More About the Denison Smock

In my last post I described the replica Denison Smock I picked up last month, and my trial of Nikwax Cotton Proof water repellency treatment.  Last night tested I how windproof the smock is.  It was 48*F with a 15 MPH wind gusting to 20 MPH.  Wind chill was about 42*.  I took a 25 minute walk around the neighborhood wearing only a long sleeve cotton t-shirt underneath and remained comfortable.

Due to the large cut of the smock it'll work well for layering in cool, dry conditions.  For example, I have a Columbia Titanium fleece jacket made from Polartec 300, which is nice and warm but not windproof. I also have a lighter weight fleece vest from REI.  A combination of one or two of these plus the smock should be warm down into the low 30s, maybe a bit lower.  For layering in conditions when it's likely to rain I have a German surplus flecktarn rain parka made of something like Gore-Tex, which will fit over the Denison Smock.  (I picked up the German jacket at I. Golderg's last year in virtually-new condition for only $25.  I need to go back and get matching pants.)

IMO, the Denison Smock or a similar jacket makes a nice piece of gear for cool, dry conditions.  They should offer good wear resistance, and unlike synthetics, don't melt when exposed to flame (though of course it may burn).  For military use I'd pair it with wool for layering due to this factor.  The Brits still issue smocks, though they've gone to a full zip design and they're now made in the current DPM camo.  These are available as surplus for reasonable prices.

For what looks like the Rolls Royce of combat smocks, check out Drop Zone Tactical's Recce Smock.

Testing Nikwax Cotton Proof Treatment

Most of us have heard the phrase "cotton kills," when referring to clothing to be used in cold weather.  That's because cotton loses all of its insulation properties when it gets wet.

However, cotton does have some qualities which make it desireable for use in clothing.  It's common, mostly inexpensive, wears well, and the right weaves can be very windproof.  So, if there is a way to make cotton material less vulnerable to getting wet it's worth giving a try.

Earlier this month I bought a replica second pattern Denison Smock from What Price Glory.  The Denison Smock was issued to British paratroopers, commandos, and snipers during and after World War 2.  I'd wanted one since first learning of them in the book With British Snipers to the Reich.

The Denison Smock is made of tightly woven cotton twill fabric.  It should be pretty wind resistant (I haven't been able to test that yet since it's only September) but as it comes from WPG, isn't water resistant.  Wanting to use the smock while out in Fall and Winter weather, I looked around for a water repellency treatment.  After a bit of searching on the Internet I ordered a bottle of Nikwax Cotton Proof from Campmor.

Nikwax's directions instruct you to start with a clean article and then apply it with a brush or through washing in hot water.  You can do this in a clothes washer but I didn't want to have to get any residue out of my washer, so instead, I filled a 5 gallon bucket with hot water, and added the correct amount of Cotton Proof.  I then imersed the smock in the bucket, swishing it around to make sure all the fabric was wet.  I then let it sit for about 15 or 20 minutes, swishing the smock around a few times during the soak.  Afterwards I rinsed the smock until the water ran clear, and let it air dry.

Today was the first time I was able to test the water repellency.  It's misting and 64 degrees F.  I put on the smock and took a one mile walk around my neighborhood.  I was out in the mist for about 25 minutes.  It's a short test, but during my walk the mist just beaded on the outside of the smock.  Underneath I stayed dry except for my sweat (it's a bit warm to be walking around in one of these things).  After I got home I stuck my arm under the water dripping from my roof to simulate raindrops falling on the smock.  While the Cotton Proof kept the mist out, the larger drops went right through, wetting my arm.

Based on this short test, the Nikwax Cotton Proof treatment adds a limited amount of water repellency.  It will keep mist out for awhile but rain is going to get through treated material easily.  For rain, you're going to want actual rain gear made from modern materials.

Some Hurricane Related Links

Articles relating to power outages associated with disasters, especially hurricanes:

• Carbon Monoxide (CO) Risks of Portable Generators
• Living Without Power
• Some Tips to Make Life More Bearable After the Storm
• Blackout Survival Guide
  

Gustav After Action Report

OVer on Arfcom, "charlesb_la" posted an AAR describing his experience riding out Hurricane Gustav in an apartment in Baton Rouge. It's worth reading.

Ike Looking Ugly

Brendan Loy at Weathernerd is blogging about Hurricane Ike. In short, while Ike is likely to remain a Category 2 Hurricane, it's likely to have a huge storm surge when it hits Texas. If I was in its path I'd be bugging out.

Follow Up on Some Lessons Learned From Paintball

I received the following email from Jim Scott in response to my post back in April, in which I described some lessons I learned while playing paintball with a tactical approach. Jim has graciously given me permission to repost his email here, in order to spread additional lessons.

It was refreshing to read a post about simulated combat that didn't read like a failed Rambo script.

Taking lessons from simunitions fights, as well as real field conditions (Kuwait, Iraq x 2, and Afghanistan) I'd like to add a few points to what you said.


As far as gear goes, all of the gear used by military guys in combat, or areas likely to be attacked is of a flame retardant nature (i.e Nomex) this is due to the large number of individuals that get burned (gas from vehicles, IEDs, whatever...fire is surprisingly common in war zones). If you are wearing a moisture wicking fabric like UnderArmour the material will melt to your skin and cause all sorts of problems.

Additionally you mentioned gloves, some guys like gloves with gauntlets, personally I have a set of Wiley X gloves ( CAG-1) , they have this reinforced polyurethane pre-formed bit over the knuckles that protects them, but at the same time isn't restrictive. Also they are made of nomex, and leather, so they are tough, and still very easy to work in.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/wiley-x-combat-assault-tactical-gloves-cag-1.html (Not the best price, but the right item)

Another area you addressed was eye protection. Eye protection tinted during the day, and clear at night, is a must. Flying debris is EVERYWHERE. And Murphy's Law dictates the SECOND you take your goggles off, you're going to end up with dust, bugs, brass, something hitting you in the eye. Also, lets face it, even a small gnat hitting you in the eye feels like you just got speared with a C-130. The Army created a list of ballistic goggles and glasses that are rated for wear (APproved Eye wear List, or APEL) that all services use, and has multiple designs that accept prescription inserts. Note, I said inserts, not lenses. This is actually better, when your lenses get scratched to Hell, and they will, you replace only the cheap lens, and not the expensive insert. I have Uvex, WileyX, and ESS systems.... I like the ESS the best, they come in both a normal, and a narrow fit for smaller faces (like mine). A little anti-fog cream from a SCUBA store, and you are in business as far as fogging goes. (The downside is they will now attract dust like a magnet). Also the prescription insert (without which I would be hard pressed to hit the broad side of a barn) is fitted in a plastic frame that is a lot more comfortable than the other two.

http://www.gearzoneproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=76 ESS ICE system

Now here is something you didn't mention. Knee and elbow pads. They are GREAT. No two ways about it, when you are getting mortared, shot at, or even just have to work on the ol' truck being able to drop to your knees and land on foam padding beats the heck out of getting the sharpest rock in the middle east jabbed into your kneecap. I like the type that have eleastic and slide over your feet. They stay put just fine most of the time, and unlike inserts, or strap-on pads, when you siddenly find youself trying to climb/sleep/take a dump, you can slip them down around your ankles and out of the way, without taking them all of the way off.

And then comes the last item. Hearing protection. You need to hear the bad guy, however explosions and gunfire tend to make it where all you hear is ringing....so this time, I'm going to drop a mad expensive name...ready? Here it is : Surefire. Yep. The flashlight guys. They make earplugs that fit under helmets, glasses, goggles, whatever you are wearing, and block out hazardous noise (gunfire) while not blocking normal sounds (range commands, your buddy talking, haji-bob sneaking up on you, etc.) Plus as an added bonus you can plug them all the way up, and sleep through WWIII if needed. Also, they are cheap...like 14 bucks, so you can get a few sets to replace the ones that walk off. (I've never lost mine...I have, however, had a number of sets decide that they wanted to strike out on their own with out me. Maybe go to California, become movies stars... I wish them luck)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/561898-REG/Surefire_EP4_MPR_EP4_Sonic_Defenders_Plus.html Earplus.

As far as tactics go, everything you said was spot-on. The only thing I'm not sure if you noticed was moving across open, or poorly covered areas can be ..... well, less than fun. The method we are taught, as dumb as it sounds, is "I'm up, they see me, I'm down." Basically, you have to get up (crouched running, move for no more than 1-2 seconds, then DROP...roll to one side or the other, spring up, repeat. This prevents the bad guy from getting a good, aimed shot at you...by the time he acquires you, you are down and rolling. If you think "I'm up, they see me, I'm down" it keeps you on a good cadence.


On a side note, you were talking about sights. EO Tech holo sights are (pardon my language) F**king Awesome. They are damn near unbreakable, if you manage to break the lens, whatever is still there will work, they are waterproof, NVIS compatible and shock-proof. You're going to pay an arm and a leg for it, however with any luck you will not get that arm or leg shot off at a later point because of it. You don't have to be right in line with the thing to shoot, if you can see through it and put the reticle on the target, you're going to hit the target. Plus the big "pucker factor" friendly view port and bright "place bad guy here" reticle is second to none.

(I'd give you a link to the site, but my wallet cries softly, and my wife threatens to divorce me every time I look at it.)

Finally a note on training. Focus on using good habits (seek cover and concealment, remember the difference between the two, good muzzle discipline, etc.) whenever you are playing, training, or just goofing off.... when you suddenly find yourself in a high stress setting you don't think about what you are doing, you don't actively think about what is going one..hell you don't even really have time to be scared, you just react. and you react like you trained to react, be that good, or bad. So do everything you can to make it good.

That's my two cents,
Happy Hunting,

Jim

Thanks Jim!

Powering Your Home During an Outage

Popular Mechanics is running and article here on powering your home with a generator during an outage.

General Honore on Gustav

Lt. General Russell Honore led the military response to Katrina. With Gustav just about to hit Louisiana, he offers these comments:

We need to build a culture of preparedness. We need to assure that every kid who goes to school in America knows how to swim. The number of EMS teams and ambulances is not tracking with the growth in population. We need to teach more of our people first aid.

The federal government ought to be there to back the states up, we need to build a culture of preparedness in each. Why are we sending people there to issue them ice and water? We should be empowering people to act locally. The key to hurricane preparation is family preparation. If families are prepared, we lose fewer lives.

EXACTLY!

Gustav Diary

ShaneS of Listening to Katrina has a new section up on his site, dealing with Hurricane Gustav. Not much there yet but I expect that will change.

Ridin' Gustav

I just ran across this new blog: Ridin' Gustav, A blow-by-blow liveblog of Gustav, from Mid-City New Orleans. Marcus, the author, seems to be pretty well prepared. Hopefully, he comes through OK.

Hurricane Gustav

I've been a bit busy lately with other things so I haven't had the time to post regarding Hurricane Gustav. I see now that an evacuation has been ordered for New Orleans.

Here's NOAA's website tracking Gustav's progress. The current forecast shows it hitting New Orleans.

Finally, ShaneS's Listening to Katrina remains the best website I've seen for showing you how to prepare for disasters, including hurricanes.

Choosing an AR-15

The following query was posted to a mailing list I'm on:

Am thinking about purchasing an AR15 but there are many different
models. Which do you recommend for both home protection and emergency
hunting? I would definitely want one that chambered both .223 and
5.56.

Also what is the best scope for both quick target aquisition and very
precise (1 or 2 inches) shots out to say 150 yards? Would a zoom be
best? Also do they make a good scope that is also night vision?

And this is what I posted in reply:

I recommend going over to AR15.com and perusing the technical forums,
along with the various tech manuals they have onsite.

In general, when looking for an AR15 to be used for defense I regard
the following features as requirements:

1. 5.56mm chamber. This improves reliability and allows you to shoot .
223 or 5.56 spec loads safely.
2. Chrome lined bore and chamber. Improves reliability and makes it
easier to clean.
3. Flat top upper receiver, which greatly simplifies adding optics.
4. Properly staked bolt carrier. Loose carrier keys contribute to
functioning problems.
5. Barrel twist of 1:9 is fine but 1:7 is better, because it will
handle heavier bullets.
6. A lightweight or M4 profile barrel is better than a heavy barrel on
a defensive rifle. HBARs are fine for target shooting but slow you
down for defensive work.
7. No match triggers on serious rifles. They aren't rugged enough.
8. Avoid the temptation to hang all sorts of tacticrap off your rifle.
9. I like having a telescoping stock. Aside from making the rifle
more compact for storage, it enables me to adjust length of pull for
different clothing (e.g., t-shirt vs. winter coat) or different
shooters.

My rifle is a Colt AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine. The one feature I may
change on it is the barrel, it's a 1:9 twist HBAR. I'd prefer a
lightweight 1:7 twist barrel. Based on what I've read by instructors
who see lots of ammo go downrange, Colts tend to be the most reliable
of the major manufacturers. You pay a premium but on a defensive
rifle reliability is the single most important factor.

I've added a DPMS ambidextrous safety because I am left handed.

Unless you are running a suppressor or a short barreled rifle, a gas
piston upper is unnecessary. Learn to properly clean and lube your
rifle and it'll be reliable. (Hint: run it wet.)

For civilian defensive use the best choice for an optic is probably an
Aimpoint, non-magnified red dot. The Aimpoints offer very long
battery life, are very rugged, and fast. I have an IOR Valdada 3x25mm
CQB scope, which offers low magnification (important for me because if
I lose my glasses I'll at least have the scope) and is built like a
tank. I bought the IOR as a less expensive alternative to a Trijicon
ACOG.

I would avoid a zoom optic on a defensive carbine unless the highest
power is 4x. Murphy's Law dictates that when you need to use the
rifle up close the scope will be zoomed to the highest magnification,
which will slow you down. Illuminated reticles are a good, so you can
see them in poor light.

Stick with USGI milspec aluminum magazines or Magpul P-Mags. The
British and Singaporean steel mags are good, too, but may benefit from
replacement springs and/or followrs. HK mags are good but grossly
overpriced. Avoid no-name or USA-brand magazines, which are junk.

Site to Check Your Bank's Health

I ran across this today and thought it was worth passing on. This site will let you check on the health of your bank, something important in today's financial climate.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/safesound/ss_home.asp

A Potential Bio-Weapons Lab in Iran?

From Foxnews:

Hundreds of African monkeys are being taken from their natural habitat and sold for scientific experiments, as well to a "secretive" biological laboratory in Iran, London's Sunday Times reported.

In an undercover investigation by the Times, Tanzanian animal trader Nazir Manji said he sells some 4,000 vervet monkeys a year to laboratories all around the world for about $100 each

...

The biological research institute, which has headquarters near Tehran, has been accused in the past by an Iranian opposition group of conducting biological weapons testing, it is reported, further fueling suspicions that the monkeys are being used for nefarious purposes.

Full story.

Well, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Picked up a Remington 870

I bought a Mossberg Mariner a couple of weeks ago, and earlier this week I got a LE trade-in Remington 870. I think I got shotgunitis. :-)

I traded off a Mini-14GB which didn't meet my reliability requirements, and got the 870 (plus some store credit). It has a 20" barrel, wood butt with recoil pad, wood corn cob forend, and a 20" barrel with rifle sights. It has the regular 4 round mag, no extension.

The bluing has some dings and marks. There are a few dings on the wood but not too much. I field stripped tonight and it was very clean on the inside with only a few wear marks.

According to Remington it was made around 1951, based on the serial number. This is a very early 870. I don't believe that 20" rifle sighted barrels were available then, so it's probably not the original barrel.

There are a couple of pics of the gun here.

Today, I installed a Fortman's left handed safety conversion. This took about 10 minutes, including getting out my set of gunsmith's punches. I still prefer my Mossberg's tang safety but this makes the Remington a lot more user friendly for me. The only other accessories I'm planning are a butt cuff or side saddle for extra ammo, and a sling. I considering maybe getting a magazine extension, since the gun hold only 4 rounds in the magazine. I may hold off on that and get a longer sporting barrel instead. In any event, I'm going to shoot it before I add anything else.

Along with the LH safety from MidwayUSA, I got a five boxes of Federal 2-3/4" low recoil 00 buckshot, and two boxes of the low recoil Tru-Ball slugs. The latter worked very well in my Mossberg Mariner, and I expect even better results in the Remington, with its rifle sights.

Mossberg 500 Dissassembly/Reassembly Video

This is quite good.

Mossberg Loc-Box Review

I recently decided to switch to a shotgun for my primary home defense piece. To that end, I picked up a Mossberg 500A Mariner in 12 gauge. Once the gun was proven at the range, I needed a way to secure it from curious kids.

I ordered a Loc-Box directly from Mossberg. It consists of two primary parts: the Loc-Box itself and a hook that goes into the muzzle of the gun.

Here's a pic of the main unit, with my shotgun in it:




The main reason for the hook is to stabilize the gun. The locking part of the unit is what secures it. Here's a pic of the muzzle:



Per the instructions, you are supposed to mount both parts to the wall by screwing them into a stud. Mossberg supplies three long wood screws for doing so. I did it slightly differently, attaching them to pieces of wood which are attached to the wall; one piece of wood was already in my closet, while the one for the muzzle hook is a scrap I attached to the sheetrock using Gorilla Glue and 8 drywall screws.

To use the Loc-Box, you unlock and open it. Then, slide the gun's muzzle up onto the hook, and then hang it on the hook through the open ejection port (the gun's action has to be open to put it in the Loc-Box). Then close and lock the unit. Here is a pic of the unit unlocked and open. You can see the hanging hook in the middle.



By hanging the gun on a hook through the open ejection port, there is no way to bring the gun into battery with the gun in the lock. Also, nothing goes inside the trigger guard. I specifically did not want a trigger lock because they can cause accidental discharges with loaded firearms.

As you may be able to tell, the hook that you hang the gun upon, and also the muzzle hook, are vinyl coated to protect your gun from scratches. The inside of the Loc-Box is padded, but the inside lip on the right is not. I covered the lip with electrical tape to prevent my shotgun from getting scratched.

The Loc-Box comes with two keys. I have one on a keychain on a hook hidden in the closet, with the other on the keychain I keep in my pocket. I can see fumbling for the keys in an emergency, especially in the dark, so I'll probably unlock the unit at night, then lock it in the morning. As shown in the picture, the Mossberg Mariner has the safety on, action open, one round of Remington OO buckshot on the carrier, and four in the magazine. A full reload rides in an Allen butt cuff.

Cost with shipping from Mossberg was around $40, which I consider reasonable. I do not believe that this will stop a determined thief. However, for those of you who need a device to secure a shotgun against curious children*, this is a good option. Aside from Mossberg's own shotguns, it will fit a Remington 870, and probably most other slide action gun, and many autos as well.




* I have two small children. I am firm believer in gun-proofing kids, rather than trying to child-proof guns. They know to not touch my guns without me there. But until they are older I wanted a second line of defense against curious hands.

Mossberg 500 Mariner Range Report

Back on June 24th I bought a new Mossberg 500 Mariner 12 gauge pump shotgun, to be used as a home defense gun. I got it to the range for the first time on July 3rd.

The gun has an 18.5" cylinder bore barrel and a capacity of 5+1. It's bone stock except for a Limbsaver recoil pad, a sling in QD Uncle Mike's swivels, and an Allen elastic butt cuff for spare ammo. The sling will be coming off once it's put into the Mossberg Loc-Box that I bought for keeping the gun in my closet; I don't want it hanging up on anything in the house.

I shot it at ~10 yards and 25 yards with three kinds of ammo, all 12 gauge 2-3/4" shells:

- Remington Express OO buck
- Winchester Ranger low recoil OO buck
- Federal low recoil Tru-Ball slugs

At 10 yards, the Remington buck stayed on a 9" paper plate. At 25 yards the pattern opened up significantly, but enough to put most of the load into an aggressor's chest. The Winchester Ranger buckshot did not pattern as well as the Remington. It would be interesting to see how each load would do through a choked barrel.

I had wanted to try Federal low recoil OO buck with Flite-Control wads, but the online vendors I checked with were all out of stock. I hope to pick up some and give them a try in the future. Another buckshot load that I think will be worth trying will be Remington's reduced recoil OO buck loaded with 8 pellets, vs. the standard 9 pellet loading.

I was very impressed with the Tru-Ball slugs. They recoiled noticeably less than even the Winchester low recoil buckshot, and seemed pretty accurate. My Mossberg has only a bead front sight but it was easy to keep all my shots on a paper plate at 25 yards with the slugs. I have no doubt that they would group much better if the gun had rifle sights. However, since my intended use for it is home defense at across-the-room range, I am planning to keep the factory bead sight.

The Mossberg had no malfunctions. The first round of Winchester buckshot which I fired required an extra strong tug on the forearm to eject it, but that's an ammo issue, not a gun issue, IMO. Follow rounds of Winchester also exhibited sticky extraction, though not quite as bad. Aside from that, the gun ran well and has a smooth action. I was able to rapidly put lead on target out at 25 yards, which serves my purpose and then some. I would not hesitate to grab it if I needed to go into harm's way.

The Limbsaver recoil pad works well. Compared with other 12 bore guns with recoil pads that I've fired, the Limbsaver is much more effective in taking the sting out. That is not to say the gun is a powder puff. About 30 rounds was all I could comfortably handle before the recoil started bothering me. Between my friends and I, we put about 60 rounds through the gun today.

In summary:

I'm dissappointed with the Winchester Ranger low recoil buck, so I'm glad I bought only 25 rounds of it. The 3 remaining boxes of Winchester buckshot will be used for practice only. (Note that this load may run fine and pattern well in your gun. Try it in your gun before writing it off.)

I am very pleased with the Mossberg 500 Mariner shotgun, the Limbsaver recoil pad, Remington buckshot and Federal Tru-Ball low recoil slugs. I'm looking forward to more trigger time with the Mossberg.

New Mossberg 500 Mariner Shotgun

Today I purchased a new Mossberg Model 500 Mariner shotgun. Main use for this will be as a home or camp defense gun. First, some background as to how I chose this piece.

After several years without firing a shotgun, last year I picked up a Stoeger Uplander 20 gauge double. Intended usage was sporting and home defense. After shooting it I liked it but decided I wanted a gun that ejected empty cases if I was going to rely on it for defense. Yes, I could learn to work with extractors but I want to eliminate ejection as one more factor to worry about if I have to use the gun to defend my home and family. One less thing to worry about.

Since I like double guns I looked around for a coach gun with ejectors. No dice. Since the target market for coach guns is CAS, and that requires extractors, all the new coach guns come with extractors. Phooey.

That left me looking at autos and pumps. I didn't want an auto. A pump will function with pretty much any ammo. There are reliable autos but I have more confidence in the reliability of a pump. YMMV.

Currently, there are two major pump guns on the market, the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500/590. For me the Mossberg has one feature which makes it more desireable: the top mounted tang safety. I am left handed and the Remington's cross-bolt safety (unless I found a southpaw 870) works backwards. Yes, I can learn to work with one but why complicate matters, if a suitable alternative exists?

The Dick's Sporting Goods near me had a couple of suitable choices. The first that I looked at was a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 Super Bantam All Purpose Field. This is a blued gun with a 22" barrel, recoil pad, and removable stock spacer. I really liked the idea of the short length of pull. The Super Bantam fit me pretty well but it was [I]light[/I]. Only 5-1/4 pounds according to Mossberg's web page. That would make a great gun for carrying but recoil with it is going to be [B]stiff[/B], even in 20 gauge.

Next up was a Mossberg 500 Mariner in 12 gauge with an 18.5" cylinder bore barrel with a bead. The metal has Mossberg's MarineCoat finish, which looks like electroless nickel (not sure if it's that or something more high speed). I like the idea of a finish which reduces the amount of maintenance I need to perform. It's not pretty like bluing but this is a tool. Also, the flat silver finish probably makes the gun look a bit bigger and scarier, which is a bonus if I ever need to unlimber it for defense. (I regard this as a [I]bonus[/I], not as something to be relied on.) Like the Super Bantam it came with black plastic furniture, though it lacks the removable spacer to adjust LOP. It does have a recoil pad. Weight is 7 pounds. It fit me pretty well, the price seemed reasonable at $369, so I decided to buy it.

Along with the gun I bought a 100 round value pack of Remington #8 target loads, just to get familiar with the gun. I'm going to pick up some reduced recoil buckshot and slugs for serious work. Aside from ammo, the only accessories this gun will get are a shell holder for the butt stock (already on though not shown in the pic below), a sling in QD swivels, for outside use, and a Mossberg Loc-Box so I can safely store it in my bedroom. I also picked up a 12 gauge Hoppe's BoreSnake.

Depending on how well I can shoot slugs in it, the Mariner might even see duty for deer hunting.

After getting it home I field stripped the Mossberg and lightly oiled it with Ballistol, and removed the plug so I can fill the 5 round mag. I BoreSnaked the barrel which showed signs of being proof fired and not cleaned thereafter.

My next step is to BA/UU/R.

Obligatory new gun pics here.

Disaster Recovery Trial Run

Over on KSL, I've reposted an email from Alexander Rhoads of Iowa, who had to put his law firm's disaster recovery plans into effect, due to flooding.

Check it out.