Monday, February 27, 2012

Random Shots! Cruise Ship Passengers Robbed, Obama Not Welcome, and More!

First Shot!

President Obama Not Welcome In Southern California?

It seems that President Obama is not as welcome across the country as he thinks he is.

One report says hundreds, while another puts the number at a few thousand, protesters lined the Pacific Coast Highway to give Obama at least a little of what they think is going on. 

Unlike at violent liberal protests, such as the Occupy protests, there were no signs of hate or racism. This was all business. Yes, business!

Business, you ask?  Well, a peaceful protest is like a simple non-confrontational discussion between and Employer and an Employee. And yes, contrary to what the Politicians think, they are not "Royalty" but instead are simply employees.

Whether its in our Nation's capitol in Washington D.C., or for us out here California' state capitol in Sacramento, the Politicians who work there are supposed to be working for us. 

I know it seems odd. The employer, us, having to hold rallies and carry signs to get them to notice what we are not happy with - might seem odd. And of course adding to the scene is our employee, in this case the President, rolling by in his bullet proof Limo - and that also might seem odd.

But really, he works for us! And although I know it doesn't look like it, I believe that that rich guy in the Limo really does work for us. Well OK, so maybe I'm wrong? But I sure hope not!

I'm angry that at a time when gasoline prices are at record highs, and yes, today I paid $4.29 a gallon to get home from town - the President is off raising Campaign money instead of doing his job!

You would think the Jerkweeds that we have in Office would be hard at work figuring how to give the American people some relief at the pumps!  Instead the President plays golf, raises money, and sings with BB King! And yes, the Congress sits on their ass doing nothing because its split between Democrat and Republican control.

So the result is that the Actor & Chief does nothing and laughs about it, the Congress remains on its ass, and we suffer having to make the choice between food and gas, or work and gas, or the mortgage and gas, or simply not being able to hold a job because you can't get there because you can't afford to buy gas.

Second Shot! 

Fund Raisers! Why Are There So Many Wealthy Liberals?

This has a lot to do with Obama, His Royal Self, at another Fund Raiser. This time in Newport Beach.  

Total monies raised from the fundraising stop in Southern California were not released, but a ticket to hear Obama read his teleprompter costs a lot of money. Those tickets ranged from $2,500 to a whopping $38,500!

Imagine that! So answer me this, where are all of these Rich Liberals getting their money from? The media is always talking about "Wealthy Republicans," but the fact is that it seems that the Liberal Left is the real Wealthy in this country!

It's true, it is statistically a proven fact. Yes, the majority of rich people in the United States are not Republicans or Conservative - but instead are Liberal far-left Democrats.

I'm sorry to say that that Red & Blue State Map shows more than just Democrats and Republicans. Those Blue States are places like New York and Hollywood and San Francisco and Chicago and Silicon Valley. And friends, that's not what I'd call Conservative areas of the country.

Fact is that most of the richest Congressional Districts in America are represented by Democrats. And yes, from everything that I've read, most of the richest people in the United States Congress are Liberals.

Don't believe me? Well, ask yourself this, who are the Conservative equivalent to Liberal Millionaires and Billionaires like George Soros, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Arthur Blank, Warren Buffett, Barry Diller, Michael Eisner, David Geffen, Charles Gifford, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Norman Lear, John Kerry and his wife, Ted Turner, Penny Pritzker, Steven Spielberg, or even Oprah Winfrey?  No one!

Liberals in America are the Super Rich. But why do they have the money to throw at politicians? Why can't Conservatives match their wealth?

And honestly, I'd really like to know why there are so many extremely rich Liberals? Especially when they're always talking about helping people in need, yet they don't. 

How come the majority of the money given to relief victims in national emergencies, like to who were affected in Hurricane Katrina, come from Conservative Americans and not extremely wealthy Liberals?

How come they support things like the Occupy protest riots? And really, how come there are so many filthy rich Liberals across the nation who can afford $38,000.00 for breakfast with the President?

I'm sorry, but their hypocrisy stinks!

Third Shot!

Cruise Ship Passengers Robbed.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that hooded bandits robbed 22 Carnival Splendor Cruise Ship passengers at gunpoint.

The robbery happened several days into their cruise while the passengers took part in one of the excursions from the ship when it pulled into Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The passengers, who departed Long Beach, California, on February 19th and returned Sunday, were traveling on a bus after going on a nature hike Friday when the bandits struck near the Mexican port city.

The gunmen, armed with fully automatic weapons, stole the passengers' valuables which included their cameras and money. No one was reported to have been hurt during the robbery.

"Carnival sincerely apologizes to its guests for this very unfortunate and disturbing event and is providing its full support and assistance," the Miami-based company said in a statement.

"Carnival is working with guests to reimburse them for lost valuables and assist with lost passports or other forms of identification."

The company has suspended the nature trail tour from its list of activities for cruise passengers.

For me, this is too close to home!

You see, many years ago, I took the opportunity to take an excursion that was offered as an activity when I was in a foreign port - and something very similar happened.

It was when I was a young Marine. The ship that I was on pulled into port in Subic Bay in the Philippines. It was an American base so it was OK on base. Outside of the gates was another story. In those days the Philippines were under Martial Law, and the local police had way too much power.

As something to do, a friend and I signed up for a bus trip up to Bagio City. It was going to be my second trip to Bagio.

We had to take the Liberty Bus to travel up there from Olongapo.

If you have ever seen the movie "Romancing the Stone" and saw the bus that Kathleen Turner was on in Colombia. The wrong bus she took to Cartagena. Well the Liberty Bus was a lot like that. It was a mix of local folks who also had with them their chickens and pigs and produce.

The locals were pretty understanding of us tourist. The year was 1975. 

Along the way, the bus stopped at a Police Check Point. The Police in the Philippines are called the Constabulary. They were all armed with fully automatic weapons had ordered everyone to get off the bus.

They separated the men from the women, and moved the women around the back of the bus. For my friend and I, along with two other Americans, we and the other men were told to kneel with our hands behind our head. We did so without resistance.

The Philippine Constabulary is part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. I knew there reputation to shoot first and ask questions later, so I did as I was ordered and knelt there with my hands behind my head.

One Constabulary officer, who was positioned behind us, kept walking back and fourth behind us. He would laugh and tell us that he was going to shoot us. He would now and then put his rifle's muzzle to the back of my head and tap my head forward.

I can still remember keeping my head up and looking forward. I can still remember feeling like a Prisoner of War (POW).

They took our money, rings, watches, and some of our clothing. In those days, I traveled with my ID in my socks and only carried a my money in my front pocket - so all in all they got my money but not my ID.

For a moment when the Constabulary was arguing behind us, I have to say that I really thought that they were going to kill us Americans. Once they drove off, we all got back into the bus and headed up the road to another small village. Since we had no money, we went back to Subic.

I've always found it interesting that the things that happen to us - always stay with us. I remember being stopped once for a speeding ticket by a California Highway Patrol years later.

He ordered me to kneel and place my hands behind my head. But I refused and told him that he could cuff me and take me in to be booked - something that I've never had done to me yet - but I told him that I do not kneel like that.

I am not a POW!

I think he was sort of shocked because I was cold sober and refused to be treated like a POW. Instead of pushing the issue, which I'm sure he could have very easily, the Officer gave me a warning for speeding and let me go. 

Last Shot!

Scientist Now Think They Know What Caused The Collapse Of The Mayan Civilization.

Bottom line, they still don't know. Its all conjecture. Fact is that there is no universally accepted theory to explain their collapse.

Personally, I think they screwed up their calender the same way they screwed up their civilization. Their downfall came in 900AD, but they did not disappear.

But wait, if you listen to the so-called scientist - they give you the idea that the Mayans are gone. Well, they're not.

After the human sacrifices stopped and the Spanish came in to take over, they simply blended into the culture that followed theirs.

Fact is that the Maya peoples never disappeared, neither at the time of the Classic period decline or with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors or with the subsequent Spanish colonization of the Americas.

Today, the Maya and their descendants form sizable populations throughout the Maya area and maintain a distinctive set of traditions and beliefs that are the result of the merger of pre-Columbian and post-Conquest ideas and cultures.

Believe it or not, many Mayan languages continue to be spoken as primary languages today.

Pretty enlightening stuff huh! Have a great day!

Story by Tom Correa

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Smith & Wesson - A Tough Success Story - Part 1

By Tom Correa

Talking with a few friends at the American Legion, the conversation got around to American manufacturers of anything. We all agreed that because of Government regulations, American manufacturing is at an all time low.

I believe that more things are now made for us overseas than are made here at home. One friend mentioned that Smith & Wesson was bought out by the British and is no longer an American company. I remember hearing something about that, but honestly, I just didn't know if a British company still owned Smith & Wesson or not.

Smith & Wesson has been around for a long time. The association between Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson started their first company in 1852 when they entered into a gunmaking partnership in Norwich, Connecticut. Because of financial problems related to the failure of the fist lever action pistol design they were forced to sell the company to Oliver Winchester.

Just as Colt was established on the production of the first successful  cap and ball repeating revolver, Smith & Wesson were first founded with the development of the first practical cartridge revolver. It was actually formed in 1854 after they developed on Walter Hunt's idea of what was called "Rocket Ball" ammunition and a lever-action mechanism.

They made an improved version of the "Rocket Ball" ammunition, and eventually produced a pistol version of a lever-action gun to fire it. Their lever-action pistol was called the "Volcanic" pistol, and with that the company became known as the "Volcanic Repeating Arms Company."  But because of financial difficulties, Volcanic went into receivership. Interestingly enough, the firms assets were purchased by Oliver Winchester who was a Volcanic stockholder. 

Volcanic was then reorganized as the New Haven Arms Company under Winchester. Production was discontinued entirely in 1860, but the company survived, and by 1866 it became known as Winchester Repeating Arms Company.  

Soon after the purchase of the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company by Oliver Winchester, Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson left to strike out on their own once again. So in November of 1856, Smith and Wesson formed a second partnership to develop and manufacture a small revolver that chambered metallic rimfire cartridges that they had already patented in August of 1854.

In mid-November 1856, Horace Smith & Daniel Baird Wesson reformed their partnership and opened their books in Springfield, Massachusetts. Smith & Wesson rented a building on Market Street and hired 25 men to manufacture the Model 1 revolver and its cartridges.
By 1857, they came out with the newly-designed revolver-and-cartridge combination firearm. They produced the first metallic cartridge breech-loading revolver in America, and the small pistol was a success. It would become known as the Smith & Wesson Model One.

The Smith & Wesson Model One



S&W Model One, First Issue

File:Smith & Wesson Model 1, 2nd Issue.jpg
          S&W Model One, Second Issue

It was a revolver that everyone was looking for. It was small, easy to carry and conceal, and they sold like hot cakes! Everyone wanted one!

Introduced in 1857, the tiny 7 shot .22 caliber S&W Model One is what began the Smith & Wesson legacy. It was the foundation for all modern cartridge handguns. And yes, the Model 1 was a 7-shot chambered for the original .22 rimfire, which is dimensionally about identical to the modern .22 Short.

Now, if you are lucky enough to own a Model One, please be advised that although it is dimensionally about identical to the modern .22 Short -- it is important that you know that today's modern .22 Short is loaded to much higher pressures because of today's use of smokeless powder.

Simply put, this means we should not use modern .22 Short ammo in an old S&W Model 1.  It just might blow up in your hands! 

The success of the Smith & Wesson Model 1 was due to a combination of new innovations. First, it had a bored through cylinder, and second, it took self-contained metallic cartridges. The patent to the bored-through revolver cylinders for metallic cartridge use was held by a gunsmith by the name of Rollin White who had patented his invention. Smart man!

Smith and Wesson owned the famous April 3, 1855, "Rollin White patent" covering the right to make a revolver cylinder bored-through end to end which was an obvious requirement for an effective cartridge revolver. Both Smith and Wesson personally negotiated with Rollin White for assignment of the patent. In the end, they agreed to pay him a 25 cent royalty on every pistol sold. In return, Rollin White agreed to pay any legal fees associated with the defense of his patent against any infringements.

After that, for more than a decade, Smith & Wesson was the sole proprietary manufacturer of this technological improvement. However, the success did not come without a fight -- and in some cases the technology was stolen. There were many firms who proceeded to make the highly popular cartridge style revolvers with the S&W design.

Some of these firms used their own designs, and some just produced outright copies of the S&W pattern. Other manufacturers quickly developed unique metallic cartridges and cylinders designed to circumvent White's patent - and of course, Rollin White would take those manufactures to court.

With S&W seeking redress in court, several gunmakers were required to mark their revolvers "Made for S&W" or words to that effect. But no, that didn't stop foreign companies from making copies, and some domestic makers from borrowing the design after the patent had expired.

It is interesting to note that though Jack McCall was said to have used a .45 caliber handgun to shoot Wild Bill Hickok in the back of the head while Hickok sat at a poker table in Deadwood, North Dakota - it was later reported that he used a Model One Smith & Wesson pistol.

The 1860s was a great time for gunmaking in America. Innovations and new designs were coming out of everywhere, and many small gunmakers found a great deal of opportunity show what they had to offer.

Just for the record, in November of 1865, Colt did attempt to purchase a license to the Rollin White patent from their competitor Smith & Wesson. I was surprised to find out that Rollin White and Smith & Wesson would take no less than $1.1 Million -- so Colt decided it was too large an investment on a patent that would expire in 1868.

For one thing the onset of the American Civil War was just a few years away. With the coming war, there would be a great demand for all sorts of arms and munitions.

Smith & Wesson Model 1 was produced with two generations between 1857-1882, but that doesn't mean they sat on their success. Just four years after the Model 1, they came out with the Model 2 Army revolver.

The S&W Model 2


File:Smith & Wesson Army No 2.JPG

And yes, for you folks who know what took place in 1861, Smith & Wesson brought out their Model 2 in 1861 just in time for the start of the Civil War. Gun-manufacturers of all kinds went into mass production of just about anything that shoots, and that included Smith & Wesson pistols.   

Unlike the small Model One, the Model 2 was a full sized revolver with a 6" barrel and .32 caliber rim fire ammunition. It was chambered for both the .32 short and long cartridges. 

Of the 77,000 made from 1861 to 1874, approximately half were made during the Civil War. Because the Model 2 was much bigger and more powerful pistol than the S&W Model One, the Model 2 was much more effective. After all, anything up from a .22 caliber ball had to be considered an improvement by those needing a more effective pistol.

So why was it called the "Army" or even the "Old Army"? So why, especially since the pistol was non-military? Non-military meaning that it was never officially purchased through the military system.

Well, believe it or not, the S&W Model 2 picked up the moniker of "Old Army" because of its popularity. It was just that popular. In fact, it was bought in very large quantities by Officers and Enlisted men alike during the Civil War as the sales numbers show.

As with some other arms carried during the Civil War, many in the militarys on both sides purchased their own arms so that they would be able to carry something other than the antiquated firearms being issued at the time. This tradition of going to war after purchasing your own weapons was carried on for many years even in the early 1900s.


Part of the popularity of the Model 2 can is due to the way it loaded. It was like the second generation Model One in that it was a "tip up" design. A "tip up" loading system is where the barrel tips up and the entire cylinder can is replaced with a full cylinder if needed.

That, my friends, was a big deal! You see, with the exception of Smith & Wesson pistols, all other pistols during the Civil War were tediously loaded with either combustible paper cartridges or with loose powder and ball.

Both loading methods consisted of inserting the powder and bullet from the front, and then with the rammer was built into the gun you would swage the bullet into place. The swaging held the bullet from falling out when the gun recoiled when fired. Finally, a percussion cap was individually fitted to the back of the cylinder with one required for each of the five or six chambers.

Because reloading could take minutes, if extra cylinders could be found, two or more spare cylinders were carried pre-loaded. The cylinders would be switched much more quickly than reloading a fired one.

Because of this, and even though it was under-powered with its small .32 caliber round, the Smith & Wesson Model 2 Army can hold the distinction of probably being the most popular secondary pistol carried in the Civil War.

And please remember that the Great Western Migration was still going strong after the Civil War, so the Model 2 was not only popular during the Civil War - but it also very popular afterwards on the Western frontier.

I've read lately where General George Armstrong Custer, who owned a lot of different makes of guns, owned a pair of Model 2 Smith & Wesson pistols.  I've also read that Wild Bill Hickok carried one on the night that he was shot in the head and killed, but I haven't been unable to confirm that.

There is one Model S&W pistol hardly talked about. It is the "Model One and a Half." It appears that after Smith & Wesson produced the Model 2, they then set out to provide the more powerful .32 rimfire in a more handy "pocket" size revolver. That's when they came up with a five shot .32 rimfire with a shorter 3½" barrel.

Since they already had the small Model One and the large Model 2, and the new model was in between and size, Smith & Wesson came up with the somewhat awkward name of "Model One and a Half."

No kidding, it's might sound dumb - but it's true.

Some say the original Model 1½ looked like a shrunken Model 2, others say it looked more like an enlarged Model One Second Issue. In reality, in 1868, S&W redesigned the Model 1½ to look more like an over-sized Model One as a Third Generation Issue. Because of that, we have the Model 1½ "Old Model" with the square butt, octagon barrel, and the unfluted cylinder, and we have the Smith & Wesson Model 1½ "New Model" with bird’s head butt, fluted cylinder, and round ribbed barrel.

In 1867, Smith & Wesson began a global sales campaign that introduced the company's revolvers and ammunition to new markets, such as Russia, and established the company as one of the world's premier makers of firearms.

Then came the year 1870 and the Smith & Wesson Model 3, and as far as I'm concerned - it was actually a pistol ahead of its time in many ways.

The S&W Model 3
All in all, when looking at the Smith & Wesson Model 3. it was a single-action, cartridge-firing, top-break revolver that saw a production from 1870 to 1915. It was produced in several variations and sub-variations.

One version of the Smith & Wesson Model 3 eventually became known as the "American Model." Other versions became known as the "Russian Model," the "Schofield Model," and the New Model 3 which was a favorite of none other than Wyatt Earp.

The US Army adopted the Model 3 as the "Schofield" and used it throughout the Indian Wars of the West. This is large frame Smith & Wesson top-break revolver with a trigger guard, manufactured in three variations from 1870 to 1915. The Model 3 includes the American, the Russian, and the Schofield models.

Unlike the "tip up," this was a "top-break" revolver. So realistically, a shooter could easily fire his last round, crack her open, dump the used shells, and reload. Later models actually had an ejector when it was opened so that the spent shells would automatically be tossed out.

There is some disagreement if half-moon clips were designed as an 1870s version of a speed-loader for the S&W Model 3. I've read where they were designed to assist Cavalry soldiers who were reloading while in the saddle. And yes, I've read where they were around in some crude form.

Years ago I read that it was the British gunmaker P. Webley & Son who was the first to develop the "top-break" system. But frankly, there is proof that Webley and others got the "tip up"  and the "top break" systems of reloading from Smith & Wesson. As for who copied who, let's just say that there were a lot of gunmakers who used that system after the 1870s. Among them were Harrington & Richardson, Iver Johnson, Forehand & Wadsworth, and others. 


The pistol above, illustrated the top-break reloading system. The ejector rod extended to rid the pistol of its spent rounds. This auto-eject system was quite a technological break through. 

Compare the loading procedure of the S&W Model 3 to that of the Colt Peacemaker which arrived on the scene after it was designed for the U.S. government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company. You will quickly learn why the Model 3 was a fan favorite of lawman, outlaws, and our military. 

And remember, in the Old West, sometimes the lawman who carried the Model 3 in his job as a lawman was also outlaw wanted somewhere else at the same time. Either way, many stayed with the firearm that gave them the best reliability and ease of reloading in a hurry.

All in all, the Model 3 has been reportedly used by Jesse James, John Wesley Hardin, Pat Garrett, Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid, and many others. In fact, the Smith & Wesson Model 3 American was famously used by notorious Wyatt Earp at the shootout near the OK Corral. 

Wyatt Earp's Model 3 was given to him by the mayor of Tombstone just a few days before the famous gunfight took place. It is believed that Wyatt Earp used a Smith&Wesson "New Model" Model 3 revolver during the OK Corral gunfight.

How popular was it? The Smith & Wesson Model 3 was produced in the newly developed .44 S&W caliber round in great numbers and the U.S. Army adopted the Model 3 American in 1870. That made it the first standard-issue cartridge-firing revolver in the history of the U.S. military. Most military pistols up until that point were black powder cap and ball revolvers.

But wait, I'm sure someone is going to write me to inform me that Colt's first metallic-cartridge revolver was produced in 1871 as an open-top revolver. They will probably inform me that that was a completely new design for Colt as the parts would not interchange with the older percussion pistols.

The caliber was .44 rimfire and it was submitted to the U.S. Army for testing in 1872. Actually, the U.S. Army rejected the Colt pistol. And yes, the Army did in fact ask Colt to come back with a more powerful caliber with a stronger frame if they wanted a contract.

Colt redesigned their frame to incorporate a top-strap, which was strangely similar to the Remington revolvers that were already out at the time, and placed the rear sight on the rear of the frame. The first prototype was chambered in .44 rim fire, but the first model was in the new caliber known as the .45 Colt. That model Colt revolver was chosen by the U.S. Army in 1872. Their first order was for 8000 revolvers.

Shipping in the summer of 1873. the Colt Single Action Army or "Peacemaker" was born. And yes, it became one of the most prevalent firearms in the American West. 

In 1875, the U.S. Ordnance Board granted Smith &Wesson a contract to outfit the military with the new Model 3 Smith & Wesson revolver that incorporated the design improvements of Major George Schofield.

His improvements on the Model 3 made the Model 3 loading system that much more easier to use. The design became known as the Smith & Wesson Model 3 "Schofield" or simply the "Schofield revolver" as a tribute to the Major.

So why did I talk so much about Colt? Well, that's because of what happened next.

The U.S. Army loved the new design of the S&W Model 3 but demanded that they make their new Model 3 Schofield revolvers work with the new .45 Colt round.  First, it was proven to be more potent than the 44 S&W caliber rimfire round that the Model 3 had been chambered for. And second, besides the issue of it being a more potent round, the Army had all sorts of .45 Colt ammo in it's supply chain to be used and could not justify bringing in another pistol with a whole new cartridge to content with.

Because the Army already had the 45 Colt Peacemakers in service, along with the ammunition to go with them, the U.S. Army working with the Navy and Marine Corps wanted to standardize their weapons.

You would think that re-chambering their pistol's design to accommodate the longer .45 cartridge would not be that hard to do. In 2012, Smith & Wesson sold a Model 3 Schofield exactly like the one that the Army asked for back in 1875.

All that Smith & Wesson had to do was to just re-chamber its design, then sell them by the thousands! But no, instead of doing so, Smith & Wesson decided to develop their own slightly shorter .45 caliber round - it was called the ".45 Schofield."  Later it would be called the ".45 S&W" - and yes, it was less potent than what would become known as the ".45 Long Colt."

When it became obvious to the U.S. Army that the .45 Colt and the .45 S&W cartridges were not interchangeable between the Smith & Wesson Model 3 Schofield  and the Colt Peacemaker - yet both rounds did work in the Colt - the U.S. Government decided to take action.

They decide to adopt the Smith & Wesson Model 3 Schofield with the shorter .45 S&W cartridge as their standard pistol and cartridge.

But wait a minute, why the Model 3 Schofield?

Granted the Army sees that the .45 round used in the Army's S&W Model 3 Schofield will also work in their Colt Peacemakers which they already had on hand, but the Army also sees that the .45 S&W cartridge is an inferior round to the .45 Colt.  So why did the U.S. Army adopt the inferior round?

Well it appears that Major George Schofield had patented his locking system used on the Schofield revolvers - and earned a payment on each gun that Smith and Wesson sold.  That it itself might not be illegal, but when the Army brass found out that his older brother, John M. Schofield, was the head of the Army Ordnance Board - well that was not a good thing for Smith &Wesson and the Schofield revolver.

Imagine that! Having your brother on the Board that may approve the purchase of thousands of guns with your patented locking system might be seen as being inappropriate? Some might see it as an "unfair edge" to have your brother on the board approving the purchase of the equipment that you're selling?

Maybe, but that's not what really killed the Schofield for the U.S.Army.

You see despite the official change, old stock of the longer and more potent .45 Colt rounds were still in the supply line.  This availability of a proven "man-stopper" caused the Soldiers to stop using the new Schofields and go with the knock-down power of the .45 Colt Peacemakers.

So between the Soldiers not wanting the Schofields, though they did load easier, and of course the potential scandal regarding the conduct of the Army Ordnance Board, the U.S. Army ended their purchases of arms from Smith & Wesson.

And all in all, the .45 S&W Schofield revolver was manufactured from 1875 to 1878 with just under 9000 manufactured. Supposedly, many Schofield revolvers saw service in the Indian Wars. And yes, there are even reports that some of them saw some small use in the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War.

It is believed that Teddy Roosevelt used a Smith & Wesson .45 Schofield revolver in Cuba with the Rough Riders. As for the Schofield, well after the Spanish American War in 1898 - the U.S. Army sold off all their surplus Schofield revolvers.

Personally, I can see why Teddy Roosevelt would have used the S&W Model 3 Schofield. Its ease to load, it's reliability, and it's ruggedness really make it a great pistol.

But then again, I really believe that the .45 S&W round that it was chambered to use was anemic in comparison to the knockdown power of the .45 Colt - and frankly, from what I've read about TR, I really don't know if he would want anything anemic in his arsenal.

Of course he could have opted for another maker, like say Colt, or he could have opted for a double-action revolver from an an assortment of makers at the time.

Of the two top gun makers in America, Colt came out with their double-action revolvers in 1877 and Smith & Wesson came out with theirs 5 years later. 

As stated before, the U.S. Army adopted the .44 S&W American caliber Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolver in 1870, making the Model 3 revolver the first standard-issue cartridge-firing revolver in US service. Prior to that, most military pistols until that point were black powder cap and ball revolvers.

S&W "New Model" Model 3 ( 1878 to 1915)
In 1877, Smith & Wesson discontinued production of its other Model 3 variation's such as the American, Russian, and Schofield -- in favor a new improved design called the New Model 3 in 1878.

Smith & Wesson New Model 3 was their perfected single action top break revolver, generally smaller and lighter than previous models. And yes, because it was smaller and lighter, it was more concealable.

It returned to the original Smith & Wesson barrel latch system of the American model, a change stemming mainly from the company's desire to stop paying royalties to George W Schofield.

It was one of the most popular revolver of the later frontier era. In fact, according to records, more Smith & Wesson New Model 3's were made than Colt Single Action Army pistols during the 19th century -- though the majority went to foreign military contracts.

The S&W Fourth Model -- A Double Action Revolver
Smith & Wesson's Fourth Model was a .38 caliber pistols, again using the popular top-break design, but these were in the newly created double-action firing system. And yes, they were known as "Self Cockers."

Usually these were smaller "pocket" pistols, but they did make a "Target" version - as well as a Combo Set which came with two different length barrels.

Though S&W had their huge overseas Russian contracts with a Russian version top-break design first introduced in 1870 in their large frame Model 3, they followed the Model 3 with medium frame top-breaks in .38 and .32 centerfire in 1876 and 1878.

The .38 S&W CF cartridge was more briskly loaded with a 16 grain black powder charge, topped by a 145 round nosed bullet.

Smith and Wesson manufactured and shipped in excess of 130,000 “New Model” or “Baby Russian” .38’s before finally taking it off line in 1891.

This medium powered round went on to be one of the most popular calibers of its time. All in all, the Fourth Model was a downsized Model 3 and were produced until 1907.

The Smith & Wesson Fourth Model differs from the S&W "New Departure" because the "New Departure" is hammerless and has a grip safety. The gun was offered with white Mother of Pearl grips or black hard rubber grips as standard.

The S&W Double Action -- The New Depature aka the  Lemon Squeezer
Magazine Article photo
This "pocket pistol" was also known as the S&W Safety Hammerless was also known as the S&W "Lemon Squeezer". 

The "New Departure" got the nickname "Lemon Squeezer" because the grip safety had to be squeezed in order to fire the pistol. 

They were blued or nickel plated, and manufactured from 1888 to 1937, and they were chambered in the small .32 S&W (.32 Short) and fairly weak .38 S&W (aka .38 Short) 

Both of these calibers were discontinued at Smith & Wesson just before World War II for economic reasons and practicality. Simply put, there were better .32 and .38 caliber rounds out there to chose from.

With a five-shot cylinder, they were produced with a 2 inch, 3 inch, and 3.5 inch barrels. The first generation was manufactured between 1887-1902. It was followed by two more generations until it discontinued production in 1937.

The .38 caliber model was based on S&W's medium Model 2 frame, and the .32 caliber model was based on the small  Model One and a Half frame.

They did come out in a few different variations including "Hammerless" with a "Grip Safety."  It was because of this Grip safety that the New Departure Model "Safety Hammerless" is known fondly as the "Lemon Squeezer."

As requests for them went through the roof, the double-action pistol took the place of the single-action pistols in no time.

The "New Departure" was a very popular little gun selling over 500,000 during its production.

It should be noted that in 1952, S&W introduced its Centennial Model revolver, so named because it commemorated the 100th year of the company's history.
Model 40 - Smith & Wesson website
S&W Model 40
It was a .38 Special J-frame 2" barreled revolver with no external hammer. It had a grip safety almost identical to that used on the Safety Hammerless models.

This was a swing-out cylinder type, of course, but the concept was very much in line with the immensely successful "Lemon Squeezer" which was its ancestor.

In fact, that nickname stuck with the newer gun, as well.

The Centennial Airweight model with an aluminum frame was also introduced in 1952, with full-scale production beginning in August 1963. At first the Airweights had aluminum cylinders, but were replaced with steel cylinders quickly for safety reasons.
Model 42 - Smith & Wesson website
S&W Model 42

They became the Models 40 and 42 in 1957, when model names were replaced by model numbers at the S&W factory.

In 1974, these two revolvers were dropped from the S& W production line.

The S&W Model 640 stainless steel Cenntenials, with no grip safety have been made since 1989 and the Model 642 Centennial Air weights (aluminum frame and stainless cylinder) since 1990.

The blackened aluminum/stainless Model 442 Centennial Airweight came on stream in 1993. Then in 2007, an updated and strengthened all-carbon steel modern "Lemon Squeezer" version of the Model 40 was introduced as the Model 40-1, available in blue, nickel, and case-hardened finishes.

These revolvers are complete with grip safeties and their heritage goes back to the original Safey Hammerless models of 1886.

Unlike many other revolvers in the Smith & Wesson lineup, the 2007 version Model 40-1 has no politically correct internal key-lock on the left side of the frame.

 

So yes, during the 1800s, Smith & Wesson would produce some of the most iconic firearms in history -- and many would influence the production of other designs many many years later. But frankly, that was only their beginning, they would became even more famous during the 20th Century!



 






Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Random Shots - Gas Prices, Kids Lunches, and More!

First Shot!

Price of Gas Shooting Up!

I know that most of you who read this blog have the wisdom to understand that America needs to look out for America first and above all else.

But for you folks out there who are still against drilling here in America, who still don't want to get oil from North Dakota or ANWR, and who are against the Keystone XL Pipeline, I have to ask.

If you're happy these days with what its costing Americans at the pumps these days? I mean, if you're happy with the way things are going than it shouldn't matter to you that Gas prices are the highest ever for this time of year.

The national average is at $3.53 a gallon. Prices have already gone up 25 cents since January 1st, and yes, Experts say that Gas Prices could reach a record $4.25 a gallon by late April across the nation.

The Obama economy grew at a sluggish 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter.

When President George W. Bush was saddled with the similar problem, he lifted the moratorium on drilling. Within 7 months, gas prices went from above $4 a gallon nationally to $1.85 a gallon nationally.

He knew that America could not sustain such a burden and took action even though the Liberal News Media would attack him. He knew that working families needed help and he opened up more Federal land to oil and gas drilling as a way to get American on the road to U.S. Energy Independence.

Friends, American Energy Independence starts with lower pump prices!

High oil and gas prices now set the stage for even sharper increases at the pump because gas typically rises in March and April.

Every spring, refiners shut down for repairs and maintenance operations, and of course to change from types of gasoline.  Winter gas supplies are sold off before March, when refineries need to start making a new formula of gasoline that's required in the summer.

That can mean less supply for service stations, resulting in higher gas prices. And summertime gasoline is more expensive to make.

Why is it more expensive to make? Government Regulations!

The Federal government mandates that it contain less butane and other cheap organic compounds because they contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, a primary constituent in smog. That means more oil, a costlier component, is needed to produce each gallon.

The Oil Price Information Service predicts that gasoline could peak at $4.25 a gallon by the end of April - although it could top $5 a gallon in many parts of the country. The record of $4.11 a gallon was in July 2008 when President George W Bush was still in Office - and didn't wait for political advice, instead he took action.

The national average for gasoline began the year at $3.28 a gallon. The average price for February so far is $3.49 a gallon. That's up from $3.17 a gallon last February, a record at the time. Back in 2007, before the recession hit, the average for February was $2.25 a gallon.

Here in California, we are already paying more than $4 a gallon!

According to the latest reports, prices are already higher on the East and West Coasts where prices are always higher - but never this high!

And yes, watch the economy because as higher gas prices put a strain on people's budgets less money will be available for things like new cars, appliances and even everyday items.

"Americans spent about 8.4 percent of their household income on gasoline last year when gas averaged an all-time high of $3.51 a gallon. That's double the percentage of a decade ago. They could pay even more this year, even though demand is the lowest in 11 years as people drive fewer miles in more efficient cars," says Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at OPIS.

And let's be real honest about a few things here!

People in the city don't feel the pinch like other Americans do. People in the suburbs, and out away from the urban sprawl and into rural American have to buy gas. We have to drive for everything.

City people can afford to take this lightly only so far. Yes, you have buses and trains and taxis and subways, and what have you, so you can shirk the concern about driving and the price of gas. But friends, don't make the mistake of thinking that this doesn't concern you big time!

If you're some lettuce munching vegetarian? Guess what, your lettuce is going up in price. If you're some style conscious dude who likes to wear this year's fashionable trendy clothing? Well dude, your clothes will get more expensive.

And how about you, you know who you are! You're that College student who hates America, but yet loves it's wines, it's music, its books, and its electronic gadgets! Get ready, you Turkey, because you are going to be paying more for your pretentious bullshit Socialist lifestyle!

Second Shot!

Republican Senator Caught Cheating!

During the last Presidential Election, we the American people got a great look at corruption at Voting Booths across the nation.

If you remember correctly, ACORN was an organization that Barack Obama once worked for. ACORN took it upon itself to register all sorts of votes for the Democratic Party to vote for Barack Obama.

They did all sorts of under-handed things. They registered dead people, they registered people who signed up with all sorts of fictitious names including Micky Mouse. They also bused Democrat voters into areas that they did not live in. They registered 43 people to a two bedroom home in one city.

I know what you're thinking, isn't there laws against that sort of thing? Well, I guess not. And yes, because of that, I expect Democrats to do it whenever and wherever they want to.

Watch this year, it will be no different. The Democratic Party will most likely truck people to vote the way they are told. And no, I don't know if they will most likely be Union Workers who owe their livelihood to their Unions and not to our country.

And no, I don't know if those being bused in would mostly be Welfare Recipients or more College Students like those in other Occupy Protesters who have shown a genuine hatred for America.

So my friends, since we know that no one should be voting in an area where they do not live, should we allow someone to Represent us in Congress if they are not from our area and do not live among us?

Well, that's what has been happening since 1977!  Republican Senator

That's right! Dick Lugar has not had an address in the area he has represents in more than 30 years!

Indiana Republican Sen. Richard Lugar does not actually live at the address he uses to claim residency.

To me, this is truly unbelievable! I cannot understand how he has gotten away with this for so many years!

The senior Indiana Senator has been using the address of a home that he actually sold all the way back in 1977.

Even the address on his Driver's License belongs to the house that Dick Lugar sold in 1977 after he was first elected to the U.S. Senate. Lugar told reporters that he sold the house because "it was too expensive, at least for us at that time in our lives, to maintain two houses."

He said after being elected that he moved his family to the Washington, D.C., area.

The Indiana state Election Commission plans to take up the controversy at a hearing this Friday, though Lugar maintains that two attorneys general have found he is a legal Indiana resident. But how can that be?

How can anyone say that he is a legal resident of some place that he doesn't live in? In that case, he can say that he's resident of anywhere.

Lugar's re-election campaign reports that between February 2011 and February 2012, the Senator spent 89 days in Indiana - and that Lugar still owns a farm in the state. 

But wait, Lugar told Fox 59 that he doesn't use the farm as his official address because "I do not live there."

Dick Lugar is taking heat from both sides, so much so that even all of his good Liberal friends are leaving him. And yes, even though he is supposed to be a Republican, Dick Luger is a Republican In Name Only.

Yes, he has been a RINO for years.  Yes, while Republicans remained steadfast in their opposition to many of Obama's proposals and nominations, Dick Lugar has been a steadfast ally of Barack Obama.

But this time, Harry Reid and even Barack Obama can't help him. As his primary challenger and the Indiana state Democrats rag on him over the residency issue, conservative groups are now lining up against him over his voting record.

His Voting Record is impressive if he were a Liberal Democrat. He voted for the DREAM Act. He voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, supporting both of Obama’s Judicial Nominations to the Supreme Court even though they are both Pro-Abortion.

Lugar voted to raise the debt ceiling, and is the only Senate Republican to publicly endorse the New START pact that Obama has negotiated with Russia.

He has voted consistently to increase his own salary. He voted for TARP. He backs Cap & Trade, and he is against American Oil and American Oil Independence. Dick Lugar has even voted for tougher Federal Gun Control laws.

Dick Lugar is as against the Tea Party as a politician can get. He has gone on record saying that he blames the Tea Party for Republican Party problems. He went so far as to say that the Tea Party destroyed the chances for Republican majority in the Senate at the last elections.

He claimed that the Tea Party didn't want a Republican majority because the Tea Party did not want Republicans like him. And no, he doesn't understand that the Tea Party doesn't march to the tune of the Republican Party - the Tea Party feels it doesn't have to sell its soul like so many Republicans do.

That's right - Republicans like Lugar just doesn't get it!

And folks, after November, I hope Lugar finds another job. Although I'm sure he won't have to worry too much about work, after all, he can always go to work for the Democratic Party and come out of the closet once and for all.

Next Shot! 

Man Goes To Jail For Failure To Get His Dog A License

No kidding! In Denver, Colorado, a couple is fighting fines after the husband was jailed for failure to get a license for his daughter's service dog.

And that's not all! Local authorities say that another 50 people in Jefferson County could face the same fate.

Matthew Townsend says he spent seven hours in jail after the dog got out and he was issued a $50 ticket. Townsend ignored the ticket and was arrested. His wife was fined $100.

Last year, the county issued nearly 500 citations for violations.

OK, so KCNC-TV ran down exactly what was going on when it reported that the dipsticks in Jefferson County need the money to pay for a new $10 million Foothills Animal Shelter.

Friends, raising $10 Million for an Animal Shelter is crazy as it is, but for them to arrest and jail people for not licensing their Service Dogs is just about one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard of.

First off, with the problem with not having enough room in most jails, you folks in Jefferson County are using needed space for these hardened criminal types! Give me a break! Where is your common sense?

For you folks in Foreign countries reading this, allow me to explain that a service dog is a companion dog that has been specially trained  to help people who have disabilities - including visual or hearing impairment, and also to help people with mental disabilities including severe depression.

Some dogs are even trained to help with medical conditions such as recurrent seizures or diabetes. So yes, we Americans now have a County Government in Colorado that is penalizing people with service dogs for not having the money to get their companion dogs licenses.

Like true caring individuals that they are, they throw these people in jail! And yes, God only knows what they do with repeat Dog License offenders?

For you folks in Jefferson County, Colorado, I have only one question.

Have you folks been completely taken over by liberals from California that you now find it OK to do things like this? What sort of California refugee told you folks that building an Animal Shelter that you obviously can't afford is OK to build - as long as you get the needed funds from those who need their money more than you do?

Oh well, I guess folks with Service Dogs should just stay out of Jefferson Country, Colorado!

Last Shot!

Pre-School Government Agents!

This is about as bad as what's going on in Jefferson County, Colorado, but it's different!

On Valentine's Day, a Pre-schooler's homemade lunch replaced with cafeteria chicken nuggets.

In Hoke County, North Carolina, a 4 year old pre-schooler was fed chicken nuggets for lunch because a State Worker felt that her homemade lunch did not meet the State and Federal mandate.

The West Hoke Elementary School student was in her classroom when a State Agent who was inspecting lunch boxes decided that her packed lunch - which consisted of a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips - "did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines."

This is for real folks! I scan the news looking for bullshit like this, because honestly the whole idea of there be a "State Agent" that has the job of "inspecting" lunches made by Mom just irks me to no end!

According to the report filed by the Carolina Journal, the decision was made under consideration of a regulation put in place by the the Division of Child Development and Early Education at the Department of Health and Human Services, which requires all lunches served in pre-kindergarten programs to meet USDA guidelines.

In other words, the Feds think they know how to feed your children better than you do Mom!

The student’s mother told the Journal that she received a note from the school about the "incident" and was charged $1.25 for the cafeteria tray, from which her daughter only ate three chicken nuggets.

The note explained how students who did not bring “healthy lunches” would be offered the missing portions and that parents could be charged for the cost of the cafeteria food, the Carolina Journal reports.

The little girl's mother expressed concern about School Officials telling her daughter that she wasn’t "packing her lunch box properly."

The mother wrote a complaint to her State Representaive Republican G.L. Pridgen of Robeson County. In her letter she states, "I don't feel that I should pay for a cafeteria lunch when I provide lunch for her from home."

According to the Carolina Jounal, the girl’s grandmother, who sometimes helps pack her lunch that she is a petite, picky 4-year-old who eats white whole wheat bread and is not big on vegetables.

"What got me so mad is, number one, don’t tell my kid I’m not packing her lunch box properly," the girl’s mother said. "I pack her lunchbox according to what she eats. It always consists of a fruit. It never consists of a vegetable. She eats vegetables at home because I have to watch her because she doesn’t really care for vegetables."

The Carolina Jounal reported that when the girl came home with her lunch untouched, her mother wanted to know what she ate instead. "Three chicken nuggets," the girl answered. Everything else on her cafeteria tray went to waste.

"She came home with her whole sandwich I had packed, because she chose to eat the nuggets on the lunch tray, because they put it in front of her," her mother said. "You’re telling a 4-year-old., 'Oh. your lunch isn’t right,’ and she’s thinking there’s something wrong with her food."

While the mother and grandmother thought the potato chips and lack of vegetable were what "disqualified" the lunch, a spokeswoman for the Division of Child Development said that should not have been a problem.

"With a turkey sandwich, that covers your protein, your grain, and if it had cheese on it, that’s the dairy," said Jani Kozlowski, the fiscal and statutory policy manager for the division. "It sounds like the lunch itself would’ve met all of the standard."

The lunch has to include a fruit or vegetable, but not both, she said. There are no clear restrictions about what additional items — like potato chips — can be included in preschoolers’ lunch boxes.

What should bother everyone reading this - folks, this is not uncommon these days. Schools in America want the State to be the parent. This is not that strange a concept. It's happening more an more across the country.

In some States, schools are handing out Condoms against the wishes of parents. In other States, some classes like those teaching children about sex and accepting homosexuality is being forced on kids.

There are schools out there right now that are teaching classes on the Occupy protest - sort of a "How To" class to encourage distain for America.

The concept of having the State become the Parent is not uncommon in large scale applications. In the 1930s, Adolph Hitler used this idea to start the Hitler Youth groups and engineer the so-called "Master Race" which was to be obedient only to Germany.

Communist and Muslims both have this in common as well. Both believe that their greatest impact on a person's thought process, belief system, the way to get people obey them - whether they are a totalitarian State like say the former Soviet Union was, or if they are a hate filled religion only interested in killing "non-believers" - conditioning during the child's forming years is the key.

I don't like the whole idea that we have "State Agents" in amongst our children, especially when the State's agenda and a parent's might be polar opposites.

It's a shame that people are surrendering so much of their freedom to the Federal Government. And please understand where I'm coming from on this.

It is one thing to have "guideline" and "recommended" practices from the Federal and State governments. It is one thing to have to work to establish codes and standards. It is one thing to have laws that safeguard.

But the idea of any government agency trying to usurp itself with some sort of self-imposed authority and take the place of the parent, especially when there is a caring nuturing parent available, then the Federal and State governments are out of line.

The government is not supposed to be involved in our daily life, they have no business being a part of things.



Story by Tom Correa