Monday, February 04, 2008
Whittington II
Whittington I
Monday, January 28, 2008
Mea Culpa
I've had some weird shit to deal with and couldn't find the time to blog.
I think that's done.
We've got a ton of shit to post if I can get off of my ass. I hope that happens, but I can't promise it. See how she goes.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Slipping on by on LSD, Friday Night Trouble-Bound
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tony Couldn't Fly, Tony Died
Monday, October 22, 2007
NY Times BS
This awoke me from my slumber. The New York Times has decided to not charge money for access for its opinion page. I'm not sure that was a good idea as far as my personal mental health goes.
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/opinion/23tue3.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin
Dumbass sentence #1:
...a groundbreaking measure signed into law earlier this month by the state’s Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, offers a realistic hope for bringing more murderers, gang members and other armed criminals to justice.
Think they have those weird, ESP bitches from "Minority Report?" Think they have the future mapped out like those outlaws in the "Terminator" series?
Alas and alack, no.
"Under the new measure — the Crime Gun Identification Act — manufacturers of semiautomatic weapons will have to equip new guns sold in California starting in 2010 with inexpensive technology known as microstamping. This process involves using lasers to create microscopic markings that record the make, model and serial number of a semiautomatic handgun onto its firing pin and other internal surfaces. These markings automatically transfer onto the bullet shell casing when a gun is fired, providing a valuable lead for police investigators when, as commonly happens, casings from the shooter’s weapon are found at a crime scene."
Holy Mother of Jesus, I feel better. God knows it would take a PhD to defeat any of the measures the Kindergarden Cop and his leftist cohorts have devised for the criminal element. I'm sure I could never figure out how to use a file, especially if I didn't have a job and could devote whole days to the endevour.
Why are people who write for newspapers so stupid?
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Range Report
We got out this afternoon in anticipation of the Whittington thing. We brought 3 rifles, but ended up only shooting the M-40. We ran handloaded match 168 grain and 175 grain (both Sierra.) Both were flawless. Based on advice I've received lately, the 175 is better for long distance. My experience today did not back that theory.
In addition, we shot Aussie, South African, and Lake City rounds (all 147 grain.) The Aussie did great, as it has consistently shown in both bolts and sem-autos. The SA seemed to be a little hotter, but wouldn't extract. Lake City was acceptable, but nowhere near where the Aussie was.
All were accurate, but that's not a reflection on the cartridge; more the gun.
I've broken down and started loading for a single gun. I like chamber-blown Federal Gold Match and then I can load it for the rifle in question.
The Creedmoor spotting stand is something I should have bought years ago. It is stable and has adjustment knobs you won't find on standard tripods.
More to follow.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Whittington & Creedmoor
Thus, I actually forked out some cash and got a Creedmoor stand (ala, the God Scope, for those who know.)
Whittington reports should follow regularly, as I seem to be out my, what Porta's Cat calls, "I don't want to blog, so kiss my ass." phase I seemed to be going through.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
.45 Bullet Shortage
So where the fuck is all this .45 going?
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Merv Griffin & Dairy Products Gone Bad
With apologies to Deb, I've been on a bit of a hiatus. Call it dog days of summer or whatnot, but I just haven't been that interested in writing. Shooting-wise there is a buttload of shit I could be blabbing about. Just haven't been in the mood.
In any case, the passing of Merv Griffin made me wistful. I'm an insurance adjuster and he was the first front page motherfucker that sued an insurance company over a mold claim. Mold killed his dog. KILLED HIS DOG.
Then I got a bit more remiscent and remembered one of my favorite underground comics of all time:

Saturday, July 07, 2007
Hopkins Flag (or Gadsden)

I guess Benjamin Franklin also contributed, in his way, to the promulgation of the rattlesnake as an American icon. Fucking weird; read about it.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Sportsman's Warehouse Sucks
A few weeks back, we needed Large Pistol Primers. We checked with the local retailers and they were all out. Thus, you figure you hit the big box. I mean, everybody uses Large Pistol Primers. Shit, most guys who load just do it to cut down on .45 cost. Well, Sportsman's Warehouse didn't have shit. We took it as a token that it was not meant to be.
Fast forward a month. The Old Man and I went down there to pick up an emergency box of .45 round nose. They didn't have it, of course. I also noticed the primer section was even more eviscerated than when we'd last been there. Do you have a buyer? Do you stock?
Fuck you anyway. You wasted shitloads of my time and you are useless.
When is Cabela's opening?
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Enfield refinish
Cops
If the link demands log-in it's "bh3323899" and the password is "bthopkins"
Saturday, June 23, 2007
CMP Carbines - Furniture Re-Store
As previously, Ben and I both got CMP carbines. First step was to do something about the stocks as they were both pretty ugly at first look. Ben’s was Italian birch, pretty badly dented. Looking at mine, I couldn’t tell what is was - it appeared to have been varnished and was completely black
The Italian seemed to need the most work so I started with that. Stripped the original finish with Formby’s finish remover (great stuff as is conditions the wood along with stripping any old finish).
Next step was to take out dents as much as possible. Used a damp cloth and a steam iron and that raised most of the dents with the exception of the really bad ones. Left the damp cloth on for a couple of hours, not enough to soak the wood but just enough to keep it damp. One last iron session and we were good to go.
I personally prefer a Tung Oil finish versus boiled linseed or any of the various oil finishes. The low gloss Tung gives a satin finish but also a harder surface finish that resists water and sweat stains. If you need to fix it a bit after time, you just apply another coat and steel wool it, turns out good as new.
After four coats of tung oil, light steel wool in between, we had a much better looking stock and about as well as we were going to do with the Italian stock.
On to my stock which was by far the worst looking of the two. After the application of the Formby’s finish remover, we found that we had an original GI black walnut stock! Needless to say, this did not take any stain. We just smoothed her out with some fine sand paper and steel wool and were ready for the final tung oil finish. Word of caution - if you want to preserved the cartouches on a stock you have to less than enthusiastic with the sandpaper and steel wool.
Four coats of tung oil later, and we had a damn good looking walnut stock.
Sometimes the ugly duckling turns into a swan. Start to finish about one week for both.
The Old Man
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
CMP M-1 Carbines
These were the deliveries. The top one is the Old Man's and the lower one is mine. His barrel seems to have more rifling evident and his receiver is tighter in its stock than mine is. His furniture was in a bit shittier state than mine was. The Italians actually varnish rifle stocks. So much for the whole Italian craftmanship thing.
We checked both muzzles with .30 carbine rounds and both seemed to check out. As many dinks and shit on the stocks, the muzzles appear to be well taken care of.
The stocks come without the oilers (what I would call a sling detente) or slings.
I think the Old Man is thinking about doing extensive furniture work on these guns, i.e. sanding this wood down to grain and building the oil finish back up from there.
Regardless, our order was in to CMP the second day they were accepting orders. They sold out of rifles about 18 days later. This was only the sale of Infields (of which 40% of WWII carbines were manufactured by.) Later in the year they plan on releasing Saginaws, IBMs, Rockolas, etc. Given the price and time frame that the Inlands were dispensed with, if anyone wants a shot at the lesser manufacturers, get your checks ready and make sure your CMP status is up to date.





