Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

Bake a quiche! 😄 And, for what it's worth, real men DO eat quiche. In fact, we can make it ~ even in a Dutch oven over/under hot coals. (Possible drawback ~ she might get home from the protest and see what you can do and mebbe feel a mite less indispensable... )

I gots an old one! 1874 Gras, or Fusil Modèl 1874 - 11x59R Ironically, the round was later used in the Hotchkiss M1914 and Vickers aircraft machine guns.

When I was a kid - which was a long time ago - I had a bunch of older grownup male relatives who were truckers. Flashing to warn oncomers of a "speed trap" was common practice among truckers and considered a courtesy. Generally, the only non-truck "warning flashers" were off-duty or former truckers. Somewhere along the line (seventies?) it kinda got picked up by others; but like @Cypress Sun pointed out above, most folk wouldn't know what it means anyway. In today's world, your cell phone GPS screen will show "speed traps" reported by someone else, then ask you if it's still there.

"Patients" are now "clients."

Wal shux... heard it a hundred times. The classic answer is "one is heavy and the other is a little lighter" ~ just ask any Cub Scout or Boy Scout.

So, @bgavin, where's this "feedback button?" I reckon they must've hidden it - "Lookie, Boss! No complaints! I done good, huh?" - With the "old version," you could scroll from the most recent item in every "folder" all the way to the oldest. Now it's limited to 25 per "page"; after that you have to find the faint ">" and click on it to move to the next 25. - Each unread message has a blue dot next to it; you used to be able to simply click on that blue dot to make the message appear as "read." Now, you have to click on the check box, click on the "Actions" button to open a drop-down menu, click on "Mark as Read," then click on another "Apply" button. - You used to bea able to select a range of messages by clicking on a check box, scroll to the end of the range and +shift+click on that message, and the entire range will be selected. Now, you have to individually click on each message check box. - You used to be able to format the text of your messages - size, font, color, style, etc. No longer available. Everything is one font, one small size. - You used to be able to easily insert a graphic in the body of a message. Cannot be done at all now. I'm sure I'm leaving out some gripe - bottom line is, it's messed up. It had worked pretty darned well - so of course, some propellor-head wingnut had to fix and improve it to the point it's barely usable. Prolly a former MicroSoft'er.

Not really clear if, in Wake Of the Red Witch, he drowned or was squoze to death by the giant octopus that wanted to have him for lunch.

It has been my experience that the fastest way to not find sheds is to set to find 'em.... I seem to recall reading not long ago where some "greenie types" were squawking that picking up sheds was a horrible thing to do 'cuz the po' field mice liked to gnaw on 'em, and pickin' 'em up deprived them po' field mice of a "critical" source of calcium. Meanwhile, I'm a-gonna keep pickin' up any I might come across.

Cool video embedded here. https://www.rockislandauction.com/riac-blog/winchester-one-of-one-thousand-thomas-stuart

They've relented! Evidently after mountains of complaints, there is now an option to return to the fully functional "old" version!

African-American....

And a smokey booger on takeoff, too

I dunno, Alpo... it looks pretty crisp and clear in photo no. 22:

Both. My type 99 still has both, although the receiver Mum has a couple of sharp chisel cuts in it - the less offensive alternative to a grinding wheel. This one has an interesting domestic history... back in 1971 or 1972, my then seven or eight year old cousin found this thing on the roof of our aunt's garage. His mom immediately asked me to "get rid of this thing!" and of course, I immediately agreed to. I took it home to the Kappa Phi Delta house, and contemplated it for a bit. All moving parts frozen solid. A solid coating of patina beneath a rather thick layer of dirt, grime, and bird poop - no telling how many years it had resided atop the garage. I tried to give it away; no takers. Finally, I scraped it off, and weekly would give it a dosing of either WD-40 or Liquid Wrench ("Tiger Pee") and lean it back in its corner. Finally, after a few months, I picked it up one day and on a whim whacked the bolt handle. It moved! Not much, but a bit! I worked at it, managed to get the bolt release pried open, worked the bolt out of the reciever, then tossed it up to peer down the barrel. I expected it to look like an old sewer pipe - imagine my surprise when it gleamed like a newly polished chrome bumper! I'd had no idea that they were indeed chrome lined! Rifling was crisp and sharp. I disassembled it, and over many hours of scrubbing with oil and bronze brushes and steel wool got it cleaned up - and it cleaned up quite nicely, in my not so humble opinion. I was gratified to discover that beneath that patina, dirt, grime, and bird poop most of the original bluing was still intact. And it shoots quite well! About as accurate at a hundred yards as the old Winchester .30-30. It's relatively light, and handles surprisingly well. Although I have not taken a deer with it, I have carried it afield. A comfortable rifle to carry or sling. And I still shake my head when remembering the old-timers telling me when I was a kid that "them Japanese rifles are junk! They're dangerous! If'n ya git one, toss it away!" Yeah, fellas... toss 'em MY way!

So, Surtsey lost it's spot as "yougest island." But I remember when it happened!

Model for the california High Speed Rail. 🙄

I've seen two blown .45's... one, a Second Generation Colt, the other an original Vaquero. Cylinders burst and top strap gone on the Colt and bent to hell on the Ruger. Don' do it.

Undoubtedly a california PG&E customer.

I've been a fan of Italian shotguns for over fifty years ~ and yours is reeeally cool! My main go-to for birds (feathered and clay) is a Beretta Al-2 that I bought in '71 or '72. I think I mentioned passing my Franchi O/U on to my son. Very good gun, and it suits him well.

I absolutely do, and you're absolutely correct. But, like many, I have compelling reasons for still being here, b'sides being an OOF - "Official Old Fart:" First, family. That's the strongest anchor of all for most. Second, real estate - I could sell my home for a tidy profit, but buying a replacement in another state at today's iterest rates is an unpleasant challenge at best (my current rate is two point sumpin' percent ). Third is plain ol' stubborness - I am that rarest of creatures, a last-century native. I cannot stand the thought of being driven out by a mob of snivelers (I can think of more appropriate terms for 'em, but don't want to get banned from the universe). Back in the year 2000 I read an article that stated that only one out of every eleven adults (at that time) in this state was a native. And, for what it's worth, I live in a relatively conservative part of the state - a lot of the D's are disgusted. Unfortunately, though, being D's, most will still vote D no matter what. If the devil hisself popped up on a ballot with a D next to his name they'd vote for him. Mind you, I know a lot of fine folks who are D's... but they don't run the outfit. And it's amazing how many of 'em flat out state that they ignore most of the states gun laws - of which there are over a hundred.

Almost! I chose the matte finish... won't feel as bad when it gets a scratch. The only one I could actually see in the flesh and touch was a 20 gauge; it did not feel like a cheap shotgun at all. If this one works out it might get a big brother. https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/shotguns/savage-arms-stevens-555-matte-blackoiled-turkish-walnut-28-gauge-2-34in-over-and-under-action-shotgun-26in/p/1477456

Well, Pat, I ended up with the Stevens 555 28 gauge. I looked for the "Enhanced" version, but ended up with the standard - at 1¢ under seven hundred bucks. Seems the "E" model was not practical to acquire locally without busting the thousand-dollar ceiling. Ah well... I'll live with the matte finish and extractors. Plain and simple, just like me. As much as I'd like a Browning or Beretta, for the limited use it'll see it should be just fine. Some folks talk about buying a box of ammo, then finding a gun to go with it ~ I actually have had a 28 ga MEC loader sitting here for a bunch o' months now. Oh... and on his list, @bgavin left out the thumbprint requirement and the additional 11% BS california punishment tax. Total fees and taxes - DROS, sales tax, DROS, BS fee, Firearms Safety Act fee, and Safety and Enforcement fee - adds a total of 20% to the cost of a firearm here. Now, if you "import" a gun from another state via a local FFL holder (dealer), you might add up to another hundred bucks. https://www.gundogmag.com/editorial/stevens-model-555-28-gauge-review/175319

So... the FW-190 was quite effective; arguably in some respects the equal or even superior to the Spitfire and P-51. In some respects. And how could this be? Why... 'cuz it had the BMW 801 Kommandogerät~! Basically, a primitive (but advanced for the time) mechanical-hydraulic computer, that made "one lever" control possible. This allowed the the pilot to focus on flying and fighting. By comparison, while flying, the Spitfire driver had to also constantly monitor RPM, manifold pressure, mixture, cylinder head temp, prop pitch, and more. Clever people, them Germans! (Undoubtedly inspired by one Mr R. Goldberg hisself)

Buying a new gun is officially a PITA. And not the kind ya stuff with yummy stuff. At least in the Golden Tarnished, Peeling, Brass-Plated State. Wanted to buy a shotgun; about the only place locally to get it was Sportsman's Warehouse. I know, I know... "patronize the LGS instead of the big-box stores!" Well, LGS's are right scarce in these parts. So, SW it was. Went in to the store; "ya gotta order it online. We'll let you know when it comes it." So I did last week; got an email - it arrived yesterday. Drove to the store in Fresno this morning ~ was waiting at the door twenty minutes before it opened. Wanted to get in and out. Okay... but when you go to the gun counter, you can't just talk to someone. Now you have to walk up to a plackard and scan a "QR Code" with your cell phone. This will open an internet link, and you have to select your reason for being there (begin process for the ten-day 'cooling-off period' or pick up a firearm at the end of the 'cooling-off period'). Then you enter your name and phone number. And wait. Anywhere from a half hour to three hours. Unless you're first in line... like I was. And be prepared to present your drivers license and birth certificate or passport. Being first in line, it only took me about forty minutes, including completing the 4473 on an electronic tablet. No more paper version... at least not there. So now I get to wait to pick it up; anytime after 0945 2/28/2025. (But if I don't get it before 03/20/2025 I get to start over). I hate to say it, but I had the impression that the folks behind the counter don't enjoy it any more than the customers. Certainly not a cheerful bunch; can't say I blame 'em. Yup... a real PITA.