...with guns.
Supposedly there are guns in this sequence of pictures, but they are surprisingly difficult to spot ;-)
Seriously though, They obviously drilled the models on the four rules. So I'll assume pic 10 is not a rule 2 violation and instead is just an artifact of camera angles.
Nicely done!
27 September 2011
20 September 2011
Steel Meme
I'm in... Here's my daily carry:
That's a Victorinox on the keyring. No I don't know which model. These take a beating in my pocket. I'm sure I could trade it in for new under warranty but I figure it's "cost of doing business". I'm not sure the use of the hook or the 'drill' pointing south in the picture, but the corkscrew is top notch. I have opened many bottles with the corkscrew and it's sure fire.
The blue knife is my Smith & Wesson. It's made in China so don't be too impressed. IIRC it was about $12 at Big 5. Straight blade on one side, serrated on the other. It's solid enough that it's the first knife I reach for and cheap enough to walk away from should I accidentally walk away from it. There have been a couple scares already and it's cheap enough I can write it off without a lot of heart burn.
BTW, Breda broaches the subject of cheap vs inexpensive. When it comes to knives, it's the quality of the hinge. If the blade wobbles, it's cheap. If it's low cost and the blade is solid, it's inexpensive! The S&W is inexpensive, but cheap enough that I won't lose any sleep if I lose it.
I carry the S&W in favor of other knives in the harem, including an NRA blade picked up at last year's Friends of NRA dinner and several straight blades.
What's in your pocket?
The blue knife is my Smith & Wesson. It's made in China so don't be too impressed. IIRC it was about $12 at Big 5. Straight blade on one side, serrated on the other. It's solid enough that it's the first knife I reach for and cheap enough to walk away from should I accidentally walk away from it. There have been a couple scares already and it's cheap enough I can write it off without a lot of heart burn.
BTW, Breda broaches the subject of cheap vs inexpensive. When it comes to knives, it's the quality of the hinge. If the blade wobbles, it's cheap. If it's low cost and the blade is solid, it's inexpensive! The S&W is inexpensive, but cheap enough that I won't lose any sleep if I lose it.
I carry the S&W in favor of other knives in the harem, including an NRA blade picked up at last year's Friends of NRA dinner and several straight blades.
What's in your pocket?
16 September 2011
No words... just prayers
A race plane at the Reno Air Races crashed into the spectator area. Video here at around 39 minutes (not for the squeamish).
I pray for the wounded...
2204 Update: 3 dead. One of those is the pilot leaving two spectators. That my friends is a miracle! Prayer for the deceased and the families there of...
Update 9/18 2117: The death toll has risen to 9, one was a local. His dad is still alive but in critical condition, I pray he pulls through. I am still thankful the accounting is so low, but I will not be surprised if it continues to climb.
Update 8/19: now 10. Prayers continue the toll climbs no higher.
I pray for the wounded...
2204 Update: 3 dead. One of those is the pilot leaving two spectators. That my friends is a miracle! Prayer for the deceased and the families there of...
Update 9/18 2117: The death toll has risen to 9, one was a local. His dad is still alive but in critical condition, I pray he pulls through. I am still thankful the accounting is so low, but I will not be surprised if it continues to climb.
Update 8/19: now 10. Prayers continue the toll climbs no higher.
12 September 2011
August ePostal Results
Here are the results of the August ePostal match. As one of the competitors observed, larger bullets make the 4's easier, but the 2's harder.
Thanks to everyone and drawing winners will be notified in the next few days.
danno
Thanks to everyone and drawing winners will be notified in the next few days.
danno
| Shooter | Distance | Make | Caliber | Score | ||
| Class 1 air pistol Iron Sights | ||||||
| Bea | 25 ft | Crosman | 0.177 | 10 | ||
| True Blue Sam | 25 ft | Crosman | 0.177 | 9 | ||
| Class 3 Rim Fire Iron Sights | ||||||
| Mr. Borland | 7 yds | S&W K-22 Revolver | .22 LR | 32 | ||
| Mr. Completely | 21 ft | High Standard | .22 LR | 18 | ||
| Thor | 7 yds | Sig Mosquito | .22 LR | 10 | ||
| True Blue Sam | 25 ft | Ruger Single Six | .22 LR | 9 | ||
| Billll | 7 Yds | Ruger Mk 1 | .22 LR | 20 | ||
| Class 5 Centerfire Pistol Iron Sights | ||||||
| Mr. Borland | 7 Yds | S&W K-38 Revolver | .38 spl | 27 | ||
| Mr. Completely | 21 ft | Tanfoglio Gold | .22 LR | 21 | ||
| Thor | 7 Yds | Springfield XD | .45 auto | 15 | ||
| Thor | 7 Yds | Springfield XD | 9 mm | 14 | ||
| Billll | 7 Yds | CZ-82 | 9mm Makarov | 9 | ||
| Billll | 7 Yds | Rossi 971 | .357 Magnum | 12 | ||
| SandCastle Queen | 11 yds | Sig 225 | 9mm | 2 | ||
| Class 7 Other | ||||||
| Thor | 7 Yds | Baretta CX-4 Storm | 9 mm | 18 | ||
| Billll | 20 yds | HiPoint 4095, 4x scope | .40 S&W | 10 | ||
| Thor | 25 yds | Baretta CX-4 Storm | 9 mm | 9 | ||
| Class 8 null entry | ||||||
31 August 2011
Top Shot ePostal extended...
I need all entries for the August match by noon Tuesday September 6th. If you get home too late on the 5th, send them in first thing Tuesday AM.
Here is likely my best target and I am happy as a clam. If you looked outside, you might have seen me dancing in the streets! Shot with the new-to-me S&W 629 which I am still getting used to. It's been kicking severe left with the 240 gr Pb SWC bullets at just under 1500 fps. But the two hits on the line were the first two shot of the 10 shot string. I apparently changed what was working, probably because "it hurt to shoot it that way" and reverted to severe left. Still I'm happy as a clam with my two hits plus a liner!
Recall in addition to the normal bragging rights on the line, the History Channel has some Top Shot swag on the the line (winners chosen by random lot). You don't even have to shoot the match to enter. Just send me an scan/picture/image of the target with your name on it and you will be entered in the drawing.
Match winners and History Channel prize winners will be announced by the end of the week.
BTW, I already have an entry from Bea who is recovering from surgery, so I don't want to hear any "my dog ate my homework" excuses! Lets get those entries in to Sand Castle Scrolls at msn dot com.
26 August 2011
ePostal two-fer weekend
This is the final weekend to shoot the August ePostal "Top Shot" and TrueBlueSam has put up the September match "Trying in Vane".
It's a tough target but send in your scores no matter how low. The History Channel has put up some prizes (Top Shot T shirts, shot glass & iPod case) to be randomly awarded to the entrants. So lets get those targets in!
It's a tough target but send in your scores no matter how low. The History Channel has put up some prizes (Top Shot T shirts, shot glass & iPod case) to be randomly awarded to the entrants. So lets get those targets in!
14 August 2011
Geeky fun with the SandCastle Son
Hi. My name is danno and I am a geek. Always have been, always will be, and proudly so. Home video offered as evidence.
Amateur radio satellite ARISS sat 1 wastossed off launched from the International Space Station last week. Signals are receivable by anyone with a 2Meter band receiver on 145.95 MHz.
It transmits a recorded voice messages, station telemetry and still pictures from one of four on board cameras.
It's been a learning experience. First pass we used the radio (a 20 yr old Yaesu 2M HT) connected to the J pole antenna up in the attic. The pass would occur at 6am-ish well before I'm done counting Z's. So I connected the radio to the VCR and programmed the timer (Yes I still have a VCR and it still works! old school baby!). It caught some good voice, but lots of phasing obscured a lot of the messages.
In search of a better antenna, internet to the rescue! Armed with a shopping list I hit up the local big box hardware store. A 12' length of 1/2 x 3/4" wood cost about $2.50. However they wanted about $5 for a 3' length of Aluminium rod - I passed. Instead I visited the local metal euphorium. A pair of 1/8" x 12' Al rods cost a little over $12*. Last piece was some RG-58 coax. Total cost ~$15 and about an hour to assemble. I added a PVC "mast" to fit into the umbrella stand built into the pool. Yes, We get to stand in the SandCastle pool while aiming the antenna to pick up the satellite! Given daytime temps are in the 108F range, this is a big benefit. Life doesn't get much better than this ;-) Here's the SCSon on tracking duty: (The blue horizontal pole is the pool pole and not part of the antenna).
The Yagi antenna completely solved the phasing problems and made for good reception. Reading the audacity manual I learned it can be set to timer recording! Woot, no more VCR for timer recording!
Even better is MMSSTV which decodes the images and also records. I don't know if it can timer record, but since the antenna needs manual steering, it's pretty much a moot point. Like I said, this has been a learning experience which is reason enough to make the effort.
We caught this on a pass Sunday evening:
What this post really needs though is audio. Unfortunately while blogger can handle video, still photos and text, it does not handle audio. So I'm working on editing some audio with the stills into a "video". That will take some time. Unfortunately the satellite battery is not performing as expected. So if you want to hear it for yourself, time is a wasting!
Best chance for a good pass is late in the afternoon/early evening. While the satellite charges up during the sun lit pass, it resets every pass through the dark side. So best reception is late afternoon/early evening at your location where the solar panels have had a long period to charge up the battery and before the battery has discharged during the darkness.
* A friend tells me I could probably have done better by checking the rem barrels. Doh! Wish I'd thought of that.
Amateur radio satellite ARISS sat 1 was
It transmits a recorded voice messages, station telemetry and still pictures from one of four on board cameras.
It's been a learning experience. First pass we used the radio (a 20 yr old Yaesu 2M HT) connected to the J pole antenna up in the attic. The pass would occur at 6am-ish well before I'm done counting Z's. So I connected the radio to the VCR and programmed the timer (Yes I still have a VCR and it still works! old school baby!). It caught some good voice, but lots of phasing obscured a lot of the messages.
In search of a better antenna, internet to the rescue! Armed with a shopping list I hit up the local big box hardware store. A 12' length of 1/2 x 3/4" wood cost about $2.50. However they wanted about $5 for a 3' length of Aluminium rod - I passed. Instead I visited the local metal euphorium. A pair of 1/8" x 12' Al rods cost a little over $12*. Last piece was some RG-58 coax. Total cost ~$15 and about an hour to assemble. I added a PVC "mast" to fit into the umbrella stand built into the pool. Yes, We get to stand in the SandCastle pool while aiming the antenna to pick up the satellite! Given daytime temps are in the 108F range, this is a big benefit. Life doesn't get much better than this ;-) Here's the SCSon on tracking duty: (The blue horizontal pole is the pool pole and not part of the antenna).
The Yagi antenna completely solved the phasing problems and made for good reception. Reading the audacity manual I learned it can be set to timer recording! Woot, no more VCR for timer recording!
Even better is MMSSTV which decodes the images and also records. I don't know if it can timer record, but since the antenna needs manual steering, it's pretty much a moot point. Like I said, this has been a learning experience which is reason enough to make the effort.
We caught this on a pass Sunday evening:
Best chance for a good pass is late in the afternoon/early evening. While the satellite charges up during the sun lit pass, it resets every pass through the dark side. So best reception is late afternoon/early evening at your location where the solar panels have had a long period to charge up the battery and before the battery has discharged during the darkness.
* A friend tells me I could probably have done better by checking the rem barrels. Doh! Wish I'd thought of that.
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