The Hard Part Of Having Pets

Black Bart had a long life, and a good one because we took him in when he showed up as a feral Tom cat. He's been on heart medication since 2008, but his ticker wore out last week and he went downhill pretty quickly. Finding him hidden with Brat's owl doll told me that he knew it was the end. He was ready to go see his old friend.

Plant Your Turnips, Wet Or Dry!

July 25 is Turnip Day!  Get busy if you missed it!

Swiper's One Year Adoptiversary!

All of the dogs we foster are special to us, but the seniors really tug at your heart.  Swiper was found wandering the streets of a major Midwestern city and luckily, he was pulled into foster care very quickly.  We had his teeth done, spent just a little effort making sure that he was housebroken satisfactorily, and fell in love with this sweet old boy.

He went to his new home a year ago this weekend. We called and had a great visit with his family yesterday.  He gets the best of care and is very happy being the senior dog in a pack of well behaved Schips.

More Interest, More Shooters!

Social unrest, mobs and riots have sparked new interest at the Carmi Rifle Club.  People are coming to Pistol League to practice regularly and we are getting new members. Many are now realizing they may have to defend themselves in their home or in their car when traveling.  The interest is not just in little pocket pistols for concealed carry.  This week we laid out a variety of single action revolvers, lever action rifles, plus pump and double barrel shotguns. Those who are new to shooting are limited in their knowledge of "cowboy" guns.  TV westerns were cancelled more than fifty years ago, and the guns that have fascinated old timers for decades are a new and novel tool for a large segment of the population.  We grew up watching westerns where revolvers were loaded, shot, unloaded and reloaded, cartridges were stuffed into the gates on Model 73s and 92s, and shotguns had ears. Operating these guns is second nature to "Boomers," and we are only too glad to coach those who want to learn how to run them.  We started everyone on .22s, then moved up to .38s and .44 Special. The shooting was impressive, with very few misses shooting guns that were a new experience. Good Times!

Brass Man Bart: Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight!

Now with More Cowbell!

Ruger Mk III Loaded Chamber Indicator Replacement

If you have a Ruger Mk III, you know the frustration of periodic jamming due to the Loaded Chamber Indicator.  We like to blame bad ammo, but the LCI usually has a hand in the hangups of empty cases.  It is annoying when you are being timed, and even more annoying when you are using your pistol to instruct new shooters.  TANDEMKROSS sells a drop in replacement to solve your frustration, but making the switch can have its own frustrations.

Here are the parts from two Mk IIIs, one from a steel barrel, and the other from an aluminum Lite model.  Changing the parts on the steel guns is easy.  Disassemble the barrel from the lower receiver and you will see the little steel pin barely protruding from the underside on the left of the barrel.  Tap on the bottom of the barrel with a non-marring mallet, or hickory hammer handle, and the pin will work out.  After it is out you can remove the LCI and insert the replacement hole-filler. 

The problem in changing arises if you have the Lite model.  The aluminum grips the steel pin and it will not come out.   I had our Lites apart three times trying to remove the pins with no luck.  Here is how you do it.  Put a cutoff disc on your Dremel tool and very carefully attack the LCI.  Be careful so you don't mar the finish. The LCI has a metal part on the upper side, and after you have the polymer part removed, let the cutoff disc ride against the metal part  and cut a groove into the pin.  Use good lighting.  Use a small screwdriver to pry the pin out a bit, and then you can grip it with some tiny pliers and remove it. 

We have run our guns since making the change and they have not choked since.  Using a Dremel tool on your guns is usually not recommended, but in this case I had to make an exception. 

Brass Man Bart Does A Couple Of Railroading Numbers....

....on the Harmonica! Plus a banjo track!  Great Stuff, Ben!

Is That A Good Luck Charm In Your Pocket...

or a disaster waiting to happen?  Is your .380 going to throw lead when you need it to do so, or is it going to choke on pocket lint?  We had company over the weekend, and I asked the husband if he had cleaned and lubed his pocket pistol lately.  Nope!  I said, "Give it to me and I will take care of it for you."  I guessed it would be worthy of photos and I was not disappointed.  Lint on the trigger, lint stuck to the side of the magazine and inside, too.

The barrel was fuzzy.  It definitely needed to be disassembled.

The slide catch and the hammer were both loaded up with lint, and also the mag well.

The underside of the slide was also covered in lint and a bit of powder residue.  So, we know this pistol has been fired and put back in its holster dirty after the last range trip.  I cleaned up all the dirt and lint and then lubed the little LCP II properly, even using my special blend of grease on the rails so the lube doesn't run away.

Our carry guns are not magical talismans.  They are tools and you should attend to them on a regular basis.  Guns have reciprocating and revolving parts that need to be oiled or greased to run properly, in spite of the torture tests that gunwriters love to do.  Pockets, pocket holsters, and lint all wick away oil.  The gun you lubed two months ago is probably dry by now.  The need to clean and lube is double for little pocket guns like the LCP and LCP II.  They are light, and require a firm grip to operate properly.  If you do not keep them in top operating condition, they are likely to fail you when you need them most.  You also need to practice with these little guys regularly, and make sure your grip is up to snuff so you can empty entire magazines without getting stovepipes.

Just in case you haven't read it, Grant Cunningham's article on lubrication is linked:   Here.  Be serious about your ability to defend yourself.  Criminals think about their work all the time.  We should do the same for our safety.

Brass Man Bart: El Capitan March!

Brother Ben has posted a new one, and his description lists seven instruments that he plays.  I am also hearing a cymbal and a triangle in this, so now he is doing percussion, too!  Great Stuff, Brass Man!