You Can't Silence Us

Iranian Situation

Israel today warned that Tehran is not being very cooperative in diplomatic talks about its nuclear program. Israel’s lead diplomat on Iran, Joshua Zarka, said that they “have reached the last stretch of diplomacy.” Even the UN says that:

There’s no other country other than those making nuclear weapons reaching those high levels” of uranium enrichment

That is because Iran now has a large stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, and is just a short step away from having enough 90% enriched uranium for several nuclear weapons.

Iran has never really hidden the fact that they want nuclear weapons, and will not hesitate to use them on Israel as soon as they acquire them. It is my belief that Iran is merely stalling with all of the talk, talk, talk so that the US won’t do anything until it is too late and Iran has a couple of deliverable weapons.

Proving me to be correct, that potato that we have sitting in the Oval Office reportedly received a briefing by Pentagon leaders on a full set of military options available to ensure that Iran would not be able to produce a nuclear weapon. Of course, they decided to talk instead.

Not only talk, but take steps to ensure that Israel won’t have a way to strike the weapons plant by depriving Israel of the refueling tankers they need to carry out the long range strike.

This, in my opinion, is a short sighted and stupid move. If Iran winds up with nuclear weapons, which seems more and more likely each day, they WILL use them. Whether it is against the US or Israel is yet to be seen, but the smart money is on Israel.

Tel Aviv is preoccupied by the fear that an adversary might one day attempt a first strike to destroy its nuclear missiles and strike planes on the ground before they can retaliate. So preoccupied, that they have developed a second strike capability.

Israel does not have a choice but to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, because she cannot live with it. The suggestion that Israel could simply outsource her deterrence to the US, even if the US were led by someone more dependable than the man who called the rout of American forces from Afghanistan “an extraordinary success,” is more than stupid – it is suicidal. This is one of the reasons why countries all over the region are watching the situation with the Ukraine so closely.

It is known that Israel’s 3 Dolphin and 3 Dolphin 2 class submarines are armed with long range cruise missiles that are each capable of delivering a 200 kiloton warhead to targets at least 950 miles away. In fact, Israel has already carried out strikes using submarine launched cruise missiles armed with conventional warheads.

The land based missile is the Jericho, which Israel has a few of. The Jericho 2 and 3 are each capable of striking any target in Iran.

Israel is believed to have somewhere between 65 to 200 or even as many as 400 nuclear warheads. No one really knows for sure. I think Israel likes it that way- they want everyone to know that they HAVE some, but not necessarily how many, what sizes, or what delivery method.

A nuclear armed Iran will almost certainly end in a nuclear exchange. I don’t think that Iran will get a nuke any time soon. Israel has a long history of finding unexpected solutions to problems, and this is a big one.

People who have read this post: 666
By Divemedic, ago

On Stupidity

Back in April of this year, Biden decided to take aim at the so-called “Ghost Gun” industry. This is what he had to say:

So the ATF decided to take aim at the DIY gun kits like the GST-9. As a result of this, they declared that selling an 80 percent firearm frame complete with all of the parts needed to turn that frame into a firearm is constructive possession and violates Federal law.

As a result, kit makers can’t put everything needed to turn an 80 percent frame into a firearm into the same box. So now they put them into two boxes, meaning that the rails for a Glock frame can’t be included in the same box as the rest of the (unfinished) frame. So now the rails come with the jig, which you must order separately.

Due to recently changed ATF regulations, we cannot legally include the jig or frame rails with the GST-9 frame. The jig and GST-9 frame must be purchased on our website as two separate items. Each jig includes one set of GST-9 frame rails. You will need to purchase one jig for every GST-9 frame you plan to build. Frame rails are ONLY included with the jig, not with the 80% lower itself.

https://www.80percentarms.com/products/gst-9-80-pistol-build-kit/

The jig with the rails can be in the same order as the frame and even ship at the same time, thus proving that efforts to control this industry are doomed to failure.

People who have read this post: 522
By Divemedic, ago

Oh Nose!

A birthday party for a 60 year old man in the UK was a superspreader event for the Omicron variant of COVID. Fifteen of the eighteen attendees were tested positive for COVID, with every one of them being fully vaccinated, and most having already received booster shots. This, in my mind, is sold evidence that the vaccine doesn’t do a thing.

It seems that, with all of the breathless panic over this Omicron variant, we should keep in mind that its most common symptoms are a cough, fatigue, and a runny nose. Now the powers that be keep saying that the vaccine wards off serious symptoms, but the only person in the US who has been hospitalized with this variant was fully vaccinated, so there is that.

Of the first 43 people in the US with this variant:

  • 40 were symptomatic.
  • 34 were fully vaccinated.
  • 25 were under the age of 40.
  • 14 had traveled internationally in the past two weeks.
  • 14 received boosters.
  • 6 had shortness of breath.
  • 6 had previously had a coronavirus infection.
  • 3 lost their sense of taste or smell.
  • 1 was hospitalized (for two days). The one hospitalized was vaccinated.
  • 33 had a cough
  • 24 complained of fatigue
  • 22 had a runny nose

So we are in a panic over an illness that we used to refer to as a “chest cold.” That was before we began testing everyone. This is just stupid.

Meanwhile, the liberal press in South Florida is demanding that DeSantis restore the COVID lockdown.

People who have read this post: 795
By Divemedic, ago

Building Gaston

Before I began on this build, I wanted to review the Glock trigger system, just to be sure I was familiar with what I would be building. So here is a video that explains the Glock trigger pretty clearly. If you are going to build a Glock, this is a good place to start.

On opening the kit, I read through the instructions to make sure I had no questions, then I went in search of the instructional video. This was the best one that I could find:

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

The frame itself requires less than 10 minutes worth of work to be ready for assembly. I didn’t use a had drill. I have a drill press, and feel a lot more comfortable about drilling something like this with a press than I do with a hand drill.

When you need to remove the tabs, it’s easier to remove them before you put the frame in the jig. Make the cuts with hand cutters (I used a set of dykes and a pair of end cutters) then put the frame in the jig and smooth out the cuts with a hand file. I used a flat file with fine teeth, then polished it a bit with some fine grit sandpaper. It looks pretty good.

In all, the machine work took less than 20 minutes. It was MUCH less difficult and involved than doing an AR lower.

When it came to installing the parts kit, I hit a little bit of a snag. There were no parts kits available at 80percent.com, so I took a chance and ordered a PATMOS compact lower parts kit from Right to Bear. Cost $60

Because of that, the video from 80percent may not be as complete as you would like, but it is still a big help. I was worried that parts from two different suppliers would be a problem, but it turns out that it isn’t.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_8eaw4Ock&t=69s

The only real snag here was in getting the pins in. A couple of tips: It was MUCH easier to insert a punch through the frame, trigger, and slide release from the left side of the frame, then insert the pivot pin from the right side of the frame. Using the punch as a slave pin and gently tapping the pivot pin with a non-marring hammer from the left was the easiest way to do it.

Another difference was the Mod 1 rear slide rails that come with the frame were not one piece like in the videos. They are two separate pieces. I simply put them in place after the trigger assembly went in. Other than that, the entire assembly went together in less than 30 minutes. In all, completing the frame took less than an hour.

If you look closely at the picture below, you will see that I still haven’t cleaned up the burrs from the removal of the cross frame member. I am holding off on that until it is time to fit the barrel and slide. I will clean that up and smooth things out with a Dremel and a fine round file when I go to fit all of that together.

Here is a second video that may help you with the assembly.

So far, the cost of this build has been the frame at $150, plus the lower parts kit at $60, for a total cost for the assembled frame of $210. I have $640 remaining in the budget for this build.

As usual, I will remind everyone that I receive no compensation for using the parts and suppliers that I use, and that I have no relationship with them, other than being a customer. All prices paid are the same available to anyone else in the public.

People who have read this post: 521
By Divemedic, ago

War Warning

There is a high probability that Russia will conduct open combat operations against Ukraine within the next 30 days, and possibly much sooner. The likelihood that the United States will be involved in hostilities is slim, but

If that occurs, widespread cyber attacks may take place against NATO countries to disrupt C3 networks. This will likely involve internet and telecommunications networks worldwide, as well as potential power grid attacks in Europe.

The American Redoubt Radio Operators Network is reporting:

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 1,463 ceasefire violations, including 142 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 815 ceasefire violations in the region.

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 161 ceasefire violations, including 97 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 32 ceasefire violations in the region.

Members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage near Zolote and Molodizhne, Luhansk region, and delayed its passage for more than two hours near Olenivka, Donetsk region.*

The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.

The SMM facilitated and monitored the operation of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.

The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region.

The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at two checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles encountered instances of GPS signal interference, assessed as caused by probable jamming.

Make sure that you have alternate means of communications with friends and family. Understand that credit cards, banking, and ATMs may not function without communications networks.

People who have read this post: 764
By Divemedic, ago

Sunday Afternoon in the shop

My rifle Project- “Kyle” is currently at a standstill.

The upper is mostly done. The barrel is installed in a slick side upper, as is is the gas system and forend. The rest of the upper is on hold because JP rifles is out of LMOS enhanced bolts. Mine has been on backorder for several weeks. I know there are other LMOS BCG’s out there, but I have good luck with JP rifles, so we will just shelve the upper for a bit. Once that BCG arrives, I will install it, the dust cover, then check the headspace and call the upper complete.

I am not going to even start machining the lower yet. That is because I am waiting for a Larue trigger. The machine work only takes about an hour, so until the trigger arrives, there is no point in continuing. If I get impatient, I will just get a Geisselle SSA and complete the project. The Geisselle is a better trigger, but I am trying to hold costs down a bit.

Still, I had some time to play in the shop, so I went ahead and completed the lower for Project Gaston. This is my first 80% pistol build. I decided to go with a polymer 80, so I wound up selecting the GST-9 from 80 percent Arms. Here is an overview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r80Ggw4BlfM

The next post will detail what I did to complete this pistol. I will say that I hit a couple of snags, but a bit of ingenuity enabled be to overcome them pretty easily. More on that later.

People who have read this post: 562
By Divemedic, ago

History Fail

An Orlando TV station did a report about how some residents found and removed a street paving brick that had “KKK” engraved into it. Here is the quote that stuck out at me:

“There was ignorance in the past here. Remember this is the South, so that’s one of the things that you’re living with when you come into the South,” Jenkins said.

Sheehan and her friend are both potters. With their artistic eye, they do not think the etching is new.

“These bricks have to be fired to a really high temperature. And they’ve been there for hundreds of years,”

Impossible.

The media is full of shit.

People who have read this post: 836
By Divemedic, ago