‘Show Me the Way to Go Home’

Description:

It’s now a hundred years since Irving King launched that song, but some people are still waiting for useful directions.

Have they noticed the return of vinyl records, by any chance?

Though LPs provide a much bigger ‘canvas’ for the cover art, the reproduction is no better than CDs and streaming can produce, even if hiss and crackle appeals to you.

(When the pioneer of ‘Living Stereo’ was asked on radio if his vinyl albums were better than CDs, he said: “You’ve got to be kidding!”)

WHEN it comes to riflescopes, on the other hand, the old ones really are better - in important ways. Though harder to mount correctly, they are demonstrably stronger, more reliable and give better fields of view, usually with much less tunnel vision. Their long warranties were actually guarantees of quality, rather than just the cost of doing business.

Until some maker has the gumption to offer new reticle-movement models with modern waterproofing and lenses, however, there are still great old scopes to hunt for, ones that won’t give up when you too want to go home - bringing the bacon.

‘LIGHT AT THE START OF THE TUNNEL …’ still $20 (plus $4.30 postage) with 24 extra pages sent by email; the extra pages can also be printed and inserted (8 pasted-in) and/or with the stamped or drawn reticle, by special order - $30-$45 posted with tracking.

The second graphic h/w shows a digital representation of a cover with drawn reticle (with all the trimmings, $45).