Ruger's Auction To Benefit The Light Foundation

Ruger is offering a rare one this week, and the bids reflect that, but do check it out and read the description.  This is a 1992 Ruger Ranch Rifle in .222 Remington, rather than the common .223 version.  This rifle was not in the catalog and it is New-In-Box.

This little rifle is the stainless version, and it comes with a set of 1" rings so you can mount a scope.  This rare beauty will sell mid-day, July 11, 2018.  CLICK HERE to read the entire description and to place your bid. $2425.01

Tuesday Torque: Evans Oilfield Engine

This smooth running engine was on display at the Evansville SIAM Show in June, 2018.

Lookin' For Work

Back To The Old Grind!

White County Farm Bureau Youth Shoot, Saturday, July 14, 2018

The annual steel shoot sponsored by the White County Farm Bureau is next weekend.  Here is a video of a bit of the action at last year's event.

Details

The Young Leader Committee of the White County Farm Bureau is pleased to sponsor the 8th Annual Young Leader Pistol Shoot. The event will be held on Saturday, July 14, 2018, at the Carmi Rifle Club in Carmi, IL. This year’s event will feature two competitions, a “Speed Steel Competition” and a “Display of Marksmanship”. Event registration begins at 8:30 am, with competition set to begin at 9:00 am.

There are two competitions in this event…
SPEED STEEL COMPETITION
This steel target competition will consist of 5 stations, 5 relays, with 5 targets at each station (minimum of 125 shots). Each round will be electronically timed. The event will include two age classes… an adult class, and a youth class for shooters aged 16 years and younger.
DISPLAY OF MARKSMANSHIP
The marksmanship competition will be the best of 10 shots at a distant target of 50 feet; with accuracy the deciding factor, not speed. All shooters will compete in one class for the Marksmanship Competition.

* The minimum age for shooters is 12 years old. Any shooter age 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Each shooter will be put in a drawing for a Ruger Mark IV .22 target pistol. The pistol was donated by The Gun Room at Indian Creek RV in Norris City. The top shooter in each class (adult and youth) for each competition will receive an additional 5 chances in the drawing; the 2nd place shooter in each class will receive an additional 3 chances, and the 3rd place shooter in each class will receive one additional chance. The top shooter in each event will also receive a brick of .22 ammunition (one winner for speed, one winner for marksmanship).

Shooters will need to furnish their own guns, ammunition, hearing protection, and eye protection. Only .22 caliber pistols are allowed to be used in this competition. In order to have ammunition ready while competing, it is recommended that you bring multiple clips for your gun. A small amount of .22 ammunition will be available for sale at our cost.

Registration is $25 per shooter if registered before July 1. After July 1, registration will be $35 per shooter. Registration includes lunch (those attending but not shooting will need to pay $8 for lunch). We hope to see you at this year’s Young Leader Pistol Shoot event!

Link

Yard Deer

There is a pretty young buck hanging around the yard and garden this summer.  He likes to eat daylilies, and that is OK, since we have an abundance of them.  The dogs bark at him, but it bothers us more than it bothers the deer.

I whacked a hackberry this afternoon that was the wrong tree in the wrong place, and our little friend was out there sampling the leaves.  Evidently they taste funny.

Weekend Steam: Chehalis, Washington, 2-8-2 Mikado

I really like the videos that show preparation before the engine is working.  There are lots of little details to enjoy.  Merle sent me several this week, and this is my pick.  Thanks, Merle!

Is That A Good Luck Charm In Your Pocket,

or a disaster waiting to happen?  Is your .380 going to throw lead when you need it to do so, or is it going to choke on pocket lint?  We had company over the weekend, and I asked the husband if he had cleaned and lubed his pocket pistol lately.  Nope!  I said, "Give it to me and I will take care of it for you."  I guessed it would be worthy of photos and I was not disappointed.  Lint on the trigger, lint stuck to the side of the magazine and inside, too.

The barrel was fuzzy.  It definitely needed to be disassembled.

The slide catch and the hammer were both loaded up with lint, and also the mag well.

The underside of the slide was also covered in lint and a bit of powder residue.  So, we know this pistol has been fired and put back in its holster dirty after the last range trip.  I cleaned up all the dirt and lint and then lubed the little LCP II properly, even using my special blend of grease on the rails so the lube doesn't run away. 

Our carry guns are not magical talismans.  They are tools and you should attend to them on a regular basis.  Guns have reciprocating and revolving parts that need to be oiled or greased to run properly, in spite of the torture tests that gunwriters love to do.  Pockets, pocket holsters, and lint all wick away oil.  The gun you lubed two months ago is probably dry by now.  The need to clean and lube is double for little pocket guns like the LCP and LCP II.  They are light, and require a firm grip to operate properly.  If you do not keep them in top operating condition, they are likely to fail you when you need them most.  You also need to practice with these little guys regularly, and make sure your grip is up to snuff so you can empty entire magazines without getting stovepipes.

Just in case you haven't read it, Grant Cunningham's article on lubrication is linked on the left side of this blog in the forum and reference section.  Also Here.  Be serious about your ability to defend yourself.  Criminals think about their work all the time.  We should do the same for our safety.

Ruger's Auction To Benefit The Light Foundation

Ruger has a nice one for you this week, and the collectors may stay away for this one so you can get a good deal.  It is a P89 from 1994 in 9mm and with a decocker.  It is new-in-box, so you will be getting a new gun!  It comes with a 15 round magazine in the original box.  This fine pistol will sell mid-day, Wednesday, July 4, 2018.  Click Here to read the description and to place your bid. $515.02

Tuesday Torque: Collis; A Rare Breed Ahead Of Its Time

The Collis engine came along in the early 1920's when other manufacturers were stuck on heavy, simple engines, mostly with hit-and-miss governors.  This type of power plant was meant to be used for powering a grain binder, orchard sprayer, or similar tasks.  The radiator is in the flywheel, and that may be what killed it off.  It was just a little too far out for most farmers at the time.  The valves are operated by a single rocker arm, which our friend Gary Bahre reports is difficult to set up correctly without an instruction manual.  He did alright, though.  I picked up the Collis at an auction because of a tip from an engine friend back in the 1980s.  Turns out he was a friend of Gary's, too, before we knew each other.  I wish he was still around to see this baby run.  I had the valves ground and put it away after I got it, and Gary rescued it from our garage.  He will be showing it at Boonville, Missouri this summer. Video by Gary Bahre.

No Pension, No SS

Getting it done at 104.  Back To The Old Grind!