PODS means...Possible, Or, Deniable Service

'You know, in all this excitement, I lost track myself. Did I shoot six shots or only five? Ya gotta ask yourself a question...do I feel lucky? Well...do ya punk..Oh forget it, in fact, I don't remember firing at all!

Well, I'm not Dirty Harry, but I did forget to relate my trials and extreme tribulations with my Personal On Demand Storage unit. Let me attempt to relate the near catastrophic results to you as best I can.

My PODS arrived on time. It was pouring rain, and the driver said that he could not place it where I assumed it would be placed, and proceeded to place in on my new driveway. O. K. it's here, I can start loading stuff into this eight foot by sixteen foot "Easy Bake Oven".

Well, I did just that. And as I was loading box after box into this thing, it occurred to me that there must be a weight limit. Weight limit? What was it? The packing instructions inside the unit said to utilize every bit of space by packing tightly and going floor to ceiling. That is exactly what I did. Mind you, I have an extensive shop, and most of its contents were to go in this container.

I called the Home Office. The Customer Service Representitive was quite cordial. Not very helpful or technical though. I asked what the maximum weight of the PODS container could be with my load on board. She hesitated for a moment or two...oh boy! That is not good. Then she said: "Two thousand pounds."

Really? I know I have more than that in there, and it is not one quarter full. "May is speak to someone who is familiar with maximum fill loads in these containers?" (Rep): "I will transfer your call..."

"May I help you?" came the reply from the supervisor. "Yes" said I. "What is the maximum load I can put into this eight by sixteen foot container"? Supervisor said..."10,000 pounds. The PODS unit itself weighs 2,000 pounds empty."

"Oh! O.K. It would be nice if you let people know that on your website, I will continue packing." Then, creepy thoughts came to the forefront of my feeble brain. How do I know what is in there already? How the hell do you measure what is in there? What if they can't lift it? Oh my dear lord...

Two months later, when I asked for them to deliver it to the new address, they came. It was lifted by the Podzilla lift, and gingerly placed on the Class C truck. As the truck frame took the weight of the POD and the Podzilla lift rig, the suspension gave little to no resistance to the G-force of the load. The truck body was sitting on the rear tires. The driver said cordially; "I can't drive this, you are going to have to unload some of the stuff..." Oh! Joy of joys!

Please try to imagine the amount of work I went through to put this large Tetris game together. Boxes and boards, and tool boxes carefully wedged into every cubic foot of space. Heavy stuff on the floor and lighter stuff as it got closer to the roof. Now, I had to offload "some" of the contents. How much was enough?

When the movers came to move the house contents, I negotiated to have them take some of the PODS contents in their Class "A" van. It seemed like about a bit more than a third of the load was removed from the container. Then, I had to reposition a bunch of stuff to make sure the stuff would not shift around. That process took another week. I called for another "pick-up".

The same driver came again, and again, he hooked up the Podzilla lift rig, and placed the container on the same light weight Class "C" truck frame. This time there was clearance, sort of. It was nearly rubbing on one side of the rear tires. He looked at me with steely eyes and said: "I really should not take this; it's over weight." Oh Lord! Not again. Then, he decided to pull the rig up further on the driveway to a more level spot. He then said: "Let's go!". There was and air gap between the top of the rear tires and the truck frame.

My new home is at a higher altitude than the previous abode. In reality, it is 800-1000 feet higher. Uphill all the way. The PODS transport truck has an automatic transmission. At the crest of the hill on the road I now live on, the truck was doing about one mile an hour. On the ride over to that point, the container was swaying back and forth like a drunk in a bounce house. Let me say that the trip nearly ended on that hilltop. The MPH was dropping, and transmission temperature was climbing into the red zone. We made it just the same.

He was able to place the container near my new shop entrance, and I provided some timbers to make it level. He said it was the heaviest load he had taken. I asked how much the Podzilla lift could elevate, and he said twenty-five thousand pounds. But the truck can only handle up to ten thousand pounds. That makes sense, right? I gave him a twenty, and waved goodbye.

I still have no idea how much weight I had in the thing the first time. After the off-load, it must have been way more that 10,000 pounds to strain that truck like it did.

Three weeks later, and the last of the boxes came out of the PODS container. I had to build shelving and arrange the shop space to accept the contents of the now infamous, PODS container from hell. All that remains now is an eight foot by twenty foot patch of dead grass where the container and the makeshift ramp I cobbled together sat. It is a very pretty sight to see that thing gone.

So, how much can you pack into a PODS container? A lot. How much weight can it hold? I dare you to try to find a definitive answer to that query. And if you do, how in God's creation can you measure the weight of contents? Oh!, I know, every box you carry in, your weight would be subtracted from the number on the scale you step on entering the PODS unit. That should speed things up.

PODS this...

Be well and do the right thing.

Gaff

Browning it's not, but it is as good as it gets.

Ok, ok, it's been a spell since my last entry. But holy hernia, I've been moving! In fact, I'm still moving after 90 plus days. I needed to write for the simple reason that I acquired one of my dream firearms a week ago.

I took the morning off on the first of September to ride my Harley. I had been previously knee deep in boxes and shelving, and needed a break. I decided to go south. South takes me by one of my favorite gun shops, and I had asked them months ago, via e-mail, to let me know if a Colt Single Action Army came into their establishment. I had received no such notice, but decided to drop in to see what was "new".

Colt Firearms in West Hartford, Connecticut filed for bankruptcy protection two weeks ago. Mind you, this is a company that has built handguns since the mid 1800's. Samuel Colt's original revolver was based on inspiration from a ship's wheel. That vision came when he was "stationed" at an early age on board a vessel of the seas. He remembered that concept of the rotating wheel and dog latch that kept the wheel/ship "on course". Returning to dry land, he set about drumming up financing to start building a "rapid fire repeating handgun."

The early iterations were all black powder percussion cap models. Later on, in the early 1860's, the three piece cartridge was introduced, and the U.S. Army was looking for a reliable, multi shot handgun to provide to its troops. Samuel Colt was developing just the ticket in his Hartford, Connecticut factory. Unfortunately, his heart gave out before he was able to present it to the Government (he was selling to the South, which at the time, was a problem). Mrs. Colt however, had a very strong heart, and mind. She continued the business, and built it into an American legend. If you are at all intrigued about how a woman could build and rebuild a munitions plant, please look to your favorite library for a fascinating historical tale.

As you have painfully felt, I digressed. When I walked in the gun shop, the first item I spied was a
White, Colt Custom Shop box, with a 4 3/4 inch, .375 magnum, Single Action Army siting on top of it. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I asked to fondle it, and within two minutes the credit card came out.

You have no idea how difficult this firearm is to find. Colt makes handguns, and every one of them sell quite quickly. Most of those handguns are automatics. You know, Browning's design. The custom shop makes special ones of those too, but it also makes a few "reproductions" of Sam Colt's "Peacemaker". I now own one of those. The "gun that won the west", the "equalizer"' the Colt .45, (in my case, .357 magnum, or 38 Special, or 38 special +P.)

This is another of my collectable pieces. It will not be fired by me. In fact, the instruction manual states that by handling the gun, its value is diminished. By actually firing the revolver, the value is severely diminished. It is a true reproduction of Samuel Colt's "wheel gun". There are fewer and fewer craftsman left to actually bring one to life. That is why I placed the credit card down so quickly. I now own another piece of Connecticut firearm history. No, it is not one of John Moses Browning's designs. But I posit that it is as important a design to history than ANY other firearm you might think of.

I took it out of its carton this evening, and carefully wiped off any fingerprints that I might have inadvertently missed after the last fondling session. It is not engraved, it is not nickel plated, it is true blued, and case hardened. It is a thing of beauty. Lethal, yes. But only in the control of one who desires infliction of pain and suffering on his or her fellow man. The "Peacemaker" is an inanimate, lifeless object. It is a true work of art. But only if you will let yourself see its beauty through the fog of prejudice. Thanks Sam!

Enough pontificating, back to moving...

Be well, and do the right thing

Gaff

Oh! My Aching Back...wash.

The previous post dealt partly in a sudden affliction to my lumber region. A severe tightening of some muscles around some big nerves that made me scream for my mama, and made useless my legs. Annette, my mother, has been with the baby Jesus for these past three years now, she did not hear my cries, but the neighbors clearly did. I am now, just shy of two weeks post spasm, vertical, and cane free. I am not however, pain free. Therein, lies the rub...

The other part of the post mentioned moving. Dear Lord, did I say moving again? The amount of absolute chaos that arises due to uprooting material planted over a twenty-plus year span, while trying to market the property that the uprooting just carpet bombed, is quite challenging.

The realtor would like to "Stage" our home before the "Open House". That means, clean EVERYTHING. I mean everything. Windows, floors, screens, new paint, clear closets, mulch garden beds, trim shrubbery, edge and mow the lawn, clear unwanted items inside and out, remove personal pictures and anything that might indicate someone was actually living in the structure. Did I mention to him, I HAVE A BAD BACK!

We have an active, accepted bid on the new property, and after the inspections at that abode, we have had to go back to the owner and beseech an adjustment. Window issues, and a possible new roof...cha-ching. My aching back is telling me to calm down, or I might have a more serious problem, like a nervous breakdown, or full-blown insanity. Did I mention the new place has an in-ground pool? Another task, backwash the pool filter...does that require bending at waist? I have a bad back you know.

I had really just started to pack up my shop when the ICBM hit my L4 vertebrae. The PODS module is due tomorrow morning. After placement, and leveling, I can begin to actually move boxes outward into something, rather than inward and down into the basement. Every time I took a box down there, I said to my feeble inner self; "This is stupid, this stuff is moving OUT of this house, I'm going to have to pick this damn thing up at least two more times." I HAVE A BAD BACK.

As the chaos proceeds, I will continue to post progress. I know you are just sitting on the edge of your driver seat, foot to the floor, waiting for the next bridge abutment to steer into. Trust me, it will get more interesting in the next two months, back off the accelerator flyboy...

Be well, and do the right thing.

Gaff

Change Is Good Sometimes, Sometimes Not So Much So.

I am at this moment, flat on my back watching MacGyver make a spark plug for an outboard motor. The reason I am bedridden is that this morning, while packing for our imminent move from our home of twenty-one years, as I bent to return a lid to a lower cabinet in our kitchen, my lower back went "pop", and I was literally brought to my knees with pain. The pain was so intense, I could not catch my breath. After I crawled to the stairs to try to sit down, it became clear that my plans for the day had changed.

It was decided to call an ambulance, and I was transported to the ER. Five hours later I was released with Percocets and Valium in tow. Seems I had an extreme muscle spasm. So the physician's assistance deduced from my symptoms. Whatever it is/was, I can say without hesitation, it was VERY extreme. Pain like I have never felt before.

The happy pills have dulled the pain enough for me to pen a few words this evening.

We have decided to move as I mentioned earlier. My wife likes horses, and she has found some property that will allow horses to roam and be ridden. Myself, I don't know which end of a horse to talk to. However, as the adage goes..."Happy wife, happy life". I was hoping for Wyoming, the move will not be quite that far distant.

My biggest issue with this change is my workshop. I have spent twenty plus years building and customizing it to meet my exact needs and desires. It is filled with raw material such as wood varieties, nuts, bolts, and fasteners of all kinds and sizes. Electrical and electronic parts, and of course, all my tools. Tools such as a large Unisaw, lathe, planer/jointer, work benches, reloading supplies, three gun safes, and my seven tool chests.

I was in the process of cataloging and packing all the stuff...then today happened. Plans are wonderful, then God says "Not today." Our new house will be larger, and consequently so will my shop space. That is a good change. Another plus is the ability to purge unwanted items, and not pack them for relocation. The downsides exist too. Strange noises in the new abode, as well as unfamiliarity with the home's infrastructure in general. Another hurdle is rebuilding the customizations I made in this house, and they are many.

How much hay does a horse eat? Does the vet make barn calls? What does that cost? Oats? What's a Farrier charge for new shoes? I think it's time for more Percocet.

Be well, and do the right thing.

Gaff

Cabin Fever Update...

Today, April 23, 2015, I played 18 holes of golf at my local municipal golf course here in Connecticut. It was quite chilly at tee time, with the ambient air temp at 46 degrees, and a stiff northwest wind at around 15 MPH. Upon my arrival at the landing spot of my second shot on the par five, fifth hole, it began to snow hard enough to obscure the pin on the green laying 106 yards in the distance.

I turned to my playing partner and asked him if he had heard anything about snow in the forecast. His reply was; "If I had, I sure as hell would not be out here now. Global warming my ass."

Global man-made climate change, my ass. Carbon dioxide tax, my ass. I hope Al Gore has caught the evening news about the current eruption of the volcano in Chile. That Little Earth Burp just put enough carbon dioxide into the upper atmosphere to negate anything mankind could do for 20 friggin years. By the way, there's no fracking within half a hemisphere of that volcano.

In the 1970's the same earth first people were predicting a new ice age by 2000. I think they were more prescient than the current set of hysterical wackos after what I played through today. How about using some common sense, and not pollute, litter, or cause purposeful harm to the environment. Instead of hamstringing the world population with unrealistic expectations and legislation. This planet of ours will be here for a long time after we are all dust. It's been through much worse than humans could ever imagine, or hope to effect. Ask the thunder lizards. Keep your eye on Yellowstone, THAT, is a very big volcano...

Do the right thing.

Gaff

Cabin Fever From All This Global Warming?...

I have recently returned from my third trip this winter season. The first was to "Gun Friendly" San Antonio, Texas. I played a few rounds of golf with family, visited a couple of Gun Emporiums, and walked the "River Walk" numerous times. Nice town, San Antonio; lots to do and see.

The Alamo is quite the shrine. The familiar "mission/church" is remarkably small, while the entire footprint of the original fortification is huge. Nowadays, the nave of the mission is dedicated nearly entirely to firearms (during the siege, it was the armory). The rear of nave has the names of all 180+ brave men that fought and died in the battle. They are emblazoned on a semi-circular display of brass plaques. It was surprising to see how many countries were represented by the fighters. I am proud to say Connecticut was represented, as well as my ancient homelands of Ireland and Scotland.

The rest of the church was crowded with all manner of battle implements. Both American and Mexican arms had various displays. One of the "park rangers" was in a corner with two glass cases that contained hand guns. Mostly percussion pistols, but a few more modern examples as well. The two tables were nearly encircled three deep with curious onlookers. The ranger was explaining the difference in the designs to one gentlemen, then proceeded to hand the weapon to him. The man grabbed the pistol and immediately put his finger through the trigger guard and onto the trigger as he swept the muzzle across the ranger's chest, then mentioned how heavy it was. Oops, I thought to myself, he's not too familiar with proper handgun handling is he. I guess what really suprised me was the handing of the pistol to him in the first place. It's just not something you see everyday in a public place. There is a certain etiquette that should be shown and expected when the inspection of a handgun is entertained. The presenter should first and foremost show the recipient that the weapon is unloaded, and in a "safe" condition. Then the weapon is exchanged, and the recipient is obliged to point the weapon in a safe direction at all times as he looks it over. The finger should not be placed on the "bang switch" unless the looker first asks if the weapon can be dry fired. Well, I have run this train of thought way off the spur line, sorry. Suffice it to say, if you are in the San Antonio area, and you have not visited the Alamo, by all means, don't miss it.

My next trip was a ski excursion to Park City, Utah. Turned out, that my backyard in Connecticut had a deeper base than the Wasatch Mountain at "The Canyons". The snowmaking there was very well done, and we had a great time. Since John Browning's birthplace was only an hour from the ski area, I decided that I needed to take a day, and visit his firearm museum in Ogden. Another not to be missed venue if you are in the area. It was fabulous to see examples of four generations of Browning designs, and all of John Browning's genius in one large room.

My third trip had very little to do with John Browning, or firearms of any kind for that matter. We went to Belize. Beautiful azure water, lapping against crusty brown sargassum seaweed mounds atop the white coral sand beaches. Quite odiferous, when the sun gets to beating on that vegitation for a spell. The locals were very apologetic about the incessant influx of the noxious sea plant flotsam. Obviously, not their fault. Seems the Sargasso Sea, off Florida, spit out massive chunks of this stuff for some as yet, unknown reason. It then blew steadily westward until meeting the easterly shores of the Yucantan and points north and south. Again, we had a wonderful time.

I'm off to France the day after Easter. My brother has asked for a bit of help on some property he owns in the Carcassonne region. That will be a bit more than a week, then back home to hopefully wake the Harley from its winter hibernation, and polish off the golf clubs again.

Remind me to tell you about the Belgian Superposed in the next entry...

Fare well, and do the right thing.

Gaff

Catch .22 Update

Well, wonder of wonders. I was in a large central Connecticut firearm retailer the other day, whose slogan is; "Guns For The Good Guys." Lo and behold, there in the gun case, in gleaming splendor, was a copy of the afore mentioned "Colt" .22 Rail Gun. I was suprised to see it displayed, since other retailers I had spoken to about the design had said that they could not sell it, or take one in trade.

I asked the counter person if I could handle the weapon. He then produced it from the case, and handed it to me. I quickly racked, and locked back the slide. There it was, the little threaded end cap that protected the eight millimeter threads on the end of the barrel. I showed the threaded cap to the salesperson, and queried him about the legality. He said the "threads" did not protrude from the front of the slide, and was therefore legal. "Besides, do you think the owner would risk this business on an illegal firearm" he added, as he put the pistol back in its place of honor.

I am very confused. I was pretty darn sure the gun I sold my brother-in-law was considered an assault weapon in Connecticut, and therefore, illegal to own, transfer, trade, sell, or possess. It does after all, have a threaded barrel. The new law states that a semi-automatic pistol with a threaded barrel meets the criteria for assault weapon status. It does not have verbiage that says "threading that protrudes, or is visible." Hopefully, I can relate this information to my friend before he welds the end cap on his M&P. Perhaps the brain trust in Hartford is, has, or is in the process of amending or clarifying the statute.

That pistol is now retailing for nearly $400. The next time I'm in Maine, visiting my BIL, I may revisit that firearm transaction. Slim chance he'd sell it back to me for what I allowed him to pay. Anyway, I will wait for definitive proof of legality before posting here. The waters are still a bit muddy.

Catch .22 (Caliber That Is).

A couple years back, I sold/gave one of my nearly new 1911's to my brother-in-law. We were up hunting in Maine, and doing some plinking on an off day. He liked the pistol, and at the time, I was interested in obtaining a Colt Ace .22., so I decided to let him have it, for twenty bucks (poker money). Little did I know then, Colt Aces are as scarce as hen's teeth. More on that later.

The other day, I happened to see a write up on the same pistol, and remembered the design. It was a .22 caliber, rim fire Colt Rail Gun. It was made in Germany by Walther, and marketed in the USA by Umarex. Umarex also licensed the Colt appellation for that "Colt 1911 Rail Gun".

The reason I mention it here, is the ridiculous fact that that little pistol is now considered an assault weapon by the State of Connecticut. The brilliant reasoning behind the evil, black gun, assault status, is that that Colt "peashooter" has a threaded barrel. No, not for an equally evil suppressor, it is threaded for an end cap that protects the rifled lining of the barrel. I was staggered to hear that this "feature" made the pistol "illegal" after a friend tried to trade in his M&P .22 with the same type of barrel configuration. The store where he bought it a few years back (pre Sandy Hook), could not take it in trade as it was, and told him if he hadn't registered it last year as an assault weapon, that he was in violation of the statute (felony), and since he travelled in his car with it, he was guilty of an additional felon count to boot.

Seems the only way to make his M&P .22 sellable in Connecticut would be to have the threaded cap TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welded onto the barrel. Problem is, he can't transport it anywhere legally, to have the welding done. How stupid is that Catch 22? I am very glad I sold my .22 caliber pistol "assault weapon" back when I did. I would not like to have to weld anything on a firearm to make it "unassaulty". I do have my Colt .22 conversion now, not a full Ace, and I really like it. What's more, it's Kosher in Connecticut.

Someday, the folks that wrote these ridiculous statutes will actually take the time to read what they voted on, and then learn about the firearms they think are militaristic and designed only as death machines. They might even look at the local history of their fair state, and ascertain the fact that Connecticut was once the cradle of modern American firearm manufacturing. Then again, these are liberal politicians, I am giving them way too much intellectual credit. Nearly all of Connecticut's firearm companys are gone. In reality, most of Connecticut's manufacturing packed up and left, years ago. The more I think about that, the better that idea sounds. Move out of Connecticut...to where? Humm, I love New England, maybe the People's Republic of Vermont. Not the most conservative state, but they do have an "open mind" when it comes to firearms.

Last one to leave the State of Connecticut, turn off the light...oops!, who's going to pay for the 50 billion dollar deficit now? I certainly won't miss the taxes either...Now, to find a real estate agent.

Happy New Year to one and all!

Shoot Straight and Do the Right Thing.

Gaff

Thoughts On Christmas, And Other 2014 Events.

I'm laying on my bed, propped up on pillows as I type this on my iPad. This "cold" I have is now on its sixteenth day of making my life less than pleasurable. Whatever "strain" this thing morphed into, it is kicking my butt. I don't get sick. Well...there are usually very long time lapses between my illnesses. In fact, I can't remember the last time something forced me to lay in bed for a day. This malady did just that about 10 days ago. Anyway, I'm on the mends, but the cough is very persistent.

Christmas is five days away, and I was thinking about how quickly this year has past and how many changes have taken place since last Yule time. Some happy, some sad, some joyus, others, not so much so.

Here are some events, stream of thought; I have added some really nice pieces to my firearm collection. I retired last May after thirty-five years in manufacturing. My oldest son had a baby boy in June. My wife had her knee replaced. One of our hunting crew members was diagnosed with a very bad case of cancer (He is an ex-military, Vietnam helicopter gunner, and sprayer of "Agent Orange"). My Apple stock split seven ways (Nice! Bought the original shares in 1989). My youngest son and his daughter had a miscarriage (Very sad), but they are "trying" again. Samuel Colt's factory, here in the Hartford area, and his surrounding property, has just been designated a National Historical Park. There were more, but that is enough to ruminate about for now.

I hope to be part of that National Park in some way. I am going to try to volunteer on the project, and help in any way I can. It will be years in the making and rebuilding, but it is woefully overdue, and will help the area immensely. Mr. Browning spend many, many days in and around Hartford as he engineered, built, modified and tested his designs in the famous "Blue Onion Domed" Colt factory.

I hope to be a big part of my grandson's life's as well. I hope to be a bigger part of my hunting brother's life, who is battling that bastard disease. I hope I never need a knee replaced. I was truly amazed how well my wife went through that. She endured what must have been a great deal of pain, and made it seem almost pain free to me. Amazing. That's why the dear Lord gave women the task of birthing. The fairer sex's ability to withstand pain is mind blowing.

Well, the cough medicine is kicking in now (narcotic), so I think it best to draw this missive to a close. Merry Christmas to one and all. I sincerely hope everyone fares well in 2015, and I further wish your dreams and fondest desires are realized.

Shoot straight, and do the right thing.

Gaff

The Six Sided Echo And The Set Screw

4:59:45 PM. I touched off the eight inches of waterproof fuse. Fifteen seconds later, it ignited the one hundred grains of Pyrodex in my eighty-eight caliber cannon. The twenty-seven pound steel contrivance jumped upward and rearward against the nylon braided line securing it to the boat dock's cleats. A five foot plume of white smoke shot down the dock and the ensuing explosion caused an echo to reverberate in a seeming counterclockwise direction around the four mile long lake. Six ever diminishing echoes could be heard as the concussion hit the various hillsides, exchanging and re-exchanging the powerful low frequency sound wave. THAT was cool.

It proved to be folly to try to see how far the .875 diameter steel ball was flung into the lake. We all decided it was WAY out there. I estimated somewhere between 600 and 1000 yards.

It was young Daniel's first hunting trip. His father and a friend brought him to the North Maine Woods to hunt partridge. They were staying in a cabin up the hill from our group. Daniel heard my cannon go off at five PM sharp (dinner time). He was looking closely at the cannon at 5:01. What twelve year old would'nt be enthralled with such a loud field piece? His first question; "Did you make that?" Next; "What does it shoot?" And it went on like that for about the three minutes it took me to reload the cannon. By that time, Daniel's father and their friend arrived on scene. Their first question; "You gonna shoot that again?" "Actually, right now." was my reply. "Excellent" came out of their mouths at the same instant.

I got Daniel situated behind a large bolder directly behind the cannon about 20 feet away, and gave him the task of trying to see how far the ball went. He had returned back to his cabin and borrowed his father's binoculars when I asked him to spot the shot. He was now returned to position behind the boulder, with his ear plugs in. "This is a "Plus P" shot" I stated with authority to the assembled crowd of ten. This powder charge was one hundred and twenty grains. I lit the fuse and walked back to my "safe" location. KA-BOOM!!! Well, that was a few decibels louder, I thought to myself. "Did you see the ball hit the water Daniel?" "Nope." "Oh well, we'll try again tomorrow"; I told him. And we did just that each night for the rest of the week. The "Eighty-Eight" was a rousing success.

My new Dan Wesson 10MM Valor was a success too. It did have one hiccup. Not a failure to feed, or failure to fire, or failure to extract. The hiccup was a loose rear sight. The first two shots were in the ten ring, the next was outside the six ring, and the next was off the paper. I said to myself what the heck is going on, I can't even hit the paper? After that magazine was empty, I happened to look at the pistol, and the rear sight had moved halfway out the dovetail. Luckily, I had my calipers and hex keys in my truck. I recentered the sight, and tightened its tiny socket head set screw. New magazine, and eight hits in the ten ring. All's right with the world.

Everyone makes mistakes, and I would have to guess in their haste to ship the pistol by my "deadline", they missed tightening the rear sight. Should it have happened to a pistol costing more than a couple of grand? No. But it did, and it was not a fatal error. It was easily corrected. If the sight had fallen completely out, and then fell into the long grass and black shale...lost...well...that would be another kettle of fish. The Valor performed wonderfully. Another five hundred rounds, and it will be mostly broken in.

Oh by the way, our group managed to bag 28 partridge. Not too shabby for five old farts and a couple of thirty-something's. I think Daniel will remember my cannon for a long time. It sure made those bald eagles leave their perches when it went off. Come to think of it, the loon down the shoreline was none to pleased either. He came back every night though. Must have been good fishing in that spot.

Shoot straight, and do the right thing.

Gaff

Dreams Can Come True.

It arrived yesterday. The FedEx box showed the Kansas City address of CZ-USA as the sender. My anticipation had me childishly giddy. Really. I know, very immature, but I had been waiting since April for this Dan Wesson custom pistol. My Gun Club handled the transfer, and then, off to my shop to field strip and clean the factory oil from the 10MM, Black, "Valor" 1911.


I will be testing this new pistol and 500 rounds of 10MM ammunition this Monday and Tuesday. Bird season opens in Maine on Wednesday, the first of October. Four of my dearest friends, my two sons, my brother-in-law, and myself, leave Sunday morning for the seven to,eight hour drive from Portland, Maine, to our lakeside cabin near the Canadian border. We will be situated roughly in the middle of four and one half million acres of trees and wildlife known as the North Maine Woods. It is quite a spectacular place.

Being roughly three to four hours from the nearest hospital, with no cell service, no electricity, no running water, (you get the picture). We adhere to some very strict rules pertaining to safety. If you get seriously injured out there, you will likely die before you see a doctor. Anyway, we will be throwing lead down range from a wide variety of ordinance, and we will all be extra careful whilst doing so.

I just put the finishing touches on a .880 bore Black Powder cannon. We will use it to "announce" dinner. It should fling an .875 steel ball a good distance out into the lake. My new Dan Wesson is going to be very loud. The "88" is going to make bystanders wish they were wearing their brown boxers.

So, the dream is about to become reality. Shooting my "Dream 1911".  Its a Dan Wesson custom "Valor". It is chambered in 10MM Automatic, it has a relieved slide stop pin, Clark ribbing on the top of the slide, an enhanced magwell, tritium night sights, VZ Frag grip panels, four pound trigger pull, lowered and flared ejection port, extended magazine release, checkering on the mainspring housing and fore grip. A bunch more "standard" features too. With the pistol finished in Black "Duty Treatment", and the addition of a set of elephant ivory stocks...well...that my dear readers (if you're out there) is going to be the "bee's knees", in 1940's vernacular. For me, just perfect, really a dream.

Shoot straight, and do the right thing.

Gaff

Series 70 Government Model

You guessed it, I saw the Colt 70 series Government Model, (true USGI featured), and I had to have it. What made the purchase more inevitable, was my acquisition of a 1970's era, like new, Colt .22 LR, 1911 conversion kit. I found it on a recent trip to Florida to visit relatives. This "Colt Ace" kit allows the .45 ACP pistol to fire .22 long rifle ammo by simply removing the .45 ACP slide from the pistol, and replacing it with the .22 cal. slide assembly. Then, load 10 rounds of .22 LR into the special magazine, slip it up into the .45 cal 1911 frame, rack the slide, aim, and fire 10, .22 rounds at your intended target. Smooth as a silk stocking.

The new pistol matches the finish of the conversion kit, and makes a really nice, complete dual caliber set-up. I fitted the pistol and conversion kit into a blow-molded case last weekend. I have no complaints about the conversion kit. However, the spanking new Colt pistol disappointed me in a couple of ways. First, when I removed the slide stop to clean the factory lube from the pistol before going to the range, the frame's bluing was rubbed off in two places under the slide stop. The back side of the slide stop has a struck number "1". This stamped number was not smoothed, and it's raised edges wore (scratched) the finish off. Another surface on the back was slightly raised as well, and caused the bluing to be rubbed off. Mind you, this is fresh out of the Colt Custom Shop blue box.

Another issue, was one of the new 7 round, blued magazines furnished (2) with the pistol. It would not hold the slide open after it was empty, and refused to drop clear of the frame when the mag release was pressed. Comparing it to the other new magazine, it looked identical, yet, the other magazine worked perfectly.

The last disappointment is with the ejection of the shell casings. After firing 100 rounds of factory ball ammo through the pistol at the range, I noticed a condition that I have not seen before in any of my other 1911's. Most of the spent cartridge casings had slammed into the side of the barrel hood on their way out of the ejection port. The result was a severe flattening of the case's mouth rim.

I realize that this pistol is a true representation of the M1911A1 from the 1930's, and does not have a lowered and flared ejection port or elongated ejector like a modern 1911, but this "malfunction" would still be evident on the pistol during factory test firing, even with those modifications. I believe the ejector's front profile is causing the casing to go directly to the right upon ejection, and not upward and to the right. I also am aware that the military really could have cared less what the spent cartridges looked like. They just cared that the pistol went BANG! every time. They didn't reload, I do.

For a new pistol to come out of the custom shop, or the factory floor for that matter, with this poor ejection trajectory is a disappointment. I am a Colt fan, and own a number of Colt pistols. I don't think this pistol should have been allowed to leave the plant with this issue. I will tinker around with the extractor and ejector, and see if I can improve the ejection. Or, I may "bite the bullet" and send the pistol to Colt.

I may have to write about the Florida trip next time. There are some strange Southern folk down to Florida. Very nice mind you, just a bit strange. A fully automatic UZI made a short, 20 round appearance.

Do the right thing...

Gaff

Back To The Future

I just read an article in a military magazine that describes the US Military's recent request for quote for a new battle pistol. This pistol must have better "one shot knock-down power" than the current M9, 9mm Beretta. What? Excuse me...did I read that right? Holy-Hand Grenades, this can't be happening.

In 1985, the same military decided to replace the currently deployed CQB (Close Quarters Battle) Pistol, the much vaunted M1911 and subsequent M1911A1. It had "one shot knock-down power", and had been used successfully in four fairly large conflicts (Browning designed and redesigned it in the early years of the 1900's and up to 1910, with the intent to have something that would have dropped the Moro tribesmen that had been jacked-up on the local pain-killing chew during the Philippine-American war of 1899-1902). The Berretta won that 1985 contract because it was good, it used standard NATO 9mm ammo, and the price was right. The M1911A1 was then mothballed.

Fast forward nearly 30 years. Now, today, they want what the M1911A1 had delivered for 80 plus years. I need to put a cold compress on my aching head. These guys in the defense brain trust want a complete new platform. That's pistol, ammo, holsters, mag pouches, and accessories (suppressors, sights, special loads, etc). If any of you reading this pay taxes, I should think this might get a bit of your dander up.

I'm no Einstein, but hey! fellas, we already have the gun; and it's no "plastic fantastic" striker fired handgun. There are many, many manufacturers already tooled up to produce a new variant of Browning's Battle Pistol if that's really what you want. In addition, many 1911 pistols currently reside in military warehouses in storage crates. Did you know it's nearly impossible to get rid of anything that is stamped "United States Property" if it is still under military control. Lightning strike is about the only way I know of. Any WWI through Vietnam era pistols out on the market today were brought home by GI's. A good portion of them, against regulations. The Pentagon must have tiptoed lightly past this infringement, and let the former personnel keep their "equipment".

This is very troubling. I must digest this information further, and research the topic a bit more. I mean, I just ordered a 1911 in 10mm. Man-Oh-Man, that, is knock down power. I will post further on this when I am more enlightened on this seeming stupidity.

Shoot straight and do the right thing.

Gaff

The Other End

As I said in an earlier entry that the Colt M1911-2011 reproduction I purchased was a "bookend" to my collection of M1911's, I have recently entered an order for the other end. As you may know from reading another earlier entry, I have a couple of Dan Wesson V-Bob 45's. I decided as a retirement present to myself, to order from the Dan Wesson Custom Shop, my dream M1911...

It will be another Valor, however, not the bobbed version. This pistol will be a full size, five inch barrel. The most special feature will be the caliber. I ordered it in 10mm automatic. Valors are not offered as standard in 10mm. This caliber will send a 180 grain hollow point projectile at nearly 1,300 feet per second muzzle velocity, as compared to the 850 FPS of the .45 caliber. It is the ultimate combat/self-defense round. Other custom features will be added as well. A Clark rib on the slide will improve the slide cosmetics and provide quicker sight acquisition. Tritium night sights, checkered front strap and mainspring housing, as well as a one piece magwell for faster magazine changes. I asked that the slide stop hole be countersunk. This will allow the use of laser grips if I choose. I selected the black duty treatment finish and I will add my own elephant ivory stocks. The ultimate "modern" M1911. I think Mr. Browning would approve of these "modifications" to his design.

The Dan Wesson factory is very busy. I am told I will not have this firearm until September. As long as it arrives at my FFL before September 27, I will be happy. I want to carry this sidearm as I hunt the North Maine Woods first week in October.

I will post when it is in my hot little hands. Patience and anticipation are not my strong points. I must work on those...

Do the right thing.

Gaff

Another Pony Enters The Stable

May 1st, 2014, a day that will be retained in memory as the Royal Colt Remembrance Day. Again, perusing the glass cases filled with sidearms, I saw the second most beautiful Colt I have ever laid eyes upon. The first being the M1911 reproduction described in an earlier post.

This Colt is another limited edition (one of three hundred), I also have a Ruger Talo SR1911. This one, is a Colt/Talo edition of a series 70 Government Model. The finish is Royal Blue (Gloss Army Black), polished frame and slide, laser etched, minimalist markings, jeweled hammer and barrel port, and extraordinary stocks with inlaid silver Rampant Colt cloisonné. Oh man, a Colt Series 70, M1911A1 Government Model, and it's a beauty.

Out comes the VISA card, and home comes the pistol. This has been an expensive year for M1911 acquisitions for me. These opportunities keep foisting themselves upon me and cannot be ignored. Looking on GunBroker that evening, I saw another one of the 300 "Royals" at a bidding price of $2,200.00! Wow, I made money already (not really). No depreciation on this baby, I just got a 40% return on investment. That is really pretty sweet. I think this is another "safe queen".

I have plenty of M1911's to shoot, this one is so damned fine looking, that it will remain in factory new condition. I have not, and will not, rack the slide or drop the hammer on this pistol. That will be for another day, and perhaps another family member to do. Heirlooms are like that you know.

Shoot straight, and do the right thing...

Gaff

Well, the little spring goes in there, and goes around and around, whoa, whoa...

I may have made a mistake, or, I may have overestimated the 1985 stand-in for the M1911. I am now, the slightly less than proud owner of a Beretta 90 Series automatic pistol. I say that, because I have now owned this pistol for a few days, I have since field stripped it a couple of times, and I have felt its worth. Granted, this is not the exact pistol chosen by our military in 1985 to replace the M1911 as the standard sidearm of the US Military, but it is virtually the same design.

This Beretta, is a 96A1. It is a tactical version of the 92F, the civilian model of the military's standard M9 service pistol. The 96A1 is chambered in .40 Smith & Wesson, where most of the series 90 pistols are exclusively 9mm Luger (Parabellum). It also has a 1913 Picatinny rail dust cover that the 92F is lacking. I chose this caliber on the recommendation of my ex-military son. He carried an M9 in Afghanistan during his deployment there, in 2006.

My oldest never liked the 9mm as a pistol round, and thought the .40 S&W would perform better in the Beretta platform. He was interested in shooting the Beretta again, and I was interested in obtaining the pistol that dethroned the M1911 after nine and a half decades. My thought process lead me to believe that this pistol needed to be part of my M1911 collection, because of its winning the US military's testing of a replacement battle pistol. In fact, a Sig Sauer P226 won the contest/test, but it was "too expensive". This decision, from an entity that spends $600.00 on a claw hammer.

But I digress. I have the bloody thing now, and as God is my witness, I am not impressed. It is comfortable, it is lighter than an M1911, due largely to its forged aluminum frame. But by golly, there are a lot of little springs, and pins, and plastic, and a de-cocker, a rolling firing pin thingy, and more plastic. I look at it, field stripped, and I wonder to myself how long it would take to completely disassemble this thing. I'm thinking, a long time, a very long time. I bet those little springs are hard to find when they shoot out from their retaining place at the most unexpected time. I have not counted the parts in the exploded parts drawing yet, but I guaran-damn-tee you, it is a heck of a lot more than sixty. The M1911A1 has sixty parts, total. I can completely disassemble it in about 20 minutes (less the sights and plunger tube), with a .45 ACP cartridge and the firing pin or hammer spur.

In a previous blog entry, I said that I might purchase a Glock, to see how it compared to the M1911 in complexity. If the Austrian is anything like this Italian made pistol, well, let's just say, too much mustard for one hotdog. I will get back to you on that, in a later missive.

For now, I want my son to put 100 rounds down the pipe, then I will fire 100 rounds, then HE will clean it, I will watch, then I will put it in the safe. My opinion will need to coalesce further. Right now, as I type this, I am muddled. I need to see this gun do its thing in MY testing. I hope it does it perfectly. John Browning's design did.

Be well, and do the right thing.

Gaff

The End of the Beginning

Today was a special day.  Saint Patrick's day, March 17, the year of our Lord 2014. It is a great day to be Irish, and to acquire a WWI M1911 Colt reproduction pistol.

I happened to be at my local firearm purveyor yesterday looking at a Dan Wesson Valor in Black Duty-Coat finish. After which, I asked to look at a Springfield Armory M1911. The owner said ..."if you want a "real" M1911, I just got two in from Colt. I ordered one in "Army Black" with display case for a customer in August, 2011, and it came in three days ago. The customer backed out of the order, so, it's available"...

I could not believe my ears and eyes. He opened the cardboard box, slid out the blue Colt box, opened it, and out fell the period correct, early twentieth century, military M1911 manual. Beside it, still wrapped in the brown crispy vapor paper, was the pistol. Correction, "The Pistol", one of four thousand. A factory polished, deep black, exact replica of the pistol test fired in March 1911 for the army by John Browning. And later, taken into the Great War by America's Dough-boys. The original M1911, with all it's simple elegance, and it's shortcomings too. The tiny sights and dainty thumb safety being the most obvious.

I might not get another chance like this, I think it was fate, or some other such romantic rationalization...it's pricey...but not crazy...screw it...I'll take it (tomorrow). I have been threatening myself to get a "real" M1911 for my collection for sometime now. This pistol would mark the beginning of the over 100 year old design, the bookend next to Genesis, so to speak. Well, this would be one fine way to accomplish that. It looks exactly like a new M1911 purchased in, say, 1913. This is before they, Colt Firearms, needed to pump them out for the war effort in 1916. Around that time, Colt needed to boost production and started to back off on the fine finishing and polishing they had been doing to each pistol. The pistols that went to war, for the most part, functioned perfectly, they just lacked the finer finish and polishing that was given to Colt pistols up to that time.

The Browning/Colt pistol in this box/display case is really quite special to me. I will field strip the new pistol, lightly coat it with Mil-i-tec oil, grease the rails, reassemble, and then remove the factory checkered walnut stocks. In their place, I will install a set of pre-ban ivory stocks that I have saved for just such a special piece. It will look thrilling. White grips on the black frame, understated yet elegant. After applying Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax to the ivory grips, I will repackage it, and place it gently on the top shelf of the gun safe. I have decided not to shoot this pistol. For the time being that is.

I think my grandson might be really excited to fire the first magazine out of it in about fifteen years or so. His father and I will teach him the correct way to behave around firearms, and the great respect needed for their power and lethality. He will also feel the deep satisfaction of placing controlled fire onto a target with accuracy and poise. I hope to be at his side that day when the M1911 roars to life. Seven hits in the ten ring...that'll be something, especially with those tiny sights. Ah...to have young eyes...

Thanks to Mr. Browning, and Saint Patrick. You guys really made my day.

Gaff

The Most Unforgettable Character I've Never Met...(Sorry Readers Digest)

I mentioned and quoted someone in my last post that I have been pondering and studying for a while now. As I learn more about this man, I am more and more impressed with his 86 orbits of the sun.

Lieutenant Colonel John Dean "Jeff" Cooper is this man. A battle tested marine of two wars, a hunter of African big game, trainer of kings and presidents from around the world, mentor to the common hand-gunner, historian, inventor, innovator, race car driver, pilot, author, and on and on. Renaissance Man? Well, I think he closely approaches that appellation's definition, and in many ways achieves its meaning and stature. Oh! and he loved John Moses Browning's M1911 pistol.

The legacy of Col. Cooper is varied and widespread. He left us with a universal approach to proper behavior with a firearm that is now, de rigueur globally. "A firearm is ALWAYS loaded." Sound familiar? "Never point a weapon at something you don't intend to destroy", "Do not put your finger on the trigger until your sights are on the target, AND you have identified the target, AND what is beyond." That's him.

His ideas about the "Combat Mindset", and preparing for the unexpected in everyday circumstances, is the basis for his curriculum concerning survival during a lethal encounter. Yes, having certain self-defense skills is important, but the ability to keep a cool head (the mind), is the difference between living and dying when the "Goblin" is dead-set on your demise. Turning fear into anger, if you have a defensive firearm, focusing on the front sight and threat/target, aiming "center mass", and squeezing the trigger for the "surprise" break. These things are meant to STOP the Goblin's threat, NOT to kill. When firearms are part of the encounter, death is most likely the final outcome to that deadly situation, but in Col. Cooper's mind, KILLING is the purview of the criminal felon, STOPPING threat is the primal reaction of the human being. Providing the skills, and more importantly, the trained mindset to STOP lethal threats is what his later life was dedicated to.

Over the years, from the late 1950's on, Col. Cooper developed his "Defensive Pistol Techniques" which are used worldwide. He developed the "Scout" type rifle from his extensive hunting experience in Rhodesia. He also was prominent in the development of competitive pistol design (the Bren Ten), and practical use pistol competitions.

Col. Jeff Cooper made a very good living getting paid for his knowledge, and using his experience and abilities to train men and women to protect their own lives, the lives of their loved ones, and or the lethally threatened. His training grounds, "Gunsite", and home "The Sconce", in Arizona, is used to this day to instill his ideas and practices into the minds and bodies of paying customers. I hope someday to pay a visit myself, and learn what I can in one week's time, from the devoted employees and followers of his way of training and preparation for the deadly situation we all hope will never come to pass.

I will close this entry with a quote that is engraved over the mantel of Col. Cooper's home, "The Sconce":

"Mind must be the stronger, heart the bolder, courage must be the greater, as our might lessens."

From the manuscript of Otho A.xii, The Battle of Maldon

If this entry peaked your interest, look him up...he's the real deal.

Happy New Year to One and All!

Gaff

Common Sense? What does it all mean?

Last week saw the posting (mailing) of my State-required firearm forms, declaring my possession of a dreaded "Assault" type carbine (short rifle), a 9MM Beretta, CX4 Storm, as well as all of my various magazines that are capable of holding ten or more bullets.

Just what, in the sweet dreams of Hercules, the State of Connecticut is going to do with those forms, (DPS-414-C (Rev.10/02/13) & DESPP-788-C (Rev.10/02/13), is anyone's guess.  If there was ever a concrete example of red tape, government waste, duplication of effort, privacy infringement, and erosion of Constitutionally guaranteed rights, poorly hidden under the veil of "common sense", this idiocy is it.

The State should already know I have the Beretta, they asked me to provide them with a copy of the DPS-3 form that they already have. That form was filled out at the time of purchase in quadruplicate. It was then sent to them, and my local police department. The retailer got another copy, and I got the last copy. Holy hewn hemlocks!; that's a lot of paperwork. Where did their original copy go? Golly-gee-willikers, is THAT a rhetorical question.

As far as listing all the High Capacity Magazines I own, what does that accomplish exactly? Well, for one, it gives the Gub-mint an all-knowing-all-seeing type of self-satisfaction. "Ha-Ha! We know where you live, and we can come and get those nasty folded sheet metal contrivances any damn time we want...ahem...after we change/skirt the laws."

Can you imagine for a moment, the stacks of 8 1/2 X 11 sheets of paper in some poor bastard's office. There are nearly two hundred thousand legal gun owners in Connecticut. I'll wager a good portion of those "law abiding citizens" have at least one magazine that can hold more than ten bullets. THAT my friend, is a lot of paperwork. The good side of this paperwork nightmare is that the criminals, hoodlums, and maniacs will not be bothering to register their "Assault" weapons or "High Capacity Magazines". Comforting, isn't it?

Again, the purpose of all this is....? I thought so, not an easy question to answer. The GOV and Democratic legislators would explain it as "common sense" measures. Really??? Most of them would not know which end of an AK-47 the bullet comes out of.

In my opinion, the last time "common sense" and the government were used together in a cogent way was back in 1775, when Common Sense, a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine, inspired people in the Thirteen Colonies to declare and fight for independence from their tyrannical Government...

Those of you that might stumble upon this missive and deplore the idea of common citizens bearing arms, or possessing firearms for self-protection, please take a moment to think about the idea of self-defense. It is THE most basic right. You are readily and gladly ceding that right, in hopes that someone else, (the Government namely), will protect you when evil comes knocking at your door. In the meantime, you sit and cower, cell phone to your ear, hoping the 911 operator gets your address transmitted to the prowl car properly. Good luck with that. Those citizens back in 1775 sure as hell did not sit and cower.

Sorry, that last paragraph was off topic. I just couldn't help myself. Correction, I actually CAN and WILL help myself, if necessary. Can you say and do the same? If the answer to that is no, start practicing your cower position. I suggest butt on the floor, knees to chest, whimper into cellphone. This is more comfortable than the kneeling in the closet position.

Merry Christmas to one and all! To steal a line from Dickens; "God bless us, everyone." Especially bless the townsfolk of Sandy Hook, Connecticut. Why not go out and do something nice for someone, to honor them, and to remember that awful day one year ago, when evil came knocking at that school door.

Gaff

The Marvelous Mechanical Marvel

Since my last post, where I threatened to go out and procure a "plastic gun", a.k.a. Glock 19, I was presented with three rare buying opportunities and handled an heirloom. The first buying oppourtunity, was stumbling onto a "Talo" edition of the Ruger SR 1911 pistol. I have two of these already, in Stainless Steel. A Full Size and a Commander version. I think they are a very nice representation of the modern M1911 and a great "first" 1911 for a would-be buyer.

This Talo limited edition, "One of 500" DLC coated black beauty is Talo's tribute to the Navy SEALS. $100 of the purchase price goes directly to the Navy SEAL Foundation. It has wonderful French Walnut Basket Weave Grip Panels, and the Black DLC (Diamond Like Coating) finish is stunning. Gold Ruger and Navy SEAL medallions are etched/stamped onto the rear of the slide which really make them POP!

There goes the Glock for now...

Next, while searching for info on semi-custom 1911's, I came across a new Dan Wesson Valor (Bobbed) for sale. This Stainless Steel "V-Bob" is a .45 ACP piece of heaven. Its Burl grip panels were fabulous. The reason for its rarity, was the fact that a fire consumed part of the Dan Wesson Factory in Norwich, NY., last November. This put the facility "out of production" until March of this year. With back orders, customer's pistols in need of service, and the constant demand for these hand tuned quality firearms at an all time high, the availability of these sought after weapons is virtually nil. I snatched it up. What a fabulous find.

No Glock yet...

Finally, well, not quite, I came across a new Colt .45 Rail Gun. Another hard to find, much in demand full size M1911 with tactical rail and Black Cerakote finish. I had been in search of one for about two years when this one was foisted upon my wondering eyes at my local gun store. It went home with me.

Still no Glock...

The Dan Wesson Twins

I did have an opportunity last week to detail strip a friend's Korean War era, Ithaca made M1911A1. This Olive Drab "Parkerized" US Army Sidearm is a classic, and it is in great condition, albeit a bit lacking of lubrication. I took care of that for the most part in my disassembly and lubrication of the combat pistol. While doing so, I marveled at the condition of this weapon, and how it may have saved the original owner's life (my friend's father). And, that thought reminded me of something the great defensive pistol guru Jeff Cooper once said of this John Browning design, and hence, the title of this blog:

"Pistols do not win wars, but they save the lives of the men who do. The noble 1911 is a mechanical marvel, whose ruggedness, dependability and ferocious power have comforted four issues of GIs, and which, unlike any other instrument you can name, is as much superior to its rivals as it was in 1917."  -Col. Jeff Cooper, about the 1911 Pistol, January, 1968

The Glock is going to have to wait awhile. Maybe, a long while.

Best wishes to all, shoot straight;

Gaff