Back from a hiatus

Just got back from a trip to AZ to work with Frank Glenn on colts. It's pretty helpful to have someon experienced go through stuff & check for mistakes. I bought out 4 colts and my dad bought down 2 and we just went through fixing each (mostly eliminating endshake). I also learned how to curve the sear on a trigger using a torch so that you can eliminate stacking.

Frank is really helpful and very polite. The main hint that indicates he's concerned about your (lack of) technique is that the frequency of him offering a specialized tool to do what you're attempting will go down dramatically. Also, the time he holds the gun in question goes up substantially.

I'll post a longer run through later. Two big lessons: (1) the factory sometimes screws up and (2) cranking a colt down to 0 endshake will invariably expose preexisting problems.

The first case came up because a barrel cylinder gap of 0 turned out not to be from an overly worn cylinder collar but b/c whoever fit the barrel at the factory couldn't file that day, so left the right side higher than the left. Once it was refaced, things were just fine.

For the second: I used to be a hardcore "there must be 0 endshake!" type. However, that enthusiasm got tempered a lot. Generally you fix endshake by shoving the cylinder towards the rear of the frame (either using a bushing or lengthening the cylinder collar). 0 endshake requires pushing the cylinder pretty hard. It also means the cylinder must travel straight through any resistance rather having the play that lets it move around it. The end result: 0 play always exposes some preexisting source of binding. With play, the colt can often work around any such thing. Without, it will require forcing right through it. Often I could fix endshake in some amount of time (say X) but tracking down binding and eliminating would take 2X.

What he said

The sad reality is that the legal conception of evidence is absolutely worthless from an intellectual standpoint. The mere fact that it is possible to exclude evidence from courtrooms, even though it is known by all parties to be factually valid, demonstrates beyond doubt that a law degree is completely without value in any field that deals with objective fact.

And other generally enthusiastic statements at: http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/pscindx.htm

A data on boy/girl pay disparity

Canadian girl doctors work 30 hr/week vs boy doc of 35 hr/week which, unsurprisingly, can show up as a pay difference: http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/05/gender-gaps.html#comments

If hours worked vary by gender, then we expect average salary differences across genders. If we don't have observations on hours worked, average differences then show up in the coefficient on gender in a wage regression.

the godzilla frame wrench

I spent friday night making the mother of all frame wrenches(*) from a ginormous chunk of aluminum. There's really no need for it to be this size other than the aluminum was such a nice piece I didn't want to remove any of it.

It took four hours rather than the needed 30 minutes, but was fun nonetheless. It's not quite done since I am still debating whether to make it take inserts or cut it so it only fits colt I/E frames (which is all it will ever get used for).

Those of you who reload might be amused by the repurposing of the stock dillon handle. I have three of these things that have been sitting in my closet. Finally there is a use!


(*) Frame wrench = wrench used to hold and rotate the frame in order to remove the barrel.

The python is a 6" used for scale. I put a photo of the frame wrench in the shop manual so you can see what a well adjusted adult would have made.

1980s communist germany underground fashion.

A photo essay of the results of struggling with (unfortunately topical) problem of how to make something interesting out of State Supplied articles:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,628632,00.html

UK seemingly recovering better than US, without wasting huge amounts of money.

No less a robo-partisan than Krugman admits that the UK's use of inflation and negligible "stimulus spending" seems to have the odd result of having it recover when no one else is: http://blogsandwikis.bentley.edu/themoneyillusion/?p=1530

It's always amusing that the same people apoplectically, rabidly, and screechingly against flat taxes seem to shrug off inflation when, in fact, they are basically the same thing. In fact I always look at inflation as being even more of a flat tax than an official "flat tax" could ever be, since it taxes everyone holding the currency, not just those that fall under the reach of the tax code.

AU sub cooks make more than admirals.

Being on a 45 crew AU sub is pretty boring. Throwing money at the problem makes for some amusing results: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20090609.aspx


Hat tip: Marginal Revolution.

Quick photos of a 41mag python

Recently went to my FFL to start the DROS (and 10 day wait) on a 41 magnum python (conversion done by Jack Huntington) I picked up recently.

I talked to Huntington on the phone today and he asserted that I can 1000 fps loads down it all day long without doing any damage. We're about ready to test that theory: Bullets, dies, brass, and the 650 caliber convesion all arived this week. Only thing left is the end of the 10 day wait.

The additional good news is that (1) it is indeed 41 mag and (2) the seller did send it.

The bad news is that the guy seemed to have stored it in his glove box for an extended off road rally race (perhaps a decade long one). There are numerous scratches. It's extremely extremely irritating. I can perhaps sympathize with a single scratch (e.g., the gun rack breaks and the python falls) but so 5 or 10 is symptomatic of a serious problem. The guy is going through a divorce so perhaps his wife dragged it through the mud. Also the grips have silver medallions.

In any case, here's some quick photos. Lightings not that great. The scratches are actually less bad in person. But still!

Hopefully the thing will hold up under modest loads. From the shell plate doesn't look like the guy fired it much. (He claimed 6 rounds, which I can believe.)

Hilarious: procedural coup of NY legislature.

GOP gets two dems to switch (including one under investigation for slicing his gf's face w/ glass) and using some unfortunately not well explained procedural tricks to seize control of the NY senate:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jedUgJTHa0zwCbpFZb88bZMp_PfQD98O1JK00

NY is a gift that keeps on giving; this is the first thing that made me look forward to reading news in a while...

Useful dfariswheel posts, part II

Endshake

fixing endshake:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16628&postcount=2
with a bunch of follow up:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20620

Barrel stuff:

removing / changing barrel:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=90610&postcount=3
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7934
replacing trooper barrel:http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=92303&postcount=3

barrel threads, python / trooper:
http://www.pistolsmith.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=29225&p=157225&hilit=+colt#p157225

fixing leading, and what not to do: http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=95812#post95812
getting rid of bore rust:http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=94066#post94066

chopping python barrels shorter:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=97533#post97533

Other

ultrasonic cleaners:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=39029&postcount=2
fixing stainless finish:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=84584#post84584

long term storage:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=89125#post89125

on the sintered action of KC or MKIII:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=83778#post83778

on kc action being better than MKIII:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=83589&postcount=2

on misfires:
http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=85628&postcount=4

This is beer

Dark beer, high alcohol content, only a few types, only sold in a few states (unfortunately): http://food.theatlantic.com/mixmaster/duck-rabbit-brewery.php

Fishpaw grips on a purported Sherman action OMS

Finally got (a colt with) Fishpaw grips. I see why he was so justifiably famous. The workmanship is exquisite. Unfortunately it seems that he stopped doing work.

I took a couple quick photos. These came on an OMS that I'm really happy with.

I'm naturally a bargain hunter for colts: the number I bought since they were shooters for "below market value" is, well, probably more than I should have.

With that said, the two guns I've been most happy about were two OMSes that I paid a steep premium for. In both cases the function is just superb, and the finish flawless.

The most recent one (this one) the seller stated as having a sherman roller action. From feeling it I can well believe so. Hopefully there will be enough time to take it apart soon and see what's going on.

So, in any case, here's the grip porn. The gun is much better in person...