Saturday, March 31, 2012

Reloading: Success!

well good. My first 24 test cases for reloading 45acp worked without a hitch.

7.7grains of Acura #5 with a 230 grain jacketed ball ammo. About as vannilia as you can go, bit it worked in both my 1911's and my Kahr.

I still have to try my AR45, and that lot was too small for all but a basic function test.

But hey still passed that.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Bill Whittle nails it.

How bad are our current "leaders"? This bad:



It's nice for Whittle to put it all together.

Taken from Weerd.

And the scary part? These bastards and hustlers and tyrants? They're symptomatic of a deep disease in America. After all they could not get into power if not for the massive work done on the culture, institutions, education, and media over the years to make their rule acceptable to just enough people.

Here, have something happy to make up for all that.

When you buy a safe be careful with what you get.

Especially if it's any kind of portable or compact "enclosure".



Via GBC.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Starting Reloading

Well got some stuff in today and after bolting and calibrating here's the first lot of 21


So far I'm real happy with the Lee Turret press. It has a lot of room to grow with various add-ons and options. Though I do want to calibrate the powder dispenser for wastage. Though so far it gives reliable loads.

Speaking of that, I'm really enjoying the Hornaday Digital Scale. Nice accuracy, easy tare reset, and very fast response. It's really a handy tool for checking your loads, and even weighing the assembled cartridge.

That and a pair of calipers can give you some nice measurements and checking of your consistency and matching to a reference cartridge and guide book limitations.

For example the cartridge on the scale is 5 grains heavier than the other 20. Later on I'll use my cartridge dis assembly hammer to separate it and weight the components.

I'd make more but I want to test this loading at the range first.

As a bonus there's a preview of my spent primer jar. I'm thinking of a "guess the beans" style contest. Though not sure the terms and what to offer. Maybe something for charity.

Monday, March 26, 2012

It's the little things.

Shipping, it's a big deal.



Via Ace

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Saturday, March 24, 2012

LaserLyte Training Target II

As mentioned earlier, I just got a Laserlyte training target, and while it was really fun it was acting a bit balky. Sometimes the reset sensor would not register, sometimes hits would not register, sometimes the display would not go. And when I took it apart I found that while the batteries did have a tendency to come loose that was not the problem.

No when trying it out in my workshop I realized something... the light in my living, room for some reason, is '"icky" for the sensors. But in my workshop the thing works flawlessly.

I think the bugger's really sensitive to ambient light. The laser light from the chamber piece does have to go through a thick semi-transparent red sheet on the cover of the target to reach the sensor array.

I'm also kicking myself for not taking a picture of the thing disassembled. The way the grid of sensors is laid out for the target is really neat. There's over sixty in the target circle alone. Gives rather good resolution all in all.

So in short, if you get one of these things and it starts being balky... try a different room.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Apricots and Bookcase

Well earlier this week my apricot tree flowered. Here's hoping the recent storms haven't hurt it.


Also picked up a "new" bookcase for a really good price at a consignment place. It's the center.



Sorry for the low quality and bad focus. Took them with my cheep flip vid camera.

And yeah the bookcase is already full. Work's been liquidating their library so I've been able to cull quite a bit, and fill up my study's coffee table.


Also primers are getting more expensive, 6 months ago they cost about 35 for a thousand, today it was 42.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Stand your ground; the media's been around this story before.

All this talk about Zimmerman (hey here's at least the arrest report for some facts. Call me crazy but while the guy looks very mall-ninjay, I don't think that's enough to string him up, even if the Media *knows* he's guilty). Got me thinking about the last time I heard the antis scream about the Florida's SRG law.

Consider this report filed just in January: Collier judge upholds 'Stand Your Ground' stabbing death defense in teen's bus stop bullying

A judge’s ruling, made public Tuesday, granted a motion to dismiss the second-degree murder charge against Jorge Saavedra in the death of 16-year-old Dylan Nuno on the grounds that he acted in self-defense under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. The State Attorney’s Office has indicated that it will not appeal the ruling.

Nuno’s family and friends criticized Collier County Circuit Judge Lauren Brodie’s decision, calling it “unbelievable” and “heartbreaking.”

“We know this wasn’t the right decision,” said Dylan’s aunt, Adriana Nuno.“(The judge) is showing those kids it’s OK to get away with murder.”

Get away with murder? The evils of Stand Your Ground. Well, let's see what lead to the death?

Brodie’s ruling concluded that Saavadra, who said he was bullied and tried avoid a fight with Nuno, did not act unlawfully. She added that Saavadra had more than enough reason to believe he was in danger of death or great bodily harm.

In a nine-page document released Tuesday by the State Attorney’s Office, Brodie stated that by getting off the bus several stops before the location where the fight was to happen, Saavedra “demonstrated that, with or without a knife, (he) had no desire to fight with Dylan Nuno.”

Accompanied by several students, Dylan Nuno, a junior, followed Saavedra, a freshman, off the bus. He then punched him in the back of the head, according to court documents and testimony.

Saavedra attempted to get away once, witnesses said. He then stabbed Dylan Nuno 12 times in the chest and abdomen. Two of the blows caused fatal wounds, including one that nicked his heart.

Emphasis added. So, after trying to escape from a fight, Jorge Saavedra was assaulted from behind, tries to retreat once more, and only after that stabs Dylan Nuno.

Even if there was no Stand Your Ground, and this was in A Duty To Retreat state... Saavedra met that requirement by trying to escape.

But just look at this.

Of course unlike Zimmerman in this case there were no guns (so no candles) and there wasn't the race angle. Which proved to be less fertile ground for the antis.

Oh and you want to see how common Stand Your Ground Statutes are? 31 states have 'em and only 12 got 'em recently. But it's Florida that's getting blood in the streets.

Edit: Linoge looks at some tweets and finds people that don't care about such niceties as due process and are fine with vigilantism if it's in their hands.

In the end, if Zimmerman walks (and I am not saying he should or will), it will not be because of Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" law because Zimmerman was not covered by that law and the law does not protect aggressors nor does it protect actual murderers. Of course, those small details of facts make no difference to the warped and twisted minds determined to dance in Martin’s blood and exploit this incident to their own authoritarian desires.

It wouldn't be the first time.

Obama: "oil is $1.20 a barrel"

Not only can't the President even ballpark the price of oil to within its correct order of magnitude but in context it's even more stupid:

“We have subsidized oil companies for a century. We want to encourage production of oil and gas, and make sure that wherever we’ve got American resources, we are tapping into them. But they don’t need an additional incentive when gas is $3.75 a gallon, when oil is $1.20 a barrel, $1.25 a barrel. They don’t need additional incentives. They are doing fine.”

Just bask int eh epic ignorance.

As I say at the link:

Note in the President’s comments on the evils of oil profits he doesn’t mention how a good part of that $3.75 a gallon is due to taxes. I guess profiting on a commodity is only bad if it’s done by the private sector.

Also I get the sense that Obama has absolutely no idea how oil is turned into gasoline. Does he really think that the oil is just divided up from barrels into gallons or that distillation, processing, shipping and storage all come with costs? Is he really that ignorant on how things work?

Given that he can’t even get within two, TWO!, orders of magnitude on how much a barrel of oil costs… maybe he is.

Utterly shameless. Course this is also the man that takes the credit for the very pipeline he's repeatedly blocked.

Crazy times are here.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Alan Grayson: "If you're against universal health care, just keep your distance from doctors and hospitals."

When we last saw the former congressmen he was literally running over the poor with his Mercedes on the way to meet with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr at a big-dollar fundraiser for the rich.

Now he's saying if you don't like universal healthcare you shouldn't get any healthcare.

What's delicious is that he says this after this litany against the Loathsome Anti-Porn and Anti Gay Santorum. From Ace of Spades.

You see how that works? Let me give you some more examples.

If you're against contraception, don't use it.

If you're against abortion, don't have one.

If you're against Moslems, don't become one.

If you're against gay marriage, don't have one.

If you're against unions, don't join one.

If you're against universal health care, just keep your distance from doctors and hospitals.

If you're against homosexuality, then feel free to limit your sexual interest to the 3 billion human beings of the opposite gender.

What I'm basically trying to say to Rick Santorum, and everyone like Rick Santorum, is this: mind your own business.

One of these things is not like the others...

On an interesting aside. This does imply that Grayson is against closed union shops. After all what if someone got a job and didn't want to join the union? Grayson would be okay with that, right? Right?

Ace notes the mask flopping right onto the ground.

Until he gets to universal health care -- a top-down, mandated-enrollment, government-controlled, no-escape-clause dream of the socialist left.

And there? There is his recommendation is, essentially, don't go to doctors or hospitals. In other words, never get sick.

You don't have to be a libertarian. But don't pose as pro-liberty and then smuggle in your support for socialized, statist government control.

It's the same old, "I'm pro choice for all the things that are good and wholesome, but those icky things need some common sense control."

For Santorum it's the Gays, Porn and the like where the State knows better than you. For Grayson well... don't get sick. Why does that sound so familiar?

For example, can you imagine Grayson saying: "If you're against guns, don't buy one." or "If you're against concealed carry, you don't have to."?

Not only does Grayson envision medical care being contingent on political loyalty, but he also dreams of banning all non-state healthcare.

He doesn't say "just keep your distance from Universal Care doctors and Socialized (but the good kind) hospitals."

He doesn't say "If you're against universal health care, just be prepared to pay through the nose a at a private hospital."

It's really a fascinating unforced error. When trying to expose how narrow-minded and anti-liberty Santorum is, Grayson, for no reason at all, brings up his dreams of a totalitarian medical regime where every single doctor and hospital in the nation is either forced into his system or driven out of practice.

And then he has the gall to say that if you complain about the system he forced you into then you'll be cut off. Talk about removing choice. In Grayson's world, if you disagree with Universal Healthcare: Don't get Sick.

It's also very telling and very creepy that for a man who supposedly thinks that healthcare is so vital and so important that the State has to step in to ensure it's provided is so cavalier about withholding said vital services based on a person's political beliefs.

Monday, March 19, 2012

It's like they think we're all ignorant serfs to be ordered around...

In 1995, Eric Holder spoke out about his desire to brainwash the US populace to discourage them from exercising a fundamental right protected by the Constitution. Why yes, this paranoia-level crackpot is the current US Attorney General.

Kinda explains the thinking behind Fast and Furious, no?

On his dreams of brainwashing the residents of DC?

How well did that work? On one hand, very well; Washington DC continues to have one of the most restrictive gun-control laws in the nation. On the other … not so well. DC also has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the nation, too. Most people would conclude that gun-control laws don’t really work as intended, and that perhaps disarming law-abiding citizens is counterproductive. But that would be rational, and Holder wanted to conduct “brainwashing,” which is the least rational form of argument possible short of force.

Really shows a total lack of respect for other people as beings capable of making their own decisions eh?

And ironically Media Matters is engaging in angry spin against... video footage from Holder's own lips. Lovely to see more gun control from an organization headed by a man who violates federal gun laws by illegally arming his staff.

Special rules for special people.

Blogmeet... yesterday.

Because it's nice out and I'm still a bit tired from work and running with the dog... here's Brigid's report on the blogmeet.

A good time was had by all. And best of wishes to Roberta on recovering from the bug that's been goin' around.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

LaserLyte Training Target

Earlier I hinted about getting something involving lasers.

On a bit of an update I'd like to clarify that I got one of these, as well as one of these.

And yeah... especially with the latter, the pew pew pew of a laser gun is actually very accurate.

It's an insert for the chamber that activates a laser every time its hit by the firing pin. So yeah, it turns any gun of the right caliber into a... laser gun.

Combine it with the first link, which is a target that is sensitive to laser light you have a very neat dry fire device. It's really handy for doing draw drills and checking your press out, and your sights.

Very easy to install and setup. I'll see about getting some photos later on.

Edit: A couple more thoughts. There are a couple problems with the design. One is that to replace the batteries you have to unscrew the backplate of the target. And you'll want to make sure the batteries are firmly in place.

Also the sensor for the reset is very precise and you may get the most precision aiming by trying to hit it to get the thing to cycle to reset.

And finally, because you're just activating a laser there's no recoil. So there's that limitation. It's very good for draw and first shot, but does nothing for flinch or managing the recoil for followup shots. In fact it would do one to concentrate on making sure your grip is still good, as it's easy to start limp-wristing your grip.

Still, all in all, a very handy training device.

Quote of the Day: Energy Density.

Seen on Instapundit today commenting about the Achilles heel of Smartphones:

Batteries don’t follow Moore’s Law.

UPDATE: Reader Matt Andrade writes: “If Batteries followed Moore’s Law, by now my MacBook Pro, fully charged, would be able to power my house.”

Also if Batteries followed Moore's Law Electric Cars would not only be viable they'd be beating the pants off gasoline cars by providing far, far more range for the same volume and weight.

Heck if batteries followed Moore's Law there would be hundreds of uses for batteries at that level of energy density.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Been a bit busy.

Got an order in from Midway on Friday and have had some errands today.

Will give a review and some thoughts after some more time.

But so far: lasers!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Lynch Mob

So you've a lethal shooting under questionable circumstances. The shooter alleges that it was self defense but it doesn't seem that clear especially since the police are actively investigating the guy.

Never-the-less some are demanding vigilante "justice" on the shooter and saying that if the man came to *their* house they'd "smoked his azz like a turkey in November”.

Guess which side of the gun-rights/gun-control debate has a national organization encouraging vengeance, egging on eye-for-an-eye, and endorsing the dissemination of the suspect's personal address?

Why yes, Ladd Everett of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence is endorsing "street justice". Sure he's against armed self defense, but sending a mob because the police are too slow? Well... that's different.

Look at it from his perspective, if some mutt takes his encouragement and tries to attack the suspect that's win win for his organization. Regardless of who bleeds in such an altercation, they've got another example of "gun violence".

And if nothing happens, he's sure getting more attention.

Remember, they're against self defense but are okay with lynch mobs.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Photo of the Day

A picture is worth a thousand words. Can't have those pesky civil liberties interfering with their business. A feeling of: "gentleman you can't fight in here; this is the war room."

Via Unc.

And on something just as funny but also with a sad "Banna Republic" vibe there's this. Sure putting Dear Leader's face on ubiquitous posters and statues is a given but on the flag itself... that's amateur hour.

What's really telling is that neither organization, the Wisconsin ACLU or the Lake County Democratic party thought there was anything... off about the visual incongruity. No they proudly let their freak flags (in one case literally) fly.

Odds and ends.

Was at the range yesterday with a couple friends from work.

Did some of the "phone book" testing. In short, while the cutting through of paper doesn't mimic flesh of gelatin it does give a qualitative guide. And is also fun and easy to set up.

I wouldn't use it for any inter caliber comparisons. And it's probably not too good for deformation comparisons but it is neat. No photos, forgot my camera.

Box of Truth does have a neat run on "book shootin' " though. What I will note is that at the same distance with the same bullet in the same gun, that the cover the book has makes a huge difference.


I also bit the bullet (sorry for the pun) and placed an order for a LaserLyte training target. We'll see how that works.

Monday, March 12, 2012

It beats the alternative....

Glenn Reynolds notes: "Old Men Should be Dangerous" when reporting on 92-year-old man pulls gun on thieves.

Those against the Right to Keep and Bear arms are by definition against such a situation. The prefer the older, the weaker, the outnumbered to be at the mercy of the young, strong, numerous and violent.

In this case you have a 92 year old man versus 3 thieves.

Carry your damn guns.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

"Cue Republican attack ad accusing Grayson of literally running over the poor with his Mercedes on the way to meet with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr."

For once not a misuse of the term literally. Yes "fighting progressive" former congressman and congresional hopeful Alan Grayson really did hit a public bus on his way to a one thousand dollar a head fundraiser. Mediaite has more.

Via Glenn Reynolds who notes:

Driving a Mercedes, hurrying to a big-bucks fundraiser at a penthouse, injures some bus-riders (99-percenters almost by definition) while himself escaping unscathed. Occupy Alan Grayson!

What we need is politicians that pledge to stick it to those rich and powerful 1-percenters and put power back into the hands of the people, we need more champions of the people like... Alan Grayson.

Well well. Shows what happens when you trust a "fighter" to divvy up "the stash" in the way you like it.

Hipster Carry Gun

Ratus does what I was too lazy to do.




Go over to Weerd's to see the rest of the Hipster Carry Gun demotivationals, all about a gun I'm sure you haven't ever heard of. Heh.

Nice work Ratus. I couldn't have done better myself, and I didn't so you win!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

I got nothin....

So let's do a tab clearing.

Have some interesting deconstructions on animation.
Here, Here, and Here.
A lot of interesting stuff goes into something that looks so simple, but timing and motion can have a huge impact.


And on the more "Oh god it's going to explode" side of things a chemist talks about "Things I won't work with"

Did I mention that this prep was performed on less than one millimole? Spirited stuff, that tetra-azide. The experimental section of the paper enjoins the reader to wear a face shield, leather suit, and ear plugs, to work behind all sorts of blast shields, and to use Teflon and stainless steel apparatus so as to minimize shrapnel. Hmm. Ranking my equipment in terms of its shrapneliferousness is not something that's ever occurred to me, I have to say. It's safe to assume that any procedure which involves considering which parts of the apparatus I'd prefer to have flying past me will not get much business in my lab, no matter how dashing I might look in a leather suit.

And that's one of the nicer chemicals on the list.

Oh and Weer'd has found some...thing.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Quote of the Day: Weerd Beard II

On complying with criminals:

Remember this: If Criminals were Honest and respectable people they’d have honest or respectable jobs. You cannot enter a social contract with them no matter how much of a starry eyed idealist.

If somebody says “Give Me your wallet, or I will kill you” they are JUST as capable of killing you AFTER they get your wallet as before. Same goes for any other robbery situation, and any property that is yours, your employer’s or an associate’s.

There's one better in his post though. It's his answer to the question "What would you do if you're robbed?"

I won't spoil; just follow the link.

Edit: I will say that it's a technical exaggeration. In a similar situation my response would be less pithy but the result of stopping the threat? Hell, yes.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Some Good News.

RobertaX has some from the Indiana State house.

And some real good news from Maryland. And more here.

In short in Indiana you can defend yourself against an unlawful entry into your house, even if it's by the police. And in Maryland a judge ruled that:

At bottom, this case rests on a simple proposition: If the Government wishes to burden a right guaranteed by the Constitution, it may do so provided that it can show a satisfactory justification and a sufficiently adapted method. The showing, however, is always the Government‘s to make. A citizen may not be required to offer a "good and substantial reason" why he should be permitted to exercise his rights. The right‘s existence is all the reason he needs.

Big shot against the bow at all May Issue states.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

It’s different when you say bad things about Republican women.

Glen Reynolds on Kirsten Powers who notes that while Limbaugh apologized and is being rightfully pilloried many darlings of the left get away with some frightfully misogynistic hate.

Reynolds also links to 3 good points made by Daniel Foster. Especially the third:

3) The irony is that a federal mandate for contraception coverage renders women’s personal sexual choices a matter for public debate. The folks plucking sex out of the private sphere in this situation are the mandate supporters, not its opponents.

Gee, where have we heard that before?

Seriously, you don't want the government in your bedroom/cervix/drugs? Stop making the government force someone else pay for your accouterments. Once the State gets the purse strings it'll start directing the tune.

Paging Robb Allen. Paging Robb Allen.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Anti-Printing

I carry a PM45 on a regular basis. And I really like that gun, it's a very reliable, accurate and for a 45 extremely compact.

I use a DeSantis Super Fly Pocket Holster which is great. It keeps the firearm secured, oriented properly, and the arm comes out every time when withdrawn.

However, even with the flap that comes with the holster it has a bit of a printing issue where it gives a slight L shape. I've never been "caught" with it, but I wanted it to be a bit more discrete. My LCP being thinner doesn't have this issue.

I think I came up with a a way around that.


I took a piece of wood and cut and shaped it to work as a spacer. Velcro on the backside attaches the block to the cover and the cover to the holster.


Here's the thing all together. You can see the block fits in perpendicular to the end of the barrel. and is a little less thick than the slide.


And here's it all together. My photography skills didn't yield enough contrast on the before and after pics when it was in pocket, but it does turn an L shape into a big rectangular shape, like a large wallet.

So far it carries well and still draws fine. And the wood didn't add much weight at all. I'll see how it handles and wears after some more time.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Whittle on Breitbart



Nothin' much I can add to that.

Via Hot Air.

Quotes of the day... About pork and porking....

Amazing how the Republicans will fall over themselves time and time again and amazing that the Democrats pulled this off off.

Can you imagine if the government pasted "catering reform" and mandated that all caterers and institutional service providers had to provide pork and beef dishes.

Now imagine if various religious groups (Hindi, Jewish, Islamic) got angry at being forced to provide food that their religion forbade. And then the state declared that it wasn't a religious violation because the food would be served in their schools cafeterias and not during services.

And when people continued to push the point the State went with the "You want to ban bacon!" angle. Then let some morons that want to ban bacon step forward.

Yeah... just replace catering with health insurance and pork sausage with well... a different kind of sausage wrapping.

That's what's going on. Sure it's an assault on the First Amendment but what's the big deal about that?

It's really a brilliant move, by defining a "ban" as "not free from the government". The Statists can argue for well... anything.

Glenn Reynolds responding to Michael Brendan Dougherty at Business Insider.

The big lie behind all this is that somehow allowing some employers not to pay for this kind of coverage amounts to a “contraception ban.”

Republicans are coming to steal your ladyparts!!!!!!

Meanwhile, I think we should require every employer to buy every employee a gun. Otherwise, you’re being denied the right to bear arms.


I've got no problem with whatever contraceptives you wanna take. But I have a problem when you expect the state should be able to extort someone else to cough up the money to pay for 'em.

Both Tam and Bobby have some cheery thoughts today.

A taste. From Tam:

Palin, Christie, Thompson, or Daniels could have beaten Barry like a pinata. What do they know that I don't?

The only rational supposition is that anybody with two brain cells to rub together knows that the brass ring has 100,000 volts flowing through it and therefore wouldn't grab it on a bet.

Tam's post itself is good too. Heh, tennis ball.

From Bobbie:

As the "compromise" offers were described, it occurred to me that none of the principals involved in figuring them out had grasped the futility of offering what amounts to plausible deniability and a system of cut-outs to people who operate in the certainty that an omniscient Deity is keeping track. This kind of mess is exactly what the First Amendment was supposed to cause the fed.gov to avoid. See what happens when you try to cheat the operating system? --No, they don't.

*facepalm*

Really what's the worst that could happen? It's not like anyone other than a good progressive could take up the organs of the state.

As Robb Allen explains.
But you, as the “All hail the mighty government who is the only one who can decide how we should live every last part of our lives (except guns because I like guns)” have NO reason to bitch about Santorum. YOUR kind continue to vote more and more power to the government to make sure people make the right choices, stop fucking complaining when Mr. Jesus gets elected and decides he wants to use all that power in ways you don’t like.


I have a Canadian friend that does the same thing with Harper. You see it's really, really bad when a Conservative PM uses the organs of the state to his own ends. What did he think that there's certain government powers that only the Liberals or New Democrats can wield?

If your plan for governance relies on having only “the right” people in office who pinky swear to not abuse their vast power (or at least only abuse it in the “right” way), then you’re no better than a monarchist rooting around for a “good king”.

Robb Allen Again
It’s dishonest, but that’s to be expected when you cannot remain philosophically consistent (ie. the gov’t has no place in our bedrooms unless Uncle Sam is there to place a condom by the pillow).

No company should be required to provide you with X. If you disagree with that, don’t come bitching to me when the gov’t requires these companies to start providing Chic Tracts with the Trojans because you allowed them the power to do so.

It's just like those Progressive ideas to get at Fox news and Koch. They don't realize the pandora's box they're opening with this stuff.

Then again they were never against "Bush's Unconstitutional War for Oil and Gitmo." They were against "Bush'sUnconstitutional War for Oil and Gitmo."

53% of liberal Democrats support keeping Gitmo open. Just a coincidence that they saw the light I guess.

Gee... it's almost like giving the State unrestrained power invites abuse.