Saturday, June 9, 2018

commander magazine 1 of 2


COMMANDER MAGAZINE
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note: proving everyone is out to screw me personally, PayPal is dropping me unless I upgrade my browser.  Oooo, his computer is a whole three years old!  A security risk only rivaled by terrorists selling red mercury.  Not only did they always get a chunk of my donations, I always kept a lot of money on the account for them to use.  Bastards.  So, no more PayPal.  I hope that doesn't hurt minion generosity.
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note: free books.  Zombie https://amzn.to/2JuVFQX .  This one was all the rage back when https://amzn.to/2LC8ppA .  That weird one with the (?) vampire with huge knockers https://amzn.to/2sRUowk .  Civil War II https://amzn.to/2HAOZyT .  Zombie https://amzn.to/2kZFTmF .
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Not too long ago I was reading Commander Zero and he was commenting on magazine stockpiling.  You all know I love CZ.  He is my favorite Gun Fag ( have you read “Gun Fag Manifesto”?  It is in reprinted book form, a collection of his 90’s ‘zine issues.  Sure, it’s $20, and that is for pure entertainment rather than education.  But it sure was damn entertaining ), mostly because he just does his own thing and rarely cares what other people say ( as opposed to my propensity to rail and rant against all others Not Me ).  I was shocked to discover the other day that not only did I agree with his premise, I thought he should double down on it.

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I don’t agree with the premise behind the premise, namely that you should own, view, think about or advocate semi-automatic weapons, but I do agree that if you do have them they need far more magazines than is financially responsible to own.  With any other type of firearm, loading rounds manually and singularly isn’t all that much of a stretch of the imagination or all that unfeasible.  If I had a magazine failure on my Lee-Enfield, and even if I ran out of stripper clips ( not out of the realm of the possible, since while I SHOULD have enough as they came free with surplus ammo for a time, now they cost $5 EACH and I can’t stockpile them as I’d wish ), I could load them one at a time and not feel too handicapped.

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But the whole purpose of a semi-automatic is to shoot a crap ton of bullets downrange rapidly ( which is the whole reason to NOT use them post-apocalypse, but I shan’t belabor that point here ).  Without magazines for that weapon, the semi-automatic function is null and void.  Simply, as everyone knows and agrees with, magazines are the most important part of your weapons system.  So Commander Zero was saying that he stocked a 40:1 ratio of magazines per gun.  And he has a LOT of semi-auto guns.  I would imagine that if sold, all those magazines would either pay off his home or purchase a brand new one.

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I’m not debating the desirability of semi-auto’s here.  I think they suck a golf ball through a garden hose, for post-apocalypse.  I am saying that if you need mags only forty mags per gun might be too optimistic.  You probably need even more.  Well, maybe YOU don’t, as you don’t have enough ammunition.  But if you do have enough ammo, you need a LOT of magazines.  And, PLEASE, I beg you, don’t bring up the “you won’t live long enough to need them, since you’ll die soon in combat”.  I actually agree with that, but that cannot be your basis of planning.  When you plan, you plan worse case scenario.  And in this, NOT dying is worse case.  You need to stock food and ammo as if you’d live far longer than is realistically the case.

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Why?  Because what if you actually do?  Then what?  If you die with too many supplies, you’ll golden. If you die because you don’t have those supplies, you’re an idiot.  Now, I agree that “picking a number” for ammunition or for magazines is kind of a fools game.  All we are doing is guessing.  Why is ten thousand rounds better than five thousand?  Why is five years of food better than three?  Why are a hundred mags better than fifty?  Besides “Worst Case Scenario“, you really can’t make a case for any numbers, can you?   I mean, I think a thousand rounds is ridiculously low, but I’ve never tried to live through an apocalypse, either.  In the end, the number that is correct is what gets you to sleep soundly.

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Having said that, I still think we should discuss Commander Zero’s numbers.  I think he should have more, but then, with the number of guns he has this has already got to be an exceptionally impressive figure.  I merely point out that had he far less guns, perhaps he could have upped his mag count per weapon.  Because magazines are not like underwear.  With skivvies, you can crap yourself, apply a bit of soap and water, and keep from needing to go commando.  Since you are wearing the things, they are salvageable.  Not so mags.  They are inherently fragile.  They slip outside of your control easily.  And while a lesser quality pair of underwear saves on your budget and still performs its basic job as a reuseable male Kotex to sop up body fluids ( and to protect your delicates ), a worse quality magazine completely fails at its mission.

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Even the better quality brands can still fail you, as abysmal quality is a global phenomenon, and even the most careful scavenger with a mag dump bag is going to lose magazines.  Just like you’ll never save all your brass to reload, so you have far more than you think you need, so too you’ll never have magazines last as long as you’d like so you stock far more than you think necessary.  And that is really as simple as that whole subject is.  But please allow me to share a story that really provided perspective to me on the whole magazine issue. 

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I was watching a YouTube video on the M1 Carbine on the “Forgotten Weapons” channel.  When I first tried to watch it, I stopped early because the sound quality sucked.  But it came up weeks later again as a recommendation and I managed to watch it through.  And I was glad I did.  It was far more interesting than I first thought.  Mainly, it seemed to me, it is almost as if the M1 Carbine was the father of the M16.  The Carbine had a TERRIBLE round.  It was very anemic.  No wonder, as this was the 1911A1 .45 replacement weapon.  It was meant for rear echelon troops.

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Remember when I told you that it took two or three years to make 6 million Carbines, but it took fifty years to make 9 million M-16’s?  I was using it to underline how our military industrial capacity is total crap compared to what it used to be ( I also had figures to compare naval ships but I’ve since forgotten them ).  What I didn’t think about at the time was how they weren’t just produced, but used on a widespread basis and actually loved. 

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I have much more to say than originally planned.  I’ll continue tomorrow.

END ( today's related link https://amzn.to/2JvPRde )
 

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39 comments:

  1. Yes, magazines to feed your hungry semi autos is indeed very important. BUT! Minions are always cautioned to balance out the priorities. I try to be a jack of all trades and be diversified in gear and equipment. Being all gun queered up and not having a pot to piss in is useless. Food, clothing, medical-hygeine, tools, secure shelter, solid transportation are going to be more necessary long before an opportunity to fire one of those bullets. Terminology to use "THE BIG PICTURE".

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    1. I don't disagree. The article merely is visiting one micro-niche of prepping. BUT. I veer off into the M1 and it gets far more interesting ( at least to me ) tomorrow.

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  2. I need to get some more mags. Awhile back Midway ran a special on Magpul gen3 mags, 10 for about $100 and I got 4 sets. Plus I had a few loose ones I bought last year. Now, Maglula (no relation to Magpul) makes a little plastic reloader device for the AR that is amazing and I have 2. Need to get 2 more. You snap the Maglula on the end of the mag and it has a small lever that you manipulate back and forth quickly with one hand while dropping shells into the mag hole. With a little experience anyone can load a 30 rd mag in under 45 seconds, AND your thumb won't hurt. Works the same way in reverse to unload mags. (it's not a good idea to keep mags loaded for more than a few days because the springs will become fatigued and not feed properly) You can see the Maglula here: https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/796384/maglula-magazine-loader-and-unloader-ar-15-223-remington-556x45mm

    There are similar devices for pistols and I have a few for my Beretta 92FS. These things make shooting a little more enjoyable and I highly recommend.

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    1. Don't they also have that long tray you lay the ammo in and then it gets all shoved into the mag? Also, is it economical to buy spare mag springs? It would seem that is the main issue. Or is it mainly bent lips? Just spitballing about reducing costs if possible.

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    2. Mag springs may lose @10% of their springs ability to store energy/compression over time. Not enough to fright about in your short measly lifetime. Load mags up to -2 minus two rounds below maximum to allow quick easy seating into the gun against the bolt/slide. Use a spray silicone (CRC brand etc) or gun oil to very "lightly" lube the cases on semi autos and belt feds, helps feeding/avoid jams. The cost of springs, and finding quality (wolff etc) is at a 25-50% of what some mags cost, not really worth it unless in competition matches, or are a yuppie. Feed lips generally hold up to the recreational shooter use as long as general due care is practiced, not rough housing them. Recommend minions disassemble magazines and clean interiors, follower, base plates, and lightly lubricate the springs before reassembly as they attract rust due to the metal composition used. The tray loader is fastest but not as portable for a light infantry operator.

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  3. Fuick PayPal! It's all about a different way of making cash to buy the CEO's and CFO's more McMansions, whores and babels to keep the current trophy happy.
    When E-bay (the inventor of PayPal) forced all transactions to be by that pay form I stopped using that website and will not purchase anything that requires it's use on any website.
    I'm sure that we readers of this site know how to place a few greenbacks into a secure envelope and send it your way.

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    1. You should all be keeping more cash out the bank anyway. One Word. They'll Hump You At The Deutsche Bank Drive Through. Derivative implosion ahead? And if a couple of those fiat currency units happen to fall my way...

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  4. For about 10 years or so I wheeled and dealed vintage stereo equipment on Ebay, mostly 70's era Pioneer and Sansui stuff. Decent money can be had and spent in that genre. In 2010 I sold a Pioneer direct drive turntable, mint in the box with everything included like the day it was born, to a guy in NJ for $900 and $100 of that was for insured shipping. It was insured for $1000. It was shipped via the post office and the buyer informed me it was destroyed in shipping, demanded his money back by saying I sent him a broken item, sent the turntable back to me and lodged complaints with Ebay and Paypal. Because I had a long history with those 2 entities I had a policy of not sending the item until the payment had cleared Paypal and was moved to my bank account. So the $900 I received was in my possession in the bank and I went there and removed it. Ebay told me to file an insurance claim but the post office told me I cannot, only the receiver of the damaged item can file for the insurance. Ebay demanded I pay back the buyer, I refused. Paypal tried to seize my bank account. I closed that bank account after the branch manager told me to my face Paypal had more right to my account than I did. I canceled my Paypal and ebay accounts and have not done business with them since and never will.

    Basically, the post office broke an insured item and the receiver of the item did not file a claim for that insurance. Paypal and ebay said I must return the buyers money. I would lose on both ends. I would have no turntable and no money. That is criminal. fukem ded

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    1. Well, geez, we can't have the small fry in business for themselves. That's hookers and blow taken out of the hands of the elite.

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    2. Stay off grid, send cash, postal money orders/western union, store gift cards to wally world home despot fast food joints etc, etc.

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    3. In this case the elite lost. Ebay told me they reimbursed the buyer and now I owe ebay. Ebay even called me late one night and begged and threatened my ass. I told them to not call me again and blocked their number on my phone. I do find it bothersome that I can't purchase items from ebay but believe it or not, I got over it. LOL
      My feedback on ebay was 666 when I bailed (mark of the beast?) and the first thing I ever bought there was an electric guitar in 1998. Still have the guitar.

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    4. Once E-Bay jumped the shark on real estate, I've yet to see much I want from them. Both they and Craig's List don't have dingus. I'm better off with our home town online want ads ( not from the newspaper, an independent ). Perhaps it's just being in a small town too rural.

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    5. My brother sold a camera via ebay & paypal. The buyer received it & decided he didn't want it anymore and paypal looted the money from my brother back to the buyer. The buyer didn't have to return the camera. We're talking $1,000 odd here. As far as ebay & paypal were concerned my brother was in the wrong for the buyer changing his mind.

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    6. Jesus! The more I hear you guys talk the more I'm glad I only bought a few things from E-Bay over the years. Doesn't sound like the folks I want to support. Now I don't feel so bad for dumping PayPal. I could have just used the NOL's computer and carried on as usual, but since I couldn't change my browser it just crossed the line into 'why am I paying them to earn money off me?' and I got butt hurt over it. Kind of like BofA jacking up their monthly fees even though I always kept 100's in there at all times. After twenty years, you just lost this customer. They just push and push until one small straw breaks the camels back.

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  5. I too had a bad experience with Paypal. I ordered a 1000 watt generator from Ebay one time, and the generator came damaged. I contacted the seller who said that he would make it right, but he never did. I was told by paypal that it was too late to file a claim (I think you had 30 days at the time?) So I filed a dispute with my credit card company. Long story short, I got a refund, but it locked down my paypal account, and for several years I was unable to purchase anything using this payment method.

    A few suggestions. Can you not update your browser, or switch to a different browser?

    A few of the other blogs that I follow use the Patreon and the Square Cash payment services. Never tried sending a donation with the Patreon, but I have with the Square Cash, and it was easy. Oh, and apparently, Amazon payments allows for a payment option that goes beyond just paying for purchases at their site (link below).

    https://pay.amazon.com/us

    https://www.patreon.com/

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    1. Thanks for the info-I had no idea Amazon Pay was even a thing. I hate Patreon. Their sign up process was deeply flawed. And I hate to rely on Amazon for yet something else. I think I'll just chill for now, take a breath, worry about it a bit down the road.

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    2. I must be missing something here? I don’t understand why you can’t upgrade your browser, or go with a different browser that supports paypal? What operating system are you running? If it’s Windows XP, then that would make sense, but if your PC is only a few years old, then it wouldn’t make sense that you would be running such an old OS. Anyhow, I might be able to steer you in the right direction with a little more info.

      I logged on to the Amazon payments site, but the only alternative payment option that I saw was for a charity. I didn’t see anything that would simply let you send money to someone.

      Other options would be that minions could purchase your E-books, send you Amazon gift cards (it can be done through email, so that it’s an E-gift card) or send a check via snail mail (Though the latter option is the least convenient for those of us that do everything by computer). I already buy through your links, but it seems to me that you receive almost nothing for that.

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    3. You'd think with Win 8 I could upgrade the browser but I dinked with it for two hours, no luck, stopped to avoid blood pressure spike. I found out later I could just use the NOL's computer but had given up in disgust by then. I know snail mail is damn inconvenient. And while Amazon commission is low, that is what has been paying the bills these years. I can't complain about that! ( a typical good month is $150 commission and $50 donation ). I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face, doing away with PayPal, but the more frustration I allow on the business side, I'm afraid my concentration on writing suffers. I think the least minion harm is better writing, but harder to show minion appreciation for it. I hope :)

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    4. I’d try downloading a different browser Jim. Chances are if you’re running winblows, it’s internet explorer. Try either Chrome or Firefox, and that will likely solve any issues that you have. I don’t particularly like Chrome, but one nice feature that it offers, is that it will translate foreign websites for you.

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    5. I had a Chrome computer and it was worthless as far as my WP files.

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    6. Your browser shouldn’t have any effect at all on your word processor Jim (or are you saying that you had a Chromebook?). Even if you downloaded another browser, it only has to work well enough to allow you to access your paypal account. You don’t have to make it your default browser.

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    7. Right, I had a Chromebook. Waste of $130. I didn't try to download another browser, I was just trying to upgrade mine. Perhaps that is where I went wrong.

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    8. That sucks. You shouldn’t have had any trouble upgrading your existing browser. But I have heard that windows 8 has more bugs than Madonna’s crotch :D

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    9. It could have been all me. It was rather early with less sleep than I'd like. Or, Windows just sucks worse than a fat chick trying to impress her date.

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  6. I'd never thought about semi-auto being tied so hard to magazines. Makes sense.

    Bolt / lever / break & martini-Henry actions are in use at Fort Dingo. I just picked up my Martini-Henry from the LGS. I only waited 3 months to get it back. The guy said the wait list for the gunsmith is 12 months. LOL

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    1. What do the GS's do, plate the parts with gold after they hand forge them? Or are there just not as many as before? Here, try finding a cobbler. After 25 years of glued plastic shoes from China, who would be left? Are guns the same there? A lot less owners after the ban and so almost no need for gunsmiths?

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    2. There is fewer and fewer gunsmiths just as fewer ffl holders. Atf licensing requirements for ffl dealers and gunsmiths with record keeping, local business taxes, insurance, zoning, etc. Has dwindled the amount. Most ffls will sell guns and accesories and gay up ar-15s but not much else. Modern economy dynamics slowly pushing them out. Like appliance repair, just throw out, buy new one, more coming in off of boats every day.

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    3. I knew the FFL holders took a huge hit when they went to a much more expensive license, then the hobby guys dropped out and it was all bigger business. Also, at least for me, that $30 background check every time means I no longer do impulse buys.

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    4. Lemme tell you something about that background check.
      It's money making racket for the atf.
      Of the last 5 times I applied I was denied 4 times and no reason was given, and I have had a concealed weapon permit since 2002. The law stipulates something like, if no denial is continued after 10 days the dealer automatically has the authority to release the gun to you. That was what happened with my AR lower last year. I was denied but got it by default 10 days later. Same situation happened when I tried to buy a gun at Rural King but those assholes don't obey the 10 day rule, so I lost my $25 nics fee. Free money to the atf. I still buy ammo at RK cause they have good prices but I'll never try to buy a gun there again.

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    5. Hell, what isn't a money making racket these days? Grasping greedy bastards surround us.

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    6. Loyal minion here about two weeks away from getting that FFL, ATF was out two weeks ago, I would say its a fairly easy process. It is not too bad to get it but I am rural in a small township near nowhere. I hear its a lot tougher in populated areas as you have to get a letter from zoning saying its ok with them. My county did not care and the township was like, 'why are you telling us?' I am not charging those stupid high fees on transfers. Maybe $5-$10 for a transfer if they don't buy it from me. If they do, I will not even charge a transfer. RSL/WI

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    7. Is it still $300 for three years? I don't even know how old my info is-20 years?

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    8. It was $200 for three i think. Then $90 to renew after that.

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    9. Well, sheet. What was all the fuss about? Everyone sounded like they were being violated over the increased FFL holder fees.

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  7. OT

    Your remember the kindle book "Self Apocalypse"?

    Not a bad book, kind of simple "camping the apocalypse" theme?

    Well, he finally came out with a squeal: Self Apocalypse: Gary's Cabin

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMCP656/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

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    1. I remember nothing of it-I'll have to re-read and see if I want the sequel. Thanks for the heads up.

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  8. Install ubuntu on your old machine...it's free....has all the modem browsers...and is pretty lean. Free updates ... and very simple to use it off of box.

    Microsoft gets nothing....

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    1. So, if I understand correctly, I'll never have to buy a new computer because Amazon et al insist on newer browsers. Even though I won't return to PayPal ( not positive, but I'm pretty pissed at them still ), this is still great news. Thank you. Writing a note now.

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