HAPPY THANKSGIVING

All is well with my family again this year, and I have much for which to give thanks. My Beloved Bride is recovering well from her recent surgery and if off the walker and using a cane. I could wax eloquent (well, MILDLY so) but prolly couldn't do much better than what I wrote here a couple of years back. I checked and it still reads pretty well. Certain details differ, especially about the attendees, but my basic gratitude is the same. May you all be equally blessed on the day.

Holly tuned the televisor to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and I've been glancing over my shoulder at the screen occasionally.

She commented that the Radio City Rockettes were about to perform, and I did turn around for that performance. I mused a bit, wondering aloud if to qualify for that distinguished troupe, the young women had to agree to having an extra four inches grafted into their legs. BB doesn't think so, but I still wonder . . . .
Best of the season to all you you and yours.
JPG

Final Bulletin about Bayou Renaissance Man

Beloved Bride and I talked with Peter night before last. He went home from hospital on TU13OCT, I think. He's progressing nicely, gaining strength and feeling better. He has a support network of local friends and someone comes by to help him every day.

He's frustrated in that he had only just gotten moved into his new quarters when he was struck ill. He has MANY boxes of gear still stacked and not yet unpacked. He's not able to make any progress on that front as he's restricted from lifting anything of over ten pounds weight.

Peter's fiancee' should arrive in about a week and she'll help in getting his stuff unpacked.

He expresses gratitude to all who send prayers and good thoughts.

Per the title of this piece, this is my final update on Peter's health. I see he's back to publishing HIS blog on a daily basis, and he'll give his own progress reports. In a way, I hope he's putting up stuff he already had "in the can." However, as I write, I recall my own bout with an MCI, quadruple bypass, and subsequent complications. One of the ONLY things I was able to do comfortably was mess with the computer. Anyway, be sure to drop by his spot and see what topics upon which he's discoursing.

Viewpoints: Conservatives and Liberals

My old friend Rob retired as a Marine Gunnery Sergeant. He then went on to retire again as a police supervisor. It's always a pleasure to hear from him.

I usually steer clear of political commentary on this blog. It just aggravates me and I get all tang toungled. When Rob sent this one by e-mail, though, I had to pass it along.

Conservative vs. Liberal

If a conservative doesn’t like guns, he doesn`t buy one.
If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn`t eat meat.
If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat his enemy.
A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a black man or Hispanic is a conservative, they see themselves as independently successful.
Their liberal counterparts see themselves as victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don’t like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.
A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. (Unless it’s a foreign religion, of course!)

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

If a conservative slips and falls in a store, he gets up, laughs and is embarrassed.
If a liberal slips and falls, he grabs his neck, moans like he's in labor and then sues.

If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh.
A liberal will delete it because he's "offended".

Peter's on the Mend!

I'm extremely pleased to be able to announce that my friend Padre Pedro, who blogs as Bayou Renaissance Man, is recovering nicely, following quadruple bypass surgery.

Our mutual friend, Ambulance Driver, who lives near the hospital, reported today that he and his darlin' daughter went and visited Peter today. This was good to read, but it was even better when Holly and I talked with Peter by phone just a few minutes ago.

He apparently had a really close call, for a man who had never previously experienced any type of heart trouble. Peter was astute enough to phone his doctor soon after he began manifesting symptoms, and said learned healer prodded him to get off the dime and do what he should have already done: He summoned the medics. Two ambulances of 'em showed up in short order and worked their emergency magic. This prompt action seems to have headed off Peter's imminent demise long enough to get him into hosplital treatment and surgery.

The man sounds a bit weak yet, but he has hopes that he'll be out of the facility in another few days. While progressing nicely, Peter can still use some more prayers and good thoughts.

My "New" Handloading Setup

Like most shooters over a certain age, I started out handloading on a single-stage C-type press. I later got a stronger and nicer RCBS O-frame press and used it for many years. I loaded several handgun and a couple of rifle calibers on it. I shot a LOT of pistol ammo, especially for the several years when I was quite active in IPSC competition. I shot at least three, usually five or six, and sometimes seven or eight matches per month. This included the weekly Friday evening matches at Dallas Indoor Pistol Range. Believe me, I spent a great deal of time at the loading bench. I gave up casting my own, purchasing 230 gr. lead round nose in bulk. All that was on the same single-station press.

Finally, in 1989 or -90, I broke down and ordered a Dillon 550B, and it was a revelation! Though I had dropped back to shooting maybe one or two matches per month, it was glorious to spend a relatively short time loading, and yet be able to shoot all the ammo I wanted to, on any given weekend. This was a time when Elder Son Matt was getting very interested in center fire handguns, and we spent a lot of time at the range. The old RCBS press still saw a lot of service in rifle load development and loading practice ammo.

As great as it was having the Dillon press, I found myself dreading a change of calibers. It's only about two minutes to switch out one previously-adjusted tool head and to install another. I had some four powder measures, so I usually didn't even need to make load adjustments. About two minutes, that is, IF the switch was between two calibers using the same primer size. .45 ACP to .44 magnum or .45 Colt was a snap. Or .38 Special to 9mm or .380. But a changeover from small primers to large, or vice-versa, was a minor headache. I'd end up postponing loading some calibers until I was just flat OUT of that particular number.

A local shop took a used Dillon Square Deal B press in trade, set up for .38 Special. I looked it over, got a good price on it, and it was mine. I shipped it to Dillon for a complete overhaul at a reasonable cost, and now I had two progressive presses on my bench, along with the old single-stage. Matt and I owned small assortment of .38 and .357 caliber revolvers, and we began exercising these sometimes neglected fine old handgus. Most of the time, the 550B stayed set up for .45 ACP.

Couple of matters brought things to a head. First, my Beloved Bride had become very interested in shooting steel plate matches. She shot in the rimfire class, using my Browning Buckmark. Predictably, though, about the time she was becoming pretty competent with the .22, she wanted to shoot centerfire. Before I knew what was up, MY Browning 9mm Hi-Power took up residence in HER shooting bag, and when I wasn't prompt enough in changing my 550B over to small primer use, we were spending a fair chunk of change buying Winchester White Box 9mm at Wally World.

Also, this excellent spouse overheard me telling a pal that I seriously wanted a Colt Super .38 pistol. Next thing I know, she's shopping the stores and the internet, looking to buy me that special pistol. Long story short, she outbid all comers for a really nice 1953-vntage pistol. It was my birthday gift, and words cannot express how happy she made me with it. I bought several boxes of ammo, but already knew I needed to handload Super .38. Yet another reason to do primer system switches.

I finally put up a "Want to Buy" ad on TheFiringLine.com and TheHighRoad.com. A man who lived 15 minutes from me answered. I bought an old 550 in good shape, with three caliber conversions from him. It took me a few months to obtain a proper mounting plate for my bench, and more months before I got it set up.

I only then realized that the recent acquisition was a much older press, a 550 rather than 550B.

It had no fail safe powder measure reset rod - - Not even a place to mount one. And all three powder measures had a very different bell crank system. They should work out well with the older press, though. I've set up this press to handle all my small primer needs, so I can leave the other one for large primers. I've loaded almost 200 rounds of 9mm parabellum, which will make my beloved bride happy. Several hundred more, to establish a comfortable stockpile, and I'll continue my development of a couple of Super .38 loads.

So - I'm satisfied, at least for the time being. Two 550s, a Square Deal B, and an RCBS Single Stage. Things are getting a little crowded, but I'll deal with it.

Note: People I know and respect use other brands of progressive loading presses. I got started on the Dillon progressives and ave been quite satisfied with them. I have NO argument with loaders who choose another brand.

False Alarm!

On 9AUG2009, I received an e-mail from a friend which was, on the face of it, very alarming. It started out:

Gun Confiscation is Beginning--Senate Bill SB-2099

HR45 Gun Owners Watch Out

Concerning the Blair-Holt proposed legislation: Senate Bill SB-2099 will require us to put on our 2009 1040 federal tax form all guns that you have or own. It may require fingerprints and a tax of $50 per gun.

In November, our lying president promised he was not going after our Second Amendment rights. This bill was introduced on Feb. 24. This bill will become public knowledge 30 days after it is voted into law. This is an amendment to the Internal Revenue Act of 1986. This means that the Finance Committee can pass this without the Senate voting on it at all.

The e-mail continued with a broad expansion of this horror story, detailing provisions of the "New Law," including:
. . . would make it illegal to own a firearm - any rifle with a clip or ANY pistol unless:
It is registered, owner is fingerprinted, supplies current Driver's License and Social Security Number, submits to physical & mental evaluation at a time of "THEIR" choosing. Any change of ownership through private or public sale must be reported, with a $25 fee. Failure to do so automatically forfeits the right to own a firearm and subjects you to a year in jail. A child-access provision allows "THEM" to inspect your gun storage, and violations subject you to fine and up to 5 years in prison.

I do not question the sincerity of my pal who sent the e-mail. I'm certain he got it from someone who was equally convinced on its authenticity. HOWEVER - - -
My very well-informed friend Stephen Camp passed along the following:

Chris Cox, Executive Director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action writes "Blind Alley on the Information Superhighway."

Mr. Cox sets the record straight and reveals that, "It turns out someone’s recycling an old alert that wasn’t even accurate when it was new. There actually was a bill called S. 2099 that would have taxed handguns--nine years ago."

Please check out the above link and read the entire article. It places "Rumor Control" in an interesting historical context, and is a true cautionary tale. We ALL must be alert for abuses of our rights, but it is important that we cast a critical eye on the more fantastic rumors.

Push the Pull Door - - Blog by a Great Guy

By way of Elder Son's writings, I learn that friend Don Gwinn's old blog, Armed School Teacher, is no more. If you have that site bookmarked and click on the old link, you'll find the entire site has been taken down. I'm happy to pass along that Don's fine efforts may now be found at Push the Pull Door. If you haven't read Don in the past, do yourself a favor and check him out.

First, though, read Matt's blog on the topic. Be sure to click on that first link, I've written, for an excellent introduction to a truly fine man, his family, and his other, subordinate, interests. I've "known" Don for about nine years, both of us serving on the staff of both The Firing Line and The High Road firearms interest boards. Though we've never met face-to-face, I believe you can learn A LOT about a man, reading several thousand examples of his writing.

It may seem a little strange for a senior citizen (memyownself) to write about one of his heroes who happens to be considedrably younger. Well, that doesn't bother me one bit to echo Matt and say: Don Gwinn is indeed a hero, and I'm pround to call him a friend.