L. L. Bean Hunting Shoes back and resoled...

I'm sure you're wondering why I might mention this.  Life in the army taught me that a good pair of boots, appropriate to the terrain and weather, can make or break a man living and working in the outdoors.  I've found that, for hunting in Virginia, the L. L. Bean hunting "shoe" is the best.  It is comfortable, keeps my feet dry, is easy to clean to bring back in the house if you step in something and is adequately durable.  One can adapt the uninsulated boots to local weather by wearing different socks.  My dad wore them for years in his work for the U.S. Forest Service in West Virginia, Kentucky and here in Virginia.  He did have all leather boots but didn't wear them when there was rain or snow.  I think he had the soles replaced at least 4 or 5 times on his pair.

I like them so much that I bought a new pair and waited until they arrived before sending the old pair back for resoling.  It cost $39 and took L. L. Bean about 2 weeks including shipping time to and from.

Notes from the gun shop...

We had a good, busy day yesterday.  Did 4 transfers, sold a couple of guns via GunBroker.com, received payment for a couple of others, and saw some interesting guns come through the door.  However, we need prayers for Dwayne's father who was picked up by ambulance yesterday morning and transported to UVA.  He has some form of leukemia and was so severely dehydrated that his kidneys shut down.  Also, Lewis could use some prayer cover.  He left work soon after getting there.

A very nice Marlin Model 93 .30-30 rifle came in with 3/4 magazine and light, round tapered barrel was in there for transfer to a customer.  We bought a 1911 made Winchester 1894 SRC, also in .30 WCF.  Aside from the dirty bore and varnish on the stock, it was pretty nice.  Somebody had tried to remove the saddle ring, unsuccessfully, so there was a bit of a spread there.  Otherwise an interesting gun.  But that wasn't all as we'd bought 8 guns before 11:00 AM.

View of the water table...

One that I'm not fully knowledgeable on was a P. Webley & Sons, side-by-side, hammer, top-lever, damascus barreled 12 gauge shotgun.  Very nice condition.  Dating it seems to be problematic.  It must at the least pre-date 1897 as Webley merged with W & C Scott to become Webley and Scott in 1897.  It is marked P. Webley & Sons, St. James London on the rib.  I understand that the spurious St. James address went away in 1870 or so.  As you can see the water table has the Webley Scott trademark that was in use in 1922.  The SN is 24186.  I think it has the 2¼" chambers but didn't have the opportunity to measure them.  I'd like to find more information on these guns.  Prices seem to run from $250 to $3500 and I'm not sure how to decide how to price the gun.  Perhaps the question hinges on how the barrels are marked...

Barrel marks...

Now, these marks will look a bit different stamped in steel than as shown in the books but I believe we have the Birmingham definitive proofs for BP.  We also have the Webley and Scott trademark.  Now, why would that appear on a gun with supposedly pre-1870 marks (the P. Webley & Sons)?  The "choke" and "not for ball" marks would seem to date the gun post 1904.  There is so much additional info, after the "P. Webley & Sons" mark that I'm thinking this was a restoration done by Webley Scott.

P.S. A local expert in the field has determined that this gun is probably worth $3000-5000.  A similar gun listed on a website is asking $4500 but it is a 10-gauge and the condition doesn't seem to be as nice as this one. 

My own Sunday Dawg...

Dennis does a Sunday Morning Dawg thing.  Fun to see.  We tried to get Bailey to pose for a photo Aunt Deanna but all she wants is the treat...

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a very happy Thanksgiving Day today.  While we didn't get to see David or the grand-kids and their family we did get to visit with Deanna and eat too much.  We were warm and dry and have many years decades of blessings for which to express our thanks to God.

Hunting, still...

Today began with preparation for Thanksgiving.  Aunt Deanna will be visiting us for the holiday.  She's supposed to be here tonight and go home on Sunday afternoon.  We picked up some things for tomorrow's meal, got the dog groomed, picked up some around the house and then, after eating some REALLY good macaroni and cheese, I went hunting.

Didn't do so well at that.  It was very windy today.  The squirrels were out and about.  The wind doesn't bother them much.  However, the deer, not being so many were apparently either elsewhere or securely bedded down where they could see anyone who approached (or couldn't help but here them, i.e. in the REALLY thick stuff).  I toughed it out until dark but I had to admit defeat and leave when I couldn't see my sights well enough to shoot.

Fortunately, Nana is making fried catfish tonight.  I'm fine with that.

Hunting, of sorts, continues...

Where Grandpa was hunting today

Went out to Mom's to hunt today.  I thought the rain was tapering off, and it had since early morning, but as soon as I was about half way across the pasture it picked right up.  Made it nice and quite and nobody else was in the woods.  Walked right up on several squirrels which were out on the ground.  Found a new rub.  I have heard that the rut is over and the males are in their hidey holes but it seems a couple are out and moving about looking for their lady love.  Unfortunately, I didn't see a one, not even a doe today.  Just got wet.  Then...

Came home to find Nana insistent on taking a couple of dead limbs out of one of the maples by the parking area.  Sigh.  Got out the pole saw.  Moved the truck to where I could get a good angle by standing on the tailgate and still not drop the limb, about 200+ lbs total, on the truck.  Dropped it on the neighbors fence instead.  Took out two rails.  This despite trying to saw it such that it would fold down and miss the fence.  Apparently Murphy was helping today.  Cleaned that up and then started on the other one.  Got a rope on this one from the get go so that we'd have some control.  Made Nana hold the rope so that it would be clear of the saw.  It took about 25 minutes of sawing to cut through that limb.  I am not in shape to do this.  Nana was not happy about standing in the parking space holding the rope.  Got that down and in the back of the truck.  I'll take it out to Mom's tomorrow when I go out to hunt.

Notes from the gun shop...

Well, today was interesting.  I got to work and it had already started.  We had an irate customer who wanted to trade in a gun he told us didn't work.  We had a gun that had just been returned from the manufacturer which still didn't work (different manufacturer).  We had a know-it-all who tried to influence the decisions of every customer who came into the shop while he was there.  Things did improve from there.

We sold the Winchester 9422M to a fellow from North Carolina.  I also sold 4 other guns.  We helped identify an old damascus side-by-side shotgun (just a Belgian guild gun) and prevent an eager 13-year old from using 3" magnums in it.  We got to help solve some last minute regular firearms season equipment problems.  We sold a lot of ammo.

I like being busy.  The day went quickly.  Unfortunately, there were no really unusual firearms.

Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity...

This might be a moot point some day but for now this interactive map could be a boon for CHP holders...  http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_reciprocity_maps.html

Third day straight of hunting...

...but not all day by any means.  I got up, ate breakfast, dressed and went out to hunt.  Nana was making some noise about snow and I didn't believe it.  Was 41° in town when I left and 36° out at Parnassus.  There was some rain in town but the roads were dry by the time I turned down Bunker Hill Road.  However, once I got out of the truck and the gun capped and ready to give fire the wind was blowing and it was spitting the occasional snowflake.  Not enough of them to get a photo but enough to let you know that it was colder than it has been.  I should have worn my wool pants.  Walked down to the woods to watch the trails and sat down.  15 minutes later and I felt blue from the cold.  Ok, so 36° isn't all that cold but darn, it was cutting through those pants and my toes always get cold quick.  Guess I should have worn the boot socks instead of wool hiking socks.  I was not happy.  Nothing was moving.  So, I packed it in and came home.  I am still warming up!  The next 3 hunting days are work days for me but I'll be out Tuesday with a cartridge rifle and we'll see. 

Another day hunting...

Leading Ridge Road with a view of the food plots

Out again today.  More rain to start and then it stopped, at least where I was, before picking up again with a vengeance.

Today I went up above Todd Lake, off Leading Ridge Road to the food plots (well, they were originally) which show as the light green fields in this satellite photo.  I didn't see much but there may have been a hunter along the ridge on the upper right corner of the photo hunting grouse.  There were only two shots, they sounded like a shotgun, and if it had been squirrels he was after he'd have found more than two.  I found quite a bit of mast, acorns, on the ground and no deer prints.  I did find a bit of scat. 

More scat, this near Leading Ridge Road...

Yep, more scat.  Does this describe my hunting?  So, what animal do you think left this?  Is that hair in that scat?  This was dropped right in the middle of the logging road at the bottom edge of that lowest field in the satellite photo.  This is what the field looked like from where the scat was...

I don't think they've planted anything, but it does appear to have been mowed. 

Ok, so I don't know quite where to go tomorrow.  The forecast is for rain showers and colder temperatures.  The deer might be moving a bit as it will be raining all night (and has been).   Bucks only, so, I guess we'll see.

Finally hunting...

Finally got out today.  Wandered out to Mom's place and moseyed around with a bit of a sit-down to watch and wait and see what was going on. 

Rifle capped and ready to go...

Then a little red-head paid me a visit...

Would they come this way?

A bit of a dreary day, it soon started to rain.  I was doing ok where I was sitting for a while as I was beneath a large white pine but as the shower continued I started to get a bit wetter and wetter.  That's not so bad in and of itself but I really didn't want to get water into my charge.  Oh, yes, battles were fought with muzzle-loaders in driving rainstorms but not many and for a reason.  So, at about 12:30 I decided to leave.

On the way out I came across a couple of things.  The first, a deer stand I didn't know about...

Deer stand at the foot of Doe Hollow

Then I came across some fresh scat on the tractor lane along Mom and Dad's pasture.  Can you tell what its from?

Fresh scat!

Notes from the gun shop...

Today was busy with lots of folks getting ready for gun season start this coming Saturday, the current muzzle-loader season and general stuff for the non-hunting shooters.  We had a bunch of guns come into the store including one notable lot that included TWO Winchester 9422s (one a LR NIB and one a Magnum with only a single small scratch but no box), a Marlin 39M Octagonal from 1973, a Henry .22 LR (scoped) and a 10 gauge L.C. Smith with hammers and Damascus barrels in wonderful condition.  I love the old guns.  Agonized over but decided to forgo all the .22s.

I almost forgot to mention that we had one fellow who came in looking for a replacement (OEM) buttpad for his TC Omega.  His had apparently fallen off while dragging his deer back to his vehicle.  I looked at the stock and one couldn't see any damage where he might have scrubbed the pad off.  The pillars inside the stock didn't seem to be damaged as they might be if the screws were pulled out (which makes me think there were no screws holding the pad on the stock.  I had never thought to examine how those buttpads are attached and we didn't have a new Omega to look at yesterday having sold them all.  

We only did 3 background checks today.  We had some friends wander in, although that's hardly news nowadays.  It was a good day.

Nessmuk

Many years ago my favorite aunt, Aunt Virginia Dawn Parslow Partridge gave me a copy of "Woodcaft" by Nessmuk and I was smitten by a severe case of wanderlust.  I can't tell you how often I read that book. 

George Washington Sears (b. December 2, 1821 – d. May 1, 1890) was a "correspondent" for Forest and Stream magazine in the 1880s and an early conservationist.Writing under the name "Nessmuk" he popularized self-guided canoe camping tours of the Adirondack lakes in open, lightweight solo canoes and what we call ultralight camping.


Typical canoe trips of the time used expert guides and heavy canoes. Sears, who was 5' 3" tall and weighed 103 pounds had a 9-foot-long, 10-1⁄2-pound solo canoe built by J. Henry Rushton of Canton, New York. He named it the Sairy Gamp used it to take a 266-mile trip through the central Adirondacks. He was 62 years old and in frail health (tuberculosis and asthma) when he did this. The Sairy Gamp is now owned by the Smithsonian Institution andon loan to the Adirondack Museum.


The eldest of ten children in South Oxford (now Webster), Massachusetts, he took his pen name from an American Indian who had befriended him in early childhood. His family had a few books about Indians and Nessmuk was fascinated and left with an abiding interest in forest life and adventure. His experience as a child working in a factory left him with a fondness for the writing of Charles Dickens. At age twelve he started working in a commercial fishing fleet based on Cape Cod and at nineteen he shipped out on a three-year whaling voyage in the South Pacific; this was 1841, the same year that Herman Melville shipped out of the same port bound for the same whaling grounds. On his return, his family moved to Wellsboro, Pennsylvania where he was to live for the rest of his life. However, he continued traveling for adventure, from the upper Midwest and Ontario to an Amazon tributary in Brazil (in 1867 and again in 1870).


Sears wrote "Woodcraft", a book on camping, in 1884, that has remained in print ever since. A book of poems, Forest Runes, appeared in 1887. He died at his home in Pennsylvania seven years later. Mount Nessmuk, in northern Pennsylvania, is named after him.

At the time I read "Woodcraft" I couldn't fully comprehend the extent of the disability Nessmuk endured. When I could understand the debilitating effects of tuberculosis I was fairly amazed by what he accomplished. I'm not the only one.

Today there are any number of cutlers offering their version of Nessmuk's knife and hatchet design. Boat/canoe builders are building modern, kevlar versions of his various canoes including Sairy Gamp. His books are still in print and in demand.  Most telling of all, there are any number of adherents who annually attempt to emulate a man who, while struggling with physical limitations, managed to live a full and adventuresome life.

Veterans' Day 2011

Measuring reloading powders...

Over the years I've been reloading I've read a lot on the subject and heard many adherents of the hobby describe their favored techniques. However, until the internet I'd never heard some of the inane and ridiculous ideas that now, due to the pervasiveness of the digital word, have been widely spread. Subtract actual knowledge of the subject and a person can be truly confused. We get those in the gun shop every day. Yesterday I had one fellow walk in and ask for 2 lbs of "pistol powder". My attempt at a tactful interrogation designed to give him what he wanted that wouldn't result in a liability lawsuit for the store resulted in the realization by this fellow that he knew nothing about the subject.

While reloaders/handloaders will go on and on about various minutiae concerning the hobby the truth is that the one thing that gets more reloaders in trouble is the powder. It is critical that one use an appropriate powder for the cartridge and for the bullet you're going to be using in that cartridge and, in some cases (no pun intended), for the particular firearm in which the resulting cartridge is to be fired. Use the wrong powder or use the wrong amount of powder and you might have a "kaboom" resulting in the immediate and catastrophically spontaneous dis-assembly of the firearm. Using the correct amount of any given powder is critical and the subject upon which I'd like to pontificate today.

In the old days the dark lord of powders was the one and only BLACK POWDER, as it is known now. Back then it was simply "gun powder". It was corned and sorted by screens into various granulations or sizes. One had to use the correct granulation to get the best results but only in extreme circumstances would mis-measuring powder result in a "kaboom". Gun powder was measured by volume but often there was a concept, at the very least, of how much the nominal weight of that volume of powder was. We continue that today in using black powder and have formulated black powder substitutes with the goal of using them, volume for volume, interchangeably with black powder.

However, gun powder (as we knew it then) was messy and smoky. Smoky was bad because it gave your position away, bad because you couldn't see through the smoke it produced, and undesirable because these two attributes made it problematic for use in fully automatic arms (i.e. machineguns). Being the inventive people we are "smokeless" powders were invented. It was soon discovered that one couldn't handle these with the same cavalier attitude with which the "old-fashioned" black powder had been used. Misapplication of the early smokeless powders quickly showed that these powders could create pressures that could easily defeat their containers, i.e. firearms. One of the results of this was the promulgation of the common sense admonition to weigh smokeless powder charges.

Of course this would never do to support the necessarily high production levels of commercial and military ammunition production. Mass production demanded measuring powder by volume. The safeguards used were many (and yet they sometimes fail) but all involved extensive testing of each car load of powder and checking the volumetric measuring systems to ensure they inserted the correct amount of powder by weight. Since it was clear that with such safeguards volumetric measuring of some powders in some rounds/loads was acceptable over the years any number of volumetric measuring devices have been developed. However, reloaders using these measuring devices, be they dippers or what all, have always been cautioned to check that they are getting the correct weight. For that, one needs a scale.

However, the now widespread use of progressive loading machines, once priced out of reach of the average shooter, have made volumetric measuring of the charges for thousands of rounds without weight checking seemingly common. Because familiarity truly does breed contempt there are now reloaders who believe that they need only measure by volume and that at least some of the volumetric measuring systems are infallible. Some have taken to promulgating the idea that they can just chuck the scale in favor of one of these devices.

There are some problems with this idea.

- Powders change - over time powders change. They pick up moisture. They change at least in some small way from lot to lot.  They might even come from different production facilities.
- Adjustable volumetric measuring devices change - the effects of vibration/shock endured in use will cause the devices to go out of adjustment (so we check against the scales).  Powders have to flow consistently into the device to maintain consistent weights (which requires a certain level of skill by the user).  Changes in charges require comparison with a known quantity (a scale). 
- Non-adjustable volumetric measuring devices also require skill in use - to get consistent powder flow and fills of the non-adjustable devices also requires a certain skill level.  Further, since they aren't adjustable one is limited to certain charges.  For safety's sake these should be the minimum charge levels where both the highest and the lowest possible charge weights are proven to be safe.  This isn't possible with some powders.

The biggest problem is human nature.  I've seen it before.  The new reloader starts cautiously, carefully adhering to all warnings but then he wants more.  More power, more velocity and consequently closer to the edge of safety.  Does he stop and get a scale?  No.  Comfortable with the system and confident in his own ability to "read" or operate the device or he tries to do what is impossible with such methods, create precisely measured charges of powders at the edge of safe pressures.  Most often he blows a primer or creates another immediately recognizable sign of excessive pressures and re-examines his methodology.  Unfortunately, sometimes, he ignores the obvious signs he's exceeded safe parameters and drives on to destroy his firearm or worse. 

So, just as it has been for about 100 years, it is best to at least double check your powder measures with a scale.  Oh, and check the scale with a set of check weights.