RIFLEMAN'S JOURNAL - MARCH 2003

The library thing will still have to wait, because I want to include checks for OFF and JPFO when I send them out. I think that's the only two copies I'll send, though I might send one to CCRKBA/SAF, apparently they're the other group that issued an alert. I thought it was one of the women's groups but I can't find it on their sites.

Bike performance better than mine. The little magnet clamped to a spoke, to activate the speedometer/odometer, needed a single tweak - I kept the detachable computer when I left it at the shop so they had no way of knowing if they'd reinstalled it right.

Uh-oh - sidewalk sale at Harbor Freight Tools. I'm already planning on coming back kinda that direction....

Ugh! Cityfolk! Horrible, vile, wretched, disgusting....

C-Tran's #71 bus goes from downtown Vancouver to the Salmon Creek Park & Ride at about 136th. The Clark County Fairgrounds are at 174th. The bus route is mostly uphill - which is why I take the bus as far as possible - and the rest is up and down, and not bike-friendly otherwise. Still, I managed. Arrived about 12:10.

Cruffler met me out front and we toured the show together. Better than the smaller shows in Oregon have become in the wake of Measure 5, but still not all I was hoping for. Saw an FEG Hi- Power clone for $329 (I've seen them for about $250 down here). A 1915 Luger, some pitting, vendor said all-matching, $375 - don't recall if it was .30 or 9mm, probably the latter with that date. Very pretty .30 American Eagle Luger, $2,500 as I recall. A couple scruffy-lookin' C96 Mausers, .30, $300-ish. Pre-Ban SKSs with bayonets, Chinese $225, Russian $350. Commie Norinco Winchester ‘97 clone, $300.

Got the double's barrels! The hobbyist was there with a table and brought them along on the chance I would be there. Very nice work. Really looking forward to trying it out! With the barrels now at 20 inches, the whole shotgun, disassembled, can fit in an ordinary day pack, so it should be easy to transport. Also it's much lighter without that extra foot of steel on the end.

Unfortunately it will have to wait. No luck with shotshell components at this show, not even powder. Cruffler says he saw a big jug of something but it wasn't Accurate Solo 1000, and I didn't see it at all. Oh well, there will be more shows (at least for a while). But, the hobbyist and his show partner said they'd rustle up hulls and such they have taking up space and give them to me at Barberton next weekend! Score! Um- logistics! Big bags of shotshell hulls take up a lot of space, and I was planning on rifle practice next weekend! Well, if it's too bulky I might-could leave some with Cruffler and get them from him at subsequent shows.

Left about 1:35pm. Whew! Out of shape - it's been two whole weeks since I've ridden more than a couple miles, and that was mostly flat. Not so from the Clark County Fairgrouds to NE Portland! Took near an hour to get back to the Salmon Creek Park & Ride, nearby which I stopped for lunch. Warmed up quite a bit in the afternoon - for a while I took off my jacket. Barely remembered Washington State lottery tickets before crossing the I-5 bridge.

Stopped at Fisherman's Marine on way back - apparently the only powder brand they carry is Hodgdon. No fiber/felt wads or cards for making old-style shotshells, and little reloading stuff at all. Went next door to GI Joe's, ended up buying a sack of WAA12SL plastic wads for lower-weight loads, and another tray of Winchester 209 primers, the only primer listed in Accurate's manual for Cowboy Action loads. Also a pair of brake pads, which I will install on the rear brakes soon.

Made it to Harbor Freight before they closed, but by then I was out of both money and cargo space. There was a drill press for $35, for example. Three-inch C-clamps for 99¢, but those were sold out before I got there. Oh well - most of that stuff is made in China anyway.

Returned about 5:45pm and boy did my butt hurt! Two weeks out of the saddle has had an adverse effect! Less-strenuous errands tomorrow.

Oh yeah - another idea I had from the show was to make my own loadbook, instead of spending $20 or so for a pre-printed one. In a spreadsheet, I think, for formatting purposes. I got a look at the shotshell pages of a loadbook, by Hornady I think, it shouldn't be too hard to duplicate.

147 - Sunday, 2 March 2003: I am so close to making low-pressure 12-gauge rounds! At this point I need either Accurate brand Solo 1000 powder for the other components I already have, or Winchester WAA12R red plastic wads for Pyrodex loads, or traditional fiber/felt wads & cards for lower-pressure Pyrodex loads (though I could just reduce the charge with the plastic wad) - and a sack of shot, of course. The data given in Accurate's manual shows some loads under 4,000 PSI with all-modern components, and I wouldn't have to worry about Pyrodex fouling either; the Pyrodex loads listed are up around 7,000 or 8,000 PSI. I'm pretty sure either Bi-Mart or GI Joe's carries the WAA12R - should have taken a closer look at Hodgdon's Cowboy Action powder manual, I was right there in the store yesterday - so I could start loading Pyrodex rounds, well, tomorrow after work! I hope to find Solo 1000 powder at the next Expo show, March 29th.

Very pleased with my shorter shotgun - can't stop playing with it. :) Considering restocking it, which for me would be a matter not so much of skill as of patience with hand tools. Experience with the woodworker friend has shown me much of what I need to know, including where to find appropriate chunks of appropriate wood (less-expensive birch, perhaps; I can make it just about any color after it's the right shape, and I wouldn't want my first stockmaking project to be on spendy walnut!). Also, he has a lathe and does know how to use it and might be talked or compensated into helping with the new firing pins.

148 - Tuesday, 4 March 2003: Bought a sack of WAA12R wads at Bi-Mart and yielded to temptation: made sixteen rounds, eight each with CCI and Winchester primers. All have 60 grains by volume (proper sliding measure, not a dispenser flask spout) of Pyrodex RS, and 1-1/8 ounce #7½ shot (from an unsuccessful attempt to make 12-gauge blanks) by the corresponding Lee shot bushing. Hodgdon's Cowboy Action powder manual lists 70 grains of Pyrodex and does not specify primers or hulls. The column height is a little low with the reduced charge but I still got good crimps, no rejects. Load-All worked perfectly, temporarily clamped to a folding table for this session; I intend to clear off a real table and make a real reloading area. Getting whatever hulls and such I've been offered at Barberton will motivate me.

Considering taking Mossberg to English Pit this weekend after Barberton show to test these cartridges. Probably don't want to dive right in with the double yet, I don't want pierced primers and hot nasty stuff spraying back in my face; I'll bring it along to some show or other and have Cruffler, et. al., sniff it over. May put the folding stock back on the Mossberg for easier packing.

Will want to make low-pressure buckshot loads eventually, ‘cause what's the use having a short-barreled side-by-side that can't fire buckshot? Will also get a sack of #6 shot to comply with various shooting-game rules. If, as I suspect, the low-pressure Solo 1000 loads also have low recoil, they might be right handy for 3-gun competition with the Mossberg - and I wouldn't have to dress up for that!

As for buckshot loads, a typical OO load has 9 pellets in three layers of three, for about 1¼ ounce shot weight - but I reckon I'd need special wads for that, both for the inside diameter of the hull and for proper cushioning and pressure control - huh! Reloading for Shotgunners lists a #4 buckshot load in a Winchester hull with a WAA12R wad! But, yes, other loads need the cards and fiber wads I was looking for anyway, just like the clear-hull Sellier & Bellot loads I got at a show. (Still haven't tried those; another reason to take the Mossberg on one of these trips.)

Well. Planning on rifle practice anyway, though I think I'll take a different route from Barberton to English Pit. -Or not; weather forecast shows a storm system moving through over the weekend. Phooey. I really want to go to the Barberton show and get that stuff! Hmm, I suppose I could hike from the bus stop to the show and back; empty shotshells don't weigh much. Or I could even ride that far in the rain and take the bus back instead of riding, it wouldn't be as bad as the long trip to the range (especially since the bike wouldn't be so heavily loaded). Next weekend is planned a get-together with the engineer, woodworker, and associated friends. Hoping for good weather on the 22nd.

149 - Thursday, 6 March 2003: Ugh! Bug! Sore throat and dramatic cough, kind of like back in November but worse - fever & chills, raw sinus, and very tired. Should probably skip Barberton show on Saturday, will notify Cruffler. May call in sick for work tomorrow. Boss offered a half-day with full-day pay, if I go in the morning. Kinda defeats the purpose of time off.

150 - Friday, 7 March 2003: Called in sick. Hacked up a disturbing gob of yellow goo last night - briefly choked on it, in fact. Exceeding recommended dosage of cold-and-flu gelcaps. Sweating buckets in bed. Weak and dizzy, extremities tingling all day. In no shape to shove shampoo across the warehouse while dodging the forklift and electric pallet jack. Just the thought of manhandling cases of liter bottles onto the shelves gives me pause.

Not going to Barberton tomorrow, or likely anywhere else. Cruffler graciously offered to secure the hulls and pass them on to me at our next meeting.

Finally, about 4pm, symptoms appear to be leveling off. Have not eaten anything since lunch yesterday, though I have managed to force down a few glasses of apple juice. Throat so sore even breathing can be painful.

151 - Saturday, 8 March 2003: Recovering.

152 - Sunday, 9 March 2003: Not fully recovered, but must run errands. Biked to laundromat, survived. Took bus to other errands, loathe and despise cityfolk. Eating, but still not much.

153 - Monday, 10 March 2003: Returned to work, didn't like it. Still feverish, throat and nasal passages raw, talking and breathing still uncomfortable. Appetite improving at least. What the hell was that bug anyway? Cruffler, speaking from recent and too-personal experience, compares it to pneumonia.

Weather absolute crap for next week at least, possibly two.

154 - Friday, 14 March 2003: Largely recovered, though my sinuses are still sorting themselves out.

Payday, and the truck fund continues to grow; should open savings account soon. The discrepancy between what the bank thinks I have and what I figure I have has shrunk from $8.20 to $1.80, still in my favor.

Reading Common Sense and Other Writings by Thomas Paine, Modern Library 2003 edition. Some of this stuff reads like he wrote it last week. Spooky. His references to the Battle of Lexington, 19 April 1775, could be dropped whole into September 12th, 2001. His comments on Europe are eerily timeless; his views on government could serve as the Libertarian Party Platform (and probably already do).

155 - Saturday, 15 March 2003: Got together with SCA-like friends. Fireworks subsidy, mentioned in January, launched. Spring weather too unpredictable in Oregon to reliably plan so far ahead, but still hope for practice on the 22nd. Woodworker friend, writing a book, questioned me about what interesting and useful firearms would be available to a western adventuress in Burma in 1849; Colt First Model Dragoon, barely, and the 1848 Baby Dragoon. Loaned him a book, gave him some old catalogs.

Planning on going with him this weekend to give him first-hand experience with my reproduction 1861, whose technology and operation are identical to those earlier models; also my flintlock, which a Burmese warlord would be familiar with. Rifleman practice may suffer in exchange. Another member or two of that circle may be going too. Depending on vehicle choice and road conditions, may go up in the Mt. Hood National Forest instead of to English Pit. Must get motorized! Then I could go to the hills whenever I liked, and to Clark Rifles, which has a 300-yard range, and I already know one person who goes there (Cruffler).

Still want some potassium nitrate to make a solution to make flash paper, but no time to track it down now; will make a few non-nitrated cigarette-paper cartridges for demonstration purposes. Using the smaller charge of powder, hopefully the wedge won't come loose. Must get reproduction Remington percussion revolver someday, solid-frame, quick-change cylinders....

Starting to pack range bag. Spiral-bound notebook for handwriting ‘blog; 22 copies of the 25-yard rifleman target; 110 rounds Albanian FMJ for the Mosin, all but ten on steel chargers; all sixteen 12-gauge Pyrodex rounds, half each with CCI and Winchester primers, for testing in the Mossberg. Spotting scope (little collapsible brass one, allegedly 25x). Dispenser flask with Pyrodex P and smaller spout (oo! Will need another pound of Pyrodex P! Well, I can get that anywhere, Bi- Mart sometimes has it on sale for $12 or so). Other (color-coded!) dispenser flask with Goex FFFg and larger spout. Valves taped shut on both for transport. Little pan-priming flask with FFFFg, valve taped shut. Revolver capper (Ted Cash of course), with CCI #11 caps (since they work now and the #10s don't anymore). .36 revolver wads. Nipple wrench with vent pick. Pistol rod with cotton blackpowder mops, not least to dig out unburned cartridge paper. Rifle rod with patches and small bottle of window-cleaner, to neutralize corrosive salts in Mosin's bore from Albanian-surplus ammunition.

Cat fur, check.

More targets: Fred's Guide's 25m rapid-fire standing target. Reduced-scale human-silhouette targets, all I have. Extra gun flints. Ink pad and date rubber stamp, which can also be used for numbering targets by turning the month and year sections to blank spots. Ball starter for flintlock, shouldn't need it. Ox-Yoke pre-lubed patches for flintlock. Hearing protection, a couple pairs of muffs, some disposable foam earplugs, can steal more of the latter from work. .433" roundball for flintlock, .375" roundball for percussion revolver. .357? Sure, a couple boxes, also a box of lower- power .38. Brass hammer for pounding 1861's wedge back in. A box of S&B 12-pellet OO buckshot for testing, since I have some recoil tolerance now; also a box of Wolf 9-pellet. Both are clear-plastic hulls with what today is called high brass; both are roll crimped, and both are closer to the finished length of 3" magnum rounds than the 2-3/4" standard rounds they're labeled as, which means I only get seven in the M590's magazine tube. I wasn't going to try such modern stuff in the old double anyway, these are strictly for the Mossberg and for "business." Will probably save the hulls but have no load data for them, might use them for low- pressure Cowboy loads if there's enough hull left to make a good star crimp. Speedloaders (HKS #586) & pouch (Gould & Goodrich two-pocket black nylon velcro), holster (Uncle Mike's Sidekick near-universal belt-slide) and belt for .357.

More cat fur, check.

156 - Sunday, 16 March 2003: Uh-oh! Big 5 has M44 Mosin carbines for $50! I paid $60 for mine and you can see how accurate it is. Will probably put one on layaway tomorrow after work. Dug out rifle cleaning rod and put it in the other daypack. I have a headspace gauge for 7.62x54mmR, but it only works properly with the extractor removed, and that's not something that can be done over the counter with this design - isn't supposed to be done at all, in fact, unless it's broken and needs replacement. Well, the one I have now is all-matching and appears to have good headspace; these latest batches of M44s at Big 5 are in Very Good condition, as advertised. I didn't look any over today, I wanted to catch a bus - weather still too icky to bike, and I didn't have my cleaning rod with me.

Stopped at Bi-Mart on the way back, picked up a 25lb sack of #6 shot. West Coast Shot Inc., Carson City, NV, "6% antimony", $15. Noticed Pyrodex, both P and RS, $13/pound; every couple- few weeks Bi-Mart has a sale on all reloading components, which includes Pyrodex. I should have enough ‘til then, I don't practice near enough as-is, and even less with the percussion revolver.

Hah! Figured out the headspace gauge, should be able to use it over-the-counter after all. Must remove bolt, place gauge in boltface under extractor, replace bolt while depressing ejector/cartridge-interrupter, but it does seem to work! And, the Hungarian M44 I already have does seem to have good headspace, as it will not close on my NO-GO gauge. This one is Brownells, by the way, #513-100-501. I don't recall the price but doubt it was more than $20.

Now, really, I shouldn't be getting another Mosin when I'm trying to save up for a car. But, I can put it on layaway and ease it into the budget, and it's only $59 total cost, and I have a reasonable expectation that it will be accurate, and it comes with a bayonet, and when Bad Things start happening I could hand it to an associate of like mind (if I had any).

This week Big 5 also advertises a 91/30 long rifle collector's bundle, with socket bayonet, sling & charger pouch, for $130. Tempting, just for collection's sake, but more than twice the cost of the carbine, and the stubby M44 is much handier.

The M44 comes with nothing, not even a cleaning rod. I use an aftermarket rod anyway, and I already know I can make adapters for a sling.

Now, if they offer more VZ24s for $60, like my last four.... Heh- I still haven't degooped #5. Oh well, most of them are slated for rebuilding anyway, except possibly the apparently- rebarreled #4, which is already cleaned up. May swap stocks around on that one to make it look nicer, or even refinish a stock for it; I do have a complete spare, after all.

Duh! I'm worried about the double's firing pin protrusion, right? Worried about pierced primers, right? I can take a couple hulls and put just primers in them, slip on the shooting goggles, point it in a safe direction and see what happens!

Um. Later. Wouldn't want to freak out my neighbors, or my cat. Will do it sometime this week after work; tomorrow night I'm going to Big 5 to pick out another M44, and Tuesdays I check my membership card number at Bi-Mart to see if I've won a door prize. Will make up the primed test hulls now, anyway, two each with Winchester and CCI primers.

While I was at it, reconfigured the Load-All with the appropriate bushings - .141 powder, 7/8oz. shot - for the Cowboy Action load I've chosen, using 17.0 grains of Accurate Solo 1000, which I hope to get at the Expo show weekend after next. 4,100 PSI, 1,148 feet per second, says Accurate's powder manual; that should be safe in the old double. Other components - Winchester W209 primers, Winchester AA plastic hulls, and WAA12SL SuperLight plastic wads, I have - need more hulls, though. Maybe I can buy some at the show. Maybe I'll just make some with the Mossberg, I should practice with it anyway. The manual also lists 12-gauge Cowboy loads for Remington and Federal hulls, though those use other components I don't have.

By the way, Cruffler said the hobbyist and his partner did not find the shotshells or other stuff they thought they had - oh well, not like I paid anything for them. But, Cruffler then says he found a scale for me, for $15! I'll take it! He'll likely get it to me at the Expo show.

Forecast for weekend, rain. So far.

157 - Monday, 17 March 2003: Stopped at Big 5, got the last M44 in the store. Russian, dated 1945. Not as nice as my 1953 Hungarian, but acceptable. Stock pretty chewed up, but sound. Metal at least 90%, but may have been refinished. Has cleaning rod! Bayonet will not snap over the muzzle, must lift the muzzle ring up and over - eh. Matching number on bolt, passed headspace with NO-GO gauge. Pretty bore. Front sight way over to the right in its base, probably sighted in with bayonet extended - I imagine I can fix that, with a brass hammer if no other way. I think it was Cruffler who pointed out that a $3 C-clamp of the proper size will do almost as well as a $50 sight-pushing tool, within limits. Anyway it's on layaway, $38.99 total remaining, will probably get it on 11 April, $20 per paycheck.

158 - Wednesday, 19 March 2003: So we're hours away from war.

I don't oppose the war, because anyone with functioning brain cells can see that Saddam Hussein deserves a proper Amurican-made ass-whuppin'.

On the other hand - I don't support the war, because it sets a dangerous precedent - America should not go around picking fights with other countries! We're supposed to be a republic, not an empire! Where does this path lead?

And another thing - why is it always us? Why is it always our sons and daughters and brothers and sisters and husbands and wives who have to march around the desert getting shot at so a pack of lazy, arrogant, ungrateful Europeans can go on strike and block their own highways with their own trucks because they're not getting a big enough handout from their governments? Can't any of these people take care of their own problems? Why is the United States the only country in the world that still has balls?

Oh. We are at war. Plugged in TV, watching Fox News feed on KPTV. Endless yakking. Ollie North sounds stoned (maybe it's jet lag).

"Terror Alert: High." Citizens advised to stockpile canned food and bottled water. I already have maybe twenty gallons of presumed-innocent tap water, in apple juice jugs - milk jugs are not suitable, you can't get them clean enough and they deteriorate besides. Got enough food for a couple-three days, and if the electricity goes I've got one of those little butane stoves about the size of two old laptops stacked on top of each other, and four cans of fuel. Not many batteries, but a couple Russian hand-pump flashlights, and a wind-up/solar flashlight/radio. Also a small, ancient TV/radio that will operate on batteries, with a set that has some life in them.

Performed the primer experiment with the double. Winchester primers partially backed out - that is, the central brass part backed out of the outer aluminum part, which stayed put in the hull. Obviously flowing into the enlarged firing pin holes, too. CCI primers, on the other hand, look like light strikes, though both fired without hesitation; no sign of backing out with them. Winchester primers very dirty, a surprising amount of residue, even flowing back down the mouth of the hull; CCI primers very clean by comparison. No sign of gas leakage in any case. But... results will likely be very different with a real cartridge and attendant chamber pressures. Mopped bores, back on the rack with it.

Checked road conditions with Forest Service, the hills are out - a foot and a half of snow, they said. Forecast for Saturday, rain and thunderstorms. Might still go with just the woodworker friend, if he drives.

159 - Thursday, 20 March 2003: Protestors burning American flags in downtown Portland. Some inverted flags, some being deliberately dragged in the street.

Mobs blocking the Burnside Bridge and, briefly, three freeways going through downtown. Some of those were Critical Mass, the outfit that gives all bicyclists a bad name.

Large police presence in riot gear. Astonishingly little violence so far.

Fortunately I'm a hundred-odd blocks away from all this.

Forecast still pretty sucky, and no response from the people who expressed interest in going shooting with me this weekend. If the weather clears I may go alone for regular rifleman self- training, and if it rains I'll happily sleep in. Tired - short-handed at work, and I made the mistake of displaying competence and responsibility, so I've had a lot to do the past few days.

KPTV reports Portland police supplemented by Beaverton, Tualatin and Oregon State forces. Now would probably be a profitable time to go on a burgling spree....

Cities are not fit to live in - never have been. If I ever get money, I'm moving to Montana. Or Idaho, or wherever the Free State Project ends up.

158 - Friday, 21 March 2003: Got off work early, hiked over to woodworker's place, he & his lady will likely be going to the range with me tomorrow. Range bag still packed. Won't bother with rifleman practice in this weather and with other people along, removed Mosin ammo and rifleman targets from bag. Unloaded and cased Mossberg (usually on-duty for home defense) for transport; bedside .357 will stay on duty until departure. Removed holster, belt & speedloaders since I won't be going to the hills where I could wear them without a Range Officer getting upset.

So it's about 1-o'-clock Saturday morning and I'm up a little late checking the range bag and such... and my cat pukes. Not only does he puke, he pukes on a stack of gun books which I use frequently for reference. Fortunately the covers are slick so it wipes off, but Fuji's a fairly large cat, and any bodily function he has tends to be a high-volume event, and I ran out of paper towels a few days ago, and, well, I used a lot of toilet paper. He got part of my bedding, too, right where my face would be in sleep - fortunately I had a spare for that piece.

Of course there's also the smell. Good thing I keep a can of Lysol around. Finally got to bed about a quarter ‘til two.

159 - Saturday, 22 March 2003: And then all fifteen-odd pounds of him climbed onto me in bed and gave me apnea.

Only the woodworker and I, to English Pit. Weather largely cooperated during the trip. Arrived about noon, left about 2:30. Woodworker got valuable first-hand experience with percussion revolver and flintlock pistol, will edit story.

Percussion revolver functioned perfectly, and accuracy was good. No misfires, and the wedge stayed put with the ~17-grain load. I think I will use two Wonder Wads between powder and ball henceforth, for better ramming; will have to buy twice as many next time. Paper cartridges, all twelve of them, also worked perfectly despite not being nitrated (a vent pick was used); may start using two wads on top of those, likewise to take up chamber space left empty by the reduced charge. Thanks to the home-hobbyist machinist telling me what to look for, I have a line on a couple local chemical-supply houses where I should be able to find a hobbyist-quantity of saltpeter.

Flintlock pistol worked well enough, long enough, to give proper impressions of real-world use and limitations. I actually hit something with it this time! On purpose!

Pyrodex shotgun loads worked, but some did not chamber easily; plastic part of hulls not resized enough for good feeding in the Mossberg, should be less of a problem in the manually-loaded double. Recoil gratifyingly low, about equal to the Mosin, with 60 grains of Pyrodex RS and 1-1/8 oz. shot. WAA12R red plastic wads made it all the way out to the 25-yard backstop. No targets allowed for shotgunning at English Pit because they chew up the backing boards too much; only allowed to fire into the dirt on one end of the line.

Column height a little low with that load, a few pellets leaked out of the imperfect crimp; sealed them with a few drops of candle wax last night to stop it. Might switch to taller WAA12SL wads, possibly lower shot weight as well to compensate for the extra wad height - which should give even less recoil. No clue about chamber pressure with such a load, though. Will make up a few 70- grain loads with -12Rs just like the manual says, just for comparison, try them in Mossberg some other time.

Wolf 9-pellet, and moreso Sellier & Bellot 12-pellet OO buckshot loads have beefy recoil - more than the Mosin I'm now accustomed to. Only fired a couple rounds of each. Really should practice more with Mossberg.

Fired a few cylinders of .38 and .357 from the modern GP-100 revolver, giving woodworker an idea of different recoil levels, and technological advancement. I definitely need more practice with it, too, though.

Motor-vehicle fund growing still. So there. Cruffler suggests a bank account would not be worth the trouble; probably not enough interest to matter by the time I had enough saved up to blow the whole thing on a car. Eh, might do it anyway, then at least I could say I have a savings account.

Ugh - plenty of hardware to clean, most of it with blackpowder or Pyrodex residue. Well- one at a time, worst first, which would be the percussion revolver with both Pyrodex gunk and multiple chambers.

Cat- must- go- outside! If I don't get him off my lap I'll be up ‘til 1am again catching up.

Damn! The 1861's loading lever is cracked at the end, where the catch plunger goes in; one of the two prongs is essentially broken off, held in place only by the latch plunger retaining pin. Obviously a weak spot in the design, like the trigger & bolt spring or the hand assembly's spring. I could try JB Weld but probably I'll just order a replacement from Dixie Gun Works or Gun Parts Corporation, whichever is cheaper. I'll also use this as an excuse to get a spare set of screws for the revolver, and maybe a couple other things. Can wait ‘til next payday, I won't be taking anything out next weekend at all.

Holy...! Scraping incredible amount of gunk out of Mossberg's bore, nothing like I've ever seen - must have something to do with Pyrodex. It's... rubbery peel-like stuff, like the Parkerizing was peeling off from inside, or like the plastic wads melted a lot during firing - which did not seem to be the case when I picked one up out of curiosity when I was still at the range.

160 - Tuesday, 25 March 2003: I was going to wait ‘til the weather improved before putting my flags up on the porch again - I didn't want them getting chewed up in the wind and rain - but I've been watching (a very little) TV again with the war on, and while waiting for the local weather I saw a story about a Gulf War One veteran whose flag was burned on his very porch.

I don't support the war, not so much because it is a war as because we shouldn't be starting one with anybody. But the kind of criminal scum that would do such a thing... if they're agin' it, I'm fer it. So I put my flags up tonight. I do support the troops, who have to go to the desert and get shot at because Saddam Hussein really must go no matter how nice a pack of whining, window-breaking, garbage-flinging, flag-burning "liberals" think he is.

Left the porch light on, too; since the heater-fans are more efficient than the baseboard I can afford it. See, to show proper respect for the flag, you're supposed to either take it down at sunset, or illuminate it through the night.

Hm. Might want to rearrange the lighting a bit....

Raining now. Sigh. Well, if they need replacement, there's usually a vendor at the shows who sells them for $8.95 each, or two for $15.

Bear in mind that this is not the current 50-star Federal flag - I no longer believe in that government. I fly the 13-star "Betsy Ross", and a Gadsden rattlesnake alongside, both signifying my desire to return to America's founding principles, like minimum government with Constitutional restrictions and a citizenry with the balls to make it stick.

Yes, the Stars & Stripes is on the correct side of the porch relative to the Gadsden, I looked up flag etiquette on the web, American Legion or VFW or something, I don't recall. I even know how to fold it.

Weather forecast possibly nice for the weekend but already deteriorating. Was thinking of getting some rifleman practice at English Pit on Saturday (I'm going to the Expo show on Sunday, will meet Cruffler there to hang out and yak with gunfolk, and to get the scale he scored for me), but I'm not back in biking shape for the season yet, the bike does need drive-train work, and after so long out of the saddle I wouldn't want to dive right in biking 16 miles to/from the range on one day and a dozen or so miles to/from the show the day after, and then go to work the whole week after that.

Will probably end up hiking from the bus stop to the Expo Center again anyway.

161 - Wednesday, 26 March 2003: Another OFF alert. State Senator John Minnis - Republican John Minnis - who is in charge of such things, has scheduled committee hearings for several pieces of anti-gun legislation already this year, and has refused to schedule any for any pro-gun bills, including the latest, SB868. He has also not responded to phone calls, letters or e-mails from OFF. Already sent him e-mail, paper letter going out in the morning.

162 - Friday, 28 March 2003: Thirty-five percent in combined taxes this pay period. Did I mention government sucks?

Anyway the motor fund continues to increase. Probably open a savings account tomorrow, my bank is open a few hours on Saturdays. Sleeping in first, not going to strain myself so early in the season when I still have the show to bike to the next day. Forecast for weekend now quite nice.

With time left on bus transfer, ferried bike uphill on light-rail and ran a couple errands - also got some exercise with the ride back. Another $20 on the second Mosin carbine ($18.99 remaining), and some groceries.

Apparently flea collars actually do have an effect on fleas. I've seen fleas crawling around on Fuji even with a flea collar, but for the past several months he's worn only a regular collar and the flea population is exploding, so I got him a fresh one. Also a pouch of kitty treats to compensate for the traumatic experience of having his collar changed.

163 - Saturday, 29 March 2003: Generic light-socket adapter with two ordinary AC sockets: $2.99.

Two outdoor floodlight fixtures, wall-mount with optional lawn spike, 6-foot cord, $5.99 each.

Two 75-watt outdoor floodlight bulbs, $5.99/pair.

Lighting up the flags as they should be and flipping the symbolic finger to Iraq, "peace" protesters, and the entire Democratic party: Priceless.

And it all works with the indoor porch-light switch! Screw the socket adapter into the existing porch-light socket (which is protected from weather), then plug the outdoor lights into the adapter, get ‘em pointed the right way and that's it! Um - will need another extension cord for the Gadsden flag. Eh, at least I can get the Stars & Stripes lit up as-is.

But before all that - opened savings account with $260, set up for an automatic $25 transfer from checking on the 1st of each month. Picked up Machiavelli's The Prince at library. Bus tickets for next entire pay-period. More Food Than Usual on-hand. Rent paid in cash. Electric bill paid in full. I can now go to the gun show tomorrow with minimal guilt.

164 - Sunday, 30 March 2003: Oh I can't believe I just did that! One vendor had a rack of a few single-shot .22s. "This Rack $39." Plus the $9 Oregon gun-tax - and this vendor charged $10 (and weren't too customer-friendly neither). Total cost $49.

I got one.

Springfield (Stevens (Savage)) Model 52-A bolt-action. Entire action held into stock by one knurled screw, so it's essentially a takedown. Very simple construction - but you don't need a lot of complexity for a .22 single-shot. No feed ramp, cartridge must be placed in chamber, but there is a generously-sized loading/ejection port. Mostly pinned together. Bolt handle serves as single locking lug. Everything seems in order, and it's mostly clean - in fact I'd say it's in Very Good condition. 95-odd-percent finish, very few dings in stock, muzzle crown looks good. No evidence of breechface damage from dry-firing. Also all original, though I'll probably add a sling, plenty of wood on both ends to screw swivels or studs into. It's a cock-on-closing - some others in the rack had to be cocked separately, which influenced my choice (also this seems to have been the best condition of the lot). The manual safety is by turning the cocking piece, very much like a Mosin- Nagant. The firing pin doubles as the ejector, apparently hitting the front of the sear extension on the backstroke; the back of the sear extension is the sear, bearing directly on the cocking piece. Typical old-fashioned sights, brass bead front and notch rear step-adjustable for elevation, both dovetailed. Bolt removed by holding back trigger - quick-and-easy cleaning, and from the breech as is proper. Barrel length 22 inches from breechface, stock length (takedown length) the same, length of pull 13½ inches, smooth steel buttplate, slight crescent.

No serial number. Was it NFA ‘34 or GCA ‘68 that made numbers a requirement? Hmph. If I get metalworking tools and make my own, for personal use and not for resale, I don't think I need a number for it.

No entry for this or similar models in Gun Parts Corp. catalog #22. Catalog #25 ordered last week. Will search net for information but there's just not enough in the design to really need instructions or a diagram. Well- will need a picture for my collection page, anyway.

I frequently have a couple mangled (bullet nose; misfeeds) .22LR cartridges around, picked up from English Pit (pack-rat instinct). Pliered the bullet from one, disposed of powder, and fired primed case, then used it a few more times as a snap-cap - trigger heavy and gritty, but I've felt much worse. Some careful polishing might improve it, there appears to be plenty of metal to work with - at worst, the whole trigger and sear is one piece stamped out of 3/16" stock, I could probably sculpt a new one.

Anyway! Got the scale from Cruffler for $15. Pacific brand, big sticker on the front says "Manufactured by Hornady". Traditional balance-bar type, 500-grain capacity, conversion-chart sticker on front by quarters of an ounce. Also got five little-bitty pistol flints, $1.75 each (later discovered the other blackpowder vendor had a slightly better price); bag of .36 revolver wads, $5.15 from the second vendor (first vendor wanted $6.75 for the exact same product); three fold-over rifle cases for $10; long (15-inch!) Mauser bayonet for $25 (no scabbard, but haggled down from $39) - with quillon, and a little tiny CZ mark! - but damn! It's made for the short bayonet lug, and the VZ24s have long ones! Well, GPC lists the others, and there's the parts geezers - if I'd known, I'd'a taken a closer look at their Mauser pile. Maybe I can make a short one from a long one, I have a whole spare stock set after all, and this bayonet will be mounted on one of my Mausers! Muzzle ring is correct size and apparently all I need to make it work is a short, or shortened, bayonet lug. Will make a scabbard from nylon strap from fabric store, lined with plastic sheet from hardware or hobby store. When I have those materials, will use opportunity to remake scabbard for 17" Ishapore bayonet. (BTW, it's been suggested on the lists that I just glass-bed the Ishapore, like with a Brownell's kit, available retail at Bi-Mart.) Wall rack overflowing again. Should invest in a cabinet, at least, but really must dispose of about a metric tonne of junk first.

Total money spent, not counting $7 admission - eek! $112.90! Cruffler says he's a bad influence (he buys several a week, I think). Well. I still had a $20 in my wallet when I left, and I got all that other stuff (rent, food, savings account) done first. So there!

Next paycheck, new bike gloves and new helmet.

Also saw: Star M43 9mm steel-frame compact, $295, once on my list for carry pistols; at least two ‘94 Winchesters in .30-30 for $175, at different tables; S&W (phooey, still) M17 10-shot .22, 6" barrel, blued, $400; calipers, digital $30, dial $15 (shoulda got one o'them - eh, it can wait ‘til I have metallic-cartridge reloading stuff, don't really need calipers for reloading shotgun shells); Remington 700-ish take-off barrels, $25 each, decent condition - just glancing, saw them marked .30-06, .243, and .270; M44 carbines, various origins, some over $100 (hah!), one 1945 Russian for $51; Marlin Model 9 carbine (semiautomatic, uses S&W 59xx magazines), $329; AR-180 (semiautomatic version of the AR-18, which we should have adopted instead of the M16 if we were going to get a mousegun anyway), $895; MREs, $4 each; .433" roundball, $9/100, .375, $7.25 - yow! That was the first muzzleloading vendor, I don't recall exactly what the second wanted but it was less; CCI #11 caps, $4.50/100 - can do better than that at Bi-Mart! Pre-Ban SKSs, Russian as low as $290, Chinese $250 or so; Garands, about $1,000 - CMP still has that beat all to pieces, though these were pretty; no Pre-Ban M1As noticed, Post-Ban $1,100-$1,400; FEG Hi-Power clone, lowest seen $229; EAA Witness, CZ75 derivative, .45, $375 - too big for my hand, didn't see any 9x19mm models, did not try .40 versions; Romanian .22 training rifle, bolt-action repeater (5-shot detachable), $79; Norinco (commie!) ‘97 Winchester trench gun, with handguard and bayonet lug, $429; PMC "low recoil" OO buckshot, $1.75/5 (should have got at least one box); a Marlin 336 .30-30, $199; powder vendor - Hodgdon, Alliant, and a little IMR, but no Accurate brand! 12-gauge fiber and card wads for muzzleloaders or old-fashioned cartridges, didn't record price because the cushion wads were lubed and that would probably do Bad Things to any kind of powder in a cartridge; Yugo SKS, $179; an original 1861 Colt revolver in, well, Fair condition, $1,450; the CVA Bobcat for $120 again, this time I noticed the tag said "no box"; Israeli-surplus gas mask with filter, $95 (!), filters $30, new allegedly NCB filters $35 (you need a full suit, really, for that kind of thing - which was also available, but I didn't get a price; they're on the web, do your own search); German M10 mask, copy of US M17, $35 but try finding filters for them; Ishapore 7.62mm SMLE, $199; brass-case 7.62x54mmR Mosin ammunition, $66/440; new Ruger GP100 revolver, just like mine, $425 (I paid about $380 back in the mid-90's); CETME battle rifle, $410; VZ24s, $85 or so (hah!); various .22 revolvers, $150ish; CZ75SA, single-action-only (hmm...), $425.

Left about 12:30, got back a little after 1pm. Bought Sunday newspaper so I wouldn't have to ride all the way up to the local Big 5 store for the weekly sales flier - and discovered feature article in Living section on the Pink Pistols! Woo-hoo! I bet that made some heads hurt in the leftist editorial department!

Big 5 has M44s for $50 again this week, but two should be enough, since you can't do nearly as many neat things to them as to a large-ring Mauser.

Stevens M52 cleaned up pretty good.

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