I'll start us off...



FN Scar-17 (7.62x51mm) with Trijicon TA11H-308G ACOG
HK HK45 Compact Tactical with Streamlight TLR-3
Busse Combat NMFSH
Busse Combat TGLB
Busse Combat LMS

Here is the bulk of my "keeper" collection. I'm in the process of selling basically all of my other guns....



FN Scar-17 (7.62x51mm) with Trijicon TA11H-308G ACOG
HK USP45 with MeproLight Night Sights
HK HK45 Compact Tactical with Night Sights & Streamlight TLR-3
Busse Combat TGLB
Busse Combat NMFSH
Busse Combat LMS
FN Scar-16 (5.56x45mm) with Trijicon TA31H-223G ACOG
Glock 19 with Night Sights & Streamlight TLR-1

In addition to the above we are also keeping:

(1) Benelli M1 Super 90
(1) Colt M4
(1) FN Scar-16 FDE with Trijicon TA31 RSR ACOG
(2) Glock 26 with Night Sights
(2) Ruger LCP
(1) Ruger 10/22


All other guns are getting sold off as soon as I find a buyer! My knife collection, on the other hand, seems to be growing daily!

Lets see some of your gear!

Reserved.

Reserved.

So many Rugers!

I'll post pics when I get my FAL back. That'll give others time to post pics and my gear collection won't look so puny being posted right under yours.

Also, I hope you plan to update your reserved posts soon because after a while you can't go back and edit your posts. I don't know what the time limit is.

I had forgotten about the edit limits. They might end up dead posts based upon my travel schedule, etc.

Ruger = puke, but the 10/22 is the best general purpose semi auto 22 rimfire on the market.

The LCPs are overpriced but 100% functional. When Glock makes a gun this size...the Ruger's while be sold to the lowest bidder (yes lowest, because I'd feel bad about selling a Ruger for more than 2% MSRP).

Size doesn't matter

All joking aside, if a "big collection" meant a "better collection" I wouldn't have embarked on my Scar buying spree. I would have kept the umpteen XYZ that I already had. I came down to the conclusion that I didn't need all of those guns, and just wanted a handful of what I deemed to be the best.

Therefore, post your tiny gear for the world to see and be proud of it!

For Christmas one year my Dad bought my brother a 10/22 and I got a freaking electric keyboard. The 10/22 was a good rifle and it came from the time when they were still using steel barrel bands/clamps.

I was excited for the Remington R51, but I've been reading a lot of terrible feedback.

I AM proud of the firearms and knives I have. I don't really have any gear other than that. I've also downsized my knife collection quite a bit. I have many improvements planned for most of my firearms. I just have to prioritize those improvements. I don't think I will ever be finished.

Adam,

It'll never end. Every time I tell my wife: "this is it, I have it all figured out / done" she just politely smiles at me...knowingly.

Be sure to be the dad that gives your kidos the rifle and not the keyboard.

To be honest, I already had a little single shot 22 rifle. My dad bought it and a bolt action .410 from an old widow and gave them to me for my tenth birthday. They are what I learned to shoot with and I still have them.

Yep most girls ive dated have no clue about my preps lol
And I don't tell em. I want to find a prepping. Girl

Nice. Trying to do this on messed up computer but I will try to add latr.

An old one....

I have new optics, new rings, new picatinny rail and a new trigger guard in the safe for the SSG, just need the time to screw it all together....LOL



686... need I say more...



Glock... and some ESEE

As always - Andy's pictures win!

Oh jeez now I need to set up some photo shoots, I dont have any current group photos.

Nice gear guys.

The "other" 686...

An OLD pic... 1994 I believe.... I miss them both, still have the ACOG here that I will probably mount on a Remington 7615...

Here's a crappy iphone picture of my "core group" of knives...

Another craptastic iphone picture of most of my Busse collection...



There are several sweet blades not pictured.

The "core group" picture is just representative of the size range I view as useful. The actual knives that make up this group vary greatly.

Here's my last three 5.56 AKMs. I hate to see these go, but I simply cannot afford to keep everything. I will say these made it to my final round of "safe cleaning" and nearly beat out my FN Scars!



I had another Arsenal SLR-106FR that I BEAT ON. When I sold it there was little finish left. That rifle went to hard core classes, was bounced around in the back of a truck, THROWN across the range, hauled around my farm and more. It was totally reliable and outside of finish wear - didn't care how poorly I treated it.

My two remaining Arsenal SLR-107FR (same gun but in 7.62x39mm) look the same.

I really hate to be selling all of my AKs, because contrary to erronet information - this quality of AK can be very accurate. However, I do think the FN Scar offers several advantages:

* Non-rock-in magazine changes
* Safety location
* Ease of optic mounting

.......what thickness is that ASH1 ???

.....waaaaay back I had a Valmet M71s...sold it BEFORE the changes to the laws here, regretted it every day..that was a great rifle. Probably the only AK style I would prefer more would be the South African R4/LM4, they took the Galil and made it better IMHO...:D

I've had several Valmet M76 tube folders. They were nice, but non-chrome lines bores is a nonstarter for me. The two Galils I've had (both 386) we're outstanding and very soft / smooth shooting, but HEAVY.

Good eye!

It's a coated 0.22.

I actually prefer the 0.1875.

Sorry for iPhone typos.

The R4 is a hefty rifle but will outlast most owners... ;)They also fitted me a little better than the Galil as the butt was a little longer (as the average south African was apparently larger than the average Israeli – and I have “monkey arms”), the butt was also a polycarbonate. Chrome bores are nice but not a deal breaker for me.

.22 ASH.... That is JUST what I am after (and should you ever decide to divest yourself from that one, well, I "know a guy" ... I have a .18 and .22 and MUCH prefer the .22, just trying to find a coated one and it is proving elusive !!!!! Even the Custom shop does not have a blank at the moment..!!!

Andy,
I don't have any plans to part with her, but if I do I'll send you a note.

Since I am a Moderator, let me moderate.

Let's see. This Guy in Oz has a .18 Ash and this guy in the States has a .22. The guy in the states WISHES he had a .18. Hmmmmm.

Randy,
Best moderating I've seen around these parts!

There was a missing element though...the dog in the states has two bones..one in .18 and one in .22.

The dog in Aus also has two... he wants another... like all good Dogs "all your bone belong to me" ...

I thought the dog in Australia had all of 'em.

Well Crap, there goes that brilliant idea!

.... not quite....but working on it..... a .22SE (that is what the called the coated versions ) is the last ASH I am actually chasing.... I am sure there will be "others" that appear i MUST have though ...

The ASH line is my favorite design.

Andy (and Gary). Doesn't the blade height hinder some uses for the ASH series of blades?

It seems to me that a more slender blade would prove to be more user friendly/useful.

The short answer is yes. However, this requires further explanation.

The ASH is the "one knife I'd have if I could only have one knife". It isn't a master of anything, but is a great jack of all trades.

In its .18 and .22 configuration the blade height doesn't really hinder it for small tasks since you can choke up at the choil, and it has a generous "up sweep" and "drop point" at the leading edge making it detail oriented.

The handle has to be ...handled... to be appreciated. The balance and agility of the knife are what make it so popular.

ETA:

Would a 4" x 1/8" and an 10" x 1/4" combo be better? ABSOLUTELY. However, it isn't always practical to carry a giant knife.

The ASH is an awkward looking knife, but really does have to be handled to be fully understood.

This only applies to the .18 and .22. I've had three or four of the fat version, and its just a sharpened pry bar.

Thanks for the explanation Gary. Makes sense to me. And yeah that is true about not being able or not wanting to carry a large knife. I find myself now wishing that I had gotten a 711 for a "Large medium" blade. The "5 inchers" to me is the best all around edc fixed blade size. I DO have that segment covered with the S5, 411 and Mud Mutt though. but right now I jump from my Bulldog Regulator (.331-.333) inch thick 7.5 inch blade and the Reissued Tali-Whacker to the 911 and then the BWM and 1311.

Now If I could find some one mentally challenged that would trade a .18 ASH for a Busse Wardog Hack..... Hehe, yeah I know, wish in one hand and....

OK I finally got around to doing a quick and dirty(the floor) photo shoot with some of my possible set ups.


EDC depending on weather and activity.

This one is in case I feel old school.

My battle gear.

Grease, what's the blade on the bottom, black mudders In kydex. (your first post above)

And if you tell me it's an SS4, I will hunt you down like the dog you are!

Long range set up.

And here is Arch's favorite, my zombie gear. LOL

The joke is going to be on all of the zombie gear fans when zombies actually rise, and it turns out they are ATTRACTED to that putrid green color marketing execs have so effectively associated with the (completely incomprehensible) fan phenomenon.

Nice pictures greaser.

I notice you have your holster COM on your chest rig. Have you used that set up prone? Or have you hit the deck hard with it on?

LOL you may be right it is a bright and hard to hide color but I liked green before it was Zombie cool so I had to get one.


My tech. for hitting the deck has always been more on my side kind of a PLF movement than straight on my front so its hasn't been an issue for me in that area as far as prone as long as I am not trying to low crawl it is fine the steel plates give me a nice smooth platform to lay on. In all the training and real life experiences I have encountered real low crawling is not the preferred method of moving. If push came to shove and I had to low crawl into a position to fire on someone I can do it just not as effectively. I totally understand what you are saying it is just a trade off I can live (or die) with at this point.
I don't like to have anything on my back or too much on my sides because of mounted ops but I do wear a battle belt just no pics of it right now so I can drop or leave the armor if needed and still have mags and other needed gear.

I was just wondering if you've had any problems. My main gripe with that location is it preventing you from hugging enough earth when you really need to do so.

I also watched a Beretta get chewed up once in some sandy gravel.

what blade you have there G?

I could see the pistol getting damaged in that position but I know when I used to wear it on a drop holster it got smashed and bashed alot as well.


RN Its a custom done by a local maker super thin and takes a crazy edge. 1095 if I remember correctly with micarta scales.

Here's another....

That looks like a modern Hoosier cabinet.

It is!

We have an original from my wife's great-grandmother in our Great Room. It has much more character (not to mention its been in the family for four generations).

Yours is a nice cabinet.

We had an old one when I was growing up in California. It has been moved many times and finally fell apart a few years ago. I want to take it to a cabinet maker to see if he can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Oh yeah, I like the rifle, knives, and all that booze too!

The funny part about the booze...I'm basically a non-drinker! I'll have a beer or glass of wine occasionally, but don't even really enjoy that much.

We moved my wife's great-grandmother's in the back of our SUV for a 13 hour drive. I was afraid we weren't going to be able to get out of of the back without it falling apart. It held up, and looks really nice in our Great Room. Its the traditional stained oak with leaded glass variety.

The black cabinet with stainless counter is a neat contemporary hommage (not homage) to the traditional Hoosier. It worked a lot better in our old house, but is acceptable in our Family Room at the new place.

hommage is an art term that isn't in common use so people don't think I meant "homage" ...

hommage (sometime misspelled as homage) is an allusion or imitation by one artist or art work to or of another.

That's a great pic!

Thanks.

I have a few hommage watches, they are not taboo to most like fakes because they just copy the style not the trademarks.

I have enough booze in the house to open a business, but (surprisingly given my heritage ) I am not a big drinker...I guess that is why the booze is still in the house and not empty in the bin...

Just to show how much I drank, I had a 6 pack in the fridge so long the tops started to oxidize. I threw them out and haven't had any alcohol in the house since. This would have been early 1997.

I'm not against drinking. I just choose not to drink.

Oh and Don't get me wrong, I've done my share in College and the Military. BUT When I almost had a head on with a tree once, that was enough.

I can't remember the last time I finished a beer or glass of wine. I don't enjoy drinking, and always like to be 100% situationally aware.

My wife's family are a traditional catholic clan that very much enjoy partaking. We have a family dinner once a week and three drinkers will put away two bottles of wine and a couple of beers. If my wife has a single glass with them they might open a third or more beer is included.

Over time I built quite a bar for them by picking up a bottle at a time on sale. It doesn't go bad so I'm hoping it lasts.

If I made my own wine from grapes I grew - I'd drink that.

barter material!

Arch, I think you would enjoy a book I read (and have read many times since) in grade school. It's called Alas Babylon.

Me too. I chose not to from a perspective of experience.

I'd rather have a cup of organic herbal (caffeine free) tea.

I don't even drink caffienated drinks.

Randy I'll google it.

Taken from Wikipedia.

Alas, Babylon is a 1959 novel by American writer Pat Frank (the pen name of Harry Hart Frank). It was one of the first apocalyptic novels of the nuclear age and remains popular 55 years after it was first published, consistently ranking in Amazon.com's Top 20 Science Fiction Short Stories list (which groups together short story collections and novels).[1] The novel deals with the effects of a nuclear war on the small town of Fort Repose, Florida, which is based upon the actual city of Mount Dora, Florida.[2] The book's title is derived from Revelation 18:10: Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Plot summary

Randy (Randolph) Bragg lives in the small Central Florida town of Fort Repose and appears to be drifting down a somewhat aimless path in life when his older brother, Colonel Mark Bragg, an Air Force Intelligence officer, sends a telegraph ending in the words "Alas, Babylon," a pre-established code between the two brothers warning of impending disaster. Mark is flying his family down to Fort Repose for their protection while he stays at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

Soon after, an American fighter pilot attempting to intercept an enemy plane over the Mediterranean inadvertently fires an AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missile that goes off course and hits an ammunition depot in Latakia, Syria, resulting in a large explosion. This event becomes the apparent casus belli for the Soviet Union to launch a nuclear strike against the United States and her allies. Early the following morning, Soviet missiles arrive from over the Arctic, as well as from submarines, while American missiles are sent in response. Randy and his house guests are awakened by shaking due to bombing of various air force bases and naval air stations across central and northeast Florida; one explosion temporarily blinds Peyton, Randy's niece.

Things are chaotic at first: Tourists are trapped in their hotels, telegraph lines fail to work, the use of the CONELRAD radio system exposes its weaknesses, convicts escape from jails and prisons, and a run on the bank results in the bank's closing. Randy organizes his immediate neighbors to provide housing, food, and water for themselves.

Over the months, news trickles in exclusively through the radio. Most of the government on both sides has been eliminated. The current American president, Josephine Vanbruuker-Brown, was formerly the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. Having been active as a part-time Army Reserve officer before the Soviet attack, Randy organizes a community self-defense team against bandits and works to rid the community of radioactive jewelry smuggled into Fort Repose from the ruins of Miami.

The following year, Air Force helicopters make contact with Fort Repose. While they offer to evacuate the residents from Florida, which is considered a "contaminated zone," the residents choose to stay. It is revealed that the United States won the war, but at a tremendous cost as it is now the recipient of aid from third world countries such as Brazil and Venezuela.

Randy,
It sounds similar to JW Rawles series of books (Patriots, etc).

I agree^^^ an on that note I hear he has another coming out.

Well played.

I love good fresh ground coffee and whole leaf tea as well, but Micro brews and single barrel bourbon are my real down fall.

I was a coffee fanatic. Giving it up, four or five years ago, was very difficult. The smell of coffee when I walk into a Fresh Market makes me yearn for a cup.

Alas, I gave up caffeine and won't go back.

I get the same way with copenhagen I know I would puke if I took a dip but it still makes my mouth water going on 14 years later.

mmmmmmmmm.....coffee..... I don't drink much at all (growing up with an alcoholic probably saved me from that), but will when with friends or on occasions, I don't smoke, never have but ccccccooooooofffffeeeeeee....yes please, down to one a day when working and a couple at home when on days off now....but I really...NO REALLY enjoy those few. Even here in the office, if the espresso van is late or I miss it for some reason, almost everyone in the building knows to steer clear of me or risk injury... The girls in the admin support section have even been known to go out (under their own steam, not having been asked) and buy me coffee, when asked they explain it as a “community service gesture” … not so much for me…but for those around me….

A mate I hunt with a few times a year (he is Croatian) makes his own wines, as he says some "vintages" (more of a week than a year for him) are better than others. No preservatives so very little in the way of a hangover when he “forces” me to drink it… no truly…I describe him as “The Devil” when it comes to food and drink…he is not at all happy unless everyone around him is eating and drinking….but he is a great cook and his wine is nice…so we do….as I said… he is The Devil..!!

LOL I can go without the coffee but working from 10pm to 8am almost makes it a necessity and if I am going to drink it it had better be good.

I brew my own beer and a friend does wine so we share back and forth I never really enjoyed wine until I had hers it is fantastic.

I've never smoked, really don't drink alcohol, gave up caffeine and soft drinks about four years ago. Giving up coffee is still hard. When I smell it or see a free sample someplace.... It takes a lot of will power to resist its deliciousness.

Embrace your dark side. It will empower with abilities you never dreamed of.

Here's the one my wife's mom gifted to us (it was her grandmother's)....



It looks nice in our little house.

I about died when I saw this...



Our vacuum died, and my wife brought home one with ZOMBIE GREEN accents. (insert gag icon here)

Now all you need is a full length porch across the front of your house, and a couple rockin chairs for "Relaxing evenings" Oh and banjo would probably help.

Actually seeing the pic, I like the layout of your place. Our old pastor's house is set up like that, and he heats it with a wood burning stove, and a small one at that!

We supplement forced air heat with a wood burner (its off the to the right). We love having a house that is a simple rectangle with a 1328sf foot print (plus the loft shown above..which is our "winter bedroom". Gets too hot up there in the summer so we sleep down on the main floor).

ETA: We also cook on our woodstove when we're using it, and it is sized to heat the entire main level to comfortable levels. If we heat to "main level comfort" (which is 62F) the loft is a toasty 70F. I can get the back of the hall (shown in the picture) to 78F with the stove (running it at about 450F).

It has a full length covered porch across the front, and two swivel rockers. LOL.

Part of "downshifting". We have sold our custom built McMasion and bought this little place. It only took 9 months of my wife working 10 hours a day, me working 3 per night through the week and all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday to complete the remodel and make it liveable.

I love having our "Living Room", "Dining Room", "Foyer" and "Kitchen" as one space. It eliminates wasted overlaps and circulation. Since we can't have kids, the open loft works for us too.

Gary, ours has a flour sifter in it and an enameled table top.

You have a nice home.

That is really nice Gary. I remember the old Ice box, NOT a fridge, that my Grandma had. She did use it for that at one time but by the time I came along it wasn't anything more than an old (but in GREAT shape) storage box. It had one smaller door for the ice block and a couple of other doors, one tall and narrow and the other rather square.

Gary showed (I THINK) a few pics of the work in progress. They've done good.

Thanks Adam and Randy.

We really "downshifted" when we bought this place. It was in DESPERATE need of remodeling. Here's a few pictures of the Great Room that is pictured above while we were remodeling...







Here's a little further along...




(the Woodstove is under the moving blanket)



Here's after we finished the repairs, installed fireboard backing, painted, installed the floor and tile, and just finished setting the woodstove...

The bathrooms were fun to remodel...

We did almost all of the work on our little country home by ourselves.

Here's the subdivision house we sold to buy our rural downshifted self-reliant little cabinesque place....

Most people thought we were crazy.

However, this is what I see when I go home now...




That's my drive way. Who's really crazy here....

I'm 99.99% sure this had a pull out flour shoot on the right side below the counter top. The hinges are different, and there is evidence of the old hardware. Plus, I can tell from the interior construction. We know the glass was replaced by my wife's mom about 25 years ago. As for the countertop, I've seen them with wood and enamel so I'm not sure if that's original.

We've tried to buy an oak Ice Box a number of times at Resale shops. They carry a hefty collector's price tag now!

I'm probably going to develop a "Organic Rural Downshift Lifestyle" thread at some point. However, until then there's a few pictures (posted above) of the work we did on the house.

The exterior still needs to be remodeled. I've been working up a design for it. Here's a CRUDE hand sketch I completed over a picture I printed...




The exterior remodel is going to wait until we need a roof and (probably) new windows. We simply don't have the money to WASTE on dressing up the otherwise functional exterior. We will, eventually, but for now we're putting everything into the organic farming component and really want to install a 100% Solar Power System within the next 5 years.

You really had a nice house Gary, but I personally like your new place a lot better.

Crazy, well that IS a L O N G driveway....

Gary, saying a panel is 3ft by 6ft (I don't know how large they really are, I've seen all sizes) how many would it take to make you 100% solar?

Oh and I am guessing you are talking about a hot water solar exchanger as well?

DON'T WAIT TO LONG, do it while you're still young.

Oh and JJ had some plans for an organic toilet composter. It was pretty neat setup.

Randy, its not the size of the panel. Its your electric demand vs panel output and storage capacity.

Its a detailed analysis.

Thanks. We do too. DOWNSHIFTERS!

Its only 1.4 miles round trip up to the road and our mailbox.

Septic system.