Category Archives: Gun Fun

Mid 19th Century Belt-Fed

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Well almost– this uses a closed loop chain, but the concept is there.


Joe and I spoke of this concept many years ago, but I didn’t know until today that it had actually been done.  My version, though, would have been gas operated, but that technology wasn’t tested until some time after the end of the percussion era.  Gas operation and black powder wouldn’t go very well together because BP is so dirty, but it certainly can be done.  Energies are quite a bit lower, but you can throw a projectile of several hundred grains well into the super sonic, from a rifle.  The pistols of the same period could only just make, or slightly exceed, the speed of sound with heavy charges.  I’ve gotten 1130ish fps with a 180 grain pill from an 8″ bbl on an 1858 Remington New Model Army revolver replica, which is on par, energy wise, with the 40 S&W.  The huge 1847 Colt’s Dragoon (Walker) revolver could do somewhat better, but the story goes; it was prone to blow up.  Metalurgy has come a long way since then.


Hat Tip; castboolits.gunloads.com (I learned a lot about casting there, and I still hang out on the muzzleloading section now and then)

Think of the children!

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From Mike at work:

I brought my then youngest (who is now the middle) daughter to the range at 8-years old and she absolutely loved it.  Safe gun handling was taught at least a week before we went.  By the time we were at the range she knew what to do and had respect for the rifle.  To this day she still asks me “when are we going to that range?”  Check out her “straight and off the trigger” finger.

DSCF2959

Here are pictures of Mike:

m14_long_barrelCMMG_223

More pictures of Lily:

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From looking at these pictures the thought occurs to me that if our opponents were smart enough they may actually have had a rational reason for banning rifles with “collapsible” (length adjustable) stocks. This makes it more difficult for the young to shoot. Even if they didn’t think it through it is a good argument against such restrictions. Hence our side could and should demand, “Think of the children!”

5.56 versus .223

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This is probably more information than you are really want to know—unless you are a gun geek. 5.56 vs .223 – What You Know May Be Wrong

The differences between .223 Remington and 5.56mm NATO have been hashed out many times on the internet. Unfortunately, many of the “facts” that are often thrown around are simply what someone has heard from someone else, leading to a lot of misinformation being accepted as gospel.

…

My findings, and the opinions of many experts in the industry who deal with the topic every day, were not exactly what some might expect. In fact, many of them had already discovered what I am reporting, although my research was conducted independently.

I liked it.

Boomershoot 2013 entry schedule

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Boomershoot 2013 will soon be open for entry. The schedule for entry is as follows. All times are Pacific Daylight time.

Staff: 6/22/2012 6:00:00 PM.
2012 participants: 6/24/2012 12:00:00 PM.
Everyone: 7/7/2012 12:00:00 PM.

The link for entry is http://entry.boomershoot.org/

If something drastically wrong shows up in the software these times could change but I probably can manually recover without starting over or disrupting the schedule above.

There are some changes I would like to bring to your attention.

1) Clinic and Field Fire Registration is done on the web site as opposed to directly with Gene Econ as has been the case in the past.

2) There is a new Boomershoot event on Friday evening: Private fireballs. For $500 you may shoot a fireball of your own at (up to) “entertainingly close” range. We will supply the rifle, ammo, and a shooting table. This is an experience suitable for even novice shooters. There will be a 7″ square target at relatively close range with a red-dot optic on a .223 caliber rifle. This will be a low recoil, easy sighting, highly exothermic experience.

If you have any questions or experience bugs using the updated entry software please let me know (joeh@boomershoot.org).

Boomershoot 2012 fireball video

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Video from Ry:

We are working on making the fireball for Boomershoot 2013 even better.

Blade-Tech FYI

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For probably nearly 10 years I’ve been wearing a Blade-Tech Combo Magazine Pouch with the Tek-Lok belt attachment. Even if I’m not carrying a spare magazine for my STI Eagle I’m carrying my Sure-Fire flashlight. I always have it with me. On airplanes, in secure government installations, everywhere I’m wearing clothes I have it with me.

A few years ago I tipped over the ATV at Boomershoot and cracked the mag pouch (and did some pretty serious damage to my leg too). The crack gradually got worse and now it no longer reliably retains the magazine. I need a new one.

I went to the Blade-Tech website and tried to order one but the only STI option was for the STI LS (a single stack 1911 chambered in 9×19). I called Blade-Tech to find out if I could get one to accommodate a spare magazine for my double stack STI. The answer was a very friendly, “Yes! We can do that.” The lead time is about six weeks but I now have a replacement on order.

The bottom line is that just because you don’t see something on their website it doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t make one for you.

Free batteries from Crimson Trace

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This is kind of cool (via email from Tiffany Hopp, MarCom Manager, at Crimson Trace):

For Immediate Release;

May 31, 2012

Crimson Trace Extends Popular ‘Batteries For Life’ Program

(Wilsonville, OR) Crimson Trace, the Oregon-based manufacturer of the World’s only grip-activated laser sights today announced plans to extend its hugely popular ‘Batteries for Life’ scheme. CTC customers will receive free replacement batteries for the lifetime of their laser sights, in exchange for registering their products with the company’s customer service department.

“There are very few things in life that are truly free,” said Nate Hoke, Director of Customer service for Crimson Trace. “This is one of them. Just register online or via our 800 number and every year, we’ll send a fresh set of batteries for your Lasergrips® or Laserguard® product for as long as you own it.” Hoke reported that many customers were still using the original batteries in their sights after six or seven years. “While Crimson Trace products have the longest run times in the industry, laser sights are safety devices and as such, should have regular battery changes. We’re proud to be able to offer this program to our loyal customers – it’s one more way for us to show our appreciation to the people who have supported us over the years.”

All Crimson Trace products are proudly designed engineered and manufactured in the USA and fit the widest range or popular self-defense handguns, including Glock, Smith & Wesson, Kimber and Springfield.

For further information contact;

Iain Harrison
Media Relations Manager
CRIMSON TRACE CORPORATION
iainh@crimsontrace.com
1-800-442-2406 x1303

I use Crimson Trace lasers on some of the guns I teach beginners with. It think they make fine products.

Assumptions

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I’ve been embarrassed frequently enough by making assumptions that I’m sometimes chastised for asking questions. It’s uncomfortable to be glared at as someone says, “I’m not even going to answer that question” but I prefer that to giving shooting advice to Lisa Munson (I knew the name but didn’t know what she looked like) just prior to her shooting an USPSA stage. She just smiled and thanked me. But when she shot it with a better score than I in about half the time I wanted to leave the range in embarrassment.

I’m reminded of this by the incident which occurred here. To the best of my knowledge the commenter is a nice guy and was trying to be helpful. But it was a lot like me giving shooting advice to Ms. Munson. We both made erroneous assumptions. We both assumed the woman was less of an expert than we are because we are men and it involved firearms. As we both learned this assumption can be drastically wrong.

Ms. Munson delivered her response to me in a way that was extremely gracious and I really appreciate that.

There were two lessons there. One is to not make assumptions. The other lesson is you can deliver a response graciously such that the person on the receiving end will be thankful (perhaps in private prays to their god(s)) rather than be resentful for being publically humiliated. Her two lessons are something that I will never forget and I hope others can learn from as well.

As an additional aid to help you remember this I would like to point out you can’t spell ‘assumption’ without an ‘ass’ and ‘u’.

Life’s little tradeoffs

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30 Cal Gal sent me an email this morning with a picture of the Western Shooting Journal cover for June (supposedly on newsstands now):


WSJCover


The article was written by Shelley (thank you Shelley!).


I showed it to Ry and his response was, “I’m glad I got it in one shot!”


Yeah. Had it taken four or five shots (it’s happened to me) the teaser line would have been a little embarrassing. Of course at near contact distance with the flame front misses are less likely and having your hair burned could be embarrassing too. Life is full of tradeoffs.

Private fireballs

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One of the new things we are planning to offer for Boomershoot 2013 is an opportunity to shoot your own fireball from as “entertainingly close” as I feel comfortable with. Hint, this year Ry was pushing the envelope for my comfort zone.

There will be a very limited number of them, perhaps three to five, they will take place Friday evening, perhaps near dusk, and the price will be $500 each. And to a certain extent you will control the audience. There will always be range safety officers present but if you only want to allow your immediate family or have it be “all yours” you can do that. We will keep all other spectators at least a couple hundred yards away.

The question are: 1) Are there people interested in such an experience? 2) Is there some modification to the scenario such that it would be more attractive to you?

Overheard at the furniture store

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Guy1 (in a suit at a high end furniture store in Bellevue Washington): “So when is Bumbershoot this year?”


Guy2 (wearing a coat that says, “Boomershoot Event Director” on the back): “I don’t know. This is Boomershoot, not Bumbershoot. It’s something different.”


Guy1: “Oh! I’m sorry. What is Boomershoot?”


Guy2 (quickly finishing his transaction): “Boomershoot is a long range precision rifle event with high explosives as the targets.”


Guy1 (eyes get big during a long pause): “That is different.”


Guy2: “Yeah. We don’t hold the event in the city.”

I love my spud gun

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I’ve posted quite a bit about my spud gun.

I ended up with an old target from 2004 in my truck load of stuff I brought back from Idaho last night:

WP_000574

That is a 0.5 inch five-shot group from 100 yards which I shot with factory ammo (300 Win Mag, Black Hills Match which is loaded with a moly coated 190 grain Sierra Match King bullet). That is a typical group at that range. I’ve had smaller groups at 200 yards but not with as many shots and those aren’t typical.

I am very, very pleased with this gun and ammo. I just wish I had more occasions to shoot it. My clock tower just isn’t the right place for it at this time.

Equipping my clock tower

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Friday night son James and I packed all of Barbara’s stuff into a U-Haul truck and I left for Idaho with it. Saturday with help from Jacob and Nancy I unloaded the truck and loaded up a bunch of my stuff in Idaho. Tonight son James, and daughter-in-law Kelsey helped me unload the truck and pack the stuff up the stairs to my clock tower.

The water bed is still nothing but a bunch of pieces of wood:

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The reloading bench is inaccessible behind a sea of boxes:

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But everything did fit and after I put things on shelves and in closets then go through things and throw away stuff that I haven’t touched in 20 years I think I’ll have enough room.

I will need some help putting the bed together but other than that it will just take a couple weekends on my own to sort through the stuff.

The toughest part was getting the gun safe up the stairs. It fell once but didn’t get scratched because it landed on James’ leg. The leg will heal on it’s own. Scratched paint requires assistance.

Thanks to everyone that helped.

Guess

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How many rounds in the jar?

ba-ammo-jar-200

Guess closer than anyone else and win 400 rounds of .223.

“Impressive” gun collection?

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The Willamette Week is easily impressed (emphasis in the original):

In addition to the relatively small quantity of weed, the feds found an impressive gun collection in Barnes’ house.

…

Within the defendant’s bedroom agents found a loaded 9mm handgun on the floor, a loaded .410 Taurus revolver on the floor, a loaded double-barrel coach shotgun behind the bedroom door, and loaded .357 caliber pistol in his dresser. In total, agents found 14 various firearms within the residence and garage.

I know a guy who occasionally attends Boomershoot has 59 guns in just one safe.

Swimming pools versus guns

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Sarah takes Brady Campaign President to task about his irrational fear of guns:

Dan Gross, President of the nation’s largest gun control group, is afraid of guns. Will he ever overcome his irrational fears?

I’m optimistic. If Dan can conquer his fear of water, then he can conquer his fear of guns.

Then invites him to the gun range:

Dan Gross, Brady Campaign President: Consider this an open invitation to join me at the gun range. Afterwards, maybe we can hit the pool for a few laps.

I think I see a Boomershoot invite in Mr. Gross’s future.

Bowling ball mortar

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We have a couple people that have been bringing a bowling ball mortar to Boomershoot the last couple years. Here is a picture of one of them in action (thanks to Dion for the picture):

Boomershoot 2012 067

The fireball is the result of adding gasoline.

Very cool.

Burning hair

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Ry says he smelled burning hair after taking this shot:

As I have commented elsewhere I’m glad I had Ry move the opening fireball back about 20 feet further from where he wanted it. There is a fine line between thrilling and calling for an ambulance. Ry was right on the ragged edge of that line.

Quote of the day—Dave B.

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ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou ThankYou!

Awesome event, as always.  Please accept my thanks and pass them on to all your volunteers and family.

This was my tenth year and I’m already planning for the 11th…

Dave B.
April 30, 2012
Via email regarding Boomershoot 2012.
[In my opinion Boomershoot 2012 was very nearly perfect. I’ll say more later when I have more time but from my view point things went very well this year.—Joe]

This Would be Cool

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…but the manufacturer defaced it horribly by putting lettering and numbering all over it.  I wouldn’t mind owning one, but then I’d be forced to advertize for Colt’s without compensation, flashing that company name and address around everywhere I went.  They should pay me to own it.  And those serial numbers?  Those weren’t required by law in the 1840s and ’50s, and the gun would look SO much tidier without them.

(This in response to people who complain that my products have to be defaced with my company’s name and the model number, or the patent number in some cases.  It turns out that there’s also a significant culture in the muzzleloader world that hates the idea of signed or numbered guns.  That fact that maker’s marks, serial numbers, inspectors marks and proof marks have been a necessary and worthwhile part of manufacturing since Grok made his first stone club seems to get lost on some people.  Maybe the famous works of art would be worth more if they’d never been signed, too [they were such shameless self promoters they turned every work of art into an advertizing billboard for themselves].  We do refrain from using flashing lights in our logo if that’s any consolation.  Our engraved logos are matte black on matte black, but they’re still too obnoxious for some people)