I need help locating .22LR ammo for disabled students

I'm trying to line up various defensive shooting classes for disabled and/or handicapped students during 2014.  I usually use .22LR handguns for this purpose, as students can handle the minimal recoil even if their disabilities are significant.  I was lucky enough to trade into a couple of cases of .22LR ammo late in 2012, which made last year's classes much easier to arrange:  but this year is looking bleak.  I don't want to switch to BB guns for training, because they lack several features of 'real' firearms:  but if I can't find ammo at a reasonable cost (students on a disability income can't afford scalpers' prices), I may have to.

Can any readers help me?  Here's how:

• If you have contacts at any ammo manufacturer or wholesaler or dealer, and think you can arrange for them to sell me a couple of cases of ammo for this purpose at affordable prices, I'd love to hear from you (my e-mail address is in my blog profile).
• If you have a brick or two of .22LR ammo that's surplus to your requirements, would you consider donating or selling it for a good cause?  Again, please e-mail me.

I'd be most grateful for your help.  The only conditions are that the ammo should be reasonably reliable (powerful enough to operate the mechanism of most semi-auto pistols - some cheap ammo isn't loaded to the right power levels to do that) and accurate (in other words, shoot to point of aim rather than scatter its bullets about like shotgun pellets - don't laugh - some cheaper brands have done that, in my experience!)

Thanks in advance for your help.

Peter

MSgt. B. needs our help

He's asked me to share a link to this post on his blog.  Briefly, the son of one of his dearest friends was murdered early this month, but no suspects have yet been identified.  Police and the family are appealing for anyone with any information to come forward.

The family has donated their son's insurance money to the college he was attending, and have appealed for donations to support the same cause.  More details at MSgt. B.'s place.  Please click over there, read his article, and consider whether you'd like to help a worthy cause.

Thanks, y'all.

Peter

Guns for disabled shooters

EDITED TO ADD:  Due to a lot of interest in this post and links to it from other bloggers, I've added a suggestion at the end.


I'm almost at my wit's end trying to locate several firearms for disabled shooters who live in areas where they feel threatened by dangers such as home invasion, etc.  Some feel at risk when going down the street in wheelchairs, on crutches, or using another mobility aid, because gang-bangers regard them as feeble - easy prey.  Trouble is, on disability income (often no more than a few hundred dollars per month) they can't afford to buy new or high-quality firearms for self-defense.

Time was I could find old revolvers (decent ones such as Smith & Wesson police department trade-in Model 10's and more modern versions such as the Model 15, Model 64, etc.) for $150-$200.  Not any more.  The diminishing supply of police trade-in revolvers, and increasing demand for low-cost home defense weapons, has meant that finding such deals is now a matter of luck alone.  The last couple of handguns I was able to find for disabled shooters were older-model Ruger P-series pistols.  The earliest production runs of P85 9mm. handguns (shown below) are sometimes available in the $200-$250 range, and I buy them when I can find them.

They're big and bulky, which is a problem for those with small hands, but beggars can't be choosers.

Also, time was I could get halfway decent pump-action shotguns (used Remington 870's or Mossberg 500's) for $150-$200.  No longer.  I'm probably going to have to look more closely at Chinese copies of US designs.  A Chinese clone of the Remington 870 is widely available for about $200, and a locally-assembled version sells for a similar price.  They're rougher and less well put together than the original, but if one can't afford a Remington . . .  (Rifles are pretty much out of the question, as a worthwhile one will usually be a lot more expensive than a 'beater' shotgun.  Besides, for home defense most rifles have the disadvantages of being too powerful and over-penetrative.)

(I've had some success swapping ammo for suitable firearms.  For example, I've got a reasonably good stash of .22LR ammo, which is as scarce as hens' teeth in the shops right now.  I recently obtained a Ruger P85 for $50 plus four bricks of Winchester 333, and the seller was very glad to get it!  Another seller parted with a shotgun in exchange for a selection of .45 ACP ball and 12ga. buckshot.)

I have three or four disabled shooters who I can only describe as seriously impoverished.  They can't find work to supplement their meager allowances, and therefore can't spare more than a few dollars for their protection.  For their use, I'm looking at estate sales and elsewhere to see whether I can find a few of the old single-shot H&R or NEF shotguns.  These sometimes used to sell at auction for as little as $20 - in poor cosmetic condition, to be sure, but still shootable.  A single-shot shotgun is better than nothing for home defense, and if that's all these people can afford, it'll have to do.  (I'll donate sufficient ammo to train them to a proficient level.)

I'd be grateful if those of my readers who care about such things would please keep their eyes peeled for older, usable-condition pistols, revolvers and shotguns at low prices.  I know everyone wants them, but if you spot something like an old single-shot shotgun, or old Ruger P-series pistol, or an equivalent weapon at a price along the lines discussed above, PLEASE e-mail me!  (My address is in my blog profile.)  I may ask whether you'll be willing to buy it (on receipt of funds, of course) and ship it to a local FFL for legal transfer to a disabled shooter.  However, that'll add shipping and FFL fees to the cost, which may make it unaffordable (unless you're in Tennessee, in which case a face-to-face transfer will be legal and free of charge).

If any of you have an old firearm like that doing nothing but take up space in your gun safe, and you feel like donating it, or selling it at a good price, to a good cause, please e-mail me . . .

Peter


EDITED TO ADD:  I've had many readers arrive at this post from other blogs - far more than I expected.  I'm very grateful for your interest, and for several offers of suitable firearms:  but there may be a better way for you to help.

I'm just one man, in one city, trying to help one group of disabled people.  There are vastly more of them spread across this country, in every town and city, in every county and state.  Instead of sending guns or money to me, why not approach a local shooting range to discuss the possibility of setting up training classes for disabled shooters in your area?  You (and your range) could approach local groups of disabled people (there are bound to be links to such groups in your telephone directory), offering training for those interested in it.  If enough of us do this, it would be of great help to far more people than I can reach.

Thanks for your interest!

Does anyone speak kamikaze?

If you do, a museum in Britain would appreciate your help.  The Flight International editor's blog reports:

The Fleet Air Arm Museum is trying to find the meaning of insignia on a rare Japanese Second World War Ohka 2 – which has been hanging from its rafters for over 30 years.

. . .

This model is to feature in a new display to commemorate the war in the Pacific.

The markings are on the left hand side of the aircraft and the hatch cover; there is also a cherry blossom, from which the Ohka takes its name, a Japanese symbol of flowering and rebirth.

. . .

If you think you might be able to help in the translation of the Japanese insignia on the Ohka, please contact the museum’s curator of aircraft, Dave Morris, at: davem@fleetairarm.com.

There's more at the link.  Here's the museum's Ohka aircraft.

And here's a graphic from the August 1945 edition of Popular Mechanics, showing how the Ohka (code-named 'Baka', the Japanese word for 'stupid', by the US armed forces) was carried to its target.

US forces captured a number of Okhas on Okinawa in 1945.  Here's a short video clip showing one being dismantled for examination.

If the invasion of Japan had gone ahead, the US Navy would have faced hundreds, perhaps thousands of these aircraft as it sought to deliver the landing force to its beachheads.  Fortunately, that wasn't necessary, as their speed would have made them very difficult targets for US defenders.

There are very few of these aircraft still in existence.

Peter

A bleg for laptop advice, please

I'm in need of advice from those of my readers with greater technical and user expertise than mine in the field of laptop computers, please.

My present laptop is a fairly basic 2009 Gateway model (it's really a re-badged Acer unit).  Its hard disk is starting to give errors on boot-up, requiring more and more frequent CHKDSK runs to resolve them - a sure sign that it needs to be replaced.  (Yes, I have good backups, both local and online!)  However, the computer has only USB 2.0 ports, and I'd like a couple of the much faster USB 3.0 ports for use with an external hard disk drive for backup and data transfer.  Also, it's got a 15.6" screen at 1366x768 resolution.  I'd like a larger screen for working with multiple documents, with higher resolution for better sharpness and less eyestrain during long periods of editing.  Finally, its 4GB of memory becomes overloaded when I have multiple documents open, plus a couple of dozen Web sites in browser tabs, plus e-mail, music and other programs.  I'm therefore looking at replacing the whole computer, rather than just the hard disk.

My problem is that there's a massive price jump between low-end 'consumer' laptops and more sophisticated units.  On a disability income (until my book royalties improve to the point of providing a livable income stream) I find it hard to justify dropping a grand or more on a high-end unit when for half that sum, I can buy something that may be at least adequate for my current needs (albeit with the likelihood of having to upgrade or replace it within two to three years).  To illustrate the problem, here's a comparison between three Acer units, one low-end and two rather more high-end (see below the graphic for links to each one).  All are supplied with Windows 8, but none has a touch-screen display.

From a technical perspective, I'd say the second or third unit is more suitable for what I need, and for long-term growth.  However, they'll cost me double or more the price of the first unit.  My computer will be used primarily for writing, Internet browsing and blogging (including a limited amount of image processing - cutting, cropping, sizing, etc., but not Photoshop-type work), some YouTube viewing and occasional on-line movies, and simple single-player games to distract me when writing gets too frustrating.  For that sort of workload, are the more expensive units worth their much higher price?  I understand that I might have to upgrade or expand the lower-end unit within two to three years, but might I not have to do the same to the higher-end units anyway?  Technology is moving so fast that I'm not sure spending twice as much now will buy me twice as much 'future-proofing', if you know what I mean.

Battery life isn't a major issue for me.  I seldom take my computer out of my office, although I do need to do that from time to time.  I'll usually use it in hotel rooms or at friends' homes, where a power socket is available.  I need 2-3 hours battery life at most, and these units will provide that.  A user-replaceable battery is a nice thing to have, if possible - I prefer not to have batteries that can only be replaced by the supplier.

Have I specified all the important bits and pieces above?  (For example, should I look for a touch-screen display if I want to get the most out of Windows 8?)  Also, what about a docking station or port replicator?  I presently attach external peripherals like keyboard, mouse, a 1TB HDD for backups, a larger monitor, etc. to my laptop when it's at home.  I've plugged them into a USB 2.0 hub until now, but that's definitely going to be a problem when I have a mix of USB 3.0 and 2.0 devices.  Is it worth investing a little in a universal docking station or port replicator like this one?  For less than $100, it looks like it might significantly extend my computer's connectivity.

I'd be grateful for responses and suggestions from those who deal with these things more often, or at a more technical level, than I do.  If I really should buy one of the more expensive units, I'll find a way (even if it means ramen for supper for a while), but I'm only going to do so if that's essential.  Over to you, friends!  Let us know your reactions in Comments.  (I'm not necessarily committed to the Acer brand, either, so if you want to suggest alternatives to that, fire away.)

Thanks!

Peter

A pilot bread bleg

Alaskan readers in particular will be familiar with Sailor Boy Pilot Bread, made by Interbake Foods.  (If you don't know it, read this blog article for more information.)

I've been trying to find a local source for them, but nobody in Tennessee seems to carry them.  (Sams Club advertises them online, but only as an in-store purchase, and the local SC doesn't keep them in stock.)  Does anyone know a good online supplier for these things, preferably one that doesn't charge too horrible a price?  They've also got to ship countrywide, not just within Alaska.  Alternatively, if you can get it in your area, what does it cost?  Would you be prepared to send me a decent-size shipment of the stuff?

I've compared alternative pilot bread and hardtack suppliers, but they're almost always very expensive on a cost-per-ounce or cost-per-cracker basis.  The cheapest on that basis that I've been able to find is Mountain House with their #10 cans containing 70 pilot bread crackers, but those who know it tell me it's not the same as the 'real thing'.  I wouldn't know, of course.

Can anyone help?  Many thanks in advance!  Please leave any information you can provide in Comments, or e-mail me (my address is in my blog profile).

Peter