Clod Stomper

You can, but you'll need to have your barrel threaded for screw-in choke tubes. Just kidding, if course. It won't hurt anything. Just be sure to wear eye protection because the shot is more likely to bounce back and put your eye out.

I am cross-dominant as well. Right hand/left eye. I shoot long guns left handed and handguns right handed. Teach her that way while she is still young and it will be perfectly natural for her for life. Trying to shoot a rifle right handed with a dominant left eye is an exercise in futility.

I have a Polytech M14S. They used to be a great deal when they were 400-500 bucks. They have forged receivers, but allegedly the bolts can be soft which can lead to excessive headspace eventually. I know my bolt will close on a no-go gauge. I don't think I've tried a field gauge. Now, the only ones I've seen for sale are 800-1000. I wouldn't pay that, but I'd scoop one up if it was $500. Replace some parts with USGI or quality aftermarket and you have a rifle that's better than a Springfield for less dough.

Hate to tell you this....  but the M-16 predates the Mini 14.     Also don't want to hijack the thread...   I assume that the ammo was issue.  In most incidences such as this, the accused culprit is handloaded ammo.  I doubt that this is the case here.  Whether it was a stuck bullet (doubtful) or SEE, the issue ammo is most likely the cause.  I'll certainly be interested in further investigation.   And this is what I absolutely love about the AR platform.  Almost any catastrophic failure will not seriously hurt the user.  Conversely, I am acquainted with (friend of friends) a person who experienced a KB with a bolt rifle.  Practically ripped half his face off.  Looking at the scar, he looks lucky to be alive.     I don't shoot centerfire bolt rifles much anymore.  But I feel perfectly safe firing an AR.  Even with handloads.   Will

I have attended several Appleseeds.  Great value for the training.  I even set up a table at a gun show several years ago to promote them.  They teach the history of the beginning of the Revolutionary War as well as practical rifle marksmanship.     There were a few Appleseeds a few years ago in East Tn.  A couple near Kingston and one between Knoxville and Maynardville.  I don't know why those places quit hosting.  I earned my Rifleman patch at one of those.  Unfortunately, I haven't been keeping up with the Appleseed Project lately.   Will

Hey!  That's when I started!     My Dad had me shooting a .36 cap-and-ball when I was 2.  

Exactly.  I saw the same thing with the ones at Walmart.  It's ridiculous.   I'll probably stop by Greene's next week.  I also think I know where that surplus store is on Alcoa Hwy that gjohnsonIV mentioned.  It's pretty nondescript, but I've passed it thousands of times.   Thanks,   Will

Yes, thank you. I hadn't thought of surplus stores. I'll check them out.

A little pricey, but that's about what I would expect for a high quality metal jerry can. Looks like the ones I used to use when I worked with NPS and they were really good. I hope to find something a bit cheaper, though. I may end up getting those eventually anyway. I'll check the surplus stores first though. Thanks. Will

I need a couple more 5-gallon fuel cans. I refuse to pay $20 for a crappy plastic can at the Walmart or Lowes. The "safer" they make the nozzles, the junkier they get. So can I get any leads on a good metal can in the Knox area? I would also buy a plastic can if it's reasonably priced. Sportsman's Guide has metal "jerry" cans for less than 30 bucks but if I can get some locally and save on shipping, I'd rather do that. Thanks, Will

No, the jig is not necessary.  It just makes it much easier to locate holes.  If you have a mill and know how to use it, you'll be fine.  I finished my 80% lower without a jig and I'm not a machinist.  It is a bit sloppier than a factory lower, but it works.   That said.  If I finish another one, I'll use a jig.   Will

  I guess you just made clear where you stand.  I wish I could change your mind, but I'm not a very persuasive person.   Just keep in mind that the elitists and power-hungry will not stop with "dangerous"-looking rifles and handguns.  If they get those, they will come for handguns.  Then bolt rifles, then shotguns, then single-shot rifles, etc., etc.  If they believe they have the power to control, or confiscate, one type, they will give themselves the power to take them all.     If you are referring to only restricting ownership by the mentally ill and/or violent criminals, then I am right there with you.  However, if a person cannot be trusted with a gun, then they should not be trusted to operate a vehicle or have access to any other implement with which to do harm.  I mean to say, they should be in prison or a mental institution where their every move can be controlled.   As an aside... Back when the first "AWB" passed, I showed one of the rifles affected by the ban to a relative.  Most of my relatives are enthusiastic hunters, btw, as was I at the time.  He asked if it was a rifle that one could use to hunt.  I replied that it was (it was a Kalashnikov pattern rifle).  So he then says "Then how can they ban it?"  A complete short-sighted lack of understanding of not only the 2nd Amendment, but of law and government in general.     Regards,   Will

  Ummm...   I didn't take his statement as condemning ALL hunters.  Nor did most, I gather.  But a previous post, plus the post above, gives us a glimpse as to where you actually stand in the matter.   http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/50832-petition-to-stop-magazine-ban-sign-it-asap/?p=795276           And while I realize that neither post can be construed as advocating bans, we can infer that you support one.  Here, in a public forum.   I hope to be wrong.  Please tell me that I'm mistaken.

I have no idea where that is, but I bet it has hourly rates. As far as reflective bags, they'll keep you alive, but as others have said, they are no replacement for a real sleeping bag. I used one of these once to keep warm overnight at about 11,000 feet. http://www.nationalfirefighter.com/product_info.php?cPath=152_228&products_id=1021&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=bing_shelter Except the one I slept under was an older generation and had no floor. Fortunately, I had a friend to share bodyheat with. Unfortunately, I had sent my own backpack, with my jacket and "survival" gear on ahead of me with the last helo ride back to camp. I didn't know at the time that it would be the last helo flight of the day. I don't know what the temp got to that night, but it was at least in the low 40s. Probably 30s. We deployed the fire shelter around midnight. Fortunately it was the only time I had to deploy a fire shelter, and it was to keep heat IN instead of keeping heat OUT. It seems to be made of essentially the same stuff except fire shelters have a couple extra layers to maintain stiffness. They work very well to block radiant heat, but they are difficult to wrap close to your body.

In general, .22s shouldn't be dry-fired.  I've seen the results on a S&W .22 LR pistol.  The breech was peened and needed to be re-reamed.  I've never seen such damage on any Ruger .22.  Even after being dry-fired hundreds or thousands of times.  They design it so that the firing pin doesn't reach the breech face.   CZ-52s shouldn't be dry-fired.  Though I have one, I haven't dry-fired it.  I've always read that the firing pins are more brittle than modern guns.  I'm not willing to test it, lest I have to buy a new firing pin.  They used to be fairly easy to find, but I don't know about the present situation.   The manual for the Taurus PT-92/99 (from the '90s) says not to dry-fire.  It has been a few times without obvious damage, but the manual says no, so I don't do it.   Others that I have dry-fired hundreds to thousands of times without obvious damage:  Various 1911s.  AR-style rifles.  Glocks.  Colt-style single action revolvers and Ruger-style single-action revolvers.  Marlin lever-action rifles.  Savage 99 rifles.  Mauser rifles (excepting '89-'91-based rifles.  Don't dry-fire those.).  Mosin-Nagant rifles.  Lee-Enfield rifles.  M-14-style rifles.  Ruger Mini-14/30 rifles.  Various (modern) Remchester and Winington rifles.   Do some research.  If you hear that you should not dry-fire that particular model (or if it's a rimfire), do not dry-fire it.  Otherwise, don't worry about it.

  HA HA HA HA HA HAHAHAH!!!   Boy, that shur is funnee.   wHewr'd yew come u p wit that'n?  Are U a comed.... a comid...  a funny guy?     Kin you tell us sum mor?     Don't use too many big words.  We're just simple folk down here in tha stix.

I think there is another thread that addresses this very thing. But in short, it was a bit like this time except not as bad because no one expected it to pass. Mag manufacturers did crank out as many mags as they could leading up to it. After it did pass, manufacturers simply changed the cosmetics of the affected guns to comply with the law. Renamed the ones that were named in the law. So for 10 years, you couldn't have a flash suppressor or bayonet lug on your AR, unless you had a thumb hole stock or eliminated some other "dangerous" feature. I seem to recall someone even making a pump action AR-style rifle. It was ridiculous. It will be ridiculous this time if it passes again. This law will be stricter, so it will be more ridiculous. My prediction? It barely passed a democrat-controlled congress the first time. Now the republicans control the house. And many dems still remember the trouncing they got in the '94 election mostly because of the AWB. I don't think we'll see an AWB legally pass both houses. That's not to say that there will not be other attempts, like an executive order or the UN arms treaty. Of course, I've been wrong before.

I think you're in pretty good shape. Add some water and a bit of food. If you're planning on 3 to 5 days, collecting food is a secondary consideration. You can carry what you need. Ramen noodles and energy bars are plenty. You may get hungry, but so what? Most of us carry a few days extra calories around our midsection anyway. Here is my priority list for a 3 to 7 day get-home kit. 1) Hydration. Keep 4 1-quart bottles of water in your BOB. Keep a few coffee filters and some iodine tablets. And a small filter. I have this one. http://m.buy.com/product/details/222936039?listingID=258977074 I do need to add a couple water bladders 2) Warmth. Looks like you have redundant methods of building a fire. Keep warm clothes, headgear gloves and footwear with you. Especially in winter. 3) Dry. A small tarp and some dry clothes. Combine your warm clothes and dry clothes (Gore-tex) to save space and weight. And... 4). Protection. You seem to have that covered with your first aid and weapons. And a blade, obviously. You have that covered too.

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere. I looked, but couldn't find it. http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/assault-weapons

  I'm tending that way. 

  I have to admit... I was watching the interview.  It didn't jump out at me either.  I'm not particularly quick-witted, but I am quite a bit younger than LaPierre.  But if it was my job, maybe I'd have caught on quicker.   I'm torn.  Gregory broke the very law that he was arguing FOR against LaPierre.  But, I don't believe that the law is Constitutional.  It's as if he was asking to be locked up, but some of us are asking that he be excused.  I don't know...

Mine is not quite as into guns as I am.  Though she likes to claim that she is.     She has instructed others (male and female) about shooting a .50 BMG.  She loves to shoot that one every July 4.   She defends gun rights even when she's outnumbered by leftist morons at work.   She's not a great cook.  So I cook for her when I can.  I'm not a great cook either.  But she eats it (usually).   She can't shoot quite as well as I can.  But I'm plenty proud of how good a shot she is.   If she practiced, she would be at least as good a pistoleer and rifleperson as I am.     Most of all, she's the foundation of my sanity.  I'm not sure I could function without her.

Ha!  I don't smoke at all, though I do enjoy the smell of mild pipe tobacco.   I just thought it was humorous that you're wearing a stocking cap and have a small heater when it's close to 60 degrees.  I have a couple friends from FL, so I understand.  But it's still funny.   It was about 50 degrees here today, and I wore a T-shirt.   Welcome to the forum.  Hope your visit is pleasant.   Will

I sincerely hope you're right.     I have been close to lightning strikes several times.  When I say close, I mean no discernible time lapse between flash and sound on at least one occasion.     One time I was about 75 yards away from a young girl that was struck indirectly by lightning.  Her AL frame chair was on the roots of a tree that was demolished by a bolt of lightning.  There was a watch-shaped burn mark on her arm where the watch was, literally, blown off by the charge.  Fortunately, she survived.   My point is, getting struck by lightning is very rare.  But it does happen.  And yes, I'm extra cautious when I am out in a thunderstorm.  Paranoid?  Maybe.  But justifiably so.

  Not sure of your point here.  You didn't do it, so it hasn't happened?     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tta1qhQZWSE   It's 9 and a half minutes of stuff that actually DID happen.  Oh, but many states passed laws to "prevent" that from happening (again).     Well... it was illegal the first time.  Has any one of these thugs been prosecuted?  No?  So what's to keep them from breaking the law.  Again.   I don't doubt that you would disobey an unlawful order.  But I have little doubt that there are many who are willing and eager to kick in my door.