and depending on what happened may well have shot him. I would have had all the evidence, in that note, that I would have needed to have shown I had probable cause to believe that he posed an imminent threat of serious bodily harm or death to me.

As for the pharmacist, her rationale was flawless - she knew how long it would take for law enforcement to answer a 911 call and by that she obviously meant it was too long.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Think A Hammer Is The Solution...

..the head not the claw.


It's Not About the Nail from Jason Headley on Vimeo.

A hat tip and my thanks to Mike McC for this one.

All the best,
Glenn B

On The Fence About A Bear Gun

I have been considering a 357 Magnum revolver instead of a 44 Magnum as a bear defense gun for our upcoming Alaska trip. That would be as backup to bear spray and to a Remington 870 shotgun.

The reasoning behind me even considering a 357 is that while the 357 not as powerful as a 44 Magnum, it is probably easier to control and thus much quicker with which to get off an aimed 
second shot or possibly third - which in all likelihood would be the outside highest number of rounds you could get off at a charging Brown Bear (1). Note that I put the word reasoning in italics because the reference article containing that opinion seemed based upon little more than an opinion with little to back it up. Then again, I suppose each of the three articles I present as references in this blog post are opinions although the other two seem somewhat more substantial in the amount of thought put into them.

Getting back to the caliber choices, the 357 is also considered by some, to be suitable for defense in Brown Bear country (2). Adding that consideration t the premise of the first article I indexed, I started to lean to the 357. While you might be able to get off two or even three shots with a 44 Magnum, reacquiring the target, and then reengaging with a second well aimed shot, after the recoil of the initial shot, will take a bit longer with the 44 than with a 357. A good aim, at the central nervous system is an absolute must to stop one of those steam rollers with huge teeth and bigger claws. If you can get that on the first shot all might be well and fine and result in a one shot kill. I tend to doubt that - when my or Brendan's knees are giving out, or when our bladders have let go a warm stream down our legs and the pucker factor has just let loose behind us - either one of us might get off a perfectly aimed first shot as we are being charged by one of the great bears. It may be that well aimed but who can tell until it happens and you actually shoot that well under such fearfully intense pressure. Even if we were able to stand our ground with steely and icy cold reserve and a belly full of the grittiest true grit, while facing one of those monsters eye to eye, I would hope for at least two shots and better yet three. Thus, lately, I have been leaning toward a 357 from my precarious perch on the fence.

I suppose it was inevitable that the next article I would find on the subject did not completely discount the use of a 357 but blatantly said that at best it is marginal for large bears. The writer of that opinion openly admitted to not being an expert (maybe his advice is best) and also admitted to never having hunted bears. Yet he rather eloquently said one of the most thought provoking things out of all the authors whose works I have read on the subject of whether or not a 357 is suitable for great bears:

"A note on grizzly bears: they are smart, strong, mean, bulky, motivated and fast. The grizzly bear is the one predator in North America that truly inspires terror in my heart. No matter what you can do, he can do it better. He or she can be merciless in defending turf or litter, and may just kill you for kicks." (3)

After reading that I have to admit the 357 may not be enough. That is true especially if one shot is all we could take. In that scenario, it seems logical we would rather have all the power we could get out of 44 Magnum. Some of the gun gurus consider the 44 magnum to be the low end of a bear defense caliber (4). The fourth referenced article completely rules out 357 Magnum and 41 Magnum rounds. Now that I reminded myself of these last two references, here I am again not leaning either way - sitting straight up on the center of the fence - and my arse is starting to hurt because I have been sitting here so long trying to make up my mind about which to get. I definitely am not going to go for a larger caliber revolver than a 44 Magnum, no matter that some believe it the low end for great bear, if only because I truly believe the revolver would be both too heavy and have too much recoil. It is not easy making up your mind with all these experts out there with differing advice. What makes it more difficult is living in an area where there are no guns shops/ranges at which I can rent a 44 to test fire it and see how well I do. There is one in PA, at least a couple of hours away but I have not had the chance to visits it and time is running short to order a revolver. I may not order one today as I had hoped but I hope to order it at least by the middle of the week and am determined to do so by the end of the week at the latest! Decisions, decisions...

One of the things, other than the actual guns and caliber of the ammo, that is talked about in some of the reference materials I have looked over, is the bullet type in any given bear defense caliber ammunition. From what I can gather, hollow points (in handgun rounds) should be avoided as bear defense rounds and solid points of one type or another should be chosen. If I go with the smaller caliber 357, I think I would opt for a round with a solid lead core bullet. Corbon offers this one, their 357, 200 grain, Hunter HC. HSM offers this one, a 180 grain, hard cast, RNFP-GC Bear Load. The Chuck Hawks article also made mention of a similar round by Federal but I searched for it and it does not seem to be available in the current market. I would also go for a similar round in 44 Magnum if available, but right now they do not seem available from any manufacturer.I n lieu of that, I would go with something like this, the Prvi Partizan 44 Remington Magnum, 300 grain semi jacketed soft point. Decisions, decisions...

So, I am still on the fence. I don't have to make up my mind by the time I get to my dealer today but I would like to select one before then or at least have a much better idea of which I want. Either way - decision made or not - I am going to talk this over with Bruce, from Hunter's Essentials. Bruce is the owner and is also a very experienced hunter from what I can tell. His experience may be able to convince me one way or the other and I don't think the price difference (as in profit difference) will sway his judgment to steer me toward the one that would make him a few more bucks.

All the best,
Glenn B

Footnotes:
1. http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/game-changers/how-pick-right-sidearm-backup-bear-protection
2. http://www.chuckhawks.com/protection_field.htm
3. http://www.snubnose.info/docs/grizzly_357.htm
4. http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2014/8/13/packing-pistols-in-bear-country/

Did You Make A Firearms Purchase On BAG Day?

Yesterday, was tax day, for all of us here in the USA who are required to pay personal income taxes, or for at least those of us who follow the law. It was also BAG day; otherwise known as Buy A Gun day. I have not seen anything on it as of late but I figured why let what should become a good, all American, tradition fall by the wayside.

While I did not buy a gun, and that only because I had difficulty with the website from which I was trying to order a revolver, I did order some ammunition. Yeah, I know, it's not the same as getting a gun but I hope to complete the gun order today; I did not want to let the actual day of BAG Day go by without at least celebrating it in spirit by ordering something at least related to guns thus an ammo order.

After ordering that ammo, a case (200 rounds) of Remington's 35 Remington, 200 grain, Core-Lokt soft points, there is little if anything left with which to buy a gun in my checking account. In fact, there is zilch that I can put toward a gun. The solution to that is to buy it with my American Distress Express card and then take the money out of my suPer sekRit saving account meant for our upcoming Alaska trip. I had thought that the 35 REM ammo would be the last I was going to buy online (or anywhere for that matter) but if I buy a revolver today, I am going to need to buy ammo for it. Had I been thinking, I would have ordered ammo for the revolver but something told me to wait until I actually have it in hand before buying ammo for it. 

I'm certain though, it will be the last batch of 35REM ammo I buy in a long, long, long, long time. That is not only because I probably will have enough to last me about 5 or maybe even 10 years but because it is so darned expensive. Right now, the elusive 200 grain Remington Core-Lokt is going for $1.50 per round and that was the best price I could find because it comes with free shipping. Free shipping or not, just thinking I paid that much for it makes my wallet say ouch. I had not seen that particular ammo for sale, from a dealer that would ship it to NY, for over 6 months - maybe closer to a year.

So there it is - my BAG day purchase and as I said, before this day is over I hope to purchase a revolver too. I had been thinking of getting a Ruger Redhawk stainless steel revolver, with either 4.2" or 5.5" barrel, in 44 magnum; however, I am on the fence and leaning over toward buying a stainless steel Ruger GP100, with a 4.2" or 6" barrel, in .357 Magnum. Decisions, decisions...

All the best,
Glenn B