Author: Kim du Toit

Sorta-Comeback

The Gun Thing

So I got this news via Ammo.com (see sidebar for link):

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. Reintroduces the Marlin 1895 SBL Lever-Action Rifle

“We are excited to officially flip the switch and let our customers know that Marlin is back,” said Ruger President and CEO, Chris Killoy. “Since the move of over 100 truckloads of equipment and inventory back in November 2020, our engineering team took the 1895 through a complete design and production review focused on achieving the highest quality, accuracy, and performance standards. The end result is a quality rifle, produced using modern manufacturing methods, that consumers will be sure to enjoy and proud to own.”

This first model is just the beginning of the reintroduction of the Marlin brand and illustrates the improved manufacturing processes that deliver reliable, attractive firearms. These processes will result in the introduction of additional Marlin models, calibers and variations over the coming years.

All well and good.  Then comes this little sting in the tail:

Due to the anticipated strong demand and the limited quantity of Ruger-made Marlin lever-action rifles, Ruger encourages retailers to contact their distributors for availability and advises consumers not to leave deposits with retailers that do not have confirmed shipments.

Translation:  “We’re going to make these fantastic rifles again, but just not quite as many so that we can keep prices artificially high.”

And I bet they’re going to disfigure those “RM” Marlin rifles with that stupid and unnecessary Ruger warning that “guns are dangerous” (right-click to embiggen):

It’s enough to make you sick.

Not Even That

The Gun Thing

From Glenn, speaking about the latest offering from SIG:

I Do Like SIGs But This Seems More About Bling

Exactly.  They’ve discovered a market — the gadget-obsessed gun owner — and they’re milking it for all it’s worth.  And good luck to them, say I.

I don’t care for SIGs, because for some reason, I’ve never found a full-sized model that fits my hand as well as a 1911 or Browning High Power.  (And before you start making suggestions that all I need to do is try this model or that model, and all will be peace and love and kittens;  don’t bother, because I have.)

I fact, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the only non-1911 SIG I’d care to own is the venerable P210:

 

And the fact that I’d like to have one even though it’s chambered for the detestable 9mm Europellet should say it all.

The Guns Of August

History

I’ve probably read Barbara Tuchman’s book of the same name about half a dozen times, maybe more.  It’s a massive read, I think;  not for the faint-hearted and certainly a difficult one for the non-military-history reader.

TGOA is magnificent as a military textbook alone, but what Tuchman brings to the party is an exhaustive set of the biographies of the principal characters so that we can understand not just what they did, but in many cases why they did it.

And I know that Tuchman was a tired old New York Lefty, but not in this work.

Anyway, I happened on this EwwwChoob video which follows the book faithfully, albeit cutting a few parts out (because otherwise it would run for not 100 minutes, but for three days — about as long as it takes to read Tuchman’s volume).

And it has lots and lots of original footage, none of that tiresome reenactment nonsense.  Enjoy.

Afterthought:  Tuchman’s prequel to The Guns Of August, A Proud Tower, will change your ideas of history completely, and for the better.  It did mine, at any event.

Also:  link fixed.

Logistics

Logistics, SHTF

I was going to talk at some length about the “supply-chain crisis” with respect to the grocery business, but Sundance did it for me.

And for what it’s worth, his diagnosis and analysis are absolutely 100% correct.  As long as there are no hiccups in any aspect of the supply chain, “just-in-time” supply is the Finance Department’s wet dream.  But note the term, “any aspect“.

A driver shortage, a spare parts shortage, a labor shortage, a packaging shortage or a fuel shortage, and the whole Jenga structure falls over.  If all of those happen at about the same time, the Jenga structure disappears completely and would take months if not years to be restored.

As we are going to see very soon.  Stock up now, folks, while you still can.  And for once, I’m not talking about ammo.