My Rock River .458 SOCOM upper arrived today. I guess it’s time to assemble that lower, huh? And load some ammo. I also received 500 Remington .458″ 300 grain JHP’s today.
Time to get busy.
Tag: guns
60, 90, 120, 180 Days (Bumped)
So, back in April I bought a custom-engraved AR15 lower, and I decided I wanted a “thumper” upper for it, either a .50 Beowulf or a .458 SOCOM. I went with the SOCOM because bullet selection for the .458 is better, I think, and the boltface matches the .308 Winchester casehead rather than the 7.62×39, so if I’d like to try a 6.5 Benchrest upper, I can.
Rock River Arms was promising “60-90 day” delivery on complete uppers, but on the parts page they advised that bolts and carriers were delayed. I inquired as to whether this would affect the 60-90 days on complete uppers, but was assured that would not be the case but it would be 90 days, so I’d have a complete rifle well in time for the Gun Blogger Rendezvous in September.
I placed my order on May 3.
On July 12 I inquired as to the status of my order. The response:
Most uppers and rifles run at least 90 days, some are extending by 30-45 days due to component availability.
Fair enough. I checked again on August 6. The response:
The .458’s are running over the approximate 90 day time frame, so it could be 30-45 days before it is available.
Well, that meant the Rendezvous would be a washout. So I waited some more.
I emailed them again yesterday, 154 days after placing the order. They replied this morning:
We just received the barrels in, the upper went to the floor to be built so it will be shipping out in 2 weeks to 30 days.
So, instead of 90 days, it’s going to be 168-182 days.
If I can believe them this time.
UPDATE, 10/9/12: I received this email today from UPS:
This message was sent to you at the request of ROCK RIVER ARMS to notify you that the electronic shipment information below has been transmitted to UPS. The physical package(s) may or may not have actually been tendered to UPS for shipment. To verify the actual transit status of your shipment, click on the tracking link below or contact ROCK RIVER ARMS directly.
Important Delivery Information
——————————————————————————–
Adult Signature Required – Adult must be at least 21 years of age
Scheduled Delivery: 15-October-2012
And Rock River has billed my credit card.
Looks like I’ll have a thumper next week!
Quote of the Day – Movie Edition
Interviewer: Why in the hell would anybody want a Sherman tank?
Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Zack Carey: Because it’s very hard to shoot yourself while you’re cleaning it.
Remington Lied. Sorta.
Back in June I reported that Remington wouldn’t be making their 405 grain .458″ softpoint bullets as reloading components, based on an email exchange I had with them. Regardless, through the power of the interwebs, I managed to get my hands on some (though, regardless of the power of the interwebs I have YET to receive my Rock River upper to shoot them through).
This afternoon I received an email from Midway USA informing me that these bullets are currently in stock! So Remington DID make a batch for component sales.
But not many, apparently. Between 3:52PM when I received the email and 7:37PM when I checked the web site, they’re all gone.
Perhaps they made a batch of the 300 grainers as well? Nope. None of those either.
Oh well.
(Of course, it occurs to me that Midway might have lied….)
In Relation to Today’s QotD
My favorite Merchant O’Death sent me an email which contained this image I found appropriate to today’s Quote of the Day:
0 for 7
Well, I’ve been attending the Gun Blogger Rendezvous since its inception. The first year the top prize at the Saturday night raffle was a pistol – a High Point 9mm. Each year since the prizes have gotten better and better – more guns, more neat swag. I even gave away a gun at the 2009 GBR.
But I’ve never won one.
I’d hoped that last year would end my dry streak. Bea had donated a Ruger Blackhawk that she said she wanted me to win, but it was not to be. Molly Smith took home the certificate for that one.
This year, Ruger Engineering Johnson donated a .45LC Vaquero I really wanted.
My nemesis took it once again. (Meddling kids!) And she’s sponsored by Smith & Wesson!
Oh well, I guess winning a gun will be a once-in-a-lifetime event for me.
Buth there’s always next year.
(Typos corrected. I was in a hurry and typing on my EeePC keyboard. Sue me.)
Hey!
I know a couple of champions!
Bummer
The seventh annual Gun Blogger Rendezvous is only 27 days away, and I’m not going to get my .458 SOCOM upper in time.
I ordered it on May 3, with an advertised 90-day lead time. I checked with Rock River a couple of days ago, and here is their response:
The .458’s are running over the approximate 90 day time frame, so it could be 30-45 days before it is available.
Rock River is still advertising “60-90 days” for “most LAR-458 rifles and upper halves.”
Regardless, I won’t have a “thumper” to bring with me to the Rendezvous. I’ve got dies, brass, bullets even (some kind people let me have some of their private stash, so I’ve got about 200 of the 405 grain Remington softpoints to load.)
But nothing to shoot them through.
Ah, well. It’ll still be fun.
The Sign is Misleading
He has more than one gun, and knows how to use them all:
Junk-on-the-Bunk
Authorities have arrested a Maryland man they say referred to himself as “a joker” and threatened to carry out a shooting at his workplace, Fox News has learned.
Police arrested 28-year-old Neil Prescott of Crofton, Md., after he allegedly called his employer and threatened to “shoot the place up,” a source close to the investigation told Fox News.
Yeah, copycat.
I liked this detail:
The suspect was also wearing a T-shirt that said, “Guns don’t kill people. I do,” when taken into custody, according to authorities.
I don’t have that one, but I do have one that says “When I SNAP, You’ll Be the First to Go.”
It was a gift. In poor taste.
I like tasteless gifts, though. I used to have the smileyface with the bullet hole in the forehead. Wore that one out.
(I have another that states, “Some days it’s just not worth chewing through the restraints.” The TSA bluehands enjoy that one when I’m flying somewhere.)
But this is the part that got my attention – the classic “junk-on-the-bunk” statement:
Police said that when they took the man into custody, they found an “arsenal” (love the scare quotes) of weapons inside his home. The Associated Press reports that a search of the suspect’s home turned up more than 20 guns, including assault rifles and handguns, and more than 400 rounds of ammunition.
Uh, I have more than 20 guns in my safe.
And I’ve got more than 400 rounds of .45 Long Colt alone.
Why do they continue to treat this like it’s unusual?
Oh, right – because FEAR!