M1 Rifle Seen is Syria

I would suspect that M1 rifles found in that conflict came from the stocks of the old Lebanese Army.  The Lebanese Army used M1s in the 50s and 60s. Many armed groups used the M1 after the country effectively disintegrated in 1975.  I saw several recovered in the early 1980s.  The M1 was still used in some circumstances with AP ammunition to defeat light cover.  The M1 is still an awesome weapon and can hold its own against newer designs in many cases, especially with excellent quality US AP ammo..

Children of Heroes

I went to school with the grandchild of a hero many years ago.  She was a loyal and patriotic American.  Her grandfather was killed at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. His job was chief damage control officer on the U.S.S. Lexington, the "Lady Lex". He perished at his battle station. He left behind a wife and two small children.  In his honor, the Navy named a Fletcher class destroyer in his honor, the U.S.S. Healy DD672.

  
Commander Healy saved 1800 of his shipmates.  The ship named for him earned 8 battle stars in WWII. Sadly the U.S.S. Healy was scrapped in 1976. She and her namesake are not forgotten.

 

 

Zoot Shooting World Championships 2013

It's here again!!! One of the mot fun and entertaining shooting championships is taking place in Colorado over the labor Day weekend.  The AZSA will host the event in Byers, Colorado.
For the Flyer and match application http://www.sandcreekraiders.com/2013%20AZSA%20World%20Championship%20APP2.pdf

You don't want to miss this!!!! First time Zoot shooters are especially welcome!

USS Olympia

After visiting the USS Texas, I thought about the USS Olympia. She could use some help also.  Dewey's flagship and the victor of the Battle of Manila Bay, is also a World War I veteran.  In fact the USS Olympia returned the remains of the World War I unknown Soldier home to the USA.  The USS Olympia, like the USS Texas, is the last of her breed.  The loss of this ship would be a terrible blow to history. It's up to us to save these improtant ships.   Here's how to help the USS Olympia:

The Modest Winchester Model 47

From 1949 to 1954 Winchester produced the Model 47 rifle.  It is an entry level single shot .22 caliber rim fire rifle.  The model 47 was conceived low production cost and the growing post war interest in hunting and shooting.  It may be the safest rifle ever produced.  The safety resets automatically and must be disengaged before each shot.  The Model 47 is a delight to shoot, a simple, safe, reliable and accurate.  Some still serve, with target sights, as the first rifles for beginning small bore target shooter. 

Unfortunately, even this great piece of Americana is objected to by some of our Bolshevik politicians.  Maybe if they had received the same careful training and parental supervision as the rest of us did with a Model 47, their views would be different. 

USS Texas BB 35

The USS Texas BB 35 is a national treasure. Over 100 years old and the only surviving super dreadnaught battleship. She is one of the few ships in the world which served in BOTH World Wars.

The Texas is located in Huston and is an excellent attraction.  Of course keeping the ship afloat and in good repair is a daunting task.  Please donate to keep the ship from deteriorating. http://www.battleshiptexas.org/

The USS Texas is a valuable and irreplaceable piece of American history.  Please visit and help!

The Ruger Blackhawk

 

The Ruger Blackhawk is a great revolver. You don’t hear much about it though.  It’s a tough workhorse, which embodies the improvements to single actions advocated by the great Elmer Keith. Its rugged adjustable sights, powerful chambering, and quality construction are the attributes of a great revolver.  The Blackhawk, is not used in competition, or as a high-end hunting pistol. However, it embodies the traits of a great everyday working revolver.  It’s a gun you can depend on to get the job done.  I like the fact it is chambered in great calibers, some current and some discontinued. The 45 Colt/45ACP convertible revolver and the discontinued 38-40/10mm Auto are my personal favorites.

 

These guns match effective calibers with versatility. The 50^th anniversary  flat top models  in 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum and 44 Special are  a joy to carry and use.  The 44 Magnum, 45 Colt, 44 Special and 38-40 Winchester,  are excellent cartridges for general carry with a secondary use for self defense.

 

The Blackhawk convertible modes are very versatile and offer a good companion or back up to a primary side arm  in popular defense calibers of 45 ACP and 9mm.  The 45 ACP cylinder can be modified for the use of 45 Auto rim cartridges also. The 357 Magnum /9mm convertible is a popular hand gun with outdoorsmen and even survivalists, who may use 9mm hand guns as primary arms.  The other magnum in the Blackhawk line is 41 Magnum.  A powerful and useful cartridge which has a dedicated following of enthusiasts. The Blackhawk’s larger brother in 44 Magnum is an excellent revolver in its own right, the larger size and heavier weight help tame the full loads in this caliber.

 In 1973 (FORTY YEARS AGO!) Ruger changed the action and loading procedure to enhance safety, as a result of litigation. The half cock notch was dispensed with, and the loading gate now releases the cylinder for rotation.  This is a departure from other single action designs, it results in a revolver which will not fire if dropped and is very safe.  I’m not a huge fan of this system, but I can live with it.

The Blackhawk is not zombie hunter tacticool, genuine old west , or the fanciest BBQ gun, but it works! I hope it will be around for a long time to come.