RIFLEMAN'S JOURNAL - MAY 2003

Anyway, got off work early and hiked over to woodworker's place, he & his lady are two of the mechanic friends - and they were previously engaged, likewise this weekend, but made tentative plans to look at vehicles with them next weekend. Then, biked over to one of the repo/seizure car places and sniffed around. The salescritter at this place said everything on the lot is in the neighborhood of $320. Several economical-looking compacts, but most were manuals and I'd prefer an automatic for my first car (I can drive a stick but I don't like it). Also, most had decaying interiors, body damage and broken lights, and many were missing door locks or ignition switches, some obviously forcefully pulled. But that's why I'll be buying dinner for the mechanics. Constant inventory turnover at this place as one might expect - fine, if I miss something or can't find something I want, there should be another like it in a few days, and there are other such places.

Weather lovely today, and forecast tomorrow, but poor for weekend. Depending on the forecast in tomorrow's report, might go to English Pit again - um, should make up multiple-aiming- point two-inch target for 50-yard use so I don't have to hike out there as often, or I could just go to one inch at 25 yards again, geometrically it's supposed to be the same. Yeah, I think that if I go tomorrow I'll just use the 25-yard line again and make up the multiple targets for a later trip.

184 - Friday, 2 May 2003: Made more target copies after work - printed out one I'd had in .PDF for some time, multiple aiming points, two-inch black squares with one-inch white centers, five per page. Could use them at either 25 or 50 yards but would be kinda cheating at the shorter distance since it would appear twice as big as the twenty-inch human torso at 500 yards. Also made copies of both 300- and 500-yard scaled truck and APC targets from latest Guide bundle.

What to do this weekend? Might go shooting if the forecast is good, or might bike around looking at/for cars instead, though it's kinda pointless to do that without the mechanics along. Anyway already planning on the car thing next weekend- oh! Barberton next weekend! And Cruffler says he'll give me ten bucks for my old 1998 Standard Catalog, and I want to look for a taller front sight for the Stevens. Um. Well, it's best to get to the Barberton show early anyway, and it's a small show that won't take much time to see all of, and the bike's running and I know which bus to take, I could do the show in the morning and come back in a reasonable amount of time to go car shopping later in the day. So I hope to go to the range tomorrow!

To that end, doublechecking the range bag. 110 rounds of brass-case Albanian for the Mosin, all but ten on chargers; various targets, including the new multiple-aiming-point and the usual one- inch - think I'll use the new one at 50 yards, for the Mosin, see what happens; notebook, guide, cleaning rod, patches, window cleaner, telescope, earmuffs, earplugs, shooting glasses (really don't like wearing them but shouldn't trust prescription glasses alone); some jerky - bus driver gave me a transfer good past midnight, may go out for more snacklike things after tonight's net session. What did I do with those eyeglass straps? If I can't find them I'll do without. Revolver? Um... yyyyyes, with, um, 120 rounds of the usual 110-grain JHP, two full boxes and the bedside duty ammo which should probably be cycled and a couple stray rounds from the next box to make the cylinders come out even. Rubber stamps for marking and dating targets. Um, should print another sheet of business cards with my netdresses and Tyrant-Free Zone graphics, I'm down to two in the wallet.

Forecast poor - colder, cloudy, chance of rain. Eh, I could use some rest too.

185 - Saturday, 3 May 2003: Weather just too threatening, and I'm tired. At least the range bag is ready for the next trip. Maybe after Barberton if the car shopping falls through.

Yup, rain shortly after noon.

Uh-oh. Somehow I got on American Home Direct's mailing list, and I get packs of postcard advertisements for outdoorsy/manly stuff. The latest pack arrived in the mail today and includes a card from Lee Precision, makers of the Load-All shotshell press I've already had success with. It's a special offer: the honkin'-huge book Modern Reloading, Second Edition, for $29.98 + $3 shipping - including a Lee Reloader reloading press! Offer expires June 30th. I think I can spare $33 by then.

Um- Cabela's 2003 Shooting catalog lists the same deal, with the older edition, for $19.49 (+$5.95). Same on their website. But the new book is larger by nearly half, in page numbers anyway.

On second thought, I was leaning toward a turret press (probably Lee's), so there'd be less fussing and cussing with dies, and once I get started with a production-like activity I tend to reach a high speed and volume, and a single-stage press cuts into that - do a batch with one die, stop, change and adjust the next die, do the whole batch again, sometimes there's three or even four dies. But a turret press carries all three or four dies and allows each to be rotated into position at the appropriate time without having to adjust them every time. Also a turret press can have more than one pre-adjusted turret, containing all necessary dies for each caliber, swapable in seconds. More expensive than the single press but more efficient if I'm going to do any volume of reloading at all, and again, I set it up once and leave it that way. Cabela's lists one turret press, a Lyman as part of a kit beyond my price range - but Lee's turret press is kind of affordable even brand new direct from Lee, and there are other suppliers like Midway, and Cruffler has offered co-op purchasing with his C&R discount already.

But first I must get a car!

Ah- in the print catalog, the very same little red balance-bar scale Cruffler scored for me for $15 - $37.99, plus shipping. So there's another score.

186 - Sunday, 4 May 2003: Finished shortening the bayonet lug and man does that long bayonet look good on the end of a gen-yoo-ine Mauser! Will fiddle with buffing tips and compound (#421) and maybe polish up the old blade, might even make new grip panels for it. Wire wheel already removed a patch of rust from the ricasso but lots of dark spots all over.

Hm- these Mauser nosepieces should be available from the parts geezers, and are available from Gun Parts Corp. I could adapt one to some other rifle, chop it off, contour it a little if necessary, maybe silver-solder it on....

Ah- the shortened lug still works, but not perfectly, with the later bayonets made for the long lug - the end of the lug is designed to keep the bayonet from flopping back and forth against the latch, and that metal isn't there anymore. But, it works perfectly with the older, longer bayonet - fortunately I stopped grinding at just the right point - and I've still got four rifles and a spare stock set with the longer lugs for the later bayonets of which I have three (one Yugo, two actual CZ with the cutting edge up). Those three all have steel scabbards, and the Yugo has a leather frog, but I'll have to build a sheath for the long one - probably nylon strap and carpet thread (which I have), double thickness for strength (I think I have enough, and if not, the fabric store is right across the street from the local Big 5 and just a few blocks from the usual library), and plastic sheet (from hobby or hardware store) to keep the blade from hanging up on the nylon. More, smaller strap (which I also have) and a press-snap (which I may also have) for a simple retaining strap.

Hm- I think I could loosen the front sight protector screw and slide the protector forward against the muzzle ring and create enough tension for the later, long-lug bayonets to work well again - but why bother? This rifle has its bayonet.

I do like bayonets, the longer the better. Especially since "they" don't want me to have them. Will have to look for more of those long-blade models, I can always shorten another lug. :) And there's still the M590's bayonet project.

Removed recoil pad and cartridge carrier from VZ #1, will place them on #4 and prepare to order Mojo sights. When I run out of Mosin ammo, will switch to #4 and Turk ammo for training.

A ‘blog reader shares reloading experiences and recommends against a turret press, and against the weaker C-frame press in the Lee deal mentioned yesterday - also points out that most of the load data in the big honkin' book is available from the powder manufacturers, most of which I've already downloaded. Will shop for used press at shows, Cruffler can no doubt advise, has already warned me to make sure they have all their parts.

187 - Monday, 5 May 2003: On this day in 1862, France lost (snicker) the battle of Puebla, turning the tide of the French-Mexican War, eventually leading to Mexican independence.

(Not that they've done much with it, compared to some other country I could name who booted out the European powers... so I have fits of nationalism, so sue me.)

Sigh - another pair of shoes disintegrating. Oh well, payday this Friday. Let's see here - Mojo sights, $50; glasses, at least $50 (but two pair); phone bill, $28.16; shoes, $15; taking at least two mechanic friends out to dinner, at least $30 (I can justify taking that out of savings, it's car-related)... yup, a Mauser barrel and the FEG pistol are going to have to wait. Anyway still discussing with Cruffler the best way to go about NATOizing the Mauser, and I do have the GP100. Will probably place an order with Dixie Gun Works, though, I want the 1861 functional again.

Oh - Mojo sights $55 now. Hmp. Well, what else is there until I build my own? Cruffler does tell me about a show vendor with a bunch of old Williams sights, but that requires drilling & tapping the receiver and the Mojo doesn't and the Williams isn't quite what I'm looking for anyway. I have a mental image of what I want and a few crude sketches.

188 - Wednesday, 7 May 2003: VE Day! On this day in 1945, Admiral Karl Dönitz, Hitler's chosen successor, surrendered to Allied forces, effectively ending the Second World War in Europe. So there! (Tomorrow, May 8th, is usually observed as VE day, when the surrender was announced. But today is when it actually happened.)

189 - Friday, 9 May 2003: Payday. Wisely purchased some groceries. Got off work too late to call in to pay phone bill after visiting bank - eh, it's due on the 16th.

Phoned two mechanic friends about this weekend- they're engaged for Saturday, but now planning on Sunday afternoon for car-shopping. Fine- I'll take my time at Barberton, and go shooting after! Just the Mosin and the .357 this time, though I may make the Stevens a regular item in future. Will need to stockpile some CCI Mini-Mag plated solid when Bi-Mart has it on sale, usually $5/200. Got two bricks of Remington Thunderbolt unplated solid the other day - not my favorite brand, but at $6.99/500 in their coupon book I couldn't resist.

Donated $20 to KeepAndBearArms.com's support of the Silveira case, on its way to the Supreme Court, attacking California's "assault weapons" ban and potentially setting Important Precedents whatever they decide, if the Court hears the case at all.

Alert from Jon Roland of the Constitution Society - much useful new stuff added to their website... and the whole thing may go away if they don't get the phone bill and rent paid by the 12th. Will probably donate $20 when I get back from Barberton tomorrow.

And what have you done for the Cause lately?

Um. Forecast now deteriorating for Saturday, won't go shooting after all, but will still try for Barberton. Also it's a long way to haul all that hardware, on a bike, potentially in the rain, from Barberton to nearly Camas. Sunday forecast nice.

Ugh. Alarm set for 7:30, for the bus connections to get me to Barberton by 10am. Must get car.

190 - Saturday, 10 May 2003: Arrived at Barberton without incident about 9:45am. Weather overcast and not warm, mid 50s, but only a single trace of rain on the way back. Yakked with Cruffler, sold him my old 1998 Standard Catalog for $10 - and people were stopping by his hot dog stand to beg use of it before I left about 10:45. The usual items being vended... and then I got into trouble.

On one table was a reproduction Philadelphia Derringer pistol marked $40 in Very Good condition overall. Similar but not identical to the Booth/Lincoln pistol. Dixie Gun Works wants $90 for the Spanish/Jukar-made kit. And I got it, finished, for $35! This was a kit, the same kit, and was actually quite nicely finished - except the rear lockplate screw has a Phillips head. Went to hardware store, got straight-slot replacement for five cents - but it needs finishing, like cold blue (Cruffler recommends Birchwood Casey - the original screw is brass, or perhaps brass-finished steel), and it's slightly too large in the (pan style) head. Some careful Dremel work might fix that, or it might just look all right after I cold-blue it.

Stopped at Fisherman's Marine & Outdoor Store on the way back, got an Uncle Mike's quick-release sling swivel & stud set for the Stevens, $10.

Then, back in Oregon, I went to the military collectors' show at the local flea market (which apparently won't repeat until October) and got three GI manuals for $1 each - M9 pistol, M16A2 rifle, and Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks Level 1. This was after I saw a VZ24 bayonet without scabbard, for which was asked $15 - without scabbard, passed. Also - and here's where I could really be in trouble - a flintlock pistol, nearly identical to the one I already have (also Jukar, Spain) except for wear, damage, and trivial cosmetic differences from its assembly from a kit, for which was asked $50. It's in worse shape than mine - the rear sight is in the front sight's dovetail, a chunk of brass is in the rear sight's dovetail, the hammer is a little loose on the hammer/tumbler screw, and there are small patches of rust, and the ramrod thimbles are arguably misplaced, and the ramrod appears shorter than mine, which is barely long enough.

It's very similar to mine. A little work could make it nearly identical. I'm seriously considering going back tomorrow and offering $40 while pointing out the deficiencies listed above. I could have a (nearly) matching pair of flintlock pistols - and where would I find another at such a price? I should not let this opportunity pass. Bills are caught up or budgeted, more than half next month's rent is set aside in cash (as usual, I take half or more of the rent from each paycheck and set it aside when I get home from the bank), still haven't touched savings (twenty-four cents more interest!) and I still have nearly $300 in checking even after donating to KABA/Silveira. I can justify this....

Anyway... took apart the Derringer. Very light rust in bore, rifling still strong (not that it would matter if it were smoothbore, it's so short), light rust at the wood boundary as might be expected. Surprisingly good trigger considering how strong the (coil!) mainspring is. Back-action lock. Two-piece lockplate (probably silver-)soldered together, steel with a small decorative brass piece in front under the nipple (again similar, but not identical, to the Booth pistol, which Dixie also carries, $160 kit, $425 finished with case). No ramrod, no room for one - and if you're in a situation where you need to use a derringer, you probably aren't going to have time or opportunity to reload it soon anyway. Stainless nipple, replaceable. Hm- the rear triggerguard screw is also Phillips, apparently that's how they both came in the kit. Well, that one's less visible. Will clean it all up over the next few days.

(...What was I thinking... what am I thinking....)

While at Barberton, also talked with the Hobbyist who shortened my double's barrels - he has an ‘88 Ford Escort for sale, asking $400 and it needs work - I'll likely do much better tomorrow, or some other weekend with the mechanic friends, but I'll keep him in mind, in case.

Also, the table next to the Hobbyist's had a reproduction Colt Dragoon revolver - neither the vendor nor I was sure whether it was the 2nd or 3rd model; it had rectangular cylinder stop notches, a square-back triggerguard, and pin safeties between chambers - for $190, which is pretty good even for a used repro Dragoon. Good condition, no rust, pretty deep turn mark on the cylinder but everything seemed tight and in order (it was tied so I couldn't turn it - but it's out of my justifiable price range anyway). The same vendor also had a CVA percussion pistol kit, "Kentucky" (Pennsylvania) style, marked $35 - might make a nice gift, will probably still be there next month but I'd prefer flintlocks for the gifting I have in mind. Anyway that appeared complete in the original package.

Okay - going back out again, to get cash from checking for the flintlock tomorrow, and some more groceries to make myself feel better about it. Will likely transfer $20 or so more to savings as well. (Ungh- butt hurts! Long ride from Barberton to Parkrose. But I am getting back in cycling shape - I must be, to even consider going out again right after such a long ride.)

Oh - on further inspection of mine, the flintlock pistol is not identical, it's closer to one a friend has, which is much shorter - but this one at the show is the same size as mine otherwise and is certainly close enough to be called "matching."

191 - Sunday, 11 May 2003: Donated $20 to the Constitution Society last night, too. Got a quick thank-you e-mail from Jon Roland, may have been automated but so what. Should add a link on my site's front page.

I dood it - got the flintlock for $40. "Who else is gonna buy it?" "Probably still be here in October." Behold the power of cash.

It looks like another Jukar, Spain, which would make three counting my previous flintlock and the percussion derringer, but I can find no external markings, they may be rusted. Almost certainly also assembled from a kit. Poorly finished - cheesy reddish finish on the wood, slopped over onto the brass sideplate. Brass triggerguard unpolished. Various rust. The lock is styled similarly to the friend's flintlock but is marked "JAPAN" inside and has a bridle, which neither mine nor the friend's have. Machine-cut flint in unpadded jaws - the vendor made it spark yesterday when he was trying to get $50 for it. Very heavy trigger, and of a slightly different design - I have an idea to lighten the pull, copying from my first flintlock, which uses a set-screw through the tumbler to adjust sear engagement at full-cock (may try the same for the friend's flintlock too, in future). Was planning on getting a drill press anyway, some of the commie models are under $50, or I could beg use of the woodworker friend's. Might swap the actual trigger lever with that of the derringer, which is the same style as the first flintlock but should be interchangeable in these mass-produced kits. Touch-hole has been drilled and air passes through. There is rifling. Ramrod thimbles arranged differently, but not too, from my first flintlock - shouldn't be too hard to rearrange if I'm so inclined. Nosecap identical. Barrel in the white, except where it's in the rust - one-piece construction like the friend's, no vent liner or breechplug like my first has. Ramrod tip present but missing retaining pin, can likely fabricate one from wire; cap on other end missing, though the rod is milled for one. Too short anyway, I'll probably just make a new one altogether - and might make, and inlet stock for, a longer one for the first flintlock too, the one it has is barely long enough, and neither of them are threaded for cleaning tips. Second flintlock stock has plenty of room for a longer rod already. Will have to strip and refinish second stock, but the woodworker friend taught me how, I just need patience. Tumbler screw tightened easily enough, hammer stopped wobbling, but I may completely disassemble the lock for cleaning anyway (a small C-clamp, or vise-grip pliers, work about as well as an expensive spring vise tool). Probably been fired a very few times.

The most obvious external differences between the two are the sideplate (the first uses brass washers against the not-inletted wood) and the exact shape and style of the lockplate. Barrel length and stock shape are the same and once I'm done a casual glance will make them look like a matched pair. May take opportunity to refinish both barrels, the first has been browned about as cheesily as the second's stock has been stained. May refinish both stocks, so they match, though the first is good the way it is and I'd rather just make the second one match it. Dixie offers belt hooks which attach at or in place of the sideplate or lock screws (requiring inletting), was going to get one anyway when I ordered the 1861's loading lever (which I still haven't done yet, and which should probably wait, now, until next payday...), now I'll make it two.

Yeah, okay, for $40 I guess it'll do. :) Gotta update collection pages. :) :)

Went car shopping with two mechanic friends, the woodworker and his lady, of whom the latter is a former professional mechanic - nothing yet. Also a little more planning would have been in order - eh, like the first few times I went to English Pit. Called a couple private parties from the Sunday paper, looked at one ‘83 Corolla that was almost rusted away under the thickly- and poorly- applied black paint, the one auction/repo/seizure place failed the vibe test, other places were closed on Sunday. Received much advice about selection, etc. They recommend private parties over repo/towing places, in their experience. Planned for next Saturday and a little earlier start.

The 1861 loading lever can be ordered online but the belt hook for the flintlock(s) isn't in Dixie's online catalog yet, may have to place actual paper-order-form order.

192 - Monday, 12 May 2003: Tore down the percussion derringer and cleaned it up. Had a little trouble getting the mainspring back in but managed. It's ready to go. Pretty, too, with the brass bits polished; the original owner/builder did a nice job. Really heavy mainspring turns out to have been the tumbler and hammer binding against the lockplate, adjusted tumbler screw, much better. Will take it along next range trip - which may be a while with the car shopping. Been using .433 patched round ball in flintlock #1 and the derringer appears to be the same bore (which would make sense, coming from the same manufacturer), but Dixie's catalog says to use .440 in the kit the derringer was made from, which in the flintlock seems too tight with a patch but rolls in loose without one. Eh, will get a box of .440 and some .010 patches, I think I've been using .015s.

Flintlock #2 torn down to the last piece. Frizzen spring a little overcompressed (came that way), frizzen flops around a little when open, holds still enough when closed. Inside of lock was oiled and is therefore in decent shape, though I nearly broke the bridle getting it off. Boxed up in pieces, will scrub and reassemble progressively. Will likely tear down #1 for further treatment, especially the barrel, so I can refinish both and make them match. Might try browning, which was common in that period; I think Birchwood Casey offers some. #1's barrel was browned, but poorly, looks like someone tried to use wood stain or something, and they only got the exposed surfaces, I'll do the whole thing when I redo it. #2's rear sight salvaged but not reinstalled, pending refinishing the barrel. Will need front sight, can likely find one at the shows. Might replace #2's rear too, it's a little shorter and more crudely made than #1's.

Rearranged ramrod thimbles, easily achieved another point of similarity with #1, but will remove them again for refinishing stock. #2's stock is narrower to feel, but not particularly to look at. #1's stock pretty nicely done, will be happy if I can match it. #2's trigger will not be interchangeable with either the derringer or #1, will look at blackpowder tables next Expo show, June 14-15, and in Dixie catalog, might find a piece that will work; #1 and the derringer have a wider, smoother trigger surface which not only better distributes the force of the pull but also looks better than what #2 has. Will also look for ramrod tips, will make new rods for both flintlocks. Probably need some new/different Dremel tips - they sell those at shows too, whole tables full. #2's trigger guard never got polished, #1's could use some more, and both nosecaps too.

Um - the set-screw trick for sear engagement in the tumbler will be difficult because of the geometry. Might make it work with a good drill press with a good vise, and patience. Might remove metal from the tumbler at the full-cock position instead... or not; can't put it back on, eh?

Long shot: Gun Parts Corp. lists a complete flint lock for about $30, which I think might fit #2's stock. These locks are possibly leftover Jukar production and therefore might be interchangeable - and if I'm right, it's the same lock as a friend's pistol, the tumbler of which is shaped for the set-screw my #1 already has.

And if I'm wrong, I'll just keep collecting parts until I can build another pistol.

193 - Tuesday, 13 May 2003: Earlier, downloaded and printed the World's Smallest Political Quiz. Today after work, made stack of copies, will scatter them about. Some applied to co-workers already. Second Amendment Foundation survey in mail, wrote $15 check. According to e-list discussion, SAF is leading (or carrying) the fight to restore the right to keep and bear arms in Ohio.

Hey! You! Put down the remote and get your lazy ass out of that chair and DO SOMETHING TO DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS! And if you don't stop voting Democrat then don't come crying to me for help when Hillary sends her blacksuit thugs to burn down your house and stomp on your cat. (Or will you just send them over to my place instead, like a "good citizen"?) I don't know what's worse, a gunowner who's a registered Democrat or a gunowner who doesn't vote at all.... (Shudder)

Too many "gunowners" are just too damned lazy to make a few clicks with a mouse, print out a paper letter and spend a measly thirty-seven cents for a stamp. I have no respect and no sympathy for such people. I can hear them whining now, "But I sent an e-mail last year...." OOHHHH!! Lazy! Worthless!! YOU MAKE ME SICK!!!

Shotgun people, the trapshooters and waterfowlers, they're particularly bad - "They'll never take my guns." "They only want to take the assault weapons away from the criminals!" Got a Beretta 390, or Remington 11-87, or an old Browning A-5? A couple more legislative sessions and those will be "assault weapons". Some places, they already are. Bullseye shooters too - Hi-Standard? S&W M41? Ruger MkII? Dangerous semi-automatic handguns. Remington Model 40? Custom benchrest or highpower job? Deadly long-distance sniper rifles. Surplus Mausers, Mosins, Lee-Enfields? Destructive military war-weapons. Old Colt SAA? T/C Hawken? Reproduction percussion revolver? Antique-gun loophole. *whack* *smack* WAKE UP YOU IMBECILES! They don't want anyone to have any weapons of any kind, except their own tax-paid bodyguards!

Um! Gonna need more stamps. Should have enough ‘til payday. Need more practice too; car shopping again the 17th, but nothing planned for the 24th yet. Really should rebuild bugout bag, really, especially once I get a car.

Anyway...

...won't be ordering anything from Dixie or GPC this pay period - not overextended yet, but might have to touch savings for food before next payday. Fiddling with spreadsheets to plan orders. Might replace all sights on both flintlocks to make that match too, GPC has some Hopkins & Allen leftovers that look good in the catalog's drawing, if they'll fit. They also have a drawing of a pistol ramrod that looks exactly like the one #1 has, which leads me to further believe the flint lock they have is a Jukar. Might order a rod, and the lock, and two sets of sights; if the rod matches I'll just go with it and not have to make new ones after all, it's a little shorter than I'd like but there's not as much room to fit a longer one as I had thought, and it does work as-is. Maybe I could replace the tips only, with threaded tips for cleaning accessories. Oh! Replace the back ends, so they don't look anachronistic when at rest!

Special election, vote-by-mail - on the ballot, an income-tax increase for the public education system of which I still have nightmares. Yer damn right I voted NO. Also elections to school boards - half the candidates on the ballot don't show up in the voters' pamphlet. "Not all candidates supplied information for the Voters' Pamphlet." Wrote in "None", generally. One local guy's pamphlet blurb sounded almost Libertarian, or at least Republican, so I voted for him - not that I have kids, much less in school, anyway, but dammit it's an election and I'm gonna vote! Will drop ballot at library tomorrow (and maybe some of the Quiz...).

Now reading The Sacred Fire of Liberty: James Madison and the Founding of the Federal Republic by Lance Banning. No mention whatsoever of the Second Amendment or the Right to Bear Arms - which most scholars agree Madison authored (along with much of the Constitution and Bill of Rights). Will try a different Madison book, phooey.

New Shotgun News, second installment of Reid Coffield's article on restoring old military rifle stocks. Some of the tips I've already learned from the woodworker friend, but of course there's a difference between working with fresh, clean wood, and a chunk of something that's been through who-knows-how-many wars and is soaked with who-knows-what substances.

Really like what Primedia has done with SGN since they took over a few years ago.

194 - Wednesday, 14 May 2003: Delivered ballot to library, and small stack of the Quiz to the free- literature shelves. There are references to the Libertarian Party, wonder if it'll be suppressed? Considering some of the blatant leftist garbage on those shelves, it wouldn't surprise me - those people think the 1st Amendment only applies to them.

Now reading Hell's Faire by John Ringo, fourth in the Posleen War series from Baen Books. Gotta read it presently instead of putting it in the stack, there's a queue in the library computer waiting for it and I won't be allowed to renew. Also comes with CD-ROM with several Baen novels in files, picked and choosed and copied several to my machine. Dig the Baen Free Library.

Also waiting for Service of the Sword by David Weber, et.al., the latest side-dish anthology in the Honor Harrington universe. Ringo, Weber, and some other military-SF authors seem friendly, or at least refreshingly non-hostile, toward gunfolk. Honor Harrington uses a Colt-Browning 1911!

Put a couple other books on hold, which the library has on order. Apparently Harry Turtledove has done a Conan novel, and there's another book in his Confederate universe which started with How Few Remain, wherein Special Order 191 does not fall out of the Confederate courier's pouch and therefore does not make it's way into McClellan's hands and Lee rolls right over the incompetent ninny like he should have. (McClellan, in my opinion, has a lot of blood on his hands as a result of his half-baked "victory" at Antietam. On the one hand, if he'd got off his ass and done some General-type stuff, he could have ended the war right then and prevented another, what, two and a half years of death and destruction; on the other hand, without Lee's campaign plans in McClellan's hands Lee could have ended the war right then, with a strategic thrust toward Washington City, allowing Jefferson Davis to negotiate secession from a position of military strength and also preventing years of slaughter. Gettysburg gets all the attention but it's Antietam that really counts, I think; like, Gettysburg is Midway and Antietam is the Third Wave at Pearl Harbor. Hey, somebody, write those!) He's taken the series through World War One and is now gearing up for Two, with the Confederacy playing the role of the Third Reich (he's not bashing the South, read the books!) - and the Union, arguably, that of the Soviet Union, with Socialist President Upton Sinclair. (Shudder)

John Ross digs Turtledove's alternate history, but dislikes SF and fantasy - maybe I should e-mail him about Weber or Ringo. He's coming out with a sequel to Unintended Consequences, too.

195 - Saturday, 17 May 2003: HOLY CRAP I BOUGHT A CAR!

I had planned to make my way down to the woodworker's place at noon and look through the classified ads and run all over town with them to look at cars - but they beat me to it, calling me about 10am, having found one they judged good. Withdrew $500 from savings yesterday after work in case something was found. They've both bought, used, and sold many an auto in their time and, deferring to this experience, I paid $400 cash ($500 painted on window, $450 OBO in advertisement) for a 1988 Ford Escort two-door hatchback, 1.9-liter 4-speed, meter says 35k but has almost certainly rolled over. It's even my color, dark green! Took both out to Mongolian grill to celebrate (last week it was Shari's because the one we drove by wasn't completely mobbed with Mother's Day celebrants).

It's a stick, which I don't like, but I'll just have to practice; I have driven sticks and understand the principles (and I ride a 21-speed mountain bike, so I grasp the concept). Already managed to back-in for parking, will probably fiddle around the cul-de-sac for further familiarization. Now I have to go to DMV to get the title transferred, and then I still can't (legally) drive it because I don't have insurance yet, though my license is good ‘til September. Tags good ‘til February. Woodworker says he'll talk to an insurance-broker acquaintance, and now I have one I can plug in its particulars for the web-based insurance-quote engines.

Various little things wrong with it of course, but street-legal as far as we can tell. Reverse lights don't work, seat backs won't stay upright (the rear seat, folded down, conveniently blocks them from spilling the occupant backward, and when am I gonna have more than one passenger?), dome light broken and largely missing but repair/replaceable. Decent tires (with Les Schwab guarantee envelope in glovebox), spare (small emergency type) present, lug wrench and jack on board. Steering good. Power shoulder-belts still work on both sides! All fluids (except fuel of course) full at present, except washer fluid apparently. Passenger door lock slot mangled but it locks from the inside, and the driver's side and hatchback locks work fine. Parking brake OK. Interior in good shape, actually, except for typically cracked dashboard but that's not too bad. Glass OK, no damage noticed, no apparent leaks in doors or windows. Body in good shape, paint could be much worse (and used to be tan). Radio antenna missing but likely replaceable. Probably someone smoked in there, I can FeBreeze it if necessary. (Engineer/blacksmith friend will have special dispensation to smoke in my vehicle - will make sticker, "No Smoking except for...".) Lighter and socket present, can use it for power jack for handheld CB, etc. - if it works, which it doesn't seem to at the moment. Radio/CD player present, and extra speakers, but I'm not a music person, may remove and trade/sell them, all I'll likely want/need is AM news or talk. Besides, probably most modern musicians are leftists anyway (Dixie Chicks, for example).

Will need manual, i.e. Chilton or Haynes. In the past I would have gone to Powell's Books downtown for a good deal on a used one, but I now recognize that as a leftist establishment and, besides, it's downtown where the window-breaking, flag-burning, garbage-flinging "peace" protestors congregate. There are other bookstores. Then I'll start collecting typical spares and consumables, fluids, belts, hoses, etc., and will cruise out to a surplus store and get a military fuel can to have on board - there are some cleaning-kit cans on the surplus market, about two gallons but built just like the German/European 5-gallon type, that will be a good trade-off between capacity and space while still being tougher than the red plastic supermarket type. For parts and such, there's a U-Pull-It only blocks from work, between there and the woodworker's place actually. Will need tools, will buy a set when someone has them on sale, like the large hardware store blocks from my place. My apartment is an unholy mess but my car I expect to keep well-organized.

Used to have a list of cool anti-government, pro-liberty (but I repeat myself) bumper-stickers I would get, but now those apparently constitute Probable Cause for the blueshirts to detain-and-search-and-seize. :( Will look for, or make, Betsy Ross flag decal and probably stop there. :( :(

Washer fluid not empty, apparently pump not working. Interior could use some cleaning. Jack works. Rear seat has lap belts only, but present and functional. Woodworker suggests whole new front seats, i.e. from U-Pull-It.

Will need bike rack, probably roof-type as opposed to off-the-back. Hatchback lifters, as might be expected, not entirely functional but will stay up if jiggled right. Rear window defroster wires broken. Electric spaghetti under dash because of sound system (large speaker under passenger seat, probably another under driver's, will likely remove both, I'll have stuff I'd rather have under there). Should be getting good working-on-car weather soon, soggier Spring than usual even for Oregon.

HOLY CRAP I BOUGHT A CAR!!

I was disappointed with Hell's Faire... because it was too short! Ringo's afterword explains this was the rest of the book he was trying to write as of 9/11/01, also says he'll work on other things and come back to the Posleen universe in "a few years". Will leech from CD-ROM in back cover.

Now reading Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis. Again no immediately-obvious mention of Second Amendment, but it focuses more on the Founders' personalities and interactions anyway. Decently written at least, so far.

Continuing to fiddle with car. Lighter socket not connected, probably sacrificed to the sound system, hopefully some wiring information will be in whatever manual I get. Removed large speakers under front seats, loaded fire extinguisher, (presently-useless-)lighter-socket-powered CB radio, and single road flare I've had kicking around for a while (will get more, and a first-aid kit). Will my bicycle floor pump work on car tires? Can't see why not. Bugout bag, when rebuilt, will likely be in car regularly, containing battery-powered handheld CB and full-feature FRS radios. Will likely invest in Thomas Guide, and Washington state gazetteer, Oregon version loaded already. Antenna broken off, looks like I'll have to get inside the fender to replace it, a manual should show how.

HOLY CRAP I BOUGHT A CAR!!!

196 - Monday, 19 May 2003: Looks like all DMV offices in the Portland area close at 5pm. Today I got off work at 4:40.
:-/ One is open Saturday mornings, guess I won't be going shooting this weekend after all. :( $30 for a title transfer, and apparently another $30 for tags (which are already good ‘til February), and another $21 for DEQ every two years as the tags expire, if I read the website right. Insurance required by state law.

And $30 for shoes, today, twice what I usually pay despite their being on sale. Maybe they'll last longer. While in sporting goods store, looked at backpacks again, still considering a larger one for the bugout bag, although there's much to be said for traveling light - if it can't all fit in an ordinary schoolbook-type daypack I'm probably taking too much. Many descriptions, packing lists, personal experiences, etc. online regarding such emergency kits, have several bookmarked, should study them. For example: military surplus MREs are not the best choice, allegedly because they are formulated to cause constipation so soldiers can just keep on going, instead of, ah, going.

I wish this bachelor's hovel had more than one exit....

Neighbor attended the recent Sasquatch symposium, relayed report of UN (French and German) troop and helicopter sightings in Pacific Northwest backwoods a couple years ago. :-/ Might have just been foil-beanie stuff, but maybe not. Anyway them Blue Helmets are in for a shock. We kicked out the redcoats, we can damn sure boot out another batch of Europeans.

The problem will be motivation. I'd hate to be out there all by myself.

By the way... I am now a Sluggite, gods help me. It's John Ringo's fault, there's a crossover in his Posleen series. Still chugging through the archive.

Just learned that Earl Blumenauer, my - no, that's not right. Just learned that the representative for my district - he damn sure doesn't represent me - is one of the sponsors of HR2038, to reauthorize the 1994 "assault weapons" ban. Complete waste of time communicating with him, he is completely in the Enemy camp. Won re-election for his umptieth term by about 70% last time, which speaks volumes about cityfolk. Never had a real-world job in his life, straight out of law school, straight into politics.

197 - Tuesday, 20 May 2003: Hah! Got off work early, reached DMV in time, got title transferred. Carbonless copy for a temporary with Official Bureaucrat^TM rubber stamp, real one to be expected in mail in about a month. Starting to get dinky little stuff for the car, like a visor clip thingie to hold the registration form. Front license plate jammed against windshield, holes don't match the holes in the bumper, will likely need a plate holder. Plain black plastic will be fine, no sense giving the blueshirts an excuse they don't have to fabricate....

(And ain't that a helluva commentary on the "land of the free and the home of the brave"?)

Will try for more practice this Saturday after all, depending, as always, on weather. Forecast OK for Saturday but dreadful only hours later.

Need to start looking at bookstores, maybe I can score a used Chilton or Haynes manual. Starting to fiddle with the online insurance quote engines, encouraging: $40/month, or so. I could do that. Several offices around, a couple only a few blocks away. There are political considerations: some insurance companies have arbitrarily canceled, or refused to issue, coverage for gunfolk, on the basis of them being gunfolk. Farmer's Insurance is not, as I recall, one of these; and a year or so ago, when the stink was being raised, a local Farmer's agent had a table at the big Expo Center gun show....

198 - Friday, 23 May 2003: Hot! Forecast said mid-80s today and it felt like it. Payday and - ugh - going back out after work, bus/biking to a sporting goods store for a good deal on a new sleeping bag on sale. Eh, I can use the exercise. At least my arthritis doesn't bother me so much in this heat.

A web-based quote from Nationwide Insurance was under $40/month, but quotes from Progressive and AIG, both through InsWeb, were over $90 and over $100. Gotta get this insurance thing soon, places I want to go. For example: In yesterday's mail, a letter from OFF (actually OFEF) about a picnic/rally in Canby (where they're based) on July 12th. Might very well go (but if I see a certain dark blue minivan I'm turning right around and leaving). More important, I want to get up to Clark Rifles, or even up in the hills, for some real practice.

Meanwhile, Joseph J. Ellis, author of Founding Brothers, does not seem to like Thomas Jefferson. That, in my opinion, is a problem. Well, I'm almost done with the book, I'll finish it and read someone else's Jefferson bio (Ellis' is titled American Sphinx).

While at sporting goods store, went next door to other sporting goods (& auto-accessory) store and bought Haynes manual, $15. Also got more road flares (on sale), and free catalogs for Thule and Yakima racks. Back at the first one, also got a box of .440 round-ball for the flintlocks and the percussion derringer.

Saw some road flares sold with a little stand to keep them from rolling away - big deal, make some out of cardboard.

License plate frames have the same holes as the plates themselves, and no others, none of which match the holes in my car's front bumper. Huh? Heck with it, I'll just Dremel the necessary holes right into the plate.

Oh you gotta be kidding! About $275, a month's rent, for the most basic Yakima bike rack! I only paid $400 for the whole car! To hell with that, I'll just get a good look at them and make one!

Or find one at a flea market or garage sale. Whatever.

199 - Saturday, 24 May 2003: Got a fresh Winchester catalog from the sporting-goods store and - hmm - they're offering a new 12-gauge semiautomatic with rifle sights and 8-round magazine tube, the Super X2 Practical, Mk I with the cheesy folding Williams rear sight and the Mk II with a ghost- ring rear mounted on the back end of a barrel cantilever for a longer sight radius. Marketed for the racegun crowd, USPSA, etc., but would obviously make a good fighting tool too. Yipe! Suggested retail $1,212! Who do they think their customers are?

Of course the problem with tube-magazine shotguns is they take a long time to load. There are, or have been, speedloaders developed, but that's more money and at least one of them required alteration to the receiver, though I don't recall if it was permanent. Maybe I should get some ¾" i.d. PVC pipe - oops, make that 1", forgot the rims - and fiddle around. Keeping the cartridges in the loader until I want them out will be the tricky part.

Some years ago Winchester and Marlin both suffered an attack of Lawyeritis and added a manual safety button crosswise through the back of the receivers of their lever-actions, which pretty much nobody likes (one outfit is selling an aftermarket safety button disguised as a screw head, so it doesn't look as ugly). Winchester has now moved theirs to a sliding switch on the tang, which I think is an improvement, but still not a full recovery from the disease.

Milder today, some clouds, and rain expected in the afternoon. Morning errands and some breakfast, left on the 12:15 bus. Taking Mosin, 110 rounds, and variety of targets; also GP100 and 144 rounds including bedside duty ammo due for cycling.

Never did find eyeglass straps, doing without again. I've an idea where they are but going for them now would cause a tectonic event.

Still need new glasses. Considered eye drops but couldn't find any on morning errands; will ask eye doctor when I get the exam. Priorities: auto insurance, glasses.

Arrived about 1:30, starting at handgun range. As usual, reduced human silhouette targets at 10 yards. Plugs and muffs, from now on, except maybe muffs only with the Stevens or some other .22. Will have to get large sack of foam plugs.

Starting out a little rough, nosing down in anticipation of recoil, but that's why I'm here. Working on Weaver stance, haven't been turning sideways enough. Seven cylinders for warmup. Hot! Revolver gets hot! Fresh targets.

Now shooting for the website. Target #1 not awful, the next one... not. A few more cylinders of warmup on that one, not for scanning. Damn! Adjusting windage again! It's not the sight, it's me, I'm just overcompensating. Windage looking good now, and starting to settle down.

Fresh targets. Room for three on the target stand. Now really being careful, slow fire (double-action, or more accurately trigger-cocking, as always, of course). "First comes good, then comes fast. Again, Hattie, again!" :)

Record target #2 okay, maybe one click less windage. But now I'm finally starting to group. #3 embarrassing, more warmup. #4... eh. 36 rounds left, fresh targets.

#5 pretty good except for the first round. Six and seven about the same. Fresh targets again. #8, adequate I guess. #9... better. #10, last revolver ammo, somewhat disappointing, but progress has been made. 2:30pm, to rifle range. Heh - the range bag is lighter.

Right off, scored a bunch of Remington .30-30 brass, maybe 40 or 50 pieces. I don't have a .30-30 but wouldn't mind one (preferably Marlin), and I can always barter it. Using lane 1, two of these targets - can't recall which one and don't have the bandwidth to download them all again, it has four two-inch squares and a two-inch diamond - at 50 yards. The aiming points consist of a two-inch black square with a one-inch white center, therefore with a half-inch black border. Line all to myself to start. Ballistics will likely be different at 50, I'm guessing high, since it has to go through and come down again at 100.

String #1, a couple hits - encouraging. Hollow squares much harder to see than the solid 4MOA I've been using at 25. String #2 - yup, high. Was aiming low for #1. #3, compensating with ordinary 6-o'-clock hold, one hit kind of by accident. #4, holding lower, goodgodsa'mighty how the hell did I do that?! (The one entirely in the white is, I believe, a flyer from string #6.) #5, not too bad for twice the distance I'm used to and elevation by guess. Heh - ground debris, small leaves and such, roiling in the muzzle blast a good ten or fifteen feet downrange.

Got the chargers figured out, mostly. As said in April, entry #177, must set the rims in the chargers and place in the guide that way. This mostly works but is still a hassle, they don't all stay set in transit. Looking forward to switching to Mauser, which does not have this problem. Still haven't ordered Mojo sights. 110 rounds brass-case Albanian surplus left for the Mosin.

String #s 6 through 9 pretty bad. Rifle is hot. Should have brought long-sleeve shirt to reduce chafing of support arm by the Hasty Sling, and of elbows on the bench. Will make BDU shirt regular part of range bag. #10 almost 4MOA but off to the left, probably the hot barrel. Recoil tolerance good. Just discovered I've been using the Hasty Sling imperfectly, not high enough on the upper arm. Fresh targets, and nature break. Another shooter arriving on lane 3 as I return.

These are not the best targets for my purposes. They're sized for 50-yard use the way I'm doing it, and at 50 the aiming points are too close together, flyers from one string get mixed with hits from another. May just make one more to my taste.

String #11 high, some off the top of the paper. Will work on making one with two aiming points, that should work, and would still only need to go out to the target stand half as often. String #12 better, though I thought I flinched for most of it. Thirteen about the same. Fourteen and fifteen ugly.

Sixteen, better, only one miss. Seventeen, not better. Eighteen would be pretty damn good if it went where it was supposed to. Nineteen and twenty ugly again. Distracted by talkative neighbor.

Ten rounds left, fresh targets, the two-inch/4MOA center I've had for a while. Strings 21 and 22, geometrically, about the same as I've been doing at 25 yards on the one-inch target. Out of ammo! Productive session for handgun, somewhat disappointing for rifle, but any practice is better than none at all.

Also, pretty much back in biking shape now. Left about 5pm, returned about 6. Started dinner, then started cleaning at 6:15. This time, ran a dry patch through the Mosin's bore after the window-cleaner patch, and mopped boltface with CLP, before leaving range. This seems to work, will stick with it when I switch to the Mauser with the corrosive-primed Turk surplus. The Mosin taken care of, I can relax and take my time with the modern-smokeless-fed GP100.

GOA alert in mail, about Dubya supporting the ‘94 Ban. Sent pre-printed postcard, sent $20 check, put stamps on other two postcards, will seek individuals of like mind to sign their names & addresses.

200 - Sunday, 25 May 2003: Went to OAC show - late; arrived about 11:15, everyone already packing up. Blew $20 on a (Excellent condition!) M48 Yugo Mauser bayonet with steel scabbard, now everything in my collection that can take a bayonet, does.

New cartoon!

201 - Monday, 26 May 2003: Paid holiday. Did my riflemanly duty on Saturday. Zzzzz....

Just learned from rec.guns that Mojo is having a summer sale on their sights. Apparently their website is set up for Java for online ordering, and my Win95/Opera machine doesn't do that for some reason, but there's a snail-mail address, I'll pound out a cover letter and send a check. Pretty sure I want the T38 set for the VZ24. $44.00 instead of $55.

Also sent paper letter to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, urging him to let the "assault weapons" ban die on schedule in September ‘04.

202 - Wednesday, 28 May 2003: Summer is here, even if not officially. Forecast a little less so for this weekend but might go back to English Pit again anyway.

Running low on .357 ammunition, just when I'm making progress. Have enough white-box 110-grain JHP for one more useful session, I think, barely. Have a pile of Winchester brass (I get the impression Winchester is preferred over Remington, and for loaded rounds too) but nothing to reload it with yet. Some UMC (Remington) yellow-box stuff in Bi-Mart's latest coupon book but it's a different load than my GP100 is sighted-in for anyway. Actually have a couple hundred rounds of assorted .38 and .357, a box of this and a box of that, but if I'm trying to teach myself how to hit stuff with a handgun, I should stick with one load, one set of ballistics (even at only 10 yards).

Remington Thunderbolt .22LR in there again too, $7.99/500, but I got two of those last time on principle and it never was my favorite load anyway.

Ready to buy auto insurance, if I can get a decent rate - like, $50 a month, or so. Nationwide seems the best bet so far, their website quote engine spat out one for under $40. Not ordering anything from Dixie Gun Works or Gun Parts Corp. until next payday, the 6th, at least. Dammit. I want the 1861 fully functional.

Finally made it all the way through the Sluggy archive. Some of the guest cartoonists, when the regular guy is on vacation or sick, have leaned left on occasion, but the original author seems, at worst, quite deliberately neutral.

203 - Thursday, 29 May 2003: Oops - forgot the electric bill, almost. Going down, though, now under $31. I wasted a lot of money on that baseboard heater. Also I've switched to compact flourescent bulbs inside, and found a 50W floodlight to replace the 75 I was using to light the flag outside.

Finally starting on flintlock pistol #2. Just reassembling the lock to start. CLP, elbow grease, and a brass-wire brush do adequately for the rust. Lockplate... hammer, tumbler & screw... mainspring, or bridle? Doesn't seem to matter. Ah- mainspring, the bridle goes over the sear. As expected, the mainspring is not cooperating. Look at it.... Mainspring pushes down on front extension of tumbler, bridle limits tumbler rotation - mainspring must go on before tumbler! Remove hammer and tumbler, carefully compress mainspring with vise-grip pliers, install tumbler and bridle together - success! Screw down bridle now before something escapes. Rear bridle screw is also sear screw, get that in there too. Sear spring already reinstalled while pondering mainspring problem. Looking good.

Now the hammer. Then the slightly inadequate frizzen spring (...no, it's all right after all), then the frizzen, and the lock is back together! That wasn't so hard. Getting that ugly cheesy gunky red finish off the stock, that will be some work. Will need some fine sandpaper (some ugly sanding marks on the stock too, but I know how to fix those, I just wonder how much wood will be left) and/or some new Dremel bits, or maybe just different sleeves for the whatchamacallit drum thingies I already have for it. Later.

Hmm, the mainspring's engagement of the tumbler is precarious when the hammer is all the way down - in a dry test it slipped off the end and had to be recompressed with the vise-grips to go back in place! Possibly I can bend the end of the spring out a little so more of it engages the tumbler, but I think I'll need a real vise for that. Well, that's one of the things I was going to get anyway. Also, the bridle is cracked and may be letting the tumbler go just too far, and might eventually let go altogether. That could be a problem, where would I find one that would match? Eh, I'll try that longshot lock I found in the GPC catalog, later, maybe I can replace the whole lock and work on the original at leisure.

I think the bridle was already cracked when I got it, but I might have done it while trying to get it off. Anyway it's weak there to begin with, they could have left a bunch more metal there and prevented the problem. Probably it will last longer without non-sparking dry-firing, as in live fire the frizzen will "catch" the impact and reduce the stress on the part of the bridle that the tumbler stops against.

I could make a replacement, maybe. Saw a Harbor Freight newspaper insert the other day, a mini mill-drill-lathe for $570, but that would take a long time to save up for and I just don't do payment plans if I can possibly avoid it (except for dirt-cheap surplus rifles that I know are well within my means). I've been strongly-hinted to get a raise in June but for various reasons that would give me indigestion and just make me too damn angry if I wrote them out here, I really hate that job.

And everyone tells me I'm lucky to have a job in this economy.

Phooey.

Ah- perhaps a simpler solution. I could build up the bridle, and/or the tumbler, at the point(s) where they come into contact, like with shim stock and silver solder, thereby limiting the tumbler's travel. Would only need a couple-few hundredths thickness, I think. Small (as in tiny) work, though, and I've never actually done silver solder (though I have done the regular kind, and was trained as a welder, both oxy-acetylene and electric-arc, so I have some idea what certain metals do when hot). Maybe JB Weld instead? That would be even easier, but would it hold up to the battering every time the hammer dropped? Anyway, would have to almost completely disassemble the lock again, but now I know how to get the mainspring back where it belongs with a minimum of cussing.

Also Ah- 220 rounds left for the Mosin, not 110. That's enough for two more useful sessions, if I also empty the 50-round bandolier (counted in the 220) instead of keeping it in reserve. And by that time the Mojo sights should arrive and I can switch to the Mauser, for which I've got over 1,000 rounds. Found a little inspector's note in the bottom of the original ammo can, apparently this 7.62x54mmR is 1989 production like I first guessed after all. Chargers reloaded, sack of cartridges in range bag, mostly ready for next trip, but still haven't decided on this weekend. Forecast cooler and cloudier but still dry.

204 - Saturday, 31 May 2003: Fuji, the large neurotic cat, got me out of bed rather earlier than I might have intended, by walking all over me with his sharp pointy claws and rubbing his snotty little kitty snout in my face.

(Awww....)

More tired than I thought, even from a four-day work week. Normal quitting time is supposed to be 4:30 but yesterday was busy and I didn't get out ‘til a quarter past five, and generally I'm the one slinging the 30-pound-average boxes onto the UPS trailer. About 450 of them yesterday. Do I have enough energy to go to English Pit and still have a useful practice session? Maybe after breakfast.

Now here's a problem: once I start driving, I'll be getting less exercise from bicycling, and I already have more gut than I should. Also, once driving I won't be going back to the unsuitable English Pit, but rather to Clark Rifles or into the hills, both of which are far outside of bicycle range anyway, so I wouldn't just go to English Pit by bike instead of car to get exercise if I'm going out anyway. Hmm.

Weather all right today, and a heat wave - 90s! - forecast for the week.

If I go, today and/or next weekend, I would like to take the Stevens .22 because of its dirt-cheap (and compact!) ammo, but I still need to get a taller front sight for it. Also, the plan for the Mosin would be, at this point, for a whole session at 100 yards, but I would only be able to put two four-inch/4MOA aiming points on the target holder without the RO getting upset, and hiking 100 yards every ten rounds, and waiting for everyone else on the line to finish for a cease-fire, is a real hassle. Probably I would only fire a couple strings at 100 to see what happens, then move back to 25 with the one-inch targets I've been using mostly. Then the next session would be the AQT, incorrectly from a benchrest, again. At the longer distance, would likely need my bulkier 45x Tasco spotting scope (it was on sale!) instead of my little 25x brass period-looking telescope, and there's only so much room on the bike.

Yawn - [ache] - no, I'll veg out this weekend, I have enough errands to run on this side of the Columbia River anyway, like laundry and grocery shopping. But I'll definitely plan for the 7th. Big Expo show on the 14th-15th.

Sigh - another e-mail alert from OFF. RINO Senator John Minnis is scheduling another hearing on SB 300, a load of back-door self-defense-prohibition masquerading as something to combat "domestic violence". Paper letters (their staffs probably delete e-mail summarily): a nasty one to Minnis wondering how much the crooks cut him in for, and the unaltered OFF form letter to Senator Charlie Ringo, who according to my cheat-sheet, a list of contact information printed from the official state government website, is a Democrat, but OFF describes him as a swing voter.

Really disliking Oregon now. Too damn many cityfolk, way too much government. If a meteor obliterated 900 Court Street NE in Salem with the state legislature in full session, Oregon would be a lovely place to live. But I imagine that can be said of most states and their capitols.

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