Oooooo, this is cool.

Cats Eye nebula, 3000 light-years from earth. This is what it looks like when a star explodes. Click to enlarge it.

Went up to Gatesville today to shoot again with a buddy.

Last time I went up there was in January. This time it was just Dave and I, and the pooch. I took a few things up there to shoot, including one rifle that I've modified myself (click these for higher res. shots).



On the left, a Romanian 5.45x39 that I rebuilt with a new gas block and sling loop (from a late model East German AKM), a Bulgarian front sight post, and an East German muzzle break. It's also got Russian plumb colored furniture. It's being rebuilt to resemble a very early model AK-74 from the mid 1970s, and it's about 80% finished. When the Russians began adopting this heat resistant plastic furniture, getting away from the laminated wood they'd used since the late 40s, they adopted this plumb color. I like it a lot.

In the center is the same Hungarian AKMS, shooting 7.62x39, that I had back in January, only I've switched out the furniture since then. I replaced the solid Hungarian wooden grips with a refinished laminated Polish lower and a Russian upper, and a plastic pistol grip. I think it's more attractive set up this way. On the right is the same Polish Tantal that I shot in January. There had been an issue with it when I shot it before. Every time I shot it I had to push the trigger forward again with my finger. Turns out my gunsmith had forgot to reset a spring when he was putting it together. I reset the spring after talking to him, and wanted to test it out again. It also shoots 5.45x39.



Dave decided to shoot some antiques. He's into old stuff. The long gun is a Winchester 73, made in the 1880s. the revolver on the left is a .44-40 single action (same caliber and dates as the rifle).



The one on the right is a Ruger .44 Magnum made in the 1960s. We set up targets and started plinkin' away from about 100 yards.



We worked on our own targets, and then switched off rifles.



His groups are a lot tighter than mine. He's been doin' this sort of thing a lot longer and has a steadier hand.



I'm too shaky to be a real marksman, but I killed the shit outta the target at this range. They'd a been bleedin' bad. It was easy to tell the different holes made by the different guns. That .44-40 made BIG holes. 5.45x39 is like a .22 (it's Russia's version of our .223). Anyway, mine aren't really designed for marksmanship. More for sprayin' lead. Maybe one of these days I'll try that little modification, but I never said that.



This time the dog stayed with us, but kept her distance when the revolvers came out. You remember, last time she took refuge in the truck and slobbered all over the gear shift. We remembered to close the truck door this time.

On the way back to Dave's house, he stopped at a barn and said "You might like some of these". He reached into a dusty, dilapidated box and pulled out belted .50 and .30-06 blanks.



DAMN, was all I could say to that! A buddy of his found them on a hunting trip years ago, abandoned on the side of a trail on Ft. Hood. They're dated to the 1980s. Couldn't believe it.



Dave's house is like a museum. His upstairs is unfinished, and he's got his collection of 18th and 19th century guns on the walls. Most are authentic, but a few are reproductions.



He's a Civil War and Mexican War reenactor, and a pack rat to boot.



His sympathies lie to the southern side of things, where he's traced his ancestors. He knows which battles they fought in and where a few died. Makes it a bit more personal I guess. I joke with him from time to time, calling it "the war of the rebellion". That usually gets a "Hey!"

Anyway, after we shot we went to town and got some BBQ, and then I drove home. It was a nice Saturday afternoon on a beautiful day. Hope all of your Saturdays were as fun.

Found something hilariously fun, and quite therapeutic.

Check this game out. It's called "Whack Your Boss", "whack" being the mob term for doing in whatever mind numbing Imp of Satan that may be dragging your life down from 9 to 5. It's an awesome distraction.

Whack Your Boss

They give you fifteen objects with which to "Whack" the boss. Click "begin" on the opening page, wait for the boss to come into this guys cubicle and start giving him shit (make sure the volume is up), and then use your mouse to search around for the objects that become highlighted. Click on one of those objects, and then just sit back and giggle. Click on "Cleaner" to get another chance at another bloody whacking. There are fifteen objects, and you win if you manage to find them all. The scissors are my personal favorite. Come on. We've all had these daydreams from time to time. Enjoy.

This is awesome.

This is one of those things where you know just lookin' at it that no good can come from it, but you'll be amazed.



Looks like fun. No, hell no. My luck, the thing would sling me up and over into the ground. This is why they outlawed lawn darts, right? Keep the kids "safe".