[archy]

They're also probably taking notes. Information has to be shared to stay alive, so I think no matter what the short-term effects are, the long-term results will be good.

They're sure welcome to join in, and we'd likely learn a few things from them. I'd never really considered how to clear a rifle of sand contamination after a sandstorm until a Saudi pal showed me how he *kickstarted* his G3 with the butt on the ground and his boot on the cocking handle. Hard on the plastic bits, but it gets the job done....

Yeah, I suppose prudence may require that they stay in lurker's read-only mode. But they and their observations are warmly welcome here.

Also, I think these ideas are catching. I'd like to think some band of Iranian students is poring over this material from an Internet cafe outside of Tehran with excitement building one post at a time....

Iranian friends, if so, see if you notice something familiar in post #560.

Ah, but those little BRNO-copy Mauser carbines from your national armory were a sweet little companion!

[risk]

I think our founding fathers would have been proud. I've been told by fiery patriots that it's just what those wild-eyed men intended. American freedom is too good to keep all to ourselves!

[yarddog]

I sure do like those military Mausers. I recall a few years ago a number of Persian Mausers made by BRNO were on the market but I never saw one.

The best made rifle I have ever seen was a military 1909 Argentine Mauser manufactured by DWM in that same year. Walter Craig in Selma, Alabama advertised some of them as unfired back in 1977, for I think, $150. I had my dealer order one and I was pleasantly surprised. In fact it was a work of art. It did not even have handling marks and included the original test target signed by Herr Ritzman. Unless he was fudging, "the distance was stated as 200M", he was one heck of a shot. He had made a sub two inch group using the iron sights.