I'm not wandering all that much today....

SL VARIANT SPEEDLOADERS: Reader Drew R. sends word that Bobby Mac's managed to uncover a small cache of the coveted SL Variant Speedloaders. If you missed them last time, don't hesitate - they're not being made any longer, and this may be the last you'll see of them.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM: Have you been over to the new Personal Defense Network forums yet? Things are just getting started, and your participation would be welcomed!

-=[ Grant ]=-

This week is dominated by SHOT Show news, and in the midst of all the shiny new goodies it's hard to remember that self defense isn't just about hardware. Guns and ammo are easy to write about, so that's what most people concentrate on. As a result, you find lots of sites that deal with hardware, but precious few with the software so necessary for survival.

That situation is about to change: the Personal Defense Network has gone "live"!

PDN is the new source for self defense articles, tips, and video lessons on the net. Rob Pincus, the Managing Editor, has gathered some of the best authorities from around the country to staff PDN, with a simple goal: PDN aims to be the leading destination of high-quality, personal defense content online, as well as a no-nonsense gathering place for those serious about arming themselves for defense in every aspect of their lives.

This isn't the same old "9mm vs. .45ACP" stuff you find in the magazines or on the gun forums - the information at PDN is at a higher level. You'll learn some new techniques, some refinements of your existing skills, and some vital topics that other sites just won't touch (check out "Dealing with a Gun Shot Wound During Training Class".)

It isn't all about guns, either; self defense is more than simply shooting people, and PDN delivers vital information to help you expand your hand-to-hand and less lethal skills ("Don't Bring A Gun To A Knife Fight" is a great introduction to why the gun isn't always the right answer.)

There's lots more, from fitness to legalities to tactics, all written by some of the best people in the business. You'll hear from master trainer Rob Pincus as well as such renowned experts as Tony Blauer, Michael Janich, John Brown, Marty Hayes, Andy Langlois, Kent O’Donnell, and Paul Haberstroh. (Oh, and some guy named Grant Cunningham - anyone know who he is?)

Check out the site, watch the videos, read the articles, and join the forum. Check in often, as there's a lot more great content coming at PDN.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: Personal Defense Network, Rob Pincus

I got an email from Massad Ayoob recently, in which he told me about his new venture: the Massad Ayoob Group (MAG). He's got a great website where you can read the official announcement.

While the curriculum will be new, the principles he teaches aren't. No one knows more about the legal and ethical side of deadly force, and his updated classes will build on that expertise. I asked Mas about how the new curriculum will translate to his old courses:

"I'm trying to keep the new curriculum such that, say, an LFI-I in a previous course will be acceptable as a prerequisite for second level with [the Massad Ayoob Group.] The analog to JUDF, for example, will be MAG-20 Classroom, with the suffix indicating the hour number. The commonality goes two ways: just as I'll structure MAG-80 so it will be suitable for an LFI-I graduate, I'll make sure MAG-40 gives the student strong enough a foundation to be an acceptable prerequisite for an LFI-II."

For those not familiar with his work, 'JUDF' refers to 'Judicious Use of Deadly Force' - perhaps his best-known course and the gold standard on the topic. The live fire accompaniment to that will be MAG-20/Live Fire, and the two combined - what corresponds most closely to the old LFI-1 - in updated form will be called MAG-40.

The Massad Ayoob Group also signals a new emphasis on teaching lawyers how to handle self defense cases. In conjunction with the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, he's initiating his Continuing Legal Education (CLE) classes. First in the new schedule is "Defending the Deadly Force Case", already on the calendar for Anchorage and Seattle this year. He tells me that more are in the works.

That's particularly important news, as it ensures that there will be more properly trained counsel to help you and me if we ever find ourselves in court. This is the kind of class that Mas is uniquely qualified to teach, and it's great that he's taken up the cause.

Check his site; if he's teaching anywhere near you, take advantage of the opportunity to learn from one of the good guys.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: Massad Ayoob

GETTING THE MESSAGE: I've been harping on the failures of "Rule #1" for some time now, and it seems that the attitude is catching on. Slowly, but at least progress is being made.

IT ISN'T JUST ME: I've recently expounded on the issue of dogmatic teaching in the self defense world, and I'm not alone in my criticism. Check out this post from Roger Phillips over at warriortalk.com, then read the entire discussion. (I've never met Roger, don't know him from Adam, but he makes sense. Can't say that about everyone.)

POCKET COMPANION: no, not a J-frame! From Dustin's Gun Blog I learned of a new iPhone/iPod Touch app called Legal Heat. It's an interactive version of their printed guide to concealed carry and gun laws in all 50 states, written by attorneys and instructors. It' a great idea, and something that's needed. Unfortunately, despite the viability of the concept I cannot in good conscience recommend this particular app.

There is a big issue with Legal Heat's usability. The pages are just images of the book, which means they're pictures and not text. This sounds inconsequential, but it's not. When you bring up the laws on a state, because it's showing the whole page the text is tiny; unreadably small. To read it, you need to magnify the image by pinching. (The usual double-tap doesn't work, because it doesn't work on full-frame images!) Once you magnify the image to read the text, you have to continually scroll back and forth because images don't wrap text. Finally, the app doesn't support screen rotation; it only displays in portrait orientation, which exacerbates the scrolling issue.

Frankly, iPhone users are accustomed to a higher level of application quality than Legal Heat delivers. If they would simply make their pages actual text and enable screen rotation I'd be comfortable recommending it. As it stands, even at $1.99 it's not worth the hassle.

DEAL ALERT: My background in commercial photography has left me more than a little anal retentive with regards to optics, particularly when it comes to binoculars. I'm a fan of porro-prism designs, as they a) have better three-dimensional perspective, b) are brighter, and c) cost less than roof-prism types for any given level of optical quality (resolution/contrast.)

Minox makes some of the best porro-prism binocs. The optical performance is exceptional, and the build quality matches the glass. They make an 8x and a 10x version, and at a street price of roughly $550 they are something of a bargain; you'll need to spend roughly twice as much to get a roof prism of comparable performance, and you still won't get the perspective advantage that the porro-prism design gives you.

Despite their advantages, porro-prism designs are distinctly unfashionable these days and don't sell well regardless of brand. Roof prisms are what people buy, and Minox has bowed to the market: they've discontinued the 10x model. SWFA is closing them out at $299.95, which has to be classed as a screaming good deal. You won't find anything even approaching their optical performance for that kind of money. (Yes, I grabbed a pair - for that price, I wasn't about to pass them up!)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: Safety rules, apps

Tommy The Pharmacist sent me an email suggesting I check out the latest ProArms Podcast. (I'm a week behind on my listening schedule, despite being subscribed to their feed.) This week it's the "Revolver Roundtable", and it's great - have a listen.

(Oh, they do mention a certain revolversmith. Wonder who it might be??)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: ProArms Podcast

I now realize that I like looking at beautiful sunrises more than beautiful sunsets. I'm sure there is some deep psychological significance to that preference, but it as yet escapes me.

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Everyone, it seems, is making a "tactical" pen these days. Benchmade, Schrade, Tuffwriter, Hinderer, Surefire - and now Smith & Wesson. Who will be next?

I have nothing against the concept, as it's simply a return to the roots of the familiar Kubotan (the techniques for which were originally intended for the common Cross-type pen.) These, though, all look like rejects from The Mall Ninja Outlet Store. I have half a mind to make one myself - classically styled out of real rust-blued steel, of course.

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One of the better (most balanced) preparedness blogs extant is Jim Rawle's SurvivalBlog.com It's one of the few blogs on my morning "must read" list, and has been since I found it several years ago. This morning he posted the sad news that his wife Linda has died after a long illness.

He's shared the progress of his beloved in the blog, and while not a shock it's still depressing to hear. My wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to Jim and his family.

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It's necessary, if one is to maintain proper perspective, to learn from those whose experience is different from yours. Take, for example, an interview with a WWII Soviet tank crewman (thanks to Tam, who finds the most amazing stuff.) What he says about the Sherman tank, the Tommy gun, and the .45ACP cartridge are very interesting and definitely challenge certain widely held opinions.

(When you read what he says about the mighty .45, think back to the very similar stories regarding the .30 Carbine.) If you have any interest in WWII, armaments, or the nitty-gritty of battle, it's a great read.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: tactical

Back from the 3-day weekend, and I hope all of you had more fun than I did. I worked on projects around the farm, in between horrendously heavy rain showers and winds gusting to 40mph.

Not much else to say today, as I didn't even think about work while I was busy, uh, working.

Something did catch my eye this morning, as Tam asks an interesting question. I'll have an answer for you tomorrow - but it may not be the answer you expect.

Stay tuned.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Between work and farm chores, I don't have a lot of time left to peruse other blogs. Luckily, Uncle does - and he came up with a great one on the subject of self defense, from the Shots Across The Bow blog.

Common sense. How refreshing!

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I wish Gail Pepin at the ProArms Podcast would quit putting together such great shows - they distract me from working. (Note to HG and SD: it's her fault your guns aren't done!)

This week's episode features the true story of malicious prosecution, from one of the lawyers involved. It's not a self-defense case, but rather an alleged vehicular homicide. Why is this of interest to us? Because it illustrates how easy it can be to send a person up the river, even when the angels and evidence are on his side.

There is a persistent belief in the gunny community that if your "shoot is righteous", then you somehow have nothing to fear - the truth will win out in the end. It doesn't always work that way, and it's vitally important that you understand this from the beginning. Listen and learn.

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Tam passes the 2,000,000 visitor mark. (Not just that, but over 5,000 individual posts from Her Snarkiness. Holy cow!)


-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: ProArms Podcast

This morning I found that the ProArms Podcast had been updated - a week ago - and I missed it. I'm late to the party!

This is particularly distressing because I'm privileged to know all of the folks involved: Gila Hayes, Diane Walls, Kathy Jackson, and (most recently) Gail Pepin. They are some of the most thoughtful people in the firearms/self defense community, and having all of them in the same room makes for a great discussion. (Gail should get Kathy, Diane, and Gila to do this on a semi-regular basis!)

If you have a loved one who has yet to take responsibility for her own safety, this is a good starting point. The women talk at length about the topic, and the resources they represent are the best in the business. I say that not because I'm trying to curry any favor, but because it's true.

(Don't let the "Women in the Gun Media" title turn you off, guys - this is one you shouldn't miss either. They talk at length about the often bone-headed approaches that we men take to exposing the women in our lives to self defense concepts. No matter how enlightened you think you are, you'll learn something from this podcast.)

Listen to it now.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: ProArms Podcast, Gila Hayes

I must apologize for missing the Monday posting; I've been preoccupied this week with the medical emergency of an immediate family member. Things are starting to stabilize, with promising results, so (with any luck) I'll get back to my normal schedule by the end of the week.

(In case you missed it, Tam put up another Sunday Smith this week.)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Lots of linking to avoid thinking on my own!

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Xavier recently posted a letter from - and his response to - one of his readers. The exchange (and the comments that follow) bring up important issues in the area of Second Amendment activism. It isn't always black-and-white.

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When you've finished reading Xavier, pop over to Breda's place and read this related article she posted about a month ago. (I realize it's a bit late, and I'd meant to bring it up earlier, but just kept forgetting.)

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Rob Pincus is one of the more thoughtful trainers working today. He's got a great post up on the Breach-Bang-Clear blog about putting techniques on pedestals. Highly recommended read.

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Speaking of Rob, I discovered that he has a blog of his own. Good stuff.

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Not just techniques get put on pedestals; equipment does too. There are the 1911 people, the Glock folks, the "any caliber as long as it begins with '4' " crowd, and so on. I suppose one could accuse me of doing the same thing with wheelguns (retro pedestal?), but I'm on record as saying - more than once - that the revolver isn't the perfect tool for everyone and every purpose.

For example, a number of years ago I was engaged in an activity of some risk. For that, I forsook my beloved revolver for a Glock and all the high capacity magazines I could fit under a suit coat. I believe in picking the right tool for the job; it just so happens that, for some jobs, the revolver is at least one of the right tools.

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Rejoice! Tam has finally posted a new article over at The Arms Room. (I was beginning to think she'd given up writing about guns...)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: Second amendment, Rob Pincus

Last week I discovered that Massad Ayoob has gotten together with some of his friends and started a podcast. (Yes, that Massad Ayoob; the proud and unrepentant technophobe, the man who has proclaimed - in public and multiple times - that to him the computer is "nothing more than a typewriter with a suppressor." With this project, his reputation as a Luddite may experience a steep decline; when he starts toting around a PDA to check his email, however, I'll know the world is coming to an end!)

Anyhow, the ProArms podcast deals with guns and shooting - no surprise there! It's a roundtable format, with Mas and the crew discussing various guns and shooting topics, interspersed with interviews of industry luminaries. (They've already managed to snag, in one fell swoop, three of the most important women in the defensive shooting world: Gila Hayes, Vicki Farnham, and Kathy Jackson. Those are the kind of interviews that you just won't hear anywhere else.)

Though Mas is obviously the main draw, the rest of the cast are phenomenally experienced shooters in their own right. You may never have heard of people like Jon Strayer or Herman Gunter, but in the southeast part of this country they are well known and respected arms experts. You'll grow to appreciate their informed commentary.

The ProArms podcast even has a pretty good website, where you can learn about the show, the crew, and listen or subscribe to the podcast. Of course, like any podcast worthy of the title, it's available on iTunes as well.


-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: ProArms Podcast

A couple of weeks ago, I linked to the story of a thug who showed no remorse about killing a couple of musicians.

Well, it seems that there was more to the story, and Jim Jacobe (www.jimjacobe.com) sent me a link to an article on the U.S. Concealed Carry Association website. It's the "other side" of the incident - the mother and the instructor of one of the victims.

It is a must-read. (You'll have to scroll down their page just a bit for the article, titled "No Safe Places", by Don Myers. It's worth the effort.)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: attacks, uscca, ccw

Go read this article over at Xavier's place. NOW.

Then take the time to read this terrific piece over at Michael Bane's hangout.

Then spend a bit of time considering the intersection of the two. You'll be safer and more confident for doing so.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: attacks, violence

It's always good to find a fresh face in the gun blogging world. Say Uncle, who is becoming to gun bloggers what Johnny Carson was to new performers, recently came up with another: Politics, Guns, & Beer.

Now I know what you're thinking: you're thinking the author of that title must resemble Larry The Cable Guy. Boy, are you wrong! It's written (quite well, I might add) by a 20-something gal named Laurel. She's from Idaho, is a staunch libertarian ("small-L", as she's careful to remind us), likes guns and beer (duh!), eats organic food, uses a Mac, and is cute as the dickens.

(I'm sure that last comment would probably be labeled as "sexist" by a certain segment of society. Hey, I calls 'em as I sees 'em, folks!)

She takes a less aggressive approach to gunblogging, and her topics are more eclectic than most. Check her blog out - it's worth reading.

-=[ Grant ]=-

It sometimes amuses me how often one hears the same question, with only slight variations. One that I've heard over the years goes something like this: "Is it true that the GP100 isn't very accurate?" Personally, I've not noticed that any of mine are, but there is more to this story.

Assuming that the gun is "in spec" with regards to its construction (forcing cone, crown, chamber/barrel alignment, etc.) it should shoot quite well. Many GP owners, however, continue to complain about the accuracy of their individual example in the absence of those identifiable deficiencies. It so happens that there is a design defect in certain models of the GP100 that will definitely reduce the precision of the gun: the sights.

Owners of fixed-sight Rugers are generally much happier with the accuracy of the GP than those who have the adjustable sights, and I can't say I blame them. The first problem is Ruger's rear sight: it stinks, to put it bluntly. Don't get me wrong, the rear sight picture isn't bad (in fact I prefer it to Smith & Wesson's); the problem is that the Ruger rear sight often won't hold zero all that well.

It starts with a body which has a very loose fit in the frame's sight channel. It continues with universally sloppy fit on the sight pivot pin - the pin that holds the sight onto the gun, allowing the body to pivot up and down for elevation changes. The elevation screw, likewise, has a lot of "wiggle" in it, and the windage screw is often not any better. The net result is a sight that can't be relied upon to stay where it's set from shot to shot.

The rear sight isn't the only problem, just the biggest one. The interchangeable front sight often shows deficiencies of it's own. It is investment cast (like the rest of the gun), but without subsequent machining the edges and serrations remain quite indistinct. The sight picture isn't all that crisp, making a sure hold on target a bit like driving a well-worn 1951 GMC 2-1/2 ton flatbed farm truck. (For those who've never had the pleasure, imagine going down the street having to constantly move the steering wheel a half-turn in each direction just to maintain something like a straight line. Now try it in the rain. At night. Get the idea?)

I've seen more than a few front sights which also weren't secure in the dovetails, causing them to wobble a bit, and there are quite a few that don't have parallel sides. (Or worse, lack a straight top!)

The fixed-sight GP100 doesn't have any of these problems, which explains why their owners tend to be more satisfied with that model's performance.

There are solutions. The best is to replace the rear sight with the terrific Rough Country sight from Bowen Classic Arms. It fits precisely, and the opposing screws that adjust windage and elevation also serve as lockdowns for those adjustments. (If you've ever adjusted the rear sight on a FAL rifle, you know the concept.) The Rough Country sights have the easy change capability of an adjustable sight, but once locked down are as rugged as a fixed sight. There is nothing better on the market, period. Absolutely the best.

The Rough Country sight has a superb sight picture, and is available with a plain black blade, a white outline blade, an "express" (shallow "V") blade, and a blank blade - so that your friendly gunsmith can provide the notch that you feel is best.

The front sight can also be replaced with a Bowen unit. The Bowen front blade is precisely made, with perfect dovetails and parallel sides. It comes as a "blank" - it must be machined to shape and height, then blued, before it is of any use. It is an expensive part, and the additional machining adds to the cost, but if you're looking for the absolute best GP100 sight picture it is the way to go.

Outfitted with decent sights the GP100 really comes into its own, easily keeping up with the best from the competition. If you've not been happy with the way your GP100 shoots, take a hard look at those sights - my bet is you'll find they aren't terribly great!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: Ruger, GP100

For those not "in the loop", last week the lead article in my "Self Defense, Stopping Power, and Caliber" series was reprinted in the U.S. Concealed Carry Association's newsletter. It generated a lot of interest, and some very nice comments from people as diverse as career police officers and ER physicians. Thanks, folks, for the kind words!

For those USCCA members who have visited, I hope you'll find the Revolver Liberation Alliance interesting enough to put on your reading list. This blog is updated just about every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I generally try to keep things on topic (revolvers, shooting in general), but on Fridays I go a bit further afield - concentrating on non-related things I like, things I find interesting, or things that just annoy me. (If you prefer an RSS feed, you'll see a link for that option in the left-hand panel.)

Of course, please feel free to use the comment and voting options for each of the blog posts. Also, check out the archives (on the left) and some of my more important articles in The Library.

Thanks again for stopping by!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tags: uscca

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I managed to finish the last post on my "Self defense, stopping power, and caliber" series last night. When I re-read it this morning, prior to uploading, I decided I didn't like it. Oh, the informational aspect was fine - it was the writing. For whatever reason, it wasn't as clear as I had thought. I'm re-writing it, and will post on Wednesday.

Today, you get the quick-and-dirty, all-linky-and-no-thinky post.

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From the No Quarters blog, a graphic example of why one should never allow a member of the media anywhere near a firearm. (I have my own story of a media person being handed a gun, but forces over which I have no control demand that I never tell the tale. More's the pity, as it's at least as good as this one.)

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This article - from the Wall Street Journal, no less - has been getting tons of play in the blogosphere. Michael Bane's corner of the web was the first place I saw it, so he gets the tip o' the hat.

(Yes, I am as well. Thanks for asking!)

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Finally, this has nothing to do with anything at all, but it was just so...odd that I just knew I had to bring it to you. (Leave it to Tam to find stuff like this...)

...from the normal gun-centric topics we cover here. This, however, is important enough that I think it deserves your attention.

Tam and Marko continue to be bright spots in the individual rights blogosphere. They have a clarity of communication that is a marvel to me. (I tend to be a little long-winded, and sometimes less than succinct. They don't suffer from those problems. I'm claiming that it's because I have more work to do than they. Yeah, that's the ticket!) Their respective blogs have percolated to the top to become the first two I read every morning.

Today, though, Tam has outdone herself. I've been harping about the evils of the 17th amendment for years, but have never found a cogent and concise way to explain my concerns. Tam does it in only a thousand words, and still manages to make the (admittedly dry) subject readable and engaging.

Highest recommendation. Read it, memorize it, bookmark it, forward it.

-=[ Grant ]=-

This Reuters story about "normal" gun owners has been getting a lot of attention in the blogosphere - as well it should. The condescension in the text is palpable, as if the reporter really wanted to do a hit piece but couldn't come up with the slimmest of excuses to do so.

Need proof? How about this quote:

The owners are not just urban criminals and drug dealers.

Yeah, that's objective.

Check out the comments over at Say Uncle.

-=[ Grant ]=-

From Michael "Fashion Plate" Bane comes a story about cops and the 'Triangle of Death' (no, not THAT 'Triangle of Death' - this one is serious.) If you're a cop, you need to read it.

Reed and Malloy were in constant danger and didn't even know it!
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After my lament last week, I went to a gunshow this weekend and found - of all things - a stainless Ruger Speed-Six in 9mm! The owner and I are dickering about the price right now, but (unfortunately) there is little recent sales data to go on. If you've seen such a beast sell in the last 6 months, please drop me an email and let me know what it went for. Much appreciated.
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Crazy Rumor Department

Hey, Bane, you missed this one! Overheard at the gunshow: Colt has been sold to Norinco, so that they can have a domestic plant to get around import restrictions.

Ohhhhhh-kayyyyyyy....
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'It Must Be Something In The Water' Department

Also overheard at the gunshow: the 9mm "doesn't work, so you need to go to a bigger caliber like .38 Special."

A math genius he ain't...
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So much for my weekend. Back to the salt mines!

-=[ Grant ]=-

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Every once in a while, Tam hits one out of the park.

This is the country where we're supposed to be leading ourselves, not waiting for solutions to be handed down from on high.

Read the whole thing - it's good.

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SayUncle alerts us to this story. Predictable Euro-socialist hand-wringing and whining commence.

(Yes, I would generally agree that brandishing a weapon is both a tactical and legal no-no - but then again, if you're an old, frail lady and someone strange is standing in your yard, refusing to leave, perhaps you are justified.)

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I missed this until Michael Bane pointed me to it. Hilarious!

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Happy Monday, everyone!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tam alerts us that today is the "official" birthday of the revolver - courtesy of The Great One, Samuel Colt. (I'm surprised, yet gratified, that she acknowledges someone whose last name is not Browning or Wesson!)

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As long as I'm doing the link-love bit, over at Michael Bane's place there is something of a brouhaha regarding his assessment of the new Ruger SR9 pistol. Read the first part, then read Michael's response. (Be sure to read the comments on each - that's where the fireworks happen.)

One of the commenters has invoked Massad Ayoob's name as some sort of "proof" that Michael's opinions are "wrong." In the interest of full disclosure, I know Mas Ayoob on a personal basis, and I've done work for Bane. I've read their reviews, and what it comes down to is that they are both opinionated people with very definite tastes and preferences in firearms. That they have different points of view with regard to this particular gun is simply evidence that nothing appeals to everyone. I trust them both, and my feeling is that it's sad they couldn't find a new, innovative Ruger revolver to disagree about!

-=[ Grant ]=-

I'm reading Monster Hunter Nation's SHOT Show report, where I find this article about Simunition's new offering. Seems their attitude is that, since they only sell to military and law enforcement, and those users follow their safety protocols, there won't be a problem.

Now, read MHN's first-day SHOT Show report. See the connection?


-=[ Grant ]=-

Tam is excited that it's John Browning's birthday.

Personally, I find it difficult to get excited about a guy who never made a revolver....

-=[ Grant ]=-

One reader has chastised me regarding my characterization of the on-air abilities of Garry James and David Fortier. His taunt to me was "and I suppose you could do better?"

That, of course, isn't the point. The point is that they're awful on camera, no matter how talented they are as writers. If Outdoor Channel wants their reputations to enhance the show, team them up with someone who does come across in video.

That's the secret to Mythbusters; Jamie would be awful by himself, but teaming him with the uninhibited Adam negates his introversion and makes for good television. (Of course, having Kari on the show doesn't hurt!)

Then again, I'm not a television producer - nor have I ever played one on TV!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Yes, I know this post was supposed to be up this morning. Hey, I'm usually on time, and let's face it - at the time I'm posting this, it is still Wednesday and thus I'm technically on time. So there! (Hey - no one gives Tam a hard time when her posts are late!)

Anyhow, this has been a busy, busy week. On top of everything else, we had a visit from our friendly local satellite TV installer (Dish, for those terminally curious types out there.) The reason we finally "bit the bullet" was because we wanted to see all the great shooting shows on the Outdoor channel. (Yes, Michael Bane - I wanted to see your show too. Are you happy now?!?)

I used to catch Jim Scoutten's "American Shooter" show on cable, but it bounced from channel to channel and ultimately disappeared. With all of the recreational shooters out there, it would seem a "no-brainer" to have shows that cater to their interests, but it would appear political correctness actually trumps the profit motive. Who knew?

(I've always thought it odd that ESPN considers poker to be a "sport", but not IPSC...or PPC...or CMP...or Sporting Clays...or SASS...you get the idea.)

So this evening my wife and I got to tune into a number of shooting shows for the first time. That Bane character is pretty good, but whose Idea was it to have Garry James and David Fortier host a show? Between the wooden expressions and stilted dialogue it actually made those poker tournaments look attractive!

James and Fortier are both great writers (I enjoy reading their work), but being a good TV host is a different skill set. Someone at the Outdoor channel has yet to figure that out...

-=[ Grant ]=-

When I was in college, it was fashionable amongst a certain segment of the student population to walk around carrying a copy of the New York Review Of Books. The aim, of course, was to appear worldly and sophisticated to people who recognized the title, but didn't themselves read it.

The great secret was that very few of the people carrying the NYROB around, treating it as an icon of sophistication, ever actually read the thing either!

Many people buy copies of Musashi and Sun-Tzu which they never read, but which certainly look good on their bookshelves and serve to create a certain image. It helps, of course, when people quote common passages from Art of War or Book of Five RIngs without ever having read them in their actual context.

So it is with Meditations on Hunting by Jose Ortega y Gasset. It has been called "the most quoted work in sporting literature", but it appears that no one has ever actually read the thing!

Allow me to digress for a moment. My own hunting experiences are relatively few compared to many who read this blog. Though my father hunted, and I accompanied him at times, it was always a subsistence kind of affair: he hunted because we needed the meat. He would go out, get his deer (or elk), and that would be the end of it. He never took pictures of his kills nor kept trophies; hunting was a means to an end (to eat) rather than an end in itself.

As an adult, I wrestle with this. I don't need to hunt, meat being readily available otherwise, and so have chosen not to (save for necessary agricultural activities, such as pest and predator control, which aren't really hunting.) Despite this self-defined comfort, there has always been a gnawing at the back of my mind: what am I missing? Did my father derive anything other than protein from his hunts; was there something more profound at work? (That my father always hunted solo, eschewing the elk camp and its beer-fueled antics, left me suspecting that there might be.)

I wanted clarity on the subject, and thought that Ortega might be able to provide it. Color me surprised when I could find no one, even seasoned and experienced hunters of my acquaintance, who owned a copy. Our library system, which spans the largest city in Oregon to the most backwood hamlet, did not list it in their holdings. How odd! Such an important work, well known and oft-mentioned, yet no one seemed to have actually encountered it.

So, when the Second Edition of the Wescott translation of Meditations recently came out, I availed myself of free shipping on Amazon and ordered it. Finally I would get to see what all the fuss was about!

The book springs from Ortega's contention that life comes to us (or we to it) essentially empty, and it derives whatever meaning it has from the choices that we make relative to each situation in which we find ourselves. To Ortega, life really exists at the boundary of man and his surroundings, those surroundings to include our own thoughts and feelings. Hunting is such an interaction, and creates meaning by virtue of what it requires of the hunter.

The chase, the stalk, and yes the kill, all have great importance to the experience; missing any one negates the hunt's meaning. Ortega contends that the tension created by the sequence is an essential part of the experience, and without the unease created by the death of the animal that sequence becomes a farce, devoid of any meaning. This is the genesis of his most famous quote: "one does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted." Do not, though, assume that quote to be a substitute for the book - there is far more contained in that simple statement than is readily apparent, for it only hints at Ortega's complete philosophy.

(Like the poseurs I mentioned at the top, walking around with the NYROB poking out of their pocket, the passage is often intoned by those who have never read it in context. Having now digested his whole treatment of the subject, the statement by itself seems a caricature.)

It's important to understand that Meditations isn't about hunting as much as it is about man's relationship to the hunt. Remember that Ortega was a philosopher by training and occupation, holding a doctorate in the subject and chairing departments at Spanish universities. Thus, he's not a hunter who waxes a bit philosophic, but a serious philosopher who looks at the act of the hunt and reconciles it with his overall point of view.

As philosophers go, Ortega is surprisingly readable. Make no mistake, though - if you hated studying philosophy in school, Meditations may not be your cup of tea. It isn't about shooting deer, but about allowing the mind to learn more about itself. It requires introspection, an ability to deal in concepts rather than kinesthetics, and thus may turn off some people. However, his work is illuminating enough - even for the average person - to make it worth the effort.

I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Meditations on Hunting and take whatever length of time you need to digest what Ortega wrote. I think that you'll come away with a better understanding of yourself, and a clearer picture of why you choose - or not, as the case may be - to hunt.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Just a few tidbits today, then back to work:

- I got an email from a fellow who referred to me as having an "influential position" in the industry. Huh?? Since when? Does he know something I don't? Apparently I didn't get that memo...and neither did anyone at Ruger, Dan Wesson, or Colt. (I notice that I have yet to be invited to any industry junkets - I hear about them from AFGWWWTRA. It's probably because I don't have a big enough audience here at the Revolver Liberation Alliance. Guess I'll have to get a regular column in one of the magazines, then I'll get invited to all the "right" parties!)

- Thanks to all who expressed sympathy for my tendonitis. It's healing, slowly, but improvement has been noticed. I managed to get in a fairly normal work schedule last week, though I still can't lift anything that is moderately heavy and requires a strong grip - say, a quart of milk out of a grocery sack on the floor. I hate this whole aging process; I honestly thought that I could somehow avoid it. Silly me.

- Someone emailed a query regarding a rumor he'd heard: that Colt had sold the rights and plans for the Python to Wilson Combat, who were to begin producing them "soon." I don't know where to start with this one, but suffice it to say that it is far more suited for April 1st than November 1st. (Should you ever be involved in a game of "gunsmith trivia", both Bill Wilson and I started out in life as watchmakers. True story.)

- Finally, Tam recently posted another in her "Sunday Smith" series: the Model 15. I just wish she'd show equal love to the Colts in her collection. (Uhh, Tam, you DO have non-reciprocating Colts in your safe, don't you? Tam? Hello??)

-=[ Grant ]=-

I'd just uploaded today's entry, only to find that Tam scooped me by 21 minutes.

(She's probably still sore about that whole geek thing...)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Ever run across someone who does something so much better than you, that you are simultaneously awed and angered?

I get that way when I read Marko's blog "The Munchkin Wrangler." His writing positively sparkles; he's able to relay conceptual topics in an elegant and concise manner that is so much better than my lame attempts.

His latest missive deals with the idea that one should simply "give criminals what they want and they'll leave you alone." It's so good, it should be required reading for everyone - whether they carry a gun or not.

Don't miss it.

-=[ Grant ]=-

eBay has decided that it will no longer allow listings to sell most gun parts, citing some amorphous connection to the Virginia Tech shooting. Jerks.

On the plus side, gunbroker.com and auctionarms.com are going to make more money!

-=[ Grant ]=-

My earlier post today indicated that Michael Bane's podcast cannot be subscribed. Thanks to a regular reader, I learned that one can, in fact, subscribe to the wonderful Michael Bane podcast by going to the DownrangeTV website, where you'll see a button to subscribe to the podcast.

(He still needs to put that link on his blog, though...how 'bout it, Michael?)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Gunscrubber is for more than just guns.

Who'da thunk it?

-=[ Grant ]=-

Seems that Michael Bane, host of the television shows Shooting Gallery and Cowboys (and general firearms bon vivant), has seen fit to mention me in his blog. Much appreciated, and I am flattered by the attention, though being named in the same column as radiation-squelching undies leaves open questions of the sort I'd rather not contemplate.

As to this screed being ghostwritten, I'll only say "yestidday I couldn't spell intirdnet, today I is in it! Thank you, Al Gore!"

-=[ Grant ]=-

Some great stuff (like always!)

The Second Amendment Carnival

(Hopefully my plumbing nightmare is over...full report later this week.)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Ladies and gentlemen, this thread at THR is why this wonderful medium is often called the "errornet."

And to think...I do what some internet "expert" says is "impossible" every day of the week; twice yesterday, in fact. (Oh, get your minds out of the gutter and go read the link!)

-=[ Grant ]=-

John Linebaugh is a custom revolver maker who specializes in caliber conversions on Ruger single actions. Not just any conversions, mind you - he is the originator of the fire-breathing .475 Linebaugh and .500 Linebaugh cartridges.

John first became famous for his modified revolvers that would should heavy .45 Colt loads (250 grain bullets at 1,700 fps.) His work with those heavy loads lead him to develop the .475 Linebaugh and the mighty .500 Linebaugh: 435 grains traveling at 1,300 fps!

Now I just know that some wag is reading this and saying "So? The .500 S&W shoots those slugs faster!" You bet it does, Pilgrim - at insanely high chamber pressures, in guns that are big enough to qualify as crew-served weapons. The Linebaugh cartridges do this at moderate pressures, and in guns based on nice, relatively lightweight Ruger Bisley frames.

John has a new website that, sadly, isn't linked to his old site and doesn't yet show up in the search engines. Here it is - be sure to bookmark it:

http://www.customsixguns.com/

Be sure to check out the video of shooting one of his creations - that's what I call recoil!

-=[ Grant ]=-

In 1988, at a facility near Henderson, Nevada, something really bad - and really loud - happened.

Pacific Engineering Production Company, aka PEPCON, was a producer of ammonium perchlorate - a very powerful oxidizer for rocket fuel. Ammonium perchlorate, as it happens, is very unstable and doesn't like fire one little bit.

Coincidentally, there was a repair crew on a television transmitter tower nearby, and not only did they witness the whole inferno they also captured an incredible video sequence of the main explosions. You just have to see it - watch for the shock wave as it travels across the ground!



You can read about the whole disaster at Damn Interesting.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Someone recently asked me what gunsmith(s) I admired or respected, or that I would allow to work on my own guns. I gave him a few names, and thought you might be interested as well!

My first entry in this occasional series is Hamilton Bowen. Bowen is perhaps the gunsmith that the rest of us aspire to be; he combines technical ability, commitment to quality, and a definite style that is hard to define but easy to recognize. Bowen does it all - sophisticated caliber conversions, unusual high-tech customization, and superb restorations.

Bowen has been building superior revolvers for many years, and his work has become well known from appearances in various gun magazines. His fame doesn't stop there, however - he also wrote what is the definitive book on the subject, titled simply "The Custom Revolver." If you're into revolvers, this is a book that you simply must own. (You can buy it through my Amazon store here.)

Hamilton Bowen is truly the "gunsmith's gunsmith." I'd love to have him work on one of my guns!

Bowen Classic Arms website

-=[ Grant ]=-

I'm surprised how many people still haven't read - let alone own a copy of - the best work on shooting a revolver that has ever been written! Ed McGivern's "Fast & Fancy Revolver Shooting" is, after 70 years, still the standard reference work on the subject of revolver shooting.

McGivern, who set the first revolver speed shooting records, was a phenomenal shot. Not only could he shoot very quickly, he was also accurate and excelled at shooting from odd positions, at aerial targets, and using two guns simultaneously. Jerry Miculek, this generation's equivalent to McGivern, has repeatedly referenced this book as being his inspiration and instructional manual. If it's good enough for Jerry, it ought to be good enough for the rest of us!

You can order it through Amazon by going to my store and clicking the link to the book.

Read it, practice it, and maybe someday you can beat Jerry!

-=[ Grant ]=-

A regular reader informs me that the Nessmuk classic, "Woodcraft and Camping", is available online as a .pdf file - completely FREE!

"Woodcraft and Camping" at Outdoors-Magazine.com

If you haven't yet gotten a copy, you now have no excuse!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Are you familiar with the concept of a Blog Carnival? If not, you're missing out on a great way to read about your favorite hobbies, activities, and interests!

A Blog Carnival (or Festival) is a collection of links to blog entries that fit the subject matter of the Carnival. For instance, a Carnival of shooting will have links to blog posts that deal with the shooting sports, self defense, and other related topics. It's kind of like a gun show in concept, but without Beanie Babies.

For instance, for shooting and firearms topics there is the Carnival of Cordite, the Shooting Sunday Carnival, and the 2nd Amendment Carnival. If you want a lot of great information in one place, check them out!

But, you're asking yourself, how does one find out about Blog Carnivals? There's a great resource to locate carnivals on all sorts of topics: the Blog Carnival List. Check out some of their more interesting entries: the Carnival of Cheese, the Hellenic Religion Carnival, or the Naughty After Forty carnival.

(Hmmm...wonder which one of those will get the most hits??)

-=[ Grant ]=-

First, there was this article on the decline of hunting in Newsweek. Great article, and poignant - surprising treatment from the mainstream media.

However, we must also realize the necessity of divorcing the subject of hunting - whatever we make think of it - from the topic of Second Amendment activism. As this article on Michael Bane's blog reminds us, the 2nd "ain't about duck hunting" - or any other kind of hunting, for that matter.

Great reading.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Now that winter is coming, most of us (except for those in the southern part of the country) will find our opportunity for shooting activities sharply reduced. If you can't be out shooting, the second best thing is reading about shooting!

The Gun Blogs bills itself as the "online community for gun bloggers." You'll find a number of bloggers who write about guns, politics, and hunting on a regular basis. Definitely worth checking out!

-=[ Grant ]=-

The Carnival of Cordite, that is!

That's right, once again you can get your fix of the best gun blogs on the net. This is a great one - lots of links. Take a look!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Since this is Friday the 13th, I thought I'd share with you some link that are a little on the "eery" side.

The first deals with the Battle of Los Angeles: did we fight extra-terrestrials in 1942?

Second, check out the Glore Psychiatric Museum: a weird exhibition of madness and how we deal with it.

Finally, take a listen to one of my very favorite podcasts: HomeTown Tales - "because every town has one."

Enjoy!

-=[ Grant ]=-

If you haven't, remedy that situation right now!

Gun Facts is a free e-book that debunks common myths about gun control.  It is intended as a reference guide for anyone interested in restoring honesty to the debate about guns, crime, and the 2nd Amendment.

Divided into chapters based on gun control topics (assault weapons, ballistic finger printing, firearm availability, etc.), finding information is quick and easy. Each chapter lists common gun control myths, then lists a number of documented and cited facts that directly dispute the gun control claim.  Thus when a neighbor, editor, or politician repeats some slogan propagated by gun control advocacy groups, you can quickly find that myth and set them straight!

This is an absolute must-have, folks!

-=[ Grant ]=-

I recently stumbled across The Ten Ring, a great firearms blog by Denise and Bill. They describe it as "A blog by two self-described gun nuts. One who started as a liberal and the other who started as a conservative. We helped each other grow and thrive over the past nine years."

You've got to start by reading their eight-part series "On Being A Gun Nut." It's some of the best prose I've ever read about firearms ownership. Part VII, about being a female gun nut, is particularly good. Don't miss it!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Here's another great firearms link carnival: from the Free Constitution blog comes the fourth installment of the Second Amendment Carnival. Check it out - lots of great links!

-=[ Grant ]=-

The Carnival of Cordite is a regular collection of up-to-the-minute links to current gun topics and discussions. No matter what your shooting interest, you're likely to find something that you just have to read!

-=[ Grant ]=-

This is one of the few sites I check regularly. The Gun Law News website is an easy way to keep up on firearm news, legislation, and court proceedings.

Yes, they have an RSS feed!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Politicians are starting to figure it out...well, at least their lapdogs in the media are.

According to the U.S. News & World Report, gun control legislation is a big loser on Capitol Hill these days. Hooray! But, if history tells us anything, it's that gun owners will squander their current strong position. We need to go on the offensive and build on the gains we've made.

Michael Bane has an interesting FIve-Point Plan for Consolidating Our Current Successes. Though I'm not entirely sure about the first item (we shouldn't make additional legislation, we should insist that the Constitution be upheld - but I understand his point), the rest is spot-on. Pass it along!

(Obligatory revolver content: the US News article illustration is of several Ruger GP-100 revolvers!)

-=[ Grant ]=-

You've gotta check out p d b , another gun-centric blog from a pretty sharp cookie who works in a video game store. Yeah, one of those juvenile repositories of self-absorbtion and lack of sunlight-derived Vitamin D. Who'd have thought that there were actually active brain cells in a place like that?

Great read...I'm subscribed to the RSS feed, of course!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Tamara K.'s "View from the porch" blog. Her tagline: "They report, I deride."
A great blend of guns, humor, gun pictures, and lots of dumb people to ridicule. Great reading from a gal who works in a gun store and doesn't suffer fools gladly.

(Hey, any blog that Oleg Volk reads is good enough for me!)

-=[ Grant ]=-

Markoo Kloos writes a blog called "the munchkin wrangler" (no typo - he doesn't use caps on the title.)

One of his posts is titled "why the revolver?" (again with the no caps.) It's a great treatise on the joys of the wheelgun, and well worth bookmarking.

-=[ Grant ]=-

This short article may be one of the funniest things I've read in a while...and it seems dead-on accurate, at least to me!

-=[ Grant ]=--

I like reading the gun discussion forums - lots of, well, interesting stuff turns up - but I've lately become enamored of Michael Bane's Shooting Gallery site.

Based on his TV show (which I can't get because Comcast holds The Outdoor Channel hostage, demanding I pay them even more money than I already am), it has a great mix of articles from Michael and such luminaries as Walt Rauch. Wonderful site, and worth a visit.

-=[ Grant ]=-