The Wandering Minstrel

I dunno if I’m ready for a 1911-style semi-auto in .357 magnum, but it sure looks tempting. Alas, too many things already on the shopping list.

Quoting Handgunner Magazine:

Never, except for those made with other Smith & Wesson revolvers, have there been published machine rest groups that can in any way compare with those made with the S&W ‘.357’ Magnum. It’s square-shouldered, Sharpe-type lead bullet will shoot through steel plates that are only dented by other cartridges, yet the S&W ‘.357’ Magnum bullet will upset to .50 caliber in 8″ of soft paraffin; other bullets pass through practically unchanged in form. The S&W ‘.357’ Magnum Has Far Greater Shock Power Than Any .38, .44 Or .45 Ever Tested.”

The Better Half and I are planning to head off to the range this week and shoot off a few rounds with our carry guns and their backups. I pulled the magazine out of my Glock 30 (Fat Man) and put it next to my backup mag - the former loaded with Hornady 230 gr. JHP loads and the latter with Winchester 230 gr. JHP. The Better Half took this (clickable) image showing both loads. Hornady on the left.

Time to clean the carry guns. The Minstrel and I both pulled our carry guns out and cleaned and lubricated them this afternoon. Rosie (the Riveter) was absolutely filthy and the salt and rust were in evidence. Believe me - this gun looked much better after I scraped all the crud off of her. Minstrel’s Glock 30 (Fat Man) was in better shape, but he just recently started carrying him in lieu of “Little Boy,” the Glock 26 9mm. Clickable image.

The Better Half and I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up some medication today. There is a magazine rack adjacent to the pharmacy I spotted this September/October edition of American Handgunner Magazine. On an impulse, I tossed it in the shopping cart and took it home.

I enjoyed reading several interesting articles about firearms and shooting. This just happened to be the 35th anniversary edition of their magazine and, as a matter of fact, this was only the first time I read their magazine. The publishers of Guns Magazine publish this one on a bi-monthly basis.

There is one article in this issue that interested me in particular. It is called The Ayoob Files - The Tucson Atrocity: Joe Zamudio’s Story. Of course, the author is Massad Ayoob, known to most firearms enthusiasts and the topic - the terrible shooting in Tuscon earlier this year.

Here’s a couple of excerpts:

Situation: A loser with a gun initiates mass murder … and you, with your concealed carry pistol, are nearby.

Lessons: Citizens who stand up and fight can stop the killing … but anti-gun media may still spin their heroism 180 degrees from the truth.

. . .

Joe was prepared to stop the killer with gunfire if he had to. He says today, “I was just truly blessed I didn’t have to pull my firearm. I didn’t have to go to that place. The guy who had the gun was the wrong guy, and I’m glad I didn’t pull a gun on him. I’m glad the people took him down when they did. He was heading in my direction, toward the Walgreen’s, coming my way; when I stepped out the door I might have been the next victim, or would have had to shoot him.”

. . .

No good deed goes unpunished. The gun-banners were out in force as soon as the story hit the newswires, dancing in the blood of the victims. Some in the media turned their sights on the Glock 19 pistol used by the killer, ignoring the fact that Representative Giffords herself owned one and was known to carry it, and the fact the Tucson police responded with drawn Glock 22 .40 calibers, their issue sidearm. Because three of Loughner’s five magazines, including the one in his gun when he opened fire, were extended to 33-round capacity, a ban on magazines holding more than ten rounds became a cause célèbre once again among the antigunners.

. . .

When others fled and played dead, Zamudio literally ran to the sound of the gunfire. He was ready to shoot if he had to, hand on Ruger and safety off, but was careful not to add to the panic. He superbly controlled what could have degenerated into a mistaken identity shooting. In grueling interviews since, some with reporters who had anti-gun agendas, Joe proved himself a powerful spokesman for the right of responsible people to carry guns for the protection of themselves and others. He was one among many heroes that terrible day in Tucson … but Joe Zamudio was our hero.

There is an on-line digital copy of this issue if you care to browse it.

In only a week, Arizona’s Build The Fence collected over $100,000 to build a border fence. Remarkably, donations have come from all 50 states.

This excerpt is from an article published today in a west valley newspaper:

A fundraising website launched by the state of Arizona to build more fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border brought in more than $100,000 in donations in its first week of operation.

State Sen. Steve Smith, sponsor of the law authorizing the fence, said the total doesn’t include checks that have come in the mail. The Republican from the community of Maricopa gave a fundraising update Wednesday to a legislative committee focusing on border security.

He said people from 50 states made donations on the day the website launched and that level of activity shows that people recognize the porous southern border is a national problem, not just Arizona’s.

[more]

I hiked up the little hill right behind our house (while staying alert for rattlesnakes or Gila monsters, of course) and took this short video of the RV pull-thru. I panned left to right, although the RV will pull through the other way for convenient access to the hose bib, sewer hookup and the 30 amp electrical hookup located on the rear of the house just to the right of the screened-in patio.

Our contractor graded the road for us at no additional charge since it came in handy for him and his crew for access to the rear of the house during construction. The pull-thru has been used by delivery trucks, the screen contractor, landscapers and others, but we have yet to have the first RV hook up. One of these days . . .

The Better Half snapped this (clickable) image of an old panel delivery truck driving through old downtown. I initially thought this was a Hudson, but I can’t match it up.

Any ideas?

Our humble blog has just exceeded 150 thousand hits and over 200 thousand page hits according to SiteMeter. Our first post was in November of 2007 when we decided to create a weblog (mostly) dedicated to second amendment issues and the right to keep and bear arms. That continues to be the focus here and we intend to keep our sights on gun grabbers and interesting things about firearms.

I recently passed another milestone - that is another birthday. I am now 68 years young and (fortunately) don’t feel much over 40 except for some very minor issues. The Better Half baked my favorite cake for my birthday - carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. She only made a few cupcakes and did not put candles on them because of the fire hazard. Clickable image.