A Few Critical Thoughts...

...from the last post on Richard Heinie's collaborations with Nighthawk Custom. I'd like to point out that both Frank James and Walt Rauch — two gunwriters whose reputations are simply beyond reproach — stepped in to talk about their own personal Heinie 1911s.

Think about that...regardless of the field, critics are a pissy lot. I mentioned somewhere recently about my early life as a rock critic in New York City (four most important words in the English language — "I'm with the band"). You become a rock critic because you love music; eventually, you find yourself only talking about rockabilly music recorded at the original Sun Studios in Memphis in 1956 between 3 and 6 AM with Cowboy Jack Clement on the board producing. I called it the "critic's disease."

Part of it is surely a function of volume. In the last 7 days I've shot a suppressed AR-15, a couple of Glock .45s, a Martini-Henry 577-450, a Spencer carbine, a Snider musket, lever actions in 50-90, 45-60, 45-75, a High Wall in 45-120, .22 Ruger Single Sixes and a Henry Golden Boy, shotguns in 12 and 20 gauge, wax bullets through assorted cowboy guns and the new Ruger SR9 service pistol. The ten days before included an American 180 submachine gun, assorted .50 caliber pistols, a 1911 .45, a Krink in 7.62, my S&W M&P 9mm, a prototype Colt SAA clone in .45 Colt, a couple of .50 caliber Brownings, a few more .22s, production versions of the new Sig Sauer P250 9mm and a few rounds through a J-frame. Next week I'll be shooting a full array of cowboy action shooting guns, then USPSA race guns and taking a precision rifle class. Boy...that's a weird month even for me!

Anyhow, it's not that people like me or Frank or Walt know more (although at least in Frank's and Walt's case, they do know more), it's that we shoot a lot of stuff. It's interesting that we've spent money on Heinie 1911s. I'm glad Dick is working with Nighthawk, because more poeple have a chance to own his guns.

Anyhow anyhow, if you're looking for new reading material, check out Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters by William Gurstelle. I've always wanted to build a siege engine for the front yard (Gurstelle wrote a previous book on the subject) ever since I read the wonderful book Catapult: Harry and I Build a Siege Weapon years and years ago. I have to say that my Sweetie has been less than enthused for a project that would result in a full-sized trebuchet in the front yard; for reasons I don't fully understand — probably a Woman Thing — the idea of lobbing dead horses onto the main street of the little town I live above holds no appeal for her. She didn't warm up to the 3/4-scale Civil War cannon idea, either. OTOH, she doesn't much care for shoes.

In a fit of SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION, I also strongly urge you to go to the Outdoor Channel page, sign up for the Golden Moose Awards competition and vote for me as your favorite host!!! You can win a free trip to Vegas! Heck, if you win voting for me, I'll throw in a seat at my table at the Golden Moose Awards and a nice...take-home! And pretzals for the plane trip home!