You can't make up funny this good

At least I couldn't, not even if I tried.

 Click to embiggen.

Anyways, I've always heard Christ rode a pogo stick.

Lokidude

The Latest Addition

Bex here to tell about the latest addition to family. Sorry, no creepy ultrasounds are forthcoming at this time. The time finally came for me to get a gun of my very own.

If you had asked me a year or two ago whether or not I would ever buy a handgun specifically for me, the answer would have been a probably not. I've never been anti-gun, but definitely not a big gun nut either. My dad had guns in the house and took me and my brothers rifle shooting on the rare occasion. I knew enough about guns to not be scared of them and how to be safe, but that was the extent of my exposure growing up.

Loki, as usual, was the corrupting influence in my life. Before we started dating he took me to the gun range and taught me how to shoot handguns. I have to admit that I had a ton of fun with them, and I was hooked. Every time after that when I found out Loki was going shooting I did my best to be able to go with him so that I could get some trigger time too. The only problem that I had is that none of Loki's guns really fit my hands - it's the curse of having small hands. Not to mention Loki has a fetish for the bigger, heavier gun frames that I find just a little clunky. That doesn't mean that I don't know how to clear, load and shoot every gun in the house. There are just some guns that I like better than others.

I've also been seriously thinking about getting my own concealed carry permit. Living with a permit holder and learning more and more about gun rights, laws and issues - as well as just listening to the news at night - it makes you start to think about protecting yourself from the wolves out there, both the literal and figurative wolves due to where we live. My one condition is that when I get my permit, I want to carry a gun that I feel completely comfortable shooting, fits well in my hand, and more importantly in this house... it's MINE!

Loki was definitely not opposed to getting a gun for me, as long as it was a quality gun. So down to the local gun shop we went. Within 30 minutes I had fallen in love. The next stop was to a not so local gun range to actually shoot one. I knew that the gun felt good in my hand, but actually shooting it can be a different story. One 16 round magazine later I knew that I had to have this gun.

Again Loki showed how supportive he was in this endeavor by actually trading in one of his own guns, the 4043 S&W, to help bank roll my gun. Granted giving up that gun was not a big loss to either of us as we did not enjoy shooting it one bit and our accuracy with it was horrible, but it's still the thought that counts.

So by now you're probably asking what gun did I decide upon....

It's a brand new .40 caliber XDM with a 4 inch barrel complete with all of the toys in the box. I had to laugh at the label on the side of the case "NOT LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA". Is anything legal in California nowadays?

One feature I do love is that the XDM comes with 3 different backstraps so that you can tailor the grip to your hand. Of course I threw on the smallest backstrap as soon as we had it home. Next stop is to take it out the range and have some fun! Happy shooting everyone!

Damn you, Whitebread!

As if I didn't have enough stupid projects and bad ideas to keep me occupied and broke for the next decade, Whitebread had to drop a link to Hack A Day today.  After I killed much of the evening reading back through the archives, I'm inspired, and far from done reading.  Check it out, but I'm not responsible for any consequences.

And Whitebread, I hate you, dude.  Thanks.

Lokidude

Three Full Mags, And My Swinging Cod!

Had to retire my 4043 this weekend, at least for the time being.  Bex and I went to an excellent range in Salt Lake (Get Some Guns & Ammo) and she made up her mind about her upcoming purchase of a carry gun, but that's her story to tell, not mine.

We were shooting at 5 yards, and with the gun she wants to buy, I dumped a full mag into the head of a silhouette target at 5 yards, in quick order.  I picked up the 4043, and couldn't group worth a damn.  Just to make sure it wasn't me, I loaded the 1911, and put 8 rounds in a 4" circle at that range, and with a quickness.  Back to the .40, and back to garbage shooting.  So, back to the 1911, at least until I wring the S&W out.  With winter coming on, I'm not too worried about packing the big gun, and 2 spare 8 round mags don't leave me feeling undergunned compared to a single spare 11 rounder.  I'll probably end up selling the S&W, and maybe even buying a twin to what she's buying, so we can share ammo and mags, which is always a plus.

(Actually, I'm carrying more ammo now than I was before.  3 8 round mags, plus one in the chamber, makes 25, as opposed to 2 11 round mags plus one, for a total of 23.)

Thank God for spare guns.

Lokidude

(If you don't get the title, I feel sorry for you.  Say 10 Hail Joss Whedons, and pray to Adam Baldwin for forgiveness.)

Almost as cool as Zombie Reagan

It's Vicious Circle 66: Zombie Lincoln!

I had the pleasure to spend a couple hours with alan, aepilotjim, JayG, and Tracie (Mrs. Whitebread), talking about the Marine Corps Commandant (he clanks when he walks), electric cars, Jesse Jackson's expensive gas ride getting jacked, the nutter who went after Discovery, and Californians still being able to own guns.

The links are here, if you feel like reading along.

I may not have brought all 50%, but I did have three screwdrivers!

Lokidude

Southern Style Granite; Free to make STUPID business decisions.

Ambulance Driver asked for a favor, and since 1) he's a good man asking for a favor, and b) I agree with what he's asking, here goes.  There is, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a business named Southern Style Granite who seems to have an issue with folks in homosexual relationships.  The post is here.  RTWT

Anyhoo, Robert brings to our attention one Baton Rouge area business, Southern Style Granite. They have a really nasty attitude toward gays, to the point of refusing to do business with them.

And that’s fine, really. If they’re afraid of the gay cooties, that’s their business. The libertarian in me tells me that, as a private business, they have the right to refuse service to anyone.

But they don’t have the right to be immune from the consequences of their intolerance and bigotry.

Um, do they not realize how many interior designers are gay? Jeez, talk about not knowing your clientele!

So do me a favor, and link this post in your own blogs, or link Robert’s post, and let’s Google bomb these backwards-assed yahoos into the 21st century. You did it for me with those mouth-breathers at Cycles and More, and now I’m asking you to do the same with Southern Style Granite. This post or Robert’s needs to be the #1 Google result by the end of the week.

Pass the word along.  Be the change.

Lokidude

Why don't you go first, Skippy?

It seems some envirowhacko reject took some hostages at the Discovery Channel headquarters yesterday and got himself fatally ventilated for his trouble.  As happens in such best-case scenarios, none of the hostages or rescuers were harmed.

He'd posted a nutty "manifesto" online, like they all do.  Seriously, the thing reads like it was written by an 8th grader.  Or an illiterate libtard.  My apologies to 8th graders.

According to his scholarly writing, he was a "Human Extinction Project" sort of nutball.  Which, logically, is pretty damn dumb.  But he's entitled to his dumb ideas.  He's even entitled to be as vitriolic about it as he was.  But for the love of God, grow some stones, shut your damn mouth, and lead by example.  (Yes, he's dead, but he made a cop off him, because he was too chickenshit to follow his own preachings.)

By the by, Bex and I want kids.  While I'll grant that fools like James Jay Lee have every right to be as horrible, hateful, and vitriolic as they please, call me (or, God help you, my wife) a "filthy breeder" having "pollution parasite babies," and I can pretty much promise that things will get interesting, in every sense of the word that you can possibly imagine.

Lokidude

Overheard in the War Machine

(during a conversation about what to name our new-to-us boat)

Me:  Floating Divorce?  To go with the Divorce on Wheels?

Bex: You are SO never allowed to divorce me!

L:  So I have to kill you first? *wink*

B:  Yeah, pretty much.  Or I'll kill you.

L:  I'm faster on the draw.

B:  Who says I can't set an ambush?

L:  I love you honey!

Seriously, my wife is awesome.

Lokidude

This just in...

A determined grasshopper can hold on to the hood of an old Ford at 35 mph for about as long as he feels like.

Lokidude

Top Shot: Finale

This week is the finale.  The final four consist of Peter Palma, JJ Racaza, Chris Cerino, and Iain Harrison.

Elimination Challenge #1:  Dueling flipper targets, using a Beretta 92.  The competitors have 60 seconds and 40 rounds to flip as many targets as possible to their designated color.

The first matchup is JJ and Chris.  JJ, as expected, dominates Chris, leaving only one target scored for Chris.

The second matchup is Pete vs Iain.  Iain beats Pete 7-3.  That makes the elimination round Peter vs Chris.  In the elimination round, Pete got out to an early lead, but was soundly beaten by Chris in the end.

Elimination Challenge #2:  The competitors are allowed to pick between 3 pistols and 3 rifles, and are basically playing HORSE with their shots.  JJ starts with an 8" pane of glass, at 50 yards, standing, one handed, with the Schofield revolver, and misses, hitting the target frame.  Iain hits JJ's shot, and Chris hits the frame and doesn't break the pane.  Iain takes the lead, and calls the next shot.  S&W double action revolver, shot glasses, 50 yards, and drills the shot.  Chris also nails his shot, and JJ misses again.  Chris takes the HK rifle, 2 hands, standing, beer mugs at 100 yards.  Chris misses his shot, giving JJ a chance to stay in.  JJ also misses his shot, and is eliminated.

Elimination Challenge #3:  As Iain and Chris walk up to the final range, all of the "Green Team" members are there to greet them and watch the final challenge.  The final challenge is a composite.  Thrown knives, longbows, Colt single actions, the Winchester and rope challenge, a Beretta 92 and a 1.5" tube, an AR-15 and a plate array, and an M-14 with two exploding targets.

Iain jumps  out to an early lead on the knife, and extends it on the bow.  Chris quickly closes the gap and takes the lead, as Iain has trouble early on the Peacemaker.  The two are virtually tied going into the Winchester rope shot.  Chris severs the rope first, but Iain is only two shots behind.  Iain's first shot on the Beretta breaks the glass in the tube, and he reclaims the lead, but not by much.  Iain extends his lead on the AR-15, and shortly after, Chris follows him to the M-14.   Iain hits his 100 yard target quickly, and Chris ties it up, but Iain beats him on the 300 yard bull and wins the competition.

Congratulations, sir, and to all the competitors, you put on one hell of a show.

Lokidude

Food is love

The house currently smells like bacon, garlic, and cilantro.  Bex and I are making chili, and the smell alone is worth it.

I come from a family where food is love.  If we feed you, it means we like you.  And we like a lot of people, so I pretty much lack the ability to cook for 2 people.  Hence the 3 gallon pot of chili currently on the stove.  Not my fault, blame Mom and Dad, they taught me that way.  I'll try to put together some semblance of a recipe later (we cook to taste around here, not to some crazy measurement),  but as a preliminary, it has north of 5 pounds of meat, 2 1 pound bags of beans, and a full head of garlic.  And one more ingredient.  Our secret ingredient.  (Yes, I've been wanting to use that line for YEARS.)

Yes, Texas, it has beans.  As proper chili should.

Lokidude

Making with the stabby

I need information on bayonet mounting.  If I wanted to mount a bayonet on a rifle that has no bayonet lug, how would I go about it?  I'd rather not try and weld on the bottom of my barrel.  The gun in question is a Remington 760, so some 870 parts will fit on it.  WECSOG is fine, as are modifications, as this rifle is going to be exceptionally custom when I'm done.

Also, what bayonets would be a good fit on a rifle like this?  I'd like something in a 4-6" blade, quick-detach would be nice, and interchangeability with an AR would be a big plus, but not a dealbreaker.

Lokidude

Why I love junkyards

I'm gonna get myself in trouble, not be allowed to go to the junkyard anymore. Stopped in today, made a purchase, and found myself a set of mirrors for my truck, for $20. I didn't have that much cash on hand, so I'll be picking up the mirrors tomorrow. As for the purchase?

Online, they go for $12 each, plus shipping, which isn't cheap on a 20 pound can.  Plus, mine came with a very good rubber seal, which many of the online ones don't have.  It's completely rust free, the dark spots are where the red overspray has worn down to the OD paint underneath.

Total cost?  $6.55.  Yeah, some days you're the windshield.

Lokidude

Top Shot: The Shortest Fuse

This week's Top Shot opens with the end of team competition. Everybody dons their green shirts, and gets ready for the beginning of individual eliminations.

Challenge #1 this week is the famed "Fuse" shot. 10 rounds from a Beretta 92 to cut a burning fuse. The competitor with the shortest fuse at the end of the match loses. Blake, Iain, and Kelly miss the fuse entirely. JJ also misses all 10 rounds. Pete pops the fuse on his second shot, and dumps the other 8 rounds in rapid-fire celebration. Chris hit the fuse on his 4th shot, but it still burns through. Adam breaks the fuse as well, and imitates Pete's celebration.

The five shooters that missed their fuses have to shoot a tiebreaker. Chris shoots first, and hits his fuse. Kelly shoots second, runs dry, and misses his fuse. Blake misses his fuse. Iain pounds the fuse several times near the explosive at the end, and manages to cut it. JJ pops his fuse early on, but keeps shooting for insurance, and breaks his fuse. Kelly and Blake have a tiebreak, one bullet each on a standard bulls-eye, closest to the bull advances. Kelly puts a round touching the top edge of the bull. Blake pulls his round low and gets eliminated.

The second elimination challenge of the night is an endurance challenge, running and gunning. 3 rifles, one pistol. TT99 pistol, HK93, Mosin Nagant, and SVT-40, in that order, while running up a hill. The slowest 2 times get eliminated.

Kelly goes first, making short work of the course, hitting in one shot on all the guns, and scoring a time of 1:30.

Pete goes second, loading only one round in each weapon. He also one-shots everything, and gets a final time of 1:21.

Chris makes excellent time up the hill, one-shots the course, and ties Pete's time. Actually, he does it in .7 faster than Pete, and takes a slim lead.

Iain clears the course in 4 rounds, with a time of 1:25.

Adam has the first miss of the course, on his third target, but he hits with his second. He finishes with a time of 1:36, putting him in last place.

JJ runs a perfect course, with a time of 1:20, to win the course, and send Kelly and Adam home.

Next week, the finale.

Lokidude

Top Shot: The Razor's Edge

This episode starts with Red team returning, along with Kelly, after winning his second elimination challenge in a row. Kelly indicated to Denny that he was next, and the count is now 3 Red team members, and 6 Blue.

The teams head out to practice in a miserable downpour. The weapon this week is a throwing knife. Blue trains first, and JJ may have found his Kryptonite in the throwing knife, and Blake struggles as well. Iain, on the other hand, looks like he's throwing darts.

The rain has stopped by Red's practice. Denny struggles, Pete does relatively well, and Kelly once again proves the "no skills" crowd totally wrong, filling the target board with steel.

Tara gets a call that her father is quite ill, but at his urging, she decides to stay in the competition.

The team challenge is throwing knives at six targets along a progressively narrowing balance beam. Adam and JJ for Blue must play, as they sat out last week, and they pick Iain to throw with them.

Iain and Adam miss with their first two knives, but JJ hits with his first. The same story repeats itself on the second target. Iain drills his first knife on the third target. Adam misses 2 on the fourth board, and JJ repeats his perfect streak. Iain misses twice on 5, as does Adam. JJ extends his perfect streak, and then Iain hits his first knife on the final target. Final time, 3:05.

Red gets up on the line. Denny leads off, and misses his first two, and Kelly drills his first blade. Pete misses both on the second board, as do Denny and Kelly. After a couple passes through, Kelly finally hits the second board, and Pete nails the third on his first throw. Denny sticks one in the support on 4 that doesn't count, and Kelly clears it. Pete's first knife scores on 5, and Denny does the same on 6. Final time, 3:10. Blue wins again, and Red is off to the nomination range.

At the nomination range, Pete and Kelly vote for Denny, and Denny gets to pick his opponent, choosing Pete.

Tara gets another call about her father, and learns he has days to live. She bids farewell to her team and heads home to take care of her family.

The elimination challenge is going to involve slingshots. They'll be shooting at 8, 10, and 12" targets. 20 marbles, 60 seconds. Denny's targets are yellow, Pete's are orange, and a hit on the opposing target nets your opponent a point. Pete shows up rocking his lucky tie, which is just so stylish.

Denny hits the first target, but Pete jumps to the lead, and Denny is never able to catch up. The lucky tie pays off, and Pete beats Denny 7-5.

Two episodes left, and next week, it becomes an individual competition. Tune in, same Bat time, same Bat channel.

Lokidude

Reason 1031 why I love this town

Bex and I just got back from Montana State University's traveling "Shakespeare in the Park" putting on a phenomenal performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." (Quite possibly my all-time favorite Shakespeare.) The kicker? The amphitheatre is about 100 yards from my door. And the show was on a donation basis, and earned every dime they made.

I wouldn't trade my life for anything.

Lokidude

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Top Shot - Trick Shots

Okay, after a week off for business, we're back to Top Shot this week.

This week is trick shots.  The weapons, on practice day, are a Winchester 1873, an S&W M&P revolver, and a Schofield (one of my favorite wheelguns of all time.)  They're training Annie Oakley's "mirror shot" over the shoulder with the Winchester.  With the M&P, they're replicating Ed McGivern's double-action one-handed "dot shot."  The Schofield is being used for a boilerplate exhibition shooter trick, blasting thrown cabbages.  Denny's putting on a decent show for Red in practice, and everybody did okay with the rifle, but the pistol work seemed very rough on them.  Blue shoots well enough with the rifle, does moderately with the M&P, and can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn with the Schofield.  Disappointing, considering they have JJ and Blake.

The team challenge involves Annie Oakley's shot with a mirror, then driving a literal tack with the M&P, then a thrown soda can.  The fourth shooter has to hit a half-size soda can thrown into the air.  3 shots per challenge, one point per shot.  The half-can of soda is worth 2 points each.


Red
Rifle - Pete 3/3
Naildriving - Denny 0/3
Full can - Brad 0/3 (he hit his first, but it was over the rope, instead of under)
Half-can - Kelly 1/3

Blue
Rifle - Tara 3/3
Naildriving - Chris 2/3
Full can - Iain 1/3

Blue wins, 6 points to 5.

On the nomination range, Brad votes for Kelly, and Kelly returns the favor.  Denny votes Kelly, and Pete votes for Brad, and makes a funny about his consistent voting.  This puts Kelly and Brad in the elimination challenge, and Kelly is displeased, to say the least.

The elimination practice is shooting hand-thrown pigeons with a shotgun, another exhibition shooter staple.  Both shooters seemed to be at about the same level, both shooting and throwing, but the practice didn't allow for them doing both.

Kelly and Brad both break their single bird, Kelly hits one of two on his second, and Brad hits both, to take a 1 point lead.  Kelly hits one again on his 3 bird round, as does Brad.  Kelly breaks 3 on his 4 bird round, while Brad hits 1.  Kelly breaks 2 his 5 bird round, 2 targets, and Kelly wins yet another elimination challenge.

From here on out, it looks like the competition gets much more intense.

Lokidude

Counting Down

In just over 11 hours, I fly out to Seattle for a week-long class. As a side benefit, I get to finally meet Gay_Cynic from the #gunblogger_conspiracy. Content will be obviously light.

"All My bags are packed, I'm ready to go..."

Lokidude

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Blogroll updates

It's been forever since the roll has been updated, and the pile is deep.  I promise to be better about procrastinating, I swear.

First, two updates:

Weer'd Beard went and got himself a big boy blog.

Salamander moved his blog on Wordpress.

New Conspirators:

ZerCool blogs over at Panem et Circenses ... et Plumbum. He's good people, with a taste for Smiths that make JayG and me jealous.

The OrangeNeck finally went and got himself a blog.  And he's every bit as good as we all knew he'd be.

Antitango writes over at Not a Tango, nothing to see here...  A former Marine, living in my hometown.  (I swear, buddy, I will get the chance to hook up with you one of these days.)

DaddyBear is over at Daddy Bear's Den.  A delightful combination of guns, Irish Woman, and the joys of parenthood.

Sarah over at Cranky Chicks with Guns is an utter riot.  Wal*Mart funny, guns, news of the weird...  A worthy read.

I've known Chris over at Simple Musings from a Guy With Guns online for a couple years now.  Sharp witted newshound with camera skills, and a love of the Second Amendment.

New Great Gunnies:

J Wilson is over at Wilsonblog.  The very least that can be said is that he has most excellent taste in guns.  More than that, he puts up some awesome pictures.  Enjoy.

My buddy Moose42 posts MHI fanfic and other awesome writings at Alone: King of One.

Molly Smith over at The Molly Minute...  She can't drive for a couple more years, but she's got the smile of true joy, and the ability to embarrass you with a handgun in a major way.

Go, read, enjoy.

Lokidude

On the Wyoming Governor's race

 I just sent the following email to Matt Mead, Colin Simpson, Ron Micheli, and Rita Meyer, the GOP candidates for Governor of the State of Wyoming.

In light of the upcoming GOP primary in the state of Wyoming, I have some questions about where you stand on issues related to gun rights, and the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.  I greatly appreciate your input on this matter, as it will be critical in aiding my decision of which candidate to support.

1. Do you believe that the Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" and that the Bill of Rights acknowledges our birthrights?

2. If so, should these rights be proactively protected from infringement by all levels of government, including city, county and state?

3. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider constitutional.

4. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider unconstitutional.

5. Does the right to bear arms include the right for any peaceable citizen to carry them concealed without a permit, as in Vermont?

6. Do you believe that Americans have a right to own, use and carry weapons of military pattern, and will you use the prestige of elected office to publicly promote that right?

7. Do you support or oppose registration of weapons? Why?

8. Do you support or oppose licensing requirements to own or carry firearms?
Why?

9. What specific gun laws will you work to get repealed?

10. If elected, will you back your words of support for firearms rights up with consistent actions? How?

Thank you,

Lokidude

The questionnaire itself comes from David Codrea at The War on Guns, and is available here.  A tip of the hat goes to Top of the Chain for directing me to the original survey.

I'll keep you posted on any and all replies I receive, and intend on sending the same questions to the candidates for the state legislature from my district.

Lokidude