Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

So, the second debate is planned for Tuesday, September 10. Hmmm... wondering... might there be a change in the line-up by then...?

Bet she slapped the dawg-snot outta him...!

I did! I actually got to meet Mr Hornady back in the early 70's during a visit to the San Francisco Gun Exchange. Bought his reloading manual that day.

'Bout twenty years ago a couple of pards and I took our young teenage sons pheasant hunting at some club up in Butte County. We came out of the field early afternoon, and after cleaning our birds I suggested a side trip to Oroville ~ home of RCBS. Grand idea, all agreed! So, about an hour or so later, we walked in the front door and were greeted by a nice lady behind a counter or desk or some such furnishing: "Can I help you gentlemen?" "Why, we hope so! We're here for the tour!" She gaped at us for a moment, then stammered, "but we haven't done factory tours since back in the nineteen eighties!" and suggested that we settle for a visit to Huntington's Sporting Goods, right next door. Well, we were disappointed about no more RCBS factory tour, but Huntington's was terrific! Founded by Fred Hungtington, who also started RCBS, it was extremely well stocked with hunting and reloading supplies (especially RCBS!), in a museum-like setting. The place was full of hunting trophies and mounts, many of which were Fred's. Very cool indeed! That visit was definitely an acceptable consolation prize. Sadly, though, Huntington's is now gone... closed late summer of '23.

Uh... I believe summer has arrived. On my shaded, screened front porch, with a nice breeze passing through....

No doubt I yam...!

I'm thinkin' mebbe "heeled...?"

Ms Helen Brimstone about ten years ago. We were at an air show, admiring this C-47 (Betsy's Biscuit Bomber), and talking with her crew. Helen's mom, Alice Garcia, had been Donald Douglas's personal assistant/secretary during the war; when this came up in the conversation Ms Brimstone was immediately invited aboard. Alice, on her 99th birthday ~ holding her birthday gift from Hardpan.

This is the coolest part, where the li'l dude's skinny brass arm has a-holt of the whizbanger piston rod thingee and whips it back and forth....

I loves me a good .22 target rifle! Back in '68 - '69 I was highest scoring individual on my JROTC team, and second highest in the Greater Bay Area (before the program was killed off). And it was my first - and only - year participating. Lordy, but I wish I had that Winchester 52 I was issued. I do have a Model 75 in the safe; sometimes referred to as the "poor man's Model 52." It'll just have to do. A few years ago I came within a whisker of buying a Kimber 82G "Government," well after missing out on the CMP sales (still kicking myself over that). Speaking of which, the CMP does still offer Savage Mk I's and II's for $321... sadly, though, only to clubs. No individual sales.

Purty cool... but what does it do...?

Nope. Fresno. 110° tomorrow. Edit: Fortunately, as the crow flies, I am about fifteen miles north of Fresno. Therefore, I am that much closer to the North Pole, and hopefully a modicum cooler. Shouldn't get much over 109.87° here.

Well... this MIGHT work~!

Not a meme, but... OFF TO OZ~!!

You would prefer braided...?

Texas is gonna have to step up their drilling....

I "grew up" in the BankCard world. Literally, from the lowest clerk in the mailroom of the original Master Card company to VP grade Department Head of Merchant Settlement for a li'l outfit sometimes called BofA - before I came to my senses and bailed. But somewhere in the middle of that mess I spent a few years running departments that processed "chargebacks" - disputed transactions. So, about a dozen or so years ago a co-worker (NON-banking organization!) came to work one day all bummed. I asked him why he was down, and he told me a woeful tale of buying a set of Calloway golf clubs online for a low bargain price of about six hundred bucks, only to find out that they were fakes. "So, return 'em!" sez I. "I can't!" sez John. "Turns out they were shipped from China! I'm hosed. Amy [his missus] is gonna kill me!" "Hm. Tell ya what... give me this information, and I might be able to help ya out," I said, and handed him a quickly scribbled list of data items (vendor, date ordered, date shipped, date received, purchase price and such). He did, and the next day I presented him with a letter to sign and deliver to his bank - they were surprised at the format, clarity, and even reference to the chargeback reason code. All he had to add to it was a receipt for return shipping via the Post Office. Slowest and cheapest means possible. He very quickly got his money back... and those clubs might still be on a boat somewhere, headed to China. Oh - and DO take care buying cheap golf clubs online!!

And how was it done...? http://www.wizardofmgm.com/2016/12/ben-hur-1959-miniature-ships.html

Dark OD. Just like the original stuff was that my buddies and I would buy from the Army Surplus Stores when we were kids back in the 50's and 60's. Speakin' of which... are there any surplus stores left?