FIRERESCUEO2

Back on topic. Freedom will always come with a price ......... True patriots and heroes are willing to risk everything. How many we have amongst us is hard to say - but they are out there and will show up when the time of need arrives. I'm afraid of what lies ahead for our future as a country - but I will stand tall, with my head held high, firm in my beliefs that this is the greatest country in the world. Because the people like you and I are what make this country great - not our government. When the time comes, we will show the world what it means to be an American. When we've finally had enough, the few will stand up for the many. I firmly believe that we, as a nation, have once again become a "sleeping giant" - and nap time is almost over! The question is, will you be watching or will you step forward and stand beside the few?

Wow! Very impressive ........ One of the best setups I've ever seen - period! It appears Chucky is on watch as well ......

Oh, and one more note ........ If I even question one of my loads, I stop, back up, go over all of my data, and will (have) pull all of my loads and start over. It's always better to be safe than sorry. If your going to reload a lot, you can't beat a good puller either. I used to use a kinetic hammer style - but now I use the RCBS puller die on any application it will fit and have multiple caliber collets to go with it. It's saved my hinnie a few times on rifle loads and is well worth the investment.   B

As a rule of thumb, I usually start out around 10% under suggested max load and build up from there looking for signs of pressure until I get a good combination of accuracy/pressure good enough for the range. The only difference are my 38SP/357 paper loads which are very, very light anyways and 22-250 at which I started and stayed at 36gr of RL15/Varget using 50gr Vmax based on a ton of feedback from many varmint hunters. The many shooting/reloading forums found today are priceless for reloaders.   I believe I did read somewhere that the Max loads of today are a bit lower than years ago for a "built-in" safety factor from the manufacturers. .......... but, some powder and brass manufacturing/brands have changed as well - so it's a good idea to follow the suggestions here and start low based on manufacturers load data - then build up from there watching for any signs of over-pressure, etc.   Just my .02 cents 

I was born and raised in MI .......... SW MI as a matter of fact. It's sad to see what has, and still is, happening to my home state ......   The unfortunate thing for Michiganders is that the majority of residents and districts that are typically Non-Union are often "represented" by the much heavier unionized districts such as those surrounding Detroit. The area I grew up in, Grand Rapids/Holland area, was mainly Non-Union - but was a major part/component supplier for the big 3 and almost every other automotive manufacturer in existence. When most people think "union" the UAW instantly comes to mind - but there are many other unions out there such as Electrical workers, Pipe fitters, Welders, Carpenters, Painters, Iron Fitters, Boilermakers, Shipbuilders, Teamsters, Railroad, Teachers, Bakers, Law Enforcement, Firefighters, etc... Being raised non-union most of my life, I was taught to despise unions and everything that goes along with them. Now that I am older and have experience working with, around and for different unions, I see both sides of the unionized and non-unionized labor force and some of the things that each stands for. I simply feel that unions do still have their place in America. I believe unionized labor has many good points, especially the skilled labor force that has no equal, but unions also have an equal or greater amount of bad points due to laziness, greed, power and politics. The union can be a great tool to protect workers in many, many ways - but it can just as easily be used to protect poor employees, bully employers, sway political votes and threaten anyone who gets in the way. Unions are a money generating machine with the power of hundreds of thousands of workers behind them that can easily influence local, state and national politics as we just witnessed in the last election. Below is a small example of what I have come to understand/witness first hand ......... Pros- Workers have a voice (together as a group vs single employee) Workers have protection from employer abuse, firing and neglect Workers have out of pocket benefit costs reduced due to large group discounts Workers/Skilled trades usually have proper training standards including apprenticeships where applicable Workers stand up for other union members - regardless of union affiliation Cons- Workers have too many rights in certain cases Poor workers/lazy workers are protected by the union Saturation of non-productive work force Waste of member union dues on union parties, conventions, politics, etc. Pressure on workers to vote/think/act the "union way" Thug mentality I am one of the few people that feel the unions can be a good organization used to protect the workforce - but unfortunately, just like politics, it's mostly operated and controlled by greed and power. A few examples of both sides of the fence ....... 1. A great teacher with tenure and many years of service and experience is replaced by a teacher who just graduated college with no tenure or experience due to budget cuts to the school. 2. A great worker with many years of service and experience is replaced by a new worker with no time or experience due to wage, benefit and vacation cost difference to the employer. 3. A great skilled trades worker with the proper training, education, background and skill set is replaced by a worker with little to no training or skills due to wage, benefit and vacation cost difference to the employer - putting both the new employee and those around him/her, as well as the employer, at risk. 4. A tenured teacher who could care less about teaching and preparing students for the future is protected and cannot be fired. 5. A worker who continually abuses the system, misses work, files injury claims etc. is protected and cannot be fired. 6. A worker who threatens, bullies or intimidates others is protected and cannot be fired. 7. A great worker who is 60 years old, who worked for the same company for 42 years, who never missed a day of work and has an excellent work record is replaced by an 18 year old worker just out of high school due to the company reorganizing - which really means the employer is shaving costs by hiring a new employee at a much lower wage and overall expense. Now this same 60 year old worker must go back out into the workforce and will be viewed as too old or over-experienced for most jobs.

Yup, I installed a lot of generators for folks because the power grid was going to certainly fail, along with all of the computer systems in the world ............. that's got to qualify for "out of the norm".

I don't see a problem with people questioning what they see .......... and I'm proud to be a member here and other forums where people voice their opinions and we all get a chance to agree, argue or debate - in a mostly civilized manner.   What should shame you is the current leadership of this country!

I watched it ........ the whole thing. I'm not trying to downplay the situation by any means but not only the way he wiped the "tears" seemed odd, I told my wife during the live broadcast that it seemed very strange that he was reading every single word (word for word) from notes and was constantly staring at the paperwork. I know he normally uses a telle-prompter - but this was different. It would seem that if you were truly speaking to the nation and it was coming from the heart, which this situation should surely deserve, you would do just that - face the camera and speak from inside your soul - not read a pre-written series of lines. I also thought it seemed that he was reading something that someone else had written because of the way that he stumbled with each line of the message. Hmmmm ......... truly a "heart felt" moment there Mr. President. I'm sorry, but the families of the victims and the people of this country deserve better - much, much better! This was not the place nor time for swinging into your gun ban agenda. I am truly sickened and saddened by this event - but at the same time, this President continues to infuriate me!

My heart goes out to the families .......... this is very, very sad for everyone. Band together Amigos - we'll need to stay strong to defend our rights against acts like this. Unfortunately, this type of gun violence will never end .......... but the legal gun owners will always pay the price.   I wish one of those teachers could have defended the class with a firearm - this just blows my mind that someone is capable of something so evil.

What blows my mind is my home state of Michigan and the heavy automotive and supplier industry. 2009/2010 they have a complete meltdown in the automotive, banking and housing market affecting nearly every resident. Many residents lose everything. Countless families leave the state. The only thing I have to compare to it is what I know of the Great Depression. Automakers go belly up, countless automotive suppliers go belly up and Big Brother comes to rescue the UAW. GM stock becomes worthless during a bailout scheme (that all taxpayers get to pay for), which in turn, renders countless retirements based on GM stock worthless. GM comes out with new stock now owned by the UAW and Big Brother - again at taxpayer expense. Electric cars are mandated and battery plants are created in SW Michigan ......... Big surprise that they went under as well - all funded once again by the taxpayers. And what do they do? Vote the same party back in again ......... Why? Because the same UAW, union and government leaders getting the bribes, kickbacks and payouts at taxpayer expense plea to the unionized workers to vote the same way they always have. Look at the demographics ......... tiny bits of Blue concentrated in the slums and inner neighborhoods of large, industrial, unionized cities, colleges and universities. It really sucks and is soooo frustrating to always be out-voted by such a small number of counties - but we were used to that in Michigan. We thought maybe, just maybe, this time would be different.......... but we were dead wrong and the residents will continue to suffer.

Sorry to hear that ....... been there, bought the T-Shirt, Sweat-Shirt, Pants, Hat and socks 2009 back home in Michigan. The wife was laid off first and then I got hit 3 months later ........ domino effect during the great automotive crash. We didn't even work in automotive - but just about everyone and every business was affected and suffered in some way. It really hit our state hard and many friends and family lost everything. Many people like us moved to another state just to find work. We lost our jobs, our house, our savings, life-long friends and neighbors. We lived off credit cards for a while because it took me 8 months to even find work - which thankfully was down here in East TN. It was a tough decision to leave home but at the time it was the only option we had that would keep us out of bankruptcy. It took us 1 year to sell our house back home - which was at a huge loss, but at least we sold it. We now rent because after 40 years of excellent credit, multiple home and car loans and never missing a payment - we were forced into a short-sale due to the lack of work. We were thrown into the storm of uncertainty, depression and bad credit because for the first time in our lives we were stuck. The bank had just started a foreclosure when we were offered a short sale on our home - so we decided to cut the losses and take the short sale. We've worked here in E TN now for about 3 years, have paid off all credit debt and never gave up. The state offered us all kinds of freebies if we would just give up - but we didn't feel that was an option. It's a shame that the government makes it so easy to just take handouts if you are willing to give up. It was tough to go through, but we made it by being a tight-knit family with a strong work ethic, morals and values. We knew we needed to make a sacrifice and that would require going to where the work was - so that's what we did. We still cannot get another mortgage due to the start of a foreclosure, but now I feel like it may be a blessing at this point. With the way things are going we might be right back into the storm at any point. We take life one day at a time now ........ wondering, waiting, guessing what the future may hold for us - but being somewhat optimistic at the same time. We pay for everything with cash except for 1 car payment. It really sucks to live this way, but after the sour taste of such loss, we are really gun-shy about getting a loan on anything of major expense. We pay more for rent that I would prefer but it gives us the option to up and leave/move at any point if the need should arise. If Romney would have won I think we would have considered purchasing another home here in Tennessee a little more confidently - but now we won't unless we can pay for it in cash - which will take a while. Our priorities have definitely changed along with what is and what is not truly important. It was a harsh wake-up call but I think it prepared us well in advance for what is yet to surely come. So, to make a long story short - My family and I personally feel your pain and wish you, your family and all the others going through the same thing now, and in the near future, the very best. It's a tough road - but you can make it. Just keep your head held high, keep your family strong and do whatever it takes to move on. I'm afraid it's just going to get a lot worse from here.

Nice ....... and that is the hard part. Figuring out a decent balance between wants and needs to keep the weight and costs down. Here's what I did ........ Buy my first AR in 5.56 Buy a crap-load of ammo Buy more Hi-Cap Mags Buy a set of BUIS Sights Buy an Optic Buy an Optic Mount Buy a Rail to mount more options Buy a High End Light w/pressure pad Buy a High End Bi-Pod Buy a Long Range Scope Buy a High End Quick Release Scope Mount Buy an Eotech Buy an Eotech Quick Release Mount Buy a Collapsible Stock Buy a Better Collapsible Stock Buy another upper in 458SOCOM Buy Ammo for the 458 Buy a reloading setup for the 458 Buy another lower for the 458 Buy an Aimpoint for the 458 Buy an Aimpoint mount for the 458 Buy a few more HiCap Mags Buy another upper to reduce the OAL of the 5.56 Buy a light weight rail for the 5.56 Buy another upper for a dedicated .22LR Buy another lower for the dedicated .22 Buy another Scope for the .22 Buy another Scope Mount for the .22 Sell all ARs to pay off remaining debt....... Get out of debt ........ Start over ......... It's a sickness - like Lego's for adults .......... My name is Brian, and I'm an addict I hope to get back into ARs at some point - but having a lot of fun along the way

[quote] Senator Dianne Feinstein Moves To Ban ALL Assault Rifles, High Capacity Magazines and Pistol Grips [/quote]I can definitely understand the pistol grips ........ very, very dangerous. They alone are responsible for countless killings and should be outlawed! How rediculous! I'm so sick of this crap. I wish the great leaders of this country would put this kind of effort into something a lot more helpful like ridding our neighborhoods of illegals, meth-heads, drug dealers, rapists, thugs and child molesters. Oh, wait a minute ....... what am I thinking? Those are the majority of voters that they count on each election. Defending this country from enemies, both foreign and domestic, is defined by our 2nd amendment rights. It's what made us who we are. Who in their right mind would even consider taking that away.......... I vote we send anyone who pushes these types of senseless bans over to the front lines for 6 months to a year and have them face to face with real killers. I bet they crap in their pants and go into the fetal position. Don't sit behind a cushy desk telling us, the sheeples, what works best. Get your ass out in the real world for a wake-up call. Let's wake them up to the realities of war, terror and the hatred towards all Americans. Maybe, just maybe, the true value of freedom and what it might actually take to keep it will sink in. I know, I know, I'm just dreaming .............

I know many of us feel the same way, but I will never give up. I'll not quit the fight until my last dying breath. Our country and those who have in the past, and continue to fight for our rights and freedoms need every single one of us to stand and continue the fight. Never surrender!

[quote name='EYEMAN' timestamp='1352323392' post='841318'] Normally, I am optomistic, but when we have a population of a country that shares the same morality and ethics of our present leader, we are in deep trouble. I concur with the message I saw on a bumper sticker the other day. It read "Obama or America - you can't have both". [/quote]My wife just told me about seeing that same thing. I love it!