Neanderpundit

While this is my first ever Shot SHow, I got a chance to spend a LOT of time with several dealers, and of course, my sponsor- and the consensus is, the “black” rifles have diminished.

It’s not that they aren’t popular, of course, I think the people who are into militaria are just as interested as ever- but the show has (according to most I spoke with) become more focused on wood.

There’s a lot fo plastic, for sure- but the people I spoke with at most of the major mfrs claimed that the plastic was less abotu cost and utility as the lack of adequate manufacturing resource. A lot of people are buying plastic stocks and later upgrading to wood.

The prettiest and nastiest things at the show were one firearm: the new Mossberg lever action. Fit and feel, trigger pull, easily the equal of the finest offerings by marlin- of course, these were prototype guns and not production, you expect them to be better. The problem was, the stock SUCKED. They actually had one which had a checkered walnut stock (nice, but shaped wrong) and a plain Birch forend. And the combination looked like crap. I hope they get this right- because this rifle is AWESOME.

No racist references, thankyouverymuch.

Seven hours of driving in four seasons: Bright sunshine, driving rain, hail, and snow.

I’m just glad to be home. Toward the end I was in the zone, just driving along, and I got to a piece of fresh concrete bridge on 90.

I had just gotten to the edge of the Gary Aromasphere- you know, the point at which you can smell the open sewage smell? And the tail end of the truck did a hard left turn and I was looking at the broadside of a semi in the eastbound lane. And then the back tires hit (relatively) dry pavement and barked a bit, and straightened out, and I drove the remaining 25 miles in a state of heightened alertness.

Took five or six minutes to pry the exploder seat cushion from within my tightly clenched buttocks.

when spring is in the air,
And the bald headed birds are whispering everywhere.
When you see them walking southward in their dirty underwear,
That’s the Tennessee Bird Walk.