Handloading/Reloading - A New Hobby?

I recently thought it would be a good idea to get into handloading / reloading my own ammunition. What with the costs of ammo being so high and promising to go higher under the current administration if they ever start to get any pull among the American people (maybe even if not) the cost of commercially available ammunition may become too much for me to shell out. There are a couple of ways around that - like buying as much ammo now as possible before there is another shortage and the price goes up even further, stealing a lot of it, or just loading my own. Buying a whole lot more is pretty much out for now. I do not have the funds to do so. No I am not broke, I just have other things on which I prefer or need to spend right now. Stealing is out of the question unless it becomes TEOTWAWKI. So that leaves me pretty much with the reloading option if I want to have lots of ammo available to me at a lower price than the commercial stuff.

Of course handloading/reloading cost money too. The thing of it is though that in the long run it is less expensive than buying ammunition over the counter. Why in the long run? Well the expenditure that you have to lay out is fairly substantial. A decent reloading kit that has almost all of the necessary components needed to reload will run anywhere from about $250 to $400. Then you need to add a few things that are not included in the kit such as dies, shell holders and of course all the components of the actual ammunition such as bullets, casings, primers and powder. I am going to guess that to handload 100 rounds of

Brass: $50.99
Bullets: $31.49
Primers: $43.49 (for 1,000)
Gunpowder 1 lb.: $24.99 (I am pretty sure I would have a lot left over after loading only 100
rounds)

Let's see, if I bought a reloading kit for $350, dies and shell holder for $40.00, case trimmer (needed for rifle ammo) for $65.00 and the actual ammo components as above that would come out to a whopping: $605.96 not including shipping charges or anything that I did not think of putting into the mix. Considering that I can buy a box of 20 rounds of ammunition (all ready to fire) for $25.49 that would make it $127.45 for 100 rounds or a long way until I get my money back handloading my own ammunition. Now I know if you add up just the ammo component prices above it works out to more than the cost of ready to fire ammunition but you have to figure that I would be left over with a lot of gunpowder and 900 primers (by the way it seems most primers are out of stock everywhere). Then consider that brass cases can be loaded a few times at least (if done right each time and you don't blow them up) so the expenditure for brass is a once in awhile thing only. Bullets are another story and seemingly would have to purchased new each time. of course I could buy in bulk and pick up 500 or 1,000 at a shot. I imagine that after awhile it would give me my money back and then actually start to save me money over buying ready to shoot ammunition.

Imagining that, I decided to check out getting into handloading/reloading. First of all let me explain why I use two terms - handloading and reloading. Handloading includes reloading under its umbrella so to speak but not all handloading is reloading. Handloading can consist of making totally new ammo from components or loading using previously fired brass casings. Reloading of course would always utilize previously fired casings therefor the 're' before the 'loading'. I think I got that right but maybe some real handloading guru will correct me on it. So how to get started on either one. Well you may realize by now that I am The Great Procrastinator. It takes me eons to accomplish just about anything like this on which I set my sights. So I went online and went to a few gun forums and asked about how to get started. I received lots of advice on what reloading presses to buy, which kits were best, which had the most bang for the buck and so on. I was also told that reloading requires some study before starting and it is probably best to have someone teach you how to go about it. I have no friends who reload, so I suppose that is out unless someone who is near to me reads this and wants to volunteer their time and instruction. The other option I was given was to read up on it and then teach myself using the books as a guide.

Taking that last piece of advice I decided to go out to buy The ABC's of Reloading. This was the number one book suggested to me. I have had it a week or more and have not gotten passed page one. Why not - I need new reading glasses. I am hoping to get the glasses today. In the meanwhile, Brendan came home a couple of nights ago and handed me an issue of Combat Handguns Magazine, the December 2009 issue. Therein, on page 62, is an article titled: Reloading 101! I think I will start reading that one first since it is only about 2 full pages long and has much easier to read print than the book I bought. I will also read the book but it has sort of faded or light print on crappy textured paper (in my opinion) that makes it hard to read and I will need new glasses for that one.

Once I go through all of that, I will set my sights on making the purchase of a reloading kit. Remember I said I did not have all that much cash thus the reason for thinking about getting into reloading. Happily though, I will only have to shell out about half the price of a good handloading kit because for my birthday a short time back I received a gift of $150 to be spent specifically on a reloading kit. That was from my children and my son's girlfriend. Nice youngsters to think of me like that.

Right now I have to finish up with this piece, get off my behind, and head out to do some shopping for groceries and such. I will also make sure to buy a few pairs of reading glasses (I buy the over the counters type in three packs when I can). That way, once I am done with chores around the house today, I can start reading up on how to spend more of my money on guns and ammo. At least handloading will accomplish a couple of things: save me money in the long run if I stick with it, and give me a good hobby to keep me busy when I retire. retirement is not far away, I can only go three more years on my job before they wallop me with a size 12 and kick me out the door.

All the best,
Glenn B

You Too Can Be A Zombie Killer

http://www.bumlee.com/deanimator.html

When I clicked on the link, it asked me to install something for the Korean language but I did not and it worked fine - I think. I was none too good at it though! Have fun.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ballseye's Gun Shots 27 - Holsters - My Preferences

Let me start off this one by saying - I don't care what type of a holster you get to carry around your handguns. I do think though that if you carry you should carry in a good quality holster. As for my preference for holsters, I prefer to carry in an on the belt (as opposed to under the belt) strong side hip holster. I get one with strong belt lop attachments, not the paddle or clip-on types. Carrying a pistol in my waistband, under my belt, in a belly band, in a shoulder holster, a cross-draw holster, in my pocket, in a pouch, in a handbag, in a backpack or in a groin holster are not for me. There are several reasons I prefer a strong side hip holster and I'll cover them briefly here:

Strong side hip holsters make my pistol readily available to my strong side hand. I am right handed, thus I carry on my right side. If need be I can also draw with my left hand because I make sure to carry in a holster I can reach with either hand. This is an important consideration when carrying a pistol because if you are ever in a confrontation in which either hand is injured and put out of commission you will need to use the other hand. Become proficient using both hands for drawing and firing. A strong side hip holster has other advantages. These include being able to protect regarding weapons retention. Having a pistol in something like an ankle holster makes it almost impossible to protect in a grappling scenario. Hip holsters provide just about the strongest retention factors. In addition when drawing from a hip holster you can bring your weapon to fire almost immediately upon clearing leather with a reasonable chance of hitting your target. Drawing is also fastest, in my opinion, from a strong side holster. Neither of the last two traits come to play with ankle, shoulder, groin or cross draw holsters. As a matter of fact, when drawing from cross draw holsters your weapon has to swing around in front of you before you fire at a target in front of you. If you are close in to an opponent this is a good time for him to try a take-away. With a strong side hip holster I can draw with an opponent close in by simultaneously doing a push off and drawing. That is very difficult with a cross draw holster and almost impossible to effectively perform while you are drawing from either an ankle holster or a groin holster.

Besides my preference for strong side hip holsters, there are some other things to consider regardless of where you position your holster. You want to assure that whatever holster you buy for carry purposes has at least one active retention device (a device that requires action on your part to free it so you can draw). I prefer a thumb break holster with snap lock. This type of holster, if in good repair, assure I will not drop my handgun while running, climbing, crawling, tumbling and so forth. It also makes a gun take away harder for the person trying to get it and easier for you to retain. Of course, the thumb snap/thumb break provides just about the minimal benefit among holster retention devices. There are other holsters out there providing much more security regarding firearms' retention. Some of these are single device type, others have two or three retention devices. I tend to shy away from them because it means that it is so much the more complicated to draw my weapon. I see guys at work with holsters that have triple retention devices and I wonder how in hades they are ever going to draw with the weak hand should their strong hand be injured in combat. Yeah, they can do it at the range, but it sometimes requires fiddling, squirming and twisting to do so. On the other hand, it makes it all that much more difficult for a bad guy to take your gun away from you if you are wearing one of them.

I also insist on buying a holster that attaches to the outside of my belt by loops and that rides high - both features that help with firearm retention and with ease draw and holstering to some degree. I will never use a clip-on holster or a paddle holster if one that attaches to my belt by way of the belt threading through it is available. It makes it that much harder for someone to grab the whole holster, give a good twisting yank, and come away with my holster and gun in his hands. It also makes it much less likely that when I draw, in an attempt to protect myself, the whole holster will not come with the gun. I have seen this time and time again with clip-on and paddle type holsters. When it comes to belt loops on a holster I much prefer ones that are designed as part of the holster body itself as opposed to ones that are more like flaps sewn onto the holster. Design is key here but sometimes I will accept a holster with the sewn on belt loop because I know that the stitching is of the highest quality. Even then I insist that at least one of the belt loops (yes I want more than one loop to attach my belt to my holster) is of the type that is integral to the body of the holster and not just a sewn on flap pf leather. That way even if someone rips away that flap while trying to get my pistol while still in the holster - it is unlikely that it will come way because the other loop is part of the holster body - that is of course if I am wearing a good quality belt because a poor quality belt can break just as readily as a belt loop on the holster. One big advantage of the type of holster with a flap type loop and an integral type loop is that it can be reinforced along the front of the mouth of the holster thereby assuring that the holster is less likely to collapse and close in after you draw. While this also can be done to a pancake holster to some degree it is much more feasible on this type of holster. The holster pictured above is a Don Hume Enforcer and is of the type just described.

Another option I strive to have in all of my carry holsters is a good lining. A lining inside a holster adds to the overall strength of the holster. it helps assure that the holster will retain its shape longer and thereby last longer. If made of the right material (usually some sort of suede) it helps assure less holster wear to the finish of the pistol. Besides protecting the gun from holster wear - a good liner also helps with pistol retention should a retention device like a thumb snap ever come undone. The liner usually assures that the pistol fits in the holster more snugly and this is a plus should the retention device ever come undone.

An open bottom to the holster is another feature that I prefer. Closed bottom holsters keep out debris - at least prevents debris from entering the holster from the bottom but closed bottom also retains debris that has entered from the top. If you use a closed bottom holster, especially in winter when wearing sweaters that produce lint, make sure to vacuum out the inside of the holster weekly. It is amazing just how much lint can accumulate inside a holster in a short time. As for the length of the holster I prefer that the bottom completely cover the barrel of the pistol I am carry. I do not like half length holsters where the front sight is exposed much preferring a covered/protected front sight. I also prefer to purchase a holster in which the trigger area of my pistol is totally covered by the holster. Most holsters on the market today seem to offer this safety feature. It goes a long way to prevent you from having your finger inside the trigger guard area, and therefore onto the trigger, while drawing or holstering.

Of course, any holster I buy in which I intend to carry my primary self defense weapon will have to have been designed specifically for the gun I am planning to carry. I do not buy holsters designed to fit 3" barreled pistols, or small pistols as opposed to medium pistols as opposed to large frame pistols for my carry piece. Holsters like that are fine for sporting revolvers and pistols but not for weapons you plan to carry for self defense. Features of a holster designed for a specific model are that they are actually molded to fit your pistol. Therefore if they have a sight channel, your sight will slide through it like greased lightning and not catch. The holster will snugly fit the exact pistol you plan to carry. The holster will not likely, or at least should not, be used by you to carry various pistols thereby assuring a longer good fitting life of the holster relative to the one pistol you do carry in it. The Bianci Shadow is pictured here and it is form fitted for a wide variety of pistols.

As for the materials out of which my holsters are made, I prefer good quality leather holsters over all others. A good quality Nylon holster is also okay but I have found that my leather holsters seem to take more punishment and last longer. I guess that has something to do with the fact that regular maintenance can be performed to extend the life of leather holsters such as application of leather preservatives and polish. Be careful of applying anything that softens the leather allowing it to stretch.

I much prefer carrying in a holster over in my waistband, under my belt, in a groin holster, a belly band or in my pocket because there is much less chance of the firearm catching on anything when I draw. It is also simply faster for one to draw from a strong side hip holster than it is from a cross draw, an ankle holster or any of the others mentioned in the previous sentence. Try a comparison sometime and see what I mean. Have someone time each of your draws. You will soon come to realize the truth of what I just wrote. Certainly aim, stance, use of sights and other things are very important. Speed is not everything when you need to draw your weapon and fire but you can bet that any time saved is more likely to make you a winner if you are equally proficient at all other aspects of self defense shooting.

Finally a strong side hip holster makes it easy for me to reholster after shooting - easy enough for me to do with one hand should it be a quality holster that remains open after the weapon is out of it. You would be surprised how many holsters partially collapse and require you to use two hands to reholster. Design of the holster is all important here. You do not want the retention device flapping away either so that it hangs down in the way of the pistol when you try to reholster - again design is everything in this regard.

Now, you may decide to go with something other than a strong side hip holster and that is your choice to make. I strongly recommend that if you choose another design though that you definitely consider making sure it has some of the same features I talked about above. make sure it attaches to wherever you attach it securely, make sure it has at least one active retention device/feature, make sure it is made of high quality material and so on.

So what will a good holster cost you? I figure to pay a minimum of $50 for a holster that meets my criteria. Usually though they cost more - probably something along the lines of $65 to $75 and up to about $100. More than that is pretty much money spent on window dressing or a name. The black holster pictured way up above is a Don Hume Enforcer and is of this type of holster. Does it have all the features I would want - almost all as far as I can tell and it lists for $57.00 on the Don Hume site. Here are the features I mentioned above that this holster has: The integral and sewn on flap belt loops, a thumb break design with thumb snap, a reinforced holster mouth, molded to fit specific weapons, leather construction, double stitching (high quality stitching), high ride design. Some features I am not sure it offers are: suede lined, sight channel. The price is within my estimate at $57.00. Another $20 to $30 would probably add a suede liner if not already there. I can say that on Don Hume holsters I have carried in the past there was always a suede liner but to be sure on a new purchase I would check with the manufacturer before considering a purchase. The DeSantis pictured here goes for $65.00.

I consider all three of the mentioned holster dealers to be ones who offer good quality holsters at reasonable prices. Of course they also offer holsters in the budget price range. I would be wary of any holster that even they sell that is listed as 'budget'. Pay a reasonable price and expect good to excellent quality that you can depend on. Pay too little and it may be too late to complain about it when the times comes and you cannot draw your pistol or when it falls out of the holster while you are running or when it gets ripped off of your side still in the holster. Pay too much - well if you have got the money to burn on a custom made holster from a big time designer - go ahead. I'd rather spend my money on a reasonably priced well made holster with the features I want and then spend the left over money on ammo so I can go to the range and practice shooting from the draw while breaking in my holster a nice dinner with my wife.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ballseye's Gun Shots 26 - "Interactive Exploded Firearms' Drawings and Schematics"

A reader, Russ S recently asked me to send him directions for Marlin 336 disassembly and I obliged. He thanked me and later sent me a link to something he found subsequent to asking me for the directions. What he sent me was a link to: http://www.gunuts.com/. That site claims to be: The World's First Interactive Database of Exploded Firearms' Drawings and Schematics. Currently with 4177 models. WOW that seemed impressive.

I did a quick scan of some of the schematics that they have listed. While they have many firearms listed with links for their schematics, it seems a lot of the schematics are simply not available once you click on the links for them. They also list some things that are just nonexistent. For instance, under Marlin rifles they list the 35 Remenington. No that is not my spelling mistake - that is what they have listed as an available schematic but no schematic comes up when you click on the link; maybe because there is no such Marlin model. They also have, at the time of this writing, two listings for the Beretta Model 92, one for the Beretta M92 and one for the Beretta Model 92 Double Action. Only the last one shows a diagram when you click on its link; what you get with the other links is similar to this:

"Warning: getimagesize(images/776.) [function.getimagesize]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/gunuts/public_html/view.php on line 289
The World's First Interactive Exploded Firearms' Drawings and Schematics. Currently with 4177 models.. "

Now, when you click on the Marlin 336, not only do you get a schematic, you also get disassembly and reassembly instructions. Most of the other links that I visited that actually linked to schematics had only schematics but some had detailed directions too.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not faulting them. I think someone has a good idea. For all I know this is a brand new site with bugs to be worked out, it surely is new to me. I think, if you need a firearms schematic, or if you are searching for disassembly and reassembly instructions, this is a site you should check. You may be in luck and info on the firearms you need it for may be there. By the way, the home site for the above site is: http://beartoothbullets.com/index.htm. They seem to offer even more info on firearms and ammunition there. It appears they are a commercial bullet manufacturer or retailer too.

A hat tip to Russ S. for the info on this site.

All the best,
Glenn B

LIHS 20th Annual Reptile & Amphibian Show

Just a reminder, if you are in this neck of the woods, the LIHS will hold its 20th Annual Reptile & Amphibian Expo this Saturday, October 17, at SUNY Farmingdale (Farmingdale, NY off route 110) from 10-4. We will have a judged show - open to the public for reptile and amphibian entries and with ribbons and trophies awarded to the winners.

The expo is a great place to shop for reptiles & amphibians and for hobbyist/keeper accessories, etc...

Even if you do not want to keep a reptile or amphibian, this is a good show to come to in order to see a large variety of reptiles and amphibians. Besides those on sale, there should be at least a few non-sale displays of reptiles and amphibians. There is usually at least one or two exhibits geared toward educating folks about reptiles & amphibians - sometimes more. Also a great show for the kids. Hope to see you there.

More info here: http://lihs.org/files/events.htm

and here: http://lihs.org/files/2009flyer.pdf

Please note that the LIHS supports itself by way of this show. It helps make sure we can continue to educate the public with regard to reptile and amphibian natural history, conservation, captive care and so on, as we have been doing for many years.

All the best,
GB

Ballseye's Gun Shots 25 - Old Bullets

I store my ammunition in various places but the most used storage place is my basement. I have had some ammo for over 20 years now and I am confident that it would shoot as well as it would have on the day it was manufactured. Why? Well, I keep it dry and keep it away from sources of high heat and fire (this more to avoid a fire hazard than anything else). When you keep ammo dry - it can be stored for a long time and still be usable. How long? I would imagine, and this is just a guess on my part, that modern ammunition using smokeless powder and non-corrosive primers would last at least fifty to one hundred years, maybe more with no discernible problems if stored properly.

If you do not keep ammunition dry you will know it in a short amount of time. The accompanying picture of the ammo in this post shows you some light corrosion of ammunition caused only by the ambient humidity in my basement and my basement is one of the driest in which I have ever been. Can you shoot ammo like the stuff in my picture - sure you can if you are a risk taker. I do not shoot ammunition in that condition and I strongly recommend that you do not either. (By the way the two blanks would be okay to shoot they are basically only tarnished. Of course I would have to know the caliber first.) When shell casings are corroded there is always a chance of the casing cracking or coming apart when fired. When bullets are corroded there is a chance of one being stuck in the barrel. Ammunition in the condition shown could easily be cleaned of most of the corrosion, but why chance something going wrong with it when shooting it. I only recommend shooting ammunition that is in excellent condition. Yeah, I know, you know a guy at the range who shoots stuff like that all the time because he gets it for free from other people and he never has an accident. Well someday when you see him with a blown up barrel on his gun you may be able to figure out why. All it takes is one to go off badly to ruin your day, or if it results in your getting hurt maybe to ruin your life. Why take chances!

Of course if you insisted on shooting that ammo, I would insist that you did not shoot at least one of those rounds. That would be the one marked CLEM. Some wise guy in my office, about 10-12 years ago, decided to be a clown and left that one on my desk. No my name is not Clem, it is Glenn, but Clem was a goofy name that one joker sometimes called me. I imagine it was he who left it there for me, I have kept it as evidence treasured it since.

All the best,

Glenn B

An Old Friend Is Visiting Me Today

A friend is visiting me today - he is an old friend of mine. I know him well, all too well, I think, at times like these. I know his friendship to be rather spurious but I cannot shake him despite, or maybe because of, his antagonistic sort of a nature. It seems he visits most of the people he knows on damp, cold days, ones when the weather changes to the worse and rain or snow are almost promised to us. You would think that with the sun shining he would have other places to be rather than pestering me but truth be told he usually prefers my company on sunny days, especially those after the weather has changed from bad to good, or from a warmish/humid sunny day to a cold one. Yesterday was a nice day of sorts - not too cold, not too sunny, but on the humid side for fall with a fair amount of clouds and it actually felt quite warm by late morning. Today is a nice day too - a day that exemplifies mid Fall weather almost to the hilt. It is one of those days I loved so much as a kid. The air has a chill about it today that can only be described as crisp, this morning the sun was out, but now, the skies while not blue have only a light cloud covering and it surely has turned much cooler than yesterday. I was just outside and I ventured a guess that the temperature was in the mid-forties. When I sat at my desk I checked the forecast online and saw I had been correct in my guess - it is 46 degrees Fahrenheit as I type.

It is a bit of a wonder that my friend Arthur came to visit me last night and has stayed through the current moment promising to stay for at least the day. Why is it a bit of a wonder? Well, I suppose because the sun is not shining brightly today. He usually visits me on sunny days I suppose to steal the joy they bring with them. Yet, I imagine that a cold front of sorts has moved in because it certainly seems much cooler than yesterday and he loves to visit on days when the weather has changed. It has changed so much temperature wise from yesterday that I was almost convinced to turn on the heat when I awakened this morning, not only because of the chill in the air this fine morning but because I could have used an extra blanket last night too and that resulted with me chilled to the bones. That is exactly how Arthur likes me when he comes to visit. Perhaps he likes me to be susceptible to his grating personality and I suppose that my being chilled is just about enough for him to work his nasty magic on me to make me feel miserable. Misery indeed - I did not fail to mention somewhere above that he is the antagonistic sort - our whole friendship is based on such. Over the years, I gave as good as I received from him in our decades long duel but as of late I have given in to him all to often and have not tried to shorten his visits to just an hour or two. Instead I sometimes, out of apathy, allow him to stay with me for days even weeks at a time.

I am in no mood for another visit from him since the effects of his last visit are still lingering. I swear he harangues me so much, day in and day out, on each of our sojourns with one another as to get me aching within my bones. He is an antagonist almost without equal in my life. His bothersome ability is not so much that he irritates me on each of his stays with me than it is his habit to show up over and over again and make me as wretched on each visit as the last - that is if not even slightly more so on each successive stay. Today though - the story will be different - at least that is my hope. I have, before, had my hopes dashed to the rocks below by this wily opponents wit, tenacious personality, stamina and strength before but today I truly am hopeful that I can begin to overcome him. Maybe I can even force him to leave me in peace for awhile, that would be nice. I am not sure I can do it, but I have hope because another friend, well a new acquaintance anyway, has come to visit too. He seems to be the soothing type, but only time will tell if the stories I have heard about him are true or not about his powers and abilities regarding types like Arthur. It is difficult to believe, nay almost impossible to believe, that anyone out there has the will, the tenacity, the stamina, the strength to overcome Arthur I. Tis.

I can only hope - so please: Mr. Mobic - do you stuff.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - And So Began The Weaving Of The 'Worst' Lie Ever

...it began with the birth of Mason Locke Weems on October 11, 1756 (or 1759 depending upon source). The lie did not begin on the day of Weems birth, but I suppose the wheels that eventually put it into motion started rolling that day because he was the author of it. The lie would not have been so bad had it never attained the popularity it achieved over all the years it was told and held as being virtually gospel truth. It was first spun in a biography that celebrated the life of one of our Founding Fathers, a man considered by many in his time as the greatest man who ever lived. The biography was written by Parson Mason Lock Weems. It was then read by thousands, hundreds of thousands, probably millions by the time I was a boy - yet it was written either in the latter part of the 18 century. How is it then that it held power over us even into the late 20th century and maybe even through today in the early 21st. It held that power not only because the person about whom it told wound up helping to create a new nation based upon the rights of the People (as in the rights of each individual), and not only because he was a person whom we were all brought up to respect (well we used to be brought up to respect him - Heavens only know whom teacher today think of as heroes but scum like Castro come to mind as being one of their choices) but also because it seemingly was based upon a tenet of morality - the one that teaches us we should not lie.

Lying is part of our nature, no matter how much we are taught to avoid lying, I think the truth is that we all, by the time we are a few years able to speak, have done so. Yet teaching us not to do so is something to be desired because we don't want children growing into adulthood thinking that lying is a good means to use with frequency toward any good end in the normal course of a well led life. In other words, lying may be necessary sometimes, at least as I see it, to achieve a good end - but we do not want to become wind up lost adrift in a sea of lies with no way to reach the truth because no good end will ever come of that.

So what lie is it that I believe was put into motion all those years ago with the birth of Weems. It was a lie that was not meant so much to be a lie but rather to be a literary device used to convey a moral which would emphasize the good character of the man being written about. That man was George Washington and of course the lie was the one in the tale about the chopping down of the cherry tree and George being questioned by his father about it, it went like this:

"When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything that came in his way. One day, in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it. The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author, declaring at the same time, that he would not have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance. "George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? " This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for a moment; but quickly recovered himself: and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run to my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is more worth than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver, and their fruits of purest gold."

I grew up with it told to me, and I probably told it to my kids though by that time I think I had found out it was pure bunk. Supposedly Washington never said any such thing. It was a tale told by Weems to establish the character of the man in his biography and little more. Yet, it became one of the best known moralistic stories of the late 18th, complete 19th and most of the 20th centuries and it taught children a lesson about it being best to tell the truth regardless of the fact that it was a sort of a lie itself. Was it really the worst lie? It was in all likelihood the greatest lie ever told in American history and when you think of it in retrospect it was not such a bad one, maybe even a good one at that!

All the best,
Glenn B

Barack Obama Closing Down Comedy

I could not say it better than did whoever wrote this article: Prize fools that appeared online in TimesOnLine.

The committee has put hope above results, promise above achievement. The prize undermines the selfless triumphs of earlier winners. Indeed, the award’s obvious political intent looks partisan, a signal of European relief at the end of the Bush presidency.

I never gave much credence to the awarding of the Nobel peace Prize, not with terrorists like Yasser Arafat having won it, so I can readily agree with the author of the article that this is little more than politics at work. It is a well known fact that the Norwegian government selects the Nobel committee and that both the Norwegian government and the committee are leaning far to the left.

Whether or not it will put comedians out of business is another point. I think this is going to give them lots of ammo to shoot toward the White House. Of course there are 'so called' comedians out there like the jerk on HBO whose name I will not even mention because just hearing it makes me want to vomit. He claims to be a comedian, but truth be told he is not funny at all as I see him. Of course he will only praise the Obama as wonderful in his false accomplishment with regard to the Nobel Peace Prize instead of doing what he would have done had it been GWB about whom he was talking.

In all this it once again truly amazes me at how childish are those who lean far to the left.This kind of thing really floats their boat so to speak, they take absolute glee in pumping up their own who do not deserve it while at the same time finding joy in stomping upon they who have actually done something to truly make the world a better place.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Picture of a Pig Is Worth At Least 80 Words

Okay so somebody sent me a link to the Draw A Pig Personality Test and I drew the pig! I thought it was a gimmick for a joke and that some screaming head would appear on my screen instead of results but I was wrong. It actually gave personality results for how I interpreted my drawing. What kind of a pig did I draw. I drew one in profile in the middle of the frame facing left, it had medium ears for a pig (I put down medium for the test), black spots, an open mouth showing tongue and teeth, one eye showing, eyelashes, round flat nose at end of longish snout with whiskers, curly medium sized tail, all four legs showing each with cloven black hoof. I figured it was pretty detailed for an online scribble using my mouse.

Here are the results I received for my drawing:

Toward the middle of the frame, you are a realist.

Facing left, you believe in tradition, are friendly, and remember dates (birthdays, etc.)

With many details, you are analytical, cautious, and distrustful.

With 4 legs showing, you are secure, stubborn, and stick to your ideals.

The size of the ears indicates how good a listener you are. You are a good listener.

The length of the tail indicates the quality of your sex life. You have a good sex life.

I try to be a realist most times but can also be an idealist. My being an idealist though is solely based of the realism of any particular ideal I may hold forth.

I am a believer in tradition. I try to be friendly and am so until you prove to be an asshole toward me or mine. I found it funny that it says I remember dates, I am not great at that but fit the other qualities attributed to my having drawn it facing left. I must admit though, I do remember my anniversary every year as I do my wife’s and childrens’ birthdays. Lately I have even remembered around when are my siblings’ and my wife’s siblings’ birthdays (so it was not that far off).

I am definitely cautious and analytical especially when considering offers of any sort made to me, and when considering the motives of others, and I can be distrustful (especially when anything seems to good to be true).

I am secure at this stage in my life at least with regard to myself – and how else can one feel secure except in and of himself. I certainly can be stubborn and guess that is in part due to my feeling of being self secure, and it probably also adds to that feeling. Of course I can also give in to others when I realize, usually after quite the discussion or argument, that they are right and I am wrong but I give my side my best effort before giving it up – sometimes to excess (stubbornness indeed). I stick to my ideals but as I said above they are realistic ones, at least they seem to be until someone proves them wrong. I suppose one of my ideals is being a realist, yet like anyone I can fantasize about lots of things – but I prefer to live in reality and not in some fog like mist of Utopian hope.

I am a good talker and some think not a good listener. Yet I listen intently to those around me, especially they who have something worthwhile to say. I will however tune you out if you are BS’ing me and I realize it. I will gladly listen to my wife and children when they say anything because whatever they say is worth my while. After all they are my family and who could be more worth lending an ear. If they or a friend needs a shoulder on which to cry, mine is always available.

Sex life – I guess it could be better but is certainly not the worst. As a matter of fact it will be getting better soon, I am certain of that. I just hope my wife realizes it.

It was petty good on most counts at describing me although I am, of course, as would be anyone else, more complex that the simple personality description given for me.

Now I will admit I took the test more than once, I did it twice. Not at all to skew the results – I just decided to do it again today after having my first try yesterday since trying to draw a pig was actually kind of nonsensical but harmless fun. The pig I drew today did not look like the pig I drew yesterday in that I drew this one facing forward. It was just the pose that struck me at the moment. So the only different result was this:

Facing front, you are direct, enjoy playing devil's advocate and neither fear nor avoid discussions.

Well I have to admit I am surprised I did not draw it that way first because if that line, in combination with the others above, does not describe me, then nothing does.

Now you may have noticed the web address for the draw a pig thing. That does not describe me at all but it sure made me laugh when I read it.

All the best,
GB

Ballseye's Gun Shots 24 - Mossberg 535 ATS

When it comes to guns, I like them to be well made, durable, accurate and fairly simple at least to operate. I also like decent bargains. I don' t own any really expensive firearms yet most of the ones I own meet the standards I just mentioned above. So when I see Mossberg shotguns in gun shops or at gun shows I give them a good long look. My son has been wanting a Mossberg for awhile now even though I keep recommending a Remington 870 to him. I think he likes the fact that the Mossbergs are usually a bit lower in price and some come with a lot of extra doo-dads. Now, my definition of doo-dads for this piece is that they are unwanted and unnecessary accessories or glitz like parts - but remember that is just my opinion. I can quite understand though why a younger, less experienced shooter, would be taken in by doo-dads. Add to that the fact that Mossberg, like many other gun makers, advertises their wares in catchy ways so as to make them more alluring to certain types of shooters and you can understand why a younger shooter might be drawn to them while having no experience with their products.

For example the gun I am about to review is called the Mossberg535 ATS. Well, the ATS stands for ALL TERRAIN SHOTGUN. isn't that catchy in this day and age of all terrain vehicles, all terrain running shoes, and of young men who like to think they can tackle all types of terrain. Another example of glitz, though somewhat less glitzy and more practical is that Mossberg offers many of their guns in multiple finishes. So they appeal to guys who like black guns, guys who like camo guns, guys who like SS guns and guns who like more conventional wood/steel guns. The glitz just does not do it for me but as I said finish differences can also be practical. As I said, I prefer guns that are well made, durable, accurate and fairly simple at least to operate. Still though, the youngster keeps looking at those Mossbergs every chance he gets so I figured I would do a write up on at least one of them.

The Mossberg 535 ATS is currently offered as a combination gun or as a single style gun. As a combo gun it comes as either a turkey/deer gun, field/deer gun, or a waterfowl/turkey gun. Otherwise you can get it in the Slugster Version or the Field Gun version. It is available in a few finishes to include: classic wood/blued steel, matted blue/black synthetic stock, or Mossy Oak Break Up camo pattern. The 535 has an impressive set of features for a fairly low cost shotgun. According to the Mossberg site, here are the features:

XX-Full turkey tube models
Fully-rifled deer barrel models
Interchangeable Accu-Choke™ tubes
Wood, synthetic and camo patterns available
Receivers drilled and tapped for scope bases
Thumb-operated safety atop the rear of the receiver
Comes in a variety of barrel lengths: 22", 24" and 28
Accepts 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" shells (they specify factory loaded)
Windage and elevation adjustable fiber optic sights on certain models

There are more features listed at:

http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=11&display=feat

If you want more information about the 535 you can look to the specs provided by Mossberg. There are just too many different configurations for me to include all that info here, so I'll just give you a link to their specs page for this model:

http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=11&display=specs

I took a fair look at the specs page and what I saw was that the Mossberg 535 ATS is offered at a wide variety of MSRPs from $375 up to $552, with the average MSRP for them being about $439. I had to wonder though - why the big difference in price for different versions of the same model gun. The lowest price was offered for both the All Purpose Field version (wood and blue finish) and the 535 ATS Waterfowl (with matte blue and black synthetic stock). Higher prices were shown for those with Mossy Oak Break Up finish, for those with a thumbhole stock and so on. Still that did not explain the price jump from a gun at $375 to another at $552. I took a closer look.

There it was right in the name of the more expensive model - was it that glitz thing again! The most expensive version of the Mossberg 525 ATS is the Tactical Turkey Series. Get that - a tactical shotgun for shooting turkeys! I suppose you never know when a turkey is going to jump out from behind a tree wearing a black ninja outfit while pointing a black AR15 (or some other heinous assault rifle) at you as you stroll through the fall or springtime woods, thus the need for a tacticool tactical 'turkey' gun. A warning was being screamed in my head in a robotic voice of yesteryear: DANGER - DANGER - WIL ROBINSON - proceed with caution. Yep, I just get turned off by what I feel is nothing more than glitz and if a tactical turkey gun is not glitz then nothing is in my opinion.

Of course, you may be wondering just exactly what is it that makes a gun a tactical turkey gun. I was wondering just that myself and I had a look. It appears that the tactical version comes with some really tactical doo-dads! (Remember them - dod-dads. If not see above for my definition.) Those doo-dads consist of a telescoping buttstock, with integral or add on shell holder, what amounts to a hand sling/strap on the foregrip, and a pistol grip; all the things that I would certainly think were necessary to combat hunt tactical turkeys. Please pardon me while I get a good belly laugh, not so much at the expense of Mossberg but at the expense of some putz who would buy a turkey gun thinking he needed to be tactical while hunting turkeys. Folks, I can fully understand the want or even the need for a turkey gun to come in good camouflage but to have one that is a tactical version is a bit much for me. Sure you can hunt with whatever you want as long as it is legal as far as I am concerned, but then again this is my blog and I am telling you about what I think and I think that tactical for turkey is Glitz to the nth degree. I suppose though if you have the money it is yours to spend as you see fit. Anyway, I don't see how being tactical would effect the quality of the workmanship on these guns and they do come with a fairly impressive feature set for the price. Those features include that the receivers are drilled and tapped for scope mounts, they use interchangeable chokes, the deer models have rifled barrels, some have adjustable sights, and all utilize the famed Mossberg safety lever on the upper rear of the receiver.

Still though, features are not the bottom line, nor is glitz. The bottom line is performance, reliable performance at that. So how do the Mossbergs stand up in those regards. I have fired a few of them up at the NYPD Range at Rodman's Neck over the years, and maybe once or twice at the FLETC. I have also gotten to examine a couple belonging to friends of mine. So, all in all, while I have some experience, I do not have lots of firsthand experience with them. I liked the way they handled and felt. They also shot where I aimed. They seemed simple enough to take down for cleaning and minor repairs if needed. That is about it for my limited firsthand experience. Based on what I have heard from others who have shot Mossbergs over the long haul, I can say that they get a mixed review. Some people love them because of their low prices, others hate them because of what they said was their low quality, and again others praise them as always reliable and durable. As I said it is a mixed review. For the price they may be okay, but I might want to pay a bit of a higher price and get something I thought would be more reliable - but that is just me. Back to the reviews.

There was even a mixed review among the pros, at least in online reviews. For example, Guns&Ammo had this to say about the Mossberg 535 ATS Slugster version: "This dedicated, sabot-friendly slug gun is built to pump 'em out in the toughest conditions.". (1) The article in which that quote appeared went on to say that the test gun failed to extract four times during testing. So while it pumped em out, I guess it just could not get the empty cases out of the chamber with reliability. While I would like to think the author of that article was non-biased, objective and very smart regarding guns, and what with his use of words like 'affectation', I was somewhat taken aback at his praise for the 535 in spite of it failing to extract 4 times while he tested it. It could have been a broken extractor as he suggested, then again why did Mossberg ship a gun like that, and why did the tester not fault them for it - or at least try another gun from them to see if it too had the same problem?

On the other hand, Gun Tests Magazine did a review of the 535 ATS with thumbhole stock and compared it to the Remington 870 and the Benelli SuperNova. They did not rate it highly and while they thought it was a "...solid little unit fitted with several of the features that the innovative Mossberg line is known for." (2) they also said it "...wasn't in the same league..."as were either of the other two guns (3). When it came right down to their recommendation they picked the 870.

Maybe I should show that recommendation to the youngster before we next go to a gun show or gun shop. Heck, he is old enough to go on his own now, so maybe I had just best show it to him ASAP. (BBB - let me know if you read this.) As for me, I do not think the Mossbergs are bad guns, I just think that there are better values out there especially with reliability and function in mind. If you cannot affored a higher priced gun they are possibly a good choise. Then again, there is my doo-dad/glitz factor to consider and when I see things like a tactical turkey version, I can say without a doubt, it seems to me to be a bit of an affectation indeed!

All the best,
Glenn B

References:
1. http://gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Story_
C/Mossberg+535+ATS+Slugster
2. http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/19_6/features/12-Gauge-Hunting-Shotguns_5425-1.html
3. http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/19_6/features/12-Gauge-Hunting-Shotguns_5425-1.html

October 5th - A Note

I was remiss in blogging on Monday, I had my reasons. One of those reasons was that I was pooped, another is that it was an important day for me personally and I had planned to take of blogging anyway. I'll not go into why it is important personally but I will say that I am always pleased to be reminded that October 5th is also the anniversary of the first broadcast on the BBC of Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1969. I was 14 at the time. That show was a big hit here in the USA; it was an absolute blast of craziness and goofiness sure to make even the stodgiest among us laugh out loud.

Watch the attached, and bear in mind it sort of reminds me of how politics work today:



All the best,
GB

Lack Of Blogging

No blogging last night because I had to going to a funeral parlor, a dear friend passed away.

No blogging on Monday simply because I passed out by about 8:30 shortly after I got home from work.

Maybe some blogging today, but I am not sure because I am sure I'll be busy. I'll be stopping at the hospital to visit a friend this morning, then work, then this evening back at the funeral parlor. The old gang is getting smaller.

All the best,
GB

I'm Not Stumped

Recently, Rita over at The Jungle Hut, had a blog post titled: I'm Stumped. That was followed by the header - What Has Been Your Scariest Travel Experience. I took that as a chance to tell her about mine because, if anything, I Was Not Stumped. I knew the answer as soon as I had read the question. The thing was, as usual, I can be long worded in my answers to such question, and it did not fit in the comments section. Heck this comment - even for me - was more detailed than most. I suppose my answer was so long because the question hit what little bit of raw nerve was exposed within my soul and I finally listened to my Psyche crying out and begging for help and sanctuary. I suppose self revelation is often the best way to help and comfort oneself.

Rita wrote to me saying that she saved my comment. She also hoped I had done likewise so that I could eventually post it. So, I am going to post it here. What I am posting is an edited version. I changed a few things as I have thought about them more and remember them a little differently or because I feel a bit differently about what it all means after some few days further reflection and I added some things for effect (for the effect that self revelation and remembering of them has for me). Please note that I am not posting it to boast, nor to look like a hero, nor to talk about my adventures. I am posting it because for me, at least, it is a sort of a self revelation and it is sort of therapy for me to let it out. Some of the things I am about to tell you have been hidden inside of me (hidden even from myself) for the last eight years and have been hurting me along the way. I don't expect that telling you about them will end my pain. What it may do is to at least bring mine to light and the warmth of that light may ease the aching I feel deep within my soul. Hopefully it also may help you to realize your own torment if indeed you have unconquered fears like mine hidden within your heart and it will help you bring them to the light of a new and better day. You see, I am not just going to write about My Scariest Travel Experience, I am going to tell you about The Scariest Time Of My Life:

I guess my scariest travel experience came in about the 2nd or 3rd week of October 2001. I was scheduled to fly for work, I was flying from NY's LaGuardia Airport to Miami. I had been up most of the night before because I was afraid. Heck I had been doubting, over a period of several days, if I could even get on that plane and wondering why in Hades I had decided to volunteer again. Yet, when I boarded the flight it was okay, sort of. Sure I was still scared. Then it was not okay. When other passengers started boarding, it got scarier. I gave them all the once over, some two or three. I was sitting right up front near the flight cabin and entry door. I saw every passenger who boarded the flight and imagined everyone of them from 9 to ninety could have been a terrorist. I know, it sounds ridiculous but that is just what I did. Then when the door of the plane closed right after boarding was completed, fear rolled over me in waves unimaginable. I just about wet myself. As we rolled down the taxi-way I was trembling with fear almost crying. As the plane started to accelerate down the runway for takeoff, I almost started to bawl – as I remember a tear or two started to run down my cheek but I wiped em away fast but I could not stop trembling, not stop being afraid. I mean all that literally. I was terrified, I wanted off of that plane right then and there. Those bastards on 9/11 had sure gotten to me.

Still though, I was flying. I had made an oath that I would do what I could do to either get them or prevent them from doing it again or just live life normally in the face of their terror. So there I was trying to do my part to help prevent another catastrophe despite the fear. I was flying in a temporary assignment for which I had volunteered as an Air Marshal. Those feelings of fear recurred, just about as badly as on that first day, each time I flew for the next two to three weeks. Yeah they lessened and eventually faded to just me remaining in a state of fairly high alert - but that first flight as an Air Marshal - that was the scariest thing I ever did while traveling, heck it was the scariest thing I ever did in my whole life. I have been involved in hand to hand combat twice where people have grabbed my service pistol and tried to kill me - and another time I was beaten with my own night stick by 4 assailants – another time I had two guys try to rob me and I shot one of them - I even climbed over then down a smoldering 25 foot high mound of rubble to retrieve evidence from the Customs evidence vault amid all the destruction of the WTC - I also helped to search for survivors of that attack - and I can tell you - without a doubt - as scary as they were - those incidents were nowhere near as scary as flying that first flight (nor as scary as were at least the next week's worth of flights, maybe not even as scary as the 2nd week's worth) as a temporary Air Marshal.

It’s amazing how it all affected me, tears are running down my cheeks right now. I am not sure why. It is not because I was scared, not because I am all that emotional about talking or writing about it, more I suppose to do with the fact that I was virtually helpless as were we all feeling (most of us without even realizing it) right after 9/11. I would not have been helpless on that plane though, and I guess that is what was so scary. I know that had a flight on which I had been flying had a hijacking attempt the hijacking would not have reached its ultimate goal. There either would have been a lot of dead terrorists or there would have been a downed flight that was not successfully used as a missile against people on the ground, or there would have been a couple of dead Air Marshals. We knew what had to be done, those few hundred of us who volunteered, and I think we all were prepared to do it. Being prepared to do it though, that did not make it less scary, nor any easier, at least for me. I knew as did every flight attendant, every pilot and co-pilot, every passenger on all those planes once the airports reopened that if it happened again - people were going to die but the terrorists would not succeed in their overall mission. I think every American had been emboldened not only by the destruction on 9/11 but also by the words of the one passenger over PA who had organized the others to retake the cockpit. Well, I think they knew they would never live through it, that was a wild hope, they knew they would be killed but they did it anyway. I really have no idea why I volunteered to be a FAM and certainly will never quite fully understand how I got on that plane that first day. I was not prepared for it after a week of training, I knew that. I had never been in the military and never seen war. Sure I had my experience as a law enforcement officer but I was already 43 years old when this came around and I was scared to death.

I have to say I would never have flown, I would have called in sick, or just quit, had it not been for a friend in whom I confided about my fears. He reassured me time and time again, almost all to no avail, that is until he sent me these words:

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated." (Thomas Paine the introduction to The American Crisis 1776) (Thanks Pete K. - we have drunk from the same canteen indeed!)

I flew for 5 months. I had some really boring flights, hundreds of them. I also great times, met some swell people, and it was a good experience over all except maybe for how the real Air Marshals treated those of us who volunteered for this temporary assignment. They thought they were elite, I thought they were a-holes - not all of them but certainly the ones who thought they were superior. I never got involved in even one real conflict though this was the same period I think in which the shoe bomber guy was tackled by passengers and flight crew on a flight from London and was the time when a flight went down near JFK and all aboard perished. It was scary for all of us, and I think more so for those who flew anywhere.

I remember one flight attendant though on a really tough day. Though I recall the event vividly, I am not certain of exactly when this happened but seem to remember it was on or just after a day when my partner and I were waiting on a plane at LaGuardia Airport. On that day the captain came on and announced that a flight had gone down at Kennedy Airport and it was believed all aboard were lost. We had no other communication. The television service at the airport was shut down (by airport officials so as to not cause a panic when the news was broadcast - what jerks). We sat and waited for hours before we were told all flights had been cancelled. (This was the flight that crashed in the Rockaways killing all aboard and many on the ground- it turned out it was due to mechanical/structural failure not terrorism but we had no clue at the time.)

I don't remember for sure if it was on that same day, or within the following days once we were flying again, that a stewardess (forgive me my use of that word that flight attendants hate so much but I am old fashioned and it conveys a better time for me) was trembling and crying. She was just about hysterical. I did my best to console her and she ultimately gave me one of the warmest smiles of anyone with whom I flew in those 5 months. Believe me there were plenty of smiles and winks, especially on the shuttle flights to and from DC, especially right after some jerk of a congressman told the news media in which seats the air marshals had to sit. Yep, we were made, would have been anyway doing 4 to 6 flights a day back and forth to DC. Many of the passengers winked at us, smiled at us, patted us on our backs, shook our hands - all the while as we denied being who we were. Well back to that stewardess - she was pregnant - she was sure she was doing something wrong by flying – sure she was doing something wrong just by being pregnant ready to bring a baby into the post 9/11 world - worried about her baby – worried about flying – scared for herself – scared for the passengers - scared for America - almost scared to death. I sure knew the feeling. I had to do something, maybe it was not the right thing but I swore to her that as long as there was one breath of life left in my body - there would be no successful hijacking of any plane on which I was on. I swore that she was safe with me. She stopped sobbing, looked me in my eyes with one of the absolute most piercing stares I have ever seen and asked me if I really meant that.

Before I had said that to her, I already had figured that if we were hijacked we would all be dying, I was convinced stopping a hijacking must have surely meant going down in flames or whatever. Yet, that day, as I spoke to her, I meant each and every word I said to her. I guess I had meant it along that is why I had volunteered for the assignment. As for the hope within my words to her: it may have been a false hope, or maybe it was more - maybe it was a real hope - granted only with a tiny chance of success - one really with almost no chance of working out - but I meant every word of what I told her and I meant it down to my very last breath. She knew I meant it too because that is when she gave me that smile. She wasn't so scared after that - neither was I. I don't even remember her name but I will never, not ever so long as I breathe, forget her smile or what it meant to me at that moment. It truly instilled steely determination within me.

That friend of mine – the one who sent me those words from Thomas Paine – well he sent me some others – also of Thomas Paine that fit at that moment:

"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." --Thomas Paine

That surely fit the stewardess - she was smiling in trouble the type of which Thomas Paine was speaking. I guess too that is sort of what that stewardess was thinking about me in her own way. Maybe she thought I looked like a fat and old John Wayne but I suppose, right then and there, I was her hero ready to die for America if need be and she would have been okay with flying with me through hell. Whatever she may have been thinking though – her smile made it worth it. It made 5 months of gut wrenching fear easier to take, and I was sure if called upon I would do it all again because of that. The that to which I am making reference is not merely her smile, nor that maybe she saw me as a hero or protector. Heck, I am sure many of the passengers and flight crews felt likewise – that we were their protectors. The that to which I refer though is not even so much that people were ready to fly because we had helped put them at ease. Nor is it that because we were able as a team - as a nation - as one people to keep on living even in the face of our worst fears and that we were all prepared to die for our principles. I had thought that was it but no – the that to which I am referring is none of them and yet is all of them.

I have never in my life been as scared as back then, nor have I ever in my life been as proud of my country as I was when we all came together to face a common enemy, nor had I ever felt a feeling better than I did than when that stewardess smiled at me and I knew she would be alright bringing her child into the world as my wife had brought our children into the pre 9/11 world. You see, to me at least, the that to which I am referring was something that her smile revealed. Her smile at that moment, amidst all the fear, the uncertainty, the crisis meant one thing - it meant that she knew - as a fear stricken flight attendant - as a soon to be mom - as an American - that America would be alright. As surely as she knew it, I knew it too. That made it so much the easier to overcome, or live with, my fear - and it made it all worth the effort.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ballseye's Gun Shots 23 - Dear Ballseye On Gun Care Accessories

I am not all that big of a gun guy and I am not referring to my size but rather to my interest in guns. Sure I like my guns, a lot at that, but I suppose I have only an average to somewhat slightly higher interest in guns overall among shooters, hunters, collectors and so on. I know about firearms safety, know how to shoot fairly well, can instruct others how to shoot fairly well, know a fair mount about defensive tactics with firearms, know how to properly care for the firearms I own as far as regular maintenance goes, know how to refinish a wooden gun stock (born more of a woodworking thing than a gun thing there but it applies to wooden stocks nonetheless), and know how to tinker with some parts if something breaks or wears out. My abilities in the last thing - tinkering with the works of guns - is very limited indeed.

Still, I can give you some of what I think is god advice with regards to things like gun cleaning accessories, basic tools for firearms maintenance and repair, and so on. Along those lines I can also tell you about some of the things to avoid. That is what this post will be about - some helpful hints on gun care accessories that are both those worth having and those worth avoiding. I guess in essence this will be something of a Dear Heloise kind of a write-up albeit a Dear Ballseye one at that. Dear Ballseye, imagine that - a blog called Dear Ballseye in which readers send me letters asking about shooting, tactics, self defense issues, and firearms care, cleaning, repairs and so on. That would be a blast but alas I do not see it in my future. Of course one never knows just what will show up over on the right side of my page as a new addition to Ballseye's Boomers. For now, let's just imagine that I have received letters from my readers asking me about this or that relative to firearms care.

*******

Dear Ballseye,

Recently I decided to clean all of my firearms - rifles, shotguns and pistols. I need a large work area so I decided to use the dining room table. Whoops - that was a big mistake. I spilled some Hoppes #9 on the Irish Linen tablecloth and it left a stain. Now the wife wants to kill me even though our dining room smells great! What can I do?

Signed,

A Worried Husband

*******

Dear Worried,

I wouldn't worry too much if it was my wife's tablecloth; instead I would start running far and fast - faster than a speeding bullet. If your wife has not shot you already maybe you do not need to run except to a lawyer. After your divorce is final, if you ever decide to remarry, you may want to try this tip when cleaning your guns. Don't use the dining room table if at all avoidable, not the kitchen table either. As much as I love Hoppes and other gun cleaning solvents they do not belong at a tale from which we will later take sustenance, drink beer, or play poker (that stuff is great for cleaning guns it can ruin a good deck of playing cards in no time).

If you do find some way to make up with your wife (I recommend a dozen long stem roses, a nice dinner at the most expensive restaurant you can find, and a professional cleaning of the linen tablecloth) there are some things I recommend to avoid this problem in the future. Go to a place like your local giant handyman's store, you know like the one with the big orange letters - Home Something or other, and get yourself a 4 foot long folding table just for gun cleaning and tinkering. You would be amazed at how readily your wife (that is if you still have one) will be willing to accept the expense of such an item. If you want to be comfortable get a nice folding chair too. If you want to keep the wife even happier, show her you learned your lesson by buying a vinyl tablecloth to cover it when you work on your guns. Make sure you already replaced that Irish Linen or had it professionally cleaned though before you show her your new tablecloth for the gun worktable. Otherwise the whole plan may backfire and she may just shoot you. Of course you can also buy her a table - for things like gardening, or whatever hobby she may enjoy that requires a medium sized work area. If all that does not make up for your mess - well follow my first advice and run far and faster than a speeding bullet because she may already be aiming at getting you and your guns out of the house.

Hope this was helpful,

Ballseye

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Dear Ballseye,

I followed your advice and got the table. I also decided to sort of follow your advice about getting one for my wife and decided I could save money and let her use my table when she needed it. I also bought one of those green felt/rubber backed roll up gun cleaning mats at my local guns tore for $14. They said it was well worth every penny. Now I wish I had listened to you and bought the wife a separate table, and that I had gotten myself a vinyl tablecloth instead. That green roll up mat is a piece of junk. Dirt of all sorts sticks to it, oil and gun cleaning solvents soak into it, and the stringy felt like fibers that cover the work side of it get all caught up in my bore brushes. I have even found the stuff in the actions of some of my guns. As for the table, my wife started to use it to make Halloween decorations and plans likewise for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What is a guy to do to get his table back and keep the wife happy - I need to clean and check my guns before the hunting season and I am not about to do it on the dining room table again. By the way, cleaning the linen tablecloth cost me $350 - so no new hunting rifle this year.

Signed,

Worried Husband Again

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Dear Worried Again,

You are getting there but sure could have done it better. Just break down and spend the extra money on another folding table, this one just for your guns, and go to a kitchen supply store and pick up a heavy duty vinyl tablecloth (with cloth backing optional) for it. You may want to write on it in large letters GUN CLEANING ONLY with indelible magic marker. That way your wife never mistakenly uses it for the family BBQ and then blames you because all the food tasted like gun oil. Of course, if you clean it each time you are done using it on the gun table, then it will smell nice and fresh should your wife ever mistakenly use it on the patio table. As for not having enough money for a new hunting rifle, you can now use the dining room table for poker games. Remember though poker is a hit or miss proposition. By the way, I too find those green gun cleaning mats to be just about absolutely worthless. All the things you say happens with them and more. I rolled mine up after the first time I used it thinking that rolling it so the rubber backing wound up on the outside of the roll was a good idea. All that did was to assure that the a good portion of the rubber backing rolled up against the oil and gun solvent soaked felt like material. You guessed it - the next time I used the mat, the now oily and gun solvent wet underside of the mat was in contact with my work table. Lucky for me I had already learned my lesson about using linen covered dining room tables - so I was already using a relatively inexpensive folding table. All that needed was a good cleaning with warm sudsy water and then a rinse and pat down with paper towels to dry it off. The $14 or so that I spent on that cleaning mat is probably one of the worst expenditures value wise I have ever made.

Hope this was helpful,

Heloise Ballseye

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Dear Ballseye,

Recently I decided to disassemble my Remington 870 Shotgun for a really good cleaning and to check the parts for wear and tear. Not having any the instructions, or gunsmith training or tools I searched the Internet for advice. I came upon a site:

http://www.bubbaspoorfellasgunschmidding.gun.nut/

I found a wonderful article there about how to accomplish my goal. Yeah it was a little hard to read what with no capital letters, run on sentences, poor punctuation, misspellings and lots of slang but I got through it okay. I figured this was truly the site for guys like me who have a few guns that we want to maintain, clean or repair now and then but who do not have a lot of money for a gunsmith to do the work or to buy professional tools made for guns. It gave what seemed like really great advice on how to use regular tools found in the tool box on my guns. So I tried it out and I grabbed my trusty 870, the one my grand-dad left to me, a claw hammer, a center punch, a screwdriver, and a toothbrush and went at it.

Everything was going okay. I took off the rear rifle sight assembly (mine has rifle sights) with the screwdriver and only stripped the screw head a little bit because the screwdriver was apparently not just the right size and that screw was in their tightly. I got the barrel off, took out the magazine spring retaining cap (again with the screwdriver and only bent it a little), had the magazine spring shoot across the room and knock one of my wife's precious little knick-knacks off the shelf breaking it into only a few pieces that I think I can glue together again.

I continued onwards and followed Bubba's instructions to the letter and I used a center punch and the claw hammer to knock out the pins holding the trigger assembly in the receiver. At first I just tried pushing them out while holding the punch in my hand. They were all in there tightly just like Bubba said it might be so I tried what he said was a sure way to get them loose. I put the tip of the center punch into the small indent at the end of the pins and I slammed the other end of the punch with the claw hammer as hard as I could for each pin. Well that first little pin sure came out. It too, like the mag spring, shot across the room but this time it didn't break anything - lucky for me. Then I pried the center punch out of the hole in the frame with the claw end of the hammer. I followed Bubba's instructions and grabbed hold of the punch with the claw, then twisted and turned it as hard as I could to free the punch. Yep that Bubba sure seemed to know his stuff because he warned that the punch, what with its tapered shape, might get stuck in the holes for the pins and he sure knew how to get the stuck punch unstuck with that claw hammer. I got out all of the pins the same way.

Then once it was all apart (except for the actual trigger assembly but only because I did not have time) and cleaned, I tried to put it back together again. This is where the trouble started. I knew I was in trouble when the pins kept falling out of the holes and Bubba's website did not say anything about it. I must have done something wrong but I would swear I followed Bubba's instructions exactly as he gave them. All those pins that fit so snuggly before just wobbled right through the holes and to tell you the truth the holes now looked kind of ragged and out of round to me. Bubba's website does not explain why this would happen and I am at a loss to figure it out. Please HELP.

Signed,
Frustrated Tinkering Gun Owner

PS: Any suggestions on a glue for my wife's knick-knacks.

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Dear Tinkering Fool Gun Owner,

Try buying a new receiver from Remington or maybe a whole new 870. Of course, you can keep some of the old gun for parts, or maybe just slap it back together as best you can using chewing gum to keep the pins in place. Then hang it on your wall forever, don't try shooting it again.

The next time you want to disassemble a gun for cleaning or maintenance contact the manufacturer if possible and get instructions from them on how to disassemble and reassemble your firearm. Luckily for you the monetary value of an 870 is not that high when it comes to replacement but the loss of sentimental value, since it was your grand-dads, must be high. Other than keeping it as a wall hanger and getting a replacement I have no other advice about it.

Oh - I do have one more piece of advice for you - forget about Bubba's website, remove the link from your link list and avoid all other similar websites in the future.

Sorry I am not a miracle worker,
Ballseye

PS: Buy your wife a new knick-knack or three to replace the broken one. Try to get one of the same as was the broken one, and two other even nicer and more expensive ones.

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Dear Ballseye,

I recently decided to place some of my less used rifles into long term storage. I used a space aged version of gun metal protectant that I bought at my local gun shop. it is called Cosmoline. The gun store clerk told me it is the most advanced space age metal protectant there is on the market and I was happy to pay $58.99 for a one gallon can of it. All went well and I followed the instructions that came with the product. My guns are absolutely slathered with this stuff inside and out and I have at least a half a gallon of the stuff left over. A great value if you ask me. Now half of my 8 gun collection is well protected and in storage for TEOTWAWKI. If you have never heard of this product I highly recommend it. It is supposed to prevent rust and other types of corrosion on metal and also protects wooden stocks from mold and other such nasties. It is easy to apply by hand using an old rag.

The only problem I had with it, and this is why I have written to you oh great gun master, is that while working this stuff into my guns I dropped some onto the floor and it got into the carpet. I was watching the big league playoffs and wasn't paying as much attention as I should have and I now have that mess on the floor. I also had a mess on my hands and I got some of this stuff into the cable company's remote control for my TV. The keys are now kind of sluggish, well the ones that still work anyway, the other ones are just right out stuck from all the goop around and under them. The other thing is that when I was done, I wiped off my hands then went upstairs and gave the wife a hug and kiss, as I often do when feeling good about having cared well for my firearms, and I sort of got some of this stuff on her favorite blouse. Can you get me out of this mess.

Signed,
Mess Making Man

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Dear Mess Maker,

First let me say it is nice to see people who want to care properly for their guns even when they plan to store them for the end of the world as we know it. It was also nice to see you followed application instructions for the product. Now allow me to suggest that if you ever do this again you read my first response above and get yourself a good folding table on which you can work on your guns. Also keep the TV off and do not handle the remote.

Before starting again, get yourself a good vinyl or other protective and grease/oil proof apron to wear while working on your guns with cleaners or protectants. You may also consider wearing a good pair of latex gloves (if not allergic to latex) or some other household rubber type glove while doing this kind of messy work. Take off the gloves and apron before hugging your wife. You may even want to clean up with some soap and water to get any mess off of yourself if you forgot to use the gloves. Dawn dishwashing detergent works well for me. I also use Go-Jo hand cleaner. I use it first to get off the gunk, then rinse, then I wash using the Dawn dishwashing detergent. Then I dry off. Then, and only then, would I even consider hugging she who must be adored. (No I am not about to hug your wife, I meant mine and you keep your hands off of her.) Oh yeah, remember to take of any jewelry that might get scratched by the grit in the Go-Jo - I sort of dulled the finish on my wedding ring in the first year of my marriage using that stuff and someone was really mad at me after that.

As for the rug and the blouse, you may want to try to absorb as much of the greasy mess that the Cosmoline left behind with paper towels. Then try washing each with a mild detergent - one that fights grease and oil - like dawn. (No this is not a dawn commercial and they are not paying me - but yes the stuff works pretty good).

As for the remote - I again have to say - I am no miracle worker. Maybe the cable guy will feel pity for you if he too is a gun guy and he can replace it for you for free. Of course if he is anti-gun he may report you to the authorities as a menace to society.

When you take your guns out of storage and want to clean off the Cosmoline don't go to the guy who sold it to you for $58.99 for advice; he might just try to sell you some other space age stuff to remove it, and you really don't need to get ripped off again. Oh, didn't i mention that the Cosmoline should ahve cost about $15 - if that much. There are lots of good gun forums such as TheGunCounter.com or the AmmoLocker.com where you can get free advice on how to remove it later without spending a fortune. Just make sure the forum/thread has plenty of posts in it with good grammar and that no post is signed by Bubba.

Hope I helped to
clean up your mess,
Ballseye

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Well dear readers, that is it for now. I hope I have imparted to you some of the littler bits of gun care wisdom that will make caring for your firearms just a bit easier on you and your pocketbook.

All the best,

Glenn B