I picked up an assortment of oddities:
- 60 rounds of surplus 7.62x45mm, just because.
- A box of .380 PMC Starfire.
- A box of Black Hills 9mm +P 115gr JHP.
- Someone was selling off their Y2K ammo stash and I paid $25 each for a box of 9mm Blazer and 9mm S&B, partly out of admiration for their capitalism and partly because I want to keep at least some ammo coming in, and of different varieties, in case I need to T&E a 9mm pistol.
- Some other guys 'way back against the back wall had various bricks of .22 out for $40-$50 which, after passing through the $100+/brick reality distortion field of the show, seemed downright reasonable. I bought Bobbi a 333rd box of Winchester, because she was running low on stuff that would cycle in her Ruger. (Farmer Frank's generous gift of a mess of assorted old CCI .22 shorts and CBs and whatnot from a year or so ago will keep Roseholme Cottage's .22 revolvers going through the slump.)
- A Lee hand press.
- Three old Lee Loaders
: .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, and .243 Winchester. The guy had 'em priced at $25 each, but sixty bucks took the trio.
- I bought a Surefire P2ZX Fury
. Remember when 65 lumens in a pocket-size flashlight was a lot? I can't imagine ten years from now looking back and saying "Remember when 500 lumens in a little pocket light was a lot?" but I'm sure I will.
- My buddies the book sellers were there, and so I bought a book
.
- Lastly, I picked up a Maxpedition Sitka Gearslinger, with an eye toward possibly up-sizing the turse, because an iPad is bigger than a Kindle Fire.
Oh, I almost forgot the highlight of the show for me!
As we approached the entrance, I saw a knot of Cletii clustered around an object at which they were staring in bemused wonder like the Australopithecines facing the monolith in the opening of 2001. What could have drawn their attention? As I drew closer, I saw the object of their bafflement and my heart leaped for joy!
 |
| Now if they'll only read the instructions... |
My show report from Birmingham: I got the crush washer for the flash hider.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't find a sight post and detent so for $20 from a friend's table I bought an A2 shaped base meant to clamp onto a gas block. I'll rob its post and detent and tuck the base away for a future project.
Bought a pound of BL-C(2) for $25.99 so I can load for the project when I finish it.
Loaded ammo was still insane. I saw more China Sports copper washed steel case .308 than I've seen in a decade. Average price was $18 a box. All the brass cased centerfire I saw averaged $1 per round or more no matter the caliber. Cheapest 7.62x39 I saw was $6.99 per 20 for Tula.
Primers were $45 per 1,000 if you bought 5,000. $50 per 1,000 otherwise.
I took pics of a cool display of slam fire gurilla shotguns for a future post over at Sipsey Street.
Tam,
ReplyDeleteIf you have not already, try Martin Van Crevald's "The Transformation of War" for a discussion countering the dominance of Clausewitz.
Joewarrant
I can't stand clearing barrels that state "pull the trigger" as part of a clearing procedure. Not sure which genius thought that up. And it pervades everything, I see some Marines clear weapons like that. Whatever happened to "Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you intend to fire"? If I don't want a bullet to come out of the naughty end, I'm not pulling the trigger (dry firing excepted). And then charge it again to put it on safe, giving Mr. Murphy's magical cartridge-depositing fairies another chance to drop one in the pipe? No thanks. Sorry to rant, this is a pet peeve.
ReplyDeleteOh and in another blast from the past I saw several tables with yellow box Norinco .223 and 7.62x39. It averaged $.75 to $1 per round for either caliber.
ReplyDeleteAlso I was severely tempted by a box of 500 Sierra 168 MatchKing for $169.99 but decided the money is better spent getting the Dillon 1050 set up to run 5.56.
Good on them for having a (relatively) safe place to clear weapons, if their going to force you to clear it in the first place.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if I'm reading those instructions correctly, you *can't* follow them with a 1911 nor probably many other weapons. Sorry, but if I can cycle the slide on my sidearm after engaging the safety, then I'm not turning it over to the rent-a-cop at the entrance. The next person who gets to touch my weapon will be a gunsmith.
I've got a Sitka and it's great for toting more than than pocket clutter but less than a daypack sized loads. The biggest downside, and the reason it's relegated to vacation/travel duty, is that it tends to ride in such a way as to block access to my holster. That said, for places like theme parks or fairs where you're both walking and riding it's great. No need to unsling, just rotate it to the front.
ReplyDeleteFor everyday use I'm still looking.
BGM
Small gun show here. Went not expecting much. No line, fair crowd for size of venue, but no smokin' deals.
ReplyDeleteUntil I saw a Browning Hi Power for $650. rough finish, I thought someone with not much skill had refinshed it. Bought it as a project gun and cheapest BHP I've seen for ages.
Got it home and examined under good light: Found, in the appropriate places Waffenamt of WaA140, and German Eagles.
So I think I got the best deal I've herd of from ELGS reports his weekend :)
markofafreeman,
ReplyDelete"However, if I'm reading those instructions correctly, you *can't* follow them with a 1911 nor probably many other weapons. Sorry, but if I can cycle the slide on my sidearm after engaging the safety"
Huh?
Step 9, 'Place the weapon back on "safe" (may require weapon to be charged again.)' would seem to cover your objection.
Started out with the Classic Lee Loaders and only this past January upgraded to a Hand Press. I quite like it.
ReplyDeleteThe only way I'd care at all for that clearing barrel is if it were filled with sand. Can't tell if it is from the picture but if it's just a barrel tilted in a box, its builder is missing the point.
gvi
gvi,
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed sand-filled.
Many Training areas on military ones have just a sort of a pretend-clearing barrel without sand, I presume to get Soldiers in the habit of using them when they go downrange. Either that or the folks who put them up were too lazy to do them properly.
ReplyDelete500 lumens on a flashlight? That's for cooking, right?
ReplyDeleteHuh?
Step 9, 'Place the weapon back on "safe" (may require weapon to be charged again.)' would seem to cover your objection.
No, not that. Steps 3 and 4:
3. Place weapon on safe. 4. Lock the bolt (or slide) in the open position.
Can't lock the slide back without taking the weapon off safe.
'course, I guess it's all moot with the heading at the top: "Generic Instructions are as Followed"
Bleh. What the hay. I shouldn't be whining about poor instructions. At least they have a clearing barrel.
ReplyDelete:-)
...which is a million times less likely to cause ricochets than a brick wall. :)
ReplyDeletegvi,
ReplyDelete"Many Training areas on military ones have just a sort of a pretend-clearing barrel without sand..."
Jon Frum use barrel to make gun safe!
I just have two sand filled buckets stacked on top of one another in my office.
ReplyDeleteExperience has shown that discharging a 45 into them will cause the top bucket to spray sand everywhere, leaving a mess to clean up, but it's still preferable to the alternative. Been thinking about finding a 4' piece of 12" PVC drain tile and capping one end, that might be a bit less fragile.
"... a knot of Cletii clustered ... "
ReplyDeleteUh, "knot" is the collective noun for Cletii? Hmmm, we ought to do better ...
a baffle of Cletii?
a clumsy of Cletii?
a confused of Cletii?
(whew, glad I corrected that typo before submitting ...)
So the news IS getting slightly better...
ReplyDeleteIt's either brand new, or it's never been used before as a Cletii clearing barrel, which anyone can tell from the utter lack of a constellation of bulletholes all around the insertion point at various distances, rather like a highway sign during deer season.
ReplyDeleteRemember when 65 lumens in a pocket-size flashlight was a lot?
ReplyDeleteI have an original Surefire L4 from when its 90 or so lumens was a "wall of light".
When I try it out now in comparison to current lights, it's like the batteries are on their last legs, when they are fresh.
First press I had was a Lee Hand Press; I still have it. I loaded a lot of .303, .357 and .38 Special with it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, resizing a .303 case is interesting.
I humbly submit that the proper usage should be "A cluster of Cletii."
ReplyDelete"Cluster" is not only descriptive of a small group, but, especially to the military mind, it naturally extends itself to more evocative terms.
JAG2955:
1) The clearing barrel is a "safe direction." (I am taking it on faith that this one is, since I am confident that Tam would have let us know of it was a Rube Goldberg atrocity.)
2) The purpose of a clearing barrel is to ensure that the firearm is unloaded, and the only way to guaren-damn-tee it is to stick the muzzle in the barrel, drop the mag (if it's droppable), work the action, and then pull the trigger. Many a second lieutenant has learned this the hard way, after working the action, then dropping the mag. You can tell 'em and tell 'em, but second lieutenants are just jumped up Cletii, they think they know everything, even after Jon Frum make bangstick go "boom" and expose their ignorance and/or incompetence to the world.
I am curious how many projectiles the barrel managed to collect over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteClump of Cletii?
ReplyDeleteMy purchases lately have been mostly upgrades to reloading equipment. I hope things ease up before I run out of components. I do currently have lots of 9mm and nothing to shoot it in, so another pistol might be somewhere on the wish list.
I prefer "Clot of Cletii" just because of the sound of it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Army rules to me. The housemate who insists that I call him a Former Intelligence Officer instead of an Intel Geek got all of his firearms training in the Army, and I think I gave him the vapors, a bit, when I displayed one of my pieces to him without having been ordered to do so. I am educating the boy, but it goes slowly.
ReplyDeleteThat's because he's not an Intel Geek. Intelligence Officers don't tend to be the ones that conduct or analyze the intel they are handling.
ReplyDeleteFormer Sigint Analyst (Geek)
TimD
Update from the Medina Gun Show this past weekend. No NDs by the Clettii this time, and we have similar prices. Lots of Sellers, not many Buyers. My Buddy's Table was doing a good Business in Y2K Ammo, (some of it mine), and his Stash of once-Fired Military 5.56 was a VERY Brisk Seller.
ReplyDeleteThe highlight for me was when I was talking to a Customer about some Ammo, when I noticed a Revolver dangling from his Hand. I asked to see it, and he handed over a..... Smith Highway Patrolman, SN 214XXX. I checked it out, my Buddy the Gunsmith who was with us checked it out, and everything but the Holster wear on the Blueing was fine. We asked what what he wanted for it.
"I'm asking $400. Do you think it's Too Much, because all the other Dealers were offering $200."
Our Gang just looked at each other, I reached out to My Buddy for his Cash Stash, peeled off 4 Large, and said, "We need to Exchange Driver's Licenses."
Guess what's going to the Range this week with ME to see what it likes to eat?
Oh, and I paid my Buddy back with the Ammo I sold off the Table.
THANK YOU BARACK OBAMA AND ALL THE ANTI-GUNNERS WHO HELPED CAUSE THIS PANIC BUYING!
Oh, those are fine shooters! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWhat is this "safety" you speak of? Soulless, efficient, Austrian pistol has no need of such fripperies.
ReplyDelete:)
Yes, I know, kicking a dead horse while it's down...
ReplyDeleteNice score, Les. Got a link to pics?
ReplyDeleteI bought this one off a friend in 2011 for the same price. It's not as nice as you described.
Hope this link works: http://m410.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/ScottJ175/DSC_1661.jpg.html
A barbeque of Cletii
ReplyDeleteIts a small world afterall.
ReplyDeleteSteve Melton was one of my instructors in an Army school.
Its not a bad book at all though I disagree with some of his conclusions.
bucket of Cletii
ReplyDeletebarnyard of Cletii
beltload of Cletii
boatload of Cletii
@Tim: Actually, he's both. When he was in the Army, in the Berlin Brigade, he was an intel geek, sigint actually, who wore headphones for a living, going home at night to his marital bed where both of them kept their MOPP suits, helmets, atropine injectors und so weiter, Right There by the bedside.
ReplyDeleteLater, he worked for An Agency, in Virginia. That is why he wishes us to refer to him as a Former Intelligence Officer. He really is; I have seen some of his documents.
He is also arguably at least as weird and strange as I am.
The generally accepted term is a "nascarload of Cletii"
ReplyDelete