Monday, August 13, 2007

GET READY FOR VERY HARD TIMES

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON



SurvivalBlog is dedicated to family preparedness, survival, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency. Are you new to this blog? Be advised that you are jumping in to extant threads. Read "About" first. Then it is best to the start at the beginning of the archives and work your way up. Thanks! - JWR

Monday August 13 2007

Note from JWR:

To all of the new SurvivalBlog readers in Europe, welcome! (I've noticed quite a surge in readership throughout Europe, particularly in the Low Countries, in recent months.)

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A Full Scale U.S. Dollar Panic Before November?

The news wires were abuzz last week about the global credit squeeze. Bankers are unwilling to make loans when they can't calculate risk. What risk? Here is a big one: Many of their clients have derivatives exposure, which means that lenders can no longer calculate their credit worthiness. In the banking world, the standard "safe" answer to any loan question in the absence of data is almost universally no. I surmise that if this situation gets any worse, governments may step in and make loan guarantees. (Meaning that the taxpayers would shoulder the risk instead of the bankers.) That may be the only thing that will get bankers to start making new loans to derivatives holders--which include nearly every major corporation, these days.

With the sub-prime contagion spreading, there is the potential for a sharp break in the U.S. stock market. That will surely push the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. (With the hope that the increased liquidity will stave off a recession.) But lower interest rates will discourage foreign investment and may spell doom for the U.S. Dollar. The Chartist Gnome tells me that if the U.S. Dollar (USD) Index drops below 80 for more than one week, all bets are off for the dollar. In a recent commentary, Jim Sinclair sized up the massive liquidity injections by the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. His conclusion: These moves will badly tarnish the dollar and will likely push the USD Index down to around 72. I concur. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see a breakdown to the 65 level.

There could be a major devaluation of the dollar--whether formal or informal--within the next few week or months. If foreigners start dumping their dollar-denominated assets, watch out! This could even snowball into a full scale dollar panic. The Chinese have already threatened to jettison their U.S. Dollar holdings. If carried out, that alone could have huge implications. Economist Peter Schiff has an even gloomier prediction than mine. He predicts that the US Dollar will lose half its value.

What does all this mean for the average American? Already, the weaker dollar has made some imports painfully expensive. Does the next few months spell ruin just for the bankers and big stock traders, or does it spell ruin for most Americans? I think that inevitably everyone that holds dollars will suffer. Granted, bank accounts are insured by the FDIC to up to $100,000 per individual. But that won't mean much if our currency tips over into hyperinflation. That will make bank deposits effectively worthless in very short order. So how will this play out? I'm not entirely certain. Credit squeezes are traditionally deflationary. But government invention like last week's is highly inflationary. (To better understand deflation, see Bob Prechter explanation of credit squeezes, deflation, and economic depression.) I'll still predict an inflationary outcome. Governments love inflating their way out of monetary crises. It is much less painful for them that way. (Deflation is painful for everyone involved.) And since inflation is a hidden form of taxation, it will be the citizenry that ultimately bears the burden. (Just ask the average Zimbabwean how the past 10 years has treated his real net worth.)

My advice: Shift the majority of your investments out of anything dollar-denominated, right away. The only exception would be holding no more than 20% of your assets in short-term TIPS, which are automatically inflation adjusted. (Series I US savings bonds are also inflation protected, but I discourage investing in such long term bonds.) To be ready for mass inflation, you'll need your wealth primarily in tangibles. That way, if the dollar loses value, you'll be protected. I'm talking about silver, gold, productive farm land, and hard goods like tools, guns, and common caliber ammunition. The timing? Again, hard to predict, but look for some continuing large ripples in the financial waters for the next two months. Then, perhaps in October, be prepared for some massive wave action. Historically, major move in the US equities markets tend to happen in October. Be prepared.

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DEBKAfile

DEBKAfile Reports: Israel PM Olmert inspects preparedness of IDF northern command Tuesday following indications of Syrian plans to attack Golan

August 14, 2007, 7:48 PM (GMT+02:00)

Syrian army convoys moving at night

Syrian army convoys moving at night

With him were defense minister Ehud Barak and chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi. According to DEBKAfile’s military sources, intelligence data and signs on the ground add up to the presumption that Syria is planning a campaign of hit-and-run cross-border attacks against Israeli border patrols and positions in Golan and attempts to take hostages. OC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Gad Eisenkott and senior officers briefed the prime minister on their preparations in anticipation of such attacks.

They discussed ways of taking Syrian forces by surprise without provoking a full-scale conflict. In particular, Israeli decision-makers want to avoid exposing the populations of northern and central regions to Syrian missiles. They are also intent on limiting any flare-up to the Golan front and leaving out of the action the Lebanese Hizballah and Hamas and allied Palestinian terrorist groups of the Gaza Strip.

In recent weeks, DEBKAfile’s military sources report, Washington updates point to the rising influence of the pro-war faction in Bashar Assad’s government. As we reported last week, this faction is led by the Syrian president’s brother-in-law commander of military intelligence, Gen. Assaf Shawqat. Since then, Syrian troop reinforcements have been moved forward to the front line, mostly by night. They include artillery contingents which have been kept well behind hitherto.

US and Israeli intelligence watchers believe Syrian leaders’ calculations are based on their expectation of a low-intensity Israel response, such as artillery crossfire, to their attacks. They are sure that both Israel and the US are determined to avoid a major conflagration. They expect the Israeli air force to be activated against strategic targets deep inside Syria only if their own persist.

DEBKAfile’s military sources say that whether Israeli bombers go after civilian infrastructure, like bridges, highways and power stations, or stick to military targets, such radar stations, bases and military command posts, will depend on the duration of the Syrian offensive, its violence and how much pain is inflicted on Israeli lives and property. The Israel reprisal spiral is likely to match the intensity of Syrian attacks.

The scenarios examined by Israeli policy-makers during the prime minister’s visit therefore postulated a war of attrition starting later this year and going on for months. Charting how this war will unfold is chancy because some unforeseen circumstance could potentially blow it up suddenly into a full-scale war.

Some officers in the northern command therefore advocate a short and sharp Israeli response to nip any Syrian action in the bud before it develops, instead of a temperate reaction that would leave the tactical initiative with Damascus. Furthermore, if a war of attrition is allowed to drag on into the winter months, weather conditions would seriously hamper Israeli air force operations. Having heard these arguments, the prime minister, defense minister and the chief of staff must decide in the next few days how to proceed.

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Fatigue cripples US army in Iraq



 Exhaustion and combat stress are besieging US troops in Iraq as they battle with a new type of warfare. Some even rely on Red Bull to get through the day. As desertions and absences increase, the military is struggling to cope with the crisis

Peter Beaumont in Baghdad
Sunday August 12, 2007
The Observer

 US marines asleep at their base in Falluja, Iraq
US marines asleep at their base in Falluja, Iraq. Photograph: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty images


Lieutenant Clay Hanna looks sick and white. Like his colleagues he does not seem to sleep. Hanna says he catches up by napping on a cot between operations in the command centre, amid the noise of radio. He is up at 6am and tries to go to sleep by 2am or 3am. But there are operations to go on, planning to be done and after-action reports that need to be written. And war interposes its own deadly agenda that requires his attention and wakes him up.

When he emerges from his naps there is something old and paper-thin about his skin, something sketchy about his movements as the days go by.

The Americans he commands, like the other men at Sullivan - a combat outpost in Zafraniya, south east Baghdad - hit their cots when they get in from operations. But even when they wake up there is something tired and groggy about them. They are on duty for five days at a time and off for two days. When they get back to the forward operating base, they do their laundry and sleep and count the days until they will get home. It is an exhaustion that accumulates over the patrols and the rotations, over the multiple deployments, until it all joins up, wiping out any memory of leave or time at home. Until life is nothing but Iraq.

Hanna and his men are not alone in being tired most of the time. A whole army is exhausted and worn out. You see the young soldiers washed up like driftwood at Baghdad's international airport, waiting to go on leave or returning to their units, sleeping on their body armour on floors and in the dust.

Where once the war in Iraq was defined in conversations with these men by untenable ideas - bringing democracy or defeating al-Qaeda - these days the war in Iraq is defined by different ways of expressing the idea of being weary. It is a theme that is endlessly reiterated as you travel around Iraq. 'The army is worn out. We are just keeping people in theatre who are exhausted,' says a soldier working for the US army public affairs office who is supposed to be telling me how well things have been going since the 'surge' in Baghdad began.

They are not supposed to talk like this. We are driving and another of the public affairs team adds bitterly: 'We should just be allowed to tell the media what is happening here. Let them know that people are worn out. So that their families know back home. But it's like we've become no more than numbers now.'

The first soldier starts in again. 'My husband was injured here. He hit an improvised explosive device. He already had a spinal injury. The blast shook out the plates. He's home now and has serious issues adapting. But I'm not allowed to go back home to see him. If I wanted to see him I'd have to take leave time (two weeks). And the army counts it.'

A week later, in the northern city of Mosul, an officer talks privately. 'We're plodding through this,' he says after another patrol and another ambush in the city centre. 'I don't know how much more plodding we've got left in us.'

When the soldiers talk like this there is resignation. There is a corrosive anger, too, that bubbles out, like the words pouring unbidden from a chaplain's assistant who has come to bless a patrol. 'Why don't you tell the truth? Why don't you journalists write that this army is exhausted?'

It is a weariness that has created its own culture of superstition. There are vehicle commanders who will not let the infantrymen in the back fall asleep on long operations - not because they want the men alert, but because, they say, bad things happen when people fall asleep. So the soldiers drink multiple cans of Rip It and Red Bull to stay alert and wired.

But the exhaustion of the US army emerges most powerfully in the details of these soldiers' frayed and worn-out lives. Everywhere you go you hear the same complaints: soldiers talk about divorces, or problems with the girlfriends that they don't see, or about the children who have been born and who are growing up largely without them.

'I counted it the other day,' says a major whose partner is also a soldier. 'We have been married for five years. We added up the days. Because of Iraq and Afghanistan we have been together for just seven months. Seven months ... We are in a bad place. I don't know whether this marriage can survive it.'

The anecdotal evidence on the ground confirms what others - prominent among them General Colin Powell, the former US Secretary of State - have been insisting for months now: that the US army is 'about broken'. Only a third of the regular army's brigades now qualify as combat-ready. Officers educated at the elite West Point academy are leaving at a rate not seen in 30 years, with the consequence that the US army has a shortfall of 3,000 commissioned officers - and the problem is expected to worsen.

And it is not only the soldiers that are worn out. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to the destruction, or wearing out, of 40 per cent of the US army's equipment, totalling at a recent count $212bn (£105bn).

But it is in the soldiers themselves - and in the ordinary stories they tell - that the exhaustion of the US military is most obvious, coming amid warnings that soldiers serving multiple Iraq deployments, now amounting to several years, are 50 per cent more likely than those with one tour to suffer from acute combat stress.

The army's exhaustion is reflected in problems such as the rate of desertion and unauthorised absences - a problem, it was revealed earlier this year, that had increased threefold on the period before the war in Afghanistan and had resulted in thousands of negative discharges.

'They are scraping to get people to go back and people are worn out,' said Thomas Grieger, a senior US navy psychiatrist, told the International Herald Tribune in April.

'Modern war is exhausting,' says Major Stacie Caswell, an occupational therapist with a combat stress unit attached to the military hospital in Mosul. Her unit runs long group sessions to help soldiers with emerging mental health and discipline problems: often they have seen friends killed and injured, or are having problems stemming from issues at home - responsible for 50 to 60 per cent of their cases. One of the most common problems in Iraq is sleep disorders.

'This is a different kind of war,' says Caswell. 'In World War II it was clear who the good guys and the bad guys were. You knew what you would go through on the battlefield.' Now she says the threat is all around. And soldiering has changed. 'Now we have so many things to do...'

'And the soldier in Vietnam,' interjects Sergeant John Valentine from the same unit, 'did not get to see the coverage from home that these soldiers do. We see what is going on at home on the political scene. They think the war is going to end. Then we have the frustration and confusion. That is fatiguing. Mentally tiring.'

'Not only that,' says Caswell, 'but because of the nature of what we do now, the number of tasks in comparison with previous generations - even as you are finishing your 15 months here you are immediately planning and training for your next tour.' Valentine adds: 'There is no decompression.'

The consequence is a deep-seated problem of retention and recruitment that in turn, says Caswell, has led the US army to reduce its standards for joining the military, particularly over the issue of no longer looking too hard at any previous history of mental illness. 'It is a question of honesty, and we are not investigating too deeply or we are issuing waivers. The consequence is that we are seeing people who do not have the same coping skills when they get here, and this can be difficult.

'We are also seeing older soldiers coming in - up to 41 years old - and that is causing its own problems. They have difficulty dealing with the physical impact of the war and also interacting with the younger men.'

Valentine says: 'We are not only watering down the quality of the soldiers but the leadership too. The good leaders get out. I've seen it. And right now we are on the down slope.'

'War tsar' calls for return of the draft to take the strain

America's 'war tsar' has called for the nation's political leaders to consider bringing back the draft to help a military exhausted by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a radio interview, Lieutenant General Douglas Lute said the option had always been open to boost America's all-volunteer army by drafting in young men in the same way as happened in Vietnam. 'I think it makes sense to consider it,' he said. Lute was appointed 'war tsar' earlier this year after President Bush decided a single figure was needed to oversee the nation's military efforts abroad.

Rumours of a return to the draft have long circulated in military circles as the pressure from fighting two large conflicts at the same time builds on America's forces. However, politically it would be extremely difficult to achieve, especially for any leader hoping to be elected in 2008. Bush has previously ruled out the suggestion as unnecessary.

Lute, however, said the war was causing stress to military families and, as a result, was having an impact on levels of re-enlistment. 'This kind of stress plays out across dinner tables and in living-room conversations within these families. Ultimately the health of the all-volunteer force is going to rest on those sorts of personal family decisions,' he said.

A draft would revive bad memories of the turmoil of the 1960s and early 1970s when tens of thousands of young men were drafted to fight and die in Vietnam. Few other policies proved as divisive in America and the memories of anti-war protesters burning their draft cards and fleeing to Canada are still vivid in the memory.

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Price of ammo to shoot up

06:18 AM CDT on Thursday, August 9, 2007
 By JAMES HOHMANN / The Dallas Morning News
jhohmann@dallasnews.com

The baby needs milk. The car needs gas. The gun needs bullets.


Rising dairy and oil prices grab the attention of shoppers and motorists. But the increasing price of ammunition – a consumer product the government considers when calculating the rate of inflation – has largely gone unnoticed.

The price increases began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, then were compounded by a double whammy: the war in Iraq, which pushed up overall demand, and growing industrial powers such as China, which bid up the cost of needed raw materials.

The impact is widespread:

•Ammunition dealers complain of declining sales as they are forced to pass along rising costs to consumers.

•Hunters and gun enthusiasts, who initially stockpiled ammunition when prices spiked, are now making more of their own or shooting less.

•And police departments in the Dallas area are experiencing long delays in shipments and having to adjust training schedules accordingly.

"It's no good to have the gun without the ammunition," said Ken Mitchell, an ammunition dealer in Justin.

Manufacturers dramatically ramped up production after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, producing about 1.5 billion rounds last year – more than 3 ½ times the number manufactured in 2001, said Gale Smith, a spokeswoman for the Army's Joint Munitions Command Center in Rock Island, Ill.

But they struggle to keep up with the demand as troop deployments continue in the Middle East. Military spending on small-caliber ammunition increased from $242 million in 2001 to $688 million in 2006.

The ammunition business is also feeling the pinch because of the rising price of global commodities such as copper, brass, nickel, steel and lead.

For instance, China's torrent of construction has added to its manufacturing capacity. And the country is hungry for resources to feed its growth. The components needed to manufacture ammunition are also used for laying power lines and adding buildings to wider skylines.

"We were paying $1 a pound for copper two years ago. Now we're paying $3 per pound," said Brian Grace, a spokesman for Minnesota-based Alliant Techsystems, the military's biggest producer of small-caliber ammunition. "Not all the costs are being passed on. We've tried to soften the blow with supply chain management and improved efficiency."

Despite those efforts, dealers, hunters and law enforcement officers are feeling squeezed.

Stockpiling

Mr. Mitchell estimates that the volume of his ammo sales, which make up about half of his business, has dropped by more than half in the past two years.

Certain rounds, such as .223-caliber, used in the Army's M-16 and law enforcement's AR-15, have become increasingly difficult to find in the civilian market. Supplies of the .308 cartridge, the standard round for NATO and a favorite of hunters for its deadly effectiveness, have also tightened.

Some calibers cost only 10 percent more than a year ago; other varieties have more than doubled in price.

When prices started to rise, savvy gun owners stockpiled all they could get, sending prices even higher. Now dealers say that as soon as new supplies come in, customers snap them up.

"It doesn't matter if it's 50 cents or $3, whatever's cheapest gets bought up quick," said Robby Rucker, a manager at Southwest Ammunition Supply in Mesquite.

He said his wholesalers raise their prices from 3 percent to 10 percent each quarter. He expects more price increases in September.

That's a problem for Karl Pifer of Granbury, who specializes in manufacturing designer ammunition that costs more but performs better.

"The market is moving toward lower-quality and lower-cost ammunition that gets mass produced," said Mr. Pifer, owner of KC Precision Ballistics. "I try to stick with the prices I've got, but when they go up, it's hard. It hits me before it hits the customers."

When Mr. Pifer received a catalog in the mail last month for materials, he rushed online to place orders on the good deals. But he was too late. An e-mail in his inbox alerted him that prices had gone up since the catalog was distributed. It was, he said, the fourth increase in eight months.

Prices of factory-produced ammunition – and increased surcharges for shipping and handling – have gotten so high that more hunters are making their own in a process called hand loading.

"Guys on a budget are going back to hand loading with the price of ammo doing what it is," said Dallas resident Noel Hutcheson, 71, a retired stockbroker who hunts quail and ducks.

Sales of ammunition components such as empty cartridges and primers have grown at Mr. Rucker's family-run store each time retail prices for ready-to-use ammunition have gone up.

But do-it-yourself ammunition production isn't cheap either. Someone making his own shotgun shells is going to spend roughly a third more than last year on supplies, said Don Snyder, executive director of the National Skeet Shooting Association and the National Sporting Clays Association.

"There are some people who are shooting less," said Mr. Snyder of San Antonio, whose two groups have about 3,000 members in Texas. "It's just an additional cost to compete and enjoy our sport. There are a lot of people that jump in and pay the tariff and do it."

Must-have item

No matter what the cost, the police need to pay. Law enforcement demand for ammunition grew after 9/11 as departments increased their officers' live fire training.

Several police officials said they are paying more for ammunition and experiencing delays for shipments.

But everyone from Fort Worth to Carrollton insists that public safety has not been compromised. Of eight departments surveyed, none has resorted to giving deputies fewer bullets or pulling guns out of service.

The Dallas Police Department, which spends roughly $500,000 annually on ammunition for about 3,000 officers, used to have orders filled in six weeks. Now it takes six to nine months, said Sgt. Paul Stanford, range master for the department.

The ammunition used in patrol rifles, identical to what the military needs, costs 35 percent more than two years ago, Sgt. Stanford said, rising from $84 a case to $114 a case.

And a case of 9 mm rounds, the standard for Dallas Police Department service weapons, costs 10 percent more than two years ago – going from $98.75 in 2005 to $108.15.

The impact on smaller departments, which often don't have a special relationship with wholesalers, can be even greater.

In Hurst, which has 72 officers, Assistant Chief Richard Winstanley needs to plan a year or more ahead for what his staff might need. He has to be especially proactive to keep .223 rounds in stock.

"We have to be patient," Chief Winstanley said. "Some training has to be put off until we receive the items."

While the police and other gun owners hope prices come down, they are adjusting to the reality of costlier ammunition.

"We're still buying bullets because we don't have any choice," Dallas' Sgt. Stanford said. "It's like gas. You have to absorb the cost."
Posted by at

Saturday, August 11, 2007

AMMUNITION PRICES GOING UP SEPT. 1 st.

Free Republic


Skip to comments.

GUN, AMMO SALES UP 14 PERCENT
National Shooting Sports Foundation ^ | 8/6/07 | staff

Posted on 08/07/2007 5:45:57 AM PDT

GUN, AMMO SALES UP 14 PERCENT; $70 MILLION FOR CONSERVATION . . .

Sales by gun and ammunition manufacturers grew by 14 percent in the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to one of the firearm industry's best economic indicators. The statistics are taken from the latest Pittman-Robertson federal excise tax collection report. Excise taxes are calculated as a percentage of wholesale receipts, paid quarterly by firearm and ammunition manufacturers, and earmarked for state wildlife conservation and habitat restoration programs.

From January through March, $70 million was generated for conservation, compared to $61 million in 2006. The latest tax collections suggest overall sales of $653.9 million during the quarter, not including retail markup or final retail sales. The increase was seen across the board in sales of handguns, long guns and ammunition.

Get 'em while you still can, if Hillobama or RudyMittCain is elected along with a Democrat Congress they may not be available much longer.
1 posted on 08/07/2007 5:46:00 AM PDT


According to a post yesterday, there’s a “shortage” of ammo in New Hampshire.............But I think it was bs..........


2 posted on 08/07/2007 5:47:05 AM PDT (All I know about Minnesota, I learned from Garrison Keilor.............)


midway*usa always seems to have the ammo you need and ships quickly... even to NY.
(and has one heck of a catalog)
3 posted on 08/07/2007 5:47:57 AM PDT ("It's Talk Thompson Time!" irc://irc.freenode.net/fredthompson)


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1877243/posts


4 posted on 08/07/2007 5:48:09 AM PDT (All I know about Minnesota, I learned from Garrison Keilor.............)


Link is to web site, not the article. What is the reason suggested for the supposed shortage?


5 posted on 08/07/2007 5:48:51 AM (Nothing says, "Get off my lawn" like the inscription of a claymore - THIS SIDE TOWARDS THE ENEMY.)


--prices on ammo are going up, folks--same reason as oil and milk--supply and demand.

Check the copper and lead markets for the last couple of years for confirmation---

6 posted on 08/07/2007 5:50:22 AM PDT(-don't believe anything the MSM states about firearms or explosives--NRA Benefactor)


I bought some 7.62 tracers and some SS-109 from them about 2 years ago. You’re right. Fast and inexpensive.


7 posted on 08/07/2007 5:50:50 AM PDT


The article came to me via email. I'm on the NSSF mailing list because I used to have an FFL (Federal Firearms License). The email content isn’t shown on the linked website page, but posting an article on FR requires posting a link to a website. The entire brief text of the email is posted.
8 posted on 08/07/2007 5:55:51 AM PDT


“What is the reason suggested for the supposed shortage?”

People are getting nervous about a possible “Democratic” administration (regime), a Democratic gun ban, mosques and Islamofascists appearing in their neighborhoods, Islamofascist nukes going off in American cities and the total chaos that would bring.

Gosh, it’d be worse than Katrina. A nationwide Katrina. An outright armed revolution.

Apparently some people in the US think that they’re going to be on their own and have to take care of themselves.

9 posted on 08/07/2007 6:00:03 AM PDT (It's World War IV, right here, right now, courtesy of Islam.)


midway*usa always seems to have the ammo you need and ships quickly

Midway is a good company run by good folks. I used to order all my reloading tools and components from Midway, but when they changed their flat rate shipping charge policy it became less expensive for me to drive 20 miles over to Georgia Arms in Villa Rica to get my supplies. But with $3 gas now days I may have to reconsider. Anyway, I have a reasonably good supply of components and loaded ammo stored in my basement.

10 posted on 08/07/2007 6:03:55 AM PDT


But, the reality here isn’t that the quantity of ammo sold has increased — the truth is that ammo prices have more than doubled in the past year in reflection of rapid increases in the cost of component materials.
11 posted on 08/07/2007 6:05:20 AM PDT


Maybe sales $ are up because prices, especially AMMO prices are up?

Wal-Mart just jumped their 100rnd “white box” prices up by about 30% in my local store and good luck finding any commercial 5.56mm out there for a reasonable price.


12 posted on 08/07/2007 6:06:53 AM PDT


Yep.

I used to spend about $2500 a year at Midway, but their shipping charges made me buy local. And it seems that nearly every popular reloading component, like 5.56mm 55gr FMJ, is out of stock lately.


13 posted on 08/07/2007 6:08:35 AM PDT by


the truth is that ammo prices have more than doubled in the past year in reflection of rapid increases in the cost of component materials.

I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. Ammo prices have gone through the roof lately, along with the price of reloading components for those of us who roll our own. Fortunately for me I still have a lot of components that I bought back before the prices shot up, and I recycle most of the lead that I shoot at my backyard firing range. (Yeah, I live out in the sticks)

14 posted on 08/07/2007 6:12:27 AM PDT


And it seems that nearly every popular reloading component, like 5.56mm 55gr FMJ, is out of stock lately.

Yeah, I just checked the website of Georgia Arms where I usually buy and they aren't even showing any components on their price lists. That could mean that they're out of stock on practically everything, but their website has always been an amateurish mess and I'm hoping it's just an oversight.

15 posted on 08/07/2007 6:21:36 AM PDT


I just reloaded my last batch of 1000 55gr FMJ and now I can’t find any replacements. None of my dealers can confirm when they’ll have primers, powder or bullets in stock.

The good news is the ammo industry is expecting a price slump in the near future (to hear defense industry analysts speak of it).

If prices drop, I’m stocking up (and driving prices back up ;)


16 posted on 08/07/2007 6:26:15 AM PDT


What is the reason suggested for the supposed shortage?

i finally got the .44mag i've always wanted, ammo manufacturers have slowed production on everything else to keep up with my demand.


17 posted on 08/07/2007 6:30:57 AM PDT


Exactly. Ammo prices are up, therefore tax receipts are up. Duh.

And, there is no ammo shortage in NH, at least in the common calibers, though I have heard some of the less common cartridges like 10mm are tough to get.

I wasn’t there, but the Machine Gun Shoot Republican fundraiser at Pelham last weekend was well attended, and no one reported that they ran out of ammo.


18 posted on 08/07/2007 6:33:53 AM PDT


I bet magazine sales are up too. Got have some place to keep it ready. LOL.


19 posted on 08/07/2007 6:35:39 AM PDT


It’s hard to get the .45LC/225 gr and .410 #4 shot for my taurus tracker/judge locally.


20 posted on 08/07/2007 6:38:29 AM PDT



I looked for some .410 shells with #7-1/2 shot for my wife’s shotgun the other day (a shell size that I don’t reload) and even Wallyworld was out of stock on .410 shells.

22 posted on 08/07/2007 6:56:40 AM PDT


even Wallyworld was out of stock on .410 shells.

Correction: Wallyworld did have a few boxes of Winchester .410 3 inch shells loaded with 3- 000 buckshot pellets in stock, but my wife keeps some .410 slugs on hand for repelling boarders.

The little .410 doesn't get much respect as a defensive weapon, but IMHO an 88 grain .410 slug at 1800 fps muzzle velocity would probably ruin a BG's entire day. Or night, as the case may be.

23 posted on 08/07/2007 7:05:42 AM PDT


The increase in revenue is probably not due increased sales quantities but due to increased ammo costs.


24 posted on 08/07/2007 7:36:31 AM PDT


Try the bigger on-line ammo retailers (ammoman, cole, etc.) and the stuff we really need to see (Q3131/Q3131A, XM193, etc.) is out of stock or obscenely priced.

I’m still kicking myself for only picking up one case (2700 rnds) of South African .223 battlepacks. I paid around $35 a pack (300 rounds) and now I’m seeing dealers pricing it at $105 a pack (which is really out of whack and probably isn’t moving).

Even 20rnd commercial boxes are over $5 and they used to be around $2.50 a box.


25 posted on 08/07/2007 7:57:58 AM PDT


"The little .410 doesn't get much respect as a defensive weapon, but IMHO an 88 grain .410 slug at 1800 fps muzzle velocity would probably ruin a BG's entire day."<

If you're limited to 2.5 inch shells, Winchester has an excellent load (XB41000)which uses three 000 Buckshot. My wife handles it easily and it seems very adequate for "homeland security" in our Winchester 9410. They are available from most of the internet sales operations. I've bought them from Natchez.

Also keep in mind that at short ranges, even birdshot, by not having had much room to expand it's shot swarm is very dense, and will pack a much bigger punch than most people realize. Also, while devastating at close range, birdshot loads will minimize the hazard of overpenetration.

26 posted on 08/07/2007 8:49:17 AM PDT


Switch to black powder - all you need is charcoal, sulfur and nitrates.


28 posted on 08/07/2007 9:30:12 AM PDT


It'll be easy to test that theory - watch what happens as the election approaches. If the price of black rifles rises exactly as Hillary's numbers do I'd be a little suspicious...


29 posted on 08/07/2007 9:41:20 AM PDT


Yeah, ammo purchases these days can be considered a good investment.

I’ve heard some predict prices will start dropping, but I’m still loading up on the stuff that I shoot whenever I see a good buy.

I’ll check ammoman. Midway has been pretty good for me.


30 posted on 08/07/2007 9:53:11 AM PDT




the truth is that ammo prices have more than doubled in the past year in reflection of rapid increases in the cost of component materials.

I own some copper stocks and the price of copper has increased quite a bit the last few years. Not only is there increased demand for brass, bullets, and powder, there's increased demand in emerging markets (China, India) for copper because of the explosion of infrastucture needed to fuel their growth.
31 posted on 08/07/2007 11:58:43 AM PDT


I’m doing my part!! :)


32 posted on 08/07/2007 12:43:19 PM PDT


Where are you getting your .223 55gr fmj in NH?
33 posted on 08/07/2007 1:10:07 PM PDT


... I recycle most of the lead that I shoot at my backyard firing range. (Yeah, I live out in the sticks)

I was going to invite myself over but I don't think I can squeeze the 4,000 mile round trip in this week.

34 posted on 08/07/2007 1:13:24 PM PDT


Hey, bring it on over guy, the shootin weather's just fine around these parts this time of year.

Actually my "range" is just an informal homemade outfit with a couple of firing benches, some target stands, and a backstop made of logs. The maximum range is only 50 yards, but that's far enough for my watery old eyes anyway.

It's nothing fancy, but it beats the heck out of driving an hour each way to a commercial range and paying 5 bucks per 1/2 hour for range time. The retiree neighbors from FL who live about 150 yds away aren't real happy about the noise, but OTOH I'm not too thrilled with their thweet widdle poodle dog who yips and yaps half the night either. I'm not saying I would like to see the big black Heinz 57 dog that lives down the road a piece make a midnight snack out of the poodle some night, but I wouldn't get all broke up about it if he did.

35 posted on 08/07/2007 2:05:09 PM PDT


Well, I read that article too. It said a shortage in police handgun ammo. Not good for me as I carry both a .38 and .40 S&W !

I’m not sure if I believe it either. I know there is a shortage of 7.62x39 but I think that’s nationwide as we try to outfit the Iraqi army.

So basically, my tax dollars go to pay for AK’s and ammo for some goons in Iraq while my own AK sits in my closet because ammo is artificially 1.5 times more expensive than normal. And I read another article a few days ago that said 190,000 AK47’s in Iraq are stolen/missing/otherwise unaccounted for.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1876918/posts


36 posted on 08/07/2007 2:13:40 PM PDT


The law of Supply and Demand will not be broken. When the Iraqis are self sufficient in ammo, the prices will come down, barring a Arab Lead Embargo..........


37 posted on 08/07/2007 2:16:07 PM PDT


The .410 can be tough to find cartridges for. You might consider getting your wife a 1200 Remington in 20 gauge. The 1200 is a great shotgun to introduce newbies to the shooting sports with. It is simple and has relatively low recoil. The .410 is generally classified as an “experts” shotgun. Maybe your wife is an expert with a shotgun.


38 posted on 08/07/2007 2:25:42 PM PDT


even birdshot, by not having had much room to expand it's shot swarm is very dense, and will pack a much bigger punch than most people realize

About 30 years or more ago when I was living in FL an aggressively hostile drunk tried to break down the front door of an older couple's house in the wee hours of the morning for some unknown reason. After warning the guy to back off several times (according to the old guy's testimony that is) the homeowner fired a round of .410 birdshot through the wooden door and took off most of the lower part of the drunk's face. He survived after a long stay in the hospital at the taxpayer's expense, but his face was a real mess as long as I knew anything about him.

Don't take a .410 lightly, at close range it can be deadly even with small shot, and as you said, triple ought buckshot is also available in the .410, and 3- .36" diameter lead balls moseying along at 1200 fps is nothing to sneeze at. Wild Bill Hickock put down quite a few men with a .36 caliber Navy Colt that fired just one .36" round lead ball at a lot lower velocity than the .410 buckshot load.

39 posted on 08/07/2007 2:26:41 PM PDT


Thanks. Sounds like my kind of range. If I'm ever in your neck of the woods you can count on a visitor.

In the meantime, '... make plans and prepare. You never have trouble if you're ready for it.' T.R.

40 posted on 08/07/2007 2:36:47 PM PDT


Apparently some people in the US think that they’re going to be on their own and have to take care of themselves

And why not?

Cherthoff cannot FIND the border w/Mexico, much less protect it.

41 posted on 08/07/2007 2:55:25 PM PDT


You might consider getting your wife a 1200 Remington in 20 gauge.

We have a Remington 870 pump, it hangs with buckshot rounds in the magazine in a gun rack over the bedside nightstand where my S&W .38 revolver lies. If I have time enough in an emergency situation I would grab the pumpgun and rack a shell into the chamber, but if not I would grab the .38 loaded with Gold Saber hollow points while my wife gets to her Stevens .410 standing in the corner on her side of the bed.

If all else fails there is still the Winchester .30-30 and two other long guns in the gun rack, more centerfire rifles standing in the bedroom closet including an SKS, and 6 other handguns that are stashed out of sight around the house.

Unless an intruder can find a way to get into my log home without tripping an alarm and setting off a few floodlights, I think we could handle most hostile situations ourselves before the deputy can drive the 17 miles out here from town if I call 911. And that's providing my hard phone line hasn't been cut, because my cellphone doesn't work out here where we live.

All that may sound like overkill and/or paranoia on my part, but we have had a rash of home invasions in this general area since the illegal immigrants have moved in a few years ago and are doing most of the home maintenance and yard work around here. Their work gives them an opportunity to size up a place and it's occupants, and if they see a plum ripe for the taking they will take it or tell another crew about it and they take it. Ten years ago the local bi-weekly paper reported a half dozen arrests for DUI or other traffic violations in each edition along with perhaps a breaking and entering or assault and battery arrest now and then. Now almost every edition carries a big headline about the latest armed robbery, meth lab find, attempted murder, sexual assault, etc, etc. A local single lady was recently molested and murdered in her home not too far from here by an intruder, and an older couple's home was invaded and they were robbed and badly beaten by two Hispanic men and an anglo girl in that same general area. They haven't been caught yet AFAIK, and I don't want to be the next victim on their hit list.

42 posted on 08/07/2007 3:37:40 PM PDT


Apparently some people in the US think that they’re going to be on their own and have to take care of themselves.

Those people are right. The govt sure won't be there for us.
43 posted on 08/07/2007 6:09:54 PM PDT


This has all been forseen, as well as where it's headed. You're right...BLOAT!!!

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

44 posted on 08/07/2007 8:12:41 PM PDT


I know what you’re saying about the home maintenance guys. I have the same concerns about them scouting the place.

Whenever I have work done, I make sure there are a few conspicuous shot-up targets that just happen to be laying around. I just had some tree work done and, even though the owner assured me when I hired him that he didn’t use illegals, a few guys showed up who didn’t speak English (or pretended they didn’t).

I had on my “Right Wing Gun Nut” t-shirt, some blown up IDPA targets on the garage floor, and a Gun Owners of New Hampshire sticker on the inside of my garage door. Plus some .40 brass laying around. I think they understood what all that stuff meant. ;-)


45 posted on 08/08/2007 6:02:34 AM PDT


Whenever I have work done, I make sure there are a few conspicuous shot-up targets that just happen to be laying around.

Good idea. I save my old shot-up targets whenever I get a few decent groups in a row on one. I could leave some of those lying around next time a Hispanic crew comes around asking if I need any yard work done. I don't hire anything done around here that I can do myself, and that includes almost everything I have needed up to now except a re-staining job on the logs. But who knows if they are really looking for work or just casing the joint.

A neighbor down the road left his expensive custom built utility trailer unchained one day and when he got home that evening it was gone. Another neighbor told him a Hispanic man had gone by his house earlier that day pulling his trailer behind a pickup. At least the thief was a friendly sort, he waved and gave a big smile to the neighbor as he drove by with the other neighbor's trailer in tow.

I guess I come off sounding like I'm picking on Hispanics, but I'm not. My BIL is a builder and he uses a lot of Hispanic subcontractors and their Hispanic workers. I have met and talked with a lot of those guys and they are not all bad people by any means. It's just that a lot of the bad stuff going on around here lately seems to be being done by Hispanics who often turn out to be illegals when they are caught.

46 posted on 08/08/2007 7:04:04 AM PDT


I have done the same thing. I have an Ithica Model 37 riot shotgun loaded w/ #4 buckshot near the bed. I also have a .357 mag close at hand. I live in NE Bernalillo county, NM where a 911 call is a waste of time.


47 posted on 08/08/2007 2:14:29 PM PDT


One of my neighbors has a sign at the edge of his property. It reads “if you can read this, you are in range” in both English and Spanish.


48 posted on 08/08/2007 2:16:23 PM PDT


Oh man, an Ithaca mod 37. Talk about your classic pump shotgun, that's it.

Winchester mod 12 fans would argue that point but I'll stick by my statement, that Ithaca 37 with bottom ejection was a one of a kind pump gun. I'm not sure if Ithaca ever made a comeback or not. I seem to remember that it was sold to somebody after it was shut down the last time but I haven't heard anything else about it.

49 posted on 08/08/2007 3:23:43 PM PDT


I heard that Ithica was bought by Remington awhile ago. I think they are only making over-and-under doubles now. I have three Model 37's. One is a standard 12 gauge, one is a 20 and the third is a 12 gauge riot gun that formerly belonged to the NM State Police. The State Police decided to replace the model 37's with Remington 870's because the 37's were "old". I bought mine from a local gun shop. The gun was made in the late 50's and is still in excellent shape.

I like the Ithica better than either the Winchester 12 or the Remington 870 because of the bottom eject feature. An Ithica pump is almost impossible to jamb.
50 posted on 08/08/2007 4:14:44 PM PDT

*************************************************************************************
The baby needs milk. The car needs gas. The gun needs bullets.





Rising dairy and oil prices grab the attention of shoppers and motorists. But
the increasing price of ammunition – a consumer product the government
considers when calculating the rate of inflation – has largely gone unnoticed.

The price increases began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, then
were compounded by a double whammy: the war in Iraq, which pushed up overall
demand, and growing industrial powers such as China, which bid up the cost of
needed raw materials.

The impact is widespread:

•Ammunition dealers complain of declining sales as they are forced to pass
along rising costs to consumers.

•Hunters and gun enthusiasts, who initially stockpiled ammunition when prices
spiked, are now making more of their own or shooting less.

•And police departments in the Dallas area are experiencing long delays in
shipments and having to adjust training schedules accordingly.

"It's no good to have the gun without the ammunition," said Ken Mitchell, an
ammunition dealer in Justin.

Manufacturers dramatically ramped up production after the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan in 2001, producing about 1.5 billion rounds last year – more than 3
½ times the number manufactured in 2001, said Gale Smith, a spokeswoman for
the Army's Joint Munitions Command Center in Rock Island, Ill.

But they struggle to keep up with the demand as troop deployments continue in
the Middle East. Military spending on small-caliber ammunition increased from
$242 million in 2001 to $688 million in 2006.

The ammunition business is also feeling the pinch because of the rising price
of global commodities such as copper, brass, nickel, steel and lead.

For instance, China's torrent of construction has added to its manufacturing
capacity. And the country is hungry for resources to feed its growth. The
components needed to manufacture ammunition are also used for laying power lines
and adding buildings to wider skylines.

"We were paying $1 a pound for copper two years ago. Now we're paying $3 per
pound," said Brian Grace, a spokesman for Minnesota-based Alliant Techsystems,
the military's biggest producer of small-caliber ammunition. "Not all the
costs are being passed on. We've tried to soften the blow with supply chain
management and improved efficiency."

Despite those efforts, dealers, hunters and law enforcement officers are
feeling squeezed.

Stockpiling

Mr. Mitchell estimates that the volume of his ammo sales, which make up about
half of his business, has dropped by more than half in the past two years.

Certain rounds, such as .223-caliber, used in the Army's M-16 and law
enforcement's AR-15, have become increasingly difficult to find in the civilian
market. Supplies of the .308 cartridge, the standard round for NATO and a favorite
of hunters for its deadly effectiveness, have also tightened.

Some calibers cost only 10 percent more than a year ago; other varieties have
more than doubled in price.

When prices started to rise, savvy gun owners stockpiled all they could get,
sending prices even higher. Now dealers say that as soon as new supplies come
in, customers snap them up.

"It doesn't matter if it's 50 cents or $3, whatever's cheapest gets bought up
quick," said Robby Rucker, a manager at Southwest Ammunition Supply in
Mesquite.

He said his wholesalers raise their prices from 3 percent to 10 percent each
quarter. He expects more price increases in September.

That's a problem for Karl Pifer of Granbury, who specializes in manufacturing
designer ammunition that costs more but performs better.

"The market is moving toward lower-quality and lower-cost ammunition that
gets mass produced," said Mr. Pifer, owner of KC Precision Ballistics. "I try to
stick with the prices I've got, but when they go up, it's hard. It hits me
before it hits the customers."

When Mr. Pifer received a catalog in the mail last month for materials, he
rushed online to place orders on the good deals. But he was too late. An e-mail
in his inbox alerted him that prices had gone up since the catalog was
distributed. It was, he said, the fourth increase in eight months.

Prices of factory-produced ammunition – and increased surcharges for shipping
and handling – have gotten so high that more hunters are making their own in
a process called hand loading.

"Guys on a budget are going back to hand loading with the price of ammo doing
what it is," said Dallas resident Noel Hutcheson, 71, a retired stockbroker
who hunts quail and ducks.

Sales of ammunition components such as empty cartridges and primers have
grown at Mr. Rucker's family-run store each time retail prices for ready-to-use
ammunition have gone up.

But do-it-yourself ammunition production isn't cheap either. Someone making
his own shotgun shells is going to spend roughly a third more than last year on
supplies, said Don Snyder, executive director of the National Skeet Shooting
Association and the National Sporting Clays Association.

"There are some people who are shooting less," said Mr. Snyder of San
Antonio, whose two groups have about 3,000 members in Texas. "It's just an additional
cost to compete and enjoy our sport. There are a lot of people that jump in
and pay the tariff and do it."

Must-have item

No matter what the cost, the police need to pay. Law enforcement demand for
ammunition grew after 9/11 as departments increased their officers' live fire
training.

Several police officials said they are paying more for ammunition and
experiencing delays for shipments.

But everyone from Fort Worth to Carrollton insists that public safety has not
been compromised. Of eight departments surveyed, none has resorted to giving
deputies fewer bullets or pulling guns out of service.

The Dallas Police Department, which spends roughly $500,000 annually on
ammunition for about 3,000 officers, used to have orders filled in six weeks. Now
it takes six to nine months, said Sgt. Paul Stanford, range master for the
department.

The ammunition used in patrol rifles, identical to what the military needs,
costs 35 percent more than two years ago, Sgt. Stanford said, rising from $84 a
case to $114 a case.

And a case of 9 mm rounds, the standard for Dallas Police Department service
weapons, costs 10 percent more than two years ago – going from $98.75 in 2005
to $108.15.

The impact on smaller departments, which often don't have a special
relationship with wholesalers, can be even greater.

In Hurst, which has 72 officers, Assistant Chief Richard Winstanley needs to
plan a year or more ahead for what his staff might need. He has to be
especially proactive to keep .223 rounds in stock.

"We have to be patient," Chief Winstanley said. "Some training has to be put
off until we receive the items."

***************************************************************************

BIBLICAL THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

LEVITICUS is the third book of MOSES. It deals mostly with the duties of the Priests and LEVITES. Originally this book was called "TORAT KOHANIM", "The Law of the Priests" ...

Its present Hebrew name is Va-Yikra, the word which it begins and it means "AND HE CALLED (TO MOSES)"...

***************************************************************************
www.yearsofawe.blogspot.com

Saturday, August 11, 2007

A Tornado Grows in Brooklyn

Yes, I believe that the expulsion of two Jewish families from the Shalhevet Pass Hevron market under direct orders from Co. Rice on Tuesday, August 7th is directly related to the tornado in Brooklyn on Wednesday, August 8th. It is the first tornado in Brooklyn ever, at least since the U.S. Weather Service has been keeping records. The tit for tat shakeup of the world associated with Gog UMagog, I sincerely believe has begun. It is a little secret of the prophets of Israel that the world will not escape the wrath of G-d when the Jewish heartland is ripped free of its faithful Jews. From what I can see from the news on the tornado is that the worst damage was in Sunset Park and Bay Ridge neighborhoods, adjacent to Borough Park.

It is a message to the Jewish community that it cannot build its homes in comfort in America, thinking that the destruction of Jewish homes in the Land of Israel is an Israeli problem. Nor can you prosper while the tragedy here becomes more acute. I am in the middle of a major article on this subject as I write this update. The article will concentrate on how the sub-prime mortgage collapse and the attempt to destroy Jewish life in Yesha are intrinsically related to each other. Also since the American president is the one pulling Armilus's (Olmert's and yes Peres's) strings for the pleasure the Saudi royal family, owning an American home is not a kosher way to prosper any longer. It makes no spiritual sense that the value of an American home should rise for the benefit of American Jews as the value of a home in Yesha plummets so that the Saudis will produce abundant amounts of oil to help America prosper.

As Gog W. thickens the plot of American involvement in Jewish life here, the American prosperity machine will sink into its own red ink. You can take that to the bank. It is no accident that we are in the Years of Sukkot, a festival of temporary housing, as this tit for tat tragedy continues. In the end the tat will win over the tit because the tat is brought to you by G-d Almighty.

It is important to understand that throughout all of this that will yet transpire, feeling the pain of your fellow human being is a great repair for the soul. It helps us all become greater people who will, G-d willing, share in the Messianic Era together. We will know through experience how to avoid doing what is hateful to our fellow human being by understanding how it feels to ourselves. Facing financial distress in America because of the crashing of the value of one's home will help us better understand the distress of having one's home taken away from someone in Gush Katif with nothing but a paper shack to replace it.

If you have not yet felt that distress because you have chosen to ignore it, for the benefit of your soul may you soon feel it. If you have felt that distress, experiencing it for yourself will be even a greater tikkun. It would have been more pleasant to learn these lessons on empathy without the suffering, but our lack of merit and our stone hearted ways have seemingly left G-d with no alternative. I hopefully, bli neder, will have this next installment of "The Houses of Lavan" published this coming week.
Posted by at

Thursday, August 09, 2007

HI POWERS AND HANDGUNS

Handgun Review: Rohrbaugh R9 9mm

Text & Photos

by

Aaron L. Brudenell

I remember the first time I actually saw a Smith and Wesson J-frame .38 Special in person. The pictures in gun books were without perspective, and all those movie and television appearances never seemed to do the revolver justice. I was amazed (and continue to be impressed) with its fabulous combination of power yet small size. I am pleased to report a similar experience with a new entry into the pocket gun market from a new gun maker.

The Rohrbaugh R9 pistol has only been in steady production since the Spring of 2004, however, its makers have been working on the concept since 1996. They had 4 models on display at the Shot Show in February of 2004 when I ordered mine, and despite the tall price tag I have yet to experience any buyer’s remorse. In short, it’s most of what you’d want and more than you’d expect in a pocket sized semiautomatic pistol.

The version I obtained is the model R9S indicating 9mm Luger with sights (a .380 version is currently in development primarily for export). Initially, the gun was never intended to have sights by its makers who envisioned an ultra compact no-snag weapon that was designed for deep concealment and close range self defense. The accuracy of the pistol as well as overwhelming customer demand now puts the orders for sighted pistols at ~70%. Both the R9 and R9S have a stainless steel slide and each was initially offered in a choice of silver or gray anodized alloy frames. Recent concerns over the cosmetic quality of the silver anodizing have eliminated that option for now but a similar finish may be available in the future.

The R9 is a quality compact automatic that handles full-power 9mm. It would be easy to carry this handgun 24/7 where legal or as a back up gun.

The pistol is recoil-operated. This self-loader has a true double action only trigger. The trigger operates a hammer that sits flush with the slide when not activated. Since there is no need to “partially cock” the hammer by some mechanism of the action prior to firing, a “second strike” is permitted on any chambered cartridge that might fail to fire. The trigger is connected to the firing mechanism by way of a trigger bar that occupies a cutout in the right side of the frame. The trigger return spring is housed in a recess of the right grip just below the trigger bar channel where it’s protected by the frame on one side and the grip on the other. Grip panels are a blue/black carbon fiber, however, newer versions will come with all black grips made from a state of the art polymer known as G-10. The seams of all the moving parts as well as the grip to frame fit are very tight and will resist the intrusion of pocket lint or other undesirable debris.

The guide rails on the frame extend from just ahead of the trigger to the rear of the frame. The dual recoil spring operates with a captive inner spring and a larger outer spring that is held in place by a metal collar at the muzzle end inside the slide. The manufacturer recommends replacing the outer spring every 500 rounds, however, I saw no indications of fatigue in at least as many shots. The magazine holds 6 rounds single file and is held in place by a heel release at the bottom rear of the grip. I am often suspicious of heel releases that may easily be bumped and release the magazine, however, this particular design holds the magazine quite well and I have no such concerns. Since there are no other external controls, no grip/frame checkering, and the rear of the slide (and hammer) angles forward, the gun is literally snag free.

Sights are simple but adequate to the intended task. I’d prefer more front sight visibility, but I’m sure the application of a suitable orange paint will do the trick. The trigger pull is a very manageable 7 pounds with less than 1” of overall travel. For carry in any holster or inside an otherwise empty pocket, this combination seems safe enough. Those who prefer to carry without a round in the chamber will find the slide serrations sufficient to work the action without any problems. The length of the grip will accommodate two small to average size fingers and the trigger guard turns up towards the slide as it meets the grip frame to accomplish this with minimal overall size. The small size and light weight, coupled with full power modern 9mm ammunition, makes for somewhat snappy recoil, however, it’s no worse than a light .38 Special firing +P ammunition. Although not intended for +P 9mm ammunition, the performance of non-+P ammunition from the R9’s 3” barrel is not lacking.

Load Avg. Vel. Ext. Spread

Federal 135 gr. Personal Defense Hydra-Shok JHP 923 fps 22 fps

Federal 124 gr. HST JHP 1054 fps 92 fps

Speer 124 gr. Gold Dot Hollow Point 984 fps 22 fps

Winchester 115 gr. Silver Tip Hollow Point 1047 fps 37 fps

Winchester 115 gr. FMJ (USA brand) 1072 fps 40 fps

Fiocchi 115 gr. FMJ-HP 1046 fps 39 fps

Fiocchi 115 gr. FMJ 978 fps 46 fps

PMC 115 gr. JHP 976 fps 34 fps

PMC 95 gr. Starfire JHP 1166 fps 27 fps

Accuracy with each type of ammunition was also tested with six shot groups at 7 yards. The best of a pair of such groups is listed below. As one would expect the recoil and associated fatigue due to sustained and repeated firing was worse with higher bullet weights. I found all of the test groups to be satisfactory for a gun of the R9’s size and purpose. I picked a some of the better performers and tested them at 15 yards with predictable results: groups were roughly double their 7 yard counterparts but well within the 10.5” paper target and more than sufficient for most defensive applications at that range.

Load 6 shot group size (best of 2) from 7 yards

Federal 135 gr. Personal Defense Hydra-Shok JHP 4 7/8”

Federal 124 gr. HST JHP 3 1/2”

Speer 124 gr. Gold Dot Hollow Point 3 5/8”

Winchester 115 gr. Silver Tip Hollow Point 3 1/4”

Winchester 115 gr. FMJ (USA brand) 2 1/4”

Fiocchi 115 gr. FMJ-HP 3 1/2”

Fiocchi 115 gr. FMJ 4 1/8”

PMC 115 gr. JHP 3 5/8”

PMC 95 gr. Starfire JHP 2”

For a pistol that’s not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes and not much heavier than a can of diet cola (just 1 calorie and no carbs!) I consider these results to be anywhere from adequate to outstanding. It struck me that any gun this size that can make groups smaller than the gun at practical ranges is accurate enough.

Not intended as a target pistol, the R-9 can still deliver "minute of felon" groups at 7 yds.

How small is it? The short answer is that it’s 5” long, 4” tall, and under 0.9” at its widest point. Numerical descriptions like that are often wanting so to paraphrase a college professor I once knew, “Let’s talk geography before we talk geology”. There was a time when the SIG-Sauer 225 was considered a compact pistol. More modern successors are smaller, lighter, or hold more rounds in the magazine—frequently all three! The current state of the art in production pocket pistols is well-populated with revolvers and semiautomatics in a variety of calibers, configurations, sizes, weights, and capacities. Since not everyone’s favorite gun shop will have an R9 on the shelf, I’ve picked 3 that are more common to illustrate where the R9 fits into the list of options. The Kahr arms PM9 is slightly larger than the R9, but very similar in overall size and capacity. The Kel Tec P3AT is slightly smaller and quite a bit lighter than the R9, but only available in .380 ACP. Finally, the aluminum alloy framed Smith and Wesson Airweight .38 Special is a perfect watermark with which to compare these three relatively new pistols.

Firearm Height Length Thickness Capacity Weight (Empty Magazine)

S&W model 442 4 ¼” 6 ¼” 1.31” 5 15.1 oz

Kahr PM9 4 ¼” 5 5/8” 0.92”* 6+1 16.5 oz

Rohrbaugh R9 4” 4 5 1/8” 0.85” 6+1 14.1 oz

Kel Tec P3AT 5 ¼” 3 5/8” 5.14 0.79” 6+1 8.4 oz

(* Figure excludes slide stop, which is 1.15” at its widest part.)

The R9 is a nice synthesis of the best features of both the PM9 and P3AT. It has the more rounded and sloped lines of the P3AT with better sights and a more powerful cartridge.

The R9 is very comparable to other popular pocket automatics, but offers full-power 9x19mm in a quality handgun that is easily concealed.. The R9 is on the right in the picture on the left and in the middle in the other.

Disassembly of the R9 is very straightforward. After removing the magazine and clearing the chamber, simply draw the slide about 3/8” to the rear and push out the retaining pin above the trigger from right to left. A punch is useful for this task, however, a toothpick will suffice given that the pin is not held in place with any tension--the slide will then come forward, off the frame. The remainder of the frame need not be disassembled for routine cleaning and the slide components can be removed from the slide assembly in the same way as most other pistols. The retaining collar of the outer recoil spring is the only unusual feature and it’s function and placement is obvious. The loose end of the outer recoil spring goes towards the muzzle with the flat portion towards the rear of the guide rod assembly. Reassembly is accomplished in the reverse order with some care needed not to insert the rear end of the guide rod assembly too high against the barrel thus obstructing its fit in the frame.

Rohrbaugh's R9 pistol is compact and in a caliber offering a wide selection of ammunition from state-of-the-art defense rounds to inexpensive FMJ for the range.

For more information on these firearms, see their web site at www.rohrbaughfirearms.com. Check out the on-line forum of users at http://www.rohrbaughforum.com, or call at1-800-803-2233. Their mailing address is:

Rohrbaugh Firearms

P.O. Box 785

Bayport, NY 11705

************************************************************************************


DEBKAfile

DEBKAfile Exclusive: New Al Qaeda threat of radioactive truck attacks naming New York, Los Angeles, Miami

August 10, 2007, 1:11 AM (GMT+02:00)

The threat was picked up by DEBKAfile’s monitors from a rush of electronic chatter on al Qaeda sites Thursday, Aug. 8.

The al Qaeda communications accuse the Americans of the grave error of failing to take seriously the videotape released by the American al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gaddahn last week. “They will soon realize their mistake when American cities are hit by quality operations,” said one message.

Another said the attacks would be carried out “by means of trucks loaded with radio-active material against America’s biggest city and financial nerve center.”

A third message mentioned New York, Los Angeles and Miami as targets. It drew the answer: “The attack, with Allah’s help, will cause an economic meltdown, many dead, and a financial crisis on a scale that compels the United States to pull its military forces out of many parts of the world, including Iraq, for lack of any other way of cutting down costs.”

There is also a message which speaks obliquely of the approaching attacks easing the heavy pressure America exerts on countries like Japan, Cuba and Venezuela.

DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources and monitors say there is no way of gauging for sure how serious these threats are, how real, or whether they are part of a war of nerves to give the Gaddahn tape extra mileage. But it is important to note that the exchange of messages took place over al Qaeda’s internal Internet sites and that they contained the threat of radioactive terror and specific American cities for the first time after a long silence on these subjects.

In addition, a growing number of clips has been disseminated of late over al Qaeda sites instructing the faithful how to design remote-controlled gliders, pack them with explosives and launch them against predetermined targets.


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 DISCLAIMER: I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD A FEW OF THESE SMALL 9mm PISTOLS IN MY SHOP AND I THINK THE PRICE IS TOO HIGH AND I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THEM. I THINK THEY ARE IDEAL TO BE CARRIED A LOT AND SHOT OCASSIONALLY. THE EARLY VERSIONS DID NOT HAVE A GOOD FINISH ON THE FRAME. OF COURSE IN THE END ITS YOUR CHOICE AND NOT MINE.

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S&W issues recall for PC Model 460XVR revolvers

Guns Magazine, Jan, 2007

Smith & Wesson is voluntarily recalling its Performance Center Model 460XVR revolvers. This recall applies only to the Performance Center Model 460 and does not involve Smith & Wesson's standard production Model 460 revolver. The recall applies only to revolvers that contain barrels manufactured for the Performance Center by an outside supplier. No other firearm models within the Smith & Wesson product line are affected by the recall.

The Company is initiating this recall as a result of a few isolated reports of barrel failures limited to the Performance Center 460 revolvers. Investigation has revealed the quality of the steel in some of these barrels did not meet performance requirements.

The recall applies to all Performance Center Model 460 revolvers shipped by Smith & Wesson prior to September 18, 2006. The Company is working diligently with its distributors and dealers to identify affected customers and to provide prompt and timely notice of this recall. Consumers who purchased the Performance Center Model 460 revolvers should not use their revolver until it has been inspected by Smith & Wesson.

The affected revolvers were sold under the following SKUs: 170262; 170263, 170267; 170268; 170280; 170281; and 170287, and are within the following serial number ranges:

EBD0001-EBD0524

EBF0002-EBF0251
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My question is what third world country are these barrels made and what other S&W parts are made by outside sources ??

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BIBLICAL THOUGHT OF THE DAY :

ISAIAH IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE PROPHET OF HOLINESS. THERE ARE 66 CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH. MANY SCHOLARS BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL ISAIAH ONLY WROTE THE FIRST 40 CHAPTERS AND THE REMAINING 26 CHAPTERS WERE WRITTEN BY THE UNKNOWN ISAIAH OR THE EXILED ISAIAH. "ISAIAH OF THE EXILE"

If you have an interest in knowing more about interesting thoughts from the holy bible and its prophets please let me know, you can email me through my website. I have spent a lifetime reading from the Hebrew bible.

Teddy Jacobson

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