The CLA Rifle Quest

[glen ring]

I love rifles and I love reading about someone finding an old Rifle in a Pawn Shop for Small Money that shoots like a Million Bucks. That didn't happen to me. I bought a 30-30 336c Marlin in a Pawn Shop for my wife. I bought it for little money and spent lots of money on bullets ( cast and jacketed ) and different types of Powder.One cast bullet of 150 grains and a light charge shot well at 50 yards and OK at 100 yards, but was beginning to tumble. I tried everything to get the gun to shoot and it was always just a 4 inch average gun with most bullets at 100 yards. One of my friends laughed at me and told everyone I was looking for a lever action benchrest gun. I finally gave up on the gun and just bought my wife a new 336 XLR Marlin in 30-30. It shoots everything good. Fast Light Bullets, heavy cast bullets..... This gun seems to just shoot.
My advice to anyone buying a gun for CLA would be just buy a 336XLR in 30-30 and be done with it. I really like my 38-55 Cowboy, but I think the 336XLR will shoot inside the 38-55's groups. My wife always ends up with the best guns in the family!

[Innocent]

Learning how to keep the wife happy is important!!!LOL

Innocent

[glen ring]

Innocent

I've learned , in the last couple of years, that a hard working woman likes to come home to a well groomed Man, a Clean house, and Dinner on the table. I spent 28 years of my youth in pursuit of my career and now this is a NICE change. Some guys with tremendous egos can't shift gears and become a house husband, but this is one sweet gig. I shoot , workout, garden and fish for most of the day. At around 3pm I plan dinner and start cooking and cleaning. At 6pm dinner is on the table and after doing dishes I make sure she has a good evening. If she has brought work home, I go to my shop and make sure her guns are clean and ammo loaded. Last year I talked her into going to the Lever Action Nationals with me. We sat on the porch , watched Bears and Austrailans and had a few refreshing beverages . She can't wait to go back again.

[Innocent]

glen ring...bless you for switching gears, tough to do sometimes but worth the trouble...I'm sure you guys had a blast with the crew from down under and Raton is a great place to sit on the porch with a drink and watch the world go by.

Innocent Mary

[glen ring]

Thank You Mary. Some of my friends can't see themselves changing gears until after a couple of "Major Asset Divisions".

My wife was very impressed with the folks at the Lever Action Nationals. I had told her for years how I've asked a stranger from another country to watch a $3000.00 gun while I went to take a break and come back to find that stranger watching my equipment. At the Nationals this year a very kind lady saw my wife had a sunburn , handed my wife the keys to her vehicle, pointed out the vehicle and told her that the sunscreen was in her purse to help herself!! We've both been in professions that have seen the worse that mankind has to offer and this type of trust can usually only be found at a firearms competition. Raton is a GREAT place. Now if we could just get an Air Rifle and Air Pistol Silhouette Championship there, I would be tempted to stay there for weeks every summer.

[Jason]

I love to hear stories like this. On my birthday last year, I told them I was giving them my 20-year notice. I'm retiring on my 55th birthday. I'm trying my best to take care of myself enough that I have at least 20 years of "house husband" or what else people want to call it. I call them my "I ain't going to work today!" years and I can't wait.

[glen ring]

Make it happen Jason. I retired at 50 and was in the best physical shape of my life. Remember ...you don't have to be quicker , stronger or smarter than your opponent. All you have to do is OUTLIVE them. My driving force is to give my grandson all my guns at his 40th birthday party.

[rods]

Glen

Since you couldn't make it last year, why don't you bring the new shooter and the misses to our cowboy silhouette matches here at Tappan Hill, in Northern Kansas. We had our first NRA approved match this month, and except for a few glitches, it went well and all had a good time.
Matches are held the first Sunday of the month. Smallbore and pistol caliber in the morning, center fire afternoon.

Thanks
Rod

[Outback Mick]

Glen,
Your peaceful afternoons at Whittington may be a thing of the past in 2010. The Australian team has grown somewhat, only in number not in IQ points. If all goes well there should be about nine of us stationed in the competitor housing at the range. If Dave & I can do it we'll encourage a few of the "newcomers" to investigate the noises in the dumpsters after dark......
Glad to hear things are going well. Look forward to seeing everyone later this year.

Outback Mick

[glen ring]

Rod

We're looking forward to shooting at your range. When my wife's schedule gets in sync with mine, we're heading your way. If you can send me a PM with a number to call to check the weather/range road conditions before we leave that would be great. It's a drive of a few hours for us.

Mick

Aside from your accent, you guys are very much like redneck Okies ( that's a compliment cause I are one) . Good guns, cold beverages and beautiful women are universal topics of discussion. It's great for us to talk to competitors from other parts of the world that speak the same language , well similar anyway. Mick, prior to leaving for the Nationals in August, jog my decaying memory and I'll bring you guys some good Oklahoma Bar-B-Q Sauce. I look forward to shooting with you guys again. You're great competitors.

[Outback Mick]

Glen,
Funny thing you should mention rednecks. Our group will comprise quite a number of exactly this type of individual. You fellas would remember the Walt Disney cartoon character "Tasmanian Devil".....think along those lines. The old saying "never judge a book by its cover" will not really apply to some in the Australian camp this year. Several of our blokes will actually be real live Tasmanians. Bring a stout stick along and you can poke them and see what happens for the fun of it.
I'll make a note to remind you about the sauce. I'll just have to be careful one of the others don't get their grubby mits on it. Some of our blokes are that backward that they haven't got the hang of screw top lids quite yet. Dave and I have to run, sorry, I run, Dave ambles about every shoot opening beer bottles so these fellows don't have to smash the necks of the beer bottles off to get to the grog.
Oh, and regarding 45-70s for Cowboy Sihouette. I just got onto a Centennial 1895 Marlin, first one I have seen or heard of in Australia. Looking forward to getting my own grubby mits on the thing.

Outback Mick

[daisy]

Glen,
Funny thing you should mention rednecks. Our group will comprise quite a number of exactly this type of individual. You fellas would remember the Walt Disney cartoon character "Tasmanian Devil".....think along those lines. The old saying "never judge a book by its cover" will not really apply to some in the Australian camp this year. Several of our blokes will actually be real live Tasmanians. Bring a stout stick along and you can poke them and see what happens for the fun of it.
I'll make a note to remind you about the sauce. I'll just have to be careful one of the others don't get their grubby mits on it. Some of our blokes are that backward that they haven't got the hang of screw top lids quite yet. Dave and I have to run, sorry, I run, Dave ambles about every shoot opening beer bottles so these fellows don't have to smash the necks of the beer bottles off to get to the grog.
Oh, and regarding 45-70s for Cowboy Sihouette. I just got onto a Centennial 1895 Marlin, first one I have seen or heard of in Australia. Looking forward to getting my own grubby mits on the thing.

Outback Mick

Hey Mick don't forget to tell them about the red-head from Vic. that needs man cuddles from time to time.

Daisy

[Outback Mick]

Daisy,
Think about it, the f#@kwit from Victoria must getting to like a few "man cuddles". He's invited us all to Victoria for a state champs........ Just one big happy family!!!!

Outback Mick

[the ex pom]

A new rifle Outback? Hope youve sent the chairman photos so he can run out and get one aswell.

[Quarter]

The Chairman would rather go out and get what you've got.......