BigK

That is an AWESOME machine! That's a great processor too!

here's a pretty darn good PC with Windows 7 64 bit, a better then avg processor, tons of storage, and 4 gb of GOOD ram for $390, which leaves you enough cash to add a monitor (you can get a 19" widescreen almost anywhere online for <$100). Acer Aspire AM3400-U2502 Microtower Desktop PC - AMD Athlon II X2 Processor 215 2.70GHz, 4GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, DVDRW, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit at TigerDirect.com If you didn't need a monitor, TD has a bada$$ Lenovo w/ 64 bit OS and a screaming fast processor for $480.

FWIW...I work for Dell in the IT department (no, I can't get you a discount, but I will offer some useful advice). Disk space (storage) is a cheap add on later, so don't get too hung up on getting 500gb vs 250gb or less. Get the fastest most powerful processor you can afford. It's the only part of the equation that you won't need to upgrade later. For instance, you get a mediocre processor now and in a year and a half, the motherboard won't be compatible with newer, faster processors. An Intel 3.2 GHz processor will be much faster than a 3.2 GHz AMD processor, but if you spend $200 on a processor, you can buy a WAY faster AMD processor than you can if you spend the same money on Intel. Also, there is a difference b/w dual core and core 2 duo. Both have 2 processors on one chip, but he Core 2 is a new version and is typically 15% faster than a dual core. Good choice on Windows 7, it is the fastest OS they've had in a while. If you go with the less expensive 32bit OS, you can't go over 4 GB of RAM. The OS simply won't recognize the extra. In fact, it will tell you there's only about 3.5 Gb of RAM available when you have 4 Gb installed. Both will run on as little as 1 Gb of ram, but the 64 bit will allow anywhere from 8 GB to 192 GB, depending on the version (starter/home basic - 8gb, home premium - 16gb, or Professional/Enterprise/Ultimate - 192gb). There's other things to consider if you intend to run advanced games. If so, let me know...I'll be glad to let you know what to look for (like support for SLI video and other stuff).

Yeah, in case anyone has trouble with the video...

I work with one of those guys that has to have the newest, best of everything. He has over $2000 worth of fine Wusthof Classic knives, but heard that ceramic is better. So, he went out and bought a $300 ceramic cook's knife. He ranted and raved about how good it was for a week until it fell off the kitcen counter and broke when it hit the floor.

Another thing that would help the most...trim the damn rosters!! Having 6 active WR/RB and 6 bench players is what I didn't like. I think it puts WAY to much emphasis on the draft.

Well, I shot up half of those Cowboy Loads this weekend. They weren't as good as the 125 gr Remingtons I bought or other GA ammo I have, but I'm glad they weren't as bad as the ones you got. I shot 10 rds at 5 yds & managed a 4" group & got about a 6" group with same number of rds at 10 yds. Since their other $11.50 ammo is much better, I won't be buying any more of these. I just thought I'd let you know how it went. You won't believe me based on the experience you had, but for grins I shot the other 5 rounds from 45 ft at the center bull on a Hoppe's A17 target (http://www.opticsplanet.net/hoppes-50-ft-11-bulls-10-1-2x12-target-a17.html). Admittedly, I was resting my hands on an upside down 5 gallon bucket on the shooting bench, but I was still happy to be in the circle with 3 out of 5 shots. One of those 3 was even 1/2" from dead center.

Dude! That's a great idea. It would be an ironic choice for any parents, especially considering how it turned out last time I heard it was done. Also, like others have said, best writing ever & awesome cast!

If we do this again, Cheese Heads will be in too, but I'll do some things different even though things turned out okay. For starters, I'll check in a few times after I sign up, in case we switch from auto to live draft, LOL. Also, I'll remember to set my lineup before I go on vacation, so I don't leave bye players in my lineup. It may have helped in hindsight considering injuries and a lot of underachievers in the league.

Now that sounds more like what I'm looking for.

So, would you be interested in getting rid of them for a reasonable price? If so, shoot me a PM.

If I'm using a paddle holster it's usually right at 3 o'clock, but I mostly EDC with a Crossbreed Supertuck at 3:30 - 4:00.

I stand corrected about there being NO union workers, but facts are facts... According to the NYTimes (liberal rag on the side of the unions), this is what union labor costs the big 3... "The calculations show, accurately enough, that for every hour a unionized worker puts in, one of the Big Three really does spend about $73 on compensation. So the number isn’t made up. But it is the combination of three very different categories. The first category is simply cash payments, which is what many people imagine when they hear the word “compensation.” It includes wages, overtime and vacation pay, and comes to about $40 an hour. (The numbers vary a bit by company and year. That’s why $73 is sometimes $70 or $77.) The second category is fringe benefits, like health insurance and pensions. These benefits have real value, even if they don’t show up on a weekly paycheck. At the Big Three, the benefits amount to $15 an hour or so. Add the two together, and you get the true hourly compensation of Detroit’s unionized work force: roughly $55 an hour. It’s a little more than twice as much as the typical American worker makes, benefits included. The more relevant comparison, though, is probably to Honda’s or Toyota’s (nonunionized) workers. They make in the neighborhood of $45 an hour, and most of the gap stems from their less generous benefits. The third category is the cost of benefits for retirees. These are essentially fixed costs that have no relation to how many vehicles the companies make. But they are a real cost, so the companies add them into the mix — dividing those costs by the total hours of the current work force, to get a figure of $15 or so — and end up at roughly $70 an hour. " Furthermore, employer-provided benefits like vacation time, health insurance, etc. got it's start in 1942 when Congress enacted price controls to hold down production costs during WWII. There was a shortage of labor, so companies began offering "fringe" (read: loopholes in the law) benefits to get workers in the door. When the war was over, the practice was too ingrained to take the benefits away. Not to mention, the unions then started demanding them as if they are God given rights.

I haven't heard of this ammo, but I'd give it a try. I just wouldn't want to be seen with a box of ammo that says "Blue Bunny" on it, LOL Where can I find it that cheap? <edit> Never mind, I see where I can get it. I didn't realize that was a 20 round box. Still curious about the price for the "Plinky" rounds for practice. I read that they are around only 95 gr and move at a mere 550 fps. I guess it'll be good enough for practicing trigger control and reloads.

Before I got an iPhone, all I'd ever have was a Sandisk. I think they are awesome. The last one I got was an e280 it has all the features you listed. I liked it so much, I got 2 refurbs of the same model for my kids. They are all still working after 4 years.

Well darn, I was hoping you had decent results up close. I won't throw them away or anything. I'll let my son shoot 'em up. He just likes shooting & doesn't seem to even aim at the bullseye anyway, LOL. Anyone know if the nickel-plated cases can be reloaded?

I got 100 of the 158 gr "factory loads", 100 of the 158 gr SWC +P, and 50 of those 125 gr "cowboy loads" that OS mentioned. I hope the cowboy loads at least do okay @ 10 yds for target practice. They all came out to $14.10 (w/ S&H) per bag of 50, so if one bag out of 5 sucks, at least I'm not out too much.

I just got a revolver recently. I wanted a S&W, but got a deal on a Ruger that I thought was fair. I was curious to know how light or small the S&W 642 is compared to my 2.25" SP101 in .357. Mine is about 25 oz and about 7" overall.

I prefer not to order ammo online, but the cheapest .38 special at my LGS is almost $22. No Walmart within a reasonable distance has any at all, and the big gun shop in the next town is still more expensive ($18) than online. And that's for the cheapest brands. I heard about GA on here and ordered 250 rounds. I shot 75 of them today. I am impressed! It's very accurate, I was getting 4" groups at 10 yds with a Ruger SP101 that I'd never shot before.

What do you mean "we don't make anything any more"? The value of U.S. manufactured goods is more than any country in world! Don't blame a company for moving factories. If a person in Indonesia with the equivalent of a 2nd grade education can do the same job as a union worker here, why on earth would anyone pay $40/hr & leave the factory here? The ONLY competitive advantage most foreign made goods have is reduced labor costs. Besides it IS the idiots in Washington that reward companies for relocating. They shouldn't offer any company any incentives of any kind for any reason. They should keep their grubby paws out of the economy. All they do is make things worse. They can't add import taxes to protect our companies, b/c we export more goods than anyone else. If we apply import tariffs, others will do the same to our goods & our manufacturers will suffer the most. There's a reason why Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and Kia are building most of their cars here. It's b/c they save money. How? It's b/c they won't deal with unions. They pay a fair wage and still make a profit.

Congrats! I know you're stoked. So, what ya toting & what kind of rig?

Awesome! Loved this. As a guy afflicted with big & burly disease, It would never have occurred to me to even attempt closing the distance to disarm someone threatening me with a gun (not even if I had boyz who had my back). I'd like to think I'd make smarter choices, but I've never had a gun pulled on me. I will confess to having been distracted by BOOBIES, though.

me too...seems to be just fine

I did look at the one you named and several others on that site. I only recall one mentioning that it had a cable. You'd think that if a gun safe came with a cable or had a spot for a cable that the description would mention it. That's where my frustration was coming from. So few mention it. Thanks for the info.

I think dry-firing is one of the most under-rated tools for improving trigger control. I have a DA/SA pistol and have really gotten better at the DA trigger pull this way. My laser grip helps with this a lot, b/c I can aim at a dime taped to the wall and keep the dot on the dime all the way through the trigger pull. When I'm concentrating on accuracy over speed at the range, I keep the trigger pressed all the way to the rear after each shot. Once I've re-established my sight picture, I concentrate on letting the trigger out slowly to feel the reset. This keeps me from slapping the trigger on the next shot and forces me to slow down.