The Old Salt Learns At 66+ Years

Ya think you have lived to be 66+ and know who you are, then along comes someone and blows it all to hell!

The Old Salt sat down at the Starbucks and ordered a cup of coffee.

As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him..

She turned to the Old Salt and asked, 'Are you a real sailor?'

He replied, "Well, I've spent my whole life working on and sailing in submarines; first an Auxiliary Submarine (essentially a reclassified fleet submarine with no snorkel as built for WWII), followed by Guppy 2, Guppy 2A and a Guppy 3 diesel configurations, then an ancient nuclear submarine (already 21 years of age when I went aboard) and lastly a brand new Los Angeles Fast Attack. I taught many sailors in various schools during my service tenure as well as those I taught on-the-job. I have sailed in the North and South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the English Channel. I have visited Hawaii, Canada, England, France, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Malta, Puerto Rico, Columbia, Panama, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Curacao, Jamaica, Mexico, Belize by ship or submarine, so yes, I guess I am a sailor."

She said, 'I'm a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about naked women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about naked women. When I shower, I think about naked women. When I watch TV, I think about naked women. It seems everything makes me think of naked women.'

The two sat sipping in silence.

A little while later, a young man sat down on the other side of the Old Salt and asked, 'Are you a real sailor?'

He replied, 'I always thought I was, but I just found out I'm a lesbian.'

St. Augustine, For Lights And Eats, Merry Christmas

Tonight, the Blushing Bride and I went to St. Augustine, FL to stroll around and check out the Christmas Lights. We also stopped at Barnacle Bill's for some seafood; a shrimp appetizer followed by a salmon entree.


Huguenot Cemetery, St. Augustine, FL

Another view.

Visitor Center, there is a parking garage in the rear. This makes a great starting place for a walking tour.

A globe on the visitor center's grounds.

Cute train advertising one of the St. Augustine trolleys.

Side view of visitor's center.

Some shops in the center of town.

Queen Isabella's Garden, I have personally never seen anyone in this area but it always looks nice. Maybe that's why.

Tree lights.

Steeples against the sky.

Steeples against the sky #2.

More Tree lights.

Christmas Tree in the park.

Fountain.

Lightner Museum lighted up for Christmas.

A bookstore on a side street.

St. Augustine is a lot more comfortable on a weekday in December than a weekend in August. It was cool and a minimal number of people makes taking pictures much easier.

Family & Friends At Fort Rucker's Turkey Trot

On their way to the track.

What's my time.

Blushing Bride alert.

Winners!

Son & Dad cross the line.

With medal.

Group photo.

Group photo 2.

Group photo 3.

Group photo 4.

Three generations and the "somebody cried" tradition continues.

Watching TV after the race.

Smiley face.

Watching TV with her dolls.

Someone's play area.

Babies in the hamper.

Mastering A New Skill With No Tears

Revelation 310 (Mossberg 500 Variation) Shotgun Disassembly

A Western Auto Revelation Model 310A 12 GA shotgun made by Mossberg for Western Auto. The paperwork available to me indicates this gun is the same as a Mossberg Model 500 AB.

This is the second shotgun I have come across that I was unable to remove the action slide assembly from the receiver. However, this one I get to find out why by removing the magazine tube.

At this point, the barrel and the trigger housing assembly have been removed as with a normal Mossberg Model 500 type shotgun.

The receiver has now been emptied with the exception of the safety components. Laid out under the receiver are from left to right: trigger housing pin, trigger housing assembly, cartridge interrupter, cartridge stop, bolt slide, bolt assembly and the elevator.

At this point a normal Mossberg Model 500 action slide assembly would slide right out of the receiver. In this case, something is impeding the forward movement of the action slide assembly. No amount of finagling with the action slide bars in the receiver will allow removal. When pulled all the way forward there appears to be a spring involved which causes the action slide assembly to move back towards the receiver.

The cartridge stop is out of the receiver.

The cartridge interrupter is out of the receiver.

After applying penetrating oil and waiting over the weekend, the receiver was placed upside down in a vice with the forward end inside the vice to reduce chances of pinching or twisting the receiver.

A large pair of pliers were used with cloth wrapped around the magazine tube. This did cause some external scarring of the magazine tube. I had also placed painter's tape around the magazine Tube but the pliers also tore the tape. Be sure the pliers at at the forward end of the magazine tube, not in the middle as this will reduce chances of twisting the magazine tube.

Here I am using a leather welders glove but I would expect the pressures involved with untorquing the magazine tube (which appeared to be sealed with some type of Lok-Tite when inspected after removal) would also tear the leather. A heavier leather may work, particularly if used with an adhesive.

Remember, as you remove the magazine tube, the magazine spring is compressed inside of that tube.

This is a replacement Mossberg 500 magazine tube as sold by USA Midway.

This is the magazine tube removed from the Revelation Model 310 shotgun.

Here you see a flat spring wound around the magazine tube. This provides the spring action felt when trying to remove the action slide assembly during breakdown.

There is also a band around the magazine tube forward of the spring. I think this is to provide centering inside the action slide assembly.

Reassembly is simply the reverse of your previous actions. I do not believe the magazine tube needs any form of Lok-Tite to keep it in position. Once the barrel is installed, it will keep the magazine tube from backing out. Ensure the follower and magazine spring are properly positioned when installing the magazine tube otherwise the magazine tube has a tendency to jam when being screwed in.