Received my HK91 mags from Lew Horton today. They are all datestamped in the mid/late 1960’s and are in outstanding condition except for some minor wear marks. These are quite obviously ‘war reserve’ mags..probably housed in a big warehouse in West Germany that had a sign on the door “Do not open until Russians advance”. For those interested, esp. since it seems they’ll work in the CETME, the part # is SCHG3E, price was $1.43 ea., and after having 75 of them sent to my door (well, the door at the shop, really) the final soup-to-nuts cost was $1.75 ea. Now let me put that into perspective: during the dark years of the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban a good HK91 magazine couldn’t even be shipped for less than two bucks.

Half of these will go to the good Captain as a somewhat late Chrismahanakwanzakah gift. Should be very interesting to watch his eyes bug out when I pull the cardboard box from under the counter.

Folks, if you’ve got an HK91 or a CETME, skip ordering pizza tonight and get yourself ten magazines. Theyre always a good idea to have and someday they may be worth a lot more than $2.
-=-=-=-=
If Claire Wolfe wants to put her money where her pen is, theres a private country for sale. Remember the Brit that bought the old coastal defense tower and had it declared a country? Well, its for sale. I can see it now – less than a few acres in floorspace but home to seventyfive different banks.

This was actually the premise for an excellent book called “Island” by Thomas Perry. Guy finds an atoll about the size of a pool table and starts sinking barges on top of it until he’s created an island. Sets it up as his own country and winds up having a grand ol’ time…at least until the mob decides they want it.
=-=-=-=
From todays email comes a link to the heartbreaking tale of a missing WW2 B24 that was thought to have crashed in the Mediterranean. It was found almost 15 years after the war in a Libyan desert. The survivors tried to walk out and their written record is painful to read.
=-=-=-=-
Speaking of magazines, someone asked why I need so damn many magazines. Arent fifteen magazines more than plenty? Mmm. Well, lets say that you get a Clinton-style magazine ban with NO provision for a sunset. And, lets say youre forty years old. Statistically you’ve got, barring any shootouts with the feds, another 30 years in front of you. Now, over that thirty years youre going to lose mags, have them get damaged, have some stolen from your truck, leave some at your summer cabin or retreat, keep some with the gun, keep some (maybe more than ‘some’) squirreled away, keep a few for spare parts, keep even more for ‘trading stock’, drop some in the field and lose them, leave some behind when you need to leave in a major hurry, keep some with your emergency gear, maybe a mag or two for your friends who may be short a few mags, etc, etc.

Now all the magazines you’ve got in your gun cabinet don’t seem like very many when you think that those may be all you have for the rest of your terribly shortsighted life.

So… that’s why I need so many magazines. And spare parts. And guns.

When youre working on the assumption you may never be able to get more, there is no such thing as too much.

Now, go call Lew Horton and get some HK91 mags.

By the by, if youre stocking up for your Glock CDNN has used LE-marked Glock mags for $10 ea.
=-=-=-=-=-
Sportsmans Guide ‘HQ’ catalog arrived today. The fabulous $20 Flectar parka/liner combo is still there (#AX7M-105655X). If you haven’t gotten one yet they get a thumbs-up from me and about a dozen other people reading this who ordered them. They be good lovin’, mon! I’ve worn mine in some bloody cold Montana weather and have absolutely no complaints. Warmer than any US field jacket/liner and worlds more comfortable. And they look sharp too. They roll up nicely and can be stuffed into the hood to make a basketball-size bundle that’s perfect for tossing in the back of the truck.
=-=-=-=-
As long as Im blathering on about magazines…
My preference for 1911 .45 mags are the Chip McCormack ‘Shooting Star’ 8-rounds w/ pad. These mags are steel, blued, hold eight rounds, come with a handy removable basepad and function exceptionally well. Best part it that in quantities they are about $10 ea. I see them at most gun shows for around $17 a mag. Retail is for suckers, kids! CDNN has ‘em. Stainless? Add another couple bucks. As a good all purpose mag I cannot recommend another that gives such performance at such a bargain price. Wilson mags are great but I can buy a couple of the CMC’s for the price of one Wilson. And since both are quite reliable, why not go with the deal that gets me two reliable mags over one reliable mag?