Greybeards Gripes

Leelanau Conservancy Crystal River Cuvee, 2001. (produced and bottled by Bel Lago Vinyard, Cedar. Michigan.
A very nice blend of Chardonnay, Auxerrois, and other select varieties.

It pretty much rained all day in AuGres today. We busied ourselves around the house (and garage), then about 5pm decided to open a nice bottle of wine. The 2001 Cuvee won the toss.
It turned out to be a very nice bottle of wine! Smooth and buttery, betraying it’s Chardnonnay beginnings. I can find nothing bad to say about it. I think it was most flavorful, right out the the wine cooler, at around 56 degrees.

~~GB

Well, I haven’t heard much about getting my shipping damaged air rifle replaced. I suppose it’s all in UPS’s ballpark now.
In other news, today we picked up a new (used) companion boat for the old SeaRay. This one is a 17 foot Smokercraft Alaskan, with a 40 horse Mercury outboard. It needs some cleaning up, but looks like it’s going to be a real nice river cruising/fishing boat. The previous owner stated that it was good for up to about 3 foot waves, but we think we’ll leave the 3 footers to the SeaRay. Pictures will be posted when the weather dries up enough to get the camera out.

~~GB

Well, today has come and gone. I tried sighting the TF-99 again, today, with the scope installed. It just would not pattern. I could move the scope a couple of clicks and get a fraction of movement a couple of times in a row, then on the third or fourth shot of the string, it would take and entirely new point of aim.
I gave up on sighting it in and gave thought to what the problem could be. Here’s what I found. The gouge on the stock was cause by an impact, strong enough to partially strip the action mounting bolts. The mounting bolts would slip every few shots, changing the point of aim.
I called the company and was told to call UPS and enter a claim. The UPS people are supposed to pick up the rifle tomorrow, and inspect it.
Hopefully, I’ll see a replacement in a week or so. I still have hopes for the gun, it’s acceptable looking, shoots very hard, and is hopefully very accurate when the action is securely mounted to the frame.

I also familiarized myself a little more with the DPMS. I have a Bushnell 4x to 12x, 50mm scope in mind, and as soon as I get it field stripped and lubricated, I’ll be ready to start the breakin process.
I loaded up a magazine today, (19 rounds of .308 makes for a heavy magazine), and chambered a couple of rounds. It seems to function very well. But we’ll all have to wait until after that first field strip and scope mounting, to find out how it shoots.

Bottom line, no “shooters report” yet.

~~GB

Exciting day today! We were out of the house for a couple of hours, and when we returned home, there was a call on the answering machine. From the B.A.T.F.!!!
After settling down my pulse, I returned their call, that turned out to be a simple matter to rectify. Nothing to do with the type of guns I bought. Whew!
Anyway, a quick trip up to WhiteStone, filled out the paper work, and home I drove with two shiny (well not really all that shiny) new rifles.
The DPMS, is so far everything I expected it to be. A very nicely put together piece of machinery. I can’t wait to get a scope and it and try shooting it. (though the break in procedure sounds a little tedious)
(fire one round, clean, fire one round, clean, and on like that for the 1st 25 rounds, then clean after every 10 rounds up to 100 rounds)
Tomorrow I’ll try a field strip and lube, then possible buy and mount a scope, so I can get started on that break in.

The Tech. Force air rifle, is nice looking, but on closer inspection is obviously not near the quality of the DPMS. It has a shipping gouge on the stock that really bothers me, and I don’t like the way the iron sights line up with the barrel, (they are way off center with the barrel).
I mounted the 3x to 12x scope tonight, and will try sighting it tomorrow some time. If it’s as odd to sight as the iron sights are, I’m going to call it a warped barrel.
It shoots hard, and doesn’t claim any accuracy for the first 100 rounds or so. I was able to shoot about a 3 inch group at 50 ft. (It’s going to have to get a lot better than that)

Bottom line on the Tech. Force,, I’m going to call them tomorrow and check their return policy. I -may- be able to repair the shipping damage to the stock, but I will not tolerate an inaccurate weapon.
We’ll see how tomorrow goes.

Stay tuned for shooter reports on both guns, that’s DPMS LR-308B, and Tech. Force TF-99 in .22 caliber.

~~GB

I recieved a surprise phone call from R&R Arms this morning, telling me that a DPMSRFA2-308B Long Range 308 had become available.

The order went out a few minutes later!! I should have it in my hot little hands within the next week. I’ll start some serious scope shopping tomorrow, and have already planned out some range time, to start breaking in the barrel and start the sighting in process.

Wow, two guns ordered in two days. I wonder if I set off any government flags. If I did, who ever is watching me, is invited to come out to the club and try a few rounds through my new rifle. I’m pretty new to AR style rifles, and maybe a “government type” could give me a few pointers.

Keep a blog watch going, I’ll be doing range reports on both new guns, as soon as I get them out to the range.

Oh, and here’s a BIG Congratulations to new Papa, MrGrey!!

~~GB

This retirement thing seems to be working out pretty well so far.
I claimed the deed to my house today, (no more payments),
and I seem to be finding plenty of things to keep me busy.

I hear tell that things aren’t going quite so smoothly at my former place of employment, but that’s well out of my thoughts these days.
I expect they’ll get things somewhat straight, one of these days.

I also heard today, that MGM is planning to film “The Hobbit”. Sounds interesting,, I hope they do it justice.

Today being September 11th, everyone seems to be focused on 2001’s terrorist attacks. I glad to see that some of us REMEMBER!
One question I’ve heard asked more than once today is;
Do you feel safer today, than you did right after the attacks?

Answer: Yes, I do, I now have a better understanding of who my enemies are, and how dangerous they are. I have also gotten much more serious about defense, and I’m a much faster and better shot, than I was in 2001. Never forget!

~~GB