Clod Stomper

The only thing specific to Marlins to look out for is a wear issue commonly called the "Marlin jam". http://marauder.homestead.com/files/Marlin94Fix.html I don't know if it's common with the 336 series, but my brother has a .44 mag Marlin with the issue. Which reminds me, I need to fix my brother's rifle. There will be no way to tell if it has the issue without either cycling ammo through it or disassembling it, neither of which you'll probably be able to done before buying. But if it appears to be lightly used on the outside, it's probably ok on the inside. Other than that, like Greg said, it should be fine if it looks ok. They really are robust. I'd take a Marlin over a Winchester any day. Will

Yes. The only thing I can find on the Plum Crazy that isn't replaceable with standard parts is the trigger guard.

I picked up a "bubba'ed" 91 Argy about 10 years ago for 90 bucks. Back then, it was nearly impossible to find ANY ammo, so I formed some from 30-06 brass. I fooled around with it for a while, considered rebarreling it, etc. Finally decided that considering the age of the rifle and the lack of safety features like the '98 has (safety lug, gas port, better metallurgy), I'll just leave it in the safe unless I really need it. If I wanted to build a tacticool ripersnifle on a budget, I'd pick up a Stevens 200 or a Savage 10 or 110. I did, however, put a 7.62x39 barrel on a '89 Belgian action that I picked up really cheap. Unfortunately I can't find the trigger guard/magazine assembly so I haven't gotten to shoot it yet. Even with that lower pressure round, I'm going to shoot even lower pressure handloads only. Will

I have shot cast loads through my Marlin with micro-groove rifling. I don't have my info with me right now, but it's a flat-nose, gas-checked Lyman bullet 170-175 grains. Used wheel-weights and water-dropped. Don't remember powder or charge. It's been years since I played around with it. I had no leading problems with the micro-groove rifling, but I understand that many people have. Now, my experiments with .264 cast bullets in my Grendel are a different story. But I'll save that for later and maybe solicit some advice from Caster. Will

Sounds like you have a .257 caliber neck sizer. I don't think your 6.5 die should even size the neck down that much. That much discrepancy can't simply be wear. Did you buy your dies used? Never mind, you said they were used. I've gotten the wrong dies before when I've bought them used. Give RCBS a call. They'll help you straighten things out. Will BTW, I've never worn out a neck expander, even after thousands of rounds.

Nothing wrong with the SKS for hunting deer or pigs. Like already said, use some good ammo. I've done what Dolomite suggested, pulling bullets from steel cases and using the cases for a good load. As far as what other hunters think, yes, there are plenty of ignorant Fudds out there. They are only worthy of being ignored. There are also plenty of hunters using an SKS. If you enjoy your hunt and decide to keep doing it and using the SKS, you may want to find a lightweight stock. You can really trim the weight by changing the stock and taking off the bayonet if it's still attached. Will

I used to work on a National Guard base. I never got searched even once. They did regularly check other vehicles driven by visitors, contractors, repairmen, etc.

It was the rifle that my Papaw always used. So wanting to be just like him, it was the first rifle I bought myself. I was probably early or pre teen. Still have it, of course. Found another one a few years ago, an E model. It's a .243 and someone has shortened the stock for a youngster. With a shorter barrel, it's a handy little rifle. I just wish it was chambered in .260 Rem. That may be a future project. Will

Rappelling?

Yes, I know that this has been debated ad nauseum. I have, for the most part, been in the camp that says it really doesn't matter what you use as long as it's a good shoot. I still believe that, but I do usually carry factory ammo, just in case. On the only other site that I visit with any regularity, there is a thread about a self-defense situation that drifted to the use of handloads for defense. But unlike other threads that have debated the issue to death, someone actually posted about cases where the use of handloads really was a factor. After reading this, I will start carrying factory ammo exclusively. Scroll to post 24 if you want to get straight to the relevant parts. http://www.65grendel...is-pants!/page3 I still believe that in most cases, using handloads won't be an issue. But for that small chance that it may be, I'll carry factory. Will

Yes. It's normal. It just means that the tip is inconsistent. If you have the dies set up correctly, that is. It even happens with match bullets. As long as the length to the ogive is consistent, they'll shoot fine.

I'm sorry, the evidence points to the idea that this operation was nothing more than an attempt to pad the numbers of firearms traced back to the US. Hillary and O were running around claiming that 90% of guns recovered from Mexican drug cartels were traced back to US gun dealers (a blatant lie). So they had to MAKE it true. You are right. It was not unprecedented. Under the Bush administration, ATF had Operation Wide Receiver. In Wide Receiver the guns, or at least some of them had tracking devices. The Mexican government was involved, or at least make aware of, the operation. There were 300 to 400 guns (I've read different numbers) involved in Wide Receiver. They were tracked by UAVs. When it was discovered that the gun-runners were disabling the tracking devices or making other attempts to not be tracked, the operation was canned in 2007. Two years later, 2009, another operation was implemented. Fast and Furious involved about 2000 firearms. There were no tracking devices. As far as I've found, there was no attempt to track them other than "making a note" when they crossed the border. The Mexican government was kept in the dark about the operation. And most importantly, these guns have been recovered at crime scenes where, altogether, hundreds of Mexicans and two US federal agents have been murdered. Would "whistleblowers" have come forward over something that was simply "unsuccessful"? I doubt it. I thoroughly believe that Obama IS "out to get us". And the evidence points to such.

Because people (as in, the Dumb Masses) only care about what the large media tells them to care about. Remember when Dan Quayle supposedly misspelled "potato" (he didn't, it can be spelled either way)? That was the laugh of the country for WEEKS. When Nixon, who the media hated, appeared to be involved in a cover-up of a break-in in a hotel room, he was drummed out of office. But when Clinton allows missile technology to be sold to the Communist Chinese in exchange for campaign donations, crickets chirp.... I could go on and on. It's all about what the "masses" are TOLD to care about, not about what is actually important.

Cheapest that I have seen locally was Stars and Stripes Shooting Sports in Maryville on Hwy 411. It was around $25/box, I think. Sellier and Bellot FMJ. I haven't checked Walmart's price. I don't recommend the Winchester White Box I got at Academy. I couldn't keep it on a paper plate at 30 feet with my Glock. The S&B is much, much better. Typical handgun group (for me). I used to be much better though. I need more trigger time. I'm going to have to try to find some 357 SIG dies at the next show.

Didja see the black fingernail polish and the capris pants in the video. A bleeding heart liberal at best. I bet he peed himself when he saw that it was a rifle.

Wow, can't beat Seabeejason's story. But here's mine. Won races all the time when I was in Elementary school. I was a fast little bugger. Also won several spelling bees. I think I even got a trophy one year. As far as luck rather than skill... My wife won $5000 about 11 years ago in WIVK's "Birthday Bucks". Unfortunately, she was only my girlfriend at the time, so I had no say as to where it was spent. I would have paid off bills... Won $9 playing the Powerball once. Lady at the Amoco tried to bilk me by saying it was a $3 ticket. Won $75 in Reno. I took my wife to a business meeting to make it a mini vacation. One day we were standing on an upper level watching people play slots. One machine kept paying off every few "pulls". After the meeting, I went to that machine and played a few bucks. Ended up clearing 75 bucks. I think we broke even, because my wife was having a ball playing all the games and probably lost about that much. Even though I'm not a big gambler, I didn't begrudge her that because she was having fun. I've found that we make our own fortunes. The last few years, I've been keeping company with entrepreneurs and successful people. I've learned to make wise financial decisions. I've tried to drag some of my friends with me toward better financial success. Part of my journey involves helping others on theirs. Some listen, some don't. I still have some unsecured debt, but I'm confident that it will be gone by the middle of next year (barring total economic collapse, but it wouldn't matter then anyway). Will

Bummer. It opened for me a couple hours ago. I just now closed it. It was an interesting read. Even the comments, except the typical ones from typically stupid people.

Sounds like you are only asking about WHICH AR, as you already have a Mini-14. Like a couple other people said, the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 Sport is a good rifle for the money. For the same money, I'd pass on DPMS and Bushmaster, etc. Nothing wrong with them, per se, but the S&W is a better buy. There may well be some more good deals out there since more and more companies are popping up and building AR-style rifles.

In a sealed METAL container, probably, but I'd think a faraday cage would be just as effective. When I can, I'm going to build a steel garage to park our vehicles in. And hope that if an EMP hits, we're parked in it at the time.

Yes

I don't like the database, but I don't think anything negative has come of it. I dare say that probably MOST HCP holders do not carry on a regular basis. I carry every day because I need the extra 2 pounds on my right side to keep me from walking in circles. But I only wear my seat belt when I think I'll need it.

"one count of leaving the scene of an accident." I don't think it was an accident.

There's a store that sells them here in Knox at East Town Knoxville Center Mall. I saw it the other day.

Can you really count a POS FMJ derringer as a gun? I mean, it DOES make a round fire, but I can do that with a hammer and nail.

This. Big time. Don't overcomplicate it. Coat metal parts with a light layer of cosmoline or grease. You don't want to have to soak them in solvent to put them back together, do you? Throw in a small dessicant pack. Make sure your container is sealed completely and that it will stay that way. PVC pipe with solid, cemented end caps will last longer than you will as long as it's not in sunlight. UV will break down PVC and make it fragile. As for ammo, put it in a zip-loc type bag. That's enough. There isn't going to be enough moisture in that small space to do any damage. Try to assemble the container where it's dry. Do it in the winter in front of your heater. Practically no moisture in the air there. If not possible, the dessicant will take care of any moisture in the container. All the above is in the interest of redundancy. Because I love redundancy, I love redundancy. As long as your container is sealed well and stays sealed, you will have a perfectly functional piece of metal when you take it out. Forget air-purging and all that. Keep it simple. Vacuum-seal if you want, but, again, it's redundant.