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Gun Thread: After Mid-August and Before End of August Edition!

Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!

Leapin' Lichen y'all!! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be after mid-August and before the end of August? The time, it simply passes too quickly.

With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?

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Shootin' Stuff
I'd like to start a new weekly feature on shooting products. Not guns and ammo, but all of the other items that go along with the hobby such as gear and accessories, cleaning and maintenance products and supplies and so forth. I'm asking you to help by letting us know the stuff you like and are using. It's easy-peasy! Just snap a photo of the product and email it along with a description of what it is and why you like it to gunthread at protonmail dot com. Please remember to include your nic! If you don't want to be identified, then just sign it lurker.

Q: Weasel, should I write 5,000 words and send a dozen pictures of the gun cleaning Q-tips I use?
A: Umm, No.

Seriously, a few sentences or maybe a couple of paragraphs is what I have in mind, along with a pic or two. I am always on the lookout for lesser-known or especially alternative products in order to save a few bucks although that is certainly not a requirement to have your contribution shared with the group on an upcoming Gun Thread. Don't know why you're using what you're using? Maybe there is a better and less expensive option. So whether it's Hoppes 9, or a poultice made once per year from the PeePee berry in a sacred ceremony by the Bantu peoples of Madagascar, let us know!

Here's an example:

I have tried a lot of wildly overpriced lubrication and gun cleaning products made for and more importantly marketed toward gun owners. The lubrication product I actually use most of the time is Mobil 1 motor oil. I figure if it's good enough for the engine in my car it's probably good for use in the guns I shoot. A quart is less than $10 and will practically last you a lifetime. Compare that to most specialized "gun lube" products where a tiny tube or bottle can go for twice that amount, the Mobil 1 is a bargain. Multi-grade, various viscosity, high-mileage or low-mileage - it doesn't matter. Just get a quart of oil and a little squeezy bottle.

C'mon people, participate! You don't have to be some lifelong shooter and deadly kung-fu ninja to share what you are using. Have a particular cleaning patch (hint - Southern Bloomer) you like? Let us know about it!

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Guns of the Horde
First up we have a nice Browning from our pal The Neon Madman

Someone recently asked something along the lines of "why would you have guns that you don't shoot or rarely shoot?"

Pictured is my Browning A-5 shotgun, Magnum 20 gauge, with original box and price tag of $209.00. Based on the serial number, my dad bought it
(new) in 1969 or 1970. He liked to go squirrel and pheasant hunting in the fall each year, and when I was old enough, I went along, of course.

Now, at the time, my dad was a millwright in a paper mill, with 4 kids and 1 more soon to come. Growing up, I remember damn few things that we
had that were bought "new". This shotgun was a treasure of his, passed to me a few years before he died, and will go eventually to my kids and
grandkids. It will. never. be. sold.

Very. Nice. NM! Thank you!

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Range Trip
Our pal blaster shares a target from a recent range trip with our other pal sharon(willow's apprentice).

During today's DMV MGC trip, we had a zombie target in a "Zombie attack" game, where the range runs a target at you 3 times from 25 yards out.

This target is sharon(willow's apprentice) with her Kimber 9mm 1911. The grouping of shots here is why we say about the ettes - "Don't make them mad."

Nice shooting, SWA! That's a skerry target!

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Ammo Storage
OK, Ok - you're buying ammo, but are you storing it correctly?

Still uncertain?

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Ballistics
Trouble understanding ballistics? Why didn't you say so? The ol' Gun Thread has you covered.

Well that was kind of short. How about another!

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Spacetime Rotation
Trouble understanding Lorentz transformations? Why didn't you say so? The ol' Gun Thread has you covered.

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Crock Pot Execution
I'm not exactly sure of CBD's position on slow cookers, but since he is an advocate of sous vide, this is probably not ok.

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Oregon and Texas MoMe Madness!

The Salem Oregon MoMe was held yesterday, August 19th. So far, I haven't heard anything in the news regarding a disturbance, so perhaps it was mostly peaceful. Does anyone who attended and been released on a PR bond care to share the fit-for-public consumption details?

I'd also like to point out the upcoming MoMe in Texas on October 20-21. If you're anywhere in either the northern or southern hemisphere of the planet of the earth, contact Ben Had for details. The dates and email links for MoMes are always helpfully included on the main page, left sidebar, so you really have no excuse!

Seriously, people. I have said this probably a hundred times now. These gatherings are a really good time, and I know of no one who regrets having attended one. No kidding. No shit! MoMe veterans will attest to the funness. Don't be a dork, do yourself a favor and get your ass to a MoMe! If you're a MoMe veteran, please encourage the scairdy-cats to join in the fun by threatening them if necessary!

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Musical Interlude
Some early John Lee Hooker for your listening enjoyment.

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Gun Basics 101
No new video from the She Equips Herself gal, so here's a Q&A video from the archives.

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Armed Attorneys
Considering modifying your firearm? Not so fast there, buckaroo!

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Cigar of the Week

This week our pal rhomboid scores again with this excellent review of the Charter Oak Habano

I have looked at the two other cigars in the Charter Oak line here on the gun thread - the Connecticut Shade and the Broadleaf Maduro - and now the third, the Charter Oak Habano. This is the Lonsdale size (6.2 X 46). Like its line-mates it has a closed foot (the wrapper extends over/around the bottom). This might account for the smooth start, as the mild wrapper leaf is part of the first few puffs. This cigar has an Ecuadoran habano wrapper, with Nicaraguan fillers.

This is one of the rare times I noticed "transition" in flavor experience as the cigar smoked down. Things started with a light and sweet profile, maybe some coffee in the mix. About halfway through the sweetness went away and a nice smooth light wood and tobacco mix prevailed. Construction and burn were excellent, volume of smoke was on the high end, and it was a rich thick smoke besides. A cigar on the lighter side of medium. A very nice stick, and at Charter Oak's characteristic reasonable price ($6 and up, often lower on sale), a good value option that fans of medium cigars should consider.

Excellent as always, rhomboid! Thank you!

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Here are some different online cigar vendors. You will find they not only carry different brands and different lines from those brands, but also varying selections of vitolas (sizes/shapes) of given lines. It's good to have options, especially if you're looking for a specific cigar.

Cigarsinternational.com
Cigarpage.com
Famous-smoke.com
Cigarsdaily.com
Neptunecigar.com
Smallbatchcigar.com
Bobalu Cigar Company
Cigarbid.com

A note about sources. The brick & mortar/online divide exists with cigars, as with guns, and most consumer products, with respect to price. As with guns - since both are "persecuted industries", basically - I make a conscious effort to source at least some of my cigars from my local store(s). It's a small thing, but the brick & mortar segment for both guns and tobacco are precious, and worth supporting where you can. And if you're lucky enough to have a good cigar store/lounge available, they're often a good social event with many dangerous people of the sort who own scary gunz, or read smart military blogs like this one. -rhomboid

Anyone have others to include? Perhaps a small local roller who makes a cigar you like? Send me your recommendation and a link to the site!

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Ammo Link-O-Rama
I'm really very seriously not kidding around anymore. Buy Ammo
AmmoSeek - online ammo search tool
GunBot - online ammo search tool
SG Ammo
Palmetto State Armory
Georgia Arms
AmmoMan
Target Sports USA
Bud's Gun Shop
American Elite Ammo NEW!

***Mail Bag***

This week's mailbag entry is from our pal ButtPicker5000. Great one!

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Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!

That's it for this week - have you been to the range?