RIngs arrived. The Leupold Vari-X II is sitting on the gun as we speak. I’ll load up some ammo over the next day or two and take the thing out Monday. I need to get in touch with one of my target shooting buddies and see if he has a device for checking the scopes ‘level-ness’ once its on the gun. Still gotta go shopping for a bipod though.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Well, I took the Savage 110 down to the GunPimp and said “Trade me a set of CZ one-inch rings and a hundred n fifty bucks.” So, the scope, in the final analysis, winds up costing me a hundred bucks and I still have a very nice gun case out of the deal. Unfortunately, the GunPimp is still waiting on his order from CZ so no rings until next week at the earliest. *sigh*
=====
Still need to get out the vaccuum sealer and do a bunch of things:

• Seal one Flectar parka & liner for storage in vehicle
• Seal extra parka/liners fdr storage in bunker
• Seal 5# bags of sugar we bought on sale a few months ago
• Seal small package of scarf, hat, gloves to keep in vehicle

Love them vaccuum sealers.
=====
I have a spreadsheet listing all the goodies I want to buy. (I think Ive mentioned it here before.) Since I got the new laser printer the list is much more readable when printed out using the smallest type size available. I can now keep a reasonably sized copy of this list with me in my backpack so if Im in CostCo or WalMart I can see what I need and how many. Helps to prevent the impulse purchases.
=====
But not always….. I was in WalMart the other day and found a commercial version of the usual knit watchcap. Difference was the weave was much tighter and, check it out, it was layered…this was thick material that was four layers making this hat much warmer than its military counterpart. And, believe it or not, it was made in the US. And it was a nice forest green. And it was $3.95. I got four of them. The military caps are okay, but when the wind blows cold it can get through the material..not with these babies! The Zero approves.
=====
Im still trying to figure out what day to make the official day to celebrate Paratus, the holiday of the prepared. I was thinking about possibly the day the Great Depression started. Should probably start shopping for a patron saint while Im at it.

Well, I took the Savage 110 down to the GunPimp and said “Trade me a set of CZ one-inch rings and a hundred n fifty bucks.” So, the scope, in the final analysis, winds up costing me a hundred bucks and I still have a very nice gun case out of the deal. Unfortunately, the GunPimp is still waiting on his order from CZ so no rings until next week at the earliest. *sigh*
=====
Still need to get out the vaccuum sealer and do a bunch of things:

• Seal one Flectar parka & liner for storage in vehicle
• Seal extra parka/liners fdr storage in bunker
• Seal 5# bags of sugar we bought on sale a few months ago
• Seal small package of scarf, hat, gloves to keep in vehicle

Love them vaccuum sealers.
=====
I have a spreadsheet listing all the goodies I want to buy. (I think Ive mentioned it here before.) Since I got the new laser printer the list is much more readable when printed out using the smallest type size available. I can now keep a reasonably sized copy of this list with me in my backpack so if Im in CostCo or WalMart I can see what I need and how many. Helps to prevent the impulse purchases.
=====
But not always….. I was in WalMart the other day and found a commercial version of the usual knit watchcap. Difference was the weave was much tighter and, check it out, it was layered…this was thick material that was four layers making this hat much warmer than its military counterpart. And, believe it or not, it was made in the US. And it was a nice forest green. And it was $3.95. I got four of them. The military caps are okay, but when the wind blows cold it can get through the material..not with these babies! The Zero approves.
=====
Im still trying to figure out what day to make the official day to celebrate Paratus, the holiday of the prepared. I was thinking about possibly the day the Great Depression started. Should probably start shopping for a patron saint while Im at it.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

The universe provides…

SpaBoy showed up a few minutes before closing and asked if I wanted to buy a rifle. He’s had some money problems since he got divorced and lost his spa dealership. Iasked if the rifle had a acope on it, figuring Id keep the scope if it was any good. He goes back to his car and comes back with a Savage 110 in .300 Win Mag with a Leupold VariX-II 3×9 on it. Okay, not THE scope I want but at least it’ll get me out to the range over the winter while I save my pennies for the scope I really want. Told Him I’d take the gun off his hands.

Dealer on that scope new is $275.

Bought the scope and the gun for $250.

Now i just gotta dump the .300 Win Mag and recoup my money.

And pick up rings tomorrow and maybe, maybe, maybe get to shoot the CZ this weekend after all.

The universe provides…

SpaBoy showed up a few minutes before closing and asked if I wanted to buy a rifle. He’s had some money problems since he got divorced and lost his spa dealership. Iasked if the rifle had a acope on it, figuring Id keep the scope if it was any good. He goes back to his car and comes back with a Savage 110 in .300 Win Mag with a Leupold VariX-II 3×9 on it. Okay, not THE scope I want but at least it’ll get me out to the range over the winter while I save my pennies for the scope I really want. Told Him I’d take the gun off his hands.

Dealer on that scope new is $275.

Bought the scope and the gun for $250.

Now i just gotta dump the .300 Win Mag and recoup my money.

And pick up rings tomorrow and maybe, maybe, maybe get to shoot the CZ this weekend after all.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

So I took the SKS’ out again last night. Mucho better. I had one failure to fire out of thirty rounds. I believe it was due, not to the firing pin/bolt having coagulated grease, but rather to the trigger group still having gobs of grease enmeshed in the springs that drive the hammer and such. Simple solution – I’ll pull the trigger groups, boil them, then pour the boiling water and some dish soap into a coffee can, shake well, rinse, oil and all should be well.

Someone commented that the SKS seemed trouble prone and that their AR never hiccupped. First of all, this is the only trouble Ive had with the SKS and the only reason Im having it is because the guts of the gun are caked in cosmoline. Take an AR15 and dunk it in a vat of melted cosmoline, let it dry, and then try degreasing it…let me know how it shoots then. Or if it shoots. Once all the grease is out of this thing it should be back to the 110% reliability rate that these things are famous for.
=====
FAL seems back to normal. I cleaned everything, lightly oiled it and went to the range. I opened up the gas port to the point it would short stroke and then started closing it off until it fired reliably. Fired another 20 rounds through it after that point without a problem, so Im going to leave the gas regulator at that setting. However, Im going to see about swapping the gas regulator ring for one with some numbers on it to make it easier to keep track of what setting it is on. Also order a small spanner for the adjustments…easy enough to order since:
=====
The 15 FAL mags I ordered from DSA arrived today. They also included, at no charge, extra magazine springs. w00t. More importantly, there was a catalog in there so I can order up the little geegaws I want for the FAL. The mags, by the way, were $5 ea. and seem in good shape. Definitely used. About 1/2 of them look a bit tired but they should work fine…no dents or anything. Worth $5 ea? Oh yeah. I now have 27 mags for the FAL…a few more and I’ll call it good.
=====
In non-gun news, I went up to CostCo and purchased their MagLite combo pack. 3-cell ‘D’ MagLite, 2-cell ‘AA’ MiniMag and Duracell batteries for each light all in a package for $19.99. (GREAT Christmas gift, by the way) Picked up several and crossed them off my Enormous List O’ Things To Buy. Still need to pick up spare bulbs and filters, though.

So I took the SKS’ out again last night. Mucho better. I had one failure to fire out of thirty rounds. I believe it was due, not to the firing pin/bolt having coagulated grease, but rather to the trigger group still having gobs of grease enmeshed in the springs that drive the hammer and such. Simple solution – I’ll pull the trigger groups, boil them, then pour the boiling water and some dish soap into a coffee can, shake well, rinse, oil and all should be well.

Someone commented that the SKS seemed trouble prone and that their AR never hiccupped. First of all, this is the only trouble Ive had with the SKS and the only reason Im having it is because the guts of the gun are caked in cosmoline. Take an AR15 and dunk it in a vat of melted cosmoline, let it dry, and then try degreasing it…let me know how it shoots then. Or if it shoots. Once all the grease is out of this thing it should be back to the 110% reliability rate that these things are famous for.
=====
FAL seems back to normal. I cleaned everything, lightly oiled it and went to the range. I opened up the gas port to the point it would short stroke and then started closing it off until it fired reliably. Fired another 20 rounds through it after that point without a problem, so Im going to leave the gas regulator at that setting. However, Im going to see about swapping the gas regulator ring for one with some numbers on it to make it easier to keep track of what setting it is on. Also order a small spanner for the adjustments…easy enough to order since:
=====
The 15 FAL mags I ordered from DSA arrived today. They also included, at no charge, extra magazine springs. w00t. More importantly, there was a catalog in there so I can order up the little geegaws I want for the FAL. The mags, by the way, were $5 ea. and seem in good shape. Definitely used. About 1/2 of them look a bit tired but they should work fine…no dents or anything. Worth $5 ea? Oh yeah. I now have 27 mags for the FAL…a few more and I’ll call it good.
=====
In non-gun news, I went up to CostCo and purchased their MagLite combo pack. 3-cell ‘D’ MagLite, 2-cell ‘AA’ MiniMag and Duracell batteries for each light all in a package for $19.99. (GREAT Christmas gift, by the way) Picked up several and crossed them off my Enormous List O’ Things To Buy. Still need to pick up spare bulbs and filters, though.
=====
I know Ive beaten this topic to death but I just gotta say that with some of the colder weather we’ve been having lately, I absolutely <3 my Flectar parka w/ liner. Comfy, warm and tactical yet practical. And it was only twenty bucks!! These be good lovin' mon! ===== Rings for the CZ550 should be here in a few days. Still no closer to optics. Grrrrr.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Ok, degreased the SKS’ and took them out again last night. Slightly better results. But stil not 100%. Trudged back home and really got serious about things. Am leaving one SKS out overnight to get it nice and cold, the other is in the house at room temperature. Will take both out later today to test for function. In the meantime, gotta tear down the FAL and see whats going on.

Ok, degreased the SKS’ and took them out again last night. Slightly better results. But stil not 100%. Trudged back home and really got serious about things. Am leaving one SKS out overnight to get it nice and cold, the other is in the house at room temperature. Will take both out later today to test for function. In the meantime, gotta tear down the FAL and see whats going on.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

NOT a good day as Commander Zero.

Headed out to the range to do a little shooting. Figured I’d take the FAL and the new SKS for a spin. Its about 25 degrees, Im nice and warm in my Flectar field jacket w/ liner, all is good. Load the SKS, safety off, pull the trigger..

Click.

Try again.

Click.

I thought I had degreased these things pretty well, however, I shot them over the summer and they worked fine. No they dont work so fine. It appears the firing pin channel was full of cosmoline/grease that had the consistency of candle wax due to the cold. Grrrrr. Got the other SKS, the one I keep in the truck for emergencies, and tried it… click. Frak! Ok, stomp home from the range in a foul mood. No one in town carries stoddard solvent….typical. Say screw it and just pulled the trigger group, bolt carrier, bollt assy, dust cover and heaved ‘em into a pot of boiling water for a half hour. Then hunted the interweb for bolt disassembly instructions. Pounded the freaking retaining pin out of both bolts, cleaned the firing pin channels out with a q-tip, hosed em out with some carb cleaner and then lubed em lightly with some tetralube. I’m gonna go function test them shortly.

Then, not wanting to be left out, the FAL started acting wierd. It would fire, extract, chamber a round but the hammer wouldnt get cocked from the bolt cycling…wtf??? Remove magazine and work bolt manually, no problem. I suspect this has something to do with the magazine…maybe feed lips bent and theyre rubbing against the bolt retarding its rearward movement. It isnt the adjustable gas system since I havent screwed with it since I shot it in August. Will detail strip, clean and oil the thing and then try some different mags as well as opening up the gas system completely and then slowly closing it to find the optimal setting.

All in all, an utterly craptacular day at the range….but its a good thing I learned about this now and not at a terribly inopportune time.