Gun Thread: May 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!

Holy Shitballs! As predicted last week, it's now May. How did that happen you ask? I think it has to do with the calendar and use of magic beans. It's going to be something of a quickie this week guys and gals. Apologies in advance.

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

So what are these fundamentals we speak of? Well to my mind the big four are; stance, grip, sight alignment and trigger yanking. But are there others? I suppose safety is one, although I like to think of safety as something so non-negotiable and fundamentally fundamental that it's practically one of the laws of the universe. What else do we have?

Practice and range time! The entire process of going to the range regularly and focusing on fundamentals is, in itself, a fundamental. It's fundamentals within fundamentals, man!

Q: Did Weasel smoke pot?
A: No!

What I am saying is you have to make time for the range in order to practice your fundamentals. Sure, you can dry-fire 'n stuff at home, but there is simply no substitute for real, live shooting and practicing with a plan in mind. You need to make it a big enough priority that it actually stands a decent chance of happening on a fairly regular basis. I know for a fact I am not nearly as good a shooter or wind coach as I was when I was on the range practicing every week. There is simply no way to maintain a competitive edge without that level of commitment.

Not interested in competing you say? That's fine. Are you interested in basic competency? That's what is at risk when you go to the range once every six months or year and call it good. If you don't have a plan and a commitment to improve through the methodical application of sound fundamentals, then you cannot expect much progress. Make just a little bit of effort and you will see results. Having said that, some people are also constrained by time or economics, and I get that. If this is the case you simply need to manage expectations.

Buy ammo. Go to the range. Focus on fundamentals.

Useless? I think not!

Q: Weasel, how do you rewind an electric motor?
A: See below.

Featuring MST3K!

2025 NoVAMoMe

Note: One of the great joys of NoVAMoMe season, at least for me, is being able to cut and paste the entire block of text below and haranguing you to attend the event. Are you attending? Are you focusing on the fundamentals of attending?

Alright, guys and gals, the long awaited and highly anticipated details of the 2025 NoVAMoMe are here! That's right, I finally got my act together and updated the information page for 2025, and need to go over a few details. First, the date is June 21st, 2025. Nextly, my bestest blog buddy bluebell and I have decided 2025 will be a year of NoVAMoMe simplification, and want to pass along the changes from prior years.

First, no more registration and no more advance charge for food. If you would like to attend, send an email to WeaselBell Productions, and let us know. You will be directed to a sekrit webpage with all of the details. We do ask once you have decided to attend to let us know so we can coordinate an expected count with venue management. Once there if you are hungry or thirsty simply order from the onsite menu and pay separately. Cash and credit cards accepted. Next, although fun, we have decided to take a break from the raffles and mug sales this year. Depending on how it goes, that may be something we bring back in future years. While your generosity is always appreciated, with no prize table, please leave donations and contributions at home, but bring your appetite for a great afternoon spent with your imaginary online friends.

A NoVAMoMe PSA from our pal bluebell

Hi folks - just a quick PSA. If you write for info about the MoMe, please give us a few words in the body of the email just so I know you are a Moron and not a spammer (moron). I do receive spam on this email account because it's sitting right here in my nic, so that's why I'm asking. I don't want to give our details to a spammer. Also, remember to check your spam folder if you don't receive a reply email.

Thanks.
bluebell

Seriously, just send an email then go to the website with the password provided. If you forget, a link to the email is on the main page, left sidebar. If you do not sign up, bluebell will be disappointed. Weasel will be disappointed, too, but it's bluebell you need to worry about.

That's it, people. Email WeaselBell Productions today!

Cigar of the Week

This week our pal Diogenes scores again with this excellent review of the La Gloria Cubana Classic

La Gloria Cubana Classic. Sadly, this week's report is on a stick I have covered previously so I won't dwell on it for long. However it did cause me to think about how we taste things. If memory serves (and that is less and less so these days) I wrote that the Classic is a perfectly satisfactory cigar with a sharp introductory taste of pepper and cinnamon that quickly smooths out to a genuinely fine smoke. An even ash and easy draw, it is a pleasant 30 minute cigar. This one not so much. Very strong pepper flavor that did not abate, an uneven burn, difficult to keep lit, and an aftertaste that was not pleasant at all. I tossed it after just ten minutes. So... why? Why did it taste so bad? I learned how to really taste things from a retired Regimental Sergeant Major of the Scottish Highland Regiment. He was teaching me about the differences in scotches, but what he really taught me was how to take a moment and really taste what I was eating, drinking, or in the case of the cigar, smoking. What does it taste like? Is it sharp, sweet, or savory? The Sergeant Major's lesson has become incredibly valuable over the years. It has been especially useful with cigars. I liked the Classic, it is a good cigar and I think with this one, I was just unlucky. It happens. How to enjoy a cigar can take many forms, and I have no particular favorite. But I always try to slow down whatever I am doing, look at the cigar, feel it, smell it, and taste it after clipping. And then lighting it, experience the first couple of draws. Then let the aroma of the smoke tell me it's story. You can do the same with liquors, food, and other drink. I recommend it. Everything will taste better. Well, everything except okra.

Excellent, Diogenes! Thank you!

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
Nicks Cigar World New!

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!

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!

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?

posted by Weasel at 07:00 PM

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