What did you do today?

[Oldbloke]

Went to the LGS and transferred this M2 brno 22lr

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to my grandson.

[Flyonline]

Last w/e I made up a venison pastrami, which actually came out more like a smoke ham - tasty and very nice but not what I was expecting!

Managed to get out a few more times over the long w/e despite nursing a sore throat and general fatigue and ******. I ended up walking back into the large open patch I found recently, which was a lot harder than expected as it is VERY dry at the moment, and I saw nothing other than a wombat and a stack of black wallabies. Monday evening I quickly bashed in to drop off the game camera where the goats appear to be bedding/moving and then jumped over the ridge to hit a wallow I know of. Bumped and was honked at by a pair of hinds walking in on an old road in a clearing not far from the main bush road - was very surprised as it was still quite early. A little further on I'm pretty sure I bumped at least another two lots of deer as they didn't sound at all macropod like. Finally reached the point above the wallow and v e r y slowly eased my way the 200m or so down off the road through the leaf litter. As the wallow came into view through the brush between me and it, I could see a wallaby standing on the very edge looking intently downhill. It moved off almost immediately and shortly after a young sambar spike in velvet climbed up into the wallow. He mooched about a bit, smelling and feeding on the surrounding grass/bushes/blackberries, some of which were so long he completely disappeared into about 50m below me. I couldn't quite line up a shot I was happy with, and being so dry and noisy it was almost impossible to move around without making noise so by the time I got into a position I could shoot, he'd moved and I had to move again. After maybe 30min or so of this, I could hear another animal higher up in the wattle thicket that splits the two wallows, and eventually a young hind came into view as well. Again I couldn't quite get a shot I was happy with despite some slightly noisy footwork. The light was fading quickly due to the overcast sky and smoke haze, and further up the top of the gully which was quite open I could see a large mature deer. A quick flash of white had me hopeful of a stag, but I wasn't ever able to see it's head unobstructed as it moved off feeding so perhaps it was just the white tips of those big bat ears. In the end I made a few quick calls on the reed call which drew no response, so I stood up and started to walk back to the road which caused a bit of an uproar. One of the younger deer started honking immediately, and after 30sec or so the mature deer up the top of the gully started to honk as well.

Next time I'll drop of the game camera over the wallow and spend a bit of time finding/making some shooting rests so I can hopefully catch up with a bit of walking ivory one evening soon

[Wm.Traynor]

Flyonline,
To my old ears, it all sounds very adventurous and exciting

[Lazarus]

Wellll, we knife makers are known for never making mistakes


We simply change design parameters.

Today I "changed design parameters" on a hollow ground Persian hunter.
It came out of heating OK, but when I did the zero bevel, full hollow grind, my laziness in skipping the normalising process bit a large chunk out of my arse.

The 1075 spring steel I'm currently using comes off a huge roll.
It's rolled hot, meaning "sweet baby jebus hot", and cools curved.

If you're complacent like me, you might just think,"Meh, I'll straighten it when I harden it, only girlymen normalise".

You, and I, would be wrong.
The full hollow grind awakened numerous internal stresses that manifested in multidirectional warpage fukcery.

The intended hunter, has been repurposed into a new member of my growing legion of "kitchen" knives.

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[Bugman]

I tried to stay dry

[Oldbloke]

Fitted a "new to me" 3-9×40 Leupold scope onto my M70 30.06. Abt 80 grams lighter than the one that was on it. Scope will now go on my 22lr Brno M2.

Then loaded up 20 test rounds for the same M70 rifle. Modified 125gr Sierra's with a mild charge of AR2208 behind them.

[Die Judicii]

I mounted a spare Vortex scope that I had laying in a cabinet onto my old sporterised .303 rifle.
Only just recently I got my gunsmith to drill and tap the necessary holes for the mounts.
I don't plan on using the old girl (anymore) which I purchased in original condition from an ex croc shooter back when I was a teenager,,,,, apart from the fact that at some stage of it's life it had a .303 machine gun barrel an foresight fitted to it it is in exceptionally good condition.

But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, my heart was truly not in it,,, due to my Best Mate passing away on Easter Sunday
He was my principal land owner that I used to shoot dogs for,,,,,,,,, and I must say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
A true gentleman in every sense,,,, the kind that is simply not made anymore.

Passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on his property only mere hours after I had been sitting with him and having a couple of beers together.

Rest in peace Mate,, you will be missed greatly.

[Lazarus]

Wasted 2 hrs, what I thought was a nice piece of white cedar, and at least 30c worth of electrickery, on an aborted attempt to make a translucent bowl.

A nascent fault, undetectable until spun up to warp speed on the lathe, and introduced to a bowl gouge, came explosively to fruition.
My face will heal, the "bowl" is currently, randomly distributed about the shed.

[Flyonline]

Flyonline,
To my old ears, it all sounds very adventurous and exciting

Thanks, as I always say - happy to get material

Wasted 2 hrs, what I thought was a nice piece of white cedar, and at least 30c worth of electrickery, on an aborted attempt to make a translucent bowl.

A nascent fault, undetectable until spun up to warp speed on the lathe, and introduced to a bowl gouge, came explosively to fruition.
My face will heal, the "bowl" is currently, randomly distributed about the shed.

What do you turn up? Had a lathe for a while but didn't really get anything too exciting done on it. Made a few surface lures for cod, a large sauerkraut smasher for the old man and a few tool handles. Started collecting bits n pieces of timber for retirement projects (another 20+ years away ), but ditched a bit when we sold our rural house and moved into town but I've still got a fair collection of Osage that is waiting patiently for me.

[Jorlcrin]

[Talking about yesterday]
Installed a new surveillance camera pole-mount I'd printed up(Green parts) over the weekend.

Works a HECK of a lot better than Duct-Tape..
A few minor niggles, but actually came up better than I expected.

Today, we tackle the setup of a home-made boom-spray rig for the tandem trailer; the printer has already made me up a set of pipe-clamps for the boom, but I think I'll make a fitting to hinge the boom out of the way, if it gets tangled up with a bush..

[bladeracer]

Rose and I went up to Albury on Friday for the two-day Off-Grid Living Festival at Chilton.
One of her sisters is in Albury so it was mainly an excuse to see them, but her and her husband also came to the festival. Wasn't too bad. Seemed to push a huge reliance on generating electricity, which seems a backward step for anybody wanting to go off-grid. Quite a few hippy types and a few spouting "the end is nigh" due to the global warming farce. Some were the same people that were at Farmworld in Lardner Park a couple weeks ago and also at the Lost Trades Fair Bendigo a couple weeks before that.

A couple of talks I sat through were odd as they were spruiking their idea but layered with lots and lots of reasons why it's not such a great idea, like using vegetable oils to run diesel engines or using straw bales to build homes. Rose now wants to look deeper into wood gasification, though mainly out of curiosity, and it looks like we're getting a beehive as well

Also caught up with a friend of my daughter who was down from Qld with a stall, she recycles old clothing, turning it into something quirky. Cuts the sleeves off a blazer and adds them at the bottom to turn it into a dress, or sews ties all over a jacket or dress like tassels, tie-dye stuff, definitely not my sort of thing, but a lovely lady. All said, not a bad weekend at all, and almost zero rain!

Had a cardiologist appointment here at 1400 and after stopping at secondhand bookshops at Yea and Alexandra found we were running thirty minutes late, but I picked up lots of time in the slalom course between Narbethong and Neerim North and arrived early enough for a wee beforehand. 1240km trip used 87 litres of 98RON.

[bigpete]

Took my bushmeister in to sell. Paid 1550 for it a year ago,bought a second barrel for 380 for it a few months ago,and only going to get 800 max for it now. No work and no use for it now I've got my akkar churchill but still that stings

[deye243]

Rigged a new sarca anchor and 6m of 8mm short link chain for the boat and tied 11 fg knots on my rods getting ready for snapper Season .

[Lazarus]

SFA

[bigpete]

Went fishing today and caught about 20 salmon trout,including this lucky/unlucky bugger....

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[deye243]

The one's you don't put a hook in are the most memorable...... I once lassoed a gummy off the beach one night

[bigpete]

The one's you don't put a hook in are the most memorable...... I once lassoed a gummy off the beach one night

Notice what its hooked by ?

[deye243]

The one's you don't put a hook in are the most memorable...... I once lassoed a gummy off the beach one night

Notice what its hooked by ?

Yep lice

[wanneroo]

Rose and I went up to Albury on Friday for the two-day Off-Grid Living Festival at Chilton.

Well Blade, I think the "off the grid" term gets used to mean many different things and for some it's just getting off the electrical grid and for some it's totally checking out completely from modern society. And some in the middle perhaps finding a balance and living rurally.

In the end "the net" and "the grid" are here to stay, baring some major catastrophic event.

[bigpete]

Took the superlite out on a farm this morning thst has a kangaroo destruction permit. Despite wearing camo and working the wind and everything being damp and soft,they were extremely flighty and difficult to get close to. Eventually however I managed to take one from a solid 150m with a 165gn SGK to the head using a tree to lean against. Can't complain about the accuracy of this rifle that's for sure.

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[Oldbloke]

Took the superlite out on a farm this morning thst has a kangaroo destruction permit. Despite wearing camo and working the wind and everything being damp and soft,they were extremely flighty and difficult to get close to. Eventually however I managed to take one from a solid 150m with a 165gn SGK to the head using a tree to lean against. Can't complain about the accuracy of this rifle that's for sure.

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Hey, BP, what's that on the side of the stock just forward of the magazine?

[Lazarus]

Shell holder perhaps?

I bought myself a prezzy.

I bought a Bog Pod Death Grip Tripod from they who remain nameless, but whom we all like to complain about.

$299 delivered
I bought it online at 5.45 this morning, it was on it's way and I had a tracking number by midday.

They have some questionable practices at times, but this is legendary service.

[Oldbloke]

I was thinking cartridge case holder too?

[bigpete]

Yeah its a case holder. One of my few OCD things is that a firearm should hold 5 rounds. So I bought a 2 round shell holder for it. Tbh I don't like where it sits,its right where my hand goes when I carry the rifle.
Went out for a fish this arvo with Jessica. It was a fish a cast for a while there and we came home with 34 salmon trout

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[bladeracer]

Rose and I went up to Albury on Friday for the two-day Off-Grid Living Festival at Chilton.

Well Blade, I think the "off the grid" term gets used to mean many different things and for some it's just getting off the electrical grid and for some it's totally checking out completely from modern society. And some in the middle perhaps finding a balance and living rurally.

In the end "the net" and "the grid" are here to stay, baring some major catastrophic event.

Yep, I'm not sure what the current definition might be. Back in the day it simply meant not being connected to power, water and sewerage I think (where we are currently), nowadays I think it's more along the lines of separating yourself from reliance on others to supply your needs, which is closer to my own definition of being "off-grid". For me, a big part of that means a huge reduction on being reliant on electricity. Electrical tools and equipment don't last any longer than their batteries and other power sources (solar panels or generators) so making yourself reliant on such equipment in the longterm is doomed to failure I think. Mechanical handtools that you can maintain and repair indefinitely, and even make replacements from scratch when they eventually wear out, are a far better option I think. Being reliant on a "grid" or "network" of other people to maintain and run a modern vehicle is equally mad I think. In a situation that takes down the "grid" there won't be communications or transport systems in place either in my view, so no fuel, no spare parts, and no reason to be venturing out anyway.

[Oldbloke]

Finally got to the range today.
Two best groups. They will do me for hunting.

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[Lazarus]

Today I looked at the Austpost tracking info on my new Bog Pod.
As usual, for Austpost, it's on a scenic tour of the east coast.
After the lightning fast response by the vendor, once again, Austpost, after receiving the ball, fumbled it, dropped it, knocked it on, then kicked it into their own goal.

By comparison, the Italian hunting boots I'm wearing, got 15,000km from England to my feet in 6 days.
Austpost has had 6 days to get it less than 1000km and now they tell.me they need at least 2 more days.
Privatisation, making things cheaper and more efficient.
Just like phones, and electricity, and roads, and.....

[Bugman]

Today I looked at the Austpost tracking info on my new Bog Pod.
As usual, for Austpost, it's on a scenic tour of the east coast.
After the lightning fast response by the vendor, once again, Austpost, after receiving the ball, fumbled it, dropped it, knocked it on, then kicked it into their own goal.

By comparison, the Italian hunting boots I'm wearing, got 15,000km from England to my feet in 6 days.
Austpost has had 6 days to get it less than 1000km and now they tell.me they need at least 2 more days.
Privatisation, making things cheaper and more efficient.
Just like phones, and electricity, and roads, and.....

Yep. I share your frustration. And now they only deliver "snail mail" every second day. Somehow, I don't think I will notice much, if any, difference.

[bigpete]

Went fishing with a mate. Caught a few,set up a couple of live bait,one got smashed but no hook ups. Then been in bed most of the day feeling like utter ******

[Lazarus]

Today I looked at the Austpost tracking info on my new Bog Pod.
As usual, for Austpost, it's on a scenic tour of the east coast.
After the lightning fast response by the vendor, once again, Austpost, after receiving the ball, fumbled it, dropped it, knocked it on, then kicked it into their own goal.

By comparison, the Italian hunting boots I'm wearing, got 15,000km from England to my feet in 6 days.
Austpost has had 6 days to get it less than 1000km and now they tell.me they need at least 2 more days.
Privatisation, making things cheaper and more efficient.
Just like phones, and electricity, and roads, and.....

Yep. I share your frustration. And now they only deliver "snail mail" every second day. Somehow, I don't think I will notice much, if any, difference.

I just checked the tracking again, it gets better, it's been past me twice now, once going south, once going back north, and will pass me at least, fingers crossed, only one more time.
The original estimate was Monday 15th, then Wednesday 17th, then Friday 19th.
That was before it went north past me again, so, anyone's guess.

A mate bought a big bench grinder last year, Austpost had it for nearly 3 months.
How you can "lose" a box the size of a small fridge is beyond me.
Then, I don't work for the gummint,