I like the Fourth of July. No not the fireworks, and just not the gathering with friends to 'hang'. I like the part about remembering something in your country's past and honoring those whom were a part of it.
In Switzerland, yes, ex-patriots (there are many of us!) gather and celebrate - just as occurs all over the US. Picnics, bbq's and sometimes even fireworks are the norm.
My first introduction to fireworks was in Germany at a Fourth celebration. I was not too excited. I really did not like the noise, the smell, staying up that late, nor the mass of gathered humanity (mostly drunken GIs.
So, with my kids I have taken another approach. We discuss some aspect of history this even covers, we have friends over for a bbq and of course sparklers! Everyone has a pretty good time. Even run away daughter called to see if she could come over tonight. Still no sign of her, but she then we are 30 minutes off from the BBQ and two hours until sparklers. We shall see....
Have a safe and sane fourth.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Trust
Have you ever felt like you are just a statistic waiting to happen? Boy I sure do at times!Take this guy. What school did he attend where you graduate dumb enough to hold a pistol target?! I blew this up and counted seven holes in the target. Wonder how many died prior to this guy getting the job?
And how about that backdrop! A wooden fence and store fronts! I tell ya, there are some real interesting people out there in the world!
Oh course, I guess these days, a job is a job.....
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Naming Your Favorite
Once upon a time, there was a tradition of naming your favorite firearm. At some point this tradition fell out of favor and fashion. A quick search through history shows that many well-known people named their much-loved guns. Here are a few:
Old Betsy
Thanks to the successful 1950’s Walt Disney’s tv program, Davy Crockett, "Old Betsy" has become very well known.
Old Betsy is a .40 caliber rifle built by James Graham of Pennsylvania. The rifle has a black walnut stock, with brass hardware and silver inlays. This was a particularly beautiful firearm, and one which the poor Senator Crockett could never have afforded to own. As a member of the Tennessee State Assembly, Crockett championed veterans' rights and made it easier for individuals to own land. The constituents of Lawrence County took up a collection and presented him with this rifle on May 5, 1822.
Many stories surround Old Betsy. While it is accurate to say that Crockett killed more than 100 black bears with her during six months of hunting in 1825 and 1826, it is not accurate to say that he used Old Betsy during the battle of the Alamo. Crockett left the flintlock with his son John Wesley before departing for Texas. Through the years, the original rifle was shortened and converted from flint to the percussion ignition system. It is currently displayed in the Alamo Chapel Museum, San Antonio, Texas.
Old Tick-Licker
Daniel Boone was another American hero whom carried a flintlock rifle. Crafted by his brother Squire, a skilled gunsmith, this .44 caliber Kentucky longrifle was more than five feet long and weighed nearly 11 pounds! Boone dubbed the gun "Old Tick-Licker", boasting he could shoot a tick off an animal without hurting the beast. By today’s standards, this is a massive, bulky and unwieldy firearm. But it was one of the finest guns of its day, surprisingly accurate.
Lucretia Borgia
Lucretia Borgia is a.48 caliber trapdoor Springfield rifle owned by Buffalo Bill Cody. Cody may have gotten the idea for the name from Victor Hugo's famed Lucretia Borgia, a play Cody may have seen in St. Louis. Borgia, the daughter of Pope Alexander VI, was described as a cold-blooded murderer in many dramas and books, and it is said Cody named his gun for her due to its deadliness. Cody is said to have commented, “I have killed over 40,000 buffalo, and most of them with that old gun…The Winchester was well liked, as was the Spencer carbine, especially on horseback, but they could not shoot alongside of the .48-caliber needle-gun. That carried 70 grains of powder and 470 grains of lead. 'Shoot to-day!—kill to-morrow!' was what the Indians called it. That was my father's rifle, and I love that gun."
Bo Whoop
In 1921, Western Cartridge Company president, John Olin, sent famed writer Nash Buckingham an Askins-Sweeley magnum 12-gauge to field test the company's new Super-X shotshells. Buckingham liked the gun so much he commissioned Philadelphia gun maker Bert Becker to build one for him just like it.
The shotgun Becker crafted to Buckingham's specifications was constructed on a Fox frame with 32-inch barrels, which were overbored to deliver a 90-percent pattern of copper-coated 4s at 40 yards. Nash's good friend Colonel Harold P. Sheldon called the gun Bo Whoop because of its distinctive hollow report.
Buckingham was riding back to town with a man named Clifford Green following a December 1, 1948 duck hunt near Clarendon, Arkansas, when a pair of game wardens stopped the men and checked their licenses and ducks. Bo Whoop was laid on the fender of Green's car after one of the wardens looked at the gun, and Buckingham didn't notice it was missing until they had driven several miles. Despite an exhaustive search by game wardens, police and hunters, as well as ads placed with local newspapers and radio stations, Buckingham never saw the gun again.
Tag
This is a Ruger Mark II, .22 LR with a stock 10.5” barrel. I bought this in 1986 and quickly fell in love with this pistol. At fifty yards thumbtacks are easily vanquished from target boards, heads of dandelions sheared off, etc. I even did a demonstration one time shooting thrown clay birds with it. Extremely accurate. Just call me whatever the male equivalent of Annie Oakley is….(Frank Butler would not be it.)
On any given Thursday, since I bought it, I have been at the range pumping 3,000 rounds through it per session. Yes, this pistol is just shy of 4,000,000 rounds having been put through it! I was told by Ruger years ago it is the highest mileage Mark II they have heard of. They also had a hard time understanding how the barrel has stood up to this abuse! Yet it is still a tack driver.
Outside of replacing the scope mount and scope each once and two rebuilds on the barrel mount, this has been a superb target pistol. Yeah, needs another barrel mount this year…
As for the name, well it came about from a joke concerning whom could hit whom, at what distance with pistols. I asked if anyone wanted to play tag – if I had my Mark II, no shooting above the waist – of course! No takers…..
Old Betsy
Thanks to the successful 1950’s Walt Disney’s tv program, Davy Crockett, "Old Betsy" has become very well known.
Old Betsy is a .40 caliber rifle built by James Graham of Pennsylvania. The rifle has a black walnut stock, with brass hardware and silver inlays. This was a particularly beautiful firearm, and one which the poor Senator Crockett could never have afforded to own. As a member of the Tennessee State Assembly, Crockett championed veterans' rights and made it easier for individuals to own land. The constituents of Lawrence County took up a collection and presented him with this rifle on May 5, 1822.
Many stories surround Old Betsy. While it is accurate to say that Crockett killed more than 100 black bears with her during six months of hunting in 1825 and 1826, it is not accurate to say that he used Old Betsy during the battle of the Alamo. Crockett left the flintlock with his son John Wesley before departing for Texas. Through the years, the original rifle was shortened and converted from flint to the percussion ignition system. It is currently displayed in the Alamo Chapel Museum, San Antonio, Texas.
Old Tick-Licker
Daniel Boone was another American hero whom carried a flintlock rifle. Crafted by his brother Squire, a skilled gunsmith, this .44 caliber Kentucky longrifle was more than five feet long and weighed nearly 11 pounds! Boone dubbed the gun "Old Tick-Licker", boasting he could shoot a tick off an animal without hurting the beast. By today’s standards, this is a massive, bulky and unwieldy firearm. But it was one of the finest guns of its day, surprisingly accurate.
Lucretia Borgia
Lucretia Borgia is a.48 caliber trapdoor Springfield rifle owned by Buffalo Bill Cody. Cody may have gotten the idea for the name from Victor Hugo's famed Lucretia Borgia, a play Cody may have seen in St. Louis. Borgia, the daughter of Pope Alexander VI, was described as a cold-blooded murderer in many dramas and books, and it is said Cody named his gun for her due to its deadliness. Cody is said to have commented, “I have killed over 40,000 buffalo, and most of them with that old gun…The Winchester was well liked, as was the Spencer carbine, especially on horseback, but they could not shoot alongside of the .48-caliber needle-gun. That carried 70 grains of powder and 470 grains of lead. 'Shoot to-day!—kill to-morrow!' was what the Indians called it. That was my father's rifle, and I love that gun."
Bo Whoop
In 1921, Western Cartridge Company president, John Olin, sent famed writer Nash Buckingham an Askins-Sweeley magnum 12-gauge to field test the company's new Super-X shotshells. Buckingham liked the gun so much he commissioned Philadelphia gun maker Bert Becker to build one for him just like it.
The shotgun Becker crafted to Buckingham's specifications was constructed on a Fox frame with 32-inch barrels, which were overbored to deliver a 90-percent pattern of copper-coated 4s at 40 yards. Nash's good friend Colonel Harold P. Sheldon called the gun Bo Whoop because of its distinctive hollow report.
Buckingham was riding back to town with a man named Clifford Green following a December 1, 1948 duck hunt near Clarendon, Arkansas, when a pair of game wardens stopped the men and checked their licenses and ducks. Bo Whoop was laid on the fender of Green's car after one of the wardens looked at the gun, and Buckingham didn't notice it was missing until they had driven several miles. Despite an exhaustive search by game wardens, police and hunters, as well as ads placed with local newspapers and radio stations, Buckingham never saw the gun again.
Tag
This is a Ruger Mark II, .22 LR with a stock 10.5” barrel. I bought this in 1986 and quickly fell in love with this pistol. At fifty yards thumbtacks are easily vanquished from target boards, heads of dandelions sheared off, etc. I even did a demonstration one time shooting thrown clay birds with it. Extremely accurate. Just call me whatever the male equivalent of Annie Oakley is….(Frank Butler would not be it.)On any given Thursday, since I bought it, I have been at the range pumping 3,000 rounds through it per session. Yes, this pistol is just shy of 4,000,000 rounds having been put through it! I was told by Ruger years ago it is the highest mileage Mark II they have heard of. They also had a hard time understanding how the barrel has stood up to this abuse! Yet it is still a tack driver.
Outside of replacing the scope mount and scope each once and two rebuilds on the barrel mount, this has been a superb target pistol. Yeah, needs another barrel mount this year…
As for the name, well it came about from a joke concerning whom could hit whom, at what distance with pistols. I asked if anyone wanted to play tag – if I had my Mark II, no shooting above the waist – of course! No takers…..
Monday, June 29, 2009
Twenty-one
The number of weeks I have been flat on my lips due to illness.
The number of days I was down with the last round with the flu.
The number of hours I have been averaging up per day.
The number of minutes I have to wait to get access to the bathroom.
The number of seconds it takes to fall asleep if I blink too slowly.
The age of Oldest Daughter.
The number of items I bought on eBay ‘cause I was bored.
The number of days I was down with the last round with the flu.
The number of hours I have been averaging up per day.
The number of minutes I have to wait to get access to the bathroom.
The number of seconds it takes to fall asleep if I blink too slowly.
The age of Oldest Daughter.
The number of items I bought on eBay ‘cause I was bored.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Flat On Lips
Been very ill, all of us, with the flu. One bathroom. Not pretty.
Bleech! Still not real well but sitting upright and taking nourishment on occasion.
Bleech! Still not real well but sitting upright and taking nourishment on occasion.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Yawn
Been some mighty sleepless nights lately. Yeah, I failed to mention that I also managed to break some toes over the weekend. The only impact the little piggies had was on Thursday but the Saturday morning was when what was maybe a crack let loose. I am so sick of being a klutz!
So, lots of hopping around, icing, soaking, etc. Not much you can do with a broken piggy other than live with it.
Met up with a guy from the Yukon yesterday. He decided to retire after 35 years of mining outside of Dawson, so is on a long holiday. I have many friends in the Yukon as Swedish Rocket Scientist's grandfather ran away to the gold fields in 1899. So, I have gotten to know a few old timers and their descendants through the years. Oh you should have seen the goodies that man had with him! Nice to look at but alas.....
Runaway middle daughter came back last night and asked if I could please help her. She has finally figured out that being off of her medications is a VERY bad idea. She is not ready to come home - but it is good she is turning to me for help. Step by step.....
Oh and poor Dutchman, I heard all about his war with Bank of America and Citibank. I guess they had been his main financiers for the past 20 years. But, BOA was the one whom called for an 80% immediate repayment on his home loan. And Citibank decided to jack his loans from 3.9% to 29.9%, because they can. Dutchman is literally in a state of shock to see all he has worked towards evaporating before his eyes due to having to liquidate his holdings in order to satisfy the greed of others. I have spend much time helping him negotiate a new home loan, sort through his 26 (!!!) credit cards and show him how to get most of it paid of quickly. He now has a tape from a guy name David Rainey (?) on finance he got while in Arizona a few weeks ago. I like some of what I have heard so far. Lots of prayer needed here - change is evil.....
Well, time to think of something for the other blog....
So, lots of hopping around, icing, soaking, etc. Not much you can do with a broken piggy other than live with it.
Met up with a guy from the Yukon yesterday. He decided to retire after 35 years of mining outside of Dawson, so is on a long holiday. I have many friends in the Yukon as Swedish Rocket Scientist's grandfather ran away to the gold fields in 1899. So, I have gotten to know a few old timers and their descendants through the years. Oh you should have seen the goodies that man had with him! Nice to look at but alas.....
Runaway middle daughter came back last night and asked if I could please help her. She has finally figured out that being off of her medications is a VERY bad idea. She is not ready to come home - but it is good she is turning to me for help. Step by step.....
Oh and poor Dutchman, I heard all about his war with Bank of America and Citibank. I guess they had been his main financiers for the past 20 years. But, BOA was the one whom called for an 80% immediate repayment on his home loan. And Citibank decided to jack his loans from 3.9% to 29.9%, because they can. Dutchman is literally in a state of shock to see all he has worked towards evaporating before his eyes due to having to liquidate his holdings in order to satisfy the greed of others. I have spend much time helping him negotiate a new home loan, sort through his 26 (!!!) credit cards and show him how to get most of it paid of quickly. He now has a tape from a guy name David Rainey (?) on finance he got while in Arizona a few weeks ago. I like some of what I have heard so far. Lots of prayer needed here - change is evil.....
Well, time to think of something for the other blog....
Monday, June 1, 2009
Bourses
It has been a very busy two weeks for me. First was the gathering of mineralogists a week ago. Not much for me to prepare for that other than have sufficient caffeine in my system so I would not fall asleep while talking with others!
Monday was spent with a long time friend from Alaska. He was also at the bourse but I did not have much time to spend with him – he had stumbled across an author he liked and so they were busy discussing mining in the Yukon.
The rest of the week was spent getting ready to sell off my firearms collection I still here (the keepers have now all been moved to America) as I continue to prepare to move. To this bourse I took many antique shotguns tracing European designs from the 1830 through 1899.
One gentleman unfortunately dropped one, breaking the barrels, badly denting the oldest known Husqvarna and dinging the stock of a unfired Fausti. I felt so bad for him, I was sick at the monetary damage this reflected to me. He did make up for this disaster by giving me a parts gun as a peace offering for the one severely damaged. It is something the average person would never consider – however he gave me one of the few surviving Evans Carbines. I am known as a lover of history and the unusual!
I had never seen nor heard of one. It is one of the early attempts at building a lever gun – holding some 28 rounds! I spent a great Sunday night researching this fascinating rifle and gathering pictures and patent drawings so that I can work on the restoration of this relic…..
Of course, I now have two damaged pieces to repair before the next gathering in October, sigh.
Monday was spent with a long time friend from Alaska. He was also at the bourse but I did not have much time to spend with him – he had stumbled across an author he liked and so they were busy discussing mining in the Yukon.
The rest of the week was spent getting ready to sell off my firearms collection I still here (the keepers have now all been moved to America) as I continue to prepare to move. To this bourse I took many antique shotguns tracing European designs from the 1830 through 1899.
One gentleman unfortunately dropped one, breaking the barrels, badly denting the oldest known Husqvarna and dinging the stock of a unfired Fausti. I felt so bad for him, I was sick at the monetary damage this reflected to me. He did make up for this disaster by giving me a parts gun as a peace offering for the one severely damaged. It is something the average person would never consider – however he gave me one of the few surviving Evans Carbines. I am known as a lover of history and the unusual!
I had never seen nor heard of one. It is one of the early attempts at building a lever gun – holding some 28 rounds! I spent a great Sunday night researching this fascinating rifle and gathering pictures and patent drawings so that I can work on the restoration of this relic…..
Of course, I now have two damaged pieces to repair before the next gathering in October, sigh.
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