Videos from the past...

I was recently reading a book which mentioned the Jack Robertson and Arthur Young movie from 1926, "Alaskan Adventures". A silent film it depicts Alaska including the wildlife and shows Art Young, a rather famous archer, in action. Pretty neat!

James Arness Interview

I first posted this on October 6, 2009. May God comfort his family in their loss.

James Arness who Played Matt Dillon on the TV show "Gunsmoke" for many, many years is of interest to many shooters who grew up watching the show and whose interests were thus influenced. There is about 2½ hours of video. Hope you enjoy.

The Garand Rifle

Have I finally found my next vehicle?

http://www.icon4x4.com/

Don't Talk to Police

Well, in specific instances such as when you are being investigated, just shot somebody in self-defense, etc you need to keep your mouth shut. I might have posted this before but was motivated to do so again because of this blog post and comments on a forum.

I know that most people will be wanting to do the right thing, tell the truth, etc but the fact of the matter is that the police don't believe you and have to do their own investigation. That's the best case scenario. Depending on where you live and who you appear to be to the police you might have to deal with varying degrees of prejudice, incompetence, and/or corruption. If you are particularly paranoid you can see how even if the local system (including the jury) absolves you criminally and/or civilly, the Feds might jump in to prove a point.

I want to add that this is particularly difficult for me to write because I have so many friends who are or have been policemen and/or agents in some enforcement agency. They are my friends because THEY are reasonable and intelligent and able to make reasonable and intelligent decisions. This isn't about them. This is really about their ambitious supervisors and those co-workers who are without a shred of decency or are marginal performers. There are just too many of those people to take chances and it only takes one to ruin your life.




Links:
- What Every Gun Owner Needs to Know about Self-Defense Law PDF

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Now here's some info from Masaad Ayoob, expert witness on firearms and shooting incident dynamics...

Sam Griesbaum

I didn't know where to post this but you've got to see Sam Griesbaum.

Dick Proenneke

Dick Proenneke is another of those who has journeyed to the back country and tried it on his own.

On May 21, 1968, Proenneke arrived at his new place of retirement at Twin Lakes. Before arriving at the lakes, he made arrangements to use a cabin on the upper lake of Twin Lakes owned by a retired Navy captain, Spike Carrithers, and his wife Hope from Kodiak, (in whose care he had left his camper). This cabin was well situated on the lake and close to the site which Proenneke chose for the construction of his own cabin. Proenneke's bush pilot friend, Babe Alsworth, returned occasionally to bring food and orders that Proenneke placed through him to Sears.

Proenneke remained at Twin Lakes for the next 16 months, when he left to go home for a spell to visit relatives and secure more supplies. He returned to the lakes in the following spring and remained there for most of the next 30 years, coming to the lower 48 only occasionally to be with his family.

Heimo and Edna Korth

In 1980, Jimmy Carter established the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the Alaskan Interior, cutting off 19 million acres of prime boreal wilderness from the mitts of fur trappers, oil tycoons, and would-be lodge owners alike. Only six families of white settlers were grandfathered in and allowed to keep cabins in the refuge—of them, only one still stays there year-round living off the land. His name is Heimo Korth, and he is basically the Omega Man of America’s Final Frontier.

Raised in suburban Wisconsin, Heimo set off in his teens to the Alaskan Bush to pursue the Davy Crockett lifestyle in more or less the only place it was still possible. Amid numerous setbacks and misadventures, Heimo gradually learned how to master his terrain, provide for his Eskimo wife, and rear children in one of the most inhospitable environments in North America.

In this premiere edition of Far Out, we take a bush plane to the middle of nowhere, Alaska, to catch up with Heimo and his wife, Edna—now reaching their golden years. Over the course of our ten-day stay, the Korths show us everything you need to know about fur-trapping, caribou-hunting, caribou-eating, river-crossing, boredom-staving, bear-avoidance, and bear-defense to live happily over 100 miles from the nearest neighbors. Vegans, you have been warned. Heimo’s epic journey and adventures have been documented in the critically acclaimed book, THE FINAL FRONTIERSMAN, written by Heimo’s cousin, James Campbell.
Read more about the book here

Raid at Martin's Station

I love history. Living history is something for which I've never had available time to devote to participation. Martin's Station is one of those key places that nobody knows about. Near the Wilderness Road, access to Kentucky, many famous Americans passed through the area in their exploration, exploitation and settlement of Kentucky.

The original Martin's Station played a relatively short but significant part in the history of southwestern Virginia and the early settlement of Kentucky. The station takes its name from Joseph Martin, who was born cir. 1740 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Following a somewhat restless early life which included service in the French and Indian War, Joseph Martin became the overseer for a wealthy relative who was closely connected with Dr. Thomas Walker. This connection with Dr. Walker proved valuable for Joseph Martin, who would eventually be selected by Dr. Walker to lead an expedition into the Powell's Valley.

To help assert the legitimacy of his land claims to the Powell's Valley region, Dr. Walker organized an expedition and promised Joseph Martin 21,000 acres if his group were first to settle on the land. On March 26, 1769, after an arduous journey through the wilderness and a literal race with a rival expedition, Joseph Martin's group entered Powell's Valley - two weeks ahead of the others.

Joseph Martin and the members of his expedition identified a tract of land near the present-day village of Rose Hill, Virginia. They erected a stockaded fort, some crude cabins, and planted a corn crop. These efforts at settlement proved to be useless, as an Indian attack occurred in the fall of 1769 and the station was abandoned before the corn ripened. Joseph Martin and his men returned to Albemarle County, but retained title to their land.

Joseph Martin would not be long absent from the station, and in January 1775 returned to Powell's Valley with a party of 16 or 18 men. They set about to build a more permanent station, which included four or five cabins for the men and a stockade, on the site of the old station. John Redd, one of the men with Joseph Martin in this endeavor left the following description of the 1775 station:

Martin's Fort was on Martin's Creek. The fort was located on the north side of the creek. There were some 5 or 6 cabins; these built some 20 feet apart with strong stockades between. In these stockades there were port holes. The station contained about half an acre of ground. The shape was a parallelogram. There were two fine springs near the station on its north side.

The importance of the station greatly increased when on 17 March 1775 the thirty-two million acre Transylvania Purchase between Judge Richard Henderson and the Cherokee Indians was finalized at the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River. Joseph Martin was appointed by Henderson as an agent and entry taker, a duty that would keep him constantly moving in and out of Martin's Station. As the last fortified station along the Wilderness Road prior to reaching the new lands Henderson was opening in Kentucky, Martin's Station was a well-known stop for the early settlers.

One can read more about it in Mark A. Baker's "Sons of a Trackless Forest".

Guns and Ammo Videos

Guns and Ammo TV has a lot of video up on the internet. Neat stuff to wile away an afternoon.

R. Lee Ermey

I like R. Lee Ermey. He's a hoot on TV and I've no doubt he was a good NCO. I like the guy, as I've said before, even though we haven't met and I'm glad he's found success in media. I would like him to use some different terms sometimes as I don't think he always correctly identifies certain things but overall his shows are excellent and I enjoy them.

While looking for a video of him shooting some full-auto shotgun I found this video of outtakes from his show, Lock'N'Load on the History Channel. Thought the blog readers might enjoy this.

Tactical Shotguns

A friend wrote and asked me to help with a particular video. While looking for that video I found this one. I'd never seen the show, don't know who has. I don't think I can get it on my service. So, I posted here.

Remington ACR Video is Going Viral

And we are going along for the ride...

I Like Guns

Wildlife can be more than mildly amusing

but I am just as amazed at those who might know just what tune to match up with animal antics. Jim Taylor put us on to this fella. I hope you enjoy.

Neat High Speed Bullet Action!

Flying with Firearms

Hunting season approaches, indeed it is already here in some parts of the country. Many hunters will be flying to their hunting destination, many for the first time. This video might help with your prep. As always, double check ALL information found on the internet!

Gardner Gun - Yours for only $29,950!

The Gardner gun was an early machine gun. It had one or two barrels, was fed from a vertical magazine or hopper and was operated by a crank.

The Gardner machine gun was invented in 1874 by William Gardner, formerly a Captain in the Union army during the American Civil War. After producing a prototype he went to the Pratt and Whitney company, who after a year of development produced a military version of the weapon.

A demonstration to officers at the United States Navy yard in 1875 was successful, however they showed no interest in the weapon.

On 15 January and 17 March 1880 more tests were conducted at Sandy Hook Proving ground in front of an Army review board. The weapon performed well, and they recommended that the Army buy a limited number for field evaluation, noting the low cost of the weapon. However the U.S. Army again declined to purchase.

At this point, the British Royal Navy, which had successfully deployed the Gatling gun became interested in the weapon, and Gardner was invited to England to exhibit his weapon. The British Admiralty were so impressed by the demonstrations that they adopted the weapon and purchased the rights to produce the weapon in England. Gardner would remain in England to supervise the construction of the weapons.

The British Army then took an interest in machine guns and after a series of trials selected the Gardner gun. The Army adopted the weapon, although its introduction was delayed because of opposition from the Royal Artillery.
(Wikipedia)

A Gardner gun is on show in The Pancho Villa Museum, Chihuahua, Mexico. It is not clear how the gun came to be in the hands of Pancho Villa's forces.



Hat tip to Alfred John for the lead on the video.

Slingshots

Slingshots can certainly be useful tools. David used one to slay Golaith. The Egyptians had whole units of slingers. Over the years the design has gotten more high-tech due to the introduction of elastic rubber as the propulsive force rather than the centrifugal force of slinging the projectile in a large arc before releasing it at the target. In consequence, some have given them other names such as bean shooter. A while back I think I posted on this weapon used by youth gangs in Timor.

Quite something, these utilize the modern elastic force and require, perhaps, a little less skill/practice for effective use.  I bet these could be used for hunting.  However, you'd want to find your dart.  After all, you'd have considerable fabrication time or money tied up in each one. 

One could use lead balls (shot) or nuts (such as go on bolts to become fasteners).  We used nuts from our supply sources together with Wrist Rockets to kill ground squirrels on Fort Hunter-Liggett, CA.  Effective (when contact was made) cheap, silent, concealable and untraceable. 

Rocks as projectiles are a whole different story.  They can be found in appropriate sizes most anywhere.  Rocks cost nothing.  They carry no ballistic information whatsoever (except for the trace they pick up on contact with the target).  Think they aren't viable?   Look at this video of Rufus Hussey and his bean shooter. That is impressive.

Baxter Black - Just a Dog

If you have a dog, odds are you'll outlive them. Baxter says it well...