Jonnin

ah, I see.  You would think they would start with the 9mm, then cut the recoil spring down, use the same parts, and bam, its a 380.  But that makes too much sense I guess.   You are right there is no reason for the extra 1/2 inch in height.

  I find complaints that inexpensive guns are cheaply made to be a bit over the top.  I mean, we all want top quality at bottom shelf prices, sure, but do we REALLY expect the cheap stuff to be have competition grade fit and finish and to be made of indestructium?   No one was rude, I was not saying that, it just seems illogical to expect so much from what is, in all honesty, an inexpensive, mostly plastic gun.  If you want steel, buy steel, its out there.

  In what way are you unwelcome?  They are not and will not be posted no-guns.  They will not say a word to you if you have one, will not ask you to leave etc.   It sounds neutral to me.

http://www.howtogeek.com/127377/the-best-free-tools-for-creating-a-bootable-windows-or-linux-usb-drive/   something like this.  But I have not used this one, its an example.  Do a search on the web for windows boot disk usb and make one, try to boot from it, see if you can do anything from there.  

As I recall blue screens are supposed to be "software" and the rare "red" screen is a hardware failure.  However, as others said, it *can* still be hardware as the red screen rarely comes up because the hardware failure is undetected.    The most common source of blue screens apart from something being loose in the hardware is a bad driver.   You can try to boot in safe mode, and if that works it may be software.  If it fails, look for loose connections?   edit: I see you tried safe mode. Now try booting from a boot disk, a DVD or a memory stick.   There should be a place on the web somewhere to explain how to make a bootable, remember you want to unplug your hard disk and/OR tell BIOS to use the other media to boot.   You could leave the disk plugged in but I usually disconnect it.    Many antivirus sites have a boot disk you can use.    I hate to say it but it sounds like your windows install is beyond saving.

This discussion is off the deep end IMHO.   KT makes inexpensive firearms.  Then we complain that they are ... well duh, cheaply made.  From my experience, the majority do not malfunction after break in, have a solid service department if you do manage to break it or get a lemon.   They also offer something different: apart from the self defense pistols, their products are all fairly unique in some way.  No one else is making anything like the 30 round 22 mag pistol.   Their new shotgun is unlike anything else on the market.  Their semiauto rifles are nothing like an AR and an interesting alternative; the only other real alternative there is the 100 year old garand design of the mini-14, which was not terribly innovative (by ruger, it was clearly a great design way back when).   The fold up carbines are nifty.    They may not be for everyone, that is fine.  But their designs are important: far too many in the industry have little to no innovation and their designs are a rehash of things we knew in 1920.  Their 'mission statement' or whatever it is to sell reliable self defense handguns at a low cost so anyone can afford to defend themself has merits.  If you can afford better, buy what you like, but I would recommend respecting one of the only companies that is doing interesting design work.

there are a lot of choices here.    There are .223 bolt guns out there.   You can handload even an elephant gun to lob a round gently to out to hit a target at 100, 200 yards, if you can counter the issues with barrel twist and stability (usually, you can).  If you do not handload, you want to go with a common, cheap caliber in a light recoil flavor.   There are a variety of suitable calibers ... 44 mag or 357,  223 and similar (224, blah blah), 243 (a little stout if bench rested, maybe?),  22 mag, and many more.    Why does it have to be a bolt gun anyway?  An ar is an excellent gun for a smaller shooter: lightweight, low recoil, accurate, bipod for bench shooting, scope perhaps? It may be too loud for some shooters, though(?). 

  I gotta get a set of those grips. 

  Um, this? http://www.ruger.com/products/lc9/models.html

Starbucks did not cave. Starbuck wants one thing: to sell coffee.  They are not putting up signs to prevent legal carry (per their press release). They simply do not want to be the unwilling bannerman for the pro gun people.  They do not want gun toting folks making their store a hostile place for some customers.  They do not want to be seen taking sides.  The press release says no one with a legally carried gun will be bothered/questioned by their staff.   The deal is obvious... $$$.   They do not want the pro-gun demonstrations and "appreciation" stuff to drive away all their other customers.   There is a new unwritten and unenforced police against open carry in the stores and they will probably continue to close any stores where an organized pro gun rally is planned.     Again, they just want to sell coffee.  To whoever wants it.

  I had no idea about his disability, and I have read his stuff for years.   He is also a regular writer for the national review online (conservative site).  He is one person who tells it like it is and is usually right even if you do not like what he has to say.     I dunno if he is correct.  We have already seen some small, local gun collection attempts (Katrina, for example).   The police state zombies will continue to push this issue until the end of time or success.   I think he is correct that if they tried, they would have no luck, but I think he is wrong that it will not eventually be tried. All it takes to do something like this is the willingness to commit political suicide, for example the colorado reps who were recalled went down saying they stand behind their laws and felt it was worth it..... a few zealots is all it takes.  Those laws stand....   what if that had been congress.... ?  Recall or replace em, the laws stand and repealing them is not simple....   The problem I have with his statement is the "stop worrying" side of it.  If gun people let down their guard saying "it can't happen" that is the first step toward losing the battle.

chatt sportsmans warehouse had many, many boxes of 500 the last time we went in (monday, maybe?), so many they filled the regular 223 shelf, a special display, and were scattered across the gun counter.   I did not look at the price, had a lot on my mind that day.   I dunno if they still have it.  Pretty sure it was brass cased.

  They are very good.  I now have 3, 2 in 223 and a 308 ... the first one was so good I keep going back! 

  That stuff never really clears out or goes away either.   I put an amazing item called the "mankini" (search for it, if you have a strong stomach) in my friends wish list and he still gets some strange stuff offered up because of it.

  I find his leap before you look approach to life refreshing.

  I do not use a case gauge.  My trimmers, both of them, trim the case to a fixed length, so they are good to go without needing an extra widgit.   I was using the lee power-drill trimmers, but finally bought a real trimmer.  I can't comment on your choice.  I picked the RCBS trimmer and so far it has done very well for me.   I use 2230.  It has worked very well for me, so far.  2230 also has provided excellent light target loads for my larger rifles,  in 308, 7.65, and other calibers.  Its not ideal in those calibers for full loads (though it can do it), but  it has been a dream in the mauser, super accurate result with the reduced load.  It burns clean in my loads, though some of the "clean" factor is related to load data; any powder can make a mess if it does not burn fully.   I have literally shot several thousand of the 223s with this powder, and no issues (well, early on I was not working the brass properly and had some problems but it was not the powder).

I have the PLR which is, as far as I can tell, the exact same thing at the action/reciever/bolt/ parts of the gun.   Very nice gun...   pros: accurate and reliable.  Easy to work on.  relatively inexpensive (not true anymore?).  Uses standard AR mags.   Its a toy, really, but I wanted an AR that could be carried on my permit.    Comments... kel tec did me very right.  I got a used but busted P40 and they rebuilt it from the ground up to like new without charging me a dime.  (The normal warranty is for original owner only, they chose to be kind).  After that great experience, I bought the plr which I had been on the fence about.   I have had good luck on the KTOG, both for info about my guns and for general chatter.    cons are minor: 1) you cannot use steel ammo in them.  Well, you can, but the extractor may not survive it --- people who have done it claim no problems but kel tec says do not do it.  2) the rail on mine is plastic, which i did not care for 3) The plr, at least, you cannot remove the front sight easily.  4) it can melt as said if you put 100+ rounds thru it in 60 seconds. 

  I think this is wishful thinking and going to be, at the best, a lot of extra effort on your part, if not impossible to accomplish right now.   Much like ammo, reloading components are somewhat in short supply and much like ammo, you take what you can find and use it.   If you can find what you want, that is awesome, if not, it all goes bang :)

  Tomatos are probably one of the most noticable cases.... ever grow your own or had some that were?  Try a taste test side by side with the tasteless waterballs you get from a store (or even so-called local produce stands).   Everything you grow yourself tastes better because the soil and techniques used to mass grow things makes the result less good.  There are only 3 real ways to preserve your own once you grow it... dry it, freeze it, or can it.   Freezing stuff with lots of water expands the water and turns the poor veggie to mush.  Drying stuff is as, or more, aggravating than canning.  

Obama looks "week" eh?  Remember folks, the writers even for a crap rag probably have a degree in english/journalism/writing and yet fail at 4th grade language skills.   On this one subject, I feel a bit for Obama.  There is no good choice here....  stay out of it, we look weak and like we condone the chemistry.  Jump into it, we help our enemy, because everyone in syria is our enemy, from what I gather about their feelings for the USA.   Bomb something meaningless looks weak.  Ground troops are unpopular.  Ground troops that get gassed is going to be even less popular.   Bomb the crap of of them and we are the baby killing bad guys.   The only good choice is to point to the UN and say "we support the UN's response".   Its THEIR JOB to deal with this, not ours -- we send a few bombs and planes along as part of a multinational butt kicking force, or we stay home.   But Obama, being an idiot, did not jump on that idea and is left with no chocies that make any sense.... lol.   He wanted to be in charge, let him take the blame and drag the liberals down as he flounders....

sounds like the MRS is up to no good to me.   I don't even like GZ much  but in less than a week she has demanded the insane (a life insurance on GZ paying to her on his death??!!  She kills her EX and gets PAID?! ... sounds fishy)  and made this questionable (he was apparently unarmed??) 911 call publicity stunt?   She is looking to score on his fame somehow, --- its ALWAYS about the money. 

Looks like some good eats.   Mind blanking, controlled breathing, dismissal of everything except one object of focus...  kinda like shooting, but applied to everything.  Its second nature after doing it for years...  I am calm in the face of pretty much all normal stress and aggravations now.   I simply do not allow such things to touch me.   We are also super busy on my job right now, but one thing at a time is all I can do, its all I will do, and demands that require more than can be given are ignored (well, tactfully -- I do tell the boss that he has to pick between 2 tasks, one to be done and one not unless he clones me).     

mine wanted hot ammo for a while right out of the box.  It cleared up nicely after a while, but I have shot it a lot.  It has not shown any real signs of wear with over 500 rounds through it, so added to the above it seems to be rugged enough.

  The walther is a DA/SA -- the safety can be safely left in the "FIRE" position.  The trigger is harder to pull than a glock's for the first shot (and probably for the followups as well).   The 1911 is "not recommended" to be carried with the safety in the "fire" position...  it has a fraction of the trigger pull over a fraction of the distance and that is asking for trouble.   I would think most folks that carry things like the walther do not use the safety at all.

download one of your existing rifles if you have a loader?  A lighter bullet and a lighter load will still go the distance to a point, how far are you wanting to shoot?   I have never worn out a 243 but I don't shoot it that much.  I suspect it would take thousands of rounds if you loaded them modestly.