Moving Along

On November 11, 2016 By Tom LindsayIn Blogs, Competition, Goals, Leukemia, Moving Along, Projects

Now, I know that’s the kind of title I might use if I were announcing I was closing down my blog.

On the contrary. I mean quite the opposite.

Those who follow me here, or on Twitter or on Facebook or my other blog, Plumb Mad Dog Mean, know that since last March I have been fighting leukemia. Between that and keeping life going, it’s about all I have had time or energy for.

The last USPSA match I shot was on February 27, 2016. I looked at this match as the last one I would shoot before qualifying for Senior in March. I was right, but it was also the last match I would shoot before being diagnosed with leukemia on March 15.

I must confess, thanks to a suppressed immune system, and not really feeling like going to the range, I haven’t fired a gun since that match. But all of that is going to change.

I have come to realize, the hard way, that life is short. There are things I enjoy in life, and I owe it to myself to devote some time and energy to those, and to enjoy them to their fullest.

So, I have put together a set of goals that I want to reach, before the anniversary of my transplant on June 28:

Post to this blog at least once a week, preferably more.
Post to Twitter and Facebook at least daily.
Devote time each day in my office dry firing. (This is one advantage of working from home!)
Work on my physical strength and endurance so I can compete decently. After all, I have lost quite a bit of weight, and I need to take advantage of that, and regain my strength. I may even try to find a coach or other training so I can get my stamina back.
Start competing regularly in USPSA and GSSF.
Move up from D class to C class in USPSA Production.
Look into other aspects of shooting sports to see if I want to give them a try:
- Reloading
- Open shooting
- 3-gun
- Sporting clays
Attend the NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
Be more involved in GeorgiaCarry.
Renew my Glock Armorer certification.

So, look for more posts. The ones involving these goals will be tagged Moving Along.

Name The AR – Finalists

On March 29, 2013 By Tom LindsayIn Projects, Vera5 Comments

I asked for help, and several followers responded! Here are the suggestions. I’ve left out the sources, as I don’t want to influence anyone.

Steve Nash – Short, not flashy and gets the job done.
Eugene
High-Speed Low-Drag Uber Delta
Tanto
Ol’ Painless – named in honor of Jessie Ventura’s mini-gun in Predator
Justice
ARTIE
Freedom – Only a free society, one which respects the Second Amendment, would uphold the right of a citizen to assemble a fully functional firearm with parts from vendors across this great nation. Your AR was completed because of interstate commerce, commerce initiated by the free speech to advertise those components on the Internet, and of course, the right to own the device itself.

Go give it a go.

Project Vera Update – At Last, All Together

On March 22, 2013March 21, 2013 By Tom LindsayIn AR, Projects, Vera1 Comment

With the arrival of the final piece, and some scrounging, I have arrived at the final configuration of my AR-15.

I mounted the Tasco Pro Point red dot sight on the riser mount I bought at the gun show. I also installed an 8 inch piece of Magpul rail to the front handgaurd, so I could install a foregrip.

With that, it is complete.

FINAL TALLY

Lower receiver, New Frontier Armory G-15 aluminum lower, bought through Dogleg Arms in Douglasville, GA
Lower parts kit, from DPMS, bought through Lakeside Guns in Acworth, GA.
TAPCO adjustable stock, bought through Lakeside Guns.
ERGO padded grip, bought through Lakeside Guns.
Completed upper, PSA M4 Madness – 16” CMV CL Stripped Upper from Palmetto State Armory.
Rear sight, Magpul MBUS Gen 2 from Palmetto State Armory
Bolt carrier from Mark’s Armory
Bolt, AR-Stoner from Midway USA.
Charging handle, standard from MSA
Firing pin and spares from Midway USA and Windham Weaponry

At last.

For what it’s worth, the whole thing, with a fully loaded 30 round PMAG (yes, I am rich) weighs in at 9.4 pounds.

Late yesterday I used a laser bore sighter to sight the red dot at 36 yards, and then co-witnessed the iron sights to the red dot.

Now, for a cleaning and oiling, and a drive to the range. After all, I bought 4 PMAGs and ammo some time last fall.

Project Vera Update – Breaking News

On March 18, 2013March 19, 2013 By Tom LindsayIn Projects, Vera

Finally.

The Fed Equis man dropped a small box on my front porch about a half hour ago, and the cam pin was among the pieces inside. Actually, since the shipping was the same, I ordered 2 cam pins, and a firing pin, and 2 firing pin retainer pins.

Now to put it all together, and hit the range later in the week.

As you might remember, Vera was a placeholder name for this project, so . . .

Coming Soon: Name The AR.