Perfect description of the Iowa Caucuses this year....

Dr Phil, really?

I have nothing against the girl in Oklahoma- from the facts as presented, that was a perfect DGU, and a brilliant demonstration of the need to take responsibility for your own safety. That said, I would not appear on Dr Phil less than 1 month later to talk about it. Not without my lawyer, anyway. Of course, she's not from East Stickinthebutt, MA, either- with some Martha Coakley wannabe lording over the subjects.
Aw, hell, I don't watch Captain Obvious Dr Phil unless he's on in a doctors office or break at work runs a little late. I'll be the first to admit I only saw the first 5 minutes, maybe my qualms were addressed. Admittedly, stuff like this needs to be aired often and drilled into peoples heads as a proper response to violence. (see what I did there- "a" vs "THE". I'm open minded) And as a resident of a Duty to Retreat State, (hawkkkkk spit) I'm jealous of the Castle Doctrine protections offered in real states.

Interesting EPA case before the Supreme Court

I know that the justices of the court tend to ask harsh questions of both sides during oral arguments. Some of the questions here are great. 

hotair.com/archives/2012/01/18/audio-justice-alito-oddly-unimpressed-with-epa-procedures/

You can ask for a permit, but once they think there is a violation, the EPA doesn't give out permits. Sound like what other government agencies rely on, that start with a "B" and end with "sometimes really big fires". It is funny reading a government employee flat saying they can do what they want when they want to, just in legal language. With any luck, the Supreme court will curtail crap like this, but I doubt it.

SOPA

You have that whole internet there. We just want to have half, and regulate the piss out of the rest, subject you to random closings for no reason that we have to articulate, because we changed the rules (not laws, rules). Sounds like some other right that is written in the Constitution, but I digress. It's for the Children(tm) you're a terrorist swarthy pirate our buddies are losing money. I'd have gone dark, but I'd screw it up somehow. Plus I don't post at all some days, so how could you tell.

Crony Criminalism?

H/t to New Jovian Thunderbolt for this article in the NY Post. I stand corrected- it was the Irish against the Italian and Jewish gangs. Amazing how gun control comes down to being anti-jewish so many times. The Gowdin's Aspie Law doesn't count, here. Because flat out I'm calling them fascists. Pols with their own criminal enforcers? Sound like brownshirts to me. Loved skimming the second article. Mandatory sentencing laws for use of stolen firearms actually does reduce crime. I'll give it a full read later.

Wow, there is an app for everything!

Alternatively, when the government does it, it's okay. Online smartphone/internet gambling will be allowed in Iowa for horse racing via the county owned race track Prairie Meadows. Now, I could give two spits about gambling; it's your money- light it on fire for all I care. But freaking out about online poker, then turning around with a straight face and allowing online nag gambling? Don't think this even approaches tinfoil hat territory*. Guess I'm behind the times, though, as this was approved last year.

*Custom size 7 1/2. Lined with the Faraday bags motherboards come in. Very stylish.

M&P compact grip spacer issue.

I noticed both M&P compact models using fullsize magazines with fullsize mag grip spacers had issues seating the magazines. Even empty. Originally, I only had the X-Grip spacer and the 40c. I chalked it up to experience, put the spacer in the the pile of parts, and shot without it on the mag. The Talo edition with the factory grip spacer fell into my lap recently. It was a bear to seat, worse than the X-grip. I went for it because, one, I have 2 extra 9mm compact mags from the 9mm barrel attempt on the 40c. Two, I have a fullsize 9mm to feed and the spacer comes right off. Three, they knocked the price down from 500 to 425 while I fumbled with it. Within my herd of fullsize magazines I have a pair of the old style round button baseplates; the other 7 are new style rectangular tab baseplates. On a whim, I put the spacer on the old style baseplate mags. Works perfectly. On either compact. Put the spacer on any other mag, it takes extra force to lock it in and does not audibly click home. And yes, there is a mix of 40 and 9 mm mags shown. They all mount up the same because the frames are identical.

New vs Old

Carry Mag

New Style Baseplate

Old Style Baseplate

1.114" New Style 9mm

1.126 New Style 40

Spacer Height

Old Style Plate-1.158 Sorry it washed out

With the tightest mag clearance being just over the height of the spacer, it makes sense that they are hard to seat. The mags go in a little further before the mag release catches them, then sit lower once seated. Also, and my crappy photos don't show it, it does not sit straight on the new style plates. So I most likely will just mod the adapter a little to use it with the new style mags. Or just leave the goofy thing alone and not use it. I've gotten used to the 2 finger grip now.  I sure as heck do not want the spacer causing reload issues in the heat of the moment. Plus it would just be in the way if I need the mag as a spare for the fullsize gun.

Got to shoot something different today.

   First off, new M&P9c, 330 rounds- 250 plinking ammo, 50 Rem cheap hollowpoints, 30 +P Winchester 124 grain, all worked fine. Did not even shoot paper with it first. There was 1" of fresh snow on the ground- I could easily see when I missed. Reactive targets are nice, but fully reactive ranges are awesome! Hit the 50 yard targets a few times, went in and asked about the sizes. 20"x16" and 18" round. They told me the real challenge was the 9"x12"s at 40. Those I was hitting just fine. Bowling pins at 15 were fun, but they didn't break apart like the 40 action last week.
 Tried not quite a mag dump with the +P stuff. I've shot the 40c better with carry ammo.

The range staff were working on one of these:

Apparently they had been impressed enough with my meager gun handling skills, because they let me shoot a few rounds with it. With no sights, I walked it down to the target. It had major feed issues, don't know if I'd care to own that one. But a pistol caliber carbine would be fun- the Olympic .45 AR's at the show were $600 but the mags are spendy. Guess you pay to play. Plus they make a 10mm. Just thinking on electrons here.....for now.

ETA- 14*F out there today. And I just shaved....my beard and head. Brilliant.....

First gunshow of the year.

SR22's everywhere. Kinda surprised. Low of 295, high of 330. Almost bought one. May still if I can find a trade to take in. Maybe Sunday. Got something new to take to the range tomorrow, though. Sigh, another M&P. A 9c Talo edition, traded one gun for it plus some cash. 425+ tax was the price before trade. New enough to not say "stainless" on the slide, just like the 9mm FS.

Remember the incident in Canton Ohio?

Well, it resulted in the officer being fired.  Wonder if a civil suit will be pressed for the threats he made? Not that Holder's (Hi DHS!) InJustice Department would find this to be a violation of the Barlett's civil rights.

Light a Candle to Stop Violence

Counter vigil from Weerdworld. As he and others point out, just lighting a candle to stop one form of violence is short sighted. Here is part of my effort for victims of violence:

Here is my M&P40c with a Crossbreed Supertuck. Notice holster wear and mag scratches. Both get out and used at the range as often as possible. Practice is required with a firearms- shooting skill is perishable, and so are you.

This is the 40c's bigger in size but smaller in caliber brother, the M&P357. Rides in the same holster, and normally sports a 40 S&W barrel for commonality with the 40c, as the full size mags work in the smaller frame. And it came with both barrels in the box.

And here is the third M&P, in 9mm. With +P loads, the performance is very similar to the 40 S&W with 2 extra rounds per magazine(17+1).

This one won't fit in the holster, or the photo.

Eco friendly green everywhere!

   The small minded out there would leave us unable to use, let alone own, any of these. In other, "enlightened" countries, i.e. Britain* or Australia,  knee jerk reactions to incidents similar to what happened in Tuscon, AZ last Jan 8 were used to disarm (yeah, well, Fudd guns don't count) both countries. Wonderful gun bans existed in such progressive countries as the Soviet Union and Germany of the Thirties. That turned out great. For those in power. Not to mention our own Jim Crow gun control laws and the anti Irish/Italian Sullivan act that exists in New York City to this day, now in its 101st year. Or Illinois, Jersey (You can't have a Red Rider BB gun, you need a mother-may-I-card just for that. Seriously) Mass, Commifornia, and any others I have left out.

  So I light this candle for those who have no choice in the manner of their defense.

*Don't get me started on British self defense laws. If someone attacks you in your home, give them tea, crumpets and your life, because the government there will punish you for giving a criminal trespasser so much as a paper cut. And heaven forbid you aren't home at the time, because the government will assume that the thief lives there and you have no right to remove them if they "move in". For a country full of castles, they sure need a doctrine about something..... 

Less cold range time

Today the shooting range was much warmer than last time. 25 degrees! I seem to have developed a new tic when shooting the M&P's- touching the slide lock so the last round does not stay open. It happens right after I shoot a 1911. Yes, thumb high is what I'm doing, but wrong. I need more dry fire time holding it correctly. Another interesting thing popped up as well. If I think the words, "focus on the front sight, jackass" after a miss, I usually hit the steel plate I previously missed. This was working on the 50 yard plate with the M&P9. Heck, that gun has gotten to where if I do my part, rarely do I miss a plate. Even when going from plate to plate. I hope I wasn't chanting "front sight" out loud, but a couple of times I hit the 15, 25, 40, 35 then 50 yard plates in succession and even surprised myself.

About 400 rounds today. 150 through the 9, 160 spread between 2 40's, mostly the M&P40c, and 90 through the 2 1911's. May be time to lose one 1911 for something that starts with a "G". Or a 22LR of some type.