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Stage 1 of project 'Griswald' complete. Stage 2 starts next weekend.

I am so thankful for my family - for my wife and each of my children. I’m thankful for a church family that lifts me up and does life alongside me. I’m thankful for the family that I choose in my friends - many of whom I’ve known my whole life and some I’ve just known a few short years. I am thankful for many people I’ve met here - many with challenges and many with so much to share. Many of your families and situations are in my prayers. But, I am grateful to know you and to be known by you

I'm thankful for a happy and healthy family. I'm thankful to be gainfully employed at a job I only hate occasionally that affords a comfortable life for my family. I'm thankful to live in a country that, despite its many problems, gives me the opportunity to be thankful for all the above.

Thousands of hours respecting the gun? LOfingL, I wonder what his DI is thinking right about now? Seems like training failure to me, specially regarding the freaking oath he spoke out loud at least once, maybe they should start spending more time explaining what it truly means:

So he is keeping his handgun, which has much more potential to be stolen and used in an actual crime, but destroying the AR?

I am thankful for the love of my life, and the fact that she only owns six handguns. My safe was full when I met her. And no, she won't let me upgrade.

I am thankful that God chose to be merciful to somebody as unworthy as me, and to allow me to become one of His. And for His blessings. I am thankful for my family. My boys have become fine young men. I am thankful to have settled my list of priorities: God; Family; Tribe I am thankful to live in a country that produced men like Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton I am thankful that there are still people who'll do to ride the river with (some here will understand that). I am thankful for good friends, not just friendly aquaintances (there's a difference). Also thankful for knowing the difference. And I'm thankful for the simple things in life - you know, like nice wheel guns!

I'm having the same problem, I keep being drawn back to one dog. I'm pretty sure if I saw this face in person I would be hooked . This statement in her bio is a big plus. She's very well mannered and does well when left alone. She would make a great walking partner or couch potato! As long as she's got her human, she'll go with the flow!

It infuriates me that the person writing this article is a veteran. He obviously was not exposed to the same Army I was, probably because he alienated himself with his "I'm gay, look at me I'm gay" attitude he probably had. He IS the reason why people's sexual orientation should not be discussed in the military. I am sure there have been gays in the military since day one but the difference now is all the other soldiers must acknowledge it and accept it, some will refuse to leading to significant problems. I can, and will, promise anyone that I would have zero problems shooting someone who is trying to kill innocent people. I always try to be prepared for that. To me taking that oath was a commitment for life, both in length as well as sacrifice. Obviously this genderqueer does not feel the same way.

Here is a pistol project I just started. It is a Remington Model 7 with an 8 twist 8” barrel with PT&G bottom metal. Still trying to figure out what trigger to use. I also plan on installing a Sako style extractor. The stock is also something I need to sort out. I have some very nice walnut to work with, thanks @mhmd The barrel still needs to be profiled, going to use an M24 profile just shortened to fit an 8” barrel, thanks @LawEnforcementSalesTN My goal is to build several barrels of different calibers and be able to change barrels in minutes. Plans are a 300 Blackout barrel, 223 barrel and a 9mm barrel. And of course all will be silenced.

I went to the range yesterday morning for the first time since my surgery. It has been over seven weeks since I fired a shot. I took this old Super Blackhawk: I've been shooting close up, duelist style; that is standing, one handed, as ranges not over ten yards, and using a six inch stick-on Shoot -N-See target. I had figured a pretty bad outing, for lack of practice for so long. Much to my surprise, I didn't do too badly. Shooting at eight yards, twenty-five rounds went through the black, and left a large jagged hole. Why did I do so well? Well, I did spend considerable time dry firing. This helped keep my muscle tone and my concentration up to par, and I'm sure that dry firing practice did keep me in shape. Bob Wright

Day Two for me... I am thankful for having been raised by good, strong, God-fearing men. My father and grandfather are the male role models in my life. I learned about boundless, unconditional love and support from my grandfather. I learned about forgiveness and the value of presenting yourself as a humble, broken sacrifice to God so that He can do good things with you and through you from my dad. I learned about honor and service to our country, and about the value of hard work and the endless possibilities of what can be done with your hands and a little bit of knowledge from both of them. It is not bragging when I say that I can build or fix almost anything, teach myself or learn from others almost anything, and be a figure of calm and order in almost any chaotic situation. I say it humbly and with great thankfulness and some reverence toward my dad and grandfather for pouring themselves into me over the course of some 30 years. Were it not for them, I wouldn't be a fraction of who I am. I can only hope and pray that I am able to pass these things along to my own kids.

Griswold 4th of July? Too early for Christmas lights as everyone knows...Those come after Thanksgiving

My neighbors were kind enough to let one by for me, little 4 point was down at the bottom of the hill at the end of my food plot so I invited him home for dinner with my .270 Vanguard using 130 grain Winchester Super X. Hit him in the spine, and out his shoulder, 13° down angle, DRT. One of his tines was broke a while back, lots of bark in the broken area, so their fixin to rut I guess. A friend asked me to get him one so I figured this one would do, because I can never tell the size of does through my scope unless their real tiny, and since he is paying for the processing I want to make sure it's worth it for him. All local processors are at capacity though, until maybe tomorrow at one place, the rest until after Friday. I'll pack him in ice until then, then if no openings I'll either keep him, I process my own, or see if I can find another processor. So now, I have to be super careful to not shoot a button buck today. Now watch, one of them trophy buck will come by and tease me.

I'm thankful for my amazing wife. She's not just my wife but rather my partner and best friend. She makes me realize I need to be a better husband. She has to be the most easy going person I've ever met. I'm also becoming more thankful for our health. You don't appreciate this when you're a kid and feel invincible. This can change in an instant so I try always keep this in mind and be thankful for it. Lastly, my friends and family. It's nice to know I have people I could lean on if i needed help.

I would like to thank my Mom today, she still is a big part of my familys life.

A car burglar with cable cutters? Methinks they knew what they were after.

I'm thankful for all of what has come before during my life, as it has brought me to where I am now. Good, Bad, and indifferent I am Blessed beyond my comprehension and Thank the Good Lord for it daily. This is a "normal" workweek for me as "We Never Close". But you all are in my thoughts and I wish you each a great Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for my wife and family. As we face some very difficult medical issues with my aging in - laws, I am thankful my wife and I are healthy. As hard as it is in dealing with their issues, I am very thankful they are still with us since both of my parents are deceased. Sent from my SM-T520 using Tapatalk

I am thankful for my wife as well, I would not be where I am today with out her in my life.

I am thankful for my wife. Without her my life would be very different and not for the better. I am thankful I am finally starting to heal. It has been a slow, difficult process but I am better now than I was just a few short years ago. Even though I still have a long road ahead I am hopeful again.

Getting a Technician license is good. Getting a General is REAL good. Wider spectrum with which to work with, additional modes. Has to be said, my whole purpose of study and running through 442 question flash cards stacks for General was as part of prepping. Comms will be vital in a SHTF situation, and I am not so naive as to think the repeater net will be up after a Carrington event or a synthetic EMP. Possibly if it is a net /grid hack, but I don't know. Hence being able to punch through distances without dependence on repeaters or internet/RF mixes. KI7CIL is never, EVER going to be smart enough to be an Extra. But if you are, I recommend it. SWC a/k/a/ KI7CIL

It’s been a couple of years since I lost the last one so I was thinking it’s about time. I really miss having a four-legged critter meeting me at the door when I come in. Little Sassy was 14 when she left and the one before that was 17. This got me to thinking about my age, which GT so eloquently (and correctly) described in another thread as “older than dirt” . I had a friend who lost his wife and I witnessed the grief that her dog went through and I wouldn’t want to put one of mine through that so I decided to look into finding a “senior” dog that needed a loving home. I might have a fighting chance of outliving one that is 6-8 years old. Both of the others were about a year old and came from shelters but I didn’t pick either one of them, they chose me. I know if I go looking, the same thing could happen again and I could wind up with another young dog. All of this led me to Petfinder.com. I checked to see how many dogs were in shelters/rescue centers within 50 miles… 1028, Ok… need to filter it down. Adult dogs……500, more filtering needed. House trained…206, now we’re getting somewhere. I learned a couple of things while I was doing all of this. At least 60% or more of the adoptable dogs were at least part Pit Bull, and quite a few Rottie’s as well, along with a few American Bulldogs. I don’t know why but it stuck out. The other thing was, I ran across a couple of breeds I had never heard of. The Carolina Dog and the Catahoula-leopard dog. Interesting dogs but according to their breed characteristics they're much too active for me, I need a couch potato . The Carolina dog, AKA the American Dingo has a fascinating history. https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/meet-american-dingo-only-wild-dog-native-continent The Catahoula-Leopard dog is a true Southerner. http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/catahoula-leopard-dog Just wanted to share…..back to the search .

Mine are up as well

I have a mental image of some dudes driving by screaming tallyho and big smoke plumes coming out filling the vehicle and the road.

"Ask and it shall be given you;" you've put the request out there now, Bersa, and He already has the dog en route. Let us know when it arrives. Another dog lover, Whis

Thanks and I will keep looking and Ashley (my Vet) has also began looking for the right one for me. The place she works does a lot of the spay and neutering and giving the shots and checking dogs over for Animal Rescue Centers and Sumner County Humane Society so she is keeping an eye out along with many of my friends. If GOD wants me to have another dog in my life I am sure it will happen when I least expect it to.

I don't know about the rest of you...but I don't own any Assault Rifles. A few modern sporting rifles, but none of those evil ones that lurk in the shadows and fire indiscriminately at people. Hope his few minutes of fame bites him in the butt.

Thanks Hozzie, At first I thought I could get by with just having Kaseys ashes on my TV console and I did for a few weeks and I would look at her urn and after a while I realized that I don't just want another dog. I "NEED" another dog in my life. As much as I love Kasey and will forever!!! I need that companionship that I have had most of my life back in my life. I think anyone that has had a dog all their life kind of knows where I am at right now.

The gang banger's weapon of choice......the Kentucky Rifle!

Like you say, your vet knows what you can and can’t handle. I think that is the right way to go about it. I hope it works out for you with her or another rescue dog.

I can understand your concerns Hozzie and that is why I am going to get in touch with my Vet and talk with her and have her check into the actual condition the dog is truly experiencing. She told me to contact her if I found a dog I was interested in adopting and she would do the research on the dog before making a recomendation whether it would be a dog I could handle. She knows my situation as far as income and expenses. I don't think she would allow me to adopt a dog that would be a money pit. I have left a msessage for her to call me back. The lady that answered the phone said they have done some work with this Dog Rescue service in the past so I guess it will be up to what Dr Ashley says more than anything but I do respect your views very much also. Thanks Bersa

Bersa, to be honest she is probably a bit much for you to handle. Even with what she has been through, she will still need to be exercised to help her arthritis. Not to be taken lightly is also the potential cost for either food with Glucosamine or pills. They can be expensive. It could also progress to needing shots. I know you will take care of any dog you get, but those would b some of my concerns.

I'm gonna start a Rick Pitino rumor....

I'll give it a shot. I'm thankful for the positive changes in my life over the past few years. Grown up healthy responsible kids, a happy wife, good work and a new community. Any challenges I met along the way to get to this point are trivial compared to how happy I have becme in the last 5 years. Happy Thanksgiving!

+1 (visit clubs, strike up friendships, take a few ham ops out to lunch and ask plenty of questions.) Maybe even go to the range with a few of the gun-toting mobile operating hams here and look at / LISTEN to their rigs.

Thoroughly cleaned gun and mags on mine before shooting. Haven't had a single issue. Sent from my SM-T520 using Tapatalk

Before spending money on equipment which may not be best suited to your needs, locate a local ARRL club and obtain an Amateur License. The bands you can legally operate on will be explained during the training necessary to pass the examination for a license. AK4SZ

RE: Mobiles... Recently got a couple of these guys... They work like a charm... https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/0281.html leroy

Watch the Black Friday sales. Some of the Yaesu mobiles were *very* well priced last year.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XK83VRV/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&m=AA3MGRC7F9EI2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B06XK83VRV&linkCode=as2&tag=btek-20 this is just one option. I only keep going back to baofeng since I don't know your price range. Personally I don't own them but the only bad thing I have heard about the brand is they are hard to program with out a cable and computer. I mostly own Icom radios myself but everyone is different and you have to decide what features are important to you. cost, ease of use, durability, mars operation, etc...

If you are deadset on getting a handheld first, I would recommend the Baofeng line. That being said, I strongly suggest getting a mobile radio first which can be used as a base or mobile because you are severely limiting yourself with only a handheld. You can get a decent mobile for just a little bit more than a handheld and as David pointed out, you get a LOT more transmitting power. But ultimately the decision is entirely yours. Cheers and 73, Billy KE4PJR

With a Technican class license, the starter license, the most common bands you are going to have access to are 2-meter and 70-centimeter. This puts you in the 140MHz and 440Mhz bands which are fairly well covered by local repeaters and local simplex traffic. This is where you'll be able to communicate with folks all over the mid-state area by using local repeaters, participate in local ARES nets, etc. ARES nets are activated during emergencies and severe weather, which can be both fun and useful. When you say you're wanting to go with a portable unit, that generally refers to a handheld walkie-talkie style radio. Is that what you had in mind or were you thinking about a mobile radio for your vehicle? Bear in mind that a portable unit generally broadcasts a maximum 5-watts and has pretty short range. A mobile unit generally broadcasts between 50-100 watts and has a much further range.

A couple of other places you might find helpfull... http://www.arrl.org/ https://www.eham.net/

If you are on the dreaded BookFace, try this elmering group. They deal with the questions you pose on a daily basis. https://www.facebook.com/groups/293204677817745/ "Ham Radio / New to the Hobby" It is a closed group, so you will have to join to see the postings. You are correct, Morse coded is no longer required. But it ia actually a growing segment of the hobby, and interestingly a lot of preppers are learning it (now that they don't have to - they have discovered what an effective means of communication it really is) There is at least one exam session in your area - http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/nashville-tn-37220-1304-16

Got my new gun, but get tired of the black. Had some parts Cerakoted to give it some character. I am happy with the way it turned out.

As a Vandy fan, I hate to see ol' Butch leave.

How to Sell Your Guns When the Market is Slow September 24, 2017 This is an article that I have been tempted to write on several occasions now, but each time I questioned whether the timing was right or if the message would be welcomed and so I postponed. Recently, however, there have been quite a few threads and individual comments made about the difficulties of selling firearms during a "slow market" so I think the time is right. But First, Some History... I do not want to dwell too much on this particular point, but I do believe that it is salient to pause for a moment and observe the current political climate as it has directly influenced the state of firearms sales across the nation. Up until the last US Presidential Election in November of 2016, the firearms industry was booming because people were afraid of both who was then currently, and who might have been next, occupants of the White House. Fear of scarcity or outright prohibition of a thing absolutely drives up demand for that thing, and subsequently the cost of that thing. During the Obama Administration, we lived under the constant specter of another weapons ban and we saw supplies of certain firearms and ammunition all but dry up. What was left to be found almost always had a high price tag assigned to it. When Donald J. Trump was elected, gun owners and prospective gun owners all sighed an enormous collective sigh of relief and practically overnight the firearms industry was dumped on its head. The fear was gone. The incentive to buy was gone. Warehouses of ammunition and firearms that had been rushed to production ahead of what could have been a Hillary Clinton White House were suddenly quiet and stagnant. And so, the firearms industry did what any industry does in cases like this: It suffered. It cut costs. I dumped products at prices that were unheard of a month before. The fire sale began, and it persists to this day. Why Should You Care About Any of That? The reasons any of that is important to you are these: That tactical rifle you bought a few years ago and paid nearly $2,000 for is probably being sold new today for less than half that price. That handgun you bought last year is probably anywhere from $50-75 cheaper this year, brand new, and probably comes with twice as many extra magazines straight from the manufacturer. Today, retailers are competing against you in your role as the Seller for the same sales you are trying to make. They are able to offer brand new merchandise today for prices that would have been reasonable for you to ask for a gently used item this time last year. To snare a buyer on the secondary market in this economy, you have to distinguish yourself and what you are selling in some way that makes it more appealing to the person debating between your gun and that brand new one in the store. So, How Do You Sell in a Slow Market? I have been paying very close attention to this for the past few months and these are my observations. They are not the gospel, but they seem to be holding up under their own merit so far. As with anything, there may be exceptions to any or all of these, and if that works in your favor then I am going to be very thrilled for you. Do your research. Check the retail pricing and availability of whatever you are trying to sell. Mark your price accordingly. Understand that if you are priced too close to retail for a new item, most folks will go buy the new item instead. Also, check and see if a new version or model of whatever you are selling has just been or soon will be released. Prices on old versions almost always go down when a new version is out or is imminent. Eat The Extras. Those expensive night sights that you put on your handgun? Consider eating the cost of those. Point that out as an incentive to buy your handgun rather than the one in the store that doesn't have them. The same goes for tossing in a few extra magazines if you have them, or other small accessories. Obviously, there is a limit to how much you should be willing to eat of the cost of an item, but even then be willing to discount whatever you are adding to the "package price" so that it is compelling to a shopper. Break Up The Package. If you don't want to eat the cost of too many extras, or if the price of your package offering seems to be turning shoppers away, consider breaking apart the package and offering the core item at a cheaper price and then liquidate the accessories separately. This is expecially helpful if you have non-regulated accessories that could be sold on social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc) that do not allow gun sales but do not prohibit accessories. Bigger audiences can mean quicker sales on those types of things. Understand The Impact of Modifications. This is going to hurt some feelings, but it has to be said. Modified guns are harder to sell. Think twice before you take a soldering iron (or pay someone else) to your Glock's frame to stipple it. The same goes for custom paint jobs or hydro-dipped graphics. Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder (YOU) in those things, and other people may not care for them at all. Don't be surprised if your stippled Glock with skulls and crossbones hydro dipped graphics doesn't sell quickly, or at all. Take Good Pictures. The addage that a picture is worth a thousand words is no more true than in advertising. People tend to want to see what they are buying. Take pictures of it and post them here or link to them elsewhere in your post. Ads without photos tend to be overlooked. Invest Some Time. If you post an advertisement, come back to it once a week and bump it back to the top of the "new items" search by replying to the thread. Reduce the price a little after a week or two, if you can. Be willing to engage with prospective buyers and answer questions. Entertain counter offers if you can. It takes a little time but it keeps your advertisement in front of eyeballs and that's what matters. Pull It Today and Sell It Later. Real estate brokers know that if a house has been on the market for too long, it goes "cold" and people stop looking at it. The buyers can see how long a house has been listed and assume something must be wrong with it if more than a reasonable amount of time has passed. Take a cue from that and de-list your items after a while if they don't sell. Come back later and list them again. I hope this helps you all in some way. The current environment is a buyer's market and biased against the seller, both at the retail level and on the used market. Gun stores are going out of business and folding up left and right. So are manufacturers. The ones who are surviving are relying on things other than gun sales to keep money and buyers coming through the doors. Now is the right time to buy firearms and ammo cheap and stack them deep. The political climate is guaranteed to shift again and when it does we will all find it hard to believe that we had it this good (as buyers) in days past. Above all, be patient. If you can afford not to sell a firearm right now, you might want to sit on it for another three years and see what happens with the next Presidential election. Trump has been GREAT for gun owners, but terrible for gun sellers. We might not be so lucky in the years ahead.

A couple of ancillary observations... The post above should be fairly timeless and be relevant 3, 6, or even 15 years from now, but these comments are particular to the current time: AK-47/74 pattern rifles seem to be an exception to the slump in pricing and sales, especially if they were manufactured in Russia. These rifles are actually rising in cost. The past few years have seen AK and AR-15 pattern rifles completely trade places in terms of marketability and cost. Ten years ago, you would have been laughed out of town if you tried to sell an AK for more than a comparably equipped AR. These days, you can buy an AR that you'd actually want to shoot for less than $600 and that sort of money only gets you into a decent AK. Glock 19s tend to still do well on the secondary market because everyone needs one even if they don't really want one. The advent of the Generation 5 Glock 19 doesn't seem to have softened the resale value of the previous generations too much as the Gen5 hasn't had a chance to prove itself and Glock is notorious for having to fix problems with the first few batches of any new generation. The caveat to that, of course, is that modified Glocks don't always sell very quickly unless the seller prices them reasonably and in accordance to what has been done to them. Stippling and custom finishes (like Cerakote) are very polarizing and might only suit the personal taste of the seller. Revolvers, 1911s, and so-called "Brown Rifles" (hunting bolt actions, shotguns, etc.) seem to be fairly immune to the pricing slump since they were never really in the same level of demand as the tacti-cool stuff and consequently, the market was never flooded with a surplus of them. Collector guns are almost always immune to market fluctuation, which is why they are collector guns. When the rest of the firearms market is racing toward the bottom, there's an advantage to being priced at the top - especially if you can command it. Don't expect to see collectibles selling at bargain prices unless someone is really hurting for money and doesn't have a savvy friend to save them from making a hasty mistake.