3/4/14

Ok, some backstory before finishing the tale of the weekend.  Juan might remember that I've bought optics for all the various and sun dried rifles I own.  These include a 3x scope I used to have on the SKS.  Well, I decided that I didn’t like the way the 3x scope was positioned on the SKS so I moved it to the 7.62x39 Saiga… and didn’t like it on there either.  I wound up with another Sight Mark optic on that gun just like the one on the Saiga 12 and very similar to the one on the 90/22.  I put the Trijicon optic and magnifier from the 7.62x39 on the SKS by the way.  So, that left me with an “orphaned” 3x scope.  “This will not do,” thought I.  I had a whip round to see what weapon I could put this scope on and wound up with… nothing.  I really had no gun I could easily mount the 3x scope on.  So I did a little shopping and found a fore end kit for the folding Kel-Tec Sub2000 rifle which allows the mounting of optics but still lets Juan fold the gun in half.  I bought one and it arrived Friday.  Unfortunately, the front sight has to be removed from the weapon before Juan can install the fore end kit.  To remove the front sight, Juan must first destroy the plastic part and get it off of the gun.  Then, to get the rest of it off, heat and force must be applied to it.  This I could not do at the house Friday night.  I put the gun in a case, along with the bits I'd need for the installation, and tossed it all in the boot of The Seven before heading out to the shop Saturday.  After John and I were at good stopping points on his project, I pulled it out and put a torch to the barrel thingy.  It came off pretty easily after that.  I installed the fore end and tried out the scope mount.  I like it a lot!  Of course it wouldn’t fit back in the gun case with the optic installed so off it came again and I packed everything back into the boot of The Seven.  Back at the house, I reinstalled the scope and messed around with mounting a sling.  I got one on there but I'm not 100% sure I like how it turned out.  We’ll see.  Sunday I tried to take new pictures of all the guns for posterior’s sake, but the cameras in both the i-Pod and my phone are, to paraphrase Homer Simpson, “The suckiest suckers who ever sucked a suck.”  Actually, the phone would probably be ok if I could get a little more light on the subject.  I'll probably give it another go this coming weekend.  Speaking of this coming weekend, I may have to drive The Seven to the shop again.  John has just about got me convinced that I need some Koenig Rewinds on The Seven.  Koenig Rewinds look “like” the traditional Panasport wheel most often associated with sports cars of that car’s era.  I use the quotes because there is a difference between looking “like” something and looking like something.  For example: my Birkin S3 looks like a Lotus Seven whereas Tony’s Brunton Stalker looks “like” a Lotus Seven.  Hopefully I will remember to link some pictures for those examples.  But I digress.  I was saying John has just about got me convinced that I “need” a set of Rewinds on The Seven but we need to take a few measurements before making that commitment.  I'm also giving some thought to attempting to re-pack the Supertrapp muffler with some fresh batting to try and quite the thing down a bit.  I've taken to wearing ear plugs when driving to make it tolerable.  Also, after leaving Chicken Excess where John and I had lunch Saturday, I went for a hoon, as one does.  The carburetors would spit fuel from time to time and sputter pretty annoyingly.  I'm thinking at the very least a few good blasts of carburetor cleaner would be in order.  I might also give a go at “filling” the float bowls with carburetor cleaner to flush them out even better.  Of course if the weather is shitty, or even just a bit on the gassy and bloated side, I probably won't drive the thing.  We’ll see.  So, I guess that’s about all I have to say today.