Inside Coffee

Ever wondered what it looks like inside an espresso machine when it's doing it's thing?



Now you know.  And it's pretty cool.

MHI-Nemesis

Little reminder - the newest Monster Hunter Book is out!

I got the eARC a few months back, and let me tell you, this is possibly the best MHI book yet.

(Note- I do get a cut of every Amazon purchase made through the links on this page, and greatly appreciate it. It costs you nothing and helps me out greatly.)

Cheap Steel

TacStrike recently had an inventory reduction sale (actually it's still going!) and part of that includes some of their Flat Rate Shipping targets.  One of the downsides of steel targets is that they're heavy, and weight equals higher shipping.  TacStrike decided to work the system, and developed a set of targets that fit in a couple sizes of the USPS Flat Rate shipping boxes to make it easier to get your hands on some durable targets.  These also have a bracket on the back to hang them from a standard steel garden fence post.

I snagged a SFRT, which showed up a couple days ago.  It's a pretty substantial little guy, 8.5"x5.5", and is a good little challenge at 100 yards.  I never seem to remember that black is not the best color with how wooded the berm is at the range I tend to shoot at...

Once they got done mowing, I set up at the 100 yard line and got to work. It seemed like a good day to get back to basics, and I have been itching to try out the RRA two-stage trigger I dropped in my A2.  On a side note, this is still probably my favorite setup for good relaxed shooting.

As I mentioned, at 100 yards, the small target is a bit of a challenge, but aim small, miss small.  The little thing doesn't as much 'ring' like you'd expect from a steel target, but when you do hit it, you get a good solid 'smack.'  55gr FMJ pretty much disintegrates, with minimal dimpling, so long as you're not too close to the edge.

(I may have gotten the wrong fence post...)

You will knock out some chunks if you're on the edge though.

Like I said earlier, the .223 rounds just about completely splatter, but 9mm leaves little lead flowers.

Next time I just need to remember some cheap spray paint in an easier to see color, but other than that, these are well worth the price, and it's a great time to pick some up.

Good day for the range...

And range maintenance I guess. Guess I'll donate some blood while I wait and be thankful they started on the lane I want to shoot at!

Ruger "Budget" Nine

New Ruger 9E

Like the Trigger Jerk says, almost an upgraded version of the SR9 (no gaudy loaded chamber indicator or adjustable sights, etc) for a good chunk of change less ($100 less to be precise.)  The frame looks just about identical, and it would make sense to use the same magazines.  Mostly just some changes to the slide machining process to save some time and money.  Smart move on Ruger's part I think, should make for a great entry wonder-nine.

Appologies

I've been tossed on the night shifts, and it may or may not be sucking my soul out slowly through my eyeballs.  I've attempted to kick-start some brain functions with some Army approved chemical concoctions-

-but I don't think the mix is the same state-side as it is over there.  At least it tastes pretty decent.

Two-wheeled Crazy

Danny in a beautifully post-apocalyptic landscape.

Saturday

Because it kind of is for me.  Put up with a few overnight shifts, and reward yourself with beer, good food, and live music (from our wedding band/her bonus parents) on the patio at a bar just out of town.

Also nobody rocks a mandolin lime Jonathan. Nobody.

Blarg

Nothing sucks the life out of you quite like a few nights of graveyard shifts.  That and I don't think these New Balance boots I got are ever going to break in, so I'm a little cranky.  Just need to suck it up and order some Danners...

Baseball!

I totally married her for the tickets... I swear! It's not summer until you hit up a Northwoods League game, care of Manda's employer.

You might be a Veteran if...

Slight language warning...



*I can neither confirm nor deny I have done any of the things in this video.

New Hat for the Truck

Tonneau covers have come a long ways since '06 I guess. The Velcro was coming unstitched on the old one and there was a good amount of water in the bed after being parked all of AT. The new one (Lund) seems to have a better seal, and a much easier tension system going for it, and a better shape overall than the old Truxedo cover that came on it.

F*** the Gym

This is how you do arms.

Happy Birthday Army!

We're making cake.

Charlie Wilson's AK for sale

A fully documented AK Charlie Wilson brought back from one of his trips to Afghanistan is up for auction.

I has a sad.

Bit of a downer post, but the dog went back to the Humane Society last night.  He wouldn't be submissive to Manda, and last night he managed to jump over one of the pet gates and threw Lila cat across the room right in front of her. Lila might be part ragdoll, or just played dead out of fear, but Manda thought he killed her.

Tough cat is tough cat though, and she came bounding out of the room when Manda was throwing the dog in the crate.  Dog was taken back to the Humane Society, and my dad drove Manda and Lila up to the Emergency Vet.  Lila was just shaken up and bruised, so they gave her some pain meds for the night (on a side note, stoned kitty is hilarious.  The floor mat in the half bath feels aaammaazzzinngg!)

My 1st Sergeant and Commander were very understanding, and got me home for a 24 hour pass just to make sure things are ok here (which it seems they are) and I'll be heading back out for the rest of AT tonight.  I'm a bit broken up about the dog, because he is a great puppy when he's good, but he is never going to not chase cats it seems, and needs a good loving home without cats.

We might give it a shot again in a couple years, but for now we're going back to being a cat family.

M&P Shield - minus thumb safety

I'm in the field for the next couple of weeks, but this popped up on my news feed (so i can't verify it...) and I know there's people out there that were wanting it that way.

If it's true, good on S&W for listening.

You know you're an engineer nerd when....

When the roof closing at Miller Park is as cool to watch as the game.

That's right, our park is a convertable.

Not bad seats at all. Thanks IAVA and the USO of Wisconsin!

Beer in the shade of Miller Park is only right to kick off summer and remember those who gave.

New Camo

Scorpion will replace the MultiCam pattern, currently fielded by the Army as the Operational Camouflage Pattern, making Scorpion the standard issue pattern of the Army, thereby completely replacing the unpopular Universal Camouflage Pattern, first adopted in 2004. The Army will continue to refer to the new Scorpion pattern as OCP. The patterns are very similar so the Army will continue to purchase MultiCam as OCP until the new supply chain for Scorpion is up and running.

I gotta say, while I understand the deep down "why" of Scorpion (the Army already owns it), I still think it would have made more sense to just continue paying some royalties and just adopt Multicam (which there's a crapload of OCIE and uniforms already in the system.)  Maybe they'll just say "close enough" for the existing OCP and let you wear it too?

Image (and really good hard look at what the hell it is) from Hyperstealth

Long Walks

Do wonders for crate training. A bit over an hour with no whimpers or nothin'!

Busy

Gunnar turned out to be more puppy than they thought, so he's been sucking up lots of time... not in a bad way, just a tiring way.  I also had 6 straight days of Guard stuff, most of which was in the field at McCoy, so limited comms, etc (although I did push a lot of dirt, both with bulldozers and explosives.)  AT starts in about a week and a half too, so more down time from here. Apologies and all that (but hopefully entertaining pictures maybe.)

In positive news, if you're at the newsstand, you should check out Combat Handguns, and look for a familiar name popping up in regards to a photo in a product highlight.  Pretty cool that I can claim being a "published photographer" or something like that!

Speaking of photos, I need to get back on that horse; and speaking of photos and horses, that should be my next photo project.

It's a pony, and it spins!

The new bay window should be a good place to get plenty of light in a pretty controlled environment.

Want

For silly reasons, namely semi-auto 30-06.





Originally announced at SHOT in 2013 (I think) they're saying it should be in production this year.

Gunnar

The yard is complete. Fence, some gardens, and a dog.

Some how we beat the odds, and were lucky enough to give this little guy (all 17 pound of him) a new home.

We had a 'dog hammock' thing in the backseat for the ride home... nope, gonna ride home up front!

Bone!!

He ran full tilt sprints in the back yard, went for a nice walk, and now he's passed out on the couch.

The cats hate us, which was expected, but hopefully they get over it.  They've gotten progressively braver, but Gunnar wants to chase them and play, which they're not fans of yet.

Busy

The contractors finished up their end of things today, and we started mudding the drywall and staining the giant window. Busy weekend ahead!

Oh yeah... we're also getting a dog on Sunday...

Big Hole

So the living is kind of turning into a "four-season porch."

Need... More... Coffee.......

Coming off two nights of 11pm-7am shifts, and (fingers crossed) the window guys get to the house around the same time I do.  Regardless of noise, I doubt I could sleep with a couple strange guys wandering around the house, so I'll just be powering through the day.  Awesome sauce.

Also of note, it's currently 37F outside... happy May!

In cool gun related news, there's a company making steel mag catches for M&P pistols.  The OEM part can be kind of slick and blends almost too well with the frame of the gun.  I stippled mine when I did the rest of the frame, but I am liking the idea of their offering the more I think about it. The serrations look nice and sharp, giving you a good grip in the right direction, while providing a good contrast to the rest of the frame texture.  Might be a worthwhile upgrade for $27.  Offered in both standard and extended versions.

Thanks FedEx!

It's cool, drive all over my yard.

 

I tossed the GoPro in the window for a bit (something is stealing seed out of the birdfeeder, I'm curious) and when I came back in from the garage there were some tire tracks all over the wet sand from the well.  Jerk.

Chaos in the land

Or in the G&C House.  Window guy is coming tomorrow to install new windows through the entire house, including knocking out a giant hole in the living room to place an 11' bay window (it's for the cats, I swear.)  Downside is they only do installs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which happen to be when I have overnight shifts... oops.

In not so great news, made an appointment to take the truck in, the spot where the drive-shaft and the rear differential meet up decided it wanted to take a break from its duties of keeping all the fluid inside the rear diff.. yay.  The shop I like is also apparently the shop everybody likes, so it'll be a week before they can get it in to look at. In the meantime we'll just keep the fluid topped off and keep trips short.

On a more positive note, more seriously looking at getting a dog.  Seems there's a Swedish Vallhund at the local humane society, and who doesn't like little Viking dogs?

ETA: Too rainy and gross out. Windows will have to wait a couple days...

Positive Thoughts Are Appreciated

Manda (Household 6) has been having a rough couple of months, mostly just some bad luck and horrible timing of things, but yesterday morning her grandmother passed away.  We'll be heading up north for the services this weekend.

Blogging may continue to be a little light in the meantime, but good vibes directed towards her would be great.

Almost Summer?

Broke 70 today, so we threw on some sandals, lit some charcoal, and tossed the ball around this afternoon.

One of my local favorite seasonals is also out again, just another sign that summer is just around the corner.