Clod Stomper

If you really need some 22 mag, Walmart in Alcoa had some yesterday. Also had some (I think) Tula .380. They seem to have had plenty of .38 Super +p for a while. Seems like a good reason (for me) to look for a pistol chambered in that round.

I'm sure that's the case. Fortunately, I stocked up on most of what I need before '08. I hand load all of my ammo except .22 lr and my carry ammo. I do remember seeing AR lowers showing up at gun shows for 100 bucks or less sometime in 2010. I have several boxes of .22 that have a 2010 date on them (yes, I write the date I purchased it on the box. Don't judge me. ) from Walmart after it started showing back up on the shelves. That's what I'm basing my recollection on. If other shooting commodities were still in short supply, I've been fortunate enough to not be affected.

I don't have any experience with glocktriggers.com. But I replaced my trigger connector with a 3.5 lb connector. I really like it much better now. It is smoother and lighter. Not really crisper, though. I can't remember where I got it. Probably Brownell's or Lone Wolf. Either way, it's only a few bucks. Give it a try before shelling out $150.

I gave up making predictions a good while back. But I do believe this is temporary. The shortage that began in 2008 lasted a couple of years. That's including "evil" guns and parts. We're less than a year from the last election and Newtown, and EBRs are already back to reasonable prices. I believe ammo won't be far behind. Again, I'm not making a prediction. Just saying what I think based in past experience.

Here's another thought... since 9mm Federal ammo is extremely rare, maybe the revolvers chambered for it are cheaper. Were they able to chamber 9mm NATO? It's a stretch, I know...

I think they started out making a conversion cylinder for S&W revolvers. I always wanted one, but waited too long.

How about a Medusa revolver? It shoots 9mm (and .357 and .38 Spl and .380, etc.) http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Firearms/Revolvers/Medusa_Model_47.htm I've never seen one in person, so they may be difficult to find.

Nope. Spend 50 bucks and buy a house in Detroit for a bug-out location.

That is encouraging. Now I'm asking this as a person who has little knowledge of the power grid. What about the computer systems that control the power grid? What if THEY get fried by an EMP or solar flare? Will

They've made it as far as Blount Co here in ETN. I have yet to see any in Knox yet. I suspect that as we move out of this warm cycle, they'll gradually retreat back south. After that particularly cold winter we had ('10-'11 maybe?), I didn't see any in Monroe Co until near the end of summer.

If I had any money, I'd make an offer. I still wish I'd bought one when I had my C&R and they could still be found.

It's between Etowah and Athens. I used to go there occasionally back in my youth. Good times.

We recently had a 'coon in the backyard with the dogs. It looked like it may have had distemper. It was trying to get in the dog house with the dog inside. Had flies blowing it, too. Nasty. So to keep it from giving whatever it had to the dogs, I went ahead and shot it in the head (I'm not in the city limits), then called animal control. I thought they may be interested if it did indeed have distemper or rabies. Nope. The only time they test them is if there has been contact with people or pets. They wouldn't even come get it. So I took it to my Dad's in another county and burned it.

T-shirt. Over the pistol. Nobody will notice. That is all. Will

At some point one of these thug "protestors" (rioters) will attack a white person and get shot for it. I'm afraid that's all it's going to take to escalate this to a whole new level. The grandmother in the van had every right to defend herself from assault and get her granddaughter to the hospital. What if she had done so with a gun? There would be a whole new "Justice for (insert thug's name here) campaign. If this BS doesn't simmer down soon, it's going to boil over. I suspect that is what some black "leaders" want to happen.

I've always wanted to.  I even collected a 50 gallon barrel full of hardwood ash.  I don't have time right now to bother with it, and I would like the barrel off my carport.   So if anyone wants some hardwood ash to leach the potassium hydroxide out of, it's free for the taking.   Also in the Classifieds.  http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/67958-anyone-here-make-soap-free-hardwood-ash/   Will

No.  You are not legally required to inform an officer that you are carrying on contact.  If they ask, though, you have to tell them.     That said, I've happened across some LEOs that don't know the law and will give you a lecture about it on the side of the road.  Just smile and nod.

If person One has just punched person Two in the nose, then person One (usually) has no cause to shoot person Two for punching person One in the nose in return. However, if person One was following person Two because he or she was acting suspiciously and person Two punches person One in the nose for following person Two, then, IMO, person One has cause to shoot person Two in self-defense. To personalize this. No one has a right to punch me in the nose for for any reason other than me physically accosting them. Will

  It usually gets semi-tolerable between the time kids go back to school in August and when the leaves start turning in October.  But yeah, January through March is the best time.

Speaking of creepy bunnies...   http://www.flickr.com/photos/74339175@N05/9301796589/   http://www.flickr.com/photos/74339175@N05/9304577580/   Yes, that was in my front yard last Easter.  Mothers-in-law... sheesh...       Sorry, I don't know how to insert a pic into the post.  I tried.    

Last couple times we ate at Sargent Pepperoni's, it had really went downhill. When they first opened, it was outstanding. I hope they have come back around.

I should have mentioned that you should not drive through Pig in Forage or Seeeverville. Next time go through Townsend. The Rangers at Abrams Cr trailhead did a pretty good job of sizing you up without harassing you or even mentioning the weapon, huh. :) It is sad that so many families were displaced by the fedgov when the park was created. The Smokies were full of homesteads in the '30s. It is very telling that one group of people who were given a lifetime lease (some of which were somehow passed on for generations) were the owners of the cabins just above the campground where you camped. They weren't poor farmers, though, they were well-connected city folk. Those cabins were weekend getaways. The last lease expired, I think, around 2000-2001. The only other exception I know of was a farmer in Cades Cove, Kermit. Can't remember his last name. He ran cattle there until he died. Also sometime around 2000 IIRC. Not sure which brochure you were reading, but the thing about the red wolves is funny. There were never enough wolves to even make a dent in the deer population. Parvo (I think) kept killing them. They eventually abandoned that project. That was a great write-up of your trip. Thanks for sharing.

You do NOT want to get caught shooting a snake in the park.  You'll go to jail for that one.  Just leave them alone along with the bears.  Keep your distance from both, and all will be fine.  If you see a venomous snake in the campground, tell the hosts or VUAs and they'll move it if it may endanger campers. No, I'm not a snake-lover.  But I don't want to see someone get arrested for shooting one.  I've removed several rattlesnakes and copperheads from Elkmont campground.  Mainly because people just won't leave things alone.  The rattlers were very docile.  There was one copperhead though that was very cranky and would start striking if you got anywhere near it.  When we tossed it out of the box, it came BACK, striking. Mean little SOB. Remember, National Parks are there primarily to preserve the nature or history within.  Not primarily for our recreation.  There are other places set aside for different uses, including recreation.     Back on topic:  This is one reason I built an AR pistol.  It's more compact, easier to hide (no, not on my person), more discreet and it's legally covered by my HCP.  So I don't have to worry about how it's cased, loaded, etc.  Functionally, it's a long gun.  Legally, it's a pistol.  I know you have a rifle and not a pistol, but it may be something to think about for future travels.   Will

Do what you're most comfortable with. I don't know what you drive, but rifle or not, keep all valuables out of sight. Vehicles do get broken into regularly in the park, but usually because somebody leaves things in sight. In the campground, I'd leave it in the vehicle (along with your food). Pay close attention when the fee collectors or hosts read you the campground rules. If you leave some food or coolers out while you go somewhere else, they WILL take them back to the kiosk and you will probably end up with a fine. Playing by the rules is the best way to avoid negative run-ins with Rangers. Don't worry about them not knowing the law, however. The Park Rangers I know are the most professional LEOs I've encountered. Unless you get stopped by some rookie who just transferred from Hippy Valley Natl Park, they're not going to suspect you of poaching. Believe me, they know who the poachers are. And they're mostly in North Carolina. The law in the NP is whatever the law of the state it is in. I don't know the law of NC, but you already know the law about carrying a long arm in TN. As far as the B and B, do you have a discreet case it can be broken down an put into? That's what I usually do. It's rare for me to drive more than hour from home without taking a long gun. Oh, and about the 3G in the campground. BWAHAHA! You'll be lucky to get a weak cell signal. Closest place to get a signal is to leave the campground, turn right on Little River Rd (toward Cattleburg), top over the hill at Laurel Falls trailhead where parking lots on both sides of the road will be full of the cars of "hikers" waddling up to Laurel Falls. As you start down the other side, park at the first overlook. You should get a pretty good signal from town there.

It's unlikely that you'll be far from your car if you're near a federal building.  Most tourons just do not want to walk all that far.     With that said, I haven't been to the visitor center at the Dome.  But I'm betting it's close to the parking lot.