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Messages - Flyin6
1
« on: April 15, 2024, 08:19:44 PM »
So, first, I have that new Sig scope sitting on my desk.
Secondly, I do not think I'm going to use it!
Then look into an RMR or a similar red dot sight. If you're using it for brush gun/bear gun get a red dot on it and call it done.
That or just the sights it came with now makes the most sense
2
« on: April 15, 2024, 02:59:03 PM »
I do not have a pic of the BFG KO2's but these other BFG's are looking good. A little better, spec wise are the Goodyear Duratracs. Also on my list are Toyos, Yokohama's, and Falken Wildpeak tires.
This will likely be my next-to-forever pick since I will have to buy 7 to fully reshoe the Dually.
3
« on: April 15, 2024, 02:48:59 PM »
Lots of tire companies make a 255/80r17
https://tiresize.com/tiresizes/255-80R17.htm
That keeps ya 33” tall but only 10.5 wide
Roger that And that seems where I am landing without getting something that is too wide to properly fit the rims. I do not want to buy custom rims at the moment but I do want to get a slightly taller tire on there to 1. Cut the gear ratio back some, 2. Look a tad bit better, and 3. Swap the Nexens out for my current tire choice which is the BF Goodrich KO2 All terrains
4
« on: April 15, 2024, 10:39:45 AM »
OK as is with everything I have ever owned, even a few things I didn't actually own, I tend to change up things rather early in the life of the "whatever."
I do not like these skinny little roller disc tires that came stock on my 3500 Ram.
Stock size is 235/80-R17 mounted on 6" wide factory aluminum and steel wheels.
After reading the forums some, I see that the biggest tire I can fit onto that wheel and not rub in the back is a 255/80 R17. The nice thing about that is the 255 is 33.1" in diameter and comes in the BFG KO2 which is the tire I want.
But that looks kinda of small and I am starting with a pretty deep 4.10 gear and the powerful HO engine making a stock 1050 ft/lbs.
The forums advise tires larger in diameter and require the use of a 1.5" or 2" spacer for the outboard rear wheels. Not so sure if I am a fan of that.
The limiting factor seems to be with the 6" wide factory wheels which will certainly not allow a much wider tire to properly spread out.
I am looking for some ideas about which direction to go. I will be adding the Carli to level it up and get the good shocks so I may even have more wheel well clearance although the 255/80 will not interfere with anything on a dually
Ideas?
5
« on: April 15, 2024, 10:06:36 AM »
Holy crap, I just got the estimate back from Holman Motors and RV.
$10,769!!!!!!!!!
I thought I knocked off the awning and broke the glass, but after inspection, there was a whole lot more going on.
I buggered up the floor, part of the slide track, and the slide as well.
I'll be getting back a repaired slide and a new floor along with the window and awning.
Whew!
6
« on: April 15, 2024, 09:56:02 AM »
So, first, I have that new Sig scope sitting on my desk. Secondly, I do not think I'm going to use it! I got to fire the weapon over in West Virginia this past weekend. I took some 325-grain TUI ammo which is 1,800 FPS stuff designed to tumble upon impact (TUI). That really kicked, but not bad. Next up I banged out some 405 gr bear loads. That kicked more than the 325's. I was shooting at a steel boiler plate cover about 1.5" thick and I noticed the first three rounds hit the ground at the base of the plate. I moved my point of aim to the top rim and the rest of the rounds were smacking that steel hard. So, why am I saying possibly no scope? Well, those rounds kicked so hard that without a good shoulder/cheek weld, you're going to eat a scope. If anything convinced me, Norm, my Army buddy I was visiting there handed me some 350 gr and then some 405 gr bear loads he had loaded up over 2,000fps. Those kicked so hard I was amazed. My shoulder still hurts. I did one four-round simulated bear attack where I pumped them out as fast as I could, maybe 3 seconds for all four and I have to say that you are not going to be able to get any more off and you are going to have a hard time keeping on target because of the violent muzzle rise from each round. For now, I may just adjust the ghost ring sights and go with that. Norm gave me a half dozen of his hot loads for the Wyoming trip. I'll use those on a slick top gun for now. BTW, I LOVE that gun! https://www.facebook.com/1408825386/videos/a.10232875608458351/832834182055845
7
« on: April 15, 2024, 09:42:29 AM »
Be proud Don be proud. Even if he doesn’t make it, only a few get to try out.
He is gonna make it. I tell you, when I prophesized over him at his birth and I proclaimed he would someday be a Ranger, I believe in my heart that he will.
8
« on: April 15, 2024, 09:40:24 AM »
Wow!
That's a new one!
Did that kill the steer?
Thinking burgers... ;-)
No, actually I hate to see an animal injured/suffering.
While driving in the dark back to Hurricane UT from Enterprise, UT. I had to emergency brake to keep from hitting a pair of mule deer standing in my lane. I learned that these mulies are dump-deer! Not quick to react like the eastern whitetails.
Glad you two are OK. and also kinda happy that your boy has a story of his own to tell!
;-)
9
« on: April 15, 2024, 09:34:48 AM »
Day 95
11
« on: April 14, 2024, 08:51:47 PM »
Welcome back Don. Sounds like you had a well deserved great time
Thanks!
12
« on: April 14, 2024, 08:51:10 PM »
I'll put in a ticket tomorrow
13
« on: April 14, 2024, 04:42:41 PM »
Last week the Pre-Ranger became a real Pre-Ranger. He is officially in the RASP for the actual 75th Ranger regiment.
This is not Ranger school. Ranger School is a leadership course. RASP stands for "Ranger Assessment and Selection Program." It is a months-long program that takes soldiers of various MOSs and trains them to an ultimate standard to be assigned to one of the three battalions of the 75th Rangers. That is the same 75th Ranger unit that climbed the cliffs at Point du Hoc in Normandy France on D-Day in WW2. These Rangers are amongst the fiercest soldiers anywhere in the world. Chris is hanging in there, but we have lost contact. He is "coms-out" for the next four weeks.
I do have contact with a couple of the soldiers there who give me "Sightings." Today's report was that Chris was hanging tough with a smile on his face but was about to undergo a brutal physical endurance event. Details are and will remain sketchy, but the program is not for the faint of heart and tests men to the absolute limits of human endurance. If he makes it through the next 8 weeks, he will wear the coveted scroll of a soldier of the 75th Ranger regiment. As long as he does not screw up afterward the rest of his Army career will be very rewarding. He is destined for high places...
14
« on: April 14, 2024, 04:26:29 PM »
Nice wheels! I think Method may just about have the market cornered!
I have a ton of catching up to do.
I'll have to generate threads and posts but went to SW Utah for jeeping and hiking. We did hundreds of miles of off-road, over 250 on one day alone. I drove a 4XE electric Rubicon...IMPRESSIVE!
We hiked all over and around St George, Hurricane, Snow Canyon, Zion National Park (3X) the Grand Canyon at a nearly inaccessible spot. We visited Indian Petrographs and dinosaur footprints, drove over a waterfall, and Went up and back down sketchy trails and shelf roads. Didn't eat much but when we did it was all stuff I couldn't pronounce and hadn't seen before. Got to know some awesome people, really salt-of-the-earth folks. Met influencers in the LDS church who were great people. Explored two ghost towns and drove around dozens of neighborhoods carved into those red cliffs. I watched mountain sunsets, hiked in an alpine snowstorm, was awestruck by the majesty of Zion National Park, and on and on. After flying home, we loaded up the Gladiator and took off for the mountains of West Virginia where we stayed in the mountain home of a friend who I flew with decades ago. I shared that time with a bunch of other aviators and their wives and even drank moonshine brewed locally.
Wow, what an awesome adventure-packed two weeks I've had...
So what's going on here???????
;-)
15
« on: April 14, 2024, 03:16:40 PM »
Day 94...Rejoining the thread!
16
« on: April 11, 2024, 07:41:48 PM »
In and out of contact. Was in Utah for a week of hiking and Jeeping. Now enroute to W VA for a buddy's birthday. I'll be back range by Sunday evening...
17
« on: April 02, 2024, 03:53:01 PM »
Progress report: This morning I checked the PAC 7500 lb air bags. Both of them were at zero pressure! ZERO!
I am so tired of buying junk and wasting my good time bolting on things that do not work. I did everything according to the instructions, and right out of the gate on the first trial both bags leaked.
I found a leaky fitting on the drivers bag which caused me to remove the air line, then the air fitting. Now with everything bolted securely in place, it is super hard to get to that fitting. Bit I managed to get it out, then wrapped it with teflon tape, then reinstalled it. After spraying soap solution all over it I didn't get any bubbling like I had earlier. so i figured that was fine. Obviously it was not.
The right side showed no bubbling but I did find a kink in the line, so I cut out that section and spliced it back together. Checking with soap again showed no bubbling. Fast forward 3 days and both bags were flat.
I am contacting Pac Air and the seller and asking for my money back. I am not going with anything unreliable, and these bags certainly are.
I'll replace them with some Timbren rubber springs and call that all done.
I did notice some porpoising on dips and expansion joints. All I can figure is that I have preloaded and tightened up the rear suspension and that is now transferring more energy, wheelbarrow style to the front that the weak factory shocks cannot handle.
I was going to go with some Carli parts, so that is now the road I will be going down. Tate, expect a call...
Note: The Carli Suspension stuff that Tate sold me for the other Ram 3500 worked well and caused no problems.
18
« on: April 02, 2024, 03:40:52 PM »
The process has begun. I dropped it off today at the repair facility.
Wow, that dealership has grown not to 64 acres of shops, sales rooms and inventory. There is now a whole new repair building that looks like a small Walmart. It is all very modern and well organized. I met Kevin who inspected the camper and filled out the necessary paperwork. They are key on insurance, to make sure the process has generated a claim. We talked a bit about insurance. They told me USAA can be a pickle sometimes, but they do the right thing. This dealership, however, does not accept either Progressive or General. I asked why? Kevin said those insurance companies do not pay and are a pain to work with. I guess when you are that big, where business is knocking at the door all the time, you can be more selective.
To me it is just another indicator that the "Progressive" people who really own and run Progressive insurance are fraudulent and in fact, poor businesses.
From here I have to wait on an estimate which I must then approve. That's when the parts are ordered and the work can soon follow. I am not going to worry nor focus on some distant delivery date as all of that is no longer within my control. I'm just a fish swimming upstream to an uncertain destination.
19
« on: April 02, 2024, 10:31:50 AM »
Break out the burb…..
And the customer camp trailer,
I don’t understand what your pickup has to be tied up for? They don’t have forklift to move the camper with? How do they get shipments delivered of campers?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
They will not use a forklift on it. Apparently, I provide the forklift and it is a 2024 3500 Ram! :-(
20
« on: April 02, 2024, 10:30:38 AM »
Break out the burb…..
It went off to a new home... I'm lightening my load...Paring down to mission essentials. Seems the more stuff I have the more time I spend fixing it :-0
21
« on: April 02, 2024, 10:26:37 AM »
I went with the Sig optic, 1X6x second focal plane.
I was playing around with it yesterday and I found it easy to pick up the reticle. With a second focal plane setup, the reticle stays nice and large more like a reflex sight.
They were on sale for $345 out the door so I ordered it. If I don't like it, I have a lonesome AR somewhere that could use it ;-)
22
« on: April 02, 2024, 10:03:09 AM »
Day 82
23
« on: April 01, 2024, 08:12:10 PM »
Day 81
24
« on: April 01, 2024, 08:06:50 PM »
So, I'm guessing everyone has heard that Don busted up his brand new camper.
:-(
Life goes on and I suppose that instead of lamenting or going on any camper trips for now, I'll concentrate on getting it repaired.
I started the process with a call to my insurance company, USAA. They are willing to just take care of everything or to let me get involved to any degree I feel like I need to. So, after the insurance company, my next call was to Holman Motors, the largest RV dealership and shop in the Cincinnati area. They stock hundreds of campers and RV's and sell Buick and GMC vehicles. From my perspective, they have a metric ton of experience fixing campers and pulling out slides, which mine will no doubt need.
My appointment is tomorrow and unfortunately, I will need to leave it in the truck for 1-2 weeks to get the estimate done. From there I will be given an appointment time to bring it in. It is looking like I will be without a truck for quite some time in the coming month or two.
The good news is that the whole affair will not cost me a ton and I will have it all put back together in time for the Wyoming trip.
25
« on: April 01, 2024, 07:55:00 PM »
No real airflow back there, but I like mine too. The few degrees cooler could even be you add a little more fluid.
I ordered the one Tex shared the link to. That and some good synthetic and if nothing else, I'll feel better ;-)
26
« on: April 01, 2024, 07:53:57 PM »
Very nice rifle.
Positive side of the camper is you are at home and not on the road some place
Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
Agree, this could have been much worse...
27
« on: April 01, 2024, 07:53:15 PM »
Those bear loads kick just a little bit
Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
Funny, but the guy over at Field and Stream just said the same thing ;-)
28
« on: April 01, 2024, 07:52:38 PM »
I have a Ruger no. 1 stainless 45/70. Has a fixed front blade with an adjustable ghost ring rear. That setup works very well, bring it up to my shoulder and the front blade is centered in the ghost ring.
Mine too! I like that setup. I have been practicing bringing the gun to bear after carrying it and almost every single time my eye falls right on that ghost ring with the front sight centered. Once I get back from the Utah and put some rounds through it, I'll know better how that all works. I was out today looking at that SIG low power variable 1X-6x illuminated reticle scope. It's nice but I haven't made up my mind if I'll buy it, or the EOTEC or use nothing at all...
29
« on: April 01, 2024, 10:52:04 AM »
30
« on: April 01, 2024, 10:13:09 AM »
I wish mine had the mitten lever handle….
I had a nice 3x9 stainless scope on mine. When we started camping in bear country I took it off. Figured I’m faster with irons. My 2 cents.
Concur, faster with Irons Now my experience with unexpected close in threats is the two legged variety. I rolled with an ACOG, and still use it today, but the fastest target pickup I ever used is an EOTECH. Matt Atkins suggested I get both. Swap them out. But just this morning I got an email notification from Bud's gun shop. They just got a shipment of the new Smith and Wesson .44 magnum lever guns. Now that would make a good (better) deer gun because it is less cannon-like. There may be some parts of the animal still useable if hit by a .44 magnum rather than a 45-70. A gun like that would be more deserving of a scope-like optic. https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/162329/smith+%26+wesson+model+1854+.44+rem+mag+19.25+stainless+threaded+9+1Undecided at this point, but a reflex sight seems to fit the intended purpose (Fast response to an unexpected bear encounter)
32
« on: April 01, 2024, 09:56:40 AM »
...And that's just it. I am pissed at myself. Nobody did anything to cause this except for me!
Well, the good thing is it seems my tried-and-true USAA is on the ball, I may be covered. I did not place insurance on it yet, just a timing thing really. But since it was mounted in the bed of the dually, it is covered.
33
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:53:51 PM »
That’s a hard to get riffle around her! They sure feel smooth
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Yes it does
34
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:52:33 PM »
Sorry JR, I can't recall whom I ordered them from
I'm a bonehead!
35
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:36:58 PM »
Surprising!
Where is quality, I mean real quality to be found these days???
36
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:32:45 PM »
So right out of the gate, I ordered a black leather sling for it that has loops for additional cartridges and 100 rounds of ammo. Those 100 rounds cost me $250!!!!!!!!!!!
Next is possibly a reflex sight or optic of some sort.
For the fast-action bear attack scenario, I was thinking of an EOTec or an ACOG. For deer hunting, I was thinking of one of those low-power SIG 1X6 X24 X30mm tube on a QD mount.
This thing is not a long-range weapon and I'll keep shots to 100 meters or less, so a low magnification would work for whitetails pretty well.
I picked up some 325 gr, 350 gr, and 405 gr cartridges. The 405 are hard-cast bear rounds that marry up well with the .44 magnum I have yet to purchase.
Suggestions for optics/ sights??
37
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:23:19 PM »
Do I look happy or what??
38
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:22:30 PM »
It has a pretty cool story associated with it.
My oldest son purchased it for me. He wanted to mark a significant birthday and to say thanks for all the years of military service and sacrifice. I am deeply touched and honored by his gesture.
He told me on the phone that he vividly remembers me talking about that rifle 40 years ago and how I wanted one. I have looked for one over the years, always seeming to come up short.
I had my eye on a stainless trapper with a shorter barrel but I like this one more. THe extra round (6) is nice to have.
I just love how Marlin builds that laminated black stained walnut stock and how good the tooling and stainless steel looks. It is a lifetime gun for sure and after my passing it will return to him for the remainder of his lifetime, a keepsake from dad.
I just love it!
39
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:17:07 PM »
I was just given a new Marlin model 1895 in 45-70 for my birthday which is coming up in a couple weeks.
40
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:15:10 PM »
My oldest son purchased that for me. I will turn 70 in a couple of weeks and he had purchased it for me for that occasion. It is one of the new Ruger-Marlin Model 1895's in 45-70!
What a gift!
What a terrific end to what started out as a pretty bad day.
41
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:13:20 PM »
^^^^^^^ That was the bad part.
Later on in the day, Kathy and her girlfriend were hell bent to get me outside into the camper to "Help measure for curtains!!"
Inside the curtain material was this:
42
« on: March 31, 2024, 11:11:45 PM »
Yesterday, I had just finished the suspension business on the dually. Kat and I decided to give it a short test drive. So we stored everything and disconnected the power fired it up and away we went.
The road we live on is very narrow, really only one lane plus a couple of feet. A couple hundred meters down the road there is this power pole, a 35-footer that is leaning well into and over the road. It sits at around a 20-degree angle and looks to be ready to fall over.
I was driving past that pole, on the road when we heard and felt a large crack and rattle. I pulled over immediately but it was too late. The awning that is bolted to the slide had contacted the pole squarely and destroyed it. The folding metal wiped out the dual pane window as well. When later I was trying to open/close the slide, it no longer worked properly.
I was sick to my stomach. This was the first time I had driven with it since purchasing it and bringing it home.
43
« on: March 31, 2024, 01:38:40 PM »
Day 80
44
« on: March 30, 2024, 06:49:48 PM »
45
« on: March 30, 2024, 09:17:59 AM »
Still that cold, wow
46
« on: March 30, 2024, 09:11:07 AM »
Did those pads in post #55 go in the stock hole our need hardware?
Stock hole...5 min mod
47
« on: March 30, 2024, 09:10:05 AM »
Day 79
48
« on: March 29, 2024, 08:21:49 PM »
And, with the air, there is some suspension travel to play with. the spring opened back up with the air springs inflated.
49
« on: March 29, 2024, 08:20:55 PM »
100 psi air and the modded spring pack:
50
« on: March 29, 2024, 08:20:00 PM »
All spacers now installed, enough with the experimentation..
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