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This is the Springfield M73 I inquired about a few months ago, re: getting a bequeathed item back from Florida I had a couple of hours at the range today to try out the 1884 manufactured, '73. I had some suitable loads already built for my 1885 target gun. 510gn 19:1 Postell bullet over 25gn of 5744 at 1165fps I made a new, taller front sight to get me a little closer to the paper at 100 (standard 'battle' sight is zeroed at 250) & gave her a punt..... The 3 on the right were my first shots. Obviously I was a little nervous, pulling the 9lb trigger on this 133 year old, famously fragile antique! I adjusted left a little & took another 4 that centered very nicely, being in mind that I've done ZERO load development! Just for poops & grins, I popped the ladder sight up, without adjustment of the slide, & successfully clanked steel at 500yds! I'm pretty sure everyone at the range stopped shooting, wondering who the giggling maniac was, shooting the potato cannon....... Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

That was very well said. I think that in the scheme of things, animals in general, and dogs specifically, are the rewards of life. I've said it before, and still believe this...the love and affection of a dog is the closest thing on this earth to the love we are given from God. Nowhere else to we find such total and undemanding love in this world. I had to make the decision to let my Cody go just into my chemotheraphy back in 2008. In 45 degree weather, against the wishes of many people, I dug a grave for her in one of Cody's favorite spots in our yard. Under a Crepe Myrtle tree overlooking our yard and beside a spring she loved to play in. I did this for me and for her. I swore no more would I go thru this pain. She had been a constant companion for 16 years, and always greeted me at the door after a chemo session. Got in bed with me and slept beside me. I was a total basket case. We had just moved my mother in with us. She had fallen and needed care. Care my wonderful wife undertook without a complaint. She watched over the two of us and still worked. Mom and I just sort of existed, moving only when absolutely necessary; and getting warnings from my wife that we had to get up and move about. About three weeks later, on a Friday evening, my wife Susan came in late. Came into the living room and said that she had a solution for our lack of getting up. Then opened her coat and placed the little black and white spotted puppy in my lap. She, the puppy, sniffed me and my robe, looked up at me with those deep brown eyes, and peed in my lap. Then crawled up in my arms. I had been marked and claimed forever. That was 9 years ago. Molly has taken my heart as much as my wife and I could ever believe possible. Molly has been such a blessing for our family. As she grew older, Molly entertained my mother, and would sit in her lap. Always went to check on her as we went to bed. Many times we would find her sleeping in the bed with Mom. We took her to visit my Mother and other patients when Mom had to go to a care facility. Always ran thru the halls, stopping to lick hands and faces, get a pat or two, then run into the right room. Always sniffed Mom out. Would stay in bed with here as long as we were there. When we lost Mom, and started bringing her things home, Molly went to her old bedroom and sniffed and whined looking for her. I told that Mom was gone. Molly crawled into my lap and slept with me in a chair all night. These are creatures of wonder, meant to give companionship and solace meant to give light to our lives. I'll never believe otherwise. Read W. Bruce Cameron, author of A Dog's Purpose, and other books. You will see. Again Doug, I'm saddened by your loss. Perhaps words will comfort you, I hope so.

Go for it. I've got a 'cobbled together' blanket gun with a 13½" barrel. Shoots like a dream out to 50yds!

Thats back when Rock N Roll was real music.............

He only ran for the nomination once, losing to JFK, but becoming his pick for Veep. And of course, after becoming president, didn't run for a second full term. - OS

It was a beautiful and peaceful morning out at ORSA today... Then some Bastard started sending 5.56 downrange! @jpx2rk Helped me try sighting in my AR @ 200 yds w/ a variety of manufacturers ammo (including WInchester match grade at $1.35 a pop!) Did OK for me, but today helped convince me I need to hand-load for this thing if I want to get tighter groups at that range. Still, for an AR @ 200 yds, I thought it was pretty good (given the shooter... )

Thanks to all for the kind words of support. My Vet said that Kasey was the oldest dog she has ever laid down in over 11 years of practice. She was a very caring Vet for sure. She hugged me a couple times and in one of the hugs she whispered Kasey was a very lucky dog to have you as her companion. WhileTommy (my son in law, William and I were standing out in the parking lot talking Ashley(my Vet) brought me something out I was not expecting. (see picture) I will be picking Kaseys ashes up and bringing her back home on Friday.

When I get around 3 or 4 I boil them in hot water with salt and seasoning until the meat is cooked. I then take them out and pick the meat off. Then I take a can of campbells cream of chicken soup. Mix it with some potatoes , and celery and carrots and lima beans and mix the meat up in this mix. Then put it all into a pie crust. The take another pie crust and put it over the mix of what you got and pinch it togather on the ends. and bake for around 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Then you got an awesome squirrel pot pie !

I saw a photo of the Old Hickory Powder Plant in a Cracker Barrel restaurant here in Memphis. My uncle worked there just before he joined the US Army. At the time he worked there it was operated by DuPont and they were producing Cordite for the British. Cordite was a soft pliable stuff that was extruded. Before it solidified it could be molded like clay. My uncle made a shapely ladies' leg complete with a dainty high heeled shoe from Cordite and gave it to my mother, very racey at the time! When I first saw the leg, about 1943 or so, it was maybe six inches from thigh (blush!) to heel. The last time I saw it, 1985 or so, it had shrunk to about 3 1/2" long, but still perfectly portioned. It varied in color from charcoal gray to translucent amber. At my mother's death in 1998 it went to my oldest sister in Florida. I have no idea of its whereabouts now. I believe Old Hickory's output was for British artillery shells. I don't know if any was produced for small arms ammunition, but the British used Cordite for awhile after that War. My uncle was Maynard Wright and was on the editorial staff of the Nashville Banner then moved to Charleston, WV as an editor for the Charleston Gazette. Bob Wright

Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 Compact 9mm I have owned a variety of M&P semi-autos since they started producing them back in 2005. I bought my first M&P, a full-size .40SW, from Guns & Leather 12 years ago when the pistol first came out and quickly followed it with an M&P 40c and then several other versions joined them over the years. The 40c and the 9c were never really a favorite of mine as they seemed to suffer from the same things that the Glock 26 and 27 sub-compacts did. Namely, they weren't small enough to really be a pocket gun but they weren't large enough to be very versatile either. Just like with Glock, if I was going to carry a double-stack 9mm, I was going to go for the Glock 19 instead of the 26 and with the M&P it meant the full-size 9mm. The M&P Shield was a huge step in the right direction for Smith & Wesson for those who wanted a slim 9mm for deep concealment. It also really put the spotlight on the fact that the 9c was, in my opinion at least, really not good enough at any one thing to make it a compelling option. If only S&W would just listen to their customers and build something exactly the same size as the Glock 19/23. We just wanted them to give us 15rds of 9mm in a package slightly shorter in the slide and grip than the full-size. Apparently someone at S&W has finally listened. The new M2.0 Compact scratches all of the itches in all the right ways. It is as if Smith and Wesson's lawyers finally relaxed and gave the engineers the green light to go ahead and build a better Glock 19 than Glock does. And boy did they get it right. And they kind of snuck it in on everyone. The M2.0 Compact version really doesn't seem to have received the fanfare or enjoyed the publicity blitz that its full size brother did. The release wasn't timed to coincide with any of the major industry shows. The internet wasn't ablaze with rumors of the new gun until it had essentially been announced by S&W. I only saw the "leaked" promotional slick for the new gun maybe 48 hours before the company published it officially. And yet the paradox seems to be that the lack of hoopla over the gun is significantly the inverse of just how good it is. The new M&P Compact no longer occupies a weirdly confusing spot in Smith & Wesson's lineup. It no longer tries to follow in the equally awkward footsteps of the Glock 26/27 platform. Instead, it has taken the Glock 19/23 platform squarely in its sights and blown the center out of that target with a better option. The new Compact gives a platform that is perfect for concealed carry, with superior ergonomics, a better feel and a sexier look than its Austrian competitor. And, just as the Glock 19/23 will fit into a holster made for the larger 17/22, the new M2.0 compact fits even better into holsters made for the larger M&P full-size. Carrying the M2.0 Compact in a TT Gunleather "Mike's Special" leather inside the waistband holster made for my M&P 9mm Full-size yields an extremely comfortable and potent concealment package. The shorter Compact fits the longer gun's holster as if it were made for it. The slide is only 1/4" shorter at the muzzle but otherwise identical in dimension to the larger gun. The trigger guard is exactly the same size. The grip is of course shorter in length at the cost of giving up two rounds of 9mm, but 15 rounds is hardly inadequate and the shorter grip deftly avoids printing against a t-shirt when concealed. So, how does it shoot? It was no problem at all to keep the first two magazines (30 rounds) that I ever fired from the gun inside the head kill zone of a man-sized target at 15 yards. The pace of fire was slower at first but I quickly ramped up the speed to my normal cadence for defensive shooting (2-3 rounds in rapid succession) with only marginal widening of the pattern. I found the trigger's break to be crisp and predictable. I haven't measured the pull yet with my Lyman gauge but i expect that it is somewhere between 4.5lbs and 5.5lbs based on the way it felt. I haven't bothered to check to see what S&W specs it at despite the ease of finding such information with Google. The trigger reset is no more exciting than any other M&P that I have ever owned. For those who like the extremely tactile reset of the Glock pistols, you won't find the M2.0's reset to be quite as audible or authoritative. It's a little on the limp and soggy side, but I've never found that to be a bother or to hamper my ability to shoot the M&P platform quickly and reliably. I tend to subscribe to Rob Latham's philosophy that if you "ride" the trigger you will find it hard to pick up an unfamiliar gun and cycle it reliably. As a result I've spent the past 20 years learning to keep my grip firm and sight-picture correct rather than relying on riding the trigger's reset to keep my groups small. Your mileage might vary and the soft reset may drive you nuts, but Apex Tactical Specialities has all of the trigger and ignition parts you need to make your M&P feel a little more Glock-like if that is what you are after. Another thing that I noticed with the M2.0 Compact is that, with mine at least, the slide lock seems to have been improved by S&W so that lefties can finally release it with their dominant hand's thumb and not pull a hernia in the process. I am not a lefty so I am at a disadvantage any time I try to do lefty-things, but the slide lock lever is no trouble for me to manipulate with my thumb left-handed. My hands are built like that of an ogre with shorter, stronger fingers, but I still think that almost any lefty will be able to release the slide with the lock lever and that it will only get easier as the gun breaks in. Final thoughts... None of us ever buy a handgun with the idea in mind that we are going to publicly tell the world how big of a mistake we made. I have read many glowing reviews of handguns only to follow up with the author's writings later to see that they had parted way with that new wunderpistol once the honeymoon was over. I guess it is just human nature to want everyone else to think that we always make good choices and aren't careless with our money. That being said, I have bought some real turds over the years. I have spent money on guns that were nowhere near as good as the magazine pundits or YouTube pimps said that they were. I've taken new guns to the range and immediately knew that I had made a serious mistake, and already had an idea of how I was going to sell them before I ever got through the second magazine of ammo. HOWEVER. This isn't one of them. Hands down, the M&P M2.0 Compact is a winner. It's riding my hip right now in that TT Gunleather IWB holster. It is replacing my Glock 19 for daily carry. It is going to cause a lot of other guns in my library to spend lonely days in the safe. It is really that good. I found it to be incredibly accurate and flat shooting. The size is perfect. The texture on the grip is perfect. The trigger feels just fine to me. The only thing I changed, and I did it immediately as I do with almost every handgun for which they are made, was to install a set of Ameriglo Pro i-Dot sights with orange outlined tritium front dot and simplistic black rear sight. In this case, the rear has the U-shaped notch that I prefer and a single dimmed tritium dot. Perhaps the most powerful statement that I can make about the new Compact is that I will be buying at least one more of them to have as a backup. And I am probably going to sell some other guns that I won't be shooting anymore.

Well after an almost 13 month wait here she is. All I have is a very lackluster cell phone pic, but it gets the point across Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Withdrawing

I know some of you guys are professional mechanics and what not. Due to my work, I needed a decent amount of tools and a no frills tool box. Well, a little over a year after I purchased my first tool box, I traded it in today. I feel guilty and kind of wish I walked away. I went from having a good blue tool box to a bigger bad ass desert tan one with a power drawer. I could have saved so much money just buying a craftsman one.

Antoine "Fats Domino" has Passed away. R.I.P. Fats

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. It often makes me wonder what people are thinking or should I say not thinking about when most people know what society is like this day in time and will put themselves out there just to get injured or killed!

This deal was in a public place all lit up and I would guess there was other people in the area. It was at a Drive in market on a fairly busy highway/ street. I think his mistake was going alone and with buying a vehicle there was probably a large sum of money involved..........JMHO

This topic keeps delivering!!! 10fagn by Johnny Rotten, on Flickr

I’ve always been a big fan. RIP Fats.

When I first moved here back in 1998 there was a family about 5 doors down from me that had cats galore. Inside and out side. When they moved the house landlord had to spend 1,000 of dollars to get the smell out of the house and then had to remodel the whole inside of the house. When they moved they left about 40 to 50 cats loose in the neighborhood. I had cats every where. I called animal control and he brought me 5 cage traps and food to put in them and every day for about a month I called him to come and pick up the trapped cats. He would ask me how many and he would bring that many new traps and food for them. I think it took about 2 months to finally get them all caught except that big Yellow tom Cat that was to smart for a cage trap but not to smart to dodge a speeding bullet..........

My favorite saying that drives my granddaughter crazy Cat's are only good for one thing, TARGET PRACTICE!!!!!

I guess he figured cats spring leaks all the time.

I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. There are days when one of the few bright spots is when I walk in the door and my Millie comes running to greet me or starts wagging her tail as I walk up to her. Kasey was fortunate to have you and you were fortunate to have her. If and when the time is right to get another companion and friend I am sure you will know. I had my last pup - Mia (a chihuahua - maybe the best, most atypical chihuahua ever) for 16 years and when she passed I swore I wouldn't have another dog for a long time. Well, a fairly short time later a lady at the Crossville Flea Market had pups to give away. She was giving them away early (about four weeks) because their mom was biting them and she was afraid the mom was going to kill them. I held one of them and she climbed up so she could brace her front paws on my chest and lick my face. That is when I knew that she - Millie - had already decided I was her human. You need time to grieve but when the time comes, don't feel bad as if you are trying to 'replace' Kasey. She can't be replaced in your life or in your heart. That doesn't mean you can't love a new four-legged friend, too, however. I am sure Kasey would want you to be happy and would probably want to know that she has a successor to help take care of you.

In Japan it is the same way, no tipping. They get paid for what the job entails and tipping is seen as insulting. I'm not much for tipping I must admit, mostly because I rarely get what I consider outstanding service. It sucks that waiters, waitresses get paid less than they should because of tips, at least they used to , don't know about now, but when I get ignored, or other bad service, I don't think a tip is in order. I used to just leave a couple/three bucks on the table for a less than $50 bill, but was told that 20-30% was what I should be leaving. Heck that's $10 or $15 for a refill (maybe) of tea, so now, I let the wife calculate the tip, that way I wash my hands of it and don't see the bill. Yea, I'm cheap, but I really don't feel that the service is worth that much, specially at some of these restaurants around here.

Always a tip. A good barber is hard to find. Only time they change is if I move, or they retire/go out of business.

Well why not put 2 on just for laughs, handle on each side.

With barbers like Rubles they have to compete with the big chains like super cuts so they have to charge similar prices, so tips are important. I like the tipping system because it is a way for the customer to show how happy or unhappy we are with the service that is provided, I never tip by a % of the check, I tip by the service I receive. I have tipped $5 on a $3 check before for great service and have tipped $.25 on a $30 check for bad. This is one reason I won't eat at a restaurant that auto adds a tip to your bill, A tip is a gratuity not a obligation. If you work in the service industry and you walk around with a frown, or an unpleasant personality, you might want to think about a career change. IMHO

All in all, I really enjoyed the opener. Feels like our good guys are taking control again. I was wondering if the RV was the same one that has been around since the beginning? I was also hoping that they would have gone to the junk yard people first and taken out a little easy revenge. Their double crossing ways deserve some retribution. And it would have been an easy way to take out a good part of Negan's army, and get back their guns.

I started going to this little place down the road when it opened up a year or so ago. It's just one gal running her own business, and she can set the price. She set it at $10, which I think is too low. I always toss her some extra money when I pay. I had been going to a barber shop in Oak Ridge That had bought out the shop I had been going to for years and moved it to a new location. I really like the atmosphere. They play "guy movies" all the time, have guns and tobacco signs on the wall, they even put in a pool table for folks to use while waiting, or even if you wanted to play after your cut. The one thing is, is they are pricey. I went there one time and a new guy cut my hair. He gave me such a good cut and went way above and beyond the normal haircut experience, like a steamed towel on my neck, talcum powder finish, straight razor to the back of the neck. It was great, and I tipped him well. The next time I went I asked for him, and all I got was the basic quickie. I got the feeling that nobody ever tipped him, and he just said "why bother". Now all that said, I think the tipping culture we have here in America is ridiculous. I feel that it's awkward, you never know what the expectations are, and a lot of people don't do it, even when the service provider counts on it to supplement their income. I would much rather we go to a system where you tell me what you want to get paid, and that is the price. For everything.

You have to add a MOE rail first. The longest one has 11 slots, not sure how many a carry handle spans? Might have to use two. And btw FWIW, this is one of the more absurd AR15 accessorizing ideas I've ever heard of. - OS

I've been getting mine cut by the same gal for years. She's always good conversation. I think my cut is about $14 but I give her a 20 every two weeks to stay trimmed up. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I cut my own hair (buzz cut) but I do tip myself by buying something gun related. Seems like that is all I buy anymore is gun related stuff. LOL.

Stylist. Not Zohan. Gayer than Little Richard, and a Republican too.

I do but am not entirely clear why it's necessary.

You can put an AFG on it. That's legal. That can help with the fore grip. Some people like them, others don't. On an 11.5", I think it's optional to have something that works as a hand stop, but if yours is shorter then I highly recommend getting something to work as a hand stop. I have long arms so it would be real easy to get my hand too far out front so I keep a Magpul AFG on mine, even with an 11.5" bbl. Something I don't know....would it be legal to mount a VFG on the side of the hand guard? I'm thinking 90 degree mount, like what you'd commonly find on an angle grinder or hammer drill. The device is sold as a vertical fore grip, but if it's mounted horizontally, is it still a vertical fore grip?

It was a nice venue. No charge for parking. Didn't see anything I had to take home.

Naw, now stick it in a bird and let me take some hogs, then we can talk.

Getting my handgun carry class out of the way today Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Same as several... I have kids so I rarely have more than $50 in cash on me. I use my cc most of the time, but will use cash for small stuff or at specific businesses. I only use my debit card at the ATM. Never use a debit card anywhere else. If it gets stolen, you have to deal with an empty or overdrawn bank account, and worse if you've got things like utilities or mortgage on auto-pay. If a credit card gets stolen, you just have charges to dispute and you haven't actually lost anything.

My daughter and I hit a local range several times a month. We always end the session with Battleship. Or as the targets are called Sink-a-Sub. I shoot the top with a G19. She shoots the bottom with her M&P 22 compact. She can hit any part of the bullseye, I have to hit red. She has been shooting handguns for about two months now. As I have posted before she is a well awarded rimfire/airrifle rifle shooter. This is at 5 yards. She demanded I amend this, as this was the first time I won. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

It also happens to be my second build... I spent more money than I meant to; just like last time. I didn't get to do any shooting this weekend but I will report back next weekend...If not sooner. i reeeaaallly need a front sight tool. What a PIA. Aero Precision upper and lower.. Spikes BCG Spikes 16" Barrel, chrome lined, 1:7 twist, carbine length gas system, pinned A2 gas block BCM Extended A2 flash hider BCM Gungifhter Charging handle I think the LPK is Anderson...The trigger is better than the PSA LPK in my last build CMMG ambi safety switch Magpul MIAD grip Magpul MOE buttstock and handguard Magpl MBUS rear sight Magpul AFG2 foregrip Magpul ASAP endplate Lower finished. Starting on the Upper Finished...

I mostly agree with this but dammit all to hell I’ve been hoping for a better next season for years and am getting about tired of it.

My 11 year old Grandson has asked me to do some Tree Rat hunting with him this year. It's been a very long time since I have been hunting them but I have been considering going with him just to be able to spend some time with him. I have a Marlin 60 w/ scope that I sighten is for 50 yards and can take down poker chips at that range with every shot. Once I got it all sighted in I ran 25 out of 25. I might be able to hit one of those critters. Might be nice to have some in the freezer again. I told him I won't go until the leaves are off the trees and He said thats fine with him. I know I will need to get some bug spray with deet in it to keep the ticks in check. I hate them little critters!!!!

The glass bowl will be the only bowl they see this year.

The dumpster fire may have just gotten a little hotter. John Kelly, as in the best offensive player we have John Kelly, got caught with the marijuana last night. http://wate.com/2017/10/25/2-vols-cited-officers-find-marijuana-during-traffic-stop/

A work in progress

Yeah. Lot Lizards aren't known for taking cards.... J/K !!!

Don't come to my place after the SHTF looking for good reading materials! You'll have nothing, and I'll have a nice collection of 1920's men's fashion advertisements. I'll just turn you away and go back to working on my tails and top hat ensemble.