I have family that lives in Madrid, Spain. They come out each year to visit. This time, one of my cousins brought his fiancee with him. Nice girl. Between her English and my Spanish skills, we could barely communicate. I have taken my cousin shooting before. He's good shot. He pays attention, has a good grip and stance and hits his target pretty well.
Apparently, they do not have shooting ranges in Spain like we do here in the States. Trap and Skeet are popular in Spain and people do hunt, but handguns are not all that common for people. They are allowed, but owners must undergo psych evaluations prior to ownership, as well as yearly gun inspections.
His fiancee has never touched a gun in her life. After setting her stance into something that looking like she was about to try to arch her back and touch the floor behind her, I helped her position herself properly. I started her on a .22 pistol. She flinched with each shot, at first. With each "bang" of the gun, she also did a little bunny hop. She admitted to me she was nervous about this, but she was a good sport.
She was also a pretty good shooter. After a couple of magazines, a few more instructions, she really got a good grasp on what to do. I stepped her up to a 9mm pistol. This was more of a challenge. Her shots were much further spaced apart. She was flinching and anticipating recoil. She wasn't doing badly, but she was a little slower to catch on. After a while, I decided to try her out of a full sized 40 S&W pistol. Now, her shots were about a good as her 9mm shots, but the smile on her face after she touched off the 40 S&W was priceless. It was the same smile I have after I shoot a new big-banger for the first time. She liked it !!
We spent the next 90 minutes rotating through about 6 different handguns and rifles. Her skills improved, as they should, with more trigger time. They are in town for another week. I think they will happily go to the range with me late this coming week,.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Eating their young
Based on current polls, McCain is about 5 to 10 percentage points behind Obama with just a week before the election. The news media is playing non-stop Obama coverage and has been making it a point to push McCain's being down at every opportunity.
Now, the media is bringing out lists upon list of Obama supporters, including Colin Powell, tons of actors and actresses, and so called important people. Maybe there aren't McCain supporters, but that seems unlikely. I know the NRA endorsed McCain, but I don't see the media mentioning that too often.
One recent thing that bugged me is that the media is quite happy push that Cooper Arms decided to endorse Obama. A gun manufacturer is endorsing a candidate who has made it his mandate to get rid of guns. I am shaking my head in bewilderment.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-27-prez-money_N.htm
I have seen this information on Cooper Arms in a number of different places now. The media must be in a frenzy since they found the ONE arms company supporting Obama. Still the idea is disturbing that an arms company would abandoned the Bill of Rights is just amazingly odd. Paybacks a bitch. I am sure if Obama/Biden get elected and the Democrats still maintain control of both houses of Congress, Cooper Arms will be the first to cry.
Now, the media is bringing out lists upon list of Obama supporters, including Colin Powell, tons of actors and actresses, and so called important people. Maybe there aren't McCain supporters, but that seems unlikely. I know the NRA endorsed McCain, but I don't see the media mentioning that too often.
One recent thing that bugged me is that the media is quite happy push that Cooper Arms decided to endorse Obama. A gun manufacturer is endorsing a candidate who has made it his mandate to get rid of guns. I am shaking my head in bewilderment.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-27-prez-money_N.htm
I have seen this information on Cooper Arms in a number of different places now. The media must be in a frenzy since they found the ONE arms company supporting Obama. Still the idea is disturbing that an arms company would abandoned the Bill of Rights is just amazingly odd. Paybacks a bitch. I am sure if Obama/Biden get elected and the Democrats still maintain control of both houses of Congress, Cooper Arms will be the first to cry.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Bad decision making
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27399337/
At a machine gun shoot, someone thought it would be wise to allow an 8 year old to fire a full auto Uzi. Uzi's are barely controllable in full auto by a grown man, let a lone an 8 year old kid. The "worst" happened and the muzzle kept rising...right up to the kids face and killed him. It's a horrible story and a tragic ending due to poor judgment.
Would you let an 8 year old drive a Semi in rush hour traffic? Whether or not the parent is bracing the kid from behind, someone needed their hand on the muzzle of that gun. It was an avoidable, terrible mistake.
At a machine gun shoot, someone thought it would be wise to allow an 8 year old to fire a full auto Uzi. Uzi's are barely controllable in full auto by a grown man, let a lone an 8 year old kid. The "worst" happened and the muzzle kept rising...right up to the kids face and killed him. It's a horrible story and a tragic ending due to poor judgment.
Would you let an 8 year old drive a Semi in rush hour traffic? Whether or not the parent is bracing the kid from behind, someone needed their hand on the muzzle of that gun. It was an avoidable, terrible mistake.
Gun Sales are up
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27393833/
In uncertain times, gun sales go up. Since it looks like Anti-2nd Obama/Biden may win the election, based on current polls, sales of guns are up by 8 to 10%. People expect Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress to pass anti-gun legislation. People are buying guns now, while they can,
Sadly, if Obama wins, the Pro-2nd people's fears are justified. Obama and Biden are both vehemently anti-gun. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Both have records of voting for and stating that they are anti-guns. Apparently, these two Senators, sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States, seemed to have glossed over their sworn commitment to the 2nd of the Amendments.
I know I want to get one or two more weapons before the prices really go up and the availability becomes virtually nil.
In uncertain times, gun sales go up. Since it looks like Anti-2nd Obama/Biden may win the election, based on current polls, sales of guns are up by 8 to 10%. People expect Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress to pass anti-gun legislation. People are buying guns now, while they can,
Sadly, if Obama wins, the Pro-2nd people's fears are justified. Obama and Biden are both vehemently anti-gun. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Both have records of voting for and stating that they are anti-guns. Apparently, these two Senators, sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States, seemed to have glossed over their sworn commitment to the 2nd of the Amendments.
I know I want to get one or two more weapons before the prices really go up and the availability becomes virtually nil.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Answer the question
I hate it when people ignore your question and impose their answer to the supposed question they heard in their minds.
For example, on a gun board today a guy asked where he could find a small part for an SKS magazine. The first responder to this questions answered with something like, "Oh, you have a detachable magazine. Might as well put the original fixed back on." That's all he said.
It didn't answer or even come close to answering the question. My reply was to link a couple of potential sources to him and then explain he would be better off just buying a new magazine then to try to repair the old broken one with parts that probably aren't replaceable. I also explained that the detachable SKS magazines are not known for reliability, when compared to the original fixed ten round magazines.
I am not saying I am special, but I see this crap all the time. If a person answers a question that was never asked, does it help? Probably not. Stop wasting your time and the rest of the people's who are reading the thread if you aren't going to be helpful, or at least, explain your answer. i understood what the responder meant, but this doesn't mean everyone would.
For example, on a gun board today a guy asked where he could find a small part for an SKS magazine. The first responder to this questions answered with something like, "Oh, you have a detachable magazine. Might as well put the original fixed back on." That's all he said.
It didn't answer or even come close to answering the question. My reply was to link a couple of potential sources to him and then explain he would be better off just buying a new magazine then to try to repair the old broken one with parts that probably aren't replaceable. I also explained that the detachable SKS magazines are not known for reliability, when compared to the original fixed ten round magazines.
I am not saying I am special, but I see this crap all the time. If a person answers a question that was never asked, does it help? Probably not. Stop wasting your time and the rest of the people's who are reading the thread if you aren't going to be helpful, or at least, explain your answer. i understood what the responder meant, but this doesn't mean everyone would.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Gun Owners
There is a group of gun owners even I am afraid of. It's the freaks that only see one side, theirs and every one else is wrong. They are militant about their "side" and have to force their beliefs down everyone's throats in such a way as to turn off people who may have been on the fence about the issue. An example of this is a person who blatantly ignores everything logical to assert their "correctness" to the point of being rude and obnoxious.
It is perfectly acceptable to have an opinion that fully automatic arms should be licensed. It is also perfectly acceptable to believe that the 2nd Amendment allows individuals to own fully automatic to be owned, without government interference. The issue is, when one side becomes "militant" in their efforts or with their voice. There is nothing wrong with a cool, logical debate but when tempers flare, nothing gets resolved and no ones valid points are noticed.
It's this militant-style that makes gun owners look poorly. Angry and hostile movements and words makes those not directly involved in the debate look at the debaters as redneck, ghetto, or worse, criminal. If you are in the middle of a Chicago anti-gun rally, carrying an AR-15 down the other side of the street and shooting off rounds into the air is probably not the most logical way to get your point across. Calming and rationally debating the anti's on some forum is a better method.
Gun control, the death penalty, abortion, politics, etc are fun and dangerous topics to debate, but when hot heads take over, no one is winning and no desirable outcome will ever be achieved. Be rational, be firm, provide facts and back up your answers. Win through deliberate, calm mannerisms, not emotional outbursts.
It is perfectly acceptable to have an opinion that fully automatic arms should be licensed. It is also perfectly acceptable to believe that the 2nd Amendment allows individuals to own fully automatic to be owned, without government interference. The issue is, when one side becomes "militant" in their efforts or with their voice. There is nothing wrong with a cool, logical debate but when tempers flare, nothing gets resolved and no ones valid points are noticed.
It's this militant-style that makes gun owners look poorly. Angry and hostile movements and words makes those not directly involved in the debate look at the debaters as redneck, ghetto, or worse, criminal. If you are in the middle of a Chicago anti-gun rally, carrying an AR-15 down the other side of the street and shooting off rounds into the air is probably not the most logical way to get your point across. Calming and rationally debating the anti's on some forum is a better method.
Gun control, the death penalty, abortion, politics, etc are fun and dangerous topics to debate, but when hot heads take over, no one is winning and no desirable outcome will ever be achieved. Be rational, be firm, provide facts and back up your answers. Win through deliberate, calm mannerisms, not emotional outbursts.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
How disturbing
It amazes me that newspapers continue to report the stupidest things in an attempt to sell their papers. For example:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081015/ap_on_re_us/airports_guns
OMFG..Did you know it's still legal in most American airports to carry a firearm through the airport, just not through the security checkpoint? Well, f-ing duh !!
Did you know, you idiotic reporter, that owning and "bearing" a firearm are not only legal in the U.S., it is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, like the right of the press to spew crap?
At least the police officer interviewed used common sense, ""t's really not more of a concern than at a mall or a train station," said Philadelphia police Lt. Louis Liberati."
"Jon Allen, a spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration, said the TSA has not taken a position on guns in airports and has no authority under federal law to ban them." While, Mr. Allen is 100% correct on this, it still strikes me as off that under federal law they can ban a 10 ounce beverage but not a 6 ounce one... Who knows?
Seems to me, the people who are carrying in airports are a sure sign deterrent for the bad guys not to screw around in this airport.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081015/ap_on_re_us/airports_guns
OMFG..Did you know it's still legal in most American airports to carry a firearm through the airport, just not through the security checkpoint? Well, f-ing duh !!
Did you know, you idiotic reporter, that owning and "bearing" a firearm are not only legal in the U.S., it is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, like the right of the press to spew crap?
At least the police officer interviewed used common sense, ""t's really not more of a concern than at a mall or a train station," said Philadelphia police Lt. Louis Liberati."
"Jon Allen, a spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration, said the TSA has not taken a position on guns in airports and has no authority under federal law to ban them." While, Mr. Allen is 100% correct on this, it still strikes me as off that under federal law they can ban a 10 ounce beverage but not a 6 ounce one...
Seems to me, the people who are carrying in airports are a sure sign deterrent for the bad guys not to screw around in this airport.
Monday, October 13, 2008
New Convert
A few days ago, I met up with my regular shooting partners. One of the ladies brought her 12 year old step-son. Nice kid. A little shy and very inexperienced with guns. Oh, he knew movie style of shooting. but his technique was a little lacking for shooting anything more then a .22. He had his feet planted, legs straight and back arched so far back it was amazing he didn't fall over.
He learned fast and became a pretty good shot. He was a little hesitant with everything, though. The .22 pistol he enjoyed, but he was nervous about firing a 9mm. After a few shots of that, he had a big grin on his face. We started him with M1 Carbine, which, again he was nervous to try. He warmed up quickly to that.
The next step was a Winchester 94, lever action, in perennial favorite .30-30. He did not want to try this gun. He saw the size of the cartridge compared to the .30 Carbine and wanted nothing to do with it. "Just one shot," we urged. He tried one shot and grinned like we gave him a Xbox-360. He went through the next 3 rounds pretty fast. It didn't take much urging to get him to try a Remington Model 70 in .308 Win.
He's a convert.
He learned fast and became a pretty good shot. He was a little hesitant with everything, though. The .22 pistol he enjoyed, but he was nervous about firing a 9mm. After a few shots of that, he had a big grin on his face. We started him with M1 Carbine, which, again he was nervous to try. He warmed up quickly to that.
The next step was a Winchester 94, lever action, in perennial favorite .30-30. He did not want to try this gun. He saw the size of the cartridge compared to the .30 Carbine and wanted nothing to do with it. "Just one shot," we urged. He tried one shot and grinned like we gave him a Xbox-360. He went through the next 3 rounds pretty fast. It didn't take much urging to get him to try a Remington Model 70 in .308 Win.
He's a convert.
Friday, October 10, 2008
lifetime Warranty
Year ago I purchased a Marlin Model 70 .22 rifle. It's a clip fed .22 similar to the Model 60 tube fed .22 internally. At the time I picked up the used Model 70, I noticed that Ramline made 25 round banana clips for the gun. I bought one. The gun was never very reliable. I replaced parts, stripped, cleaned, stripped and cleaned it again but after a couple of dozen rounds it would start having issues with ejection.
I pulled it out of the closet a few months ago to try it out, again. I took the Ramline magazine with it. After a few dozen shots, the neck of the Ramline magazine broke. The neck portion was in the gun and the larger part that held the spring and the majority of bullets went crashing to the floor. I tried duct tape and super glue, but to no avail. This thing was trash.
I found the original magazine packaging at the bottom of box of gun stuff I had. Lo' and Behold, it has a lifetime warranty: "No questions asked/Lifetime Free Replacement." Wahoo !!
I hit the W.W.W. and find they have a 1800 number. The lady on the other end of the line tells me, "They have been out of production since 1994 and we have none in stock."
I ask about the lifetime replacement and get told, they have none to replace it with. I ask about repair, and I am told they cannot repair them. Well, crap. "How about a gift card or something for compensation for a Lifetime Guarantee, that really isn't?" She laughs at me !!
Now, I knew I was pushing things, but come on, if my car has a Lifetime Guarantee on brakes and the brakes go bad, they are replaced for no cost, right? If my Ipod takes a crap and they cannot fix it, they replace it with the current version, right? I guess not so with magazines from Ramline (AKT).
I pulled it out of the closet a few months ago to try it out, again. I took the Ramline magazine with it. After a few dozen shots, the neck of the Ramline magazine broke. The neck portion was in the gun and the larger part that held the spring and the majority of bullets went crashing to the floor. I tried duct tape and super glue, but to no avail. This thing was trash.
I found the original magazine packaging at the bottom of box of gun stuff I had. Lo' and Behold, it has a lifetime warranty: "No questions asked/Lifetime Free Replacement." Wahoo !!
I hit the W.W.W. and find they have a 1800 number. The lady on the other end of the line tells me, "They have been out of production since 1994 and we have none in stock."
I ask about the lifetime replacement and get told, they have none to replace it with. I ask about repair, and I am told they cannot repair them. Well, crap. "How about a gift card or something for compensation for a Lifetime Guarantee, that really isn't?" She laughs at me !!
Now, I knew I was pushing things, but come on, if my car has a Lifetime Guarantee on brakes and the brakes go bad, they are replaced for no cost, right? If my Ipod takes a crap and they cannot fix it, they replace it with the current version, right? I guess not so with magazines from Ramline (AKT).
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Guns being returned?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081008/ap_on_re_us/katrina_confiscated_guns
NEW ORLEANS - City officials have agreed to return hundreds of firearms that police officers confiscated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, part of a deal to resolve a lawsuit filed by gun lobbying groups.
Police department spokesman Bob Young said it has stored 552 guns that were confiscated after Katrina, through Dec. 31, 2005. Police have said that most of the confiscated firearms had been stolen or found in abandoned homes, but the NRA claims police disarmed some people who were trying to flee the city.
In April 2006, police made about 700 firearms available for owners to claim if they could present a bill of sale or an affidavit with the weapon's serial number. Halbrook, however, said few people could present proof of ownership after Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of the city.
Wow...read the whole article. The city of New Orleans has agreed to give back what was stolen, in complete violation of the 2nd Amendment as well as the 4th Amendment (illegal search and seizure). What about all those gun lost, stolen (taken home as trophies by cops), or damaged. I am quite sure no one bothered to check the guns for rust in the past 3 years. I am sure New Orleans finest has gone out of their way to protect these weapons from scrapes and dings.
Do people get compensation for lost or damaged property? What if they do not have serial numbers or receipts, since all their homes were damaged by the hurricanes? Who is going to make sure this never happens again? Sure, new laws were passed in recent years disallowing confiscation of guns in a natural disaster, but what happens during martial law....? Laws are suspended.
NEW ORLEANS - City officials have agreed to return hundreds of firearms that police officers confiscated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, part of a deal to resolve a lawsuit filed by gun lobbying groups.
Police department spokesman Bob Young said it has stored 552 guns that were confiscated after Katrina, through Dec. 31, 2005. Police have said that most of the confiscated firearms had been stolen or found in abandoned homes, but the NRA claims police disarmed some people who were trying to flee the city.
In April 2006, police made about 700 firearms available for owners to claim if they could present a bill of sale or an affidavit with the weapon's serial number. Halbrook, however, said few people could present proof of ownership after Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of the city.
Wow...read the whole article. The city of New Orleans has agreed to give back what was stolen, in complete violation of the 2nd Amendment as well as the 4th Amendment (illegal search and seizure). What about all those gun lost, stolen (taken home as trophies by cops), or damaged. I am quite sure no one bothered to check the guns for rust in the past 3 years. I am sure New Orleans finest has gone out of their way to protect these weapons from scrapes and dings.
Do people get compensation for lost or damaged property? What if they do not have serial numbers or receipts, since all their homes were damaged by the hurricanes? Who is going to make sure this never happens again? Sure, new laws were passed in recent years disallowing confiscation of guns in a natural disaster, but what happens during martial law....? Laws are suspended.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Another Pulitzer prize winner...
Here's another nominee for the Pulitzer Prize...yeah, right.
http://www.abc15.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=08df0a8c-1115-49cc-aad2-8c7e59f02884
"Police are searching for a man who robbed a Mesa pizza shop Saturday night with a semi-automatic gun." Yeahhh... nice opening sentance. What kind of semi-auto weapon. A replica, a handgun, a semi-automatic revolver (Mataba or a Webley Fosbery), a rifle, or hey, how about a shotgun?
A few lines later, "The suspect entered the restaurant and revealed a black pistol before demanding money from the cash register and delivery drivers." So, it is identified now as being a "black pistol." So, ya bunch of editing geniuses, why is the pistol beside the article a stainless steel or nickel-plated 1911?
Nice reporting and editing. Goofballs !
http://www.abc15.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=08df0a8c-1115-49cc-aad2-8c7e59f02884
"Police are searching for a man who robbed a Mesa pizza shop Saturday night with a semi-automatic gun." Yeahhh... nice opening sentance. What kind of semi-auto weapon. A replica, a handgun, a semi-automatic revolver (Mataba or a Webley Fosbery), a rifle, or hey, how about a shotgun?
A few lines later, "The suspect entered the restaurant and revealed a black pistol before demanding money from the cash register and delivery drivers." So, it is identified now as being a "black pistol." So, ya bunch of editing geniuses, why is the pistol beside the article a stainless steel or nickel-plated 1911?
Nice reporting and editing. Goofballs !
Thursday, October 2, 2008
1911
Browning excellent M1911 is almost 100 years old in its stated form and more then 100 years old if you count its ancestry (M1905). This came out when cars were rare and most people were still getting electricity to their cities, let alone inside their homes. The current crop of M1911 pistols are finely turned pistols and the higher end ones could almost be considered woks of pistol smithing art.
Today, I had a chance to handle a Taurus 1911 clone. It was a very nice pistol. It had simple, no snag two white dot sight system that worked extremely well for me. I much preferred it to my own 1911's three system. The ergonomics of the pistol were excellent and control-ability of the weapon were darn good, too. For the fit, finish, and features this $525 pistol had, I would have expected to pay $1000 for a similar Kimber or Springfield Armories. It was a nice pistol.
One of my friends commented how he would have loved that pistol in something other then 45 ACP. I looked at him like he was a freak, but added they make this style pistol in a half dozens other calibers, including 40 S&W, 9mm Para, 38 Super, 50 GI, 40 Corbon, and others. He didn't believe me. I sent another friend to the rental area of the range to pick up a Springfield Armory's 1911 in 9mm Para. My friend was amazed.
I still looked at him like he face-planted while walked a straight line...no one gets a 1911 in anything but 45 ACP without a nasty look. But, he wants one.
Today, I had a chance to handle a Taurus 1911 clone. It was a very nice pistol. It had simple, no snag two white dot sight system that worked extremely well for me. I much preferred it to my own 1911's three system. The ergonomics of the pistol were excellent and control-ability of the weapon were darn good, too. For the fit, finish, and features this $525 pistol had, I would have expected to pay $1000 for a similar Kimber or Springfield Armories. It was a nice pistol.
One of my friends commented how he would have loved that pistol in something other then 45 ACP. I looked at him like he was a freak, but added they make this style pistol in a half dozens other calibers, including 40 S&W, 9mm Para, 38 Super, 50 GI, 40 Corbon, and others. He didn't believe me. I sent another friend to the rental area of the range to pick up a Springfield Armory's 1911 in 9mm Para. My friend was amazed.
I still looked at him like he face-planted while walked a straight line...no one gets a 1911 in anything but 45 ACP without a nasty look. But, he wants one.
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