Hozzie

For me, it 6 of one, half dozen of the other.  I have two Mark III's and two 1911-22's.  All are fun to shoot and all function about equally.  Since you have the Mark I and already kind of know it, I would say try a 1911 style.  I prefer the Sig version of the 1911-22.  Nice gun for the money.  The GSG 1911-22 is the same gun, but I still prefer the Sig version. Plus you can get +4 followers from Joebobs for the Sig and GSG.

Not sure if you want to say, but if you can give us a budgetary idea, it would probably help with recommendations.  I would not buy new, but find an excellent condition used Garden Tractor, note that I didn't say lawn tractor.  A garden tractor is usually built a little heavier and will hold up over time better.  Plus it is capable of doing more.  Your budget will make a big difference in what I would recommend.    I would unequivocally recommend a riding mower though.  If there is any slope at all and you are a big guy, push mowing, even self-propelled will get old real fast.   

Technically by law you are required to always pay sales tax (self reported) if buying from a business out of state, but many don't.  The FFL will not collect it, you would have to self report. I always do of course  :pleased:

I absolutely despise solicitors.  If I want something, I will call you.  I find that with my 90lb Weimi barking like a mad man at the front door when I open it, they tend to not stick around when I say I am not interested.  Well, that and my pleasant demeanor that basically says get the "F" off my front porch.  I am ok with the neighbor kids selling cookies and such, but total strangers selling vacuums or preaching is no go.   

Federal Protective Service

I agree with both above.  I also chrono my loads.  Didn't get into that much detail in my example, but if you have one, use it.  It isn't required, but it will help get to the best load the quickest and assists with shooting safe loads.  If you don't have one, you can still get good loads, just don't push it if you don't have good load data.  If you will just be loading for 223 and 308, you should be able to find plenty of loads in manuals and online.  Just be sure to double check anything you find online with a manual to see if you are within a safe range.

I do all of my general testing at 100yds, but the best load could change over varying distances.  After my rifle is sighted in with one of the loads, I will then shoot 2 - 3 shot groups with all other loads, each with different bullet types and/or weight.  I don't sight in for each load, just the first typically as I usually only vary my loads by a grain or two depending on what I am loading and the hits don't move far.  I actually prefer to not hit where my crosshairs are as I want to make sure I am exact each time on target.  Hitting an inch high or low is good for me as I can see the group but not open my aiming point.  Once I shoot all of them and measure them, it is usually fairly easy to determine a powder or bullet that a rifle seems to like better.   How much I vary each load per powder depends on the overall spread shown for that powder in that bullet/caliber combination.  For example, if the min to max spread is 20gr to 25.5 gr I would probably load them at 20gr, 22gr, and 24gr, only going up to max if I saw significant evidence that the higher powder charge was giving the best accuracy of the 3.   For example, I would load (assuming they are within the manual max).   6rnds - IMR3031 (X gr), Sierra 55gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR3031 (X+2 gr), Sierra 55gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR3031 (X+4 gr), Sierra 55gr HPBT     6rnds - IMR3031 (X gr), Sierra 50gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR3031 (X+2 gr), Sierra 50gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR3031 (X+4gr), Sierra 50gr HPBT   6rnds - IMR4350 (Y gr), Sierra 55gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR4350 (Y+2 gr), Sierra 55gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR4350 (Y+4 gr), Sierra 55gr HPBT     6rnds - IMR4350 (Y gr), Sierra 50gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR4350 (Y+2 gr), Sierra 50gr HPBT 6rnds - IMR4350 (Y +4 gr), Sierra 50gr HPBT   and so on.....     If I can easily determine it is a powder the guns like best, I do more tests with a broader range of loads/bullets in that powder.  If it is a particular bullet that seems to do better across all powders, I will do more tests with just that one bullet.  Bullet weight and barrel twist will have a big impact on accuracy.   Another factor that affects the accuracy as well is OAL.  Some guns like to have the bullet off of the lands, some like the bullet seated right on the lands.  Depends on the gun.  I recommend getting an OAL gauge and knowing what your OAL for each gun is.  I use the Hornady which works fine.  I usually start with an OAL .010 off of the lands and go from there.   It is basically a process of elimination.  I have OCD so I have to try a bunch of combinations, but if you want to start with one powder and one bullet weight, just start with a conservative load based on the reloading manuals you have and increment up in powder not to exceed the max load. There are of course many other things that can affect the load (primer, runout, etc,), but this is how I do it based purely from a powder/bullet perspective.   Actually, load development is one of my favorite things about shooting.  It's a challenge to really see how well I can make a gun shoot based on just changing some very small details.

I am headed to Belgium this week. I will see if I can find some, it sounds like very useful stuff.

It's usually a very good show.  I go when I can.  I think it is worth the drive up.  I think it is one of, if not the best show within 2-1/2 hours of Nashville.

I suspect many of you have heard about this, but if you want to feel like less of a man, here is the ultimate video, "Alone in the Wilderness".  This is just a short excerpt, but if you have the time, I highly recommend watching this series.  If you haven't seen this, you owe it to yourself to watch it.  Keep in mind Dick started this when he was 51.  I just turned 38 and couldn't have done this.   http://youtu.be/iYJKd0rkKss

That was cool.  I love woodworking, but just don't have the patience for a lot of old manual handtool work.  I will stick with my power tools, although I do envy the no  (or very little) saw dust benefit of going old school.

At the end of the day, there is no hard proof.  I watched most of the hearing myself, and there is definitely compelling stories about what wasn't done, but I didn't hear one of them say Hillary, BO, or Kennedy gave the order not to go.  It came from AFRICOM if I remember right, which of course probably came with input from any/all of them.     While I think we all believe the guys that spoke today, there isn't a smoking gun that will support impeachment.

Very good video.  

Do not use a sit on zero turn if there is much of a hill at all.  It is unstable and can be hard to control (plenty of experience doing that and it isn't fun).  Another option is a walk behind zero turn with a velke.  You can mow on pretty steep hills with those pretty comfortably and they are by far the quickest mowing machines.  I would look for a used Exmark if I went that route.     I think with your amount of land, including that you said you will have a lot of landscaping, and if you only want one machine, I would highly consider a garden/subcompact tractor.  You will need a cart to pull around just for picking up the yard as well as potentially helping around with landscaping.  My parents have 5 acres, 4 of which is mostly wooded and my dad uses his small Kubota to move dirt, bushog the underbrush in the woods, and scrape the driveway.  He has a zero turn to mow with.  If you don't think you will ever need/want to do more with a tractor OR if you want to consider two machines, then a small tractor and a walk behind zero turn would be a good option.  You can find some good deals on Craigslist although this is a bad time of year for it.   My JD X534 is a 27HP Garden tractor with All-Wheel steer.  I can cut down to a 10-12" circle  It works great, but takes some getting use to as anything.  I bought it as a hybrid between a zero turn and garden tractor so I could do more with it.  I got it off craigslist for $3700 which was a great deal.  Had 280hrs and looked like new.  Deals are out there, you just have to look.   None of the machines I recommend are cheap, but properly maintained, they will last and will retain a higher value should you decide to trade up later.  Anything you buy from home depot or lowes is worth nothing as soon as you leave IMO, but it may do everything you want it to.

Congrats.  I am also a John Deere guy and prefer Stihl small engine tools (weedeater and chainsaw). Always have been and probably always will be into those two brands (and Kubota).  I have an X534, but it depends what you want to do with it.  If you just want to mow and don't have a lot of slope, a zero turn is good.  If you want to pull things and have a little more stability on slopes, a garden tractor would be good.   My other suggestion since you have a little land and may make use of a bucket is a subcompact tractor.  My dad has a Kubota 2660 (26HP Diesel) with a bucket. You can put a finish mower on and do a lot with it.  He bushogs and has a small box blade.  It's a pretty handy little tractor and about the same size as my tractor.  John Deere makes one as well.     Enjoy the house, it's nice to have some room.

Can't fix stupid! - Ron White

I would say yes as long as it is in writing.  I believe there is a 3-Day return period by law as well, so either should allow you to take it back. 

204 Ruger and 300Blk for me.  I am really looking forward to getting the lowers whenever it happens.

Hi David, I am also interested in some 204 brass.  Let me know how much per/1000 and I will let you know how much I want.   Thanks sir.

  It's not that I don't take it seriously, but in my opinion, putting all of this through a court will just lead to frustration and ultimately no improvement over what there is today.  Granted, I am not sure we have that big of problem, but I am willing to concede that these things are going to happen every now and then and it is part of the risk we take living with the freedoms we live with.   It will also cost a lot of money to put all of these things through the court system.  I am already tired of paying more than I think I should.  Maybe it shouldn't be up to one Psychologist or Psychiatrist.  Maybe it should be agreement between say 3 people vs just the court system.  There has to be something that isn't as subjective as one person, yet so cumbersome as having all of these things go through court.  I am no more convinced I will get someone concerned about my rights in the court system as I would with a therapist.  The only surefire way to prevent someones right from being taken away is to never get treatment and I don't condone that either.     For me the choices are 1) live with the system the way it is and accept that these things will happen, 2) pay more taxes and put all of this through the court or 3) give some more authority to the Dr's who are seeing these people.  I am ok with 1, but I suspect most aren't.  I can live with 3 if there is more of a group decision needed, but I am not for 2.  I am tired of getting raped by all of the govt bureaucracy and adding more isn't really my idea of a good plan.

I don't want undo oversight into this, but we can't complain that the mental health system is broke and then complain when they want to improve the reporting of the mental health information to the NICS system.  The issue for me isn't the reporting (I actually agree that this should be mandatory), but rather what qualifies a person to be on that list and who can determine that.  There needs to be some solid standards on that, but it can't be a case where someone crazy doesn't think they should be on the list because they think 'I am not crazy" by their thoughts.  Do we want to make it where only those who are found by a court to be crazy are on that list.  Our court system is so efficient, I see that working well (not), plus now I have to pay more for something that I don't think would help a lot.  There has to be some reasonable middle ground.  Don't get me wrong, going to a psychologist or psychiatrist should be encouraged if needed and that shouldn't be the only reason needed to put you on list.    HIPPA is there to protect people, but we can't use that as an excuse to not to give any info that would keep people who really shouldn't own guns from getting them.  Will it keep some from seeking help, probably, but it isn't a perfect world.  

He was specifically referring to transactions between family, not backgrounds checks overall.  He would never admit the Background Checks overall are bad.

I have a Browning Cynery Euro, Ruger Red Label, and Beretta White Onyx.  I like all three, but the Browning fits me the best and I find that it "points" the most natural for me.  For that amount of money I would avoid the Red Label purely due to weight.  It is built well, but you feel it when carrying it a while.  The Beretta is very nice as well, close to the Browning, but not quite as good for me.    The Citori's are great guns.  I liked the more modern looking Cynergy Euro (although I know some think it strays too far from the classic look).  I agree also that the CZ (Huglu makes it) is a nice gun, but not up to the fit and finish of the Browning or Beretta in my opinion.     I would think you have some some nice guns stores in your area.  Go hold a few and see which wants "points" naturally when you bring it to your shoulder.  That is the one I would go with.  Once you know which one fits you the best, decide if new or used is best for you.     Good luck with your search.

  That would be cool.  Prefer Multi marking vs 5.56, but that's not a big deal.  Like the idea of matching lowers though (I realize it isn't in the plans for now)

I will take two.  Consecutive serials would be good.