That Old itch again…
I’m getting that old timey itch again… for a Cowboy Gun. I’d love a Colt Single Action Army, and for me that means a Ruger Vaquero. The Transfer Bar Safety is the business and that’s a requirement. Because if I am only going to have 6 rounds in the gun, I want to keep all six chambers loaded. A Six Shooter is best with Six. Not the standard Colt load five and carry it with the firing pin down on an empty cylinder.
I know of three cases in the last decade where a person with a single action revolver dropped the gun and it hit hammer first, discharging the firearm and the bullet impacted the person in the lower abdomen. One case was fatal, one wasn’t quite but should have been, and the other the person was luckly and only lost a testicle and has to use a pump to have an erection… Okay, so two of them should have been fatal. But never mind all that… my point is the Transfer Bar Safety is a Must Have item for me.
Ruger makes a fine revolver and their Single Action Revolvers are, in my opinion, the best value for the money. I was also a fan of the Beretta Stampede, which also had a transfer bar safety. Unfortunately, they discontinued those… They were great looking pistols to be sure. I know other makers are putting out fine Colt Clones… and there is nothing wrong with them at all. They are probably better guns than the original Colts were. They are made with the original pattern and some slight upgrades… and they have the firing pins on the hammers as the Colts did. So those are non-starters for me.
I think I am most fond of the 5102 model at this moment. Not sure why, maybe I’m itching for that big fat .45 Colt round. Because that cartridge proves that these guns are just not Outdated by any means. That cartridge is still getting work done, and in a Ruger… it can do even more. I also like the 4.6 inch barrel. Just a little shorter, I think it feels just as good, points just as good, and looks just right to me.
Long Arm Open Carry
There is a time and a place for everything. Getting a snack is neither the time or the place for packing any long arm in the current political environment in the lower 48. We’ve seen mass shootings. We’ve seen Swattings. We’ve seen all manner of mindless and or intentional evil and anything to do with an AR-15 or AK variant is exceptionally scrutinized by the media and the public at large. The left is salivating over gun control. And you taking it upon yourself to openly carry your rifle to order your Bacon Double Cheeseburger isn’t helping “The Cause”.
We all know about our Rights. We all know about the Constitution. What is very evident though, is we do not all know about Optics. And I’m not talking about optical gunsights. I’m talking about How Things Look from the Outside. Because like it or not, we are not living in an area where seeing people in civilian clothes packing long guns is a normal thing in Urban Areas. You are not helping. What you are doing is making people nervous as hell. You are not teaching them. You are not educating the public. You are actually, if anything, making everything worse.
Quick thank you to Miguel Gonzalez for getting me worked up about this.e
You see, people can not read minds. No one knows you have benign intentions. What what’s been happening, you might be working yourself up to cut loose. No one knows otherwise. But what everyone does know – is that you look like one shady dude that needs to be greeted as soon as possible by the local law. That’s all we know.
Look, there has been times when I myself have openly packing all manner of long arms. From AR’s to AK’s, to PSL’s, to Tactical Shotguns and even Sterling SMG’s. While riding motorcycles. Yes… I did that. But I was also out in the middle of nowhere in Rural Utah Flyover Country. Not in a Suburban Area where I’m going into public places and places of business and ordering up a Smoothie while Exercising my Rights to Keep and Bear. Through the majority of this country, it’s ill advised to even keep that rifle in the back window of your truck.
Hell, we had that in our High School Parking Lots when I was a kid. I used to do that myself! But even that is a poor idea most places, most times these days. As much as I hate it… America has changed. We have to be smarter. We have to be more cautious. We have to be more subtle. At the same time we have to be Ready, yes. Always. Just don’t be That Guy that draws attention to yourself for hells sake. With Red Flag laws being a thing now, you could have a co-worker that drops a dime on you and next thing you know, there’s a knock at your door and people are outside waiting to come in and search your shit and to take away all your guns. Go ahead and beat your chest and spout off your bravado. The nail that stands up is the nail that gets hammered. There is a time and a place to make your stand. Pick your battles. Read THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu.
Springfield Armory MC Operator
If I were in the market for another full sized, railed 1911, I’d be looking for a Springfield Armory MC Operator. Let me tell you why…
Back when I was still in the Gun Industry, a Springer Rep came with a number of guns to try out first hand. I shot the lot of them, but the one I kept coming back to was the MC Operator. It just felt awesome in the hand, was exceptionally accurate for me, and it was flawlessly reliable.
A couple years after that, I was visiting the MARSOC armory at Camp Lejeune. We were fitting holsters for their new Colt Rail Guns, that won the contract to replace the MC Operators. The Marine Operators there spoke highly of the Springers and talked about how they never had problems with them… and the new Colts were giving them fits and nightmares. This made a lasting impression on me… and here I am years later again, and the MC Operator remains just as accurate and reliable for those that I know that have them and shoot them.
There are a lot of great railed 1911’s out there on the market. But few provide the bang for the buck value that the Springfield MC Operator gives you.
2019 Buick Regal GS
Being in the auto industry, I get to examine a lot of different vehicles. And when I say a lot, I do mean all of them. And being the opinionated Ogre that I am… I have my biases. This is a personal fault of mine, and I embrace it. However, I am often delighted when I find that a company has really stepped up their game and I have to admit that I am now wrong.
Buick’s 2018-2019 Regal series is generally rather boring, being somewhere in the GM line up as an elevated Chevy, or discount Caddy. But the Regal GS package is a little different. Someone at Buick spiked the dish with a little hot sauce. Because you can have it with a V-6, and All Wheel Drive, and seats that don’t feel like they belong in a retirement home community room. This is something for the Lads… and to be honest, this is something that I am increasingly interested in, Comfortable Sedans that just happen to not be boring.
This is a Car well worth looking at. Well worth taking a test drive in. I think it’s one of the best sedan options out there, and if you are looking for an American sedan… One of the very best in an ever shrinking list. It feels more of a premium vehicle than say, a V-6 Charger… And not as pretentious as a Caddy. I really like it. One of the things I also like about it… the engine is Naturally Aspirated. I appreciate a twin turbo’s power boost, but I like the feel of an NA engine.
This car will compare well against an Audi A6, BMW 326, Genesis G70, as well as certain sedans from Lexus and Acura. So if you are looking at this segment… I think the Regal GS is well worth the consideration.
Guns in Mormon Churches
We have all seen the new Policy put out by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you haven’t, here’s a link to it. For a long time, the church has said that guns carried into the buildings were inappropriate. Now, they have basically outright banned them for anyone that is not a uniformed officer on duty.
I’m a Mormon. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. No, I am not pleased with this. Not at all. One of my ancestors was, in fact, a Martyr of the LDS Church. He was shot off of his horse by an Anti-Mormon mob. Others of my family faced mobs and were driven across the country by Hate. Mormons have a thick history with this as we were driven from our homes repeatedly. My family had suffered from this, as had many others. We’ve seen violence at our church buildings… so being prepared is something that we just do. So no, I am very much not happy about this policy change.
You know what though? Churches are for matters of God, not matters of men or politics. So I’m not going to mix those. It’s not a good mix. That being said, Concealed Means Concealed. If they Trespass me for that, well, then it’s an instant 10% raise as I won’t have to pay tithing anymore. While I might disagree with the policy of the corporate structure of the church, my faith and belief in the gospel remains unshaken.
Here’s why… The Church operates on two different levels… One of them being Spiritual, and the other you can call Corporate. This policy is from that Corporate side of things and is not Church Doctrine. Members such as myself, understand the difference, though to the uninitiated it might seem otherwise. Basically, if it’s not a matter of Doctrine, then it’s a Policy.
Joseph Smith said it himself, “a prophet is only a prophet when acting as such.”
Top 10 for 2019
My Top Ten New Vehicles for 2019. Based on personal driving experience, this is my top 10 vehicles that I would spend my own money on. SUV’s: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner, Audi Q5. Sedans: Dodge Charger, Genesis G80 Sport. Coupes: Audi S5, Porsche Cayman. Hatch Back: Golf R. Pickup Truck: For the Full Size, Dodge RAM. Midsize, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.
I’m going now
I’m done with Facebook. I’m on MeWe now. You can find me under the same name there, but here’s the URL to my Profile.
I’ll only keep my FB account for Business related things. Maybe check messages once a week at most.
Grilling While Armed
The Grilling While Armed book is now Live on Amazon!
This is your Grill HQ Operations Manual. With this book, you will learn by the numbers! We will teach you! You will master your Grill as you master your life! You will become Grill Masters!
Mark Walters of Armed American Radio and I have worked very hard on this project, and it’s been a labor of love. Doing and enjoying what we do… Living the Freedom Lifestyle, with Guns and Grilled Meat!
Order your copy here!
Cleaning and Lubrication
Over the last month, I’ve had an abundance of questions regarding Weapon Lubrication, Cleaning, and about what oils I’ve been using as of late, and what CLP I recommend.
First off, I don’t recommend any CLP product. Because the functions of Cleaning and Lubrication tend to be at odds with one another so any single product doesn’t do both of those jobs well. Some products do one job better than it does the other, and other products the opposite. I favor using the right tool for the job. So I like a dedicated cleaner, and a dedicated lubricant.
MPRO-7 Cleaner is my cleaner of choice. In fact, I’m due to grab another bottle as I am getting low. Anyways.
For a Lubricant, I still have some Slipstream, but as supplies run out and production is stopped, I’ve been using something else more and more. Mobil 1. And here’s why. Oils designed for engines have a lot of other additives than just the base oil. These additives increase the lubrication properties, and they help break down carbon and helps prevent carbon from sticking to the metal. The additives in the oil keep that carbon emulsified and as those particles are in a solution, helps move it away from friction points. A firearm works a lot like an internal combustion engine. Heat and carbon are a result of a cartridge’s Combustion. And no matter how slick the surface is, carbon is going to want to stick to it, build up, and cause problems. This is why Crusader started recommending using the Slipstream oil on top of the permanent application process and eventually stopped doing permanent lubrication altogether. While a lube free coating sounds like a good idea at first, like Socialism, the actual use of it causes its own set of problems and eventually, it’s just a bad idea.
Guns can be Hot. Guns can be Dirty. Guns can be Dry. But they can’t be all three and keep having fun. If you want it to run Hot and Dirty, it’s got to be Wet. Just like a weekend in Vegas.