Alex C.

The car is restored (as should be obvious by looking at the paint: these cars looked horrid from the factory) but is matching and NOS parts were used. The 454s were conservatively rated in the HP department, but a flywheel dyno will shot 600+. Same deal with Ford's 429 hemi, but the engine made 30 or so more. But I could be very pedantic and pick apart your narrative a bit. I wish I was at the shop so I could take a post some photos (Sturgeon can vouch/has been there). Anyways, while the GTO is generally accepted as the first muscle car, Ford and the boys under the Mopar umbrella had been selling what you could call "muscle cars" before 1964. The Ford Galaxie lightweight cars and the Max Wedge Super Stock were very impressive and could cut 12.5 second quarter miles off the showroom floor. While availability was limited, a consumer could purchase them... and they did. We have an unraced factory lightweight spec 427cid R Code 425hp Galaxie 500 and a race alternate '63 Plymouth Savoy max wedge 2 door post w/ the 426/415hp engine. Also you emphasized GM cars in your narrative, but you failed to state that while in 1964 when GM was playing around with their cute powerplants, Chrysler was destroying everyone with their 426ci Hemi, and Ford's Cammer was the engine that, had Chrysler not complained and moaned, would have set the new gold standard for power (which it did in drag racing). You also dogged on Chrysler/Mopar stuff, but the 440s and especially the street hemis run like scalded apes. We have a 1966 Satellite, unrestored that is a factory hemi car, and with a tank full of leaded go juice it is mind blowingly fast relative to other cars of the period. But yes, the Mustang was not intended to be a performance car from the get go. It just so happened that a man realized that the platform would be suitable to put in an oversized engine and that the chassis were strong enough to support ungodly amounts of power. As a result, monstrosities like the Boss 429 (the fastest car of the era I have driven) and even some of the more powerful FE powered cars came to dominate at the strip. Stiffened up, even the 302s performed well on in the corners. As for the GN reviving the muscle car scene, I am not sure I agree. It has its place, but it was the other G body cars as well that brought back solid, stout chassis to modify. We also have to give due credit to the pony cars of the 80s for injecting some new life into the hobby. The fox body mustangs were cheap, strong as hell with factory 4 link suspension, forged pistons, and absurdly light weight, while GM lagged behind with the turd gens. Even the C4 revived the Corvette after years of being regarded as a flashy dog. As for the Pontiac, Buick, and Olds 455s, well, all I can say is that they are very overrated. We have the trifecta including a 1970 W30 Olds 442 and it is a dog. The 68 Hurst Olds probably comes in second with the Buick GS stage 1 being close to the Olds 442. But yes, I am fortunate to have experience with as many vehicles as I do. I was raised at the racetrack and am even related to a professional top fuel driver. I will post some photos up tomorrow that are relevant to this thread. That said I am a Ford guy, so be warned! But for posterity, here are some crumby bone stock mustangs that will cut a decent E/T:

Also, there are some flaws in the OP's narrative, but overall it is a good synopsis. And I would like to add that plenty of mustangs came with big blocks.

My dad's LS6 Chevelle. Runs like a banshee, but the Boss 429 is faster.

I plastidipped mine to look cooler:

The G11 looks pretty cool though:

Pinnacle of firearms tech:

Technically RPGs and grenade launchers are light weapons, not small arms.

It was my Mosin, and is a rather unremarkable M91/30. The technique I was using was not possible with the Mosin as the bolt requires significantly more leverage/strength to work. Both rifles may be cock-on-open, but the Mosins need more force to move that cocking piece. The clips on Mosins are always tricky it seems. Rimmed cartridges never seem to be as conducive to stripping as rimless ones. Miles is well acquainted with stripped clips, but I imagine the pressure of being in a little competition resulted in some careless haste.

I will say that we gave each gun a fair go. The most interesting part of the test (and most eye opening) was running across a field to cover while trying to hit a steel silhouette 100 meters away. Moving and shooting with a bolt action rifle is hard, but doing it while trying to be accurate is much harder.

So we have a pretty extensive Mauser Vs. Mosin challenge video coming up soon and this is just one section of it. The Mosin is an M91/30 and the Mauser is a 1901 production Gewehr 98 made by Mauser in Oberndorf and bears an Ulm proof mark. This is just a simple rapid fire test. Keep in mind, Miles is a Marine infantryman and professional firearms instructor (who owns and likes Mosins). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GN_F3XiCPo

Just some Swedes:

Lol, same. However Ian vouched for him and that's good enough for me.

[x] Drives a Kubelwagen [x] Hitler Youth haircut (in past) [x] "You could buy a G43/whatever other German WWII gun with that amount of money" [x] Favorite gun as STG44 listed on website [x] Ethnic background unnecessarily listed on website [x] "Fascists, not Germans/Nazis!" Never met the guy, but I can't help but laugh at this stuff.

Yes My friend bought it from a regional Rock Island auction and I took delivery of it. When I was looking it over my heart sank.

Oh yes, he is doing a great job. But he and Mae are correct on the Lebel (I have never even handled a Reichsrevolver). It is easier (and only marginally slower) to single-load rounds and the G88 rifles absolutely blow the Lebel out of the water.

I have been tracking down one of these for a long while: While wildly historically significant, it really is a terrible firearm in just about every regard. I have yet to shoot a Berthier, but anything has to be better than the Lebel's magazine and elevator.

In the event that the A545 was selected, is it not likely that the gun would be produced by more than one outfit on some kind of royalty basis?

Also, potato digger is always relevant:

HK might have been pushing the envelope with this one:

Dont be so surprised. I transfer Springfield XDs to people all the time because they want to buy American (nun a dat Glock euro crap!1!!!) and/or want to support the age old Springfield Armory. Edit: I would like to state that I believe .30 Remington AR edges our .25-.45 for dumbest name. Imagine my excitement when I hear from a company that they have plenty of .30 Remington in stock, only to be made aware that .30 Remington AR is a thing.

Indeed. Dont worry though Don, he has had three heart attacks so he probably wont be around much longer.

Presumably jealousy. Also, fair warning but I'm about to link to a BuzzFeed article: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mrloganrhoades/this-millionaire-playboy-is-the-most-interesting-man-on-inst#.kh4b5Wj0bl But yeah, you can't say he is not living life to its absolute fullest.

A Garand with a little switch:

Firearm-related opulence is always entertaining for some reason.

I would like to correct you and say that those are probably hookers, not strippers.