RIFLEMAN'S JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2003

Since I don't watch TV anymore I only learned when I was told by a neighbor on my way to drop off the rent. Media feeding frenzy in full swing. Fox affiliate KPTV 12 showing CNN feed. Damn, I miss Fox's cable news channel (and NASA TV on one of the cable-access channels). Talking heads on one side of the screen, looping footage of debris burning on reentry on the other. Ghouls.

My first impression is that Columbia was on normal reentry and just... failed. She was 22 years old, after all, first flight 1981, 28 missions. NASA reports last transmission received, garbled, about 9am ET.

Official portrait of STS-107 crewmembers. Front row (l.-r.):
Mission Commander Rick D. Husband
Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla
Pilot William C. McCool
Back row (l.-r.):
Mission Specialist David M. Brown
Mission Specialist Laurel B. Clark
Mission Specialist Michael P. Anderson
Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon

More details crawling across the bottom of the screen, but of course you can't trust TV news to get technical details right - apparently something struck Columbia's left wing, and/or something fell off, at launch. That might fit - something knocks a hole in the heat shielding, not enough to cause a problem on ascent but catastrophic on reentry.

The Boeing/Rockwell STS fleet should have been retired years ago, and we should have been building bunches of Delta Clippers. DCX worked and politics killed it in favor of that dinky little VentureStar. Dig Jerry Pournelle's site for several essays and discussion on this and related topics.

Whining and hand-wringing about retreating from space exploration. Bloody COWARDS! Strap me in, I'll go, even in one of those obsolete bricks, even run by %$#@ NASA bureaucrats!

Comparisons to Challenger, of recent anniversary. Also to Apollo 1, which I had disgracefully forgotten about.

KPTV switching between CNN and Fox News cable feeds - not much difference. Sigh.

Got shoes - $15, Payless Shoe Source, once again made in communist China - and groceries. Forecast for next weekend clear but with the east wind again. May (should) take Mosin (and GP100) along to Barberton for practice at English Pit.

Multnomah County Library has eight copies of Bellesiles' fraudulent Arming America, distributed through seven branches. Only three copies of John Lott's More Guns, Less Crime, two of which are in the big library downtown where no intelligent person likes to travel. Two copies of his How Guns Save Lives: and How Gun Control Doesn't on order, again for the big Central library. Two copies of Richard Poe's Seven Myths of Gun Control, also only at Central.

Five copies of Josh Sugarmann's Every Handgun is Aimed At You, distributed to four branches. Sure. They're fair and balanced. They give equal shelf space to both sides of a particular issue.

:-/

Computer increasingly unstable. At least my data files are intact, but I need to get something fresh, operating-system- and application-wise, suck my data off this one and transfer it, then wipe these old drives squeaky-clean.

130 - Sunday, 2 February 2003: Got the shotshell manual from the library. Load-All specifically mentioned, given adequate review. I think I'll go ahead and order it tonight. Bi-Mart seems to have all necessary components - powder, primers, wads, shot - at what are probably competitive prices. They only want $13 for a pound of Pyrodex, P or RS, and their prices on smokeless powders compare favorably to what I saw at the show. I think, when I get the Load-All, I'll start by making some Cowboy-level smokeless loads, testing them in the magnum-rated M590; then I'll develop a Pyrodex load and likewise test that in the modern Mossberg, and if all goes well, I'll try it in the double. Later I can use the same equipment to produce regular smokeless loads for the Mossberg.

I have just now learned, from browsing about on Pournelle's site, that Virginia Heinlein passed away on 18 January. For my Jeffersonian Republic story, I named a luxurious passenger starship after her a few years ago. Mr. Pournelle's words are much better than anything I could have come up with.

Ordered the Load-All. Should arrive within the week. Will probably end up buying a shotshell manual anyway - apparently this, the 4th edition of Reloading for Shotgunners by Fackler & McPherson, is the latest. Bi-Mart has it on their shelves.

Blackpowder loads not given. Pyrodex mentioned only in passing.

131 - Monday, 3 February 2003: Follow-up e-mail from Cabela's, confirming order and predicting delivery on 11 February. They say they'll notify me when it ships. First time I've done business with them.

Forecast clear through the week, but some cloudiness for Saturday. Maybe that will mean less wind.

Studying shotshell manual. Many stern warnings about following listed recipes exactly - which I suppose I will have to do at least to start. Will have to dig out the hulls I saved, or just get some practice with the 590 to make more.

Apparently Jerry Pournelle is considered by some to be a "conservative activist." I guess that's what commie traitors call people who aren't commie traitors.

132 - Tuesday, 4 February 2003: Yes, Bi-Mart has the same shotshell manual for only $17, $3 less than the cover price. Will probably buy it next payday. 25-pound bag of shot, $15 - #s 6, 7½ & 8. I'll go with 6. I understand that size is the largest allowed under modern shotgun-game rules too, like in 3-gun. Bag of 250 plastic wads, $5. Haven't picked a powder yet, still need to dig out the saved hulls. Primers, $3 per tray of 100.

MTM 100-round plastic shotshell carrier, $15. I might-could make a nice - or, at least, functional - wooden one that would still look Cowboy.

Okay, performed archaeological expedition in my bachelor's hovel. Found bunches of brass - .38/.357, .44 Special and Magnum from before I had to sell that one (it was a Ruger Vaquero - next time I'll get something in .45 Colt for Cowboy logistics), some CAVIM 7.62mm NATO which turns out to be Boxer primed after all - all good finds. Took more digging to reach the shotshell hulls, though, and some of them were way down in the mildew level and therefore corroded. Another bag was in much better shape and, after consulting the manual for identification, I find my largest batch consists of 31 Winchester 2¾" low-brass hulls with 6-point crimps... which don't appear to be listed in the manual. I think they're the ubiquitous compression-formed AA type, and will proceed on that assumption.

Also found a bag of 250 wads, Winchester WAA12 (no suffix) white 12-gauge, which I bought a year or so ago when I thought I might do some primitive blackpowder reloading as described in the information pages of the Dixie Gun Works catalog. They're still good. From the same period, many of the recovered hulls were already deprimed with a hammer and nail, but since they came out of the Mossberg and were not resized they won't fit the double's demonstrably tighter chambers.

Manual lists the wads of which I already have a bagful as a common component. I also have a single tray of CCI 209 (blue box) primers, also common to many listed loads. Looks like powder, shot and the press is all I need. May pick up a sack of shot later this week, will study manual to select a powder. Maybe IMR 800-X, I think I saw that one on Bi-Mart's shelf, for a 1-1/8-ounce load with my other available components, giving a maximum pressure of 7,700 psi, one of the lower pressures listed. Four powder weights given for that load, 20.5 to 24.5 grains, for 1,095 to 1,260 feet per second velocity. I'll start at the low end and probably stay there; these my first loads will be for recreation, not "business."

Will need a load book - will want to keep track of all this. Will likely want a manual from the powder manufacturer too - usually free on request, says this manual. Uh! Need a scale. Must get scale. Bi-Mart does have a respectable selection of reloading stuff, including complete MEC shotshell presses, handgun and rifle components, etc. They must have a scale. Maybe I'll see a used one for a good price at Barberton this weekend.

Hm - fiber or felt wads instead of plastic cup-type, for authenticity. Does that blackpowder manual cover shotgun loads? If so they'd likely give data for loading that way. Paper hulls are apparently still made - that would be even more authentic.

Forecast for weekend deteriorating, but no little rain graphics for Saturday yet.

133 - Wednesday, 5 February 2003: Bi-Mart did not have IMR 800-X. They had 700-X, but that gives higher-pressure loads according to the manual. Some alternatives were IMR SR 7625, about $10 for a half-pound can; SR 4756, about the same; Hercules Green Dot and Red Dot, about $15/pound. Will likely try G.I. Joes or Fisherman's Marine & Outdoor for the 800-X. One of each of those stores is on the way back from Barberton, if I don't go east to English Pit instead. Got a tray of Winchester 209 primers to expand my options.

$70 for an RCBS powder scale. I've got to be able to beat that. Oh yeah - the Cabela's Shooting catalog again, probably the exact same model, $63, which would work out about the same with shipping, and a cheaper model for $45. And that's just buying one brand-new.

$130 and up for an electronic scale. Eek. Oh, there's their house brand, 1,500-grain capacity, $90. Maybe later. There's a Lee balance-beam scale for $19, but squinting at the catalog photo it looks like it only goes up to 100 grains.

Considering the great big projectile weights, compared to centerfire metallic, the manual recommends a 1,000-grain scale instead of the common 500-grain type. There are 7,000 grains to a pound, 437.5 per ounce. There are loads listed as heavy as 2¼ ounces for the new 12-gauge 3½" super magnum. Ouch!

Ah, forecast now clear well into next week, whatever system caused the little cloud graphics has dissolved, or changed course, or something.

E-mail from Cabela's, dated slightly after midnight. The Load-All shipped yesterday. Web link provided for tracking, were I so inclined.

134 - Thursday, 6 February 2003: Getting the range bag packed now, while I'm thinking of it, thereby leaving a whole other day for little items I might forget the first time. Targets of course, and Fred's Guide for a refresher. The percussion revolver, 30 of the usual Speer yellow-box .375" round ball, a flask with plenty of Pyrodex P and a 20-grain dispenser flask, two cappers, one each with #10 and #11 caps, and more caps. 60 rounds for Mosin, on chargers, Mosin cased for attachment to bike. 60 rounds for the .357, not bothering with speedloaders, revolver itself still on duty but I dug out its case. Hearing protectors. Telescope for target observation. Cleaning rod & patches, and a bottle of ammonia-based glass cleaner to neutralize the corrosive residue from the old Albanian Mosin ammunition until I get it home for a proper scrubbing. Cotton bore mop for the .36 percussion, if necessary; 30 rounds is a lot for cap-'n'-ball. Sports drink still in ‘fridge; will want to pick up some snacks tomorrow. Oh yeah, that bag of jerky I splurged on a while back! Found it. Maps already on bike as usual.

Barrels removed from double and cased for loading onto bike. If I can get myself out of bed in the morning, Saturday should be a very full day! Forecast now clear through most of next week but windy from the east - that last might cause some difficulty, since I'm looking at about 120 blocks from Barberton to English Pit. Bike overdue for tune-up and several new parts - like the chain, and the front wheel - but should carry me so far, and next payday, the 14th, I'll go to the bike shop. Anyway, will go to Barberton, I've had this double for well over a year and now I have a way to get it functional. Don't have to go to English Pit, really; might wimp out after the show.

Found some satisfactory bottles for taking apple juice to work instead of cans of corrosive carbonated concoctions. Suffered caffeine withdrawal at work today but not like I expected; usually I get headaches, but today I just felt like going back to bed. Also a little short on dexterity but that could just be arthritis; it is a mite chilly in the warehouse.

135 - Friday, 7 February 2003: The Load-All is here! Abandoned on my doorstep by the brownshirts of course, but here it in fact is.

But first - letter from RINO Senator Gordon Smith, probably in response to my last letter about some onerous piece of Federal victim-disarmament legislation. Smith's words - a form letter again, rather obviously - are utterly equivocal and any hint of taking a stand on the issue is completely absent. Schumer's form letters (posted on the net by activists) can come across as more in favor of Second Amendment rights. Sigh.

Cool! The Load-All comes with powder manuals from Accurate and Hodgdon. Oo! Blurb for new Cowboy Action Data Manual, 4th Edition - including "Pyrodex pistol, rifle and shotgun loads". "For a complimentary copy of this data manual, contact Hodgdon Powder Company"! You betcha! Actual Cowboy Action loads listed in the Accurate manual's shotshell section - some of those pressures are quite low, and use the hulls, primers and wads I already have. Still haven't bought smokeless powder. Will get the free Cowboy Action manual from Hodgdon - when it arrives, do I want to jump right in with Pyrodex loads? Hm.

Need a piece of plywood to screw the Load-All to, in turn to C-clamp to a table - no problem there, some of the builder supply stores have scrap bins marked "FREE WOOD" right out front, and there's one such within easy biking distance. More important, I'll need room! I need to chuck a bunch of this junk I've accumulated. Talk about your major excavations! But long overdue anyway. Now I have motivation!

Cruffler warned me the Load-All's instructions were, ah, minimalist. Eh. They're clear enough. Fiddled with some spent hulls that I'm not going to reload, getting the feel for the thing. For the crimp, you have to line up the previous folds with the crimping tool, it won't rotate to accommodate them. Hm, resizing is rather a pain - it's a separate die which you must manually place onto and remove from each hull, and it follows the hull from the first station to the second. Eh, what do I expect for $40? The shot charge bushings are calibrated for #6 shot, which is what I figured on using anyway, except the 1-1/8-ounce bushing, made for #7½ & #8 for trapshooters - eh, I'll figure it out. Besides, the powder manuals come with lots of load data, much of which isn't in the big shotshell manual - maybe I don't need to buy one of those anyway, or at least not right away. Machine is fully assembled, or so close as makes no difference - all I have to do is clamp it down, fill the hoppers, (take a few weights for confirmation, with the scale I don't have yet, even though the Load-All manual says I needn't bother) and start spittin' out shells.

Yup - resizer works, disposable test hulls drop right into the double's chambers.

Um - taking the powder manuals along to Barberton, someone there might have some suitable powder, ya never know.

Accurate Powder's site is having problems, but downloaded .PDF reloader's guide from Alliant and the Cowboy manual from Hodgdon. IMR doesn't appear to offer .PDF, but their data is online in HTML. Got .PDFs from Lapua and Winchester.

Data and instructions for loading Pyrodex shotshells are so simple I'm tempted to dive right in, but I don't have exactly the right wad, and I'd rather use fiber or felt, as described, than plastic. Might stop by those sporting goods stores on the way back from Barberton, but it's either that or English Pit - really should get some practice. May try the antique gun show in Hillsboro, ‘way on the other end of the light-rail line, on Sunday, but will probably sleep ‘til noon instead.

136 - Saturday, 8 February 2003: Argh! Once again barely made first, light-rail, connection. Must get motorized!

Bloody cold! About freezing as I set out about 7am. Slightly foggy too. Supposed to reach 50s later.

So we'll be slaughtering Iraqis at any moment now. It's hard to oppose this unConstitutional, imperialist war, because there are few regimes in human history that deserve a good-old-fashioned Amurican-made ass-whuppin' more than Saddam Hussein's Iraq - in fact the only ones I can think of already done got theirs. And besides, I did vote for Dubya - I admit it - back when I still thought he was a republican instead of a national socialist.

Passing local Harbor Freight Tools on second, bus, leg of journey. Must take a closer look in there one of these days. Meanwhile, on the gunsmithing list, one guy mentions he got a lathe for $200 and a mill for $150 on eBay. Old, but....

Looking at the rest of the double (in my mind's eye while the bus carries me north), it is old. The firing pin holes are enlarged and protrusion looks excessive. Also, there are no firing pin return springs, and the pins themselves are looking scruffy. But, if I had a lathe (or knew what to do with someone else's), I could make new pins, and I can already see how to redesign them to accommodate springs, and to limit their travel. Even better, there would be no modification necessary to the receiver, though if I were more skilled I might consider bushings for the firing pin holes.

Ahhh, big "STORE CLOSING" sign on the Jantzen Beach K-Mart. That's what you get for dissing gunfolk!

Crossing river about 8am, actual sunshine, fog burning away.

Tri-Met driver informs passengers that the regular stop at the Vancouver bus mall is closed, because someone has been dropping television sets from the parking structure directly above. Cityfolk. Phooey.

And, of course, more on the bus. A couple of, to be blunt, fat, ugly, arrogant welfare queens. I've been in a bad way many a time, taken unemployment twice or thrice - but never been that much on the dole. Once I went to the government offices, considering getting food stamps, but I looked around, thought, I'm not one of these scum, and left.

Arrived about 8:50, delivered barrels to hobbyist, will pick them up next month. Saw: the same Mossberg 20 gauge, the same $150; the same stainless Remington percussion revolver, the same $200; Brolin Arms 1911, fixed sights, "2 mags," $400 newish in box; Marlin Camp 9, Very Good but not Excellent, with 20- and 30-round magazines, $300; Dan Wesson Pointman Minor, internal extractor, $520; Russian Simonov, "New & Unfired", $275; used RCBS 500-grain balance- bar scale, $45 (passed for now). Yakked with Cruffler. Left about 9:50.

OHHH!! Some treasonous commie scum "liberal" busybody sicced the State Police on me just minutes after leaving Barberton! Two, maybe three, possibly four vehicles for one guy with a cased rifle on a bicycle. One was a dog unit. After showing my "papers" I took off - and less than five minutes later a County Sheriff car pulled me over! This guy didn't know the State had already pulled me over less than a mile back on the same road!

To be fair, both times, the blue shirt and the khaki were more polite than I was, and more than I've come to expect from their kind. See this site for an idea of what was running through my mind at the time.

Continued to English Pit without further incident, arrived about 11am, spent a few minutes writing this down for later ‘blogging. Also sipping Gatorade, chewing jerky, and seething. OHHH!!

Range was open and more active than I expected for the time of year. Temperature did rise sufficiently, wind... not happening! No complaint there.

Colder on the covered firing line, where the sun doesn't reach. Shooting with plain leather work gloves. Good practice for tanglin' with Fed'rals in other-than-summer, I guess.

First string after hiatus. Recoil tolerance longer-lived than I expected - of course I'm also wearing my M65 field jacket, which soaks some up. Second string rather worse, but the rifle is cold too and that may have an effect. Also, still need new glasses! And maybe some eye drops, or something.

On the other hand....

Fresh targets. Rimlock! The Mosin is supposed to be designed to not do that. One round damaged (maybe that was it), only four rounds for fourth string.

But what a string! Twice in a row now! How am I doing this? How do I do it every time? Fifth string off a little but still barely more than the 4 MOA I'm working toward. Wow!

...Hmp. String six opening up but still a couple hits. Fresh targets.

String seven mediocre; eight, two real hits. One was the first, the other the last, in the string. Nine, opening some but still a couple hits.

Remember, dear reader, that one-inch square at twenty-five yards represents a human torso at five hundred. I'm getting better.

Rimlock recurring, but only on the first round; Nagant's interrupter thingie works as advertised after that. Fresh targets. Good... gods. String ten. Exactly how it's supposed to look.

String eleven. I could have sworn I flinched.

Last string (last ammo), opening. One damaged cartridge, only four fired, bladder filling again but still two hits. And just look at strings ten and eleven. Progress!

After relief, to the handgun range. Two approximate-1/3-scale human silhouette targets at ten yards. Flinching some with the .357, or so it seems and feels. Spent first eight of ten cylinders and four targets warming up and... ah... adjusting the sights. Ahem. Last two cylinders on fresh targets: better than last time, anyway. Also - ahem - better than the rest of the line seemed to be doing that day.

Now for the percussion revolver. First, just warming up and testing function. I brought two spouts for the dispenser flask; one factory-made "30"-grain which, counting the finger stuck over the end in traditional fashion, throws about 22 grains according to my sliding-volumetric measure, and a "20"-grain which I cut down from a spare "30"-grain and which actually throws about 17. Using the larger one, usually use the smaller. Powder, Ox-Yoke Wonder Wad, round ball, ram, repeat, then cap. Using common #11s to start. Good function, but off to the right - huh. Reload!

Damn! The wedge - which holds the barrel to the frame - came loose! Using a picked-up .22 case as a cushion, had to hammer it back in with my Leatherman. No wonder the group looked so terrible - and no wonder one cap in the second cylinder needed three strikes, the cylinder was moving forward, away from the hammer! Reload again. That takes two or three minutes with loose powder, by the way. Must get some potassium nitrate, to make a solution, to make real nitrated paper, to make real combustible cartridges.

Um - only brought 28 wads. Eh, will only fire 24 rounds. ...Ick. Maybe this one likes the lighter load. Wedge not staying put, heavier load may have something to do with that as well. Left about 2:30pm. Returned without incident about 3:30.

I have two cappers, a traditional straight-line model and a revolver model. The straight-line was filled with ubiquitous #11s, but won't fit the Colt revolver because of frame clearance. The revolver capper was filled with hard-to-find #10s and fits the revolver well, but #10s won't go all the way down on the new nipples - which do in fact work fine with #11s. So, I had to pull back the spring-loaded button thingie on the straight capper and drop the #11 caps out and put them on with my fingers. In February. Eh, I survived. Anyway, the ignition problem with the 1861 appears to be solved, and now I just have to reload my revolver capper. At least I seem to have figured out which load it likes. I hope that wedge isn't going to be a recurring problem. Next percussion revolver should be a solid-frame Remington which doesn't have that problem, but may still be a split-frame 1851 Colt for $30 less from Cabela's (and which would also be in the same caliber as the 1861, therefore needing no new stuff to operate - but, actually, I already have some .454 round ball, the caps and capper would be the same, and the "30"-grain spout should work fine for a lower-power load in a ".44" percussion model; also I've already experimented with paper cartridges in both calibers, even though I don't yet have a percussion .44).

Hah! Most of the dark ickyness from last time has been blasted out of the Mosin's barrel, it's all shiny again!

137 - Sunday, 9 February 2003: Yup, slept ‘til about noon. Must have rode at least 30 miles yesterday, and I haven't been riding lately. Truck fund grew again, with the money I didn't spend at Barberton.

So I've got the full 440-round tin of Albanian surplus 7.62x54mmR brass-case FMJ. Put 150 rounds on chargers, all the Mosin chargers I have. I could take 110 rounds to each of the next four sessions, then ask Cruffler to order more for me when it runs out, by which time I should be able to afford it. Let's see, next weekend is the bike shop, and probably just relaxing otherwise; but after that, the 22nd, weather permitting I'll go again. Probably stick to 25 yards next session, then try the two-inch target at 50 after that, then maybe make a four-inch target - or just use one from the Guide - and try at 100 yards. Then the AQT again, though I'm still not doing it the right way to qualify for the t-shirt.

I had no idea I would do so well after such a hiatus. Obviously the Mosin should be my go-to rifle for the time-being. I may indeed sell the Ishapore but haven't decided yet. Will continue to research what tools and such I would need to NATO-ize one (or more) of the Mausers; if that works out I'll have no more need for the Ishapore.

Decided to stop by a G.I. Joe's store during the Sunday errands. Found some felt wads, but they were about 20 gauge, for inserting inside a plastic shotcup to adjust the column height. Will have to get the real thing at the blackpowder tables at the next show. They do not carry Accurate powder - I wanted Solo 1000 for one of the Cowboy loads listed in their complimentary manual - but they do stock IMR 800-X... except they were out of stock. $9 for a half pound. About $15/pound for other powders. Eh, I'll get the felt or fiber wads and build a Pyrodex load anyway, that's got to be even lower pressure. Still haven't checked Fisherman's, but they're ‘way up by the Expo Center or ‘way down in Oregon City. Maybe after work sometime this week.

Looking through the 31 Winchester hulls I have, I've discarded a few more. Will have to find a source of larger quantities. Might pick some up from a range or club somewhere, I suppose, but more likely I'll mail-order or buy them at a show. Lots of loads listed for that hull in all manuals.

Oh yeah - on the way back, stopped at a builder-supply place, found a chunk of particle board in the FREE WOOD bin just the right size to bolt the Load-All to, for clamping to a table. A few minutes with the Dremel and that's done, now I need some C clamps - a very nice hardware store is within walking distance - and, more to the point, some table space. Ugh. That may take a while.

138 - Tuesday, 11 February 2003: New OFF alert about State Senate Bills 49 and 300. E-mailed three Republican state senators, did not bother with the Democommies. Followed up with actual paper letters, will drop them in an actual mailbox right after work tomorrow - the Federal employee doesn't always pick up the mail from my apartment. Also, several days after the previous alert (yes, I procrastinate), the same treatment to a state representative about House Bill 2481, which would turn any place any school activity - like, a field trip - was anywhere near, into a "gun-free school zone" - that is, a defense-free victim zone.

What is this diseased philosophy that the more defenseless you are, the less likely you are to be attacked? That's just sick. And they call me a "nut."

Caffeine down to one can of Barq's at work per day. Now adding vegetable juice - WinCo's house brand, not V8, which is owned by Campbell's, which donates money to the anti-gun movement.

Forecast rainy for weekend but I only planned to drop my bike off at the shop for service, and I can do that with the bus.

139 - Wednesday, 12 February 2003: Mailed the letters from an actual post office.

Mt. Hood Community College catalog in mail. They do offer machinist courses for $40-$50, as the hobbyist told me in December. Another thing I can't afford right now - besides, the campus is ‘way off to the east and the classes are right in the middle of the day, on weekdays; I'm in no position to take time off from work. But, it's nice to know the courses are available.

American Gunsmithing Institute offers (expensive!) video courses, and there are library books too.

Up late making four-inch-center, 4 MOA, 100-yard practice target. Actual cutting and pasting, with scissors even. Ready to photocopy.

140 - Friday, 14 February 2003: Paid, and paid phone bill - actually caught up with phone, electric and rent. Truck fund slowly growing.

Yesterday, visited library, picked up The ABC's of Reloading, 6th edition, by C. Rodney James. Much useful information, including complete plans for a compact, rollabout reloading cabinet/bench! Very basic cabinetry of the kind I have done much of in assisting the woodworker friend. Book includes shotshell stuff, Load-All favorably reviewed, even demonstrated. Interesting historical/technological/evolutionary stuff too.

Also yesterday, got e-mail response from an aide to the state representative I e-mailed about the state house bill that would splatter gun-free school zones everywhere. Forwarded to OFF, got a thank-you from Kevin Starrett about an hour later. Haven't got around to sending OFF the library/Arming America stuff yet, I'll print it up and snail-mail it to them this weekend, it's not as important as the legislative stuff. I believe Armed Females of America is tackling the issue, I think I'll send them a copy too.

Also stole twenty-two photocopies from work, of the four-inch, hundred-yard target, just enough for one planned session - will make big stack at the 3¢ place later.

Too, yesterday I began training to operate the warehouse's forklift. I've done regular forklifts on a couple jobs, even got certified once, but this is a Crown "straddle" type, very different from the traditional "counterbalance" type I'm familiar with. Eh, it will weigh toward my next raise, implied around July, and it's another job-marketable skill if the current job becomes too insulting.

Alert from GOA in regular mail, gearing up to kill renewal of the 1994 "assault weapons" ban. Pre-printed postcards, and the usual beg-for-money. Will actually send the postcard to commie traitor congresscreature Blumenauer, it's only, what, 20-odd cents? (Will have to buy some postcard stamps.) Wrote check for $20. Also $25 to OFF. My money is where my mouth is!

Sigh - another OFF alert in e-mail, SB386, apparently the state senate companion to the defense-free victim zone bill in the state house of representatives. Sent republican state senator John Minnis the recommended form e-mail, followed up as before with a paper letter, which will go out with the aforementioned checks tomorrow. Huh - gonna need more envelopes! Well, they're cheap.

Too busy, you say? You're reading this on a computer, right? So you probably have a computer, yes? And that computer almost certainly comes with a functioning word processor. A word processor makes composing and printing a letter easy, scrawl a signature on the bottom for that real-live-human touch, scribble the address on the envelope and off it goes. Linked through the official Oregon government website is a list of all the state legislature's snail-mail addresses - I use the office numbers at the capitol. I've bookmarked that particular page and at this rate I should probably just print it out and keep it next to the computer. I've made a template file in WordPerfect with the capitol's address and my "Sincerely" address/phone/e-mail thing, all I have to do is bring it up, plug in the politician's name & office number, date, cut-n-paste the form letter from the e-mail alert, print, sign & stuff.

Five years from now you may look back on this and laugh - or you might be too busy bounding for cover, thinking, Why, oh why didn't I write my politicians more often? as the Federals close in. Visual aid here. See also the rest of the site.

Yeah, they're politicians, and these letters are quite possibly a waste of time and energy - but what if they're not? I'd rather fire envelopes and e-mails at elected officials, than bullets at Blue Helmets. The cost, in money and effort, of writing politicians from the comfort of the apartment is vastly smaller than the cost of running around in the sticks freezing things off and dodging helicopter gunships.

141 - Saturday, 15 February 2003: Raining some, but took bus to bike shop, The Bike Gallery on NE Sandy Blvd. Left bike for new front wheel, installation & adjustment of new front brake pads, & new chain. Estimated ten days, $140. :( Apparently early spring has caused more people to dig out their bikes; I was told that just last week there was only a two-day wait. Still, I don't take my bike anywhere else for service anymore, this shop is the best I've found. They might salvage the old wheel's hub and save a few bucks. Should go back next paycheck for new rear sprockets, long overdue - except it may be next paycheck before I (can) pick it up. Eh, it needs to be done.

Hiked from there to local post office, bought postcard stamps (George Washington - he'll do), mailed letter to state senator, checks to OFF and GOA, and the pre-printed GOA postcards. I'm doing something for my rights! Are you?

142 - Sunday, 16 February 2003: In addition to Sunday errands, went to a Military Collectors Show not far from my apartment, where a flea market is usually held. $3 admission. Hoped for some inexpensive Mauser bayonets, or something else affordable from which I could salvage a blade for the M590 bayonet project described in November.

Free admission, since they didn't feel like fencing the place off from the regular flea market in the rest of the building. No suitable bayonets, mostly collector-grade stuff, authenticated and such. Some actual firearms - as I recall, Measure 5 says anything more than 30 or 75 or so constitutes a "gun show," and there were probably less than two dozen. Nothing in my price range, or that would fit my collection as currently defined.

Bought envelopes at supermarket. Only three cans of Barq's left, will be completely off caffeine after Wednesday.

143 - Wednesday, 19 February 2003: Effectively off caffeine!

Yesterday, stopped at an office-supply store and got a self-inking rubber stamp with little bitty interchangeable characters - a useful activist tool, $15-$30. Setup with my overly-long web address at present. It came with little "http://" and ".com" segments prefabricated. You can order custom rubber stamps through most of these stores too, like for that "GUN OWNER$" thing that goes around the net once in a while.

Began, slowly, excavating bachelor hovel in preparation for reloading operations. Starting by boxing up old copies of Shotgun News (saving them for the articles they started including after Primedia took over). May donate boxes of paperbacks to second-hand store. Old computer equipment should go to some refurbishing/charity place, there are a couple around. Trying to get money for some of this stuff will likely be more trouble than it's worth.

Today, another e-mail alert from OFF. State senator Ginny "Nobody-should-have-guns-except-my-bodyguards" Burdick has introduced SB 451 and 452. 451 would create the crime of "unlawful storage" of firearms. A similar law led to this atrocity in Merced, California. 452 would kill state preemption, so that any city or county could make up its own regulations. E-mailed Republican state senator Minnis again, will follow up with paper letter again.

Got a response from one of the state senators about SB49 & 300 - taking a stand in favor of my rights, but his staff needs to turn on the spell-checker in their e-mail program. Only two responses so far since Tuesday the 11th, one equivocal, the other misspelled. :-/ Some representative government.

Bogging down on the library package but will probably send it out next payday, with a check included for OFF's copy. Stole photocopies from work of the letter sent to me by the current Director of Libraries, for inclusion. Second copy to JPFO, they've issued an alert on this issue, and I thought Armed Females of America was doing something about it but there's no mention of it on their site - maybe it was Second Amendment Sisters. Again, this takes a back seat to legislative issues.

In the course of excavation, finding more reloadable brass, and previously photocopied practice targets. Sorted some brass the other evening, will get some (more) file folders later to better organize the targets and various activism stuff I print out. Also unearthing bandoliers, surplus load- bearing equipment, etc.

144 - Saturday, 22 February 2003: Argh! Another alert from OFF. More e-mails, another paper letter. HB2508 would deny firearm rights to whole classes of people in the name of domestic violence prevention. It's sponsored by a Republican. So-called.

Broke down and saw The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers today. Not too bad, though the Ent segment was a touch too tree-huggy, eco-freaky for my taste. I waited this long so the theater crowds would diminish, but, still, cityfolk, ugh.

Also ugh, the trailers. What a load of crap! Another Disney hit-piece for PeTA and a string of juvenile garbage. The only one I found even mildly interesting was for Terminator 3, and even that looked like just another over-budget effects-fest. Everything else was just disgusting. Hollywood, ugh.

145 - Friday, 28 February 2003: $120.97 for the bike repairs. $41.76 for the electric bill (that would have been much worse if the baseboard still worked). Rent taken care of in cash. Not going to be buying a lot at the show tomorrow.

Bike tech says the drive train is on its last teeth, but it still works. Says he tried to install a new chain as requested, but the sprockets and old chain were worn so that they only worked with each other, and any new part of the system would require the whole drive train to be replaced. Estimated $125 for that. Looks like they gave the battered old chain & sprockets a good cleaning, anyway, and a proper adjustment to the front brake, where they also installed new pads, which had been riding around in a pannier for a couple years. I'll get another pair of fresh pads for the rear and install those myself, I was just feeling lazy when I told them to do the front for me. They gave a complimentary wrenching to the headset when I asked on my way out.

Rode back to the apartment, 40-odd blocks, without incident and with only one minor adjustment to the rear derailleur cable; should be ready for tomorrow's trip. Going up should be easy, about 40 blocks from the end of the bus line to the show location, though I don't know yet how flat it is or isn't; but I'm of a mind to ride all the way back, and if anything isn't right I'm sure I'll find out. Depending what success I have finding the shotshell components I want at the show, I may stop at Fisherman's Marine & Outdoor Store at Delta Park on the way back. Forecast cloudy but clearing noonish.

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