Sprucing things up a bit.

I finally got an idea of what to do for my title banner photo, so there you have it. I incorporated items related to all three topics of the blog. I tried to go with a whisk instead of the kitchen knife, but it just seemed too large and obtuse to really fit properly. Plus, it's a nice knife and framed the bottom of the photo pretty well.

While I refuse to purchase Canon products any longer for reasons of principle (you can read specifically why here), The AE-1 Program was my first serious camera, so it gets a special place - despite the sins of its manufacturer.

I'm still trying to figure out something good enough to put as a profile picture. Any suggestions are welcome. I don't want to just use a picture of my face. [EDIT: put up the "photographer behind a camera" generic photo for the time being]

That is all for now. I'm still trying to decide which topic mulling around in my head I should pursue as my next post.

Finally back at the range.

After I posted a picture of my Hi-Power a month ago, I was gently prodded by Brigid to make a range report. Life, such at it is, has prevented me from making the trek out to the range for quite some time. I finally motivated myself to make it out today.

First, an introduction to the gun.

It is a Fabricaciones Militares (FM of Argentina) FM-90 Hi-Power. While these guns are sometimes mislabeled as clones, Argentina has licensed the design and tooling from FN-Herstal in Belgium for domestic production - making the FM guns true Browning Hi-Powers. The FM-90 is Argentina's MkII version. An interesting distinction of Argentina's Hi-Powers is that the MkII and later models lack the slide beveling seen in the FN guns. This is sometimes known as a "Colt-style" slide, as it gives the gun a more 1911-like appearance.

The stock magazine utilizes a metal follower unique to Argentine Hi-Powers, which increases magazine capacity to 14 rounds from the normal 13-round capacity of FN magazines. Mec-Gar, the OEM manufacturer of FN Hi-Power mags, produces a flush-fit 15-round magazine for the Hi-Power utilizing a special plastic follower. I have found them to be utterly reliable, and have transitioned to these as my primary magazines.

The FM-90 also comes standard with Pachmayr-type wraparound grips with finger grooves on the frontstrap. I absolutely love these grips, as they provide a very positive grip surface for shooting stability.

While later model FN Hi-Powers come standard with spur hammers, FM production guns are equipped with a commander hammer from the factory. I greatly prefer this configuration for concealed-carry purposes.

I purchased my Hi-Power new in the box from the good friend who first introduced me to shooting. Dissatisfied with the FEG PA-63 that was my first handgun, I was looking for something more tasked for concealed carry. Despite being a full-sized double-stack service pistol, the Hi-Power is quite slender. This makes it well-suited for concealment. Many decades of service have proven the reliability of the Hi-Power, John Moses Browning's final handgun design.

All these characteristics make the FM Hi-Power an ideal everyday carry for me. Its matte-black finish aids in concealment. Single-action carry in Condition 1 appeals to my sense of efficiency for rapid deployment. Perhaps it is my German heritage, but polymer-framed guns have never really appealed to me. A solidly-built metal-framed pistol just has a certain aesthetic attraction that plastic can't match.

On to the range report.

It's been about 3 months since I last visited the range, and it showed. I found myself re-training myself to keep my aim steady. I remembered something in someone's blog about "squeezing the gun 20% tighter!". Quite a difference that squeeze makes. It didn't help that my internal clock is all out of whack. To try and remedy this, I decided to reset my sleep schedule by skipping a night with the aid of coffee. Sleep deprivation + caffeine does not a steady hand make. After about 150 rounds, I finally got myself straightened out. Oof.

As mentioned above, the Hi-Power is a single action pistol. Without going into excessive detail, the functional advantages of this kind of action (for me) are that trigger pull is relatively light - making a steady grip during trigger pull generally easier to attain than with a double-action pistol. When compared to a double-action/single-action pistol, trigger pull requires the same effort every time, making shot placement more consistent. Speed and ease of deployment are important to me, and I have found that a single-action pistol meets my needs best. Practice has made deactivation of the safety an intrinsic part of my drawing action - something I can do at speed without specific conscious effort.

The Hi-Power manual-of-arms is essentially identical to that of the 1911. Internal workings are somewhat different in the trigger and safety mechanisms, but overall mechanical operation is essentially the same. The Hi-Power lacks the grip safety feature of the 1911, while the Hi-Power design includes a magazine disconnect "feature" that disables the trigger mechanism when a magazine is not inserted. This feature is widely regarded as a detractor in that the trigger pull is less smooth than its 1911 counterpart, and that it impedes a magazine from falling freely from the gun when released. Many people remove this feature from their guns to eliminate these problems. Were I concerned with competition performance, I might be compelled to remove the disconnect from my gun, but for a defensive pistol I don't believe it to be necessary.

From my own experience, the Hi-Power is well-balanced and lends itself to instinctive "point" shooting. In practice drills, I find that my instinctive aim matches up well to sighted aim at speed, meaning that rapid-transition multiple target drills are natural for me. Balance is a beneficial contributing factor here also, as I have found sight picture reset is quick for me when compared to other pistols in my experience - even guns in the 1911 platform.

It was rainy and windy (and therefore muddy) today, so I didn't do much moving and shooting. While I did not run any multiple target transition drills, I did to some rapid-fire follow-up shot drills to practice sight picture reset. The target to your left (or above, depending on how your screen renders) is from one of these drills - 10 shots of controlled rapid fire at a range of 7 yards. You can click the image to enlarge.

All-in-all it was a good range trip. It started out rough, but as always, range time becomes an exercise in self-control and mental discipline. Going to the range is always like that for me. I can always count on a good range session to clear my head and soothe my mind and body of the accumulated stresses of life. Once I do my part, I know my gun will do its own.

Not a surprise

Sorry for the meme. Too much to do right now. I'll get something substantive up soon. I blame Breda.

You are a Social Liberal (68% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (65% permissive) You are best described as a: Libertarian Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

And now for something completely different.

Due to a the daylight savings change, a change in job status, and various other variables, I find myself up late at a coffee shop, browsing the internets and rummaging though thought tangents. Something crossed my mind from last week, so I figured I'd post it. It is not related to guns, food, or photography (unless you consider that a movie is a set of moving photographs).

Anyhoo, my girlfriend and I were flipping channels on the idiot box the other day, and came across National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation. This particular scene had our usual characters arguing over what to do in a hotel courtyard, with the daughter all dressed up to go out on town separate from the family. I had never seen the movie and was unfamiliar with it. Judging from the clothing, I pegged it as something quite recent. I was wrong. Apparently the film was released in 1997 - twelve years ago! Did the National Lampoon folks have some eerie insight into future fasion? Almost.

Most of my estimation was derived from the clothing of the daughter character. She was wearing clothing typical of what you would see worn in modern times by famous actresses and pseudo-celebrities like Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and the like. My girlfriend pointed out that the clothing in the movie was meant to portray, shall we say, someone of questionable morals. A slut on the town, in other words. I found myself wrapping my mind around the notion that 1997 "slut" garb is acceptable everyday fashion for 2009.

Quite a ways we've journied in a little over a decade. It makes me wonder what fashion will bring us in 2021.

(I tried and tried to find an image on the internets of this scene, but was unable to locate one.)

EDIT: I just realized I got on this train of thought while reading phlegmfatale's post about Africans and donated clothes. Heh.

Just checking in...

For the handful of people who have been kind enough to follow my blog, I apologize for the lack of posts. Work has been a bit crazy, and then I was stricken with the cold for a good 5 days. I have a few ideas for posts in the works, so I'll try and get something up soon.

In the meantime...

For your viewing pleasure I have a photo of my FM Hi-Power, taken in the very professional environment of my kitchen counter top - the closest thing I have to a seamless background at the moment. Oh, how I miss having a studio to work in.

(click to enlarge)

A Most Delicious Game

Talking on #gunblogger_conspiracy the other day, we got on the topic of venison recipes. I mentioned that I had some great success with chicken fried venison. I figured this to be a relatively simple recipe and not really outstanding. Judging from the remarks in the channel, apparently no one was familiar with the preparation process I use.

I actually learned the basics of my hand breading techniques during my short stint in the fast food industry, and have refined my process through my years of bachelor cooking. This particular recipe was an instant hit with my girlfriend, who is quite the picky eater, and was put off by the thought of eating game meat before she knew me.

I use whatever pieces of meat I have on-hand. The prep for this post was done with shoulder and front leg meat. The reason this recipe is a good for these pieces of meat is because you can work with small parts. These parts of the deer tend to have a lot of tendon and connective tissues that need to be stripped out of the meat for cooking. Keep in mind that the finished product will be around 3 times the length and width of the original piece of meat (and much thicker). My fryer is relatively small, so I can't make the Texas-sized pieces I'd like to.

This recipe should work for pan-frying as well, though you may have to adjust cooking time a bit.

Chicken Fried Venison

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of venison, divided into pieces.
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 generous pinch of rubbed sage


Preparation:

Heat your fryer to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Before starting, it is important to wash your hands and clean your fingernails well. This breading method is improved by getting the coating on your hands and then rubbing off the stuck batter back into the flour mix as you work. This will create more "crispies".

Venison pieces should be around 3-4 inches in diameter, though this can be adjusted more or less, depending on how big you want to make your steaks. Tenderize the venison pieces thin and flat with a tenderizing mallet.


In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the milk and egg using a fork or whisk.

In another medium-large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, and sage - mixed loosely to make sure spices are spread throughout the flour.

Take a tenderized steak and coat it thoroughly in eggwash. Transfer it to the flour coating bowl and place it in the center. Pile flour from around it on top, and push the flour downward into the steak with your fist or heel of your hand. Flip and press flour in again. Repeat the eggwash/flour process.


Place the steak in the fryer for around 5 minutes, turning over after 3 minutes. The steaks should be lightly browned when ready. Remove steak and drain oil off, then place on a napkin-covered plate to remove excess oil.



Serve with cream gravy and your choice of vegetables.
Recipe serves 3-4.

Random Hilarity

Sorry for the lack of posts, gunny or otherwise. I'm cooking up a game recipe post to put up in the next day or two. I've also got an extensive gun-related post in the works.

I am sure by now everyone has seen the YouTube video of the little kid in the back seat of a car drugged up after a visit to the dentist. If you haven't, you've been living under a rock. For those of you rock-dwellers, below is the video. Watch it and then continue. Everyone else, skip on to the next part.



Someone thought it fitting to make a parody of the above video. This time, it's Darth Vader who is coming home from the dentist. I nearly shot coffee out of my nose watching it. Here's the video:



[EDIT] If you watch both videos at the same time, giving the Vader clip a 5 second head start, you get an extra dose of synchronous hilarity!