flaco

I can't wait to see the finished product, Monty- You've come a long way since you first started posting here. flaco

Wish you'd post more, Tye. flaco

I'm so late to the party all I can do is echo the earlier sentiments. A truly professional job, Z. I like the classic stock profile, your choice of actions--although I'd probably leave the VZ 24 stamping on the left side rail--and, well, just the whole package. Very, very well done, Z. flaco

Nobody could be better at discrediting the Bush Administration than the Bush Administration. What a bunch of inept ideological bunglers. What more needs to go wrong before you guys see--err,I mean admit--this? flaco

Now it's obvious why General Motors is going broke: They listened to opinions like this. The Prius is a no-brainer. Gasoline is expensive now, it's going to be more expensive, and the world supply is in jeopardy. Feel free to buy all the gas-guzzlers you want, boys. I'm certain you can get them at bargain basement prices, and they'll be cheaper in the future. If the Middle East goes up in smoke--and it's smoldering now--expect to see gas rationing. 50 miles to the gallon will seem awful sweet, then. flaco

All my friends that have them love them. flaco

Just curious as to what information, Karl, in particular you suspect the media have blacked out. Have they neglected to pass along info from a press release or news conference? Say, for instance, you were in the press in Iraq, what kind of questions would you want answered? About this story? I guess we all take for granted that these boys' comrades are looking for a little payback. Pretty tough if you don't know who the bad guys are, and, as often as not, we don't. It's the nature of this war. Did find this, in the Los Angeles Times, although viewing it gave me no pleasure. flaco

Not to be outdone by a bunch of hicks from the South--LOL--here's an image of haymaking in California, circa 1906. The girl with the reins is my paternal grandmother. She went on to attend UCLA--when it was called Los Angeles Normal, a teacher's college--and be principal of a small school in rural California. Don'tcha just love the hats? flaco

TooterShooter- I considered a project like yours, but found that (at least on the '09s) the Lyman aperture site covered part of the stripper clip guide. Which is mandatory for the rapid fire section. I'm hoping you've come up with a solution to this problem? As to bore diameter, my Project #2, a Lothar Walther Art. 724, just shot a .9" three shot group at 200 yards in the Hunting Rifle class of our club competition. This was best group of class, and sub 1/2 MOA. I was using Hornady A-Max 140 grainers, so I don't think bore size is a problem. Now... sad as I am to admit it, this rifle, 6.5x55, does not feed all that well. Despite a Swede follower, the fifth round is reluctant to join its brothers in the magazine. And it looks to me as if a few rounds would prefer to jump out of the magazine, to be pushed into the chamber, rather than slide under the extractor. This has never been a problem, but then I'm not shooting Match Rifle, either. I applaud you in your project, TooterShooter, and hope you can make a successful Mauser Match Rifle. Perhaps we can learn from you? flaco

Okay, swamp_thing, I did a search. Here's a great page with instructions for building a tunable "Loop" antennae. The one I built resembled the 4' antennae described on the page. flaco

Nicely done, swamp_thing- Now all you need is an antennae. Years ago I built one, basically a frame of crossed 1"x2"s, IIRC, on which copper antennae wire is wound to make a square. About 3'x3', I think. It was directional--how cool is that?--and tunable. There was a capacitor to create what I believe is called a tank circuit. Isn't making things much more fun than arguing about politics? flaco

Have you not been home since Katrina, Reverend? Might be a little bit of a tough homecoming. (Although an improvement on Iraq, I'm certain.) Anyway, I hope you have a great vacation. flaco

Looks good, Z- flaco

I'm waiting on the return of an '09 receiver I sent to one of the better Mauser smiths in the nation. It looked to me to be pretty well set back, so he skimmed .008 off the lug raceway and lapped the primary shoulder an equal amount. Not certain the expense is financially justifiable, but it's a clean '09 and I had invested some time in stoning. It will, of course, have to be heat treated. flaco

Go here: Lazy Ramadi flaco

Course it's bobwire. Just like ducktape. flaco

Hey Clemson- To answer your question, I have a couple of projects that are moving along at a glacial pace. This is frustrating. And... I'd like to confirm your suggestion about the BFH. If the barrel starts to slip in the barrel vise, it's a big PITA, as the barrel and bushings get polished. Best to strike that first decisive blow with the BFH. Call it the "Shock and Awe" approach to barrel removal. flaco

I hope you'll forgive me if I add a couple of (perhaps helpful) suggestions to your already great thread, Clemson. I think it was Welch who suggested soaking the receiver/barrel combination in mineral spirits. To do this, I got a piece of PVC pipe, and glued a cap on one end. It just fits around the receiver, and I can soak the combo using minimal mineral spirits. I did this for about three days for the barrel I removed on Saturday. Also... I know you've removed many, many more barrels than I, but I have to suggest using PB Blaster in lieu of Kroil. In general I'm a Kroil advocate, but for whatever the reasons the barrels have come off more easily for me with PB Blaster. Once again, I took my time: After soaking in mineral spirits, I applied the PB Blaster every once in a while the night before I removed the barrel. I post this with full recognition that compared to you, Clemson, I'm still a novice. So please don't take offense. flaco Did you make the action wrench, too?

I seriously doubt a whole bunch of these alleged facts, fritz- Here's another side. I had breakfast Thursday with a good friend, a restaurateur. He has two restaurants. I guess there's going to be a walkout tomorrow, and he's concerned. He's also concerned about his employees, one of whom is a cook who has been working for him for 15 years. The cook apparently has a fake SS card. In the restaurant business, the employees present (fake) credentials, and swear that they're here legally. The employer is therefore off the hook, legally. For 15 years this cook has been working two jobs in town, and having Social Security taxes deducted. He, and many, many other hard working illegals will never see a penny of benefit from the years that they've been paying into the fund. Que lastima. flaco

Good luck to you, Jimro- I know you as one of our brightest contributors. flaco But... you might want to spell "ordnance" correctly. LOL. (After this, I promise you'll never get it wrong again.)

A few short comments, Tony- After your last "Patriot" post--that trashed Abe Lincoln--I'll suggest that were this a print publication, it would be fit only for wrapping the garbage in. As to the Academy Awards, I don't have a television, so... missed them. And I rarely make it to films. I will say that for film makers (at least to some degree) this is a jury of their peers. Those who judge these things are actually creating films. Award winners are films they liked. This is sort of like being judged by the members of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild if you're a gunmaker. As to the much-maligned Brokeback Mountain, I read the original story in "The New Yorker" when it first appeared years ago. It's a good story. And Annie Proulx is a tough old All-American who knows her way around the outdoors and no doubt more than a match for anyone who posts here. In addition, Larry McMurtry, who wrote the screen adaptation, is one of our best contemporary authors. (Did I see posts here trashing "Lonesome Dove"? Oh well.) Overall my suggestion is that in this case "The Patriot" just didn't like the winners, and--like Karl Rove and the now-indicted Scooter Libby--used any available argument to discredit them. Like Rove and Libby feloniously released the name of CIA agent Valerie Plume? Would you argue that financial success equates to artistic success? It seems to me that rifle building--the slow, painstaking, spare-no-detail, spare-no-effort kind of rifle building--rarely equates to financial success. flaco N.B. Don't get me wrong, Tony. I'm grateful for this site. Your creation. I'd rather just lurk. Like "Uncle" whoever.

I'm looking for images of original Type A and B Mauser commercial rifles. Were you the one who posted that beautiful collection a while back? Thanks, flaco

What else are you gonna fill up your garage with? I think a lot of this is what an old girlfriend of mine called Retail Therapy. Acquisition. And a lot of this stuff, it's pleasurable just knowing it's out there in the garage. The stuff has a symbolic appeal as much as a utilitarian appeal. How often do we use it? Do you think camping and hunting--or the gear--are symbols of freedom? flaco

A very nicely done tutorial, Clemson. Thanks- flaco

Thanks, Jim- LOL. And though I believe you're in Missouri, I expect you'll forgive me for taking this opportunity to congratulate all the Texas fans. flaco