Can't do this in Iran!
Life can get pretty rough for a Marine far from home
Saturday the 4th of July, Micha wanted to go to the range. OK so maybe it was me that suggested it, but I’ve never had to twist her arm. The girl loves to shoot that .45
Can't do this in North Korea!
Lance Corporal Eddie had recently qualified Expert with his M16 but confessed he’d never fired a shotgun. A few speed drills with my old Winchester and he handed it back chuckling “heh…fun.”
Boom-lakka-boom-lakka-boom-lakka
Over on Tamera’s blog she posed the question as to what was the most patriotic gun one could shoot on the 4th of July. To my way of thinking it has to be a rifle of some sort. The 4th is all about standing up to tyranny, not a pistol shot from behind and a leap from the balcony. Nothing says “Don’t tread on me” quite like a rifle owned by a person that knows how to use it. Which brings me to my last picture.
Central California gets hot in July and the 4th was no exception. 100 degrees in the shade. Our only company at the range was a guy and his two sons shooting a Mini-14 and a bolt action .22 rimfire. I made a comment to the father about there not being a better way to celebrate the 4th and he heartily agreed. I didn’t do much shooting yesterday. I loaded magazines for Mischa and Eddie and fiddled with my Buckmark’s adjustable sights, but mostly I watched the father and his boys.
I asked them if I could take their picture for this blog. ”Sure no problem.”
“Do you want me to obscure your faces you know, it’s the internet and all?”
“No that’s OK we’ve got nothing to hide”
If I talked like Ward Churchill, I would say “on that day….. my heart….it soared like an eagle”. What’s the most patriotic gun you can shoot on the 4th? This one right here.
‘‘To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them’’ Richard Henry Lee - 1787
Oh Lord, spending the time I did there, do I know why Ronald Reagan so loved California. As beautiful as the coastal region is, the people of the coastal cities are why California is in the straits it’s in.
God bless you if you can afford to live in the inland empire, Southern California away from the ocean, even Northern California away from wacko’s on the coast.
Some of us did the best we could, politically, getting prop 13 passed. Others have a great deal of ’splainin’ to do. Breaks my heart it does, what the people of the coastal region have done to the great state of California.
One day, my friend…
“what was the most patriotic gun one could shoot on the 4th of July.”
Any gun you possess (especially one you purchased privately), that you know how to shoot well.
“The 4th is all about standing up to tyranny…”
Quoted, as Tam herself would say, “for truth.”
We burned primarliy scattergun loads at a lonesome prairie not far from the Mississippi, but a certain 13-year-old is beginning to show some confidence and adeptness with the Smith 59.
Jim
Awesome, thank you for the great post.
A great post… a heartwarmer & straight to the main issues.
I especially liked the quote from my favorite historical figure: “Lighthorse Harry” Lee, Virginia dragoon & cavalry commander of the Continental Army, whose fifth child was, **removes hat**, Robert Edward Lee, who participated in the unpleasantness of 1860 – 65.
Great post, thanks!
Thank you all for your comments. Thanks for the Tam-a-lanche Tamera.
Came here from Tam’s place. Great post. Up here in the wilds of Butte County we open carry in the un-incorporated areas of the County, just try to stay away from the wackos over near CSUC.
Please pass along my best to Lance Corporal Eddie and give him my thanks for his service. My son-in-law just deployed to the ’stan, and my daughter werved 8 years in USNavy, so I know how it is to have loved ones serving and in harm’s way.
Rob J
Chico, that’s where they brew my favorite beer! We’ll keep your family in our prayers. Eddie is our third Marine. I have a nephew in Iraq and another that just came home from Afghanistan. God bless em all.
Glad to see somebody’s takin’ care of the Jarheads. ;^)
My best to ‘em all.
Rob J 11Bravo AlphaCo,4th/47th,9thInfDiv. USArmy RVN ‘68
Mobile Riverine Force
Great Post! Got here via View from the Porch (Thanks, Tam). You wetted my tear ducts with that last photo, great stuff.
BTW, we celebrated independence Day up in Michigan with our clay pigeon bustin cousins, by sharing the use of a couple 8mm bolt Mausers. The kids really liked that.
Hooah, and God bless America.
John