MacGyver

It sounds like you're not in any kind of position to fight for someone else.  You need to spend some time fighting for yourself.  And, I expect as a side benefit a lot of those other problems will go away.   Gaming isn't a solution to financial problems.  Period. Neither is any bitcoin scheme out there.  Hard work on the other hand, is.   You're 27.  You're single.  There are a bunch of folks on here with families to support.  They'd find it hard to make it on minimum wage.  You on the other hand have a host of options.    You list your location as Donelson, so you're not out in Egypt with the Dollar General as your only option for employment.  I expect you're within walking distance of dozens if not hundreds of jobs open to someone willing to work.   What skills do you have.  Did you finish high school?  College?  You listed trying to get an old job back.  What's the story there?   You mentioned a car payment - and I expect that's on the Frontier you bought a while back.  A lot of people drive the very thing that holds them back financially.  In Donelson, I'd consider a $500 beater or a bike.  Get rid of the payment and apply that money to rent.  Do you have friends outside of your former fiancé?  Do you have options for roommates?   It's easy for us all to get down on ourselves sometimes - especially when we can't seem to catch a break.  But you're 27, young and single.  You've got options that a host of people on here would give anything to have.   Forget fighting for your former fiancé's affection.  I think you realize now that it's a losing proposition.  Instead, decide to fight for yourself.  There are 22,000 people on here who are pulling for you - and a bunch who are likely in a position to help you get to where you want to be.  You've got to figure out what that looks like. 

I wouldn't hesitate to do one in .17HMR even though I think everyone's insurance is making them back away from semi .17s. You're just going to have to know going in that you're likely to need some tuning. My money's in other builds right now, but an 80% .17HMR is on my list.

I think Ruger gave it up because they kept chipping bolts.  YMMV, but I've not experienced any issues.   I'm using factory Ruger mags.

That's pretty cool.

I've got the jig/tooling for a .22LR build if y'all decide to go that route. I used the shop drawings on the WMR, but the jig definitely simplified it. You're just down the street, so you're welcome to borrow it.   With a suppressed 1:9 barrel for Aguila SSS rounds and a trigger/bolt by Tony Kidd, the .22LR is probably my favorite rifle.  It's just plain fun to shoot.

I built a 10/22 in .22WMR from an 80% receiver. It runs like a top. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.   http://www.ruger1022receiver.com/MAGNUM%20Page%2011.htm

Sell the Raven. You can likely get $125-$150 for it. People like cheap guns they can keep in the glovebox. Take you lunch for a week or two and add $50-$100 and you're in Charter Arms .38 range. Add a decent pocket holster and you're a lot better off than you are right now.

I expect there are some issues complicating it. Who's paying the rent?

Do you have a sentimental attachment to any of them?   You could probably sell the three you've got and buy a decent j-frame or one of the current pocket rockets and a good holster.  You'd probably even have some cash left over.

I got a nice thank you note from the OP as well as a great treatise on the first amendment and TGO's support thereof.   I usually don't go along with users' requests to remove their accounts, but in this guy's case I expect we're better off.

Now that I've had some time to think about it, I'm shutting this thread down.   Basically, this thread was started as "discussion" that can only proceed in the cop-bashing direction, and the OP seems to be looking for that kind of response.   To the OP, I'm going to assume no ill intentions, but feel free to search the forum where you can read/participate in threads about confiscation until you've had your fill.   In reality, assuming you ever got to confiscation - you'd have LEOs across the spectrum.  You'd certainly have some that would follow orders as given.  You'd have some that would seek employment elsewhere.  You'd have some that would resist following orders.  You'd have some that would outright defy orders and I expect would create real problems.    LEOs are as varied as the population at large.  Trying to jam all of them into one bucket simply isn't possible and it certainly doesn't help any argument.

From your description, the relationship shows a lack of maturity on at least one side.  While you may not be there today, you'll probably be thankful in the future looking back at this event.   You really need to examine what this relationship looks like should you continue down the path with her. If you think it's hard now - wait until you get married and real problems present themselves.   At the very least I'd suggest some good premarital counseling.

Welcome to TGO...I think.

Ben Folds' recent open letter is one that I hope every label head read:  

All the best country right now is coming out of Texas and the Carolinas.  And, I take it as a good sign for the future that there are a lot of really hard working bands in the Americana space right now.   Music Row probably quit being relevant in the '90s, and they sold out long before that.  I think it's interesting and really sad that all of the developers are trying to turn music row into condos right now.  I get it that developers have no respect for anything they can't flip and make a buck on - the sad part to me is that the country music labels can't even find the voice to offer up a defense as to why music row should stay.    I guess at the end of the day, part of the reason for that is that the music labels are really just "developers", too.  They're looking for talent they can exploit, turn a fast buck on and move on to something newer and shinier.

Awesome!  Excited for you guys.

We really kind of need to conscript a couple of new mods. But yeah, sitting on your hands does get kind of dull.

Thanks y'all. I feel like we've said it a lot, but you guys make this a pretty easy place to moderate. Community is hard to build, but we fight to protect it. Thanks for hanging out!

For what it's worth, Republic Forge is our very own Jeff Meister's post Hero Gear venture. That's sure the route I'd go!

Are you linking from the original post that David put up?  I don't see them currently available in the store, so I'm guessing you somehow linked to an item that's out of stock and thus won't let you purchase one.

Wow!  That's great news!

Man, I drop off the grid so that people will quit calling my phone...

When I was a kid in Atlanta, Old Sarge's Army Navy Surplus had a big footlocker of dummy grenades for $1/each.  Pineapples, baseballs, even some potato mashers.   Those things were standard issue for war games in our neighborhood.    Funny, back then my dad would take me and my friends up there on Saturday to spend our allowance on all that stuff.  Today, I'm sure that after the SWAT team got done responding, they'd probably arrest our parents and send the lot of us kids into the foster system.    It's a shame.  Our kids today sure aren't any better for it.

Cool. I hope to be there, too.

Here's the "inventor's" overview for whatever it's worth:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTFVffAho-k   Meh...