Ammo Shortage Bubble

Ammunition, like all commodities, is subject to supply and demand. Currently demand is at preposterous levels, and ammo prices are ridiculously high.

Being a true redneck chicken-wing eating extremist, I was well stocked with ammo before any of this ‘fear buying” set in. Recently I just had to go and buy a pistol of a caliber for which I had no ammo in stock; not one of my brighter moments.

Three times I have waited for the .38 Super “in stock” flag to go up at Cheaper Than Dirt. Three times, I promptly put orders in for modest amounts of ammo, enough to break the gun in. On the fourth day after each order, I get the following email:

“We have been notified by the drop ship warehouse that the following item was unable to ship on your order due to depletion of inventory.

If payment was made by personal check, money order, or cashiers check, a refund check will follow by mail.

If payment was made by credit card, your credit card will be refunded.

ITEM # 34025 .38 Super Fiocchi Handgun Cart ridge, 129-Grain Full Metal Ja
Quantity Ordered: 5
Quantity Shipped: 0

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and look forward to serving you again in the future.

Sincerely,

Cheaper Than Dirt!
Customer Service Department “

BAH! I give up. It looks like my new gun will be a “safe queen” until this ammo bubble bursts.

A New Look

Readership is up a fair amount here at the humble blog site, so I decided it was time for a facelift. A new blog template is always fraught with peril and I blew it trying to enter the Google Analytics tracking code; it took me a day to get everything to work correctly. There will still be some tuning on a few things over the next few days.

The larger font sizes are for my benefit; even with glasses, my eyes are not very good at seeing anything small. The colors are strictly set by the template, my eyes don’t do colors well either. It’s not a condition of aging; my eyes have always been marginal. Even after cataract surgery in both eyes, even with glasses, I still see things differently than most folks. I’m not complaining, just explaining.

EDIT: I finally did mess with the template colors ... it helps me see things.

Thanks for stopping in!

Thanks to everyone who visits this site. Each visit means a lot to me.

I don’t check on who links to this site, so I am left to issue a blanket but hearty “THANKS!” to those who do.

All of the blog sites that I link to are sites that I read, most I have run across by accident. If you want this site to link to yours, just drop me an email. I am always looking for new sites to read.

Thanks again,

Zack

Chores

Yesterday it was a beautiful sunny day, 80 degrees F, so I used a few afternoon hours to mow the front lawn, add the clippings to the mulch pile, and spread the first application of the weed and feed. It usually takes two additional touchup applications to get the lawn uniformly green and weed-free. Today there was a soaking rain that kept me from doing any work on the side and back yard areas, but I am not complaining. Plenty of fair weather is ahead.

Bank Bailout vulnerable to fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taxpayers are increasingly exposed to losses and the government is more vulnerable to fraud under Obama administration initiatives that have created a federal bank bailout program of "unprecedented scope," a government report finds.

In a 250-page quarterly report to Congress, the rescue program's special inspector general concludes that a private-public partnership designed to rid financial institutions of their "toxic assets" is tilted in favor of private investors and creates "potential unfairness to the taxpayer."

The report, which examines the six-month old, $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, is scheduled for release Tuesday.

Using blunt language, Inspector General Neil Barofksy offers a series of recommendations to protect the public and takes the Treasury to task for not implementing previous advice..

(CLICK HERE for full AP story)

Our failed War on Drugs

The War on Drugs is a never-ending authentication of the inefficacy of our federal government.

Although illegal drugs have long been a problem for the USA, let’s draw a line in the sand and use Richard Nixon’s first use of the term “War on Drugs” in 1969 as D-Day for this war. Forty years later, the war is enduring with no end in sight.

No administration during those four decades has been able to secure our borders. It is only common sense that secure borders are paramount to winning (or preventing) any war, be it against terrorism, drugs, illegal immigration, or an outright military invasion. Republicans and Democrats have FAILED.

There are plenty of drug laws and international treaties already on the books. Passing more laws and treaties is just another means of masking the impotence of our lawmakers. Our fat, pompous, career politicians are worthless.

To secure our borders we need more border patrol agents, more coastguard personnel and boats, and effective use of technology. To secure our boarders, we need a government with the will to do so. If our government lacks the fortitude to secure our borders and win the War on Drugs, then maybe they should finally shut the hell up, legalize the crap, tax it, and then attempt to deal with any adverse social consequences of possible increased drug use.

Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all admitted to, or could not deny, once using illicit drugs. All are hardly shining examples for our young people and all are hypocrites. Perhaps we need a law requiring daily drug and alcohol testing of those who govern us.

NOTE: The Right Wing Extremist author of this blog entry never once in his life used any form of unlawful drug, no sniffy powders, no intravenous candy, no loco smoky weed, no colorful pills, not a damn thing. A victim of redneck lineage and culture, I will admit to some sex when I was underage, boozing, tobacco use, and debauchery for which I am certain to burn in hellfire for at least one eternity.

Pre-lock Smith & Wesson Model 63 Kit Gun

.22 Caliber
Stainless Steel
4’’ Barrel

Also shown in the photos above is a brick (500 rounds) of long rifle ammo. As you can see, a fair amount of .22 ammo does not take up much room at all.

This revolver does not see the outside of the gun safe very often nowadays. There was a time when it was a common item found in my tackle box, truck toolbox, the trunk of my car, the cuddy of my boat, or inside a backpack. As its name implies, its use was as a kit gun, as an accessory. Now, it rarely sees any action except for some range time when I am tuning myself up, or when I am breaking in someone new to shooting handguns. It is an ideal gun to teach with, having low noise and negligible recoil. It also is fun and affordable to shoot. You rarely will find these older revolvers on the gun store shelves; Smith & Wesson quit making the Model 63 in 1999 and people who own them tend to cherish them. In late 2007, Smith & Wesson resurrected the Model 63 with an 8 round cylinder and a 5’’ barrel, along with the controversial internal lock.

Click here for a Jeff Quinn / GunBlast review of the NEW Model 63.
Click here for a Jeff Quinn / GunBlast review (Little Big Gun) of the OLD Model 63
Click here for a Kim du Toit review of the OLD Model 63

Still Falling

Obama and Bernanke today reported on the economy (click here for full story).

The recovery will take longer than expected, but they do not know how long it will take. They said unemployment will get worse, but they do not know how much worse. We need to have faith that all of this pork spending will save us all. All hail Barney Frank!

Our government wrecked our economy, and I have little HOPE that our government will ever CHANGE enough to fix anything. Things will improve over time, but it will be from the efficiency of the markets, and not the machinations of government.

Gun Holster Websites

(Photo of Del Fatti PH3, Red Kangaroo, for a Seecamp)

The list keeps growing.

EDIT: As of 6/11/2011, one hundred and forty (140) gun holster websites are now listed on the sidebar of this blog site (you will need to scroll down the page a bit to get to the list).

If you know of a holster website that is not on our list, please bring it to our attention.

Many thanks!


Zack

USA! USA! USA! Captain Rescued!

US Navy and Navy Seals, we salute your professionalism, your training, and your marksmanship.

Captain Richard Phillips, we salute your bravery.

President Barack Obama, I must grudgingly admit that I am impressed. Well done.

I am hoping that future press reports will answer the question as to why Navy marksmen did not open fire on the pirates when Captain Phillips tried to swim to freedom a couple of days ago. Were they not authorized to do so then?

Chores

The voices in my head were nagging me about the top of the family room gun safe being such a mess. For many years, I had dutifully put receipts for my gun purchases and repairs into a file, and new holsters into the holster box. About eight years ago, the file box became full and I got into a slovenly habit of just stacking new paperwork, along with holsters, snap-caps, spare grips, gun rags, etc. on top of the gun safe. On Friday, I decided to clean things up so I bought a fireproof lockbox exclusively to store the purchase and repair receipts, factory manuals, and the sale and consignment records. The holsters are also now properly stowed, as well as every other odd and end. It took me five hours to sort through the mess and complete the project. That corner of the family room has never looked better. The voices are happy.

Saturday morning there was a follow-up visit to the vet for one of the cats. Coyote (a 13-year-old female tabby) developed a bad case of feline chin acne a couple of months ago. After weeks of antibiotic pills and ointments, today she scored a clean bill of health. The vet was kind enough to give today’s exam free of charge.

The local hardware store had a 20% off sale, so I decided it was time to check some more things off my “to do” list. I bought my new American Flag for the year; it now proudly hangs by the front door, a light on it at night. I hang a new flag every spring; I have quite an accumulation of worn flags that I need to arrange for proper disposal. For a change, this year I had no problem finding a new flag made in the USA. I will quit displaying The American Flag when I can no longer find one made in the USA.

The big expensive bag of weed-and-feed (fertilizer / weed killer) now sits in the garage. Next week I will spread it on the lawn if my innate laziness and the weather permit. Laziness trumps all; that is the first rule of retirement.

I also bought a can of ant spray and a can of hornet spray to do some preemptive work on certain problem areas of the house. During the warmer days of this spring I had noticed quite a number of active hornets, so I want to keep them in check. So far, the slab ants have not been active but they shall return.

Now I need to check the snares in the backyard to see if I caught that wascally Easter wabbit.

Meco Pocket Holsters

Click here for Meco Pocket Holsters.

Robert Locke does some amazing work.

Remember them as losers.

Another guy just killed his estranged wife, his kids, and then himself (click here for AP story).

We have all been through periods in our lives when we felt that all was lost, times when we were humiliated, broke, and angry at the world. We dealt with these defeats, we dealt with the depression, we dealt with hopelessness, and then, over time, we rebuilt our lives, relationships, and our finances. We moved on. What makes this guy and the other recent cop killers and mass murderers different from us? Is there some personality quirk that tells them that if they cannot win then it is okay to make sure that NOBODY wins? Do they feel a need to make one last great act of defiance? Is this a final attempt at recognition, for them to be somebody special? Do they feel people will read their respective story and be sympathetic? Do they want us to view them as victims, that they had no choice? Do they want us to blame the availability of guns and knives? Do they want us to blame the economy? Do they expect us to blame the judicial system, the cops, their accent, their culture, or their Mommy?

They are not victims; they are all nothing more than murderous losers. The blame and the shame are on them. Losers.

Colt .38 Super Series 80 Stainless

Is the .38 Super in fact superb? Some people think so. My humble opinion is that it is pretty darn good.

Click here to visit SuperDude at 38super.net. His site is under construction but the active areas already hold a wealth of information. When finished, it will probably be the premier site on the web for information on the .38 Super.
I picked this gun up on Friday of last week and have not yet found the time or the ammo to take it to the range and shake it down. Being a good little scout, I did do a field strip, cleaned, and lubed it. This pistol may well be the last gun I ever purchase. The hobby has grown old; sometimes it is tiring. We all know how expensive gun collecting and recreational shooting can be. Whether you shoot them or not, guns need periodic maintenance and proper storage. Another reason the hobby has gown stale is that none of the new wonder-guns excites me. Everything is a mutant clone of something else; nothing under the sun is new. None has any elegance; they are all plain and ugly.

Why end my collection with the .38 Super Government Model? It closes a circle for me. It was among the first of the many pistols I truly lusted after but it was a purchase that, over the years, I kept pushing away in favor of something else. When I first fired one, it was like holding magic in my hand, it had 9MM recoil in a full size 1911A1 frame. After that initiation, I would borrow or rent a range owned .38 Super Colt 1911A1 whenever I had the chance. Some guns fit some people better than others; the .38 Super Colt fits me well. Why did I not buy a Government Model in 9x19MM? They are hard to find, I never fired one, and something about a 9x19MM in a Colt 1911A1 just seems unnatural. Why did I not consider the .38 Super in a different platform? Colt introduced the .38 Super in the Colt Government Model back in 1929 and that pistol is where the cartridge belongs. I have several Government Models in .45ACP, one in 10MM, and all are carbon steel. I have long wanted to add a stainless .38 Super to the rack; my quest is now complete. I am whole. I like the 9X19MM very much, but I like it most in my SIG and Glocks. Do I believe the .38 Super to be superior to the 9X19MM +P loads? If I ignore those wonderfully edgy Corbon loads, I would have to say they are pretty much equal.

I hope this pistol is typical of what is coming from Colt Manufacturing today. It is well cut and fitted. The last two Colt Government models I bought factory new (several years ago) had poorly staked plunger tubes among other quality problems. Everything on this gun is as it should be. The plastic carrying case is of very good quality, and I was surprised to find a spare magazine included. The pistol’s trigger is very good, especially considering that this is a Series 80 pistol.

This gun will remain stock. As long as it feeds reliably, there will no tune-up; there will be no fancy sights or grips, no trigger job, nothing at all. With practice, I have confidence I will shoot better with this gun than I do with any of my large bore 1911s. The arthritis in my right hand is beginning to tax my abilities. My time for the .38 Super is now.

There is not a plethora of tactical ammunition available in .38 Super, but the Winchester 125 Grain Silvertip should be everything I need. Corbon’s standard .38 Super 115 Grain jacketed hollowpoint should be no less effective than the vaunted Federal 9BPLE 9MM +P+ police load, and on paper Corbon’s .38 Super 125-grain DPX load looks to be nothing short of imposing.

For me, this will be a utility gun rather than a collector’s piece. Stainless steel will resist corrosion from perspiration better than does carbon steel. I find that matt stainless is much easier for me to hang onto than polished stainless; I find it to be less slippery. The standard nine round single stack magazine is politically correct; a round in the chamber cocked and locked gives me ten.