JAB

This looks way too scary, for me. Oh, not the zombies - I'm okay with that. The idea of a 5k run is terrifying, though! Of course, were such a situation to happen 'for real' with real, dead zombies then I guess - I still wouldn't do it. Instead, I'd be carrying a shotgun and a handgun or two with plenty of ammo. That way I could turn an otherwise miserable, terrifying 5k run into a leisurely 5k stroll complete with target practice.

This brass-framed one has more brass than the one linked in the OP. I think it is right purdy. I wonder if it could handle a .45 Colt conversion cylinder and if such is available for it or if pressures would be too high for the brass frame. http://www.cabelas.c...53Bcat104701680 I also wonder if the brass framed 51 Colt ($179) linked in the OP could withstand the pressure of a .45 Colt in a conversion cylinder and if such is available. If so, I can see buying one and using the conversion cylinder more than the black powder - sort of an inexpensive way to get a .45 Colt single action revolver. Also, as most percussion revolvers aren't legally firearms, does anyone know if these could these be shipped right to a customer's door or does Cabela's still require transfer through an FFL? I'm just wondering about the possibility of saving $$$ from a transfer fee, TICS fee and so on.

Sounds tasty but I like cornbread and milk too well to go putting cheese, etc. into my cornbread very often. I do like me some fried cornbread with a good bowl of chili - and for that adding a little shredded cheese and maybe a handful or two of frozen 'niblet' corn to the batter take it to a whole, 'nother level. Nah, Lodge is like the Ruger or Glock of cast iron. Great stuff but nothing to get all snobbish about. The 'snobs' would at least go for Griswold.

I have some indeterminate tomatoes - a couple of German Queen, one other heirloom variety I can't recall the name of right now and one yellow cherry - as well as three Rutgers heirloom determinate tomatoes. I plan to use the indeterminates mostly for fresh eating or cooking tomatoes. If the determinates do well, I plan to can those (along with any spare indeterminates I might have at the time.) I know I won't get a lot of tomatoes for canning but between what I grow and the fact that a lot of folks have tomatoes they are trying to give away most of the time I hope to get at least one, good run. One tip you guys may enjoy - for canning, instead of putting the tomatoes in hot water and then in ice water to loosen the skins for removal, I put them on the grill. The skins will loosen and char just a little (I'm removing the skins, anyway) and the tomatoes then have a nice, smoky/roasted flavor that stays with them through the canning process. All the tomato plants, except the Rutgers, were bought at the Amish produce market in Delano. I also bought a 'rambling' yellow cherry tomato plant that was in a hanging basket from them. They have greenhouses, apparently, because the tomato the name of which I can't recall already had green tomatoes on it and the hanging basket tomato was already loaded with little, green tomatoes. Two of the tomatoes on the hanging basket plant ripened over the weekend and I sliced them and put them on an Arby's roast beef sandwich for lunch yesterday. Mmmmm...the first tomatoes of the season (I generally don't even eat raw tomato in the winter unless it is in salsa, etc. because I can't stand the pale, crunchy things.) Beyond tomatoes, I try to use my limited space to grow things that are either expensive to buy, hard to keep 'fresh' except by growing it or are simply difficult to find. Along those lines, I am growing basil (can be made into pesto which can be kept in the freezer at the end of the season), dill and oregano. I covered my plants during the recent cold snap but the basil still didn't come through it looking all that good. I am hopeful it will recover, though. I'll probably add rosemary and sage before it is over with. Finally, I am growing a variety of chile peppers. I am a total chile head and will use them fresh as well as smoke and dry them as in chipotles - although I have also smoke/dried habaneros, poblanos (anchos), serranos and anaheims. I sometimes simply dry them without smoking them first or otherwise preserve them by pickling, making and canning sauces and so on at the end of the season. This year, I am trying ghost peppers, scotch bonnets and pequins for the first time. I have some habaneros, jalapenos and serranos which I have grown, before. All but the jalapenos and serranos also came from the Amish market. I'm trying the mammoth jalapenos this year because I want to make stuffed jalapenos. I like poblanos and anaheims but really don't use them enough to fool with growing them this year (I still have some anchos from last year that should be enough to take care of my need for them until next year.) Those and a couple of other varieties are sort of an every other year/every few years kind of thing. I still haven't decided if I am going to try to grow some cantaloupes. There might be some okra in there, too - just a few plants, enough to have a 'mess' or two. Of other things that are fairly easy to grow, I don't like cucumbers, watermelon or strawberries so I won't fool with those. Butternut squash is good and is over $1 per pound right now - I got one the other day that totaled out over $3. I think my mom may grow some of those. I may can some creamed corn, green beans and the like but I have decided that it is easier and cheap enough just to buy those from a farmer's market or from some farmer selling them from the back of his pickup than it is to try and grow a sufficient amount for canning. The only problem is finding corn that isn't super sweet - I don't like really sweet corn. I will probably plant a 'fall bed' of greens - my favorite being mustard and kale. One more thing is that the wild blackberries along the edge of the road on my property, mom's property and my sister's property are all loaded with blossoms or tiny, green berries. I am hoping to gather quite a few blackberries this year. I'm not crazy about blackberries fresh or in pies, etc. but I do like blackberry jelly (no seeds.) There might even be some homemade blackberry wine in my future.

I love the carving. My next, major 'step' is to start trying to do a bit of tooling.

Any time you enjoy the process and come out with a usable item I say it is a job well done. I have never even tried a sewing awl so, like gregintenn, I do a two-needle saddle stitch. My first holster was for a Rossi .357 snubbie (because I couldn't find an off the shelf holster to fit it and wasn't going to pay for custom leather to carry a sub-$300 gun.) It looked pretty rough but worked well: I have made several holsters since then and like to think my work has improved, at least a little - although I am still a long way from being as good at it as gregintenn or Mark@Sea. This one I made for my .44 Mag Super Blackhawk isn't the most recent but is probably my best looking work so far. It is the only one that I have purchased a pattern for (as in a printed, paper pattern, I still transferred the drawing, cut the leather, etc. myself) - the rest of mine are from patterns I drew freehand or else traced from other holsters and modified: I just stained/colored the leather with Kiwi brand shoe polish. I used black to make 'streaks' then went over it with brown. I like the variation in color/tone that, along with some of the natural grain of the leather, gave me. The 'work' itself is more visible in this picture:

Very nice!

All of my frying pans [skillets] are 'manly'. I only own cast iron skillets. The kind of skillets used to fry bacon, make gravy or bake real (as in non-Yankee, non-sweet, non-cake-like, extra crusty) cornbread. They would probably not be very good for making quiche. No vegetarian/garden burgers have ever sullied their surfaces. One of them is even a grill pan so I can get grill marks with an iron skillet. I think it might be the Chuck Norris of cookware. Come to think of it, maybe Lodge should work with Chuck Norris to release a Chuck Norris signature line of cast iron cookware. If you use Chuck Norris cookware you don't even have to turn the stove on - it just stares the food down and intimidates it into being done. Perfectly. Every time. On a more serious note, glad to see that this young man will not be charged. It is good to see that he acted in defense of his sister and will not be charged with a crime regardless of the tool used for said defense.

Nice knives. For a long time, Case Sodbusters or Sodbuster, JR.s - along with three or four blade Schrade Old Timers (I liked the pre-Chinese ones a lot) were my favorite carry knives. A neighbor gave me a SB, Jr. when I was in High School. I usually carry a Swiss Army knife now because I like having the screwdrivers, etc. (and got tired of carrying a multi-tool on my belt) but I still think that the Sodbuster blade style is maybe the best all-around style of blade for a daily use pocket knife plus I love how the Sodbuster style feels in the hand.

For some reason that I can't quite explain, I kind of want one of those Rossi .22/.410 combos, myself. The .44 Mag/20 gauge combo sounds interesting, as well. Anyhow, I seem to recall seeing, somewhere, that the receiver for the .410/.22 model isn't large and/or strong enough to withstand any of the more powerful rifle calibers. I couldn't swear to it, though. I also seem to recall that, while some of the larger (centerfire) combos can be fit with other barrel options, it is generally necessary to send them in to be hand-fit. Again, I am just pulling that from somewhere in the Stygian depths of my memory.

Federal makes a 9mm Hydra Shok that they claim is low recoil. I don't know just how 'low' the recoil is as I have never shot any of that ammo (although the .380 Hydra Shoks are what I carry in my P3AT.) I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it out, huh?

I actually bought the sheet I was experimenting with from KC Leatherwerks leather store. I just wanted one sheet to try my hand at working with kydex and didn't want to fool with ordering online, paying shipping, etc. Leatherwerks is now closed (the lady who owned it apparently decided to concentrate more on custom work and get out of the retail business.) I talked to a guy at the new Tandy factory store at Downtown West and they don't stock kydex. He did say that he has heard there is some kind of industrial plastics place (or something like that) in Knoxville where it can be bought. Like southernasylum, though, I think a lot of folks order it online.

Well, since you opened the door for the comparison... Stalin might have been 'better' than Hitler but I don't think I could have brought myself to 'get behind' ol' Joe, either. Just because candidate A doesn't suck as bad as candidate B that doesn't mean candidate A doesn't suck plenty in his own right. Some people like mayonnaise on sandwiches. Some like mustard on sandwiches. People could argue the virtues of mayonnaise or extoll the virtues of mustard all day long but when the choice of the main filling of the sandwich is a dog turd or a cow patty, at the end of the day - regardless of mayo or mustard - you are still being compelled to eat a sh*t sandwich. Maybe it is the only choice we have (which really isn't much of a 'choice' when it comes right down to it) but don't tell me I have to eat a sh*t sandwich and expect me to pretend it is a porterhouse steak.

Fixed it for you.

But...but...he's explaaaaained all that in his campaign speeches. He explaaaaained that, even though he backed Romneycare as governor that isn't what he wants for the entire country. He explaaaained his past record of voting against gun rights in a campaign speech to the NRA. Surely everything will be okay and everyone should be throwing rose petals at his feet now that he has explaaaained it all. After all, politicians never lie when they explaaaaaain such things in their campaign speeches, right?

Folded towels work, huh? I made a press with a couple of heavy boards, some thin, blue foam and a couple of large 'C' clamps. Last time I used it one of the boards split, though. I was trying to make an OWB 'paddle' type holser for a Rossi .357 as I couldn't find one that would fit it correctly. Have since traded that gun and haven't messed with kydex since so I haven't gotten around to 'rebuilding' the press.

I made an OWB leather belt slide holster for mine. That is how I carry it when I carry it.

How long until the family of such a scumbag sues the court/judge/etc.? After all, if the poor lowlife was in jail/prison getting the help, rehabilitation and counseling he needed he might still be alive. Instead, that mean ol' judge just turned him out on the streets, knowing he could be a danger to himself and others.

Had y'all heard that there is a Walking Dead video game coming out? From the sound of things in this review : http://ps3.ign.com/articles/122/1223558p1.html they are staying pretty true to what we have come to expect from the series.

Looks like great work. I tried making an IWB hybrid holster for my CZ82 because (as someone who cannot stand IWB carry) I heard that they were comfortable and thought that style just might change my mind. It didn't - I hated it just as much as any other IWB holster I have tried. At least by making my own I didn't spend a lot of $$$ to find that out, though. I'm glad you and your friend like your creations.

[sarcasm] Man, as a gun owner and believer in the right of individuals to defend themselves I sure am glad that Republicans are in charge in our state. I'd hate to think that the Democrats could be in a position to block important legislation that would expand carry rights.[/sarcasm] Yet another reason that the Repodempublicrats might as well be the same party as far as I am concerned. I despise them both equally and grow increasingly tired of the BS rhetoric that Republicans spout to try and make us think that they support our rights.

I trust my NAA mini in .22 WMR as a weak hand BUG. Going by the numbers in the velocity charts on the NAA site and comparing them to the numbers they post for .22LR out of minis with the same barrel lengths, I believe that you do see at least a slight velocity advantage by going with .22WMR. The real advantage to my mind, however, is that in general .22 WMR ammo is better constructed (full length size bullet crimped into case like centerfire ammo, not heeled like .22 LR plus the option of truly jacketed bullets.) I tested both Hornady Critical Defense and Speer Gold Dot self defense WMR ammo from mine (it has the 1 5/8 inch barrel) with gallon water jugs. Both made it only into the third jug - actually, the Gold Dot was embedded in the back of the third jug - but while the Critical Defense gave little expansion and I was disappointed with its condition, the Gold Dot gave textbook expansion and came out looking exactly like the picture on the box. I have tested some 'regular' WMR rounds that gave no expansion but made it into a fifth jug. In fact, el cheapo Winchester Dynapoint (which is loaded to a lower velocity than most and uses a washed, not jacketed, bullet to mimic the old WRF loads) exited the fifth jug, made a hole in the face of the sixth then rebounded back to be found in the bottom of the fifth jug and showed no, real expansion. I know people aren't water jugs but what the heck, people aren't jell-o, either - I still thought that was pretty good penetration. All that said, I am not sure I would recommend a mini revolver for a person who sounds like a novice shooter, especially one with arthritis problems. The need to hang onto a tiny grip (there can be a lot of muzzle flip with the factory birdshead grips) while pulling back the single-action hammer for each shot under stress with an impaired, novice shooter just sounds like a recipe for trouble, to me. There is nothing wrong with my hands and I still had to put the oversized, rubber grips on mine so that I could control it for follow-up shots (I practice shooting it one-handed with my weak hand because if I ever had to use it 'for real' that is how I envision having to shoot it.) This is not a recommendation as I have never owned or even shot one but just a thought to toss out in case nothing else meets her needs: High Standard made a 'derringer' type gun in .22 WMR that had a double action trigger. They can command a pretty hefty price, now, but I have seen them for sale at gun shows. A double action trigger would eliminate the necessity of remembering to pull the hammer back under stress. The biggest downside, of course, would be the two-shot capacity - I wouldn't, personally, be comfortable with that as an 'only' gun. Also, the double action trigger might be too much for her. All that taken into consideration, however, if she can operate the trigger and if would work for her where nothing else would it is better than no gun.

I have a P3AT. Bought it brand new as a first generation and it never worked very well. Eventually sent it back to the factory and they rebuilt it as a second generation gun - from the work order they sent back with it, I think the only 'original' part they kept was the frame. Since then it has been flawless and I really like it for its intended purpose. I also don't think they are nearly as difficult to shoot well as some people find them to be. That said, I now have a 642 that fills much of the P3AT's previous role (I just prefer revolvers) but there are still some times and certain carry methods where the P3AT fits better. I had a P11 that eventually started having problems. It was used when I bought it, though, and I think the problems were that it was simply getting worn. Kel Tec fixed it but I came to realize that - with my body type and style of carry - I can conceal a Ruger P95 as easily with the same carry method. I shoot the P95 much more accurately and better plus it has a higher capacity so I traded the P11 off. The P11 uses a different trigger system than the P32, P3AT and PF9. The trigger on my P32 - while still a DAO - is much better than the trigger on my P11 was, IMO.

I thought you said it served no purpose? Fun/toy sounds like a purpose, to me! I think it looks kind of neat. Then, again, for some strange reason I wouldn't mind having the very similar Cricket rifle (black stocks, not pink.) I shot a (female) friend's pink Cricket a couple of times and man those things are accurate. I can only imagine how accurate a target pistol version of a similar rifle would be, especially if you do things to really accurize it. To be truthful, I actually kind of want one of the Rossi youth matched pair single shot .22/.410 combos and I don't even really know why. Talk about wanting a gun for which I have no, real use.

Apparently TWRA is trying to restore alligator snapping turtles to West Tennessee: http://www.eregulations.com/tennessee/fishing/snapping-turtles/