That M1 Carbine Keeps Calling My Name

I took Son & Heir in to Loudoun Guns the other day to soak in the atmosphere, when I spied with own covetous eye an M1 carbine, made by Inland. It called out to me, so I had to pick it up.

You know, I don't think I had ever really handled one before. I'll be damned if that wasn't a neat, light, handy little piece. Now I know why Farnam extolls its virtues as a solid "100-meter" truck gun, when paired with the new CorBon loadings.

Two other aspects appeal to me. The first is that it's a military antique, and so even though it's a magazine-fed military semi-auto, it doesn't suffer from the stigma attached to "black rifles" and AK clones. Nor would it be subject to bans and confiscations.

The second is that it's set up for the proper tactical carry, with port-side sling mountings. I would guess that just about any modern M4-sized two- or three-point sling would fit it.

Hmmmm...

The price tag on this one was $850, which squares with others on GunBroker.com.

Just the other day in a conversation with another Marine gunman, I said that I'd only get an original (i.e. WWII) M1, but wouldn't want to pay more than about $400 for it. Might have to reconsider.

The Tap Runneth Dry On Hop Pocket Ale :-(

A gross shock awaited me at Old Dominion Brewery this weekend, where I went to fill the growler with Tuppers Hop Pocket Ale.

"We poured the last glass of that last Sunday."

"When are you getting more in??"

"We're not, at least not for a while. We're not making it any more."

Hellfire and damnation. That's like Remington saying, "We're not making .308 anymore." Both are commodities I try to acquire and consume in decent quantities.

According to the folks at ODB some issues with the owner of the recipe caused them both to turn off the taps. (It seems that Hop Pocket Lager is still being made, although it's not the same.)

I sent a plaintive note to Mr Tupper, who very kindly replied that he's hoping someone else will pick up the recipe and it'll be back in production soon, although he pointed out that the global hop shortage wasn't helping matters.

I replied that I was content to wait, hopefully, until a solution could be reached. I'll just have to make-do with second tier choices as, like the Loudoun County motto cryptically reads, "I Byde My Time."