http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100215-200830 Michael Bane wrote about Merwin-Hulbert revolvers about a week ago. I'm kind of intrigued. I'm not sure I'm $1200 intrigued, but who knows?]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100211-163401 me: RAR
pika: I hear you rarring around
me: BZ2
pika: ARC
me: TGZ
me: LZH
pika: L
pika: Z
pika: mufuggin
pika: H
pika: oh man
me: :D
pika: Well, we're probably getting sued now.]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100211-115732 Check this out.

Link unabashedly stolen from akodo at We The Armed.]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100208-202509
Managed to return a bug ticket as a non-bug (testers: read your documentation!), and managed negative productivity the entire rest of the day, without any great input on my own part. A ticket that was in peer review was returned for minor revisions (no worries), then wound up being shelved for discussion that will probably involve a near-complete rewrite. Yay! It only took a week and 16 pages the first time, so I'm sure it won't be too big a pain the second time. (Do I have a dripping sarcasm tag? No?)

I was able to get an insurance claim filed, and will be stopping at the local PD to file a police report covering the damage, because I can't do that over the phone.

I was doing better while I was sleeping through the clock radio playing the classical music station ...]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100130-082710 http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100126-143002
The ACR pricing has done a fantastic job of derailing my gun purchases for the year. At some point this year, I need an 870, but not buying an ACR frees up over 75% of this year's budget.

I'd kind of like to have another tactical carbine, but I'm not crazy about buying another AR-15, nor am I really stoked about the XCR, Sig 556, or any of the various piston-driven AR designs.

In the meantime, there's a list of gear that I want/need for a carbine and pistol course in August: lots of ammunition, a light for the AR-15, at least two more magazines for the pistol, magazine pouches for both, and I know I'm going to want a Camelbak or equivalent if I'm going to spend three solid days on the firing line in the Kentucky heat and humidity. I'd also kind of like some sort of MOLLE vest or load-bearing harness and extra magazine pouches, but only because I don't think I can keep my pants up without suspenders with all that junk hanging off my belt. If I'm going to be stuck with a belt and suspenders, I may as well go all the way, I think. This seems to be something of a rabbit hole.

If I don't buy a second AR, AR upper, or an equivalent rifle, I need to pick up an extra bolt and carrier and get it headspaced to my current upper. Might actually be simpler (if more expensive), then, to just buy a second upper. Not sure which outfit to buy it from, though.

First thing, though, is a light for the AR. Next, I think, is pistol magazines and a MOLLE vest or something similar.]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100123-210051 and FCGs) to remove the possibility of after-market parts, add some weight to the gun for no obvious reason (Bushmaster ACR: 8.2 pounds vs. 7 pounds for the Remington ACR), and then charge twice the expected price for the privilege of having a barrel twist that people who pay two and three grand for a rifle apparently don't want. Oh, and cheap out on the sights.⁰

It must look like a brilliant move to somebody, but I have no idea who.

[Update: According to one of Bushmaster's people posting for the company at arfcom, the ACR does use standard AR trigger parts. The barrel, however, is still a new part.]

Footnote
0. For the record, I like the MBUS: they work, and cost about a third what anything else with the same feature set costs. I'm even pretty sure they're there as much because they're made by Magpul as cost concerns. But, even a set of fixed (i.e., not flip-up) back-up iron sights made of steel costs twice what the MBUS does. When you're asking somebody to drop $3000 for a too-short rail farm and a folding stock, you could throw in a set of Troys for free. It would at least convey a sense that maybe you're not just charging the most you think you can get away with.]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100119-063521
I've still got some checking to do, but unless I can come up with one for a lot less, my answer to that question is the following:

Screw. That.

A SCAR, ugly as it may be, includes a rail farm and a folding stock for that price, and the XCR is only a little more than half that. Someone on arfcom claimed that dealer price on the Remington version is $1850-2050, which might be do-able. I'll have to do some checking with my own contacts and see what turns up. I'm sure as heck not paying $3000 for one, though.

[Update: Checking complete. Unless something completely unexpected happens, I am not getting an ACR, at least within the current calendar year. C'est la vie. I hear SIGs are nice this time of year, though ....

I also feel like I should point out that Bushmaster's ACR shenanigans have been a pretty big bummer. I'll have a brief post on why in a bit.]]]> http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100113-072134 http://www.punchdrunkmonkeyman.com/index.php?entry=entry100112-194423 Bushmaster's finally teasing the ACR.

Nothing much there that you couldn't see someplace else, but it's nice to see it up, all the same.]]>