StPatrick

Nice link, gray.  I am not one that has spent any real time thinking about collapse, but the story told by "Selco" is very interesting in it's own right.  I can think of a couple things to change right now which may pay off in the long term.

  The few folks in the industry that I've spoken to have all said pretty much the same thing (which, incidentally, dovetails with what David said in a blog post Jan. 23: http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/blog/257/entry-93-predictions-about-rifles-mags-and-ammo-for-2013/ ).  The short version of what I'm hearing is that we're looking at a very slow refilling of the supply chain, with a "new normal" being established sometime this summer or fall, assuming no further market distortions due to government intervention.  If it's not better this winter, it likely won't be getting better for a very long time.  Even if you don't reload, seeing primers for sale will be a welcome sign for all shooters, as that's an indication that they aren't being used in-house by the ammo mfgs.  Right now, every primer that can be made is going directly to manufacturers (or being used by the same, since some make their own primers).  The demand for rounds is so great that there are no primers left for resale.  In short, 6 months from now if you see primers on the shelf, the situation is improving.   ...I hope they were right.  This ammo craziness has really taken a lot of the fun out of a range day.  Anybody else felt bad about shooting, or declined to shoot, somebody else's gun because you didn't want to burn up their rounds?  I know I have, with dear friends.   

  Marlin already has you covered in the awful and craptastic mods to lever guns category, and factory new at that.

  I'm not too proud to cash that check.  I guess I better write a letter to Beretta now, just to make sure my bases are covered.  The way things are going, I hope I get to write letters to Colt and Remington as well, as they're HQ'd in CT and NY, respectively.  What's the going rate for a successful Axelturf Astroturf campaign these days?

Good for them, I say!  Like I did with MagPul a while back,  I figured I'd send them an invite:   Mr. Maust, If your company hasn't chosen a site to restart operations yet, I hope you take a look at the great state of Tennesse.  We have several regional metro areas which can meet your needs, all of which feature a 0% state income tax, which will aid in attracting talented individuals to your business.  Here in Nashville, where I also work for a manufacturing company, we have no shortage of high-school educated men and women capable of running a production line, and also offer many experienced and degreed persons who can capably direct the operation of those lines, and also provide support to those lines in terms of quality control and continuous improvement efforts.   The Nashville region is an ideal location for a medium-sized manufacturing operation in that housing prices are generally lower than CO when purchasing a similar home, several of the local school districts are excellent, and there is a wide variety of living styles, from rural to urban high-rise, which are easily accessible.  In addition to the excellent housing and education options for your employees, transportation infrastructure is also excellent.  The city is the meeting point of 3 interstates - I-24 runs through Ft. Campbell and towards St. Louis, I-65 runs from Mobile, AL all the way to Chicago, and I-40 runs from Los Angeles all the way to the east coast.  Freight distribution to all areas of the country is quite easy from Nashville for these reasons, along with the option of flying freight out of either Nashville International or Memphis (via FedEx HQ).   Quality of life being important to your team, Nashville can't be beat.  You can pop off some rounds in the middle of nowhere and be down on Broadway 30 minutes later, listening to great live music any night of the week while enjoying the beverages of your choice, the excellent local food, and catch a Predators or Titans game while you're at it.     The last thing I'd mention in favor of our state is the political climate.  TN residents are overwhelmingly pro-gun both in ownership and attitude, and would certainly support any local manufacturer who set up shop in our great state.  The TN legislature is not as pro-gun as the citizenry, but that is changing after last year's primary of a "safe" republican who killed a "right to carry to work" (not AT work, leave the gun in the car) in committee.  The NRA primaried her as an example, and made their point.  That lady is no longer in government at the state level.  The NRA and state organizations such as the TFA (Tennessee Firearms Association) are actively working not only to prevent NY-style laws from passing, but to actively expand the rights of law-abiding gun owners statewide.   I'll even make you a personal promise - if Hi-Viz sets up shop in TN, the day after that happens, I will swap out a set of TFOs for Hi-Viz sights on my XD(m) 9mm.  You would find yourselves appreciated as members of a vibrant and growing state that still believes in small government and indvidual liberty, and I believe you'd make natural partners.  Also, there's the guaranteed sale of a front and rear sight set - that's money in the bank on day 2!   As far as cons go, we do not have the rugged beauty of an Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, etc.  The state is still quite beautiful - it's more that our mountains aren't as large, and there's no antelope or sheep on them.  On the plus side, the fishing is good all over, and it never ever ever hits -20F in the wintertime.   Hope to see you here someday, Patrick   Should you decide to head this way, let me know.  I'll check the job postings and see if I can make myself useful.

Oh heck yes I did...adding yet another rifle caliber has me thinking its time to get a press as well.

I mailed an order for a Service Grade H&R on Monday...we'll see how long it takes.  Once the big day comes, is it worth it to take the rifle to a smith to get checked out?  What should I be looking for once it arrives?

EDIT: the screencap can't be displayed here.  Essentially, google couldn't find my (easy to find by other apps) address in suburban Franklin.  Figured the boss-man should know.

I couldn't get the app to accept my address, whether in full form or shortened.  I received this message (sorry for the giant graphic - I had hoped alt+printscreen would only capture the active window, but since the window is part of the browser, I guess you get the whole thing):  

Some observations: This looks incredibly fun, and I am now quite jealous. I can't believe this wasn't done by Americans - these were British guys, surprisingly. Yep, still jealous. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxhif43pLJ0&feature=player_embedded    

  I suppose they could change their name to "Democratic Party 2"...at least that would be more descriptive.  :shrug:   If there's not an official TGO style guide, we need one.  Entry number one shall dictate that if one uses a phrase such as "Democratic Party 2", it shall be followed by a colon, two spaces, and the following phrase:  "Electric Boogaloo".  This results in the more satisfying and entertaining "Democratic Party 2: Electric Boogaloo".  Please note that this usage is for any real or hypothetical sequels the author or authors may deem appropriate.  As an example:   I read in the paper that Ben Bernanke had authorized QE2, which I found out meant a 2nd round of Quantitative Easing.  It makes me uneasy to see money printed willy-nilly.   Look how much better things get with just a minor change:   I read in the paper that Ben Bernanke had authorized QE2:  Electric Boogaloo, which I found out meant a 2nd round of Quantitative Easing.  It makes me uneasy to see money printed willy-nilly.   Hope this helps.

The little missive I sent to magpul@magpul.com: To whom it may concern, I hope your efforts regarding stopping the recent anti-freedom bills introduced in the CO legislature bear fruit. Should they not, we'd love to have you here in Nashville, TN. No state income tax, a built-in workforce of skilled tradesmen and women, right to work laws, and a populace and legislature that would support your endeavors. Also, easy access to Fort Campbell, wherein you'll find many Magpul fans and therein eager testers of new products for the military and civilian markets. I'd further mention the high number of carry permits issued in the state to demonstrate TN's commitment to 2nd amendment rights for all citizens, as it is a shall-issue state. You'll note I did not mention the mountains, white-water rivers, hunting, fishing, camping, music, et. al. Come to Nashville and they're all within reach. Sure, your mountains are bigger, and you can ski and board for months on end out there, but here you'd be welcomed while you do your day job. Look into Williamson County, TN and you'll like what you find. Nissan did, as have hundreds of other businesses, ranging from startup bio / pharma operations to larger interests such as Mars, Ford Credit, and multiple major healthcare providers. Speaking as a resident, we are open for business and would love to have yours. For employees concerned about transferring, within a 35-mile radius of Nashville you'll find any kind of place a person might enjoy, from the truly rural all the way to urban, with plenty of options in between. If schools are a concern, the various county school districts are easily searched for student success data. Williamson is the best in that respect, but the surrounding counties have made great strides the last many years to catch up. Sumner County is well on its way to equaling Williamson Co. Schools. Excellent private schooling is available in every county. We get new and interesting restaurants on a regular basis, and several local brewers have only recently opened up shop here. We don't have a Flying Dog or an Avery here yet, but good craft brew is being made at Yazoo, Jackalope, and we have a brand new brewery in East Nasty that is getting good reviews. Bottom Line: We can give you much of what you have in Boulder, minus a few things: You have better mountains, especially when it comes to boarding or skiing. Regarding that, Southwest flies direct to DEN cheaply. I'm actually taking one of their flights tomorrow to go get some POW! at Vail. You also have tons of wannabe-hippies all over the place, who lately have been questioning why you should be allowed to exist at all. Sadly, some of them have been elected to high office. What you maintain: an NHL team that will make the playoffs, being surrounded by decent people. What you gain: Music, 24/7, all over the city, anytime between 3:00 and the next 3:00. It's not all country, and even the country you'd hear down Broadway isn't any top-40 BS. It's by mostly-serious pros doing old songs their own way. You'll like it. In addition, there's a good rock scene here, and plenty of venues for various indie bands as well. Name 'em, they've played Nashville. Hell, the Black Keys moved here (though from Canton, not Boulder, so it was probably easier in that respect). Here in Nashville, the hippie population is low and very focused. Last I checked, their deal was more organic veg at the Farmer's Market. Since they're unorganized and starving, I doubt they'll be any kind of an issue for an organization such as MagPul. Many TN hippie-types own guns, after all. They're into the spiritual side of hunting - good on 'em. Anyways, as a fan and customer, I figured I'd write in and make an unofficial Nashville sales pitch. One ast thing, ladies and gentlemen: PLEASE don't go to Austin. The denizens say it's not Texas, and they're right. After Fort Hood, they'd hate you 2nd. Regards from a TN MagPul fan and customer, I hope you find your way southeast soon, should CO not come to its senses, Patrick

Here's a letter (via another websitea9 which they posted on their Facebook page:   Magpul Letter   It seems that if the state they love (HQ'd in Boulder, CO) insists on running them out of the state, they'll comply and leave.  I'm inviting them to TN.

  The organized left has been steadily winning since the early 20th century by recognizing that their ever-greater controls act as a ratchet.  Click.  You can't do A.  Click.  You need a license to do B.  Click.  People who do C are outmoded / racist / backwards / an out group, so why protect them?  Click.  Notice that the power and size of the government only moves in one direction. They know this, and gun owners have always been a target.  It's never been about guns; rather it's always been about control.  The guns are a large nuisance to them, but the control of individuals is the ultimate goal.  Some of us read "1984" and saw a warning, while others seem to view it as an instruction manual.   Somewhat off-topic, anybody else ever notice it's only one side that demonizes private citizens and businesses that choose to deviate from or deny the current truth?

  After they provided the very guns they wish we didn't have to narco-terrorists in Mexico, blamed it on the evil BOOOOOSSHHH!!!, then denied it happened while stifling whistleblowers (and invoking executive privelege, which is a legal admission that President Momjeans had some level of involvement), followed up by saying their drone policy is OK because...not republicans, which the deep thinkers on the left think is a darned spiffy reason, all the while allegedly running guns (AGAIN!) from Libya to Syria without telling Petraeus - letting next-in-line Brennan do the dirty work...   That's just a short list of the extralegal actions this admin. has been up to.  At this point, anytime you find yourself saying "surely our government wouldn't...", assume whatever completes that sentence is coming next.   

Multiple confirmations late last night / early this evening.  Coordinates of the epicenter match a previous test site.  Approximate yield 20 megatons, so equivalent to Fat Man.  I saw an earlier report (Drudge? can't remember) that said the Norks had given advance warning to several countries, allegedly including the U.S., early Monday.   The UN Security Council will be issuing a strongly-worded letter shortly, I'm sure.

  Yes is the correct answer to this question.  How she became a national heroine after all the lying, obfuscating, and misdirection, starting from when she was fired from her first job (working against the Nixon folks on the Watergate deal - seriously, they had him dead to rights and she still felt compelled to lie and cheat) through Rose Law / Whitewater, and onward into Benghazi..."Yes, I'm hiding behind the bodies of 4 Americans whose murders I facilitated, but at this point, what does it even matter?"  I can't begin to understand how she's now the model of all that is goodness and light.

  Until the above is fixed, this is not a solution to a problem anybody has.  It's not like the local mall, movie theater, or restaurant reservethe right to search your car at any time, as many employers do.  Some kind of protection from unreasonable search, e.g. including strict probable cause requirements, would be a start.  Better would be protection from firing due to a weapon in the car, but I suspect that the legal issues involved there are so thorny and extensive nobody wants to take a run at squaring that circle.

I've gotten to the point where it seems like I skip through most of the 1500 songs on my phone due to overexposure / just having heard them too much.  Due to that, I've been actively seeking out new music to scratch my itchy ears.  I remembered hearing a song called "Brother" by a band called "Murder by Death" years ago on satellite radio and downloaded some of their stuff.  Despite the name, they're not a metal band...I really have a hard time explaining what they are, since they seem to move from one style to another pretty regularly, but seem to be mostly rock / folk / roots with others thrown in.  Also, they have a cellist, which is fairly unique for a four-piece act.  Anyways, if anybody else is looking for something new, here's some songs to check out (all safe links to YouTube, I just used tinyurl.com to keep this from being a monster of a post):   http://tinyurl.com/agxsjmk  This is the song "Brother" ref'd above.  Good song, some lyrics that may touch home for those with wayward family members, and lots of fun.  The most accessible of their songs that I've heard to date.   http://tinyurl.com/b8r9ven  "Rumbrave".  I don't pay much attention to lyrics, but I'm pretty sure there's something in there about killing the undead (and the living, apparently - the lyrics tend to be dark).   http://tinyurl.com/agvfx9a  This is "I'm Comin' Home" (I think...youtubers tend to be fairly flexible with how they title their vidoes).  I like it.  Did I mention their work tends to be dark in nature?   http://tinyurl.com/cmhz54d  And a link to "As Long As There is Whiskey in the World", which is a folky / Irish drinking song in nature.   http://tinyurl.com/cme7dmf  "Until Morale Improves"...not one of my favorites, but they do mention buckshot, so appropriate.   http://tinyurl.com/asrfhqx  "Steal Away".  Catchy and short.   http://tinyurl.com/bjlh94a  "White Noise".  Dark and heavy, moreso than I would think a 4-piece could pull off before I heard it, but it's a thumper of a song.   http://tinyurl.com/av3vvuj  "Sometimes You Walk the Line" is a stripped-down rock song.  Best played at high volumes, I've found.  I like this one a lot.   http://tinyurl.com/as9kruv  "Straight at the Sun" is old-school mid-60s surf rock with a modern twist.  This is my current earworm - in my head all the time, rent-free.    http://tinyurl.com/chgk3up  "Foxglove".  Neat arrangement, and it's somewhat positive-ish for these guys.   Anyways, I figured I'd share these.  Enjoy or ignore at your leisure.

Hard to believe he is the same guy who fronted Staind for so many years.  Can't say I'm a fan of this song, but at least he's done whining in song about how somebody else hurt his feelings.

I work 2nd shift on the edge on the edge of Les Projets  (say it like "lay prozhays" and it sounds better than The Projects) and eat out frequently.  No shortage of crazy people.  Since my employer prefers me disarmed, or rather mandates that, if I get the slightest twitch in the spidey senses, I move on quickly.  I've noticed an odd thing about the crazy crowd - after rush hour and before about 9:00, they're nowhere to be found.  Perhaps it's naptime, maybe they're hydrating in order to better piss all over the blue plastic back seat of a NPD cruiser; I don't know.  After 9:00, the professional weirdos are out in force.  That much I do know.

The method that I've found to be most effective requires the following:   1 friend or family member 2 shovels 1 ice chest Beverages for the chest Ice for the beverages   While enjoying the beverage of your choice, watch the mole trails.  When you or your partner see one moving, grab your shovels (being careful to set your beverages down - don't want to spill, after all) and head that way.  1 person jams his or her shovel into the ground six inches or so in front of the moving dirt.  The other then uses their shovel to flip Mr. Mole up out of the ground, at which point you could then place him gently in a bucket as one commenter already mentioned, or you can do what I prefer and whomp the piss out of him with the shovel that's already in your hands.  Repeat all steps as needed.

As Odenat said, springs wear via the continuous compression / release of loading and unloading.  Keeping a spring compressed or uncompressed shouldn't affect the life of the spring in any way - the life of the spring is determined by the number of times it is cycled between the compressed and uncompressed states.

Also, is it safe to assume that due to the number of people and amount of planning involved this will be a rain or shine event?

As of right now, I would be willing to do either...I don't know if we're getting called in to run production on a Saturday until ~10 days prior, so my commitment is tentative.   Any Nashville-area members looking to set up a carpool?  I have a 4-door Tacoma if you're short.