Guns

I can has more 10/22’s?

/ hsoi / 5 Comments

I have a Ruger 10/22. It’s the basic carbine model, hardwood stock, nothing fancy. Threw an inexpensive 4x32mm scope on top of it, and off we go. It’s a fun little plinking rifle, and what the kids are cutting their teeth on. Still, after having the one, I’ve been dreaming about getting a few more. With the rising cost of ammo, shooting .22 gets more and more appealing every day.

Survival Rifle

It was an episode of Survivorman, I believe season 2 episode 3, Labrador. Les carries a .22 rifle with him as a survival tool. This is a useful tool as can hunt small game with it. What was nifty was how Les utilized the rifle itself to make a bit of a survival kit. For instance, he drilled some holes in the stock and inserted extra ammo. He also stored some cotton tinder and a magnesium striker, both for starting a fire. Basic, but useful.

I then came across this. I liked the wrapping of the 550 cord, which serves to not only protect the rifle but then provides you with rope, which is always a welcome thing. Furthermore, he hung a pouch off the side of the buttstock, into which you can store whatever, like small first aid kit.

So I’ve been thinking about making a survival rifle like this and what else I’d put into it. Some thoughts:

  • Compass. A map too, but that’d be case-by-case dependent.
  • Sun protection
  • Some means of insulating yourself, e.g. those emergency blankets
  • Knife/multitool
  • Flashlight, like a small LED and/or lithium-powered thing
  • First aid kit: bandages, tweezers, basic medicines
  • Whistle
  • Matches and/or striker, cotton tinder
  • Needle and thread, zip ties
  • Water and/or water purification
  • Nutrition? e.g. bouillon cubes, hard candy
  • Orange trash bag

These are just some thoughts. I haven’t sat down to seriously flesh this out yet, and even think if a Ruger 10/22 would be best. For instance, Chuck Hawks has an article on purpose-built survival rifles. Something like an AR-7 or Springfield M6. I don’t have much of a need for such a rifle, but I just find it an interesting exercise that I’ll probably do one of these days for the heck of it.

Target Shooter

As you look online for things about the 10/22, you’ll find rather a large aftermarket for it, which is one of the great things about this rifle. One thing you’ll quickly find is you can deck her out and spend far more money aftermarket than you ever spent on the base rifle in the first place. I’d like to try this. 🙂

Take for instance this Pittsburgh Steelers model. Or this special edition made for the USA Shooting team. 

I’d like to try taking a 10/22 as far as you could take it. Customize it, deck it out, spending a lot of time reading and researching on the RimfireCentral forums. Make it an awesome target shooting gun, highly accurate, the whole 11 yards.

Oldest would really like this too. He loves the look of the Boyds SS Evolution stocks.

Of course, this is going to be the hardest one to justify to the Wife. 😉

Trainer

Ever since I first bought the 10/22 and saw the wide variety of aftermarket parts you could get, plus going along with the wisdom of Appleseed (which I have yet to do), I wanted to make a trainer.

I could do the simple thing and keep the basic 10/22, slap on a sling, some TechSights, and off I go. But I figure if I’m really going to make a trainer, I might as well go for the gusto! For instance, make an AR-22.

This has an added advantage of not just being a trainer for me, but it’s a teacher for others.

 

So, the Ruger 10/22. Quite a versatile little rifle. I may never do these ideas (matter of time and money), but hopefully someday I will.

Astounding bullshit

/ hsoi / 3 Comments

From the NYT, an editorial on …. well… I guess how to spout (the same old) lies?

Gosh, I don’t even know where to begin. The whole thing is just full of misinformation.

This was a choice piece tho:

States routinely grant concealed carry licenses without proper background checks or training. Indeed, among the evidence Bush officials ignored in their haste to relax national park gun limits was the long list of violent crimes committed by dangerous people with state concealed carry licenses. Contrary to gun lobby claims, the evidence suggests that permitting concealed weapons drives up crime rather than decreasing it.

And your evidence is where? 

Actual empirical evidence (to the contrary) can be found here and here and here and here and here and here and if you really need more I can find it.

Furthermore, who wrote this editorial? If you’re going to open your yap at least have the guts to identify yourself and stand behind what you say.

Nebraska’s carry laws improving

/ hsoi

Just read this piece about some Nebraska state legislation regarding their concealed carry laws. This is a good sign, and I hope it goes through. Slowly but surely Nebraska’s laws will improve.

April 2009 Rangemaster Newsletter

/ hsoi

The April 2009 Rangemaster Newsletter is now available. Almost all the content of this edition is devoted to an article by John R. Lott, Jr. on media bias and how it shapes public perception. A good read.

HB 1893 update

/ hsoi

Went looking for information on HB 1893 and found this, which didn’t add a whole lot, then found this and this which was somewhat of a live blog of the hearing coverage.

Apparently it was not passed out of committee and the committee adjourned at 10:56 PM after hearing several hours of testimony.

So, I guess we continue to wait….

Interesting to consider some of the testimony mentioned in the hearing. Some was the same old claptrap from the anti’s, based on emotion and ignoring all facts and evidence. One interesting pro argument was the disabled on campus, wanting to ensure they could defend themselves. The live blog contains a lot of chatter, but it is interesting to review.

Updated:  The bill’s official page has been updated to say it was considered in public hearing, testimony was taken and recorded, and it was left pending in committee. Hopefully just means the hour was late, everyone was tired and wanted to go home, and they’ll pick things up today. More updates as I find ’em.

As well, I see there are now 66 co-authors listed. There were 65 when I last checked.

Current tactics? Engage.

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

The nursing home rampage in North Carolina is a horrible tragedy. However, one bright spot (if you can call it that) is what Officer Justin Garner did that brought an end to the rampage.

He actively engaged the shooter.

He did not wait for backup. He did not wait for the SWAT team. He did not wait for anything. He was the first to arrive on the scene and entered the nursing home alone to bring an end to the situation. He was successful.

I’ve mentioned before how active shooter tactics have changed. What we see here is an application of those new tactics, and that they worked.

HB 1893 to be heard today

/ hsoi / 1 Comment

Texas House Bill 1893 is to be heard today. With 5 authors and 65 co-authors there’s some strong backing for this bill in the House. JR provides his input.

If you live in Texas and haven’t contacted your Representative yet, today is the day. You may also want to contact the members of the House Committee on Public Safety and let them know — briefly and politely — of your desire for them to support and pass this bill.

I know how my Representative stands on this. I just sent her a reference to a study containing much empirical evidence on the matter, but I don’t expect the facts, research, and evidence to sway how she feels.

Teach your children

/ hsoi

… how to shoot!

I recently blogged about kids and guns. And if you’re no stranger to my blog, you know that my kids are no strangers to shooting.

Which reminds me… it’s Daughter’s turn to go to the range. I need to schedule that in. I also need to get the scope remounted and re-zeroed on the Ruger 10/22. Furthermore, I need to restart my quest to find a good .22 pistol.