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Well this adventure starts out last Saturday (12-7-19) in search of a 2 horse trailer to pull behind a truck. We had to travel about 40 miles from where we live to Louisburg TN. to meet a lady who had a 2 horse trailer for sale. She was riding her rescued Mustang horse in the Christmas Parade being held in that town, on that day. We found the place we were supposed to meet her,(GPS thank you) and had to wait 45 minutes for her to arrive. She did and we purchased the trailer. Hooked it to my truck, and luckily, all the hookup fit my truck so we had lights and a trailer for our first born daughter to use hauling her horses. So we brought it back home for our son-in-law to do some work on, so the trailer would be in good traveling shape(pack wheel bearings, replace a broken spring on the rear loading ramp, and a general clean up and inspection). He is doing that today. Now that she has a trailer, she then decided she needs a "beater" truck to pull the trailer with. Do you realize how hard it is to find a good old "beater truck" capable of pulling some weight in a trailer? Well after a solid week, that followed the trailer purchase, we have looked at truck after truck after truck. Drove out over a tank of gas, let alone 5 days of traveling all over middle TN., in search of the perfect truck for her. We finally found it. She purchased, after my 15 year old grandson bargained unmercifully, to the point I think the guy just gave in to the price I originally offered, she purchased it. So we traveled and picked the truck up yesterday morning after he unloaded all the personnel goods he had in the truck. The truck is a 2008 Chevy 2500 HD single cab with an 8' wide bed, and a 6 liter fuel injected engine. The truck has a heavy duty automatic tranny and drives and shifts great. It also has power steering, and the body is great. It is a high miler, but I believe she will get a lot of use out of the truck. It was very reasonably priced so now she is in the horse hauling business. Hoopefully she will quit using her Honda Pilot and destroying the inside of it hauling feed, tack, and hey. What a week we have had. At 71, I am exhausted. I was looking forward to a day of sweet rest, while finding "low gear" on my "Lazy Boy" recliner chair, she just called and asked us to come to Leapers Fork, a small community just out of Franklin TN. because she, and her hard bargaining grandson, are planning to ride horses in the Christmas Parade being held there today at 2:00 PM. Now I ask you, just how much can a elderly man take? I guess, after the week we have had, one more parade will not do me in. However if it does, God, Jesus and I, have the other part taken care of. L/w I'm-a-going! NO rest for the weary, but I love it. What a week with the first born and momma. Just happy to be able to serve....

I try and make it my rule not to purchase any new gun until it has been on the market for a year. They will get the bugs worked out, if the new pistol has any. Just like the 380 EZ, some of the first ones gave trouble and Smith had to do some modifications. Now they are fairly reliable, if a 380 is adequate for self defense. At any rate, the 380 caliber is at the bottom of my preferences for a self defense pistol. I much preferer the 9 MM. I have 2 M P 9 C 2.0 4" that I conceal carry. So far one has been 100% and the other had 1 hiccup. Guess which I carry? I carry my 9 C in a Aherns belt slide, or a Crossbreed IWB, with a cover garment for the belt slide. I also have a 7 shot 38/357 revolver I pocket carry in a Desantsis Nemesis that I have to open the holster opening a bit to get the 7 shot cylinder to go into. My wife sews the opening back using her sewing machine. This policy has worked well for me. I say, "Why be S W's Guiney Pig?" The M P line of pistols are good ones, for plastic guns. Now that is "My Opinion." We all got one, don't we?

I just found a very young (button buck) deer, that was dead, in my back lot. Don't know what happened, but didn't see any shot marks on his body. Guessing he got hit crossing the road and made it to my back lot and died. We have 3 deer that live in the woods behind our home, and I am guessing he is one of last years fawns. They cross the road 2 or 3 times a day to water from the creek that runs in front of our home. Will know for sure if we only see 2 deer, in the future. My sweetie is sad. We enjoy watching them almost daily.

I just purchased a Savage Axis XP during the Black Friday sale at Base Pro. Have been researching the caliber and it is fascinating. Turns out is a fairly good caliber for 400 yards in, for deer, and maybe out to 600 for punching paper, with the right ammo. I believe it is in the class with the 6.5 Creedmoor with a slight edge going to the Creedmoor. The Creedmoor was what I went after, but they were gone in the first 15 minutes. I am satisfied with the 308 and the 7mm08 I purchased on that day. I am going to use Winchester Deer Season XP ammo to sight both of my rifles in with. Probably 150 gr Extreme Point bullets. Seems the sweet spot for deer, from my research is, from 140 to 150 gr bullets. It is fun to play with new calibers and good hunting for your new rifle Tirebuilder. Wish I could give you a better review but just not a lot of experience with my new 08 yet.

I need to get my SW 629 out and shoot some 44 spl in it to see how it shoots. I have always used the 44 Mag ammo in it. My arthritic hands and wrist does not fair well when using the full blown magnum ammo in that revolver. I gave my 15 year old grandson his choice of my handguns as I am thinning my collection. I want my grandchildren to have my guns, and my wife said I needed to give them away before my time here is finished. I decided she is right. Also they are changing laws to the point one may not be able to give them away without a lot of red tape in it, in the future. Most of my grandchildren are too young so I am giving them to their fathers for the grandchildren to have when they mature and are of age to own them. To my surprise, my grandson took my SW mdl 681, 38/357 magnum which I used for my bedside gun. So I replaced it with my 629, but the magnum ammo is too stout for firing inside our home, if I were ever forced into shooting to protect us. A friend suggested to try the 44 spl which I have very little experience with. I have fired 6 rounds just to see how the 44 Spl ammo recoiled and it was doable. Much more milder in the recoil department. So the 44 is my new bedside revolver for now. I have been working on my back yard firing range and got it in good shape. Now, I just need the weather to cooperate a little and for me to get over this Bronchitis I have been experiencing for the last 3 weeks. Have been through a full regiment of antibiotics and it is still hanging on. Got out Saturday and spent the day chasing down a Horse Trailer, for my first born daughter, and we finally purchased it and brought it home from Louisburg TN. My son in law is repacking the wheel bearings and doing a general clean up on the trailer before she takes it to the horse barn. She needed her dads truck to retrieve it from the previous owner and I kinda took a "backset" from exposing myself to the cold windy day. Have spent 2 days of aggravated coughing. Feel a little better this morning, but staying in out of the fierce winds this morning. Really gusting here. Edited to add; I also need to sight in my new 308 and 7mm08 I purchased at Bass Pro during their Black Friday sale this year. I think I am going to really like the Savage Axis XP rifles with the Weaver 3 x 9 x 40 scopes already mounted on them. They were a bargin at 170.00 each after 75.00 rebates, from Savage, on each rifle. I let my youngest grandson write his name on the 7mm08 box and told him it was his when I don't have need of it any longer. Oh well, future plans of mice and men, you know? What are you doing today?

Great advice. At 71, soon to be 72, I think I will eat that b-day cake first . Come to think of it, just may do that from now on.

We and out traveling companion visited there 2 years ago. Beautiful place and we even have some of the banana colored rocks that come from the bottom of the canyon. I was surprised how fast the water level rose to flood stage and all the signage warning campers and drivers. We spent 2 days there camping in RVs. We had traveled to Ardmore/Gene Autry, Oklahoma to take in the Cowboy Way Festival. We even got to see James Druary, known as the Virginian, Gary Ckark (known as Steve) and Roberta Shore( known as Betsy) from the series on TV years ago(70's). He was the only TV star that never had a name on screen. Simply known as the Virginian. Also seen and talked with the guy that was James Arness/Mat Dillon (Gunsmoke) stunt double. It was a hoot! My grandson has Downs Syndrome and James Druary invited/allowed Cody to sit at his table during the final evening of the festival dinner. Cody is quick to say, "James Durary is my friend." Cody is our traveling companion. He is 27 and has been in all the lower 48 states except California, Oregon, and Nevada. Making plans to take that trip this summer, if possible. May even hit the Cowboy Way Festival which is being held in San Angelo, Texas, this coming May. That would be a great trip in May and June. From Ardmore, we made a swing through Amarillo, Dallas/Fort Worth, Abilene, Fredericksburg, San Antonio, Austin, and Waco Texas. Visited the "Home and Garden Stars" remodeling stars, Chip and Johana Gains' Magnolia Silos, while in Waco. Her bakery had some of the best cup cakes I have ever eaten. We had a blast on that trip. KahrMan, I know you had great fun. Palo Doro Canyon is great.

I got the chance to go deer hunting last evening. I went with my grandson, that was burned in the bon-fire accident. He is doing better and has improved considerably. He still has a few spots, of infection, that has not totally cleared up but His Dr said, "If he kept on improving he would be able to go back to school after the new year break is over." He still has some bad arms but will possibly take a the next year totally heal. He had 3rd degree burns on both arms and hands. His face is healed almost completely except for some pinkish skin which the Dr said should dissipate over time. We sit in a ground blind and finally just right at the end of shooting light had gone, two does walked in and a buck came into the food plot, a short time later, to feed. He asked if I though he should try for the buck, I told him it was too dark so he let him walk. I didn't want to tell him but my old eyes could hardly see the buck's antlers. Oh FOR YOUNG EYES! Any ways it was great fun. I don't have a deer tag and he has filled both his doe tags, but has 2 buck tags remaining. It was great to spend 3 hours with my 15 year old grandson hunting. It was nice, and peaceful to watch nature go to sleep. I may go with him again to another farm of a friends , if the opportunity presents itself. All the years my father and I hunted, we never saw not one deer that was within our kill zones in Eastern KY.. Deer are plentiful, now, in this area of Middle TN. Great, great times.

I put 30 years in the Post Office. You would not believe how we were treated the last 5 years(1999-2004) of my long run. My daughter still works in the Postal system. Believe it or not, it has gotten worse. We had a strong union. We filed 90 grievances, and lost just one. A grievance is filed when a violation of union contract occurs. We would have won the one we lost, but an employee lied under oath. I was the union Stewart or President for about 20 years. I personally witnessed about every kind of evil one could imagine. I sit in an arbitration, where my supervisor, and others, came in and put their hands on the Bible, and swore to tell the truth, then lied through their teeth. I tell you, cold chills came over my body when I witnessed that. I got out of that union job because I didn't want to be a party to such like. My supervisor came to me, after that union proceeding, and told me he was sorry he lied, but he had to keep his job. I told him that I was not really overly concerned about what the outcome of that proceeding would be, but it really bothered me knowing he, and those men, swore before God, then did not tell the truth. IMO, those people condemned themselves to a bad outcome if they don't change their ways. Guys, that is scary to me. I have a healthy fear(respect) for God and no amount of money is worth loosing your soul over. A lot of people have very little morals any longer. Just watch the video posted at the first of this thread, about the forced sell off of Cabela's, and the jerk that forced that to happen, all the while destroying a whole town in Nebraska. The guy in the lumber yard was correct, the hedge fund guy(billionaire), that caused that to happen, his money is his God. Six thousand people in that town now suffers because he did that. To my way of thinking, the money he made is "ill gotten gain." In the hereafter, it will do him no good. Dave, what he did might be legal, but it was unjust. God demands we love our brother as ourselves. This guy did not show love. Guys, the Bible talks about ill gotten gain and the consequences for that. When someone is forced to loose so you can prosper, that profit is ill gotten. It's not pretty what is in store if people don't change! Not many are taught there is a just God and there are severe consequences, in our next life(realm of departed spirits), for violating Godly principals, in our lives, in this realm(realm among the living today). I want to spend eternity with God, in the final realm. That is why I try to live, as I do today. I am not always successful, but try. All one needs to do is pick up the Bible, and do what it says, as best as one can, then leave the rest up to Jesus/ God. Guys, do you realize that the U S has aborted almost 1/2 of the next generation through abortion. Truly a "Sad" state of affairs. RED333, sorry for the rant, but thanks for sharing your struggle with us. IMO, many in this country are sick of the way we are treaded by those over us. These unjust things will not be in store for those who love God and Jesus in the final realm.

RZ, when I reloaded all the time, yes we saved a lot of money. We shot a lot of handguns and rifles during that time, and we did not count our time in the cost. You probably have at least $1000.00 tied up in your reloading equipment and several more dollars in reloading components. For someone who fires 200-500 rounds max per year , it ain't worth the effort and money spent to get into reloading, let alone the cost of attaining the skill to be able to reload safely. One of my local gun stores has classes to teach people to reload, but the y are pricy(25.00 per hr). If I was shooting 2 or 3 thousand rounds per weekend I would reload for sure. No more than I shoot now, I just purchase factory ammo. I would not use reloaded ammo for self defense at all. I have a friend who purchased a rifle 9 years ago. He used 2 rounds, out of a box of 20, to sight his scope in. He told me that he just finished using that box of ammo 9 years later with 18 kills. He writes the dates, on the box, when and what he killed. That is pretty good use of a box of ammo.

I went to Sportsman's Wearhouse and looked at Winchester Deer Season X P in 308 caliber, 150 Gr bullet. That is what I want to feed my new Savage. It was priced 33.95 per box of 20. Traveled to Wal Mart and they had the same ammo 20.94. Looked and S G ammo, on line, and theirs was 18.95 per box with 12.00 shipping on 3 boxes of 20. Good ole Wally World! Hate to see it dry up.

I have reloaded in the past and still have a Lee Turret combo reloaded with a lot of dies, that is not set up right now. Yes one can save a little money if you just shoot a lot and reload a lot of practice ammo. I don't know if it would pay to purchase all the equipment from scratch and the components. I know it would not be worthwhile for those who only shoot 3 or 4 times per year. We reloaded to build better, more accurate ammo for our guns. Now-a-days you can purchase excellent factory loaded ammo. Those who reload must be real careful because one can make a mistake very easily. If a person is not detail oriented, they should stay away from reloading, IMO.

Evidently the doe that has lived in the woods, behind our home, is in season this morning. I have seen a small buck (tall spike) roaming the back yard for about a week now. This morning, we were sitting at the breakfast table and 2 young bucks (3 yr o), one a 7 point and the other a tall 8 pointer, was chasing the doe all around our yard. We have a 3 acre yard with woods behind the house. The doe still has last years fawns with her, but have not seen them this morning. I guess they have vacated the area for now. Guess we will have some little ones by spring. Told sweetie I was going to get my new Savage 308 out, and get me a buck. She vetoed that operation, "instantly". Well, I haven't sighted it in yet.

I have never made it to this new store (S W) here in the B'oro. Have plans to do it soon as I get over this bronchitis. Mailed in my 2, $75.00 rebates to Savage this afternoon. Each rifle had one. A healthy little chunk of change coming back.

If Wal Mart dries up on ammo, we will not have many sources locally. If we do it most times is much higher.

We have been ordering ammo from on line sources for a while now. Most times cheaper, even with shipping, and can just order about anything you want now a days.

Well, after a morning long outing we ended up purchasing 4 Rifles. The one I purchased was a Savage Axis XP bolt action in 308, and we got another for a grandson(11 Y O), a Savage Axis XP in 7MM 08. Another grandson (15) and his dad both purchased 243's. All have detachable magazines and Weaver 3x9 40 MM scopes on them. All have camo composite stocks. They are nice rifles for what they cost. Quality off assembly is fair, as two of the rifles has the scopes mounted crocked. Grandson 1 has already had his out, but not sighted in, yesterday afternoon. By the way both went hunting, yesterday afternoon, and one got a small buck also, but not with the 243 they just purchased. He said he needed to check the scope zero before he trusted the new rifle. Very Wise! We arose at 3:00 AM and was in Bass Pro parking lot by 4:30. Too our surprise, there were about 500 people already there. By the time the store opened (5:00 AM) the were about 750 people in line to get in the store. They had 110 of these rifles for sale. They were gone in 15 minutes. It took up until 11:00 AM to get all the paperwork complete and on our way home. We ended up purchasing the 4 rifles for 169.99 each. The Rifles were regularly 349.00 with a 75.00 markdown by the store. Also all of them had a 75.00 rebate from Savage. We were also able to purchase 2, 600.00 gift certificates for 540.00 each (60.00 savings), which we used to pay for the rifles before we left. That amounted to another 30.00 per rifle off. That is how we came out with he 170.00 cost + sales tax, for each of the rifles. Have plans to get them out and look them over soon. Will go sight them in and see how they shoot. All in all we had a great day, with 2 grandsons (who will never forget this day) and their fathers out for a large Black Friday shopping spree at the Bass Pro (Man's Store my granddaughter call it). Slept like a baby last night! What-A-Day! The Creedmoor's were gone in the first 5 minutes.

Ended up with 2 each. Tell more later. Had a blast, but it was an all day thing(4 AM-12Noon). Got to eat our big Thanksgiving meal tonight (Friday) here at "Reed Manor". Go to families house on Thanksgiving day. Post more tomorrow.

We have a house full of family, and a lot to be thankful for. Going to be a good day at Reed Manor. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Thanks for posting. Always good reading and reminder things can happen if we let our guards down and skip rules. Glad all went well in the aftermath. Had a friend who shot his foot, in his car, last year while trying to re-holster while siting in the driver seat, in front of a city business in his car with wife and family in the car with him. Things happen. Police got involved and he had big problems.

Starts with 30. Probably right Garufa, but have you ever pondered going down an unknown direction? For me that would be 6.5 Creedmoor. Don't know what I will do for sure, but plan to "do", L/w if possible. Does not seem to be a large difference between the Creedmoor and 308 with a slight edge to the 308. The Creedmoor sure is getting publicity for now, although it has been out for multi digit years, fell from grace, but recently found again with gusto. Is fun to consider. My deer hunter Grandson is saying Creedmoor all out! He has killed with 270 and 06 I gave him last year. I will need to see the selection and decide then. May just come home with the old tried and true 308 or 30 06 in the Savage Axis XP flavor. Friday(29) is D day for us.

I too have started downsizing. I am 71 and my health is getting worse. I want to give my guns to my grandchildren. I want to do it before I will need to run them through a nix system. Have already given away several and have several more to give. I sure have enjoyed collecting them over the last 50 years. Hard to see my babies leave, but the passage of time is saying let them go. Will keep enough to protect my sweetie and me. Kinda sad in a way.

My grandson, Son In Law and I are bound for Bass Pro on Friday morning and both of us want the Savage Axis. We will see how we come out. Hope they got a bunch. I have decided on the 6.5 Creedmoor, or 308. They said they had 8 calibers in the add. Which caliber would you get if you were in the market? I am kind of a 30 06 man at heart, and this will be a stretch for me.

I have my scoped Marlin bolt action 22 mag sighted in at 75 yards. I have had it for 25 years and I purchased it at Wal Mart for $139.00. I hunted varmints with it on my farm. At that distance I can shoot less than 1" groups of 5 any day of the week. Of course that is off sandbags now, because at my age with my eyes, I can not shoot as well as the rifle can off hand, any longer. Don't own a lever gun in 22 mag but do own one in 38Spl/357 Mag. It is my families favorite rifle and every thanksgiving we get it out and burn a couple hundred rounds of 38Spl. I agree with the others, if you are only shooting paper go with the 22LR. Big difference in cost. My Marlin Magnum is pretty much a safe queen now, but I would not sell it. I have a scoped Marlin mdl 60 I squirrel hunt with in 22 LR. Edited to add; I am going to purchase a Caldwell Led Sled to use while sighting in on my new shooting range. Hope to be using it for my new Savage Axis 6.5 Creedmoor. Are you listening Santa???

I tend to agree with you Dave, but it is textbook on how NOT to handle oneself in an interrogation, for sure. The article the guy wrote is informative also.