January 2007 – Page 5 – Shall Not Be Questioned

And So Begin the Google Search Words

I’m starting to get some good google search items.

AK47 full auto conversion

Got several hits on that one. Sorry folks, you won’t find information like this here. Hopefully you realize you’ll spend several years in federal prison if you do this. If you don’t believe me, ask Wayne Fincher.

More than several people looking for info on the new Kel-Tec 308 bullpup they introduced at SHOT. I think Kel-Tec might have a winner here.

Joe Hoffel gets a few hits even though I just posted his name for the first time yesterday.

Another interesting search term:

.22LR Full Auto

What you’re looking for is this, the American 180. Accept no substitutes.

“The Courtâ€™s door should be knocked only with the utmost seriousness and preparation.”

So says Steven Halbrook in his latest law review article.Â I was going to say something about this but, damn you Geekwitha45, you took the words right out of my mouth.Â The money quote form the law review is

While there is room for optimism, one presents a Second Amendment case before the Supreme Court with great risk. New rights are discovered with extra-legal phraseology like â€œliberty of the person both in its spatial and more transcendent dimensions,â€67 and explicit rights â€“ to include core political speech68 â€“ are swept away. The first case the Supreme Court takes on the merits of the individual-collective rights issue will be critical. This area of the law is no exception to the precept that the Courtâ€™s door should be knocked only with the utmost seriousness and preparation.

Go read what Geekwitha45 has to say! Â I don’t really have much to add.

I’ll Second That Endorsement

Apparently Sandy Froman has quite a collection of NFA items. What’s not to love about that? I’ll be happy to second that endorsement. I would really like to see the NRA doing more to stick up for those of us who own, or want to own, arms covered under the National Firearms Act. Getting rid of it would be nice too, but one step at a time.

UPDATE: Bitter offers a much more rousing endorsement of Sandra Froman than I could possibly muster.Â She’ll definiely be on my ballot, and I hope yours too.

The Most Depressing Day

Coincidence?Â I think not!Â

The day after the Patriots blow an 18 point lead to the Colts,Â a team they’ve positively owned in the playoffs, it was reported that British researchers have determined that people will be most depressed today,Â January 22nd.Â TheyÂ cite a few factors like cold weather, lack of follow-through on New Years’ resolutions, and Holiday credit card debt.Â

And I can add as factors that the Patriots were exposed as a little too old and slow on defense andÂ that I’ll have to put up with two weeks of Petyon Manning hype.

Hey Ed, What’s This Going to Cost Me?

This Philadelphia Inquirer article is practically slobbering all over Rendell’s new “plan” and is short on details. Like, how much is this going to cost me? Pennsylvania is already a horrid state to do business in, and this looks like something that’s just going to make it worse.

Pennsylvania has a real problem keeping educated young people in the state. The common story is to go to college, get educated, and get the hell out. I’m one of the rare types that actually stayed, rather than going to greener pastures in the South and West. Rendell would be wise to realize why Phoenix, AZ is currently paced to strip Philadelphia of its title of 5th largest city, and stuff like this has a lot to do with it. Big government is not conducive to economic growth.

But I will say this, I do believe this stuff ought to be done at the state level if it’s going to be done. I would just prefer Pennsylvania wait and see what the results of Massachusetts and California’s efforts are, before we try to one up them. Let’s also not forget the mess that is TennCare.

I agree with critics that our health care system is in need of some reform, but so far no one is coming up with a solution that looks good.

UPDATE: Commenter and occasional blogger Brad points to this good Pat Toomey editorial in the Inquirer.

Castor vs. Hoeffel?

According to this Inquirer article, we could end up seeing a race between Bruce Castor and Joe Hoeffel for Montgomery County Commissioner. I don’t live in Montgomery County, but I do work in it, so I’m familiar with both Hoeffel and Castor, and even at this early juncture, I’ll throw my hat in the ring with Castor, if it comes down to those two. For the gun folks reading, Hoeffel was best known, as Congressman, for trying to make all federal gun laws apply to antique firearms, so you would have had to fill out form 4473 if you wanted to buy a black powder, muzzle loading 1863 Springfield. I’m sure you’re all aware of the epidemic of gun crime we’ve experienced with antique black powder firearms. No? Apparently that didn’t matter to Hoeffel.

I think Bruce Castor has been a good District Attorney for the county, and having him make sure that Joe Hoeffel’s political career remains in the dungeon I think is a worthy effort. This is an important race, because the Republicans have traditionally ruled the roost in the Philadelphia suburbs. The Democrats have been desperate to change that, and getting control of one of the suburban counties is a big start.

The 2006 elections were a bloodbath for Republicans in the Philadelphia suburbs, and the Democrats are smelling the blood in the water. Hoeffel is a big name, and Montgomery County elected him to Congress three times. I’m not sure I would agree with Davis’ (GOP County Chairman) assessment that his incumbents could defeat him. Most people don’t know the names of their county commissioners, but they will know Joe Hoeffel, and they know Bruce Castor. If the Democrats have a reasonable chance of gaining control of Montgomery County, Castor might be just what the GOP needs to block it.

Philadelphia Foot Fettish Attacker

This guy is just asking to get shot. When he grabs for the shoes, that’s always a good opportunity to paint the sidewalk with this guy’s brains. This is why more women need to carry, especially in a city with as many warped human beings as Philadelphia.

“I used to walk my dog early in the morning before I went to work, all around the school, now I just stay on Parrish. I take my cell phone, sometimes I talk to someone. It’s scary,” said Fairmount resident, Kathleen Bannon.

Yeah, that cell phone is really going to help. I wish the media and politicians would stop perpetuating this myth that cell phones will protect you.Â Talking to someone on your god damned phone is an invitation to a robber, because it means you aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around you.Â Paying attention will protect you a lot more than any friggin cell phone.Â By the time whoever you’re talking to calls the police, you’re either out your money, and your shoes, a rape victim, or you’re a stain on the sidewalk.Â My guess is this shoe fetish attacker is a seriously dangerous individual, more so than ordinary armed robbers, and need to be stopped before he kills or rapes someone.Â But you won’t hear anyone in Philadelphia suggesting women take self-defense classes and get licensed to carry weapons.Â No, just carry a cell phone.Â If you’re lucky, the police will show up before you become a statistic.

Mosin-Nagant Humor

I ran into this really amusing bit while looking for info about the Mosin-Nagant over at 7.62x54r.net. We’re all familiar with the AR vs. AK fights. Well, the die hard Nagant lovers think they have a leg up in that debate:

Stuff you know if you have an AK	Stuff you know if you have an AR	Stuff you know if you have a Mosin Nagant
It works though you have never cleaned it. Ever.	You have $9 per ounce special non-detergent synthetic Teflon infused oil for cleaning.	It was last cleaned in Berlin in 1945.
You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from inside.	You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from 600 meters.	You can hit the barn from two counties over.
Cheap mags are fun to buy.	Cheap mags melt.	What’s a mag?
Your safety can be heard from 300 meters away.	You can silently flip off the safety with your finger on the trigger.	What’s a safety?
Your rifle comes with a cheap nylon sling.	Your rifle has a 9 point stealth tactical suspension system.	You rifle has dog collars.
Your bayonet makes a good wire cutter.	Your bayonet is actually a pretty good steak knife.	Your bayonet is longer than your leg.
You can put a .30″ hole through 12″ of oak, if you can hit it.	You can put one hole in a paper target at 100 meters with 30 rounds.	You can knock down everyone else’s target with the shock wave of your bullet going downrange.
When out of ammo your rifle will nominally pass as a club.	When out of ammo, your rifle makes a great wiffle bat.	When out of ammo, your rifle makes a supreme war club, pike, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood.
Recoil is manageable, even fun.	What’s recoil?	Recoil is often used to relocated shoulders thrown out by the previous shot.
Your sight adjustment goes to “10”, and you’ve never bothered moving it.	Your sight adjustment is incremented in fractions of minute of angle.	Your sight adjustment goes to 12 miles and you’ve actually tried it.
Your rifle can be used by any two bit nation’s most illiterate conscripts to fight elite forces worldwide.	Your rifle is used by elite forces worldwide to fight two bit nations’ most illiterate conscripts.	Your rifle has fought against itself and won every time.
Your rifle won some revolutions.	Your rifle won the Cold War.	Your rifle won a pole vault event.
You paid $350.	You paid $900.	You paid $59.95.
You buy cheap ammo by the case.	You lovingly reload precision crafted rounds one by one.	You dig your ammo out of a farmer’s field in Ukraine and it works just fine.
You can intimidate your foe with the bayonet mounted.	You foes laugh when you mount your bayonet.	You can bayonet your foe on the other side of the river without leaving the comfort of your hole.
Service life, 50 years.	Service life, 40 years.	Service life, 100 years, and counting.
It’s easier to buy a new rifle when you want to change cartridge sizes.	You can change cartridge sizes with the push of a couple of pins and a new upper.	You believe no real man would dare risk the ridicule of his friends by suggesting there is anything but 7.62x54r.
You can repair your rifle with a big hammer and a swift kick.	You can repair your rifle by taking it to a certified gunsmith, it’s under warranty!	If your rifle breaks, you buy a new one.
You consider it a badge of honor when you get your handguards to burst into flames.	You consider it a badge of honor when you shoot a sub-MOA 5 shot group.	You consider it a badge of honor when you cycle 5 rounds without the aid of a 2×4.
After a long day the range you relax by watching “Red Dawn”.	After a long day at the range you relax by watching “Blackhawk Down”.	After a long day at the range you relax by visiting the chiropractor.
After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for a stiff shot of Vodka.	After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for hotdogs and apple pie.	After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for shishkabob.
You can accessorize you rifle with a new muzzle brake or a nice stock set.	Your rifle’s accessories are eight times more valuable than your rifle.	Your rifle’s accessory is a small tin can with a funny lid, but it’s buried under an apartment building somewhere in Budapest.
Your rifle’s finish is varnish and paint.	Your rifle’s finish is Teflon and high tech polymers.	Your rifle’s finish is low grade shellac, cosmoline and Olga’s toe nails.
Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Mikhail Kalashnikov.	Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Eugene Stoner.	You’re not sure there WERE cameras to photograph Sergei Mosin.
Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to hold your rifle over your head and shout “Wolverines!”	Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to clear your house, slicing the pie from room to room.	Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the the yard to sleep in.
There you have it. In the end, it is clear to any open minded inquirer that the Mosin Nagant is the most superior weapon of all time, but the AR and the AK come out as a draw when compared side by side.

Range Report – Refighting World War II

I finally got the Mosin-Nagant out to the range this afternoon. I decided to take the Mauser K98 along with, to compare the two. The indoor range maxes out at 25 yards, which is fine, because to be honest, I’ve never been able to shoot well with notch sights. I much prefer the AR-15s peep sights for some reason. My overall impression, which is probably not a surprise, is that the Mauser is the better weapon.

The Mosin-Nagant bolt, just dry cycling, operates smoothly. As soon as you add ammunition, it takes a fairly heavy wallop to lock the bolt down, which I found to be rather annoying. The Mauser’s bolt action is very smooth, and can be cycled while still maintaining a reasonable shooting position. To cycle the Mosin-Nagant’s bolt, I had to completely break my shooting position in order to get enough leverage to slap the bolt down to lock the breech closed.

The trigger on the Mosin-Nagant I found to be sloppy and unpredictable compared to the Mauser. The Nagant’s trigger has slack before you start to hit the breaking point, same as the Mauser, but there’s a definite bit of resistance on the Mauser trigger before it breaks. The Mosin-Nagant has no crisp break. It just kind of goes at some point when you pull it back, so it’s hard to take up the slack, refine your bead, and then give that little bit extra to fire the shot.

The safety on the Mosin-Nagant hardly qualifies at all, since you basically just lock the firing ping against the receiver. It’s difficult to undo in a hurry, and probably impossible in a panic. The Mauser has the edge here in going from safe to ready to shoot, even though the K98’s safety is also less then ideal. If I were carrying a Mosin-Nagant as a soldier, I think I’d rather leave the chamber empty than fuss with the safety. Even the Kalashnikov safety is an improvement over this.

Accuracy between both weapons is probably comparable in the hands of an expert shooter, which I am not. The best group I managed to do with the Mauser at 25 yards was a group of five about the size of a quarter. With the Mosin-Nagant, the best group of five was the size of a silver dollar. Of course, those were the only group of 5 where I didn’t end up pulling one or two shots outside the group :)

All in total I fired 80 rounds out of the rifles, which is more than enough for me. My shoulder feels like someone beat it a few times with a hammer. I have new respect for my grandfather’s generation, who were shooting these massive high power cartridges all day, and, as fit soldiers, had a bit less padding to dampen the recoil than I do. Plus, the damned rifles are heavy. I can’t imagine slogging one of these around Europe for four years!

As for me, I enjoy the collecting and occasional shooting aspects of these historic rifles, but for fun shooting, I’ll stick with rifles that fire intermediate cartridges. My shoulder will thank me.

Support for Gun Control Down Among College Freshman

Those of us who favor limited government will weep over a poll (PDF) linked to by Kos (not often you’ll see me link to him), which shows support for big government to be widely supported by college freshman.Â It’s probably not too surprising that people who aren’t yet earning paychecks, and are thus not being taxed to pay for government programs, favor more of them than those who are.Â But don’t despair too much folks:

The issue that shows the greatest change from 2005 to 2006 is a decrease in support that â€œthe federal government should do more to control the sale of handguns,â€ down from 78.7 percent in 2005 to 73.8 percent in 2006.

So I guess we must be doing something right, but that number is way way too high.Â We need to keep this number dropping, because our rights have no future if we’re not reaching out to these types of people.Â I think this is an area we EBR types have more of an advantage over the fuddies.Â In my experience, young people get far more excited over a chance to learn about and shoot the same firearms they play with in video games than they are about learning to shoot a deer rifle.

I’ve introduced three college aged folks to shooting, one of which was quite afraid of guns before.Â Know anyone in college who’s never had a chance to shoot?Â See if they have any interest in going to the range.Â You might not make a shooter out of them, but you can at least give them some knowledge and show them a fun time.Â The only way we’re going to keep our rifles is to get more people involved, and make it harder for the anti-gun folks to sell people on their bullshit.