m gardner

For another $100.00 you can get a Glock. It won't wear out in your lifetime and will stand lots of abuse. It's very simple too. Shop around a bit for price. Remember you'll spend more money learning to shoot a pistol well than the initial investment of the pistol itself.

Hunting has always been an adventure for me and I like to explore. I've never used an outfitter and probably never will. I enjoy the chance of failure and the sense of accomplishment that comes from beating all odds and actually figuring it out on my own. Sometimes it becomes a survival exercise but I'm not frightened by the prospect of dying in a beautiful wild place, though some of the folks who wanted to tag along were. I'll do it until the Lord takes me home. Mark

This young man has real potential to become a great shot, if his parents can afford it. He's just got a great attitude and personality too. His parents should be proud of the job they are doing raising him for sure.

Some "powder" is actually loaded into the case in a semi-liquid form. I think Hornady's "Light Magnums" were like that. Other powder like the British Cordite is put in the case then the neck is formed and the bullet loaded.There's lots of reasons you couldn't duplicate what they do.

I shot a Speer 170 grain flat nose bullet designed for the 30-30 with a reduced charge of IMR 4895 for years in the 30-06 with no difficulties and excellent accuracy. Velocity was around 2500 fps and it worked great on deer. About like the 307 win. round that eventually failed.

I was at the range today playing with my rifles and handguns and a family was at the next bench. The dad was showing his son how to shoot. I got talking with him and the boy asked if he could try my 45 ACP. His dad said it was okay so he did. Then later he said he was hoping to shoot a high power rifle someday so I asked his dad if he could shoot my 270 win.. It is loaded with 110 grain Barnes Tripleshocks at about 3500fps. The first shot after a bit of dry firing was on at 100 yards. Then he shot at the 200 meter 8 inch gong. I watched the vapor trail from the bullet hit the gong and his dad jumped up and down and pumped his arm. Not bad for a skinny 12 year old. I gave him the cases and he was wearing a grin you'll never get off his face. That's more fun than I've had in a long time. Nice family and polite too.

I believe what he is talking about is the "hang time" of the bullet in the animal (at least that's what some of us refered to it as years ago). The medium and low veloctiy cartridges kill far beyond what you would think is reasonable and I believe the time spent in tissue has a bearing on it. Same with broadheads. Ever grab something sharp and quickly drop it before it cuts you? Put the same pressure on it for any length of time and you'll bleed for sure. I still love my 300 win mag though even though most of my game has been killed with the 30-30 and 30-06.

It's good he didn't use it. Way too many innocent people in the way.

They interviewed a sheriff's deputy that watched the whole thing happen. So much for security helping. An old woman grabbed the new 30 round magazine Loughner was stuffing into the pistol and one of Gifford's staff jumped on him. It happened pretty fast from what I heard. Mark

The idiotic sheriff of Pima County, Clarence Dupnik, had alot to say about all the "vitriolic" talk too. He's also against sb1070 and said things have never been better on the border. Pinal County is directly to the north between Pima county and Phoenix. Paul Babeau the sheriff has had a twofold increase in drug seizures in just a couple years since Pima county announced a reduction. He definitely would love to silence all the discourse.

No, I just carry the same ammo that they would carry if they did like Federal Hydrashocks. Carry a factory load designed for law enforcement. Winchester PDX1 is another. Though one agency who I'm friendly with here are allowed to carry 45's and check with the New York State police, my friend there is carrying a Glock in 45 GAP. One municipality here still likes the 9mm in Glocks. The idea is to look the same as the good guys from the government.

She was a Blue Dog Democrat and pretty much everyone liked her because she isn't a liar and is respectful of others even though she's liberal. The judge was appointed by Bush. Loughner was a mentally ill monster for sure. Living here I've seen a deteriorating regard for human life. The 43,000 that have been slaughtered in Mexico over the last 4 years has helped create a funky atmosphere here in Az.. Many people living here (legally and otherwise) have come from that hellhole and the culture has taken it's toll on us. The government not securing the border and creating a safe environment has further disenfranchised us. The real tragedy is that when a private citizen like rancher Richard Krentz is murdered no one really cared. Some of the aristocracy is killed and people go nuts. Creating a safe environment for the citizens here would go a long way towards ending any further craziness. It's like living in a haunted house and people are beginning to go nuts. It is a pity that he wasn't shot dead at the scene. Now we'll need to go through the dog and pony show of that too.

I shoot whatever is cheapest for practice. No steel case ammo though. I reload for my 45 ACP after shooting up the cheap ammo. I carry what the cops use for self defense so a jury can't make me out to be any different than a cop stopping a bad guy. My pistols aren't fussy as to what goes through them. SIG P220 and a Beretta 92. I've shot them until they ceased to fuction so I know what they will do. The Beretta was purchased in june and stopped working in december during a USPSA shoot when I had to clean it and the mags. That's over 7000 rounds of various ammo.

Shooting. Especially things that move. I'm too phsyically beat up to be good at it anymore but that doesn't matter.

Windy too. Nice shooting!!

The old folks knew all about living from the land, especially what to do with wood. From all I heard and read about him he was quite a character. I loved to listen to the old folks tell stories. History few will ever learn about. My family recently found a picture of my grandfather in a WWI uniform and were amazed. I related the story of his young life and how it happened. Because I enjoyed being with old folks and listening to all these people when I was a boy I knew.

I use Montecs most days and on the windy days I switch to NAP Shockwaves. I've always used a 3 or 4 blade head so the hole cannot close(one blade will always cut across muscle grain). They both land in the same spot and the Shockwaves fly better in the wind. Never had a problem with either and I have a knack for putting a sharp edge on steel. That's why I haven't changed.

We changed to Blazers on the Maximas because they flattened out the trajectory of the arrow considerably so I suspect they are flying faster at longer ranges now. I'd get your friend up to 40 pounds draw ASAP and shoot as heavy an arrow as is practical (probably 300 to 350 grains) with a good cut on contact broadhead and be happy. The 5575 Gold Tip with a 100 grain tip wiegh about 340 grains at 25 1/4 inches.

When I lived in Colorado my friend's wife and daughters shot elk with 40 pound Browning bows and short Gold Tip 5575 with montecs. He kept the shots at 20 yards though. Lots of blood if you sharpen them and keep them touched up. They are sharp enough out of the package but I touch them up and keep them touched up. Here's a 3555 Gold Tip that traveled 42 yards and had a 125 grain montec on it. I had a friend back in the good old days (1960's) kill a moose with his Bear recurve at 45 pounds and it didn't sling an arrow anywhere near as fast as these little compounds do today.

My wife shoots a 40 pound (minimum here) Parker bow with 25 1/4 inch Maxima 250 arrows and montec 100 grain and has no problems with penetration. She shoots to 40 yards max.

When I was young and lived in the northeast we cut wood at least a year ahead. Cut it during the winter when the sap was down and it would dry quicker. It was clean too dragging it around on snow. No dirt to dull your saw blade. Used lots of maple, beech and ash. If you need to help it dry when the leaves are on and green just cut it and leave it with the leaves on and they will suck alot of the moisture out of it. When they turn brown cut it up. Mark

We always stacked it like haystacks with the bark up to shed water similar to what you are doing but with the wood standing more vertically. The Cold Brook Hermit cut small saplings (4 to 5 inches dia.) nearly through with an axe and stood them up to look like teepees. When he wanted wood he just dragged them out of the pile and with one whack with the axe had dry 2 foot lengths. Standing it on end to help it dry is an old idea. Another oldie is standing the wood on the splitting block the same way it grew and it will split easier. The guy I took elk hunting was wondering why I split wood with so little effort when he was having trouble and I shared that with him. Old tricks. Mark

I clean it monthly or more often if I shoot it alot. I use Mil-comm TW-25 B and wipe it completely dry. Not much seems to stick to it then because it's like a wax finish. Just enough to make it function but not enough to pick up dirt. Mark

Always carry it. Never show it off. If it has to come out use it immediately.

Welcome Andrew. What kind of setup do you have or do you intend to buy? I always join the local club wherever I live and hang out with the guys who have nothing to prove.