Powder smoke never smelled so good

For the first time in much too long, my rifles thundered and I know for a fact that people asked themselves, “What in the *&^% was that???”

I’ve heard the selector switch on automatic weapons which allows the user to choose semi-auto or full automatic operating modes referred to as a “giggle switch.” I’d say the triggers on my old military rifles qualify for that description. I can’t help but giggle a bit when people ask me that question

Of course, I also giggle a bit when I pull the trigger and the rifle slams back in recoil with the thunderous report echoing for miles and miles across the landscape, reflecting off of the distant mountains

I even managed to meet a couple of new friends out there as you’ll see a bit later. Joe and Shane had traveled to the same area as I had with the same intentions. I didn’t want to bother them, so I continued on a bit farther to shoot. I did stop to ask what I’d heard from my shooting position and they kindly showed me their 12 gauge, 20 gauge, .22 rifles, very cool old single action .22 short revolver, and 30-06 rifle. Then they asked the question I referred to at the beginning of this post

I had a bit of ammo left for a couple of the guns, so I offered them a few shots on the K-31, the C9, and the Rough Rider and they accepted. I think they enjoyed it

They seemed like great guys I’ll be emailing them some pictures and the link to this page, too We’ll probably get together sometime in the future for a shooting trip

Yeah, my shoulder still a bit sore. I couldn’t care less

On with the pictures!

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I managed to get rained on yesterday without setting out to do so. Actually, I had hoped to stay dry, but I only got sprinkled on so it didn’t really matter.

I don’t know if this happens anywhere else, but when it actually rains here in the desert it often takes this form – isolated showers that move across the landscape. You can see them in the distance and they pass quickly.

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OK, yes I admit to posting another gratuitous shot of my HHR which I think would make a fine photo for the official Chevrolet product brochure

What can I say? I love this type of geography and I do love my car

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The light plays tricks in the desert on days like this. Light and shadows dance across the hills, valleys, canyons, and washes.

I couldn’t resist taking this picture and posting it here with the mountains so dark and the arroyo lit by the sun.

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Though I had no ammo left for the AK-47, I passed it around. Of course, both guys wanted pictures so I made sure to fix the bayonet to add that extra bit of good looks to the rifle

Here Shane looks down the sights. Yes, his finger is on the trigger. I didn’t mind because he had it aimed at a target.

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Joe mugging for the camera here

Yeah, he liked it I will have ammo for it when we get together sometime in the future and I think they’ll like it even more when they have a chance to use it

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The Mosins caused me the most trouble on this trip. Actually, some of the ammo caused the problems

I shoot surplus ammo I can get cheap. Most of the time this works out great – ammo made for the guns for use in combat by the governments that fielded the guns in military service should work with them, right? This time, not so much.

Mosins have a reputation for sticky bolts at times. I’ve had this problem before, but not nearly to this extent. I had to use the full force of my (considerable) body weight with the bolt handle on a discarded wooden cable spool to get the bolt open. The cartridge case stayed stuck in the chamber and I had to tap it out with the cleaning rod.

The first time this happened I thought maybe the problem would stay limited to one round. No such luck.

So maybe I should try one of the rounds in the other gun to see if I could blame the 91/30? Again, no such luck

With much trepidation, I selected some copper washed ammo from another country’s now surplus stockpile. The bolt worked perfectly after the shot.

Lesson learned – stay away from the bad ammo.

Back to the picture, Joe and Shane really took a liking to the Mosins

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but for some reason military rifles just look better with bayonets fixed. Even the old ones

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Yeah, these old rifles seem to bring grins to faces like few other things can I enjoy sharing these old rifles with people about as much as I enjoy pulling the trigger.

The look on Shane’s face makes it all worth while

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Looks like something out of an old west movie, don’t it? Yeah, I can live with this sort of scenery

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Looking at this picture I almost want to look around for Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Ike Clanton or Johnny Ringo. In my mind I see them riding fast through the creosote and I can almost hear Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson’s song “The Highwayman” drifting on the wind

That part of the old west never existed in this area of the American desert southwest as far as I know, but it could have. Signs on the highway warn drivers that open range cattle. I have found at least one reference to an old west outlaw – check out the story of Queho.

After reading that, I will have to make a trip down to El Dorado Canyon to tour the mine.

No, I don’t think I’ll try to test the validity of the legend of the Hell Dogs of El Dorado Canyon

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Heading home, I had to drive west to get to the turnaround point. Yes, I held the camera out the driver’s window again

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So yeah, I had a good day. I needed that