BOOK OF GLOCK by Sadowski:

Long term buddie 'J' bought me a copy of the new American book on Glocks - and that's exactly what it is about - the guns .. not Glock the man or anything political - or any media-hype bullshit. It's a very detailed record of the various pistol types and their serial numbers / dates and specifications, colors and calibers.
- He even has a page on the recent Glock 46 prototype with the cam-operated rotating barrel lock-up.

I've read it very attentively - with some inside knowledge from being the early factory agent here in New Zealand - and Robert Sadowski has done a thorough job. - I have only found one missing detail - that the first batches of G17 guns (- including the Austrian Military P80 guns?) - were only serial numbered on the metal slide and barrel.

- Early Glocks had NO SERIAL NUMBER on the polymer frames ..

Unnumbered Frame Of Early Glock 17 First Series.

I recall that G17s with the earliest numbers (starting with A & B prefixes?) were built before the factory developed the molded-in steel insert located in front of the trigger guards - the area sometimes referred to as 'the dust cover'.

Typical Frame Serial Number Insert.

I'd have thought this was worth remarking upon in what could be 'the technical bible' written by a leading collector .. apart from that I can't find any other "nits" to be picked 😊.

A good book with detailed parts drawings for each series, plus disassembly and lubrication guides,

Marty K.

Sellafield's Nuclear Leakage is The Least Of Our Problems:

As I write this the kids across the road are noisily having great fun in the sun .. good to be a kid eh.

The best thing about Autumn /Fall is it's fruit - my kitchen is perfumed by heaped large quinces from the tree I planted around six years ago, - and garden pumpkins ready for soup and roasts.

- 'Stewed' with custard, baked into a pie, - as quince cheese to spread on your bread - or quince jelly to eat with meat dishes - even make your own rakija spirit. It's a shame that "nobody" grows these 'old fashioned' fruit anymore .. too much trouble to cook and eat them!

The kids have a reason for their carefree play - but I'm not sure about the rest of us. - Daniel Ellsberg reckons that nuclear weapons have been deliberately used by US Presidents dozens of times .. in the same way that a handgun is pointed at someone in a confrontation - resulting in a climb-down without pulling the trigger.

How can any ordinary joker defend himself against nukes?

Got a Gun? - It Seems Everyone Else Has..
Especially The Governments.

Add to this deliberate threat the 'accidents' and false alerts (1979, 1980, 1983, 1995 ..) with consideration of the 'Dead Man's Hand' & 'Second Strike First' policies and the guaranteed existence of the 'Doomsday Machines' ...  plus the facts of a 'Nuclear Winter' ...  Well I don't mean to sneer at our concerns over Climate Change - but there really are bigger elephants in the room to lean your plastic supermarket bags against eh.

Is there a reason that nobody much seems to care or want to think about it? - Perhaps they are all completely fed-up and in total denial .. I know that most folk don't want to even think about what's in their own back yards .. for example my old UK home High Wycombe. - How many locals know what's hiding under Marlow Hill / Handy Cross and other nearby sites?

Underground Headquarters for Allied Forces North Western Europe (AFNORTHWEST) of NATO .

Here in 'Nuclear Free New Zealand' there's not much thought going on about "Trump's finger on the really great nuclear button".

- Just as well really, - as there'd be a lot more launch buttons than shown on his desk - just about one button for every US officer ranking major or above .. well there has to be - otherwise just one strike on Washington would paralyze any US military response everywhere.

.. You didn't really believe that only The US President can unleash the death rockets did you?

- Then there's Russia, China, France, UK, Pakistan, India, Israel, North Korea, Iran? ..

Marty K.

Trident Trigger:

.. So the UK has four "Trident" (Vanguard Class) Submarines - each with forty nuclear warheads - now around 100 firestorms equals 1x Nuclear Winter ...

A Quarter OF US Guns Come From Europe - British Stuff Goes Elsewhere:

USA is the worlds largest user of guns - both militarily and in it's domestic market .. so it's interesting to note that around 25% of that weaponry is imported from Europe:

It's a little sad to observe that the UK comes in bottom of this graph - despite Britain being the second largest manufacturer & exporter of weaponry worldwide (USA 35%, UK 15% of world production).

The explanation is that Britain focuses it's arms trade on Weapons of Mass Destruction rather than small arms suited for self defense and hunting by citizens .. and their establishment profits from bulk sales to Middle-Eastern nations with lots of oil money. The UK specializes in ships, submarines, attack aircraft and cluster bombs such as the BL755 made by Hunting Engineering. Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li9nLIDL1aQ

- Here is a Royal Airforce 'bomb catalogue' or Systems presentation .. the BL755 appears about halfway and again at the end:

http://slideplayer.com/slide/4665910/

- Nice to know that our governments retain our best interests at heart at all times eh.

The Rosyth Built Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers Cost So Many Billions

That The Poms Can't Afford More Than Six Planes For Each (As per image)

 - Not Likely To Make Or Sell Any To Saudi Arabia - unless a 'one careful owner' deal is needed after Brexit .. the Chinese might be interested as a swap for their nuclear power stations eh.

- The Americans seem to value them as a low cost addition to their naval forces: The British First Sea Lord says "I have talked with the CNO (Chief of Naval Operations) in America. He is very keen for us to get these because he sees us slotting in with his carrier groups." 

Marty K.

US Civil War .32" Caliber BABY LeMat Revolvers:

The .42" cap'n'ball LeMats with the 20 gauge shot barrel in the middle have a confusing history of variations. Around 2,900 only were built in France for the Confederate Forces in the American Civil War 1861 to 1865. Designed by Jean Alexandre LeMat 1856 in New Orleans - around only 100 of the first model were made in Philadelphia plus maybe a handful of samples were actually built later in England - likely by the London Armory Company.

 Known as "Grape Shot Revolvers" these "open top" guns were shipped from Paris to the Southern States via England - where they were all proof tested and marked with British proof marks.

Scary Huh? - A big bore Double Barreled Revolver in Southern hands.

These nine shot +1 cap'n'ball revolvers went through several variations:

LeMat Improved Second Model:

Such as this TRANSITIONAL MODEL above:

Then there's This PINFIRE Version above:

and the final, very different 11 mm CENTERFIRE MODEL:

All reputed to be deadly weapons at close range - despite being poorly balanced and heavyweight .. however there's another variation that is much handier to use - but is even more rare:

The BABY LE MAT was designed for the Confederate Navy and is sensibly downsized while still having nine chambers plus the shot barrel - it is in .32" caliber with the central shot barrel bore measuring .41" rather than the full sized .63"

Engraved Second Model Black Powder 'cap'n'ball BABY LEMAT:

- A quick check to confirm that the image is of a 'Baby' .. the rammer extender in the heel is needed to load the baby's center shot barrel.

This Confederate Navy 'Baby' model was too slow being delivered - leading to cancellation of the order when only 100 had been made in France. But they are probably a much better weapon than the bigger original New Orleans designed guns.

As usual Ian McCollum knows how to review this handgun properly without any crappy music.

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/confederate-baby-lemat/

Marty K.

These .22" Knuckle-Guns are French:

I've found two makes of these handy whackers dating from around WWI .. 'Le Poilu' & 'Le Centenaire'.

'Le Poilu' Means "Hairy Ones"

 - The Name For French Soldiers From The WWI Trenches:

Le Centenaire Knuckle Gun.

"COUP de POING" = 'punch, knuckle duster' 

- But What Do The Dates Signify?

Both of these single shot guns are "chambered" with smooth bores for .22" short rim-fire rounds which would likely not do very much good .. but better than nothing?

 - It appears that it's actually the hammer that holds the cartridge into the chamber.

Le Centenaire's Action.

Le Poilu Internals.

The French name for ordinary 'brass knuckles' or the knuckle duster is "Poing americain" .. 'american fist'. (Brass knuckles were used by President Abraham Lincoln’s secret service aids.)

"The stereotype of the French WWI soldier "Poilu" was of bravery and endurance, but not always of unquestioning obedience. At the disastrous Chemin des Dames offensive of 1917 under General Robert Nivelle, they were said to have gone into no man's land making baa'ing noises—a collective bit of gallows humor signaling the idea that they were being sent as lambs to the slaughter. "

As far  back in history as "Ancient Rome" - hardened knuckles are recorded as giving an advantage to the combatant.

Roman 'Cestus' or 'Caestus'

Some Old 'Knucks'

Coup de poing Advert from 1902 - For Cyclists.

Marty K.

Offshore Maunsell Forts Defending The Money-Laundry - Leaving The EU:

APRIL I 2018:

I'd like to draw my British readers attention to the various isolated Maunsell type Forts that litter enhance their beautiful coastlines .. helping to isolate this proud nation of seafarers from the common mainland Europeans - or "Continentals" as we "les Rosbifs' sometimes refer to them ("frog-eaters" all).

Article 50 will again restore Henry VIIIs glorious days of freedom from Rome.

 Maunsell Forts.

 English Channel Forts May Once Again Be Manned:

 Haile Sands Fort On Humber Estuary:

Gun Emplacements Ready & Waiting:

The beginning of the new financial year signals to City Financiers & 'Venture Capitalists' that - now is the hour to seize this opportunity to further refine our English Banking system rules.

 - Take the initiative to dump the restrictive regulations that those unimaginative 27 Union Members (BOOOO - Here-Here) deem necessary for fair commerce.

Our British Lords & Bankers don't need such external constraints .. but should be free at all levels to choose what they know is best for the wonderful hard-working people of these wonderful islands.

There are also many mainland forts and batteries waiting to be recommissioned .. such as Fort Bovisand in Devon that remains ready - since it's completion in 1869 - to be refitted with it's nine & ten inch guns aimed at Europe.

 Fort Bovisand - I can personally testify that it's walls are solid and that it's jetty remains sound .. as I jumped off it - forty foot into hard salty water in full diving kit - in August 1975 as part of my qualification for Second Class Diver.

Jetty At Fort Bovisand.

This 1816 Stone Jetty May Help To Make Britain GREAT Again.

- Enjoy your chocolate easter eggs ..

Marty K.

Unwin & Rodgers KNIFE PISTOLS:

The English Rodgers firm made knives including, razors, pen-knives, Bowies and Trade knives for export. - Rodgers was joined in Sheffield by Unwin in 1828 - but he died only one year later in 1829.

The works continued successfully for years and made a range of these neat single shot pocket knife-pistols:

Top Knife-Pistol is Percussion - Then a .25" Rimfire, & Bottom is a .32" Rimfire.

This one is a .32" Rimfire with a 3.5/8" long octagonal barrel, folding trigger and two 4" blades.

I guess these combination weapons were a bit of a novelty .. more curious than practical - but they certainly are easily concealed ..

.. and might impress strangers when used to sharpen a tooth pick or to cut the rounded cap off a cigar .. but they sold for many years while progressing from percussion ignition, pin-fire to rim-fire.