StratDude

Right after my son was born in 2011, I bought him a .22LR AR15. The upper is polymer and is made by Chiappa Firearms. The lower is an American Tactical Imports. Recently we were shooting it and the bolt failed to return to battery. So I broke it down and saw the bolt main spring was crimped. No big deal. Went inside and ordered 2 new ones straight from the website.. After the new ones arrived, I was studying the bolt assembly and realized why the spring was crimped. The bolt spring rod is threaded on both ends and threads into the bolt block. The bolt block is made of zinc or Pot Metal as I like to call it. So I go back to the website to order another bolt rod and bolt block, only to find out that the rod is out of stock. Next I start searching for another supplier... NOTHING!! But what I did find was very interesting. It seems that there are hundreds of reports of this failure with this particular bolt assembly design. I lost count of how many people reported this on different forums. And here I thought I'd have my son's rifle back up and running next weekend. This morning, I found a number for Chiappa, since it isn't listed on their website, and called them. The individual I spoke with said that they no longer make the bolt rod and that I'll have to go through a dealer to order the entire bolt assembly. The cost is under $60. But my issue is that if there are so many reported failures, there should be a recall of the upper assembly. I think I'm going to cut it into pieces so it can't be used. And save the lower to build him a nice custom AR. And in the meantime, go buy him a new 10/22 since they are a proven rifle in the industry. After doing some more research, I learned they are based out of Italy. I got a reply back from the email that I sent them last night. They explained that when parts are ordered for the website inventory, they are shipped from Italy. So this explains a lot. I don't mind paying $60 for a new bolt assembly. But after all of the reported failures, I'm not sure I want to put another dime into it.

Being patient with crankbaits.. If I'm not getting bit, I want to switch to something else too soon rather than keep casting cranks..

I started using the Deer Cane Black Magic a few years ago, and I'm really impressed with how it works. The deer will walk past feed to get to the lick site. I have also read that you can achieve the same results by mixing strawberry or grape kool aid powder and salt.

Not in WV.

Mineral blocks, salt blocks, horse and mule feed, vegetables from the garden, unused fruit, etc..

AC/DC and Metallica.

Do You Guys Ever Need A Break From Fishing? Yes.. My break involves going hunting!!!!

How could a guide put out a bait pile to lure a single lion? It's impossible. There's no guarantee that the target lion will come to the bait. ALL lions hunt with their noses and eyes. Just like any other predatory animal. Here's an interesting article from someone that is from Zimbabwe: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/opinion/in-zimbabwe-we-dont-cry-for-lions.html?_r=2

The area where the shot took place was not protected. There was no fence to separate or prevent the lions from coming and going. Seems to be just like wild animals in this country moving about freely to explore and feed. I don't care what they did, the lion left to follow his nose and stomach. So are we going to blame the lion and say it was suicide? Of course not. But everyone that is getting worked up about the death of a wild animal is looking for someone to blame. Airlines have now knee jerked and said they won't transport certain animals now. Everyone wants to claim to be so PC. It's hilarious to watch the news on tv about this. Like it was killed right in the backyard of Betty White or something. We have kids that are starving in this country, but celebrities will raise unlimited funds for a lion they didn't even know of until he was dead.

The first thing wrong with this is that they have attempted to humanize a wild animal. It eats other animals that it catches. Simple. And when the guides put the bait out to lure a lion in, they have no way of knowing which lion will come to the bait. Sorry SirSnoookalot, but you make it sound like they knew what his favorite meal was, and prepared it for him so he would be the only one tempted by the smell. The "protected park" was described as not having a perimeter fence around it, which is common for that area due to the large tracts of land.. Try fencing in that much land... Guides in that area have been using bait sites for years to harvest/hunt/kill lions. It's not a new trend in Zimbabwe that was just recently discovered. They kill an animal for baiting purposes, hang it over the back of a vehicle with the entrails dangling to put down a scent trail, then drive for a determined distance. Then they hang the bait animal from a tree at the site where they plan/hope to kill the lion.. Seems a lot like how some deer hunters do here in the US.. Either drag a scented rag with estrus doe urine on it, hang it from a limb, and wait nearby for a buck in rut to investigate the scent trail.... OR... Hang a feeder full of corn from a tree and sit in ambush nearby... It was a lion.. It was shot... Obviously it was a bad hit... But they did manage to find it and finish it off. I'm sure no one just takes off tracking a wounded lion the same way they would track a wounded deer.. Huge difference.. The media has also emphasized the fact that Cecil was wearing a collar.. Big deal. They have also emphasized that his mane was noticeably darker and thicker than the other adult male lions in the area.. That's how he was so easily recognized.. So, if his mane is darker and thicker than the other males', and the shot took place in low light conditions, which has been stated, how could the collar have been visible? A tracking collar fits tight, much different than a necklace worn by a celebrity flashing their BLING.. Think about it...

I picked this one up over the weekend. Sig Sauer 1911 Scorpion. Factory night sights and also has Crimson trace grips. Shoots great.

I feel very comfortable out to 45 yards with it so far.. I'm just glad that we now have the option to hunt with a vertical or crossbow now. Our DNR and state has always been behind the times when it comes to everything.

Good rod choice. Earlier this year I joined the Denali Rods Pro Staff. So now I am using their rods. But up until this year, I only used Abu Veritas and Vendetta rods.

My favorite one out of all of the hunting models I have is the DXT. Great treestand and groundblind bow. Here in WV, crossbows have just been legalized this year. I recently purchased a Ten Point Archery model and I'm looking forward to using it this season.

My favorite is a tie between dropshotting and jigs.. My least favorite is crankbaits, although I keep buying more of them for some reason..

Owning a Mathews IS addictive. I don't sell my old ones. I currently have (competiton bows) a Conquest, Conquest II, Conquest 4,and Apex 8. Hunting bows: Switchback, Switchback XT, Drenaline, DXT, HeliM, Z7, Monster, Chill, and No Cam HTR...

Can't go wrong with a new or used Mathews.

Great site you have here. Glad I was told about it !