Tom Bullweed

Statistically, one half of drivers are below average. I believe the average has drifted with some drivers handling their phone, people willing to drive with revoked licenses and people who cannot see beyond their own lives. We now live in a cycle of higher horsepower, more vehicle gadgets and people driving vehicles larger than their experience.

I was often told as a kid that I did not mind. Let the spankings begin...

In the book Earp Speaks Wyatt tells about how he and Bat Masterson had shotguns staged and ready to use throughout Dodge City. Guns were loaded with buckshot and had a small box of buckshot with each gun. Someone borrowed one to go shoot birds outside of town. Later, Earp pulled the returned gun to stand down a crowd of rowdies. Wyatt found out later that the gun was loaded with birdshot and surmised that it would only ticked off the rowdy and his gang.

These were in the American Rifleman back in the early 80s, when the default handgun had five or six chambers.

Stiff to cock, with internal hammers at rest? Stiff to open, with hammers cocked? Stiff to operate lever? These all point to different items to address.

I tried to be a collector when I was 25-35 but learned that took a lot of money and space. I tried to be a top level competitor when I was 35-48 but learned that I am an average competitor. I am now 56 and enjoy being a good reloader (been reloading since 1986). I enjoy oddball rounds like .32 and .38 WCF, .300 Blackout and getting .223 loads to shoot nearly the same trajectory with different weight bullets. It has become more about reloading and casting than about the guns.

Borrowed Dad's SMLE No1 Mk III while I was a teenager and hunting with friends (Dad was a small game hunter). I bought an H & R Huntsman in .58 when I was 21.

M1 Carbine bolt. Parts flying everywhere.

I shot a Remington Model 1878 (made in 1879) 12-ga "Lifter" for 4 years. Grade 1 fluid barrels, not Damascus. Solid gun. I figured that it was not shot since WWII when 2-9/16" shells became rarer. Worse thing that I did was cut the 30.5" barrels.

1. That's gonna leave a mark and maybe teach not to do it again. 2. Evil Kneivel is to be watched and admired, not copied. 3. Read everything that you can.

Thanks PWB. I thought that I should ask before I remove metal.

I ain't feelin' it.

I have a Ruger OMV that I keep around as a backup. The ejector rod housing screw holes has gotten buggered over the years. I am thinking of modifying this gun to look like a Colt SAA Storekeeper, the longer barrel version of a Sheriff (no ejector rod). The EJH would be removed and the boss on the frame would be ground away to match the other side. SASS legal? The handbook says that modifications not listed are not approved. It is not listed, but Colt made many Storekeeper and Sheriff versions prior to 1899. I do not know of any competitive advantage; I just like something di

40kpsi on a .357 head is more localized than 40kpsi on a .44 mag head. The Marlin bolt does not lock up like a bolt gun with multiple lugs. The bolt is hollow and quite spongy when compared to a bolt gun. Tread lightly. Lil'gun, 2400 and 5744 would probably be good powders.

Nose art?