Honestly Trying to Understand...

Help me out here, internets. I'm honestly trying to figure this out. Hand to G-d, I am not trying to put anyone down, downplay anyone's orientation/gender identity/whatever. I'm trying to figure out where we draw the line, if we even do any more.

Bruce Jenner is male. I mean this from a biological/genetic perspective. His genetic code contains an X chromosome and a Y chromosome. This is a biological fact. It has nothing to do with whether or not Jenner identifies as a woman, or if Jenner feels like a woman, or any other feeling at all. Genetically, biologically, Jenner is male.

Now, look. Before anyone gets all butthurt, I don't give a flying rat's patoot what gender Jenner claims. Personally, I think it's an awful lot of hoopla, time, and expense; if this is some bizarre publicity stunt (as some seem to think), then Jenner has some severe psychological issues to address. If not, I accept it as legit, not that it's any of my damn business.

But biologically, Jenner is male. At the end of the day, an analysis of his genome will reveal that, yes, he is male. Period. Full stop.

So, why, then, shouldn't we accept that Rachel Dolezal identifies as black? If all it takes for Caitlyn Jenner to be accepted is her claim that she identifies as a female - flying in the face of the biological evidence to the contrary - why, then, can't Dolezal's claim to identifying as black be true?

From a biological standpoint, if we can ignore the basis for gender in favor of how someone feels or chooses to identify, then isn't it just as valid for race? Shouldn't Dolezal get to choose her race if she honestly identifies as a black woman? It seems to me that we're allowing one form of choosing while denying another.

Now, look. I'll grant there's a growing body of evidence that Dolezal's just a garden-variety fraud, but the question remains. If gender is a social construct, then why not race? Gender at least as identifiable traits and characteristics; race, well, not quite so much. Why are we so quick to accept one form of change but not another?

Again, I really do mean this as an honest question. I don't have a dog in the Jenner hunt; I neither care whether Jenner is male, female, or both, for that matter. I'm not being asked to pay for the surgery; I'm not being forced to participate in any of it; it really, honestly, truly means nothing to me. I don't mean to belittle Caitlyn Jenner in any way, shape, or form; whatever Jenner chooses is Jenner's choice to make and theirs alone. End.

I just reject the ideological inconsistency that says Jenner's choice is inviolate, but Dolezal's is false.

That is all.

Tech Bleg

Yesterday, when I left the house to go to work, it was 15 degrees. With a wind chill. In November. In Virginia. I was talking with a friend about heat and the upcoming winter, and not looking forward to heating bills (while contemplating raising the thermostat a degree or two), and the suggestion was made to get a programmable thermostat. We can set the temperature low during the day, and have it come up a few degrees warmer at night.

Now that the Mrs. is working a solid 9-5 M-F gig, we can investigate something like this. For years, she worked second shift or overnights, so a programmable thermostat wouldn't work for us - there was only a few hours where the house was empty. Then we had kids, and she went down to part time, so along with the off-schedule, there were one or two days during the week where someone was home all day (especially when she worked weekends, because there would be a second week day she'd be home).

So, basically, I have no idea whatsoever what's a good brand of programmable thermostat. I'm fairly confident in my skills for installation (I figure if I can install a dimmer switch without electrocuting myself, a programmable thermostat should be about the same complexity), so it comes down to brand and features. Also, never having used one, I'm figuring there will be some trial-and-error when it comes to turning the heat/air conditioning up/down.

The US DOE claims a significant savings - 5-15% of your heating bill - with a programmable unit. I find it interesting that their default temp is several degrees higher than our regular setting, and is in fact even higher than the new temp I was thinking of raising the thermostat to... It does makes sense, though - with our current lifestyle, we should be able to run the furnace at a significantly lower temperature for half the day, and bring it up as the Mrs. and I get home for just the night.

So, anyone got a recommendation for a good programmable thermostat?

That is all.

Question For the Hive Mind...

A friend e-mailed me this one. Figured this was a good place to ask it...

You know those diamond warning signs with numbers on the sides of trucks?  Or buildings, etc.  I'd love to find a PDF doc that provides a key for ALL of them.  My Google-Fu has been weak lately, can't seem to find a master list... it would be geeky to have one in the car.

I'm guessing he means truck placards, like these:

US DOT HazMat Placards

Each of the listed placards has a corresponding page describing what each sign means.

This guide has several pages listing all the placards in one spot, with descriptions throughout.

Anyone else have a quick reference guide to truck placards for Anon?

That is all.

Ride To Live...

So here's the conundrum...

The Harley went into storage before the big move, and it's almost time to retrieve it. The registration and insurance are still valid, so I'm torn between riding it down to VA and trailering it. There are pluses and minuses to both options, and right now I'm really vacillating between the two.

The major advantage to trailering is that I'm not 100% certain what the legality is of operating the Harley with MA plates and MA registration and a VA residence and license. The address on my MA registration does not match the address on my VA license. The vehicle is being taken out of storage to be registered in the new state, so I would assume this would be okay, but I'm not 100% certain how it works. Putting it on a trailer alleviates this completely.

Other advantages to trailering are that I am more confident in the drive with a GPS running, and it's also less weather dependent - I'd much rather the bike get wet on the back of a trailer should there be raging downpours on the ride (and there's almost guaranteed to be downpours if I decide to ride it...)
 
The major advantage to riding is that I can fly up and ride it home - the 8-10 hour journey only has to happen in one direction. The dealership is only 4 miles from Manchester airport, so I could fly in, catch a cab over to the dealership, and head south. With an early enough flight, I could be home Saturday night. Otherwise, I could ride halfway, spend the night in a hotel, and leave early Sunday morning and be home for lunch. The entire family doesn't have to do the long drive both ways in two days, either.

Other advantages of riding are, well, put it this way. In the 11 years I've owned the Harley, it has never been trailered. Ever. I can mount the EZ-pass right on my windshield so going through tolls is easy. And, let's face it, that's a lot of riding to get done...

---

Disadvantages of trailering are that, a) like I said, I've never trailered the bike before; b) super mondo extra tolls with the trailer; and c) 500+ miles of worrying about the bike falling over/getting hit/etc. Also the extra time needed to drive north. Money should be about even - the cost of flying up solo is about the same as the gas/tolls/etc. for driving up.

Disadvantages to riding are the above-mentioned registration issue, plus the rather daunting task of riding some 500+ miles for, literally, the first ride of the season. Now, I'd probably stop in and see a few people along the way, so that's not too big of an issue. The real biggest thing I'm concerned about is the weather - I can totally see it raining/snowing that weekend and being stuck in NH with no way home other than riding...

Part of me really wants to just man up, fly up and ride back to VA. It's a lot of highway riding, which is not as scenic as backroads but, IMHO, much safer - no one makes a left turn in front of you on the highway, frex. The highway miles will help break the Harley in smoothly for the new season, and I'll start off the riding season with more miles on the clock than I've put on in an entire year some years. I rode close to 400 miles last summer with Cher and Mopar up in NH; I suspect the 500 miles from NH to VA wouldn't be that much worse.

Another part wants to be extra safe and just trailer the bike home. No worries about whether I'll have issues with the registration, weather, or simply saddle sores, only about whether or not the straps have come loose or not. If I rented a trailer in NH, then I'd only have to worry about towing the trailer for one-way, which cuts down on cost and worry.

So, hive mind, I turn to you. To trailer or not to trailer, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the rocks and road debris of I95, or to take straps to my trusted steed. Honestly, I'm torn. I can come up with a hundred reasons to ride - and a hundred reasons to trailer.

One thing I will need, if I decide to ride, is a bike-worthy GPS. I might pick up a handlebar mount case for my existing GPS for now, but get a dedicated unit later, but eventually I'll want something waterproof with a longer battery life than what I currently have (an aging TomTom with about 20 minutes of battery life...). The beauty of the Harley is that it does have a cigarette lighter (although I have no idea if it works or not...)

Trailer, or ride - what say you, internets? 

That is all.

The Grass (Cutter) Is Always Greener...

I have a conundrum. Won't you please help me, oh wise and sage internets?

You see, I find myself searching for a device capable of ridding my property of excess grass. In the past, I've had a riding mower courtesy of Dad G., since we lived next door to each other and all that. I've been cutting a 1 acre lot for 15 years, and in the past couple of years had been cutting my parents' yard, too - for a total of about 3 acres.

One of the things I looked for in Freedom House was a small yard. TheBoy and BabyGirl G. are beyond the "running around in the yard" stage. If they feel an overwhelming need to exercise, they go for a bike ride, grab their scooters, or strap on roller blades. The days of the Power Wheels electric vehicle roaming the back 40 are long behind us.

So, rather than 1-3 acres, I find myself with 0.2. I prefer this greatly.

What this means, and the genesis of this request, is that I'm genuinely puzzled as to what I should acquire for my grass cutting needs. It boils down to one of three options:

Option 1: Standard push mower.

Pros are that I'm familiar with the operation of a standard push mower.
Cons are that I need to have gas/oil/etc. on hand and store an internal combustion engine for the winter.

Option 2: Reel mower.

Pros are that it requires absolutely no additional tools other than a method of sharpening.
Cons are that the lawn must be mowed frequently and the blades resharpened often.

Option 3: Electric mower.

Pros are that it doesn't require gas/oil/etc. like a gas mower.
Cons are that it's not as powerful as a gas mower, and you can run over the cord and electrocute yourself.

---

Now, granted, my experience with a reel mower comes from a friend who owned one about 20 years ago - however, it's not like the technology has changed for a reel mower. He said it cut grass well, but that it needed frequent sharpening, and didn't work if the grass got too long.That means if we go away for a weekend, or have a rainy spell, or just get lazy for a week, we have to go out and buy something else to cover. The reel mower is the least expensive option - Amazon offered a 20" model with a grass catcher for $95, shipped.

The electric is tempting except for the cord. If I hand over lawn mowing duties to TheBoy, I'm afraid of him electrocuting himself if he runs over the cord. I would assume - and here I mean hope - that there's some sort of shutoff that would prevent him from letting all the electrons out of the house. Barring that, I hope nothing catches fire. However, the bonus of being able to unplug it after the last mow of the season, toss it in the basement in a corner, and forget about it until spring thaw is rather tempting... Electric is middle-of-the-pack, price-wise: Amazon offered a 20" model with a bagger for $130, shipped.

The gas mower leaves me feeling "meh". It's a lot of work to properly care for a gasoline engine, and in this case, there's just not a lot of return on investment. The gas mower is also the most expensive, with the plain model starting at $150, and going up to $250 or so with a bagger attachment. Plus it's the noisiest out of the three options. On the other hand, though, if the grass gets a little too tall, it'll cut through it like a champ.

---

So, thoughts/comments/etc. are appreciated. If you have experience - good or bad - with reel mowers or electric (I have conservatively 32 years of experience with a gas-powered push mower), I'd welcome the input. Bear in mind that a 13 year old boy with the attention span of a rabid chipmunk will be running whatever rig we get, so safety is paramount (reel mower has the edge there).

No matter what we get, lawn care is going to take a LOT less time, and that is a good thing...

That is all.

NoVA Car Repair Bleg

Need a reference to do some wiring on the Dodge. You see, it failed inspection yesterday. No, there's nothing wrong with the truck, but with the cap. You see, I never wired up the cap, and apparently Virginia is bugnuts insane in that even if it's an aftermarket part, it has to work. Even though a cap (topper/camper/shell, the plastic thing made by companies like Leer that go on the bed of a pickup) isn't standard equipment; even though many come without lights; even though the third light on the Dodge works just fine, it failed inspection because the brake light on the cap doesn't work.

Yes, I know I could do the work myself, but in the interest of time savings, I'd rather bring it somewhere to be done. I have the luxury of being able to walk away if the price is too high - I can always grab a friend or two and take the cap off and it will pass inspection. I'd rather just get it done so I don't have to wrestle with dead-lifting a 200+ pound shell off the bed of the truck, onto the ground, and then back up onto the truck an hour later once I have the inspection complete.

Any of my VA peeps know a good place for campers/trailers/etc. that might be able to hook a brother taillight up?

That is all.

Moral Imperative...

I have decided that I need another AR (who doesn't, really?). I dearly love my Conspirator from York Arms, so I'm going to order up a lower from Wally.

Now, giving that this is going to be built into a standard AR-15 carbine, and done up in full EBR guise, I'm thinking it needs a few custom touches.

For the magwell art: I'm thinking the VA outline and "SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS" (VA motto, "thus always to tyrants" - second best state motto EVER)

Serial number: I'm partial to VAMOOSED001, although not wedded to it.

Caliber: I really like 5.56POODLE, but it's been done. Open to ideas.

Fire/Safe: here's where I'm stuck. I am absolutely SOLD on "MOLON LABE" for the "FIRE" selection, but I am *STUMPED* on the SAFE position. Bear in mind that 5 + 5 is about the max for characters. What the heck is a good "SAFE" setting?

Any other thoughts/suggestions for a custom lower commemorating my escape?

That is all.

Numerical Gun Pr0n Bleg...

So, looking through my Friday Gun Pr0n, I realized that this coming Friday's picture will be a numerically interesting one: 333.

Now, I like numerical consistency. I've got an extravaganza planned for #357, and on October 22nd have tried to post a picture or pictures of the Ruger 10/22. But I'm stumped as to what to offer for number 333. It would seem that there should be something special, but what? 3" barrel revolvers? S&W #3s? Drilling rifles? I'm kinda stumped here - and the last two ideas I have no access to (despite REALLY liking both S&W#3s and drillings).

What should #333 showcase?

That is all.

Gear Bleg...

So, Dave H. e-mailed me with an interesting question:

Last year you reviewed the Maxpedition Gearslinger Malaga. You seemed pretty pleased with it. How well do you think it would carry on a motorcycle? I need something to carry stuff to work - lunch, phone, iPod, a couple file folders, and maybe a laptop sometimes.

I had to take the bags off of my Triumph (that's the last time I put nylon on a bike) and I like the simpler look now.

I responded that while I really liked the Gearslinger for walking around the NRA Convention or humping around the range at Media Day, I really had no idea how it would hold up to 70+ MPH speeds off the back of a motorcycle. Personally, I prefer a traditional backpack on the bike, ideally something with both chest and waist buckles just for extra piece of mind (if for no other reason than you know the bag is still there).

The 5.11 RUSH72 pack I reviewed last year would be great for a long haul (especially if the bike has a backrest, because a full RUSH72 will become your own backrest as a solo rider), but it's perhaps a bit too large for a daily commuter. 5.11 offers a RUSH12 backpack that might be a better fit for a daily commute; if it wears as well as the RUSH72 it should work just fine.

Since the Harley has two cavernous hard saddlebags, I haven't had to worry about small item storage for 10 years now. Before that, I had leather bags on my Honda; going back to my very first motorcycle - a Yamaha XS850 Midnight Special - I was a struggling graduate student and simply threw my school bag over my shoulder for the bike commute in.

Anyone who commutes via motorcycle have any other gear recommendations for Dave?

That is all.

Build Your Ideal Gun Shop...

So, you all know Dennis. He's the handsome dude that runs Dragon Leatherworks. You might remember a while back he got his FFL, right? Well, he's taking it to the next level. He's opening up an honest to goodness brick and mortar gun shop. Sometime over the summer he's going to get final approval from the ATF, and he will be throwing open the doors to Crazy Dennis's World 'O' Guns (or some other name, I think he ought to go for this one, though).

The million dollar question to y'all is:

What would you like to see in your ideal gun shop?

Now, please, don't say ammo. Yes, we all want to see ammo back on gun store shelves. Don't say barrels full of SKSs for $39 or M1 carbines for $60. While it would be great, Dennis's store is in Tennessee, not Disney's Fantasy land. He'll be getting in guns from manufacturers as they become available. Firearms and ammunition are subject to market forces - Dennis isn't going to have rows of KSGs available, or M4-type ARs for $550.

What he's looking for are suggestions on other items he might want to think about carrying. I jokingly suggested "beef jerky" when he originally told me his plan - every gun show I've been to, there's been at least one table selling beef jerky (real beef jerky, not the stuff in a plastic wrapper). He's thinking about it.

Obviously he'll have holsters and gun belts, but what else? Knives? Steel targets? Specific types of cleaning supplies (M-Pro7! Frog Lube!)? Something I haven't seen in any gun shop are firearms specific tools - yeah, most gun shops have a gunsmith or two working for them, but a set of brass punches and a sight pushing tool aren't going to make them starve.

With the internet/Amazon/Brownells as they are, pretty much everything you could ever want is available to you online. Personally, I think Dennis would be well-served to stock "impulse" items - spare magazines, basic cleaning supplies, targets, etc. Stuff that you would need if you wanted to get up and running right that day - as well as the kind of things you're going to want to see in person before purchasing (one of my suggestions was a line of cover garments...)

What are some of the things you'd like to see in your ideal gun store?

That is all.

What Would You Do?

Just another in a long line of posts to keep you thinking is this story:

Customer Breaks Up Armed Robbery At NH Pharmacy

MANCHESTER, NH (CBS) – A Manchester, New Hampshire man helped thwart a robbery at a local pharmacy by tackling the suspect who was demanding drugs at gunpoint.

Police say thirty-year-old Nicole Chase walked into Ken’s Pharmacy on Elm Street and handed the pharmacist a note demanding Percocet. Police said the note also indicated she had a gun.

The woman produced a gun - which was actually an airsoft gun - and pointed it at another patron of the pharmacy and threatened to kill that person if the pharmacist didn't hurry up. Another patron who witnessed the robbery noticed that the gun was an airsoft gun, knocked it out of her hand and tackled her in the store and held her until police arrived.

This is a classic "what would you do" scenario for a concealed carry holder for several reasons. First off, how do you respond to a hostage scenario? Secondly, if you did notice that the gun in question was actually a BB gun/air soft gun, would that change your response?

It's hard to say. From a legal standpoint, you're obviously better off not confronting the robber. If your life is not directly in danger, it's a harder case to make for a defensive shooting. I think very few of us would worry about the legal ramifications, though, if someone is waving what appears to be firearm around and threatening to kill other people. It'd be a cold hearted DA that prosecuted that case if you dropped the person on the spot.

As for noticing that the "firearm" in question was actually an air soft or BB gun, that adds another layer of complexity. On the one hand, the law makes no differentiation between those and real firearms with regards to intent: armed robbery is armed robbery, whether it's a Glock, an airsoft replica, or a blue gun. You tell your victim you have a gun, it is an armed robbery. The response shouldn't be different - are you willing to bet your life that it's an airsoft gun pointed at you?

But we do not live in a perfect world. I'm looking at the picture of the woman - she looks like someone addicted to percocet - and thinking to myself, that guy had better hope they don't decide to go after him. Small, slight, gaunt; if the guy who tackled her was a 6' 4" former linebacker, he'll be VERY lucky if he doesn't get sued. By the same token, had he been carrying his own sidearm and shot this person, while he would have certainly been justified, it's also possible he'd see a civil case brought against him. You know, since NH has decided that "stand your ground" laws shouldn't apply.

It's unfortunate that we have to think this way, it really is. Someone threatening to kill other people over a robbery should lose their right to complain about what happens - either being tackled or getting shot. When someone threatens your life, it shouldn't matter if they have a BB gun, a howitzer, or a butter knife - if they tell you they intend to kill you, that should be sufficient cause for defensive measures.

It does drive home the point that you need to know the laws of your location, both from a criminal and civil standpoint.

That is all.

Another Good Question...

Got an e-mail from the Scary Yankee Chick looking for advice/thoughts on a Marlin rifle...

I've been slowly doing research on buying a rifle for hunting and target shooting.  Someone suggested to me to look at lever action rifles, as they don't appear to be on the gun banner radar as such. So I've been slowly working my way around the internet looking at lever action rifles.

Do you (or any of your readers, if you're willing to post this) know anything about the Marlin 336 line of lever action rifles?  Reviews appear to be generally good.  Some notes about some used models having some issues, that the person in question thought was due to Remington manufacture.  And they're not overly expensive, at least in comparison to some.

Can you suggest any other lever action rifles I should add to my list to look at?  I'm open to suggestions.  This will be both my and Hubby's first rifle.  We're looking for something to shoot distances in the 100-200yard range.  Preferably in a caliber that's (normally) easy to find (I realize there's not much normal about the ammo situation right now).  And preferably without being overly expensive.

Well, I own a Marlin 336 in .30-30 Winchester, but it's a 50+ year old rifle - it was my grandfather's deer rifle, and he's owned it at least as long as I've been alive (and I don't think he bought it new right before I was born). I've only shot it once, and 5 rounds at that, but it was dead-nuts accurate at 25 yards with iron sights and ancient ammunition. I've got a Marlin 989 (magazine-fed semi-automatic) and a 39A lever action, both in .22LR. The 989 is finicky - although that may be from having several thousand rounds through it with no cleaning or lubricating whatsoever. The 39A is one of my favorite guns, hands-down.

Mossberg carries a line of lever-action rifles, although they only have them available in .22LR and .30-30. I haven't heard much about the action or reliability; seeing as how Mossberg isn't really known for lever action rifles, there's not a lot of history. They also have a new line out of bolt-action rifles that take AR-15 magazines, their MVP series. Haven't heard much feedback on them, though. One of the nice things about the bolt-action mechanism is that there's a lot less dependence on finding the right ammo the gun "likes" when shooting (my Bushmaster AR-15 will not load anything with a soft point. At all). Also, the less expensive steel-cased ammo shouldn't be an issue; not to mention bolties are much easier to clean... MSRP starts at $681; I would imagine the off-the-shelf price would be under $500 (at least once prices come back down to something resembling normal).

Henry has a few pistol caliber lever action rifles out there, like their Big Boy in .44 Magnum. I've shot a friend's Henry .22LR lever action, and the mechanism is smooth like butter and the gun is quite accurate. Price is pretty decent as well - and with .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum, you're definitely good out to 150 - 200 yards. Rossi - as evidenced by the model 92 I've been testing, also has some lever action rifles in pistol calibers.

One last non-semi-automatic option would be something like the Remington 7600 series of pump-action rifles. They're based on the tried-and-true 870 shotgun pump-action, and even the .30-06 variant doesn't kick too terribly bad. They're only available in hunting calibers, although they do have a G-d's Own Caliber version available. Of course, their fine 700 series of bolt-action rifles is also something to consider.

Any other thoughts on lever guns or other actions out there?

That is all.

I Think I Get It Now...

Let's see. In the past few weeks, we've seen:

CO Democrats advocating rape whistles and "safe zones".

DHS to be arming their agents with scissors.

Joe Biden offering home defense tips (which, BTW, breaks DE law)

Another CO Democrat claims women should learn judo to prevent attacks.

A company makes targets aimed at desensitizing police officers towards shooting kids and pregnant women.

Vice President Biden the gun expert tells women that AR-15s are too complicated to use effectively.

The University of CO tells female students to vomit or urinate on themselves to prevent rape.

Folks, this is too much for me to even parody. If five months ago, when Todd Akin was being (rightfully) raked over the coals for his comments about rape and abortion, you would have told me that Democrats would be advocating rape-free zones, puking on one's self, or learning judo to prevent rape, I'd have thought you lost your mind. Then again, it's only shocking if a Republican does it.

I really don't even know what to say. The lengths that Democrats will go to in an effort to pretend that firearms are not viable self-defense tools has gone from merely sad and pathetic into outright caricature. If you sat down and thought of the dumbest possible advice to give someone about a home defense situation, taking a two-shot weapon and emptying it without looking for your backstop is right up at the top. Why they haven't put a muzzle on Biden is beyond me - every time he opens his mouth about guns something stupid falls out.

Is it just me, or is the level of "just plain stupid" rising?

That is all.

Help A Friend (of a Friend) Out...

Got a good one today folks. My #1 blogdaughter has a friend looking for their first pistol. I'll let them tell you about their quest:

Hi Nancy, this is [friend]. I figured the “9mm shopping” would get your attention! I’ve been wanting to get my own 9mm for years, but until now have just lived vicariously through my brother’s handgun collection. We’re thinking of getting a gun before it gets too difficult or expensive to purchase one. I’ve talked to 4 different friends and family members and gotten about 50 different opinions on models, but here’s what we’re looking for… A common make/model with readily available accessories; reliability & ease of use more important than pinpoint accuracy; will use for plinking, range firing (cheaper rounds) and home defense (with burglar-killer rounds); hoping for the $500-650 range; expandable for later laser/light accessories; mid-range size (not really interested in concealing); something that [significant other] would be comfortable firing. 

I’d be the primary user, but it can’t be so big & bulky that [significant other] can’t work the action when needed or that recoils so much that she’d never want to go to the range. Price rules out HK and probably other fancier offerings. Glock comes to mind given their reputation – maybe the Glock 19 if it fits [significant other]’s hand. The Glock 17 I’m sure is too big, and the 26 is too small for me. Other than getting 50 suggestions to look at Browning, Sig, Taurus, Ruger, Smithfield, etc. etc., all I’ve done is visit the new KG gun shop to see their offerings. (While I was there, they sold their only Glock and can’t keep them in stock.)

Anywho, do you have any specific recommendations on make/model to consider or avoid given the wish list above? Also, any suggestions on where to purchase? Local shop, Greentop, Bass Pro, mail order, etc.? I don’t want to spend 2 months shopping around for the best price, but I don’t want to be taken advantage of as a “newbie” buy either. I HATE negotiating, but is the price advertised at gun shops the price only newbies pay, or are you expected to barter (groan!) as with a car purchase? So many questions….

Okay, so we know the parameters:

• Common make/model
• Reliability more important than supreme accuracy
• Used for plinking, home defense, not so much concealed carry.
• Price range $500 - $600
• Mid-sized.

If the Glock 17 is too big and the 26 too small, the answer seems pretty obvious: Glock 19. The Smith & Wesson M&P9 might work; it's not quite as large as the Glock 17; the Ruger SR9 is about the same size; I wouldn't rule out the compact versions of either the M&P or the SR series. If they can find a used model, the SIG SAUER P229 might be worth looking into as well. The good thing about the mid-sized guns is that you can back them up with the full sized gun's magazine.

Beyond the Glock/SIG/S&W/Ruger offerings, the 9mm offerings become a bit more, well, specialized. Kahr offers a few medium-framed guns - like the TP9 - but they're on the pricier side and have fewer aftermarket accessories. Taurus has come miles beyond where they used to be, but have focused more on the concealed carry models than full size. Beretta has the PX4, which might be worth looking into, but again, there are going to be far fewer holsters/accessories when compared to the Glock or M&P.

As for the question of where to buy, I am a HUGE fan of supporting the local gun store. Box stores tend to sell firearms as part of a larger overall business; there are excellent employees to be found, but quite often are spread much thinner than at a dedicated local gun store. That said, there's also small local shops that seem determined to stay in business only through the model of never sell anything, that way we don't ever have to order anything. Talk to someone in the area (like Nancy's friend has with Nancy) and find out the good local shops.

Generally, and I speak only for myself and the local shops here, new gun prices are not negotiable. Where you can find deals, though, are on the consignment firearms - often, an offer close to the asking price but ~ 10% less will be taken, especially if the gun has been sitting in the shelf for any length of time. Granted, this is not applicable right now, as it's a seller's market, but in general I have found this to be true. Another place to look is in a local gun forum's classified section - I've purchased a number of firearms from local enthusiasts here in MA and found a number of great deals.

Anyone have any other suggestions for Nancy's friend?

That is all.

Help Us, Internet Kenobi. You're Our Only Hope...

Friend Brad_in_MA has a problem. He's trying to find a video online, and is having no luck. Here's his description:

I am trying to find a video.  It sjows some German fellow hunting wild boar with a high end bolt gun.  He shoots piggies on the run and hits every one.  Weerdbeard or Borepatch may have linked to it. IIRC the gun is some sort of 7mm magnum.  I thought Alan should see it. 

Beats the holy hell out of me. Best I could find was this, and it looks like the video has been taken down. Anyone have any idea on what Brad's looking for? I know why he wants Alan to see it - Alan's got a flippin' SWEET Weatherby 7mm Magnum that is simply amazing to shoot. I got a chance to shoot it at the last Northeast Bloggershoot (I shot it twice: once to kick my shoulder out of joint, and once to put it back in place...)

Oh, and as a side note, be very careful when Googling videos of boar hunts - you will lose hours if you're not careful...

That is all.

Electronics Bleg...

Okay, here's the sitch... Got the Mrs a new TV for Xmas last year, a 60" flat screen to replace the failing projection TV we got as a housewarming present in 1999 when we moved into the house. For our anniversary, I picked up a surround sound system and Blu-Ray player. I didn't realize it, but the surround sound system only works for the Blu-Ray player. We need a home theater receiver, and the Mrs. has put that at the top of her Christmas list.

Now, I know next-to-nothing about home theater systems. I don't watch television, so as far as I'm concerned this is done - we can watch movies on the big screen with movie theater quality sound. Life is good - in fact, the last movie we watched ("Sherlock Holmes" if you must know) we could actually discern the "direction" of the action based on how the sound was mixed across the seven speakers! A quick look at receivers tells me that you can spend anywhere from a couple hundred bucks to MY G-D ARE YOU KIDDING ME I HAD CARS THAT WEREN'T THAT MUCH.

Anyone have any recommendations for a decent middle-of-the-road receiver? Speakertweaker, I'm looking at yooouu... I'm not looking to spend a ton of money, but I don't mind spending a little more to get a quality product. I'm not looking for sound quality that's going to put Showcase Cinemas to shame, but is better than what's popping out of the TV. Basically, just something that can connect the flat screen TV to the Samsung surround sound system with relatively ease...

Any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations?

That is all.

Help A Gunnie Out...

My buddy Dennis came into possession of a rifle he can't identify. He sent in a couple pictures:

Now, I think it's a Yugo M24/47 Mauser. It's got that odd rear sight groove carved into the upper wood, the same bolt safety, etc.

Agree? Disagree? Got another rifle it might be instead?

That is all.

Sha-Na-Na-Na, Sha-Na-Na-Na-NaH...

Guess the job.

My #1 blogdaughter has a challenge for you:

In lieu of actual content, I’ve held all of these paying jobs except one. You get to guess which one.

She then goes on to list a series of different jobs, all but one of which she has actually held. Go take a read and leave your guess.

What the heck, I like it. I think it's a great idea. I like it so much, I'm stealing it. I've held all of the following except one:

• Bagger at a local supermarket
• Housepainter for one of those college-student painter services
• Pothole filler and brush removal for the town Highway Department
• Landscaper for a local groundskeeper
• Bouncer at a pool hall/bar
• Resident assistant in a college dormitory
• Product Development chemist at a large chemical company
• Busboy at a diner in town
• Research assistant at a state university
• Sales weasel at an undisclosed location

So, which job have I not held?

That is all.

Thought Question.

So, TheBoy and I were having a philosophical discussion the other day. He asked me if I thought that we would see teleportation in our lifetime - I guess there's a humor video on YouTube about a teleportin' fat guy or something. This is something I've actually thought about, both being a *huge* Star Trek geek as well as someone who freakin' hates to fly. It'd also be really neat to be able to travel on business and still be home to tuck my kids in at night, too.

From a technological standpoint, I can't say for certain if teleportation is possible or not. I'm sure if you had described a smartphone to someone from 1912 they'd think you were one helluva science fiction writer - and now they're so plebian that no one thinks about them any more. We can send and receive data instantaneously anywhere in the world you can get a phone signal - that's pretty amazing. When you look at the Star Trek series of the late 1960s - at the height of the American space program - and compare it to what is commonplace today, we've already surpassed many of their technological wonders.

I can't say we'll never have teleportation; in fact, I think it's highly likely that we will be able to transmit matter - or, more precisely, take a physical object and re-create it exactly somewhere else - in the future. I think that actual teleporation of human beings will not occur in our lifetime, based on several considerations.

It's a paradigm shift - think about how many institutions will be affected by teleportation, if not outright shuttered. Why would you need to fly if you could step onto a teleportation pad and instantly arrive at your location? For that matter, who would need a car? Rather than a parking lot, you'd only need a series of teleport pads. Think about the real estate implications - you could live anywhere in the world and work anywhere in the world! You could live on the most desolate 100 acres in Montana and work in NYC, and be home for dinner (heck, lunch) every night.

I won't even get into the security implications. You think it's bad when a spammer hacks your computer? Imagine them hacking your home teleport pad and arriving at 2AM. Imagine once the technology matures and you can teleport yourself anywhere you can get a GPS signal. Imagine the National Security implications - how do you keep the country safe when spies and saboteurs can literally appear anywhere at any time?

I don't believe we'll see teleportation in our lifetime - agree or disagree?

That is all.

Trashy Ammo...

No, I'm not talking about that 1940s-era corrosive $50/440 round tin stuff you buy off some dude in a van, I'm talking about ammo that's just no good. Got an e-mail from PISSED recently that got me to thinking:

They (next door to me at work) found a 300 Savage bullet in the parking lot. It's rather beat.

What or where or how is the best way to dispose?

For the record, here's the round in question:

Yeah, that's pretty beat. I don't think I'd fire that in anything that *I* owned. Maybe someone I was pissed off at, if I could rig up something with a long string...

For me, it's an easy question. I'd toss it on the range bag and bring it to my gun club. All three ranges have a "dud" bucket (usually painted bright red or orange) that this could easily be dropped into. If I didn't have that option available to me, there's still a handful of options at one's disposal for getting rid of a round that's too damaged to risk shooting.

1. Find a gunnie friend. Even if the round is too beat up to use, a reloader might be able to salvage the bullet itself or the brass. Even if they have no interest in it, they most likely have access to a range that has a dud box.

2. Render it incapable of being fired. I seem to remember that soaking a cartridge in oil will render the primer inoperable. One certain way to do this is to use a kinetic bullet puller to remove the bullet. At this point, the powder can be pulled out and disposed of, leaving only the primer.

3. Bring it to a police station. This is not advisable in MA unless you have an FID, and don't run in yelling I FOUND A BULLET, but if you were to walk in and calmly and carefully explain that you found a live round that you believe to be unsafe, chances are pretty good they'll be happy to dispose of it properly. Or at least toss it in the evidence room where, if it goes off, there will be several million dollars worth of seized drugs and cash to slow it down.

Realistically, though, simply storing it somewhere where there's no chance of something piercing the primer will be sufficient. It's not likely to go off just sitting there, and even if something were to happen to ignite it, the chances of it causing harm outside of the controlled environment of a firearm are pretty slim (unless you're holding it, in which case you might get burned by the powder or have the brass bounce off your forehead).

Any other ideas for proper ammunition disposal that doesn't involve actually shooting it?

That is all.