Monthly Archives: July 2010

I did it again.

Posted by TD on July 28, 2010 10 comments

I wasn’t going to buy any more guns this year. Hell, the last two I bought haven’t even been shot yet for want of free time to get out to a rifle range. Then Ruger had to go and build something I’ve wanted for about 20 years, and only make one small batch…

2 1/2 years ago, in a post about things Ruger really ought to build, I said:

“And finally, build the No. 1 in .303 British, with a 26″ light-contour barrel, open sights and Alex Henry forend. Well, at least build one gun like that. Just for me. Please?”

Well, Ruger didn’t do exactly what I asked for, going with a 22″ tube instead, but otherwise my wish came true. A small batch of No. 1-As in .303 British was produced, mostly for export to Canada and Australia. Scuttlebutt on the ‘net holds that only 50 of the guns were kept here in America, for distribution by Lipsey’s.

So much for not buying any more guns this year. I dashed over to Top Gun Shooting Sports and asked them to check with Lipsey’s. The .303s were allocated, but fortunately Top Gun was able to snag one for me. Pix will follow as soon as I find some free time during daylight hours.

Frankly, I’m damn surprised that Ruger made these guns at all. The .303 calls for a groove diameter of .311″, vs the .308″ common to American .30 calibers. That means Ruger either had to tool up to make appropriate barrels or order them in from a vendor. Curiously, Ruger’s Mini-30 uses .308″ barrels instead of the .311″ usually used for 7.62x39mm. It’s odd that Ruger wouldn’t make proper barrels for the Mini-30, which has been in regular production for at least 20 years, but apparently they went to some trouble to get a very small batch of .303s right. In any case, I’m very, very happy to finally have my .303.

Relieved

Posted by TD on July 28, 2010 2 comments

After a few nervous days and $300 in vet bills, Clancy is back to his old self.

Oddly enough, I never could get him to touch his prescription wet food, but he’s taken to a prescription dry food just fine. I’m not sure whether I’ll keep him on it permanently. It’s expensive and only available from the vet, but apparently cystitis is pretty likely to reoccur after an initial episode.

Right now I’m just happy to have my little buddy feeling better.

:-

Posted by TD on July 17, 2010 5 comments

My little Clancy has feline cystitis. I rushed him to the vet this morning, where he got a bunch of fluids injected under his skin, along with a dose of antibiotics. He’s also going on a prescription cat food, at least for a short time.

Have any of you folks been through this with your cats? What treatment(s) worked best?

Blogorado-bound.

Posted by TD on July 12, 2010 5 comments

It’s official, my girlfriend and I will be at Blogorado this year. Plane tickets have been purchased, motel room has been reserved, heavy-duty (and hopefully airline-proof!) Pelican rifle case has been ordered. It’ll be my first vacation since the NRA convention in Phoenix last year, and with the way I’ve been working lately, I’ll need it. Can’t wait to see old friends again and meet Internet friends for the first time in real life!

Workin’ hard.

Posted by TD on July 4, 2010 No comments

It’s another six-day work week here in Unforgivingville, with Monday clocking in at double-and-a-half time. I’m hoping to get up to Williams Gun Sight on Tuesday (my one day off) to (finally) get the recoil pad installed on my Ruger No. 1.

That’s been on the back burner for… uh… only 11 months! Not even a full year! But I figured I should finally get my arse in gear so I can bring the gun along to Blogorado and let people shoot it without getting thoroughly pummeled.

Oh, yeah. Blogorado. I suppose I really need to look into booking some plane tickets and a rental car and a motel room and maybe some Pelican cases for the guns…

Damn, I’m gonna NEED this overtime pay!