New gun build and our cashless society..Long winded but what's new

[peternap]

I shoot weekly. Always some rifle but mostly handgun. I have been noticing that my shooting is not nearly as good as it used to be. While at one of the better gunshops around the other day, I was buying powder and the fellow next to me was trying to trade in a new looking, match grade, 22 pistol. The store was not offering much of a trade. When the salesman went to the other end of the counter, I asked what he was looking to get. He only wanted about half of what it was worth so a parking lot transfer was arranged.

Anyway, I took it out and did some serious shooting. The gun is capable of one hole groups at 50 yards (I put it imn my old Ransom Rest) but I was shooting about 7"....Not good. After analizing the problems, I found:

1. I am shaking. I knew I had some palsy but it's a little worse than I thought.
2. I don't see as well as I used to.

This kicked me into a project I had been planning for a while.
I used to be a gunsmith and have boxes of Junk. I knew I had enough to build half a dozen shotguns and knew exactly how I wanted to build a combat shotgun.

I dug around and found a good Mossberg 500 receiver, barrel, stock and forend.
I put it all together. I had a couple of pistol grip stocks but since the 500 has a tang safety, I opted for the standard shoulder stock.

I cut the barrel down to 18.5 inches and turned the threads in it for screw in chokes. Then I drilled and tapped the rib for a large ivory bead.
I had a B square saddle scope mount and that's about the toughest shotgun mount in existence. I bought a Bushnell Red Dot for it. The B square mount has a ghosting sight under it for the bead.

I drilled and tapped the barrel screw and fitted a QD sling stud to it and mounted two studs to the stock. One in the end of the pistol grip and one in the standard spot.

I wanted a molded shell holder like a sidesaddle but one that fits on the stock. I looked it up in midway and called Midway to order it and a few other things that I wanted.

I don't like credit cards. Unfortunately, they are a necessity these days for ordering things. I but pre-pay Visa gift cards to order things with and I had one with exactly 200.00 on it. More than enough.

I told the girl what part numbers I wanted and then gave her the card information.....DECLINED. I went over the number, expiration date, and security code again and she said that's what she put in. Declined again.

Well.....I was in a hurry for the stuff so I gace her my Amex. Finished up with her and mad as Hell, called VISA. He checked the transaction and she had put the expiration date in wrong. Apparently the second time, she just re sent the information. Dumb Ass!!!!!!

After hanging up with them, I thought a while about how low we've sunk.
My daughter and her husband went camping over the weekend. Her cell phone was nearly dead so she tried to call me from a pay phone. They wouldn't accept coins...only credit/debit cards.

Then I reflected on how easilt the idiot at Midway screwed up the information and then the big one. VISA, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NO IDEA WHO I WAS, HAD RECORDED EVERY BIT OF THAT  TRANSACTION. WHEN I CALLED THEM ON THEIR 800 NUMBER, I LEFT A CLEAR TRAIL BACK TO ME.

Granted, our cash is worthless as far as the backing it has, but at least it is still off the record transaction currency.

I am reminded and sickened by using credits instead of money. Every futuristic movie uses credits, applied to some central account, instead of cash.

IT JUST MAKES ME MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!


 

[Redoverfarm]

Peter for probably 40-50 years my dad was a gunsmith and shot on the state pistol team for probably 20-30 years. But that was according to him a youth experience. Steady hands. good eyesight, easy breathing is whats required and age definitely works against it. Yes his hearing was gone. Never heard of ear protection when he started. By that time it was too late. Thank goodness he was able to get a Coakley implant to hear just a little for the past 4-5 years the first time in 15 years. Thats good as he was never able to hear my children until then.  At 83 YOA his eyesight is less than in his youth so intricate work can't be done.  But believe it or not his mind is probably sharper than mine ever will be.  He still can tell you of various load combinations in custom reloading for best results for various calibers.  He still has all of his original load notes and transcripts. He used to do a lot of custom reloading. 

I would say that he still has rounds that he loaded 50 years ago in air tight containers that will still fire. I was raised around firearms and used them often in my employment but the luster has worn off.  Except for an occassional groundhog they just get their semi-annual cleaning and stand in the gun cabinet.  My son is of the age now that he is enjoying them.  I hope he gets as much enjoyment that I once had with them.   

[sparks]

Don't own any guns personally, but the idea of a twelve gauge is becoming more appealling all the time.

Came pretty close to shooting my self in the foot with a couple of credit cards though They can be more dangerous than firearms.......totally ruined, yet still alive!

[peternap]

Sorry it took so long Don. I had to weigh it!

It weighs just a tad under seven and a half pounds unloaded.