New (to me) Old Army - First Year of Production

Oh yeah, for $220 or so shipped I got this first year of production Ruger Old Army and it is, although sans box and nipple wrench, in very good condition, excellent even. There is a hint of pitting (but it is blued without a reblue, is it really pitting or manufacture flaw?) on the forward edge of cylinder circumference. The gun locks up tight but the rammer is noticeably looser than my Lyman Remington New Model Army I bought in 1974. For what it is worth that was two years after the Old Army was made. I killed game in Texas with the Lyman which was purchased in San Angelo. The "new" gun came to me from Pennsylvania but who knows where it has traveled in the years since "birth".

I have bought a nipple wrench but still need to get the proper size balls, a Ruger hard case and a holster for the gun.

Long Gone but...

As I've been to Houston and Pensacola on family business I've not been posting for the past week. However, I did manage to score a Ruger Old Army and 9 boxes of .25-35 factory ammo for $65. Good times.

Got to see my son. He should lay off the fast food but it sure was good to see him.

.41 Mag Data but not Mine

A friend asked me to post some scanned data his dad, J. Kenneth Chapman, used in a an article on the .41 Mag. I've been messing about with this to get the jpegs posted. I'll make no comments as it isn't my place to do so. To see a larger version, click on the photo.

These loads are from my dad's files and pretty much match the Handloader Magazine article.
While these are safe in my rifle and handgun, they may not be safe in anyone elses weapon. Please be sure to only follow the powder manufacturer's recommendations when working up loads, and only use the loads I'm giving, for comparison and reading enjoyment.
Ray

Older Books - Nostalgia Reigns

I've been looking at some of the older books I have that hooked me on shooting, hunting and, along with my grandparents, the outdoors in general.

The first of these is "Herter's Famous Professional Guide's Manual" (the abridged edition) by George Leonard Herter and Jacques P. Herter. A wealth of knowledge and marketing.

George wrote/co-wrote several books including, "How to Live with a Bitch", "Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices", and "Herter's professional course in the science of modern taxidermy" among others. This man was a character to say the least. Very fun to read, each and every time.

If you're old enough you no doubt remember the Herter's catalogs. When I was assigned to the Defense Language Institute, my first roomate's father worked for Herters and was from Waseca. I thought that was too cool.

The second is "Hunting-Fishing and Camping" by L. L. Bean. Wow! This one really sucked me in. You can tell when you look at the guns I hunt with and how I prefer to dress!

The hunters in Mr. Bean's book use classic leverguns, side-by-side shotguns and wear wool as well as Mr. Bean's famous Maine hunting shoe! Lots of good photos in black and white but the book is very Maine-centric as Mr. Bean says right up front. He allows as game generally behaves everywhere the same.

The front endpiece is a map of Baxter State Park often referred to in the naming of LL Bean products. The back endpiece is a map of Maine with the by county 1941 deer kills. Given as 19,881, I wonder how many deer were killed in 2005...

Places to Go

I have to admit that I don't enjoy travel. To me, travel by plane, car, train, bus, or whatever is a necessary evil to allow me to move to someplace where I can do something I want or, worst of all, need to do. However, I can have some good trips. You read of one that I did last year where we pulled the RV through 19 states in 25 days and got to see the Alamo, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Yellowstone National Park, and the Little Bighorn Battlefield.

Those were the highlights for me. You might see a pattern developing. If you don't now you will.

Several years ago, I can't tell you when without looking at my passport, my wife "took" me to England. We stayed at a B&B in London and saw Edinburgh, Stonehenge, the Roman baths at Bath, the Royal Armories (in Leeds), the Tower, Westminster, and the Imperial War Museum. Oh, we saw other stuff as well. Gardens, pubs, ghost tour, Parliament, London Bridge, Tower Bridge (which is interesting) and so on. That stuff just wasn't as interesting to me.

We've even taken a couple of bus tours to Canada. One went through Maine, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and returned through New Brunswick. The other went through Toronto, and north through Timmons and Sudbury to take the train from Cochran to Moose Factory, Ontario. In general this was interesting, mostly mildly so, and the wife LOVED both trips. What I enjoyed was seeing the forts, LL Bean, James Bay, the Canadian shield, lakes, thousand islands area, National Museum of Man and such.

I also wanted my dear wife to see where my father came from in upstate New York and we went to Lake George, Cooperstown, Niagara Falls, Corning Museum of Glass, and the Erie Canal. I liked, Lake George (I've always loved going to Lake George), Fort Ticonderoga, Old Fort Niagara, the Erie Canal (we actually toured the canal at Lockport), and the glass museum.

Why am I going on about this? Because every summer my wife, the teacher, wants to travel. She has 2½ months to do it and now that I'm retired, so do I. This summer we'll be going to Pensacola, Houston, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Charleston and points in between. We'll be riding trains, planes, truck, boats, RAFTS, and busses. At least I won't have to drive it all.

National Concealed Handgun Bill - S.3275

Senator George Allen has introduced S.3275, a bill that would make a concealed handgun or weapon permit valid in all 50 states!

There are 13 co-sponsors as of now:
Sen Burns, Conrad R. [MT] - 6/5/2006
Sen Burr, Richard [NC] - 5/26/2006
Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID] - 5/26/2006
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID] - 5/26/2006
Sen Dole, Elizabeth [NC] - 5/26/2006
Sen Ensign, John [NV] - 5/26/2006
Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK] - 5/26/2006
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 5/26/2006
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - 5/26/2006
Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] - 5/26/2006
Sen Sununu, John E. [NH] - 5/26/2006
Sen Thune, John [SD] - 5/26/2006
Sen Vitter, David [LA] - 5/26/2006


Here is the text of the bill for those interested:

A BILLTo amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms in the State.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. NATIONAL STANDARD FOR THE CARRYING OF CERTAIN CONCEALED FIREARMS BY NONRESIDENTS.

(a) In General- Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 926C the following:`Sec. 926D. National standard for the carrying of certain concealed firearms by nonresidents

`(a) Definition- In this section, the term `another State' means a State other than the State from which a person holds a license or permit described in subsection (b)(2).

`(b) Authorization- Notwithstanding any provision of the law of any State or political subdivision thereof, and subject to subsection (c), a person may carry a concealed firearm (other than a machinegun or destructive device) that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce in another State if the person--

`(1) is not prohibited by Federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm; and

`(2) is carrying a valid license or permit that--

`(A) is issued by a State; and

`(B) permits the person to carry a concealed firearm (other than a machinegun or destructive device).

`(c) Licensing-

`(1) IN GENERAL- If another State issues licenses or permits to carry concealed firearms, a person may carry a concealed firearm in that State under this section under the same restrictions that apply to the carrying of a concealed firearm by a person to whom that State has issued such a license or permit.

`(2) NO LICENSES BY STATE- Except to the extent expressly permitted by State law, if another State does not issue licenses or permits to carry concealed firearms, a person may not carry a concealed firearm in that State under this section--

`(A) in a police station;

`(B) in a public detention facility;

`(C) in a courthouse;

`(D) in a public polling place;

`(E) at a meeting of a State, county, or municipal governing body;

`(F) in a school;

`(G) at a professional or school athletic event not related to firearms;

`(H) in a portion of an establishment licensed by that State to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises; or

`(I) inside the sterile or passenger area of an airport.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 926C the following:

`926D. National standard for the carrying of certain concealed firearms by nonresidents.'.

Call, write, e-mail your Senators and get them on board with this bill.

Pellets from the .223 Rem...?

The .223 Rem or 5.56mm NATO is a versatile cartridge and is widely used for varminting and, in some places, for deer. However, some folks find even this relatively mild cartridge to be too much for some uses. Also, a natural tendency to frugality can encourage the adaptation of a single arm so chambered to a multitude of uses.

One of those many uses can be the elimination of the smaller vermin in and about the house. And one way to do that is to use primed cases to fire .22 caliber air rifle pellets.

Of course this isn't a new idea by any stretch of the imagination. Sub-power loads have been used since the development of firearms. So far as the .223 cartridge is concerned, soldiers have been doing all sorts of things for years. Shooting pellets loaded ahead of blank cartridges is just one "trick" soldiers use to amuse themselves. The Convert-a-pell is however a much better system. For one thing, air rifle pellets are not designed for the velocities likely generated ahead of the fast powder used in the blank cartridges. With the Convert-a-pell, the sole propellant is the 209 shotgun primer. The cases are standard nickel-plated (to make them easily distinguishable, there is no other reason I can discern) and have been altered to accept the primers by drilling out the base and counter-sinking the hole. Because the 209 primer contains the anvil this system works just fine. Loads can be tuned by changing primers by make and type.

Actually, one could could make these oneself with a bit of care. It just takes a drill, properly handled countersink and patience.

How do they work? Well, I think that they are noticeably louder than the Aguila Colibri or even the CCI CBs. They are less accurate, too. Even at only 25 yards group sizes will be twice those of the Colibri and 4 times the size of a properly set up air rifle. However they are fun.

VERY hot here today, especially for May. Reloading in the basement, setting up window AC and chilling here at the computer.

History is an abiding passion of mine. Love it. A recent discussion on the American Longrifles forum caused me to research the following books on Simon Kenton.

- Simon Kenton: His Life and Period, 1755-1836 (The First American Frontier) (Hardcover) by Edna Kenton
- Simon Kenton: Kentucky Scout (Paperback) by Thomas Dionysius Clark, Edward Shenton
- Frontier hero: Simon Kenton (Unknown Binding) by Shannon Garst
- Simon Kenton: The Great Frontiersman (Paperback) by Ray Crain
- Simon Kenton, the scout (Unknown Binding) by Jane Corby
- The violent years;: Simon Kenton and the Ohio-Kentucky frontier (Unknown Binding) by Patricia Jahns

There are several titles out of print which may or may not have been referenced in later works.

Off to a Local Gun-show

That uniquely American event, the gun-show, was a wonderful thing but now seems to be more like a fudge-flea-hotsauce-military surplus show. Anyway, despite misgivings, I popped for a fiver to attend this past weekend's Old Dominion show at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds. Held in the main exhibition hall, it loosely filled half the building where once upon a time it packed the whole building. Sellers were outrageous on most everything. One seller told me it was 5% off this afternoon. That's sales tax in VA. His prices were STILL out of line IMO. Saw a Winchester Legacy .38-55 NIB for a mere $1599. Old and not so old beat up Marlins were asking $350. Did see some Savage 99s but one was refinished and asking the same price as an excellent original. I had some money and couldn't find a thing to buy. Did get to speak to a friend and meet his uncle.

I also saw the Beretta version of the Colt Lightning, the Gold Rush, chambered in .45 Colt. No coonfingering allowed but the "color case" looked good. Don't know if it is real or applied. Has a funky Beretta inset. This was a carbine. The forward band is screwed together at a protrusion below the mag tube. IOW, the band is a clamp and the screw is in that protrusion. I thought that looked a bit odd as well. I don't remember the originals being like that AND this isn't shown that way on the web site. Price was $1200 or thereabouts IIRC which is less than MSRP. I've seen the Taurus Thunderbolt and it looked and handled good for me. I didn't get to handle the Beretta but it looked better but I don't know if it looked $700+ better. Some of that difference is in the exchange rate. I've heard that the Taurus has some teething problems. I'll wait a bit. In any case the weak primary extraction of this rifle makes me lean towards the more strongly tapered .44-40 cartridge.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

I've long had an affinity for boating/canoing and prefer the rowed, paddled and sailed to motor boats (although they can be fun...). This might be a bit of why. You see the little blonde haired boy next to that 50-something year old woman in the boat? That's me, age 5, and that's my Grandmother F and the boat is Winona late of Lake George in New York and now a resident of the Mystic Seaport Museum. However, Winona is on vacation here and on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Grandma F was teaching me to row and that was the beginning. We weren't far off-shore, close enough for Grandpa F to take the picture but it was fun and I often remember that day(what I can remember) as GREAT fun.

The boat, Winona, was built about 1888 by George Bartlett of Sabbath Day Point on Lake George for my Great, Great, Great, Grandfather van Cott. It was one of a pair of boats but the other has long since gone to boat heaven. This boat has been rowed (as seen here but with oars in leathers), sailed (with leeboards), motored (with a 3 horse Envinrude), and rowed and sailed some more. She has two rowing stations, a stern seat backrest and (at least she had) a rudder. Many family members have spent many hours in bliss on board this 16 foot boat.

I thought it great fun to row in the bow, my sister in the middle and Grandma in the stern. Sometimes Grandma would use the rudder and sometimes she'd lounge on the backrest. Sometimes her beloved Collie, Lady, would ride with us.

With such a grand introduction, is it any wonder I so love the water? Now, I have an Old Town Pack canoe. Only 13 feet long, it is plenty for me as Mrs. Hobie doesn't much like to get on the water in something so tippy. I've been thinking that I like the old style/traditional boats so much (but appreciate new materials like Kevlar as well) that I should get a boat that my dear wife would enjoy with me.

The Adirondack Guide Boat is my choice but funds simply aren't available. Oh, well, perhaps someday... I'd love to be able to hook up the RV, load the boat on the back of the truck with the bikes and head out to see how many bodies of water can wet her hull and how many miles of logging road we can ride.

Chain(saw) of Love

Well, that is a bit weird but this is some chainsaw. A Stihl 280WB that Dad bought new over 25 years ago (30 maybe) and has run like a champ ever since, it has been good to me as well. Yesterday I was out trimming pines in Mom's "far yard" so that I can mow under them using the riding mower (lazy buzzard, aren't I?). Now for me, working alone (with Mom and her dog watching) this was some work. After trimming 5 trees and moving the limbs to the pile (for rabbit shelter) and mowing under those 5 trees I was beat and out of time. I rushed home and then, in unloading the truck, heard an odd rattle from the saw. Why, the muffler was hanging by a thread (literally!), one thread on one bolt.

Held on by 3 bolts, one was gone and one was rattling around inside the muffler. This morning I went to the Stihl dealer and got the bolts, came home and reassembled my baby. Interestingly, you have to take apart the muffler to bolt it to the saw. Anyway, with the right size allen wrenches it was a snap. Now, she's ready to get some and make my life easier.

So why am I writing about this rather minor happenstance? Well, because it made me think that I might have to get another saw and I was looking at the Stihls. My baby's counterpart the MS 280 is over $400! Whew! I appreciate Dad's wise purchase and this wonderful chainsaw all the more now!

The 2006 political season is beginning to wind up. Every election is critical to gun rights. I hope that everyone votes. The sacred right to vote was won and kept safe by virtue of the sacrifices of thousands of men and women who did their duty.

I've been reading and listening to many shooters lately. They express a wide range of opinions some of which must be based on blind hate and unreasoning distrust.

I have to admit that I'm a single issue voter. That issue is gun rights. The reason, aside from my own firearm ownership and self interest, is that ANTI-gun ownership politicians are also illogical, often self-serving opportunistic, arrogant, elitist, and racist. Just as they won't allow individual citizens to exercise the right of self-defense, they seek (actively it seems) to deny the NATION an ability to self-defense. While they say that saving even just one life justifies "gun control", they simultaneously support the abortion of millions of unborn children even to the point of late term abortion where a full-term child is actually killed as it is born. They believe that everyone has an absolute right to free speech no matter how offensive UNLESS those folks are anti-abortion OR Christian. These are just some examples of many lapses in logic these people exhibit. How can one trust people who can not reason?

To carry it one step further, the Democrat Party is now owned by these folks. The few Democrats like Zell Miller are not supported by their party (and one has to wonder what sort of optimism makes them think this might change). Because the Democrats are also so good in forcing even the moderates to vote the party line, one simply can't trust ANY Democrat to support any "pro-gun" vote.

The Republicans, despite the best efforts of the Democrats to portray them otherwise, have mostly supported gun ownership and led the way in social reform including being President Lyndon Johnson's main supporters of the voting rights act. It was Republicans under Teddy Roosevelt who integrated the Civil Service and Democrats under Woodrow Wilson who reversed integration. It was Democrats who opposed, violently in some cases, integration in the 1960s.

In short, there is a direct correlation between the major party that most supports gun ownership and also supports all other forms of political and economic freedom. Support of gun ownership is a viable indicator of every other proper political thought. That isn't to say that there aren't aberrations like Howard Dean who is pro-gun (or was) and about as far left as Lenin or John McCain who's apparently worked extra hard to get along with all sorts of socialists...

So it always puzzles me, why are there gun-owners, rabid pro-gun rights folks, who ALWAYS vote for the socialists, aka Democrats? I just don't get it.

Now, we see that while Al Queda has been communicating within that they are losing the war in Iraq, we have quislings in this country obfuscating by any means but most recently using the NSA foreign phone intercept and phone call patterning projects as invasions of privacy. Those same folks call making English the official language "racist" and oppose making our borders secure against unauthorized crossing.

I suppose there are some out there who don't see that when these illegals get in this country and rob it blind, terrorize it or what have you these circumstances will be used to erode our gun rights. That is sad as it has already been attempted. ONLY the Republican control of the House and Senate has staved off this assault.

Now some of you aren't happy with GW because he hasn't been fiscally conservative, too liberal on the immigration issue, too long in Iraq, etc. You want to sit out this election to "punish" the Republicans. Well, I suppose that we can count you in on the Dems side. Not voting for a pro-US and pro-gun candidate is just like voting AGAINST the US and for the Democrats. May God help us all if these vituperative, self-serving, opportunistic, socialists get back into power.

Please, PLEASE vote this November, even if you have to choke it down when you stand in the voting booth, VOTE.

Trail Cameras

My recent attempts to bring deer close enough to Mom's front porch that she can watch and enjoy them has had the side benefit of getting me interested in recording her visitors and thus in trail cameras.

I found out that there are a wide range in both price and quality, there are digital and film, and the method of sensing the game can vary. Unfortunately Consumer Reports hasn't done an article on Trail Cameras! I'll have to go looking on my own.

Well, the internet search first turned up CamTrakker who sponsor TrailCam.com. Then there's Hags House where they give you instructions on building a trail camera yourself. Not so sure I want to go through the effort and still have just as much money in one so I kept looking. Then there are TrailMAC, FieldPix, Primal-Vision, the Bushnell Trail Scout & Trail Sentry. As you might imagine there are numerous on-line articles on trail cameras as well such as this one from BigGameHunt.net or ChasingGame.com's hints & reviews. You can even find collections of trail camera photos such as these from Minnestota Bucks.

My conclusions? Well, like anything else you can spend all you have and there is too much info to absorb in an afternoon of reading. I think I'll study on this subject a bit longer...

Attracting Deer (for viewing)

My mom wanted to see more deer and I kinda would like to encourage the deer to stay in the area and not be so eager to go elsewhere. So, first thing, I established a lick just off a trail (see photo at left). My next step is to put out some feed and move the feeding station by degrees to where Mom will be able to watch the deer. One concern is that the deer not be seen from the road. We have some local folks who would only see it as an opportunity to kill rather than watch deer.

I'm also going to plant a food plot that will bring in the deer when I can't get feed out. BioLogic has been recommended. I might even have some spots in openings on hard to access neighboring woodlots in which I could plant some of this.

Disclaimer - Virginia law prohibits hunting over bait and I will strictly abide by that law.

It is unlawful to occupy any baited blind or other baited place for the purpose of taking or attempting to take any wild game bird or wild game animal or to put out bait or salt for the purpose of taking or killing any wild game bird or wild game animal, except for the purpose of trapping furbearing animals.

Of course this made me want to record some of the animals coming into our little area and thus created a greater interest in Trail Cameras...