Sunday, September 17, 2006

Summer Bites The Dust....

...it snowed yesterday and was 27 degrees when I got up this morning. I decided to opt for jeans rather than shorts, which I insisted on wearing yesterday, snow and all. This is The Week for the quaking aspens...not a great year, because it has been a damp summer. Still, it's agonizingly beautiful out there.

I'm having a strange gun jones. I want something, but I don't know what I want. I mentally reviewed my gun list, spent a while on GunsAmerica.com, but nothing really popped up on my radar...ay least nothing at a price I was willing to pay. Yeah, I'd like a pristine S&W .44 Special Triple-Lock, but I'm cheap.

I note that Jeff at Alphecca is going through the same thing, although he seems to have settled on a Henry lever gun in .22 Magnum. I'm actually looking forward to the Ruger Rimfire Challenge next May...the idea of a 2-gun .22 competition lights up my life, and judging by the response we're getting, I'm not the only one. I'm probably going to shoot both in the Unlimited Class (Tac-Sol 10/.22 & S&W M-41) and the Human-Operated Class (Taurus 62 pump rifle & S&W 617 DA revolver). It'll be fun! You should make your arrangements soon, since we're talking about capping the entries at 100 shooters (and let shooters have the option of shooting in two classes).

I spent all yesterday afternoon inletting a set of Eagle "Coke bottle" reproduction grips to my elderly S&W M-29. I know, I know...I was going to return this second set of grips, but I want a set of '50s vintage Coke bottles, and the originals are selling for $250-500...nope, I don't think so. So even though the Eagles we're even close to fitting — unacceptable for $100 grips!!! — the wood was nice and I decided to suck it up and fit them myself.

Next time, I'm just going to buy my own beaver and let him gnaw down a walnut tree. What a pain in the butt! The inside of the grips were so crappy it turned into a major project, with routing bits and sanding drums. I got the grips rough-fitted, and I want to do a little more handwork on the insides, so there's still another couple of hours work left. DO NOT buy Eagle grips unless you've got a LOT of time on your hands this winter!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Got back from a week at Estes Park Friday. Great color at higher elevations (9,000+) - and the elk are singing. Had a bear take out the large almost-bear-proof garbage can in front of the cabins where we stay. Rangers said to ignore those large gray things that howl; there are NO wolves in Rocky. Honest.
Came home to pick up my S&W 296 (that's right, a .44 Special!). Tam at View from the Porch had a picture of several .44 Specials; the 296 was one shown. Asked her if it was available. Yes, and at a good price. So now I have a 696 and a 296. Not a bad week. OldeForce