visaveteran

I think my "Kaffee House" comment got lost or not understood. (Or was I just ignored? )

For those of us who've ventured to Amsterdam or Haarlem, we know that Kaffee House indicates a cafe for smoking weed, as opposed to Coffee House which is really for coffee or tea. Seems "Holland" is starting to loose favor with these establishments and the prostitution as well.

The Netherlands is moving to the right.

Merry Christmas American style!

I have already agreed that training and practice should help overcome certain gun specific issues like grip angle and recoil (or double-action triggers ). But, training takes time and shooting up expensive ammo. Ammo is just very expensive now (unless you shoot 22 shorts). So there are trade-offs.

Slim, I think you would be an ideal security man. You have the background, weapon skills and the right attitude. As I said, I think we will see more and more private security or militia style local protection. When I say "militia" I'm not talking about Ruby Ridge style...but legally armed citizens in local areas, perhaps neighborhood based, that will provide their own security. The police just can't do it. They won't even get out of their cars. My grandfather was a DC cop and he walked a beat. It made a difference in how the people looked at him. And he could see up close what was going on. Got to get out of those fffing cars and act like police officers, not cab drivers!

I have used Dulles a lot too and my wife came over through there. She got through very quickly. I was surprised. Concerning the passport line, they usually have staff directing you to which officer to see so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

The people mover really depends on how crowded or whether there are wheel chair disabled people in the way. The movers fill up fast so the "trick" might work or not. I'd just have her relax and take it easy. There will be enough pressure without trying to gain 5 minutes advantage.

I should mention there is a big information board near the doorway where international arrivals enter the main terminal so you can monitor the status of arrivals. When the arriving people pass through the door they have to walk maybe 20 meters through a cordoned off area so you can see when she comes out if you stay alert. When you start to notice Russia people coming out, start looking for her.

Good luck.

Funny cartoon video Slim!

I'm not really stocking up on MRIs and bottled water but I think we're only one or two break downs in the food chain, water supply, or power grid to slip into a world without the rule of law. When I see people trampled from a crazy soccer game or rock concert, I get a glimpse of how people operate under panic and stress within the mob dynamics. The political climate is also very bad. The country is split and divided. People are very angry. I can see ugly scenarios break out if the economy does not improve and politicians don't turn the country around soon.

I think, like in South Africa, we will soon see the rise of private security forces in our neighborhoods. We already see this in Iraq and Afghanistan...Blackwater, Triple Canopy, Dyncorp...all private mercenaries providers. The cops can't handle things...there's too many people. Most people don't own guns or know how to defend themselves. Gangs are getting out of control and the Mexican cartels are taking over parts of the southwest US...and they're armed to the teeth. Our "leaders" rearrange furniture on the Titanic.

Anyone unarmed these days is playing chicken with their life. And I look at the tragic home invasion case where everyone but the husband were tortured, raped and murdered. Probably no guns in the house. I think of VA Tech where 32 people were systematically executed. No guns on the good guys. Just some nice unarmed liberal college professors...probably very anti-2nd amendment. I bet they'd sure have wanted a firearm that day.

VA Tech was a "gun free zone." Gun free for the good folks. And the cops and campus security were inept and clumsy in their response. Can we expect these jokers to save our children...or us? The school officials should have been fired...especially the president. He still has his job. The issue is not finished. Heads may still roll. I hope so. Students still can't conceal carry. What did they learn?

I don't know about heading into the mountains but leaving the large metro cities might be a good idea if we, indeed, loose the rule of law. I still remember the riots in DC from 1968. The National Guard had to put down the looting and burning-. People died. Certain neighborhoods in DC are only now starting to come back from the 68 riots. We have short memories...but I remember. This all unfolded in our nations capital. Great example of how fragile civil control really is. It can be lost overnight.

Enough of my rant...

As I said, I'm a "Glock Schlock" having never held or fired one. I guess I'm a 1911 snob. The Glock has certainly started a revolution in pistol manufacture. I do like it better than the Springfield (Croatian) XDs which seem to sell very well.

My recent gun nuttiness has taken me into the world of the original "Saturday Night Special:" George Jennings infamous "Raven 25 cal pistol." You can buy them off the internet for around $50 to $100 for a pretty nice one. Although cheap and simple, they have earned some praise for reliability and accuracy over the years. They seem to always go "bang!" Ironically, although California is unsurpassed in it's anti-gun laws, the very gun they hate the most (the SNS) was made right there in good old Kalifornia.

I have not yet "pulled the trigger" on buying one but I am intrigued. I have that "itch."

You're not writing us from one of those Kaffee Houses are you?

I'm no expert on Glocks...never even held one. I've heard they're good and cheaper to build guns, and they sell like hot cakes. But I've never taken to plastic guns...something about it just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe too old school. I do see you get a lighter cheaper gun but you must deal with more recoil and slower return to target if we're talking about bigger calibers. Good training can offset these issues I suppose but I prefer non plastic guns, at least with pistols. I also dislike most double-action only pistols...just not as accurate. This is why most professional competitors use the 1911 single-action guns.

The Glock does have one issue I have heard about in the form of a minor complaint...the angle of the grip is a bit odd. I think John Browning got it just right with the 1911A1 grip angle and many guns follow that grip angle design...but not the Glock. So it might take some adjusting to the difference...but that would be a simple matter of training. But I don't care for the angle, and let's face it...the Glock has no "sex appeal." It's a very ugly gun IMO. But success is success so I can't bad mouth the Glock too much.

Speaking about the 1911, I always thought it was a mistake to switch from the Colt 1911 to the Beretta 9MM for the military. We did it to please NATO who uses the 9mm round. Most cops also use Glocks and other guns that use the 9MM ammo too, but the cops can use deadly hollow points and very lethal ammo. The military is stuck with FMJ rounds. Given that the FMJ is the only choice, I'd prefer the 45 caliber over the 9MM. I think this is why many Spec Ops types still go with 1911 side arms. I know some will say it's better to throw more rounds at the enemy (as with the 9MM) versus only 8 or 9 with the 1911, but I know that multiple 9MM rounds have failed to stop the bad guy...even some cops have stories to tell about the 9MM not getting it done, which probably explains why the .40 caliber is fast becoming the police round of choice.

Just my views but I think 100 years of having the 1911 around, and still being produced by many different companies, speaks for itself. That's quite a track record.

True. I bet not one in a thousand grade school kids know who John M Browning is , or Eugene Stoner, or David Williams or John Garand. A few more may know who George Patton is, but probably not many. But every kid in Ukraine KNOWS who Mikhail Kalashnikov is and Georgi Zhukov also.

Maybe Samuel Colt tops them all? Our love of western movies and TV shows makes Colt more famous than any Russian gun-maker...despite the numbers manufactured. Everyone's heard of a "Colt."

Yet another reason I'd never attempt to live in any FSU country. The rule of law never quite arrives like we all keep hoping it does.

Nope.

"Why you buy for your wife cheap f'king flowers? So cheap and dead, blat. You event can't buy for your wife nice flowers. So horrible and ugly. So cheap. Uzhes. You like original bum, blat. Next time you must buy for your wife so wonderful and pretty - and expensive - flowers. Not zis cheap sh!t from f'king Kroger, blat."

I do see a world of difference between ordering a $75 flower arrangement to be delivered in a nice vase or basket versus running into Kroger's for $8 plastic wrapped flowers...AND SO DO THEY!

Points for Kroger? Maybe the kind on the end of a pitch fork!

It'd be nice to have real heroes like that here. Reverent figures for us are actors.

My hero...John Browning.

He probably will

I should add at this point that Alla likes skeet shooting! I bought her a Remington Model 1148S in 28 ga. And she does pretty well with it. On our recent vacation, I shot in a skeet competition and Alla was mad because she had to spend the day at the local library studying as she had some important homework paper due when we got back.

She also likes shooting the S&W .22/32 Kit gun and a Colt Police Positive Special .38. She is skeered of the .45. Too big and noisy. She hasn't shot any of the "big rifles" yet.

My wife likes going to the range too. She's definitely a novice but I like her attitude about guns and shooting. My ex American wife was very anti-gun. She pitched a fit when I started buying guns again after 9/11. And it got worse with her when I started takng our young son to the range. I think he was 8 or 9 years old when I started his gun training. Now he loves shootng and collects Russian guns. He has a great Russia SKS (hard to find now) that his late uncle willed to him. I gave him my Russian Makarov (a nice little pistol that allows goes "bang"). He bought himself an old Mosin rifle and traded a .22 pistol for a Tokarov. I guess there's an AK-47 in his future.

Anyway, it's good to have a wife who supports my interest in guns and shooting.

You must be old. Us younger guys still want sex. Besides, Alla learned how that debit card thing works, she isn't so impressed by cash anymore.

Yes, Gary, I am getting old. No denying it. But, fortunately, getting sex from my wife requires nothing special from me....like flowers or gifts or manual labor. I have never bought sex from her as it comes freely and with full force. And I see no marked improvement with gifts...as the free sex is the best I could hope for, even after 3 years of marriage. No brag, just fact.

Nothing wrong with flowers but I have felt, probably based on my experience with American women, that flowers are over used as gifts and are quite easy to acquire, thus taking away from the power of a special gift. Just run into any grocery store and grab some and you're off. Or buy some from that homeless guy on the street corner and never get out of your car. What's so special about that? I would think something that took a little more thought and effort might go over better...but again I'm talking as an American man with the most experience with American women. I suppose ordering a really expensive flower arrangement from a flower shop that is delivered to her directly might be a classier option with more surprise but hits the pocket book harder. And, in a few days the flowers are dead...perhaps a bit longer if you don't get roses. But I've been disappointed in the quality and effort put into the arrangement with the flower shops. Seems everybody is cutting corners.

But from what you guys are saying, it seems FSU women haven't been deluged with flowers as their American counterparts have. In American dating, it's not unusual to have a young man bring flowers on the first date. I see that as presumptive, premature and inappropriate timing. What flowers should relate to is some special event that allows the flowers to mean something at a deep level...like at a wedding or, sadly, at a funeral. Anniversaries might call for flowers but after awhile that gets pretty stale and predictable, IMO. But...if you guys say flowers light up her fire, go for it. But when does giving flowers wear out? I have to think they are time limited as a gift of love. Maybe some really good Swiss chocolate might work as the next place to turn. Or cash?

And if fixing a squeaky hinge gets her hot, head for the shop and grab some WD-40 by all means. In my condo there are only limited handy man work for me, so I can't show off my manly skills like when I owned a house. I have to say I don't miss raking leaves and mowing the lawn. I think women like to see us working hard so they feel comfortable we're not out chasing women or watching porn.

As to the issue of giving cash versus a credit card, my wife greatly prefers cash...I think because in Russia that's how she operated her life--cash only. I gave her a card but she felt that the card was not the same because I, ultimately, paid the credit card bill. And plastic is plastic. But with cash, she feels it's hers outright....even though I gave it to her, not unlike paying the card bill. But somehow in her Russian mind, she sees cash as superior to a credit card. I have actually benefited from this milieu. I give her a fixed amount of cash each month which is quite a bit less than she was spending with the card. So we both win with cash. Real money does feels more pleasureful and even sensual. I will own there is something about handling US currency that is a turn on...kind of like handling a gun or knife that are well made. Money even smells good.

For full disclosure, I did on several occasions wire my wife flowers when we were apart awaiting her visa. I even had the flower guy take those awful Polaroid photos. Now I realize that was a mistake. Russian women don't like their photos taken without prior knowledge so they can "spruce up." Until I realized the power of cash, I even bought flowers here in the states...like when she first arrived. But now cash is boss king...why fight it?

OK...we had this great thread going on guns, complete with photos. Then somebody restarts some ancient thread on "flowers"...which then morphs into lists of what our wives like about the US. Now there's a fresh original topic.

Slim...where the hell are you? Please tell me you're not out buying flowers. Get your wife some ammo for your anniversary. Take her to the range...forget restaurants. We can't forget the long-term, wife training process here. Think man...think!

Whatever works Brad Happy anniversary This is six years, right?

Who's Brad? Did you just reveal a state secret...are you with WikiLeaks? You mean our man Slim is named Brad?

Anyway, I find cold hard cash tops flowers every time. If I give my wife the $75 dollars in cash that it takes to buy a decent flower arrangement or roses, she just lights up with joy...and heads quickly out the door. I see it as a double win for me. First I make my wife happy with me...and I get a few hours of peace and quiet while she's out shopping.

Given the harsh winter over there (Siberia is shut down right now...nobody's working or going outside it's so cold) I don't imagine I could ever live there. Maybe it's nicer in Ukraine but at my age and with health issues, I'm staying put.

But good luck!

I knew I was clever to marry a poor Siberian woman.

Rock Island Armory, GI Model, 1911, 45 ACP, 5 inch barrel, Novak sights, and then with VZ grips (now has Crimson Trace laser sighting grips)

Functions flawlessly out of the box. Does need about 200 rounds for break in.

Loaded with Winchester Ranger Talon 230 gr 45 ACP, my family will be protected.

Baron, nice original military style 1911. Other than the sights and grips, it's the same type of gun I carried in Vietnam. I like the basic model because you can either keep it as is or add on some goodies. And the military model helps hold down the costs. The only issue these guns sometimes have is shooting hollow points. Seems like yours does well with all ammo.

And thanks for the photos!

Any 1911 that works well for $350 is worth seeing some photos of. So, Baron, when you have a chance to post them, I'd enjoy checking them out.

I bought a South African made 1911 called the Griffon. They only imported it for a few years before it disappeared. I paid around $300 from CDNN in Texas who handled disposing of the remaining inventory. If you have not heard of CDNN check them out. Anyway, this Griffon was all steel, Teflon coated, Novak style night sights, extended slide stop and safety, beaver grip safety, etc. It shoots pretty good and handles most ammo well. It's a commander size which I like the best for feel in the hand.

I am also a .45 cal. man...but they're hard to conceal carry which is why I bought the Sig Sauer P238 (which is really a Colt Mustang with some improvements). I like that it has the same battery of arms as the big 1911 in a .380 round. Since playing with the mouse guns I've gotten more interested in them. I heard some good things about a Beretta 950 Jetfire in .25 cal. It holds 9 rounds which is amazing for a tiny gun. They stopped making this model and replaced it with the Beretta Bobcat. But the Bobcat has had some feeding issues and it's a bigger gun than the Jetfire. Anyway, I'm looking in the used market for a 950 Jetfire. It has this niffy pop up barrel that you can pop a round in and eliminate having to rack the slide...so it's good for women and old guys like me. Should mention the Jetfire is single action only which is rare for mouse guns. i don't like double-action guns...I just can't hit anything with that long trigger pull.

Here's one option, maybe not perfect but an option. Aeroflot has a direct flight from Moscow to Dulles Airport (I think it's only on Thursday). THE POE there was easy for my wife. She got through in about 40 minutes.

I think having you fly over to escort her to the US is too expensive and unnecessary. And you'd need that annoying and somewhat expensive visa to go there on top of the plane ticket. Better to spend the money on shipping her stuff over.

Aren't all Kimbers on the expensive side?

Well...there are companies selling 1911s for $2500 and up which makes Kimber seem more reasonable. Quality to price ratio is probably pretty reasonable all things considered. Maybe a used one for me?

Actually have more than one.....and the ammo to back them up.

I have a nice Kimber Ultra Raptor II.

"Why do you carry a 45?" "Because, they don't make a 46."

That's a very nice Kimber smaller 1911...but on the expensive side. Wish I could afford it.

**gasp** How about it boys?

Like a typical old Russian woman without much money. I do think Russian women don't age so gracefully unless they have the funds for Botox and cosmetic surgery and nice clothes. I hear from my wife that even women in their 30s use Botox. I was shocked at that.

My MIL is not wealthy...in fact she still lives in what my wife calls "the suburbs" but we Americans would call the "boondocks." She's had a hard factory life so she looks appropriately old but her spirit is strong...and she seems to truly care about me.

I have and carry (most of the time)a Kimber Ultra CDP. Great little gun! I have fired at least 500 rounds through of all types of ammo, probably 75% cast bullets (truncated roundnose) and never a malfunction. The original grips, checkered rosewood, did terrible things to my flanks under a shirt, so I changed them to smooth rosewood, other than that it is as it came from the box, but that includes a lot of otherwise "custom" features. When I need a smaller gun, I carry a Colt M1903 .32 ACP hammerless. Kind of a weenie mouse gun, but better than a balled up fist. Or a S&W 640 Centennial, .38 +P. No need to take them out of pocket to shoot. I have a bunch of other handguns, but those are about the only three I carry. Once in a while, I take Dad's old M1911 (not 1911A1) out for a walk if I am wearing heavy clothes. Otherwise it lives in the nightstand.

Kimber makes good stuff, VV.

Gary, I like Kimber guns a lot...as do the FBI and other law enforcement organizations I believe. I'll look up the Ultra CDP and research it (looking is more fun than buying!). Kimber's aren't cheap but have a good rep.

I have thought of going with a .32 like a little Beretta Tomcat or some of the older 32s for a pocket gun. I got a Sig Sauer P238 .380 which is really almost exactly like the old Colt Mustang but supposedly better. But the gun has had problems for many owners. Lots of FTE, FTF, etc. Mine has been pretty reliable but has had an occasional hiccup which makes me want to sell it and find something fully reliable or else have a good gunsmith work on it.. I think one thing about the Sig is if you stick with FMJ ammo it works ok. When you introduce the JHP ammo then you get problems. And now Sig says you need to change the recoil springs more often and they keep introducing different magazines for it, They're on version number three already. I'm a Sig fan but this little gun has not met the usual Sig standards. And they are not cheap.

A great quote.

Hey Slim, I seem to remember you own a Wart Hog. How do you like it? Does it have that PDA trigger? OR SAO? How about eating recoil springs? I know those subcompacts can go through some springs. I'm looking for a small 1911 style in .45. Maybe Para or maybe Kimber?

I haven't brought my MIL her. Don't plan to either.

Likewise...I mean, how masochistic!