Wash Out!

My youngest son, who's visiting from Canada, wanted to go for a shoot today and who can blame him. It sounded good to me too and the plan was to load up on clays, shotgun ammo, some .45 and head out into the wilderness for fun and adventure. Then it started to rain and didn't stop, it was like Wales, maybe Aberystwyth.

But the living room was dry, fortunately, and we looked out of its windows at the watery apocalypse. "Son, this isn't shooting weather." He agreed and I nodded grimly as the varied detritus of modern life flowed past the Compound, "That's an excellent point. Let's go to Karen's and get some food."

So we hydroplaned to Karen's Authentic Mexican Food in Itasca and bought a bag of bean and brisket burritos. Then we hydroplaned back and ate those bad boys like they were going out of fashion, which they're not because they're so tasty. Good work, Karen, you did it again.

The guns got a look-in too. Sure, maybe you don't want to shoot in the deluge but you can always clean the little blasters, which is what I did. Meanwhile, boy and dog amused themselves while the rain poured down.

They say, interestingly, that enough rain falls in Texas to keep the average house in water for a year. Of course this figure might be skewed by the population boom in the Lone Star Sate as people flee Illinois, California and associated workers' paradises for our sunny southern weather.

Gun rights,

LSP

Go For A Shoot

It's important to get the young 'uns shooting, so we loaded up the rig with guns and headed for the range. A CZ 20 SxS, an AR15, a Chicom SKS and a Ruger American .22. 

First things first, try out the shotgun against the clays. Sling 'em up and shoot 'em, at least that's the theory,  the initial praxis? Pathetic. But we warmed up and got on target well enough and I have to say, I'm a total convert to 20s. Swift, easy on the shoulder and guess what, they work. 

Some call them "girl guns" because they don't have the roar and weight of a 12. This misguided opinion is an error.

Next up, the SKS. Big fun to shoot and a proper little blaster; metal plates took a beating from this workmanlike tool of the revolution. Plenty of power behind that stubby little 7.62x39 round, designed in 1943.

But the AR15 seems light and nimble compared. This one made quick work of soda cans and steel plates. Its Primary Arms red dot was on, apparently, nice.

We finished up with some .22 plinking which seemed tame in comparison, but don't scoff. Rounds down range are rounds down range, and these connected against steel with great satisfaction.

Then it was time to head for home in the setting Texan sun, a good job well completed.

Don't fear the reaper,

LSP

Get Out And Shoot

For a shooter you sure don't seem to shoot much, so-called "LSP." Good point, I hear the criticism, it's constructive. To put things right I loaded some guns into the rig and headed off for the country.

That journey took all of 10 minutes and there it was, the sylvan path to the glory that is rounds down range. I always think there'll be some kind of random game on this trail and a shot of opportunity but there never is, so far.

Instead, there was a mass tangle of fallen trees and brush blocking the path, the weather's been fierce here. I scouted it out; there wasn't a way to get clear short of a chainsaw and I wasn't going to risk the truck in the waterlogged clay of the fields. It's embarrassing to ask people to pull you out, so I parked up and walked in.

The grass was high, the sky was big and the shooting house had been blown over by tornado force wind. Whatever, I set up at the bench with a Desmond, a  Glock and a carbine.

First things first, the plates took a beating, so did the soda cans and, in the end, some reactive targets someone had left behind. At first I was shooting ironically high left, but sorted it out when I remembered the Desmond Tutu was zeroed at 100 yards and I was shooting at 50.

Tutu over, it was time to give the .45 a spin and it did famously, the elegant, workmanlike simplicity of Austrian engineering swinging the plates like fury. Satisfying. But what about the AR?

This one's a hybrid, an ancient CMMG lower and BCG married to a Bison Arms Barrel, Fortis lightweight hand guard, topped off with a cheap Primary Arms red dot. 

Odds and ends by Magpul. Well, the little beast shot like a champ, I was pleased.

Then it was time to head back to the Compound after an armed stroll through the grassy plains and big sky of Texas.

Gun rights,

LSP

Boycott Big Business Gun Control

Big Business or at least 12 chunks of it, has decided to jump on the anti-gun bandwagon by dropping sponsorship of the NRA in the wake of the Florida school shooting.

Companies like Delta and United Airlines will stop offering discounts and perks to NRA members as will their lesser allies, such as AVIS and Budget car rentals. You can read the list here.

Others, like Kroger, Walmart, Field & Stream and the curiously named Dick's Sporting Goods have also re-examined their firearms policy, with Dick's and Field & Stream banning semi-automatic deadly assault rifles altogether. The others have raised the age of gun sales to 21 years old and all appear to be lobbying for more stringent background checks, excluding the "mentally ill" from firearms purchases.

Sounds sensible, doesn't it. Not so fast, where does "mentally ill" begin and end. With being a vet, someone who once complained to their doctor about depression or a person adamantly refused to vote for Hillary Clinton?

President Trump added fuel to the fire, stating, "Take the guns first, go through due process second." Granted, the quote's out of context and it's unlikely that the President will abandon his base to woo leftist votes and their big money, millionaire socialist sponsors in corporate America.  Still, it doesn't sound good.

But the millionaire socialist corporate combine might want to take note. Trump, and with him an anti-left, anti-globalist, pro-freedom, 2nd Amendment administration didn't get elected because they were unpopular.

Message to market, we're going to boycott your stores and you will lose money. See Delta in Georgia. As a parting shot, why wasn't there a cry for gun control after the Mandalay Massacre in Vegas? Good question.

Reflect on that and the near total media blackout on the Vegas shooting. While you're at it, join the NRA if you haven't already.

Gun Rights,

LSP

You Dirty Little Savage

It's great owning an outrage of deadly weaponry, no doubt about it, but you've got to clean the beasts or they won't work. 

Much like USGOV itself and the lying, corrupt, pugnacious mainstream media,  they're not self-cleaning, so you've got to do it yourself.

The deadly black rifles' bolts are especially annoying because they get especially filthy and no, there isn't a special tax redistributing other people's money your way to do the job; it's DIY. Still, there's a value in that as opposed to mindlessly relying on entitlements paid for by somebody else.

 Task complete, sit back and enjoy the spectacle of clean, ready to go firearms safe in the knowledge that when our enemy the Weather strikes, we can always shoot it.

Of course these guns would be illegal in England, where you're not allowed to protect yourself because it's safer that way. Unless you're a politician.

Speaking of which, Hillary's been quiet lately, unlike Oprah. Please someone, anyone, lock them up.

Gun rights,

LSP

Shoot

Do your guns still work, for that matter, do you still know how to use them? There's one sure fire way to find out, go shooting and that's exactly what we did.

An AR15 performed flawlessly, putting rounds down range like a proper little heater, likewise a Glock 21. Well done, Austrians, you've produced a good 'un.

Speaking of pistols, I've noticed people have a tendency to shoot low with the Glock and some say that's because of the ergonomics of the grip. With that in mind I aimed slightly high and shot, ahem, slightly high. Excellent pistol and I always enjoy its explosive .45 ACP power.

We finished off with some .22 plinking against various threats including a bottle cap, someone's discarded Coors Lite can and our ancient enemy, unicorns.

It's argued that unicorns are harmless, mythical, noble creatures. We disagree, they're a right menace, just look what they've done to San Francisco and Austin. And the moral of the story?

Shooting is great, so get out in the fresh air and do it more often.

Gun rights,

LSP

Is This Wales?!?

No, it's not Wales, it's Texas and water was falling from the sky; Skywater, we call it, or "rain." It's falling now, in that persistent, steady way that makes Aberystwyth and Llandrindod Wells so appealing to holiday goers.

A Nonchalant Skywater Selfie

Of course here in the Lone Star State rain's a novelty to be enjoyed and the experts in off-grid, DIY preparedness tell us that enough falls to keep a homestead in water for a year. 

Shotgun's In Bits

You have to collect it in cisterns and then, when civilization falls, you can drink and wash like a Water Lord. We don't have cisterns at the Compound, foolishly, though there are plenty of guns and I took advantage of the rain to clean a few. 

Filthy Little Beast

It was relaxing to oil up the machinery of the things while listening to the soothing sound of skywater and I thought of the various adventures I'd had with them. Hunting the noble unicorn, for example. That made me want to get out in the field with a shotgun and blast away in the rain.

No, This Isn't Aberystwyth

Instead, I climbed in the rig and collected the Cadet from school. He's doing well, keep those As coming, kid.

Gun Rights,

LSP

Just Shooting The Breeze

One of the best things about shooting is how awesome it is and the other day's outing with my brother was no exception. Just a lot of fun, shooting the breeze with an AR and a Glock. 

A Typical Aberystwyth Pub

Rumour has it that the Dallas Light Cavalry (DLC irreg) is open to overseas recruits, as long as they have a solid Texan connection and can shoot. 

That might knock Prince Cider (Charles) into touch, but perhaps Aberystwyth is in the running?

One Flyer But Good Work

100 yard head shots with a red dot and pretty much totally fresh to the weapon. Not shabby at all, I'd say.

Well done, bro. Big fun to get out in the field and welcome to the Mess, irregular as it is.

Gun Rights,

LSP

Shoot!

In Aberystwyth you're not allowed to shoot Glocks or AR15s because they're far too dangerous. So when my brother drove over from Dallas, where he's taking a vacation from "Aber", I loaded up the rig with some deadly assault rifles and a couple of .45s. And off we went to the range.

First off, we tackled a green silhouette at 30 and 50 yards with a banned-in-the-UK carbine, topped with a Primary Arms red dot. It's a fun gun to shoot and my brother did well, handily putting down the green terrorist. Take that, paper aggressor, you lose.

Note Cooking Glock

Then it was time for some banned-because-Brits-can't be-trusted-with-pistols Glock action. Mostly against steel plates at 10, 18, 24 and 30 yards. Big excitement as the workmanlike bit of Austrian engineering roared in the hand with explosive fury. Great enjoyment.

The best shots of the day went to my brother, who scored a series of headshots at 100 yards against the green enemy. Not bad, given no magnification and a dot.

Moral of the story? Shoot more.

Gun rights,

LSP

Solstice!

Yes, you got that right, it's the Solstice, the longest day of the year, a day when hippies come out to play and sing. 

In England that means dusting off the antlers, putting on your unicorn mask and heading off to The Stones for mysticke revelry. 

Keep it Clean, Hippies

If you're a top-level hippy, you can even dress up like a druid wizard. All good, harmless fun, eh?

Face Painting

Sure it is, until you wake up from a crazed body painting session and discover someone's ripped off your giro, leaving you possessed by a Special Brew demon.

The Magic Of The Stones

Here at the Compound we're not marking the Solstice by travelling to Austin's famous fiberglass stone circle, much less its superior English forbear, heck, we didn't even make it to Burning Man. But we are saying this.

Hose Them Down

If you meet the hippy on the road, hose it down, AR15 optional.

Love and Peace,

LSP