I know this tune

Adaptive Curmudgeon (who you should have in your blogroll anyway) writes some real gems from time to time. I'm torn between gleeful laughter and rancid commiseration.

He had a plumbing issue. It's been detailed in four parts. Highly recommended reading.
Mystery Plumbing I
Mystery Plumbing II
Mystery Plumbing III
Mystery Plumbing IV

I commiserate because I also am the proud (?) owner of a mid-to-late-19th-century farmhouse, which occasionally does odd things and has had six-plus generations of interesting work done to it.

If you recall early this year, what started as a simple shutoff valve replacement devolved rapidly into a complete remodel of the downstairs bathroom and replumbing the kitchen drains. It's never simple, and an $8 valve becomes a $3000 bathroom-and-kitchen project in the blink of an eye.

Creative Editing, Memory Hole

Uncle posted a link to a non-NFA 14" shotgun arrangement. I think it's neat. I also foresee some potential problems.

I commented on the linked post as such. Specifically, I mentioned the ATF and constructive intent, and the legality of possessing both the as-pictured firearm and a bone-stock Mossberg 500 at the same time. You see, that's constructive intent - your 14" barrel could fit the stock firearm, or the stock could be switched over; either way it's a short-barrel shotgun and an unregistered NFA item. Big no-no.

I pointed out that while I think it's a nifty concept and I'd love to have one, I have no interest in being the test case and spending a whole lot of money on a legal defense. My final line was, "Neat. Pass."

The original poster edited my comment before approving it, as pictured here, with my followup comment - in case that gets ignored, or finds the white-out/memory hole.

Shady, unethical, distasteful.



Edit: I got an email from the original poster with an apology and my comments on his site were deleted as I requested. He also pointed out that thanks to the court decisions regarding Thompson/Center Contenders and their change-barrel/change-stock configuration that constructive intent wouldn't apply.

Personally, I'll stand where I am: it's a neat item, but not neat enough for me to take a ride and spend money on legal fees.

Thanks to Marty at Shockwave for doing the right thing.

Thought of the day

It's not a mid-life crisis car.

It's a, "I finally got all my debt paid off, the kids are out of the house, and I have the disposable income to purchase that car I always dreamed about when I was younger," car.

(I reckon mine is about six to eight years away.)

What's next?

I had an interesting revelation the other day. It's been a half-formed thought in the back of my head for a while, but it really struck home when I was skimming across a list of gun classifieds.

I have all the guns I need.

Truth be told, I probably have far more than I need. Now, don't go confusing "want" with "need".

I have a .22 rifle.
I have a smallbore centerfire rifle.
I have a midbore centerfire rifle.
I have a .22 pistol.
I have a pistol suitable for personal defense and carry.
I have a pistol suitable for field use.
I have a shotgun.

Fortunately, I have the luxury of picking out what interests me, at least to a certain extent. As my collection has grown I've picked up some oddballs and sent some on down the road to others. My tastes have evolved, grown, and changed a bit.

I won't say my collection is complete - far from it. There are lots of guns out there that I'd like to have, and as finances allow, I'll acquire some of them.

But I can open my safe and know that I've got the right tool for almost any circumstance I'm likely to deal with. Now I can focus on collecting what appeals to me on a more selective basis, and on upgrading what I do have. Some of the collection won't go away - my Ithaca 37 is a permanent fixture, for example. On the flip side, my Remington 710 will likely be supplanted by a Savage 114 or 111 (or if money allowed, a Dakota) in the same caliber (.270).

It's a neat and strange feeling all at once.

On the wagon...

Uncle posted a bit about diversity in carry pieces, and I decided I'd play that game. Mostly because my first instinctive reaction was, "Jesus! Pick one and stick to it!"

Then I got to thinking... "Just how many guns do I pick from as carry pieces?"

The list got long, so I decided to take a picture. Every gun pictured has been in my carry rotation at some point in the past twelve months. What I carry is determined by wardrobe, location, activity, and so forth.



Clockwise from 12 o'clock:
S&W 642, .38+P, carry with Federal 129gr +P Hydrashok JHP
Kahr PM9, 9mm, carry with Winchester white box 147gr JHP
S&W 21-4, .44Spl, carry with handloaded 240gr LSWC (this is a field/hunting gun)
Kimber Eclipse Custom II, 10mm, carry with Federal 180gr Hydrashok JHP
Springfield GI, .45ACP, carry with Winchester white box 230gr JHP
S&W 5946, 9mm, carry with Winchester white box 147gr JHP
S&W 4053, .40S&W, carry with Winchester white box 180gr JHP

Seven guns in the carry rotation. Weights from a hair over a pound to north of three pounds. Muzzle energies from "moderate" to "massive". Only two patterns, though: double-action, and 1911.

They get carried IWB, OWB, pocket, and off-body in some cases. All with at least one reload, and all ready to shoot. (Full mag, one in the chamber, and the 1911s are cocked'n'locked.) When I shot IDPA it was a 1911, so the thumb-sweep of the safety is habit. All the rest are just point-click-bang.

And for a slightly better size comparison:


So, what's in your holster?