Posted on 09/23/2009 6:19:16 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!
Jackson never left us a cicada collection, I think he ate ‘em.
Aubrey is affected by the full moon, she was up and down all night! When I stepped out at 5:30 I decided to turn off the air-conditioners and open the windows. It was so nice to just open ‘em up and not have to futz with opening the storm windows and looking for the dang window braces. It’n the weatherweenies are right, we can leave them open all day, hurrah!
They brought in another one this morning. They make a sound that cats can’t resist. Kittehs lose interest after they stop moving.
Yeah, I’ve got all the windows open too! And beef kabobs marinating for this afternoon.
Dang this a beuutiifull day. Cicadas are really out. OB
Kittehs have brought in at least three so far today and I’ve chucked one out while he was still kicking.
The AC cut on so the windows are closed now.
It started with the new Mako MAM30 gizmo that provides a novel way of mounting a magnifier or other light weight optical device. Here is my 3x magnifier behind the Eotech holographic sight on the H&K USC.
It's not a QD mount, it just lets you move it out of the way, without leaving you with an extra piece of gear to juggle.
A spring-loaded rail lets you gently raise the device over the line of sight, yet keeps it handy if you need it again. It's permanently mounted, just out of the way if you don't need it.
After installation, I studied the setup with an eye to using the standard plastic "iron" sights as a backup. Of course, I'd have to remove the Eotech. No problem there, that's a given.
But with the Mako gadget clamped to the rail, the base blocked the rear sights. The whole concept was to keep things permanently attached, but out of the way when not needed.
I asked myself, "self, what would Dad do?". Since everything is made out of aluminum, he'd take ten minutes to what took me two hours: mill a sight groove in the base. After violating several of his rules for precision machine work, I clamped the block in a vise, and stuck the ball end-mill in a drill chuck, rather than using an ultra-precise collet.
After using some aluminum blackener to make things look better, and kill any glare along the groove, I had this as the final setup:
This was a simple project that is almost impossible to fail. And it actually works as intended. Remove the Eotech, pop up the magnifier, and the sights are ready to work. Aside from the feeling that Dad was tsk-tsking me about all of the unapproved short cuts, I'm very pleased with the device, and my modification.
I have a feeling yer dad would be proud of ya ! You using his old tools ?
That aside the set up looks fragile. Is it stronger than it looks ?
I left our AC off all day, we’ve got the whole house fan on now and it’s bringing in the cool air. We gave the pups Frosty Paws when we got back from our walk, Aubrey dove right into her portion, while it took Strider a couple of tastes before he decided it was really, really good :)
It's strong enough for lightweight optics. I try not to use any precision optical instrument as a crowbar or hammer.
And yes, they're his tools. He could make them sing and dance. I'm lucky to get "see Spot run".
No suggesting you would abuse such a tool... Just worried about the drop test per se.....
I went with a tdc 10x leupold ultra with mildots an canted buis ....surefire can is paid for an paperwork pending.
Fits my locations needs as far as my m4gery goes.
That Hk a 45 or 10mm ?
Looks nice...
Looks nice...
It's .45, because that's the only H&K USC that was brought in to the US. It started out life looking like this:
I went the BATFE 922r route to legally reconfigure it in the version you see now. One company imports 9mm and .40S&W parts, at a steep price, to change calibers. If you live in a Class 3-friendly state, you can also go the SBR route. Otherwise, you have to stick with the 16 inch barrel, and put a dummy can on, like I had to do.
And I learned how H&K improves the trigger pull on the SLR8. They only hook up one leg of the trigger spring. It works for the USC, too, since they have many parts that are the same on both weapons. The stock spring rate is more appropriate for a 4x4 truck.
Looks nice...
It's .45, because that's the only H&K USC that was brought in to the US. It started out life looking like this:
I went the BATFE 922r route to legally reconfigure it in the version you see now. One company imports 9mm and .40S&W parts, at a steep price, to change calibers. If you live in a Class 3-friendly state, you can also go the SBR route. Otherwise, you have to stick with the 16 inch barrel, and put a dummy can on, like I had to do.
And I learned how H&K improves the trigger pull on the SLR8. They only hook up one leg of the trigger spring. It works for the USC, too, since they have many parts that are the same on both weapons. The stock spring rate is more appropriate for a 4x4 truck.
Very nice work.....
My old Model 60 can now aspire to grow up to be a 629 snubbie. The 629 is currently configured as someone's idea of a concealed carry piece. New Hogue grips, like the ones on the "big" 629, will offer a bit more to hold onto.
I convinced myself that the "little Smith" is more convenient and practical if I'm out in the boonies somewhere where the treat from four-legged vermin is greater than the two-legged kinds. I can probably get away with a single reload, rather than a bag full of loaded magazines. I just have to remember that I have less than 100 rounds of .44 Mag ammo at home.
300..... I personally think this was a baaaaaad move. That old (no key smith) 6 inch boomer for the 3 inch version.
Now what ya “want” is the point and always agree all should get what they want and can pay for but I think yer gonna regret letting that 6 inch 629 go.....:o)
I have some very old S&W’s and their actions are night and day different with the older ones, even new in the box finds, are much better than todays versions. Unless they come out of the performance center or such as Cylinder and Slide type shops that perfect such actions.
I have the performance center 44mag “snub” with fixed sights etc and it is horrible bad to shoot with full house defense loads.
If I remember right you mentioned something about arthritis ?.......:o) I have it and you will “remember” shooting that 44mag 3 inch fer sure.
I made a deal on a duplicate 629 that was my brother's. Due to a messy divorce, and an assault warrant falsely sworn out by his ex, he had to get rid of all his firearms, so he gave them to me. Three Smiths, a Ruger .44mag semiauto carbine (why did they ever discontinue that?), and a rather beat-up shotgun. That 629 was a dupe, and therefore prime trading material.
You are probably right about the decline in workmanship, and I despise that "safety", and will somehow render it inoperative, but for the rest, I'll have to wait and see.
This must have been my week for trades. I traded my M4E(economy) to my best buddy for a early-80s pre-ban item. Details probably next week, when I sort through all the accessories he threw in.
In both our cases, 30 years ago we had money to buy stuff, but no time to play with it. Now we don't have the money, but we do have the time. I'll build another M-faux or AR57 as soon as I can save $200-300 on a complete upper. Those deals don't come often, but I built each one that way.
In today's world, he figured it was time to reacquaint himself with "America's rifle", since he only fired a few shots from an M16 while he served on a PBR on the Mekong in 1968.
Yep yep yep..... that’s a deal then.
I love old S&W’s. I panic when I see one being sold or traded....:o)
I agree on the time and money concept.
The ruger 44 carbines are nice. I have 1 NIB safe queen and 1 well used one I used to keep on a ATV rack all the time. It’s weathered and shows a lot of use yet still works great. Replaced the stock long ago with a boyds laminate that holds up well against nature. Action was rattle can rustolium’d which works very very well for a “working gun” ......
That Ruger was the perfect brush gun for deer hunting in Michigan, which is why I recommended it to my brother. I added a bit of then-high-tech by putting a Gen 1 Aimpoint red dot on it. State of the art, nobody had seen anything like it. Why did Ruger ever discontinue it?
Not sure but my favorite ruger now is the stainless number one in 45-70.... I have added a NECG grip cap compartment which holds their No 100 peep for the ruger as a BUIS an had the stock modified with a 5 spare round compartment for spare ammo.
I covered that with a simple uncle mikes spare stock sock with spare rounds an use a Leupold 1.5-6X scope on warne QD lever mounts. Scope dies peeps go on. 14 spare rounds of garretts hammerheads.
My favorite all round hunting rig.
They come back with that carbine I bet they would mess it up.... Can’t go back IMO.
IMO Full .44 Mag loads in a 3” barrel are only useful if you want to set the bad guy on fire as well as perforate him, especially if they’re stoked up with something like H110 or W296.
Be better off getting on of those 3” Lew Horton 24/624’s from the 80’s and putting big honkin’ SWC’s in it. Or having a 625 chopped, then you have the moonclip advantage.
You’re not kidding about the triggers on Smiths over the years. The only recent one I had that was really nice was a performance center gun. Most of mine are ‘50s and early 60’s guns (Carl Hellstrom era), and the trigger on a plain Jane Highway Patrolman is slick by comparison to new guns.
The only ones that are even nicer than that are pre-war guns. One is a M&P target that is only a couple thousands in SN from the one McGivern used for his record 5 shots in 2/5th’s of a second. Even I can shoot that one quick, the trigger just seems to roll on and on.
Those three look like Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear.;o)
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