Messages

Just in case anyone wants to,  there is a memorial page at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Daryl-Livingston&lc=2559&pid=158837273&mid=5186858   that people can post on that will be up for a year.  There is also a video on the right hand side of the screen.
 
 
and Thank you for all of your warm thoughts and wishes.
 
Janelle

Daryl asked me to post and let everyone know he lost his battle with cancer this morning.  
I am having a hard time right now and not sure if or when I may check back in.  But the info I have now is that if anyone wanted to do something in his name he requested donations be made to either the American Cancer Society or the American Kidney Foundation in his name.
 
I am finding comfort in the fact that his is with his dad and grandad finding the perfect fishing hole.
 
Godspeed,
 
Janelle

RJ,  I hadn't seen that, but I doubt I could have made it anyway.  Gonna be back in Az by then, and will be continuing the battle I've been having for my health.  I'm still feeling great, but the stuff keeps coming back when I stop treatment.  What's next will depend on the results of a scan on the 9th.
 
Sako, there were a lot of multi-million dollar homes that went up in smoke, I'm pretty sure.  they seem to be getting it slowly under control, but it's been a battle.  I've a feeling it was arson, based on the fact that I was in the same area as the fire when it started (just across hwy 24 and up on the mountain), and there were no clouds, lightning, or thunder in the area.  They've had a firebug in the general area, but they won't say it's arson until after the investigation determines that for sure.
 
It's good to see that the folks here are still around and doing their thing.  I haven't been able to reload, hunt, or even shoot for some time, and it's getting to me.  Might have to get out and chase some bunnies or something just to relieve the withdrawal symptoms. :)
 
Daryl

It's been a while since I checked in here.  Been a while since I've been online at all, in fact.  Through a crazy chain of events that I won't go into here, I haven't had much access to a 'puter.
 
I'm actually in Colorado now, taking a bit of a break  from the treatments I was taking.  Have to go back to Az the weekend of the 7th/8th of July to see how things are going with that.  
 
Kinda sucks, watching the news on the Waldo Canyon Fire on the west side of Coplorado Springs, which is about 45 or so miles north of us.  My wife and I were up visiting some friends last Saturday, and after breakfast, we went for a drive.  Coming down toward highway 24 from Gold Camp, we saw the fire just after it started.  We went up to Eleven Mile Reservoir after that, and were worried that they'd close 24 ahead of us on the way back.  that danged fire grew QUICK!  Several structures were lost last night, but I still haven't heard how many yet.
 
I love being in the mountains about any time, but I'm sure getting tired of being close to forest wildfires.
 
So how's life treating the rest of you?
 

 
Daryl

I've stopped refering to the .45 "long" colt as such. It's just the .45 Colt, so inscribed on firearms chambered for it.
 
I'm also not aware of a .45 "short" colt other than the shofield cartridge. Poor ol' Major Shofield killed himself at old Ft Bowie here in Arizona after his cartridge failed to catch on. Who'da thunk it'd catch on a century later with gamers in the CAS crowds?
 
Oh, and  count one more vote for getting the carbide dies.  Well worth the extra money IMO.
 
Daryl

I used IMR4350 for many years with good results.
 
Then after the last POTUS election, I had a hard time finding it.  Tried H4350 and a few others with "ok" results.  Then, just for fun, I tried some IMR7828 I'd bought to try in my 7mm mag.  Didn't work worth a darn in the 7mm, but shoots great from my .243 with 100 grain bullets.
 
The crazy part is that the load I'm using isn't even supposed to fit in the case.  I used an old reloading manual from the 1980's to work up the load, and it shows no pressure signs in my rifle.  Hodgdon's website (they share a load data source with Win and IMR powders) lists a max load somewhat less than what I'm shooting, and lists it as a "compressed" load.
 
The load also touches bullets at 100 yards from my rifle, and gives incredibly consistent velocities.
 
I dunno, but it works really well in my 1956 Win model 70.  Might be worth playing with.
 
Daryl

For the record - It is my heart-felt opinion that "civilians" should have DIRECT access to EVERY "weapon" that is available to the police and national guard. Put conversely, the police and national guard should have NO access to weapons that are not available WITHOUT RESTRICTION to "the public". THAT is the essence of the 2nd Ammendment.
 
Paul

 I agree with you Paul, and...
 
My apologies, Paul, and I assure you that I meant to ruin no one's day. For that matter, Bill SR is no longer with us, and I'm glad to see many of the changes that have come to Ruger since his departure from this world.
 
Greater than 10 round magazines in their civilian offered semi-autos for one, and lightweight guns that are easy to carry and conceal (if desired) are another.
 
I have one "newer" S&W revolver, and I'll admit to no shame in having bought it. It was about 10 years ago, and if a fella wanted a lightweight, small framed revolver for easy carry, S&W was about the only choice.
 
Oh, sure, Taurus, Rossi, Charter Arms and a few others offered pot-metal guns of questionable quality, but when the gun is carried daily, with the sole purpose of saving my life or the life of a loved one? I wanted something I knew I could rely on. I'd have bought a Ruger in a heartbeat, but lightweight, small, and Ruger were three things that didn't go together 10 years ago.
 
And if I boycott S&W and Ruger, I'll soon be running out of companies that still make their firearms in the USA. It's a darned if I do, darned if I don't situation, but I hope each of these companies is smart enough to have learned from their mistakes. If they make a quality firearm that suits my needs, then I'm probably more likely to buy one than some foreign made job. I guess a fellas gotta choose his battles, after all.
 
But there's good reason why I much prefer an older firearm to the newer ones. In addition to not supporting these companies with my second hand purchase, the guns are usually better made than the new ones are. That in itself is reason enough for me to shop used guns these days.
 
Daryl

and I must say that I like Ruger revolvers, pistols, and rifles just about the best of any firearms I have held.

Not to start a war, 'cause I own and enjoy Ruger firearms as well, but don't forget ol' Bill's involvement in the 10 round cap we had for some time on removable magazines.
 
Daryl

I don't doubt that S&W, as well as most other makers have produced some lemons.
 
I only have a ccouple of examples of S&W revolvers here, but the differences in quality between them is easy to see with a bit of inspection.  Now, don't get me wrong; both are very serviceable, plenty accurate, and neither has failed me in any way.
 
But the tollerances on the newer J-frame, while certainly "within spec", aren't what the other is.  Mass production has certainly had it's affects, but in some strange way maybe they sorta make up for it with better and stronger metals and such.
 
Naw, given my choice I'd still take an older, well cared for used model over a new one nearly every time.
 
Daryl

I've always had a soft spot for the K frame Smiths.  Easy to carry, and they seem to balance well to me.  Some don't do well with a steady diet of heavy loads, but if you need more, I still think it's better to move up to a bigger bullet.
 
My latest handgun aquisition is a model 10 that belonged to my dad.  This little 6" .38 special was the first handgun I ever shot, and I was sure happy to recover it.  No idea how many hundreds of rounds I shot through it as a teen-ager, but it still locks up tight as a vault, and shoots almighty straight.
 
They just don't make 'em like that any more.
 
Daryl

Well, I can say that MidwayUSA saves me money on reloading supplies over what I'd pay in a local shop...as long as I order enough to make the shipping costs balance out.
 
Plus they often have what I can't find in local shops.
 
But I don't save a thing by reloading.  I just shoot a whole lot more.
 
and I like that fine! :)
 
Daryl

I'm with Al; just grinning.
 
I don't know that phrase either, but that poor model 60's in rough shape for sure.
 
I have one that I bought in 1980, and it still shoots great after who knows how many 10's of thousands of rounds through it.
 
I once picked up a Win model 72 from a used gunshop rack for a little of nothing. The stock was sanded bare, and the barrel had some pretty rough pitting. I stripped it, used a draw file on the barrel to file out the pitting, and re-polished it using gradual finer grades of emery cloth/sandpaper.
 
I still intend to get it re-blued one of these days, but right now it's assembled, looks like bright, highly polished stainless steel, and it shoots great.  I also finished the stock with a nice oil finish that looks pretty good.
 
The best thing about it? I learned a ton of stuff about working and polishing steel, and I've used that knowledge to accomplish a few other tasks that I would likely have never attempted. The fact that I got a nice looking .22 rifle to shoot out of the deal is just a bonus, no matter how little it may actually be worth.
 
Good luck with it, and have a Merry Christmas!
 
Daryl

Quite a story, and thanks for sharing it.
 
I'd have to agree; that was a really wonderful generation of true Americans at that time.
 
Daryl

Looks great!
 
Daryl

Almost 2 weeks ago, my mom had to deal with a skunk she caught while I was in the hospital.  She drowned it as described, and saw it was the cleanest skunk she'd ever dealt with.

No smell whatsoever from it.  If my mom can handle them that way, I figure anyone can.

:)

Daryl