SAIGA .308

You may remember my son turned 18 at the end of last year. With that came his liberty to buy and possess firearms - yes even here in anti-gun, tyrannical, ultra-liberal New York. He was surprised to learn that now he could indeed go out and make a purchase of his own firearms without me in tow. Somehow though, I thought he may have lost interest in getting himself his first self purchased gun, I guess simply because he has not said much about it in several months.

Tonight though he surprised me. he told me he had been in a gun shop just a few blocks from our house (small store, but exceedingly high prices on some things I have seen there) and that he had checked on the availability of SAIGA rifles. They have a SAIGA in .223 for the price of $350. I guess not too bad considering I can buy one online for $329 plus shipping, plus an FFL fee (probably at least $50 around here,but likely to be more). He did not ask the gun shop clerk, but my guess is it comes with one magazine (10 shot for .223 I think). The one online comes with 4 10 shot magazines. Still though $350 is not all that high from what I can gather. He was also told by the store clerk that they would be getting them in 7.62x39 soon. I told Brendan that he should consider getting one in .308, a much better round than either of the others. He is going to go back to the store to inquire if they can get one in that caliber.

The rifles are not bad at all from what I can gather. They are sturdy work horses, based on the AK design, and are fairly accurate out to 200 to 300 yards. They are available with a 16.3" or 21.8 inch barrel, and come with either wood or synthetic stocks. They are manufactured or imported by Russian American Armory, see this link for more info:

http://www.raacfirearms.com/Saiga_308.htm

I should point out, I also told Brendan that if he really wants one he should save up his money for one of these rifles. Then Brendan told me that he has been saving all of his change toward just that end. That was a pleasant surprise for me. I don't know how much he has saved, but my guess is he could save $400 or so in change, enough for the rifle plus tax and maybe an extra mag and some ammo, in about a year or less. We will see how this works out, and I'll keep you advised of any real progress toward this goal. If I am lucky he will save enough for two of them and buy one for me too.

It seems I have planted the seed of an American Rifleman within the soul of my son. That my friends is a good thing indeed.

All the best,

Glenn B

The Gun Thing...

...has been getting to me lately; or maybe I should say it is the lack of me being able to buy a gun in quite awhile that has gotten to me. Sure, I ordered a M1916 Spanish Mauser recently, but those are on back order and I'll not likely see it for at least several months. What I am talking about is I have not bought a new, used, or surplus firearms in way too long, and what with the Heller Decision to celebrate, National Buy A Gun Day having come and gone, my interest in shooting and collecting firearms, my interest in hunting, and well - it just as if all those have ganged up against me like little mischievous spirits. Lately those little imps have been whispering into my ear that I need to buy a new gun Alas I have little ready cash, and I am certainly not putting one on plastic since I just did that when I ordered the Mauser. So if I want one I need to figure out how to make some quick cash, or how to save some of the money I am already earning, but currently have allocated for other things.

Saving in today's world isn't easy. Finding a quick cash making deal is not easy either. Heck with the price of everything going up on what seems a daily basis, by the time I get enough money saved for any gun which suits my fancy, well chances are it will just be too darned expensive because its price will also have gone up. I could be at it a long time with the rifle and pistol I have in mind too - yes there are two of them that have kindled my internal flames enough to have warmed my heart toward them.

First let me cover the pistol, and I'll do it briefly because I have written about it before, and you can always rad about it there. So let me just say, I would like to become the owner of a Heckler and Koch P2000SK Sub Compact. It is one heck of a nice pistol, and I think I can pick one up at a significant discount (last time I checked anyhow). I mean just look at it, then read up on its specs, and imagine the quality of this finely made pistol in .40 S&W, and imagine it in your hand, and imagine the great fun you will have shooting it, and imagine the comfort you would feel, knowing it was there, if you ever needed it for self defense; and oh heck I just would like to get myself one of these before I retire.

Now that I have slapped myself out of that dream, let me move onto the rifle. The rifle is another piece of fine craftsmanship, or should I say two pieces of fine craftsmanship since it is a takedown rifle. Sometime back, I don't know if it is because I saw one in a movie or where ever, I became enamored with the idea of picking up a takedown rifle. I like the fact that it can be broken down into two major components and put into a carry case that does not define itself as being a gun rag. In other words, it can be carried less obtrusively. There is also another aspect of takedown rifles, something that makes them alluring or sexy (as far as a rifle can be such), and I guess that is the adventurous side of such a gun. Takedown rifles have, at least in my mind, always been associated with adventure. From spy movies, to old westerns, to modern day assassins, to big game hunters, these rifles are there - there always seems to be adventure associated with them. Of course I know buying a rifle of any type will not assure adventure, its just a selling point kind of a thing or silly association at best, but it is there and it has played a role in their appeal to me. As for wanting adventure, heck I have had enough in over 28 years as a federal LEO, but I'll save those stories for another time, maybe even for a book after I retire.

Back to the rifle. I suppose by now you are wondering just what rifle I am writing about, so let me shoot down all the suspense and come right out and tell you that the rifle of my desires, the one at the top of my list of want to haves, heck at the top of my list of gotta haves (right now anyway), is the Browning BLR Lightweight Takedown Rifle. I have owned a BLR before, one that was sold to me used, but was virtually as new in the box. It was a great rifle, but I sold it. Why sell a great rifle? I guess mostly because I thought I could not afford shooting it; and what a poor excuse that was for getting rid of something which I should have put away in the gun locker, and treated with reverence. We all make bad decisions, and my decision to sell my BLR was a bad one even though it was chambered for the .358 Winchester round. Yes even though that round was about $1 or more apiece back when I sold the rifle, and even though I feared it would get much more expensive, and even though it actually did become much more expensive, I should have kept that rifle. Ouch, it hurts just thinking about having sold it. By the way, the ammo now being priced at over $2.00 per round has not really made any of the pain go away. Yes folks, over two bucks each time you pull the trigger, just check out the price here: http://www.impactguns.com/store/020892201057.html, and that does not include tax or shipping. So just think of what great condition that rifle would have been in had I kept it even if I decided to shoot it a few times a year -heck it makes it even more painful when I think of it that way. Now when you consider that a new one goes for an MSRP of $893.00, but I have seen them online at about $765 plus tax - ouch to the pocket book. They will probably be closer to MSRP here in NY; and then when you consider I bought that other BLR for only $300, and that it truly was as new (probably unfired from what I could tell), well the brick walls of my house may wind up with some of my forehead skin stuck to them - I could just about bang my head on the walls the way I am feeling right now. But that won't make my desire to own another one go away. So I had best figure out how to save for a new one.

If you are wondering about the one I want now, as I said it is the Browning BLR Lightweight takedown Rifle (my old one was not a takedown version). It is one heck of a nice wall hanger, and even a nicer shooter even though it is a lever action rifle. From its 20" (in the caliber I want) blued steel barrel, to its alloy receiver, to its gold plated trigger, to its highly polished walnut stock with pistol grip, to its removable box magazine, to its recoil pad, to its takedown feature - this rifle speaks quality. It is available in three barrel lengths 20", 22" and 24", and in 14 calibers. Some of the ammo for it is even more expensive than the .358 Winchester round. Of course, if I do save enough for one of these, I will get it in a caliber than is more affordable, yet one that is an all around good hunting round, and good defensive round (no I would not use this gun as a primary defense weapon, but one never knows what one will have at hand if the SHTF). So I am thinking of getting one in .308. The other 13 calibers in which it is available are found here, as is a bit more info about the rifle.

Now to start saving, maybe some brown bag lunches, maybe some bottles and cans to the recycling center, maye sell a few things at a garage sale....

All the best,

Glenn B

Rorke's Drift and Friedrich Von Martini

Friedrich von Martini may not be all that familiar a name to most of us, and among military buffs and gun collectors his name may be somewhat more familiar; but I can assure you that those who fought at Rorke's Drift on January 22, 1879 knew his name well. He was the man who in essence made it possible for about 140 British Soldiers to hold off an onslaught of approximately 4,000 Zulu Warriors, many of those warriors armed with modern rifles (for the time) as were the British. You see, earlier that same day, the Zulus Warriors led by King Cetshwayo kaMpande resoundingly defeated approximately 1,500 British forces Isandhlwana, where British General Lord Chelmsford greatly, and foolishly in the way only a snobbish British Lord could do, underestimated the fighting prowess of his enemy. According to a dispatch to the British government by Chelmsford after the battle, he stated that the Zulus had, in overwhelming numbers, launched a highly disciplined attack... That attack resulted in about 1,100 dead British forces, only 400 survivors, and only about 80 of them British or other European. This was the worst defeat of the British in history; and it reportedly resulted in the loss to the Zulus of many Martini-Henry breech loading rifles (though this is disputed by some, it was fact that the Zulus were well armed with rifles, and did establish harassing fire on the British during the battle of Rorke's drift later that same day).

Regardless of which rifle the Zulus used, it was that same breech loading rifle, the Martini-Henry, with which the British forces at Roarke's Drift (a supply/trading station, chapel, and filed hospital) were armed, when later that same day a large contingent of the Zulu army (called an impi) attacked. This impi, led by Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande, headed to Rorke's Drift against the orders of their king. It was a decision that Dabulamanzi would later regret. The British at Rorke's Drift had been made aware of the defeat of Chelmsford's forces, and prepared for battle. A decision was made by the three ranking officers: Lieutenant John Chard, Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, and Acting Assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton that the British would remain within Rorke's Drift rather than try to flee the Zulus through open country, which most assuredly would have resulted in their deaths. So with approximately a force of 140 British soldiers, only about 100 of them fit to do battle, and a fairly large native force of the Natal Native Contingent commanded by European officers, the men at Rorke's Drift busied themselves and prepared for the worst.

Lookouts were posted high upon a hill overlooked the drift. Sometime, late that afternoon, one of the British lookouts upon spotting the advance of the Zulu Warriors was reported to have said: "Here they come thick as grass, and black as hell". This to my knowledge has only been widely disputed in the few decades, and as seen in Wikipedia it is now held by some that Sergeant Henry Gallagher yelled "Here they come, as thick as grass and as black as thunder!". If he actually said it either way, then he was right about them being as thick as grass (in overwhelming number of forces), and also right about equating their arrival with hell or thunder (because of the battle that they would wage). The photo above is an actual late 18th century picture of Zulu Warriors in full battle gear (Europeans behind them in the shot). The Zulus who approached Rorke's Drift numbered about 4,500 men, all disciplined and seasoned fighters, and as I said, many were armed with Martini-Henry Rifles. Of course, they did not know the intricacies of how to perform battlefield techniques with the rifle as they did with their own and more familiar weapons; but the British had been thoroughly trained in their use. While that training, weighted down by the poor decision making of lord Chelmsford, had done the British little good at Isandhlwana earlier that same day; the British at Rorke's Drift had something going for them other than those Martini-Henry rifles. They had officers who improvised, and who did not wear blinders seemingly as did Lord Chelmsford when it came to estimating the fighting skills of their enemy.

Through the use of standard defensive techniques such as barricading, and the use of volley fire, and through improvised use of handing out ammunition without the required signed chits (yes the British could be very anal about such things even requiring requisition forms in the heat of a battle - but not during this one), the British held off wave after wave of Zulu Warriors. However, all too soon for the British, the Zulus were successful in reaching weak points in the British defenses - including the hospital. During the hand to hand combat that then ensued, the Zulus set the hospital afire, and then relentlessly attacked it. Soon the British had to pull back further into the compound at which point they abandoned part of the hospital, and the British soldiers who were inside of it. At that point, not only did the wounded in the hospital fight for their lives, but as they held off the Zulu Warriors, one of the hospital patients started to hack his way through the walls, room to room, while his fellow patients defended their rear. While several soldiers in the hospital perished at the hands of their enemy, many of them were able to escape the hospital because of these actions. The action within the hospital was some of the fiercest of the whole battle.

The fighting continued throughout the night, though the relentless waves of attacks ceased in the early hours of the next morning to be supplemented by harassing Zulu fire from the hills overlooking the compound. This also ended a couple of hours later, still in the wee hours of the morning of the 23rd. At dawn, the British were astonished to see that the Zulus had departed the area, leaving their dead. A count of about 351 Zulu dead was made. The British had fought for over 10 hours against a vastly superior force, and now that force was gone. Then at about 0700, anther impi was spotted, but luckily for the British, no attack followed. At about 0800, Lord Chelmsford arrived on the scene with a large number of British troops, and it was then assured that no further battle would take place. All very lucky for them indeed because they were low on ammo, almost everyone of them had been wounded, and there was little hope they could have held out much longer. As it turned out though, they held out long enough, thanks in no small part to Friedrich Von Martini, and his Martini-Henry breech loading rifle. Because of that rifle, in the hands of those trained to use it, and because of absolutely outstanding defensive tactics and acts of courage (or desperation - they are close to, but not exactly, the same thing under such circumstances), the British losses were held to 15 dead, 8 seriously wounded, and just about all, if not all, of the remaining men wounded to some degree.

The Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military award was initiated by Queen Victoria in about 1856 because to honor the valor shown in the Crimean War. Since that time, up until today, only about 1,356 of those medals have been awarded. Due to their courage at Rorke's drift, 11 British soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross, more such awards for a single action (one battle) than in any other single engagement by British forces throughout the history of if the medal.

I really am no big history buff, and don't know a whole lot about military history, but this battle is certainly inspirational for anyone who may ever have to face the dangers of being attacked by a well disciplined enemy, and one in overwhelming number at that. To those in such positions today, such as those in our military services, or those in law enforcement, I say this: Train now as if your life depends upon your training, then train some more, but always be willing to use your brain to best apply that training; and never give up. That may just may save your life, and the life of your fellow serviceman or officer. Never forget, you are not only fighting to save yourself, but more importantly you are fighting to save the guy next to you, because as you are saving his life, he is likely doing the same for you. Now it is almost time for me to pull out a cold one out of my fridge, sit down to relax, and watch one of my favorite movies of all time: Zulu. Sure they take some liberties with the story, but it is surprisingly close to the reality of it, especially for Hollywood. It is now 129 years later, and I salute the memory of the men of both sides, for their bravery, determination, and patriotism, in what surely was, is, and will remain one of the most memorable battles of all time.

All the best,

Glenn B

For more info on Martini-Henry Rifles, and the Battle of Rorke's Drift, see these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorke (lots of info there)

http://www.martinihenry.com/index.html (lots of the above info, and the pic of Martini, ans one of his rifles were found there).

http://www.martinihenry.com/zulu-wars.htm

http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/myths/myths.htm (Lots of info there, even about current tourism to the site of the battle)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_cross