Kentucky Colonel George Chinn & The Machine Gun:

I came across this larger-than-life Kentucky character on a Forgotten Weapons video about the five volume book set THE MACHINE GUN:

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/book-review-col-chinns-5-volume-opus-on-machine-guns/

Declassified 1961.

You Machine gun enthusiasts can apparently download a free PDF version of the whole comprehensive and rare set.

George Chinn wasn't any typical dry military academic scribe - Col. Chinn was one hell of a character .. a 'maverick' sometimes known as "Double Chinn"- and he led a full if sometimes unruly life.  American football player, coach, adventuresome 'entrepreneur'  .. while his military record shows service through WWI, WWII, The Korean War, & Vietnam War.

Graduation As Marine Aviator (Heavyweight.)

I won't try to present his full life story as I'd just be copying other's original recall .. start here to discover one man's adventures in life: LINKS:

https://kentuckypress.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/no-one-stands-a-chance-in-colonel-chinns-cave-house/

http://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=435

"Double-Chinn" Quote:

"I've never had a malfunction on paper."

Marty K.

Dragon Man - Gun Enthusiast US Style:

Larger than life Mel Bernstein runs his machine-gun range, Licensed Gun Dealership, paint ball course, military museum and race track 'DRAGON LAND' in El Paso County, Colorado - this is near Pikes Peak that all we speed nuts will know.

Showman Mel originates from Brooklyn and puts-on a value for money festival of noise in exchange for your $10 day pass.

Mel's Flame Thrower Dragon Bike - Only In America.

DragonLand boasts as having over 200 machine guns - tanks, bazookas, bombs, jeeps, all kinds of military stuff & of course that motor bike ..

I'm going there when I win the Lotto - even if it is in bad taste.😁😁

(I think that he votes GOP but I'll excuse that)!

Marty K.
.

"Lead Free" Gun Lead - A Sweet Treat - Dairy Chimps:

I noticed a pack of what we kiwis call 'lollies' (hard candy or 'sweets') on the supermarket shelves that laughably had printed on the back .. "No added sugar" !! - Strikes me that as the lollies are basically 100% sugar (or sugar alcohol) by design - you couldn't actually ADD any more sugar without just making them bigger eh.

"Mooo"

(- I have also seen a pack of salted peanuts that had a Warning Notice .."May Contain Peanuts" !!)

It's likely that this sort of cynical marketing mockery makes little difference to shoppers - other than to the mentally weak - but why I'm commenting on it is because my mate "J" just drew my attention to 'tic-tacs' who it seems legally advertise their wee sweeties as being "sugar free".

45% of  'tictac' Production is in Cork, Eire.

-They Can Also Claim To Be Vegan!

What a giggle (not). They seem to claim that as a "serving" size of their flavored 100% sugar pills is very small - they therefore only contain a small amount of sugar - so qualify as 'Sugar Free'.

- Why do we accept stupid laws that excuse this sort of lying?

Ammunition makers are missing a trick here - why don't they set the standard 'serving' weight of bullets at around 220 grains .. then they might lawfully advertise all their 9 mm and .38" calibers & below of cast lead pills as being 'Lead Free Lead' or "Low Lead"

Over the years I have had gullible obese individuals tell me that they could eat as much pork as they like "because it's white meat." and that they use honey in their beverages and cooking "as it's better for you than sugar".

Well folks - pig meat varies from 14% fat at best to around 60% or more .. and Honey is just flower nectar sugar mixed with water and dirt by ** Honey Bees... Sorry 😙

  ... Candy is just sugar in one form or another - and Homeopathic remedies contain NO ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - just water.

** This might disillusion some honey-eaters - but our "silky-smooth" West-Coast Bush Honey or Honeydew Honey is actually the water, sugars, tannins etc, that comprise the excrement of psyllid scaly insects feeding on the sap of host trees then collected by the wasps & bees.

 Marty K.
P.S. How about the "Milk is good for you" slogans? - FACT - Cows Milk is soluble FAT designed to put weight on CALVES. It is not a healthy food for adult human beings.. And 'dairy' is not a good source of CALCIUM for women. (Soy milk is a better calcium source). Do your own research if you are concerned or disagree.

It might make superior health sense to develop great ape dairy herds for milk for human consumption

 .. at least this would supply milk from a related primate species eh:

M.K.

Rugers New 'Security 9':

I just watched Hickok 45 put this new hammer-fired 15 round Ruger s/a pistol through it's paces - well two of them actually as he had a 'bought one' alongside the test example.

The man likes his Glocks - as do I - but he couldn't get away from the fact that the Ruger is the same size & capacity as a G19 when matched together on his shooting bench & it seemed to shoot as well as a Glock - AND the 'made-in-america' is on sale for considerably less than a Glock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EM7Z2zQG4k

Careful now viewers - as he starts with a very loud demonstration with both hands shooting. 😁

While I'm fully confident that every Glock model I have shot is tough, reliable, and good value - now there surely is a new girl in town. - And Ruger make a wide range of excellent firearms too .. not only pistols.

 - Did you know that Sturm Ruger were America's biggest firearms maker with US$664 Million total sales value in 2016.?

- The second largest US firearms manufacturer was American Outdoor Brands who sell their shooting stuff as the S&W brand.

At $379 MSRP the Ruger SECURITY 9  may well walk out the American gun shop doors for around the $300 mark.

- Sure it's just another polymer auto - but this one is glass fiber-filled resin and hammer-fired (not striker) with a four inch barrel - and they work .. It has to sell well.

Ruger SECURITY 9

- Got to be good. - If offered here in New Zealand at the right price it should "go Gang-busters" to our endorsed license shooters.

Marty K.

Crowd Opinion on Guns:

Many otherwise reasonably "normal" people - who are mostly well meaning - are fearful of GUNS and think that no-one other than 'the authorities' should be allowed to have them.

I called them "normal" - but the fact is that these misguided folk are severely handicapped by both their ignorance & their conditioning that assures them their 'perception' is right & that any other possibility or reasoning is therefore wrong.

They are stressed & conditioned by their densely packed urban circumstances - living in small apartments - commuting on overloaded & polluted highways or in crowded mass transport systems belly-to-belly - working in cramped noisy environs - open plan offices or factories.

- Sucking-in dramatic TV scare stories with their TV dinners - fictions like "they are more likely to be injured or killed if there is a gun in their home" - they hopefully may avoid contact with the local under-belly.

 I actually know one (nice) guy who can't even be persuaded to touch a revolver with his finger-tip because guns are 'evil'.

- All of their necessities seem to arrive plastic wrapped and sanitized .. water, sewage, electric power, telephones, buses & trains, lighting, heating, fuel, pizza deliveries, even emergency services like ambulance, fire brigade, and law enforcement can hopefully be summoned as if out of the air .. all 'on tap' .. how would they survive if all that input flow stopped .. do you think they might  find 'nature' as scary as guns.?
- Then they seem to accept that "THE GOVERNMENT" is OK to have guns & even the deadly nuclear weapons of mass destruction ... Is that because 'governments' can be trusted and didn't actually slaughter 60+ million of us in WWII and another Million EVERY YEAR since 1945 when  "peace"  arrived? ... that makes a further 72 Million killed in conflict.

My take on who might best be trusted with a firearm would indicate that a sane, sober law-abiding hard-working citizen beats a megalomaniac power-seeking politician every time.

It is very strange how the 'Banners' - while seeing 'guns' as a terrifying & widespread threat - refuse to learn more about them. - How long would a rabbit survive if it chose to not learn about foxes?

Here's interesting: - "Free World" home ownership in USA, UK, France, New Zealand, Australia & Ireland is around 65% (ish) .. that means that some 35% of us can't afford to own somewhere to live. - Germany is down to only 52% ownership.

- But home ownership in Russia is 84%, Romania 94%, Slovakia 90%, China 90%, Cuba 90%, Poland 84%.

- How come the 'oppressed' actually own more of their own homes than the "free" - Who is bullshitting who in the West?

Have you seen this Wealth Distribution video? LINK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM

.. If that doesn't make you think - nothing will.

My biggest Issue with our 'Representative Democracy' is that those who we elect to govern have NO obligation to actually represent the people's will - nor even to actually DO what they claimed they would if their campaign was successful.

- Take a look at the unique Swiss style 'Direct Democracy' where their citizens elect administrators to enact the policies that the voters command.

The armed & militarily trained Swiss population has enjoyed direct democracy since it's beginnings in the thirteenth & fourteenth centuries.

In a representative democracy, people vote for representatives who then enact policy initiatives. - In direct democracy, the people themselves decide on policies without any intermediary.

Marty K.

US Marine Corps Is GUNG HO - & Rewi Alley:

Rewi Alley 1897-1987 "world famous in New Zealand" is the kiwi man responsible for the phrase 'GUNG HO' coming into Western use.

A local Canterbury lad Rewi served in France with the New Zealand army from 1916 - was wounded and awarded the Military Medal.

After the end of WWI he returned to NZ and farmed until he moved in 1927 to Shanghai, China becoming a fireman and then Chief factory inspector. - In 1937 he founded The Chinese Industrial Cooperatives and worked widely in education. Rewi joined the communist party- traveled extensively and adopted two local boys - eventually becoming the most famous European known throughout China after the 1949 Communist victory.

Rewi Alley With Chairman Mao Zedong, Beijing, 1966

Rewi Alley's friend Major Evans Carlson of the US Marines Corp picked-up the term "Gung Ho" from Rewi and spread it's use throughout the marines.

 Carlson explained in a 1943 interview: "I was trying to build up the same sort of working spirit I had seen in China, where all the soldiers dedicated themselves to one idea and worked together to put that idea over. I told the boys about it again and again. I told them of the motto of the Chinese Cooperatives, Gung Ho. It means Work Together - Work in Harmony"

The phrase is an 'americanism' for gong he - meaning WORK TOGETHER - but currently it is used to mean very enthusiastic or even 'over zealous'

- In China the words are not a slogan or a battle cry - only the name of a Cooperative Organisation..
 A more accurate interpretation for GUNG HO would be the Maori He waka eke noa - We are all in this together.

Statue Of Rewi Alley - LANZHOU China.

Marty K.

Stainless Steel Ruger Revolver Ain't Just Stainless Steel:

Historically many different industrialists had serious input into the "Invention" of rust-less or Stainless Steel - about 100 years ago in the early 1910s.

 Poland, Britain, Germany, Sweden, & America all had metallurgists - metal scientists - who have some claim to it's development .. and you can "google" it as much as you fancy.

The powerful  .454 Casull caliber Ruger Super Redhawk is a big lump of stainless six-gun for sure .. but without the input from US steel makers Carpenter Technology - it would need to be even bigger and would likely be limited to five rounds only.

'Ordinary' original SS might consist of something like an alloy of 0.3% carbon, 20% chromium, and 1% copper  blended with iron - an alloy unveiled by Carpenter Tech. back in 1920.

When developing their .454 Casull cylinders - Ruger found that their then usual type 410 SS steel (low chromium @ 12%+-) couldn't repeatedly survive the 92,000 psi proof pressures - so they consulted with Humburto Raposo - a specialist at Carpenter's. - who suggested a high tensile Carpenter Custom 465 stainless that is: carbon 0.02% max., manganese 0.25% max., phosphorus 0.015% max., sulfur 0.010% max., silicon 0.25% max., chromium 11.0 – 12.5%, nickel 10.75 – 11.25%, titanium 1.50 – 1.80%, and molybdenum 0.75 – 1.25%.
- I won't be asking you to memorize that chemistry for later 🙂 - but that is a complex alloy mix that permits six "unburstable" chambers to be bored in the high strength cylinders.

 The commercial .454" Casull ammo runs at 62,000 psi. pressure (Note: the huge S&W X-Frame revolvers are 5 shooters with the average .500" S&W round running at 50,000 psi.).

The .454 Ruger's barrels too were treated to yet another different special SS alloy as recommended by Huberto Raposo - Project 7000 stainless which has great resistance to any high velocity flame cutting (and was somewhat quicker machining) ..

Some shooters regard revolvers as 'old-school' - but Ruger's are high-tech and as strong as can be.

I understand that there are both 'magnetic' (ferric - fcc), martensitic, & 'non-magnetic' (austenitic - bcc) stainless steels - you can check this with any old magnet .. the difference is down to differing microstructure crystal forms caused by the various additives in the 'cake' mix. - BUT be aware that some austenitics can be made partly magnetic by bending / deformation so don't be too pedantic about this eh.

_____________

Galling.

'Galling' was a wear issue on some early stainless guns (as it can also be with aluminum) where sliding surfaces adhere when friction-working against each other.
 - Largely overcome now by those clever metallurgists but be aware that decent lubrication is a good idea on hard working firearms.

AND also be very aware that "easy-care" stainless steel WILL "pit" and corrode if badly neglected - particularly with black-powder .

.. I have a lovely old S.S 'Old Army' percussion revolver - bought online 'used' from a large Auckland gun shop - that has serious bore pitting (despite being assured by the dealership that it was 'good & unworn') .. but it still shoots better than me 🙂.

Marty K.

I Love My wee Ruger SP101's Eh.

No Shooting Sport At 2022 Commonwealth Games:

It seems that we have another battle to fight .. as the Games committee has stated there will be NO SHOOTING SPORTS at the next games in 2022  because "there is no suitable venue."

Here we go again with "Doublespeak". . They pulled-down the shooting facility used for the last Olympic Games !
- And the BISLEY Shooting Complex is only 129 miles from the main venue. - Perfectly sited.

Please sign this petition to encourage them to include the shooting sports .. it only takes a few seconds eh.

 http://chn.ge/2mPNwNz

Marty K.

Flashy KORTH Revolver:

.. Nothing to say really - it's just that this is one flash looking convertible .357" / 9 mm revolver - at a price.

This German 'match-grade' piece has a Lothar - Walthar cold forged barrel.

This Nighthawk Korth Super Sport would likely set back a kiwi dentist around $15,000 for my guess.

Marty K.

Ideal Conceal "cell phone gun":

Here is a novelty - for you Americans anyway - as I doubt that the governments of the rest of the free world will be letting it in.

A double barrel .380" pistol (maybe it is properly called a "derringer"?) that looks like a smart phone.

It certainly isn't the first 'folding pistol' as that concept goes way back .. but this may be the first convincing modern one.

Old NOVO Folding Pocket Pistol

Antique 'Apache' Folding Revolver

Developed by Kirk Kjellberg a couple of years back - he now claims to be in production in the first quarter of 2018 for his Minnesota company IDEAL CONCEAL.

“This little kid says, ‘Mommy, Mommy, that man’s got a gun,’ so the whole restaurant looks at you like you’re about to shoot the place up,”

Check-out his web site & video:

https://www.idealconceal.com/

- Maybe problem solved .. but the 'screamers'  😱will come out in force once this makes the long journey into your U S friendly local gun store - and the 'banners' will no-doubt rejoice. 

California here I come(not) !! - How about a knife blade with that too?

Marty K.

US President Is Healthy - & A Scary Active Killer:

The White House says:
"The president's physical exam today at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center went exceptionally well," 

that's a relief then eh ...

- What's that quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson ..
  "Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw"?

- Be ready for a shock:

https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ef9_1515189921

That's some predator .. apparently they really decimate the Aussie birds - & ours.

- Seems that we have 2.5 Million ferals here out in the wild plus 1.5 Million domestics.

TIPS:

Here's a tip as a reward for reading this far: In the late 1600s coffee houses started to open-up in London .. If you wanted to get better, faster service - one (Dentists & Lawyers no doubt) might throw a coin into a coffee cup marked

- TO INSURE PROMPT SERVICE 

.. TIPS  😁

Something to learn every day Eh - even for 'Old Farts',.

Marty K.

Here's another tip .. KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER.

Bond Arms 'Bullpup 9' Boberg:

Bond Arms are doing a great looking job on their very distinctive semi-auto snubbie eh - but sales seem to be slow as they are having a go at re-launching it.

This rather special full power 9 mm Luger is designed to locate the slide and barrel assembly back by the length of a normal cartridge .. or the other way of looking at it is that the trigger is moved forward relatively.

The system uses a backwards stripping magazine that feeds into the chamber by extracting the round on the rearwards stroke. - Look carefully at the images to see how the rounds are loaded.

Suggested retail price US$977  - Cartridges feed into the magazine NOSE FORWARD.

If they built a model with a four inch barrel I'd buy one here in NZ just for the interest value alone - but are seven shots enough for USA sales - How about a double stack magazine version?

Marty K.

THE RED BARON'S WWI Funeral - & ANZAC Slouch Hats:

Acclaimed as Germany's leading fighter ace with 80 WWI air victories Manfred von Richthofen, The Red Baron died nearly 100 years ago April 21 1918 in a beet field in Vaux-sur-Somme northern France.

The excellent T.V. series 'Apocalypse - World War I' states that he was buried in the New Zealand section of the graveyard with full military honors and a ritual mourning ceremony from Maori troops - as shown in this short silent film clip - but I don't know. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJUzIKeJJdY

The burial video is Australian War Memorial sourced and I cannot distinguish detail between the BEF ANZAC troops shown - but it is claimed that he was most likely shot-down by Australian anti-aircraft fire .. I'd take that as an indication.

However, there is also a report that von Richthofen managed a controlled crash- landing in that field and was shot by a Canadian soldier as he tried to get out of the plane.  

Australian Slouch Hat.

I understand that all three Nationalities wore the slouch hats (as did Gurkhas)... and further more - the men on active service would have been issued with a variety of replacement equipment 

The symbolic band around the slouch hat is called a 'Puggaree' and comes from the Indian Sikh word for turban - that was worn as insulation from the sun.

Puggaree.

The 'puggaree' (hat band) would be a distinguishing feature but I regret that the style also has varied considerably over the time period. The following detailed clarification doesn't help me very much.

"There seems to be some confusion in the some of the comments about who was wearing what style felt hat in the NZEF both prior & during WW1. To clear this up for those who aren't quite sure, most NZEF units that embarked for overseas duty in 1914 were issued with & wore the typical Slouch hat with raised rim to the LH side, hitched with a short leather strap to either a lions head hooked badge or a regimental badge with a hook attached ( now very rare ). The Wellington Infantry reg & some Artillery units were known to have worn the Lemon Squeezer at this early stage of the war. By 1915, several other units were adopting the LS as shown in photo's of NZ troops at Gallipoli. By 1916, general orders required that all sectors of the NZEF ( with the exception of the Mounted Rifles ) would adopt the LS as standard head dress, the MR would continue wearing the Felt hat with a bash fore & aft without a raised rim. Although the are some period photo's showing the LS being worn by MR as well ( unofficially ).

Another point I believe needs to be clarified, is that Australian "manufactured" slouch hats were produced with hooks to hitch the rim. I think you will find that the Australians were also issued with standard British manufactured felt hat with a snap fastener to hitch the rim, as a replacements uniform item for those serving in combat locations. The same type British made felt hats were also supplied to the NZEF as a replacement uniform item, some with snap fasteners, some with hooks, some without. What they ended up with largely depended on what was available at the time & also on the different manufacturing process used by the many military contractors. Many hats were also private purchase items.

Your hat is identical to my Wellington West Coast Reg LS both in the heavy wool felt fabric, triple stitched reinforced rim, grommet vents, snap fastener & plain puggery made from the same felt as the hat. Of the 14 WW1 NZ felt hats in my collection, no two hats are the same. Either the colour varies, they're slightly different shapes, some with vents, some without. Some with chin straps & some without. Different rim reinforcing, the list goes on.

Ultimately, IMO, troops required to wear felt hats as part of the uniform, would wear what ever stores had available at that time providing they conformed to the basic military specification. The wearer would then shape it to suit, either fore & aft bash or LS.

Your hat, like mine, may well have been issued by NZEF stores but is without doubt English made & most likely a surplus run made for the AIF. The AIF had a variety of puggerie's on their slouch hats, including wool putties, plain khaki cotton as well as pleated ETC.

I don't think your hat is specifically an English made felt hat for the NZ Mounted Rifle but rather a standard English made felt hat that was available at the time of issue that would also suit the requirements of the AIF & Brit forces serving in the same location. From other hats I've seen, these felt hats tend to be of late war manufacture & more often than not, were part of the coming home uniform at the end of hostilities.

Regardless, it's still a super example of a very rare felt hat with impeccable NZMR provenance. You can't get much better than that.

Cheers

Mike"

Maybe a serious uniform expert will be able to cast light on the uniforms shown in the burial film.

Manfred von Richthofen himself was disinterred and moved a few times so that evidence is unavailable  - and he's now in the family plot in Germany.

Richtofen's  Triplane's Twin "Spandau '08" Machine Guns Are Actually 'Maxims'

The LMG 08/15 (luftgekuhltes Maschinen Gewehr 08/15) was another key MG08 development by Spandau and appeared in 1916. These systems were specifically developed for use in aircraft and were often fitted in pairs firing through a synchronized propeller via an equally revolutionary interrupter gear. This allowed the pilot to fire through his spinning propeller blades without fear of blowing them off in the process.

The Maxim company was purchased outright in 1896 by the British firm Vickers. The famous Vickers Machine Gun was based on the Maxim machine gun and improved the original design by reducing the former's weight and adding a muzzle booster.

 The Vickers version appeared in 1912 and was produced until 1968. Some are still in service with Pakistani, Indian and Nepali forces as reserve weapons.
 (- My 'ex' worked for Vickers in London when we were married in 1968.)

Millbank (formerly Vickers) Tower - London

Great Views From the Top Back Then.

Marty K.

Ergo Delta Revolver Grips For S&W, LCRs:

S&W J Frame

Selling for under US$30.. these ERGO rubber grips interest me: They seem to be a more radical take on the old 'traditional' TYLER T-Grip adapters:

Tyler T-Grip  - GUN NOT INCLUDED

(Well you have to allow for the morons eh)

- That's morons - not Mormons.

 For the Ruger LCR & LCRX:

I had a wander around the net looking for reviews of these Delta grips ... but sadly once you get past the howling from idiot "flamers" .. there's not much intelligent appraisal around.

Anything different or new seems to provoke the ding-a-ling morons into monkey-howls and loud scoffing.

My guess is that these ergonomically designed novelties should be well worth training with as long as the shooter stays aware of the potential for any revolver shooter to need to keep his fingers well clear of the cylinder gap blast - and of course the muzzles too of all snubbies.

Potentially you should get a more solid hold on the piece - & reduced muzzle flip from the straight- line grip - while the shape should give a less gun-like😱 'print' when pocket carried.

One pathetic amateur Youtube reviewer complained that he'd have to practice with his gun to get used to it 😆! (- another moaned that he had lost the grip screw for his Ruger).

P.S.
Did you know that Pachmayr used to make a similar adapter to the T-Grip? (I didn't):

Marty K.