Recent content by heypete

From what I've been able to read on the incident, it was only an explosion in one of their storerooms, and no manufacturing equipment was damaged. Sadly, several people were killed. Reports I've read indicate that they'll only be down for about 2-3 weeks.

Probably, but I doubt it did much -- the factory is dug into the side of a mountain.

I dunno about the SF policies regarding such things, but my experience in the army is remarkably similar to the conversation described in a reply to someone who asked if Marines could pick their own rifles at boot camp. The conversation went something like this: Drill Instructor: "Marine, you...

Yeah, I read about that. Major bad times.

Hi folks, I'm a big fan of Prvi Partizan ammo, and use it extensively in my .223/5.56mm NATO rifles (it's reasonably priced, reliable, accurate enough, and available in mil-spec M193/M855 loads). Alas, my stores of .30-06 are now quite low, so I'm thinking of restocking on some ammo that...

You can't go wrong with lever-actions. I know CZ makes some nice lefty .22LR guns, and they're high quality as well. I'm left-handed and really like the Ruger 10/22. I've experienced no problems related to shooting it left-handed.

Hmm. I always assumed (perhaps incorrectly!) engine blocks were fairly substantial things, and not easily penetrated by bullets. Having Mythbusters do a test would be ideal, as their tests usually tend to involve entirely unnecessary explosions, which makes things a bit more fun. :D

I came across a month-old news story today regarding a French commando raid on Somali pirates. One line stood out: "A sniper disabled the engine of the get-away car, while another helicopter dropped off three French commandos who captured six of the 12 pirates." This got me thinking a bit...

After the National Forest Service closed one of the several shooting spots in the National Forest near Tucson (up on Reddington Road, for those familiar with the area), I'm figured I'd to coordinate a mass cleanup of the area. This should have several potentially useful results: - A...

The bolt/op-rod in my M1 comes forward about a quarter-inch (enough to let you know the clip was inserted all the way) and stops. One almost always needs to bump the op-rod forward with the heel of one's hand. It's not 100%, of course, and I've had the bolt close on its own. Fortunately, my...

I shoot on BLM land near Tucson, AZ and I appreciate the ability to shoot for free in an area with a wonderful view. I usually end up taking a trash bag or two of garbage out, not including my brass. It doesn't seem to make much of a dent, but I do it anyway. A friend and I went out to the...

See, this is what puzzles me...what is it about .22s that makes them exempt from cleaning, while non-.22 guns require routine cleaning? They're all burning chemically similar powders, with chemically similar primers. The residue should, I think, be quite similar. The only difference is that...

I clean my Ruger 10/22 regularly, as I shoot it with a suppressor and crud builds up regularly in the action, magazines, and bore. Not just a normal thin layer of residue, but big chunky pieces of carbon and other residue. (The suppressor creates a lot of backpressure and blows the crap back...

I've been a big fan of Break-Free CLP on most of my guns, and Pro-Shot grease on my M1 Garand. Ed's Red oil (not solvent), which consists of 50/50 automatic transmission fluid and kerosene seems to work quite well as a lubricant as well. It stinks to high heaven, but it works.

A few months ago, I flew from Phoenix, AZ to San Jose, CA and back. In Phoenix, the check-in agent with US Airways was professional, and knew the rules. She filled out the necessary parts of the little orange tag, had me put it in the locked Pelican case, and take it to the TSA. They asked...