more guns

I've not done much with the .17 HMR but from what i have done, it seems to be a good cartridge if one keeps it's limits in mind, after all, it's only a 17/20 grain bullet...but traveling at the speed it travels, it's very capable of taking small(er) game within reasonable ranges.

i read of many who say they've taken coyote out to 200 yards with it but i, personally, would be reluctant to try a shot of that distance with this diminutive cartridge and it's tiny bullet.

the platform mine is on is based on a Ruger 77/22; i installed a Voltquartsen .17 HMR on the Ruger receiver. a simple straight up barrel change with no machining or complicated procedures to follow. where i do have some machining capabilities i am also limited by my tooling and knowledge so it was a logical choice.

i had another .17 HMR that i took to the range and at 100 yards i couldn't manage to keep a 5" group. some folks report having 1" and less sized groups at 100 yards, but i believe I'd have to witness it or shoot it myself to believe that. i have personally shot near "one hole" groups with it from 30 yards, though. mind you. I'm not saying it cannot be done, or hasn't been done, but based on my experiences with the cartridge, it's difficult to do unless all conditions are PERFECT. one needs to pay mind to the wind with particular attention when using this round...it's highly susceptible to the wind.

recoil is nil and the report is actually not too bad but the cost is rather high for rimfire ammo.

overall, i think the performance is great, though. once 'dialed in' a .17 HMR can be a very useful tool.

decisions, decisions

things sure are "loony" at times.

i have a Ruger 10/22, no doubt one of the most popular .22 caliber, rimfire carbines ever built in this country for the last sixty years or so.

it's a really good firearm "as is" from the factory and is quite capable of doing almost anything asked of it, with in reason, of course. i would not make it the carbine of my choice to take into a combat engagement...but of course, if i had no choice but it, i would take it.

there is almost any accessory available on the market today to change/enhance this fine little carbine that one could imagine; at reasonable to extravagant costs, i might add. there are even kits available to make it appear like the mind-boggling WWII German machine gun, the M39 and the legendary M1 Garand. expensive? yes...but hey...if that's what you want and are willing to pony-up the $$$$ for it...more power to you.

over a period of time, I've accumulated two different stock variations for it. the Choate pistol grip and the Dragunov.

my preference is for the Dragunov, but...the particular stock i have is not as well fitting as it should be in order to give a good, secure fit for the action as is needed; it, in fact, moves about freely in the stock even when fully tightened after assembly; an intolerable condition, to say the least.

i suppose some day i may get some bedding epoxy and actually do some fill work on it so i can use it but until then, i suppose I'll stick with the Choate or the standard stock for it.

i prefer the pistol grip style grip for this particular .22 as i use it around the homestead for "protection" and it makes it easier to wield.

wait a minute, you say, you just said you wouldn't choose this carbine in a combat engagement...that i did.

however..."protection", in this case, is against four-legged marauders such as the coyote and the bobcat. we have an abundance of them here where i live and they are AGGRESSIVE. it's not unusual to see a pack of four or more coyotes around here. i once counted a pack of nine of them along our fence line.

now, some of you will, indeed, question the .22 rimfires ability to take out a coyote or bobcat.

i assure you...it will...it does. but what you must do is keep shots well within it's range capability. it will NOT work well at ranges over 100 yards unless there is PERFECT shot placement. i would never try a shot on living game with a .22 rimfire over 100 yards larger than a cottontail rabbit, (and i would still have second thoughts about it)

you see, we have a puppy that must routinely be taken out before bedtime and it's up to me to "stand guard" over the puppy and my wife while they tend to business.

now, at ranges of less than twenty yards, the .22 long rifle, high velocity cartridge, is quite capable.

we also have to consider neighbors...where i live rurally, we still have neighbors that are around one-hundred yards close to us an all four sides. something like an AR-15 in 5.56 would constitute a hazard to them as well if not fired judiciously and my air rifles could not be operated quickly enough to be effective; hence, the selection of the 10/22.

it's semi-automatic, very accurate, light and easy to handle and capable of taking down a coyote or bobcat in short order...as i said...i know that to be FACT, not speculation.

where i have bolt action .22's that are "four leaf clover" accurate, they will not get onto target as quickly, dispense or deliver as many on target as fast as will the 10/22...period.

the 10/22 is also capable of "one hole" groups, too. with the selection and application of select accessories and some "tuning", you'll have a.22 rimfire that will put bullet after bullet into the same hole at fifty yards.

what more could a person ask of a firearm?

so...overall the 10/22 is a good choice.

sometimes i wonder...

no...i don't wonder...i know...this system we live under has broken down and in in dire need of repair.

we voters need to start at the white house and work our way down removing ALL the incumbents, to include the house and senate, dissolve the IRS, revamp ALL rules and regulations pertaining to elected officials and their terms in office.

GRRRRRRRRRRRR...I'd better get back on the decaf

good grief...

I'm overdosing on the news and what's going on in congress and in this country.

my wife and i get to a point to where we're about to scream after watching news for a while during the day.

it seems to us that there is nothing POSITIVE in the news now...it's all about negative goings on's...if it's not about the highly volatile health care issue, it's about a child killer or mass murderer.

it's my opinion, that this congress, and most, state legislatures, are dysfunctional...period.

the results of being so highly dysfunctional? mass dissatisfaction among the population.

it seems that our so-called legislators, believe that penalizing the population by way of excess taxation, is the answer to everything yet they fail to realize that pour national debt is now out of control and may never be able to be paid, ever. i saw one estimate that each American family is committed for $45,000.00 per year to pay of the debt...that's staggering in itself but that's not the end of it.

congress wants to lower Medicare benefits and raise the price of them...go figure.

congress mandated we MUST all pay for medicare then they want to deny us the benefit as promised.

that's reasonable to them i suppose...not to me and millions of other Americans, though.

the state i live in, California is broke. they retaliate against me by raising my already oppressive vehicle registration fees. they, in fact, increased by $50.00 each. i have to make a choice of buying groceries or pay the vehicle fees without out fear of retaliation from the state as i live on a limited income. they fail to realize that not every one who is retired is wealthy. furthermore, they could care less if they do realize it. counties are trying to increase property taxes, water districts are doubling and even tripling water rates, utility providers are increasing rates at a phenomenal rate and all the while, our pay does not go up...

welcome to the REAL world...the occupant of the white house did promise change didn't he? I'm sure he meant it, but what he didn't tell us is that it's change for the worse...all one has to do is look around to see that.

good grief...

the agony of defeat...

i have been forced to "pare down" some of my firearms.

i did have to part with some of them but it was not tragedy or a heartbreak: it had to be done.

i can always get another of the ones i had to part with. or can i?

maybe, maybe not.

as much as i like the ones i parted with, i kept the ones that are the best, by far, of the ones i have.

the ones o have elected will, indeed, meet my "wants"; i am satisfied with the ones that are left.

you'll notice i said "wants", not "wants and needs" or "needs".

as it stands at this time and place in my life and my place in the spectrum of history, i don't feel i really NEED a firearm.

the environment i live in is not one that abounds with perils that require that i have one, but yet, it may be called on at some time to "need" one. there's no gangs roaming the countryside nor is there wild, savage, viscous animals or packs of them that threaten my, or my wife and our animals, existence. yet we do have enough coyote and big cat activity to warrant having a firearm IN CASE the need does arise that removing such threats might become necessary.

in my remaining selection i have enough power to harvest the largest of animals that inhabit our planet and low enough power to rid the outbuildings of rats and mice and the like without blowing holes in the buildings themselves and alerting every neighbor within two miles.

since it is a fact that i no longer hunt much, i don't need a large selection, just versatility.

in selecting the 'versatile' arms, i tried to visualize every possible scenario; i think i arrived at it.

i mentioned the "ultimate sniper" stocked rifle in another BLOG...it was one of them and there were two other similar ones. between the three, from -0- to 1000 yards is covered with accuracy and lethality.

so far, i believe I've made proper selection but time will tell.

and, one thing i like the most is the fact i can now focus on better upgrades for what i now have...

ya gotta give a little to get a little...

in a quandry

i may be faced with the prospect of having to "pare down" my selection of firearms. (not that i have that many, though)

i have mostly .22 caliber rimfire rifles and none is of any particular value as collectors items or value...just "bread 'n' butter" rifles I've been collecting since i was a kid. i use my firearms to hunt with and shoot targets. they do not sit in a cabinet without being used.

I've tried to tailor my firearms to my use and the potential for other events that may come up on me for whatever the reasons.

as an example: i have two combination's (refereed to as "companions", too) that are expressly aimed at (no pun intended) a 'survival' scenario. one carbine and one handgun of corresponding caliber so they can use the same ammunition. they would share common ammo eliminating the need for two different types of ammo to be carried or purchased.

this type of "combination" was quite common in the old west among cowboys, settlers, lawmen, and gunfighters and drifters for that matter. they'd have a rifle and pistol that would shoot the same ammo. the primary difference being that from a rifle, the same ammo usually produces higher velocities and longer range. it enabled the cowboy to be accurate at ranges out to 200-300 yards from his saddle carbine and yet be very accurate at close in ranges from his pistol, too.

this particular combination is not the best selection for a 'self defense' combination though (that's NOT to say it's not adequate, either) as it's normally a lever action rifle and a revolver of sorts, usually a SA (single action). today's law enforcement and military rely heavily on semi-automatic and full-automatic firearms.

i also have a semi-automatic 'combination'. they would be more to my selection should we ever come to a societal break-down that would require me to defend my self and family against intruders or calamity.

in today's culture, one is generally not encouraged to defend ones self or loved ones, in fact, many laws are contrary and have become oppressive in nature. in short...the concept of being able to defend yourself has been so heavily undermined by legislators its become a national frustration.

i do NOT advocate that one break the law or take the law into their own hands but i do advocate that one needs to do what one needs to do in such dire times...

it's times like these that one may just need such a combination.

you see, I'm of the belief that America is now in the stages of becoming unraveled at it's seams. the signs are everywhere, very obvious and blatant.

special interest groups are demanding, illegal immigration is at AN ALL TIME HIGH, taxes are becoming so overbearing there is near riots in the streets, costs for essentials are enormous and our so-called "leaders" do nothing about it except wanting to raise taxes.

we have an occupant of the white house that seems oblivious to all; that all is not well...duhhhhh...

congress! current occupant of the white house! open your eyes! all is NOT well and is worsening as we speak. Lead...do not oppress!

it's with a sad, worried heart and mind i prepare these tools. ones i hope i never have to use.

more thoughts

my day to day adventures in the world of guns and bows is something i look to each day.

it's a constant guessing game at what i might decide to do...one day, i might work on a rifle, the next day refletch some arrows...i never know.

I've been fortunate enough to have accumulated a selection of tools that enable me to do most jobs on guns and bows that the normal home hobbyist can do.

one problem i do have, though, is the fact that i sometimes get bogged down in a project that requires the replacing of a part that i do not have or cannot readily get. it usually ends up that the 'project' ends up in a pile of parts in a corner somewhere until i can locate or get the part needed. consequently, sometimes I'll have parts lying about for quite a while...a source of aggravation.

an example that comes to mind: quite a while back i purchased a new QB78 CO2 air rifle. i decided to replace the stock with a aftermarket one...i bought the stock. it took me approximately two years to finally get around to shaping it and inletting it. i then decided to do a "valve job" to extract more power from it. that took me another four to five years...all the while, this rifle has been in various stages of assembly, laying on a shelf somewhere in my shoppe. in the years since i purchased it, i doubt I've shot more than 100 pellets thru it...

i hope soon, to one day, complete a project within a "reasonable" time so i can keep up with having enough shoppe space to complete my "projects"...

sometimes i wonder...