In PMs and mail, that the forum seems a bit slow lately.

When I read that, I always wonder ... "Gee - what can I post that would be interesting?" And then, I think ... "I still haven't carried everything back into the shop from the Cajun Cup". I towed the War Wagon about 2,500 miles. Had five guns with me which we shot for several days. Delivered several guns. Took about 400 pics. Made a bunch a posts from that experience. I haven't been back here long enough to have another major reveal ready. I kind of thought that experience and material would provide interesting topics for a while.

That's why the forum lives or dies on what you post. A bunch of people who used to post, are just gone now. Don't even respond to e-mails when I've checked up on them. Others who did post things themselves, barely even respond to other's posts now. I haven't changed my patterns. In fact, I've finished more, felt better, done more, and posted more than ever before. The work has never been better, or more varied.

There's a bunch of folks waiting for guns. That's the nature of a business like this. If nobody was waiting, then there would be no business. Remember, one day the gun shown as completed, will be yours. And, you will expect a good reaction when it's posted. I hope people don't withhold participation until their gun is complete. That would mean that, at any given time, 99% of the people would just be waiting for their name to come up. Doesn't make for much of a stimulating conversation or fun place to visit.

I'll be completing some work between now and Christmas. I'll post it. But, I can't post two or three a week. Therefore; if you are doing anything in the hobby, please post about it. If this is just one of the five or six forums you read, and you don't care to participate ... then most people seem to be following your example. This will just dry up, because I can't complete work as fast as people can read about it.

I never wanted the forum to just be a place where I'd show off what I made, what I did, what I completed. Please read the sticky post from the introduction of the forum again. No matter how much people admire my work ... the nature people is that they will just get sick of watching any one person say ... "I did this", and "I did this", and now ... "I did this". It can all be wonderful work ... but people get to thinking that you are beating your chest after a while. However; if few or none post anything else .. and no conversations are started or maintained .... then, the atmosphere can't be anything but a stage for what I'm doing. I had that in my other website. No point in starting this.

I know the country is very stressful now. Believe me, I'm living thru the same things you are. We'd hoped that this forum might be a break from all of that. Please take the time to participate. It doesn't work with just a couple of people. Thanks,

Gary

thats amazing , two and a half thousand miles , ,,,,sometimes living so far from you guys , and on a small ireland ,,,lol , its easy to forget the scale of things , then the numbers smack home .

Gary,

Like I mentioned in my other posts, I have been following your builds for a long time. I must say I was reluctant to post anything in this forum as my "hobby" airgun building is nowhere near what you are doing as a craftsman. Reading through this post I was encouraged that the forum needs variety and you are encouraging others to contribute.

I hope to post more but it will be amateur compared to what readers see you making. I am still learning a lot about air rifles and been surfing for months on designs and what others are doing. It is amazing what the Russians are building and showing in the guns.ru site. I often see pictures of your rifles pop up on their site!

Currently my biggest hinderance is winter. It costs so much money letting your car run warm all the time. So even driving 20 minutes to a shop isn't cheap with current gas prices.

If others are receptive I will post more and try to get going on my next project which is the 50 CAL stainless barrels I worked on a year ago. I would like to perfect the barrels to get at least 2" MOA at 50 yards for now and then build a decent rifle around that. At least would be suitable for varmints.

Best regards,

Pedro

Hi Peter,

Welcome again. I'm sure everyone will enjoy your posts. They tell me they just expect whatever I post - so feel little need to comment. I'd have to go nuclear to get a rise out of most readers. I tried to set up the forum so it wasn't an endless contest rigged to stroke my ego. But - I can't get into people's heads and make them post. I know that what you are doing is way beyond tinkering. However; we should have more posts about tinkering. Even when it's not directly said, it's between the lines that "I" am the biggest obstacle to my own forum. If someone can't engrave better than me, then they aren't going to post a modification to a commercial gun's sling mount. I can't fight that, unless everyone would like to get a bunch of guns that need to be "upgraded" and "finished" after their wait. I know they don't - so I make sure the stuff is better than they ordered. It's not a contest. But - currently, that's society. Everything is a contest. The biggest cut zero turn mower wins. Hey - ya all have me there. I have a dinky little Honda powered 22" mulcher/mower. hahaha,

Enjoy the stay Peter!

Gary