Who needs a High-Capacity Firearm for Home Defense?

There’s no guarantee you’ll ever wind up like the people in this story but it can happen.

SCOTUS to Decide if 2nd Amendment Applies to States

The Court has granted certiorari on this issue, in McDonald v. City of Chicago.

Just saw this on Volokh

Finally!

Brownell’s has taken what was arguably the most user unfriendly site I have ever seen and completely revamped it. Go here and enjoy!

Ruger LCR: first impressions

Finally got a chance to try one of the beasties last night.  Right out of the box you can tell this gun will be something different.  On the model I tried the first major difference I noticed was the trigger.  It was just as good as any gun coming out of the famous S&W Performance Center.  Smooth and light.  Not rough or difficult to squeeze like some other pocket revolvers I have handled.

While these guns aren’t target pistols the accuracy was more than acceptable at the ranges it is most likely to be used and felt recoil was less than the common Air Weight J-Frame carried by so many cognoscenti today.

I only have two negatives about this little revolver.  The first is the sights.  While large and easy to pick up in good light they become difficult to find when the lighting gets low.  Which is also when  a lot of self-defense confrontations occur. Hopefully XS sights or someone else will offer a brighter front sight for this gun.

The second is far more personal.  After 24 years of almost exclusively carrying and firing S&W revolvers (when I carry a revolver anyway) I am too used to pushing on that cylinder release to open the gun to use the LCR effectively.  A deficiency I am sure could be overcome with practice, but as I already have a 642 I am content with what I have. The Ruger style of cylinder release is in my opinion superior to any other since it allows the directions of force to oppose each other when opening the gun.  Handy if something has slightly gummed up the works.

As is standard for me I would be reluctant to recommend this or any micro-compact gun to a new shooter but an experienced shooter looking for a gun to carry either as a backup or when wardrobe requirements made carrying a larger gun prohibitive I would not hesitate.

For those interested this gun retails for around $440 in my area.  More if you want Crimson Trace grips.

Poor Man’s Arsenal Part 1

I have seen this theme come up again recently on several gun boards and have decided to make my return to regular blogging (I hope) by covering my version of this topic.

Over at AR15.com (link expires in 90 days) is a post titled “Every man needs a .22 rifle, a rifle, a defensive rifle, a shotgun and a pistol.” Now this is five guns, that’s a lot of iron and that much iron costs.  So how can we fill one’s presumed basic needs without breaking the bank?

Assuming the primary purpose of accumulating this arsenal is self-defense, a good place to start would be a basic shotgun.  Using the “Buy it now” price over at gunbroker as a guide I’ve assembled the following options:

• Single Shot NEF 28” Barrel 12 GA Modified choke $171
• Single Shot youth model NEF 22” Barrel 20 GA Modified choke $171
• Remington 870 12 GA 26” Barrel $210 (used rough cosmetically)

Now I bet a few choked when they saw the single shot shotgun on the list.  However, it’s a viable option provided you have a method for carrying extra ammunition and are well practiced in its use. The price of the 870 surprised me but it does look a bit rough around the edges. It would definitely need to be checked out by a competent gunsmith (as all used guns should be) and may need a refinishing, but not absolutely necessary for our purposes.

The 20 GA youth gun made our list because it is ideal for small statured and recoil sensitive shooters.  I wouldn’t advise keeping a 20 GA and a 12 GA in the same house personally, but if you’re very careful about not mixing up the ammunition you should be ok.  Just keep in mind that a 20 GA round can be chambered in front of a 12 GA round.  The results are not something you want any part of your body near.

So we have our shotgun, all we need is ammo and we’re set right? Not at all.  If we go cheap we have a shotgun with one round on board.  It would be nice to have more if we needed it.  So what are our options?

First up we can use a buttstock shell carrier.  These bring 5 extra rounds to the table and run from $15 for an elastic version all the way up to$70 for  a fancy leather version (12 GA only). Advantage: They are attached to the gun and you won’t forget them. Disadvantage: I wouldn’t advise shooting from your off hand shoulder while behind cover with one of these. 

Next we have the Bandoleer  Eagle Industries offers two.  Along with 12 extra rounds one also carries two pistol magazines, or a light and a knife or anything else you can fit in the pouches for the price of $21. The other carries a whopping 56 extra rounds fro the price of $36.  Having used of of the latter bandoleers I’d get the $21 version.  Besides we’re trying to save money here.

Since the 870 is widely considered to be the premiere combat shotgun we will cover the total cost of outfitting the one we found. 

First up is a tech inspection.  Usually they run around $65.  We will assume that the shotgun is not in need of repair and you do not desire to have it refinished.

Next we need spare ammunition again.  We’ll just use the above prices and mention the $27 option of a side saddle carrier that brings an extra 4-6 rounds (12 GA only) and while attached to the gun does not interfere with an off-hand shooting position.

So lets add them up.

Our intrepid single-shot comes in at $192 for the gun and a 12 round bandoleer from Eagle Industries.

The 870 on the other hand come in at $296 if we go with the bandoleer or $302 if we go with the side saddle.

So for today we will stick with the single shot at $192 less the cost of ammunition and training,

Next time we will look at handguns.

BOTW

Been a while, but here we go.

If you don’t know who that is and you reside in the U.S. stay under your rock until December, please.

Politics: You want answers?

Anti-Civil-Rights Shill Peter Hamm of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, has posted some questions for Sarah Palin here I agree with others that she should just ignore him. However, I’ll answer the questions I can just for fun.

– In view of your being “a lifetime member of the NRA,” what is your reaction to the disclosure that the NRA has been paying a woman to spy on gun violence prevention groups and the victims they represent for over 10 years?

I think it’s absolutely shameful! Only one spy?!

I’d also like to correct the record. She was not spying on gun violence prevention groups. She was spying on anti-civil rights activists who promote victimization of innocents.

– Most Americans, including President Bush, support banning military-style semiautomatic assault weapons. What is your position?

That whoever coined the term “semiautomatic assault weapons” is an idiot. I am in favor, and in fact encourage, that the citizenry be able to practice and train with the standard rifle (or a reasonable facsimile) of our Armed Forces. The same goes for sidearms.

– Do you agree with Senator McCain that the “gun-show loophole”(allowing individuals to buy guns at a gun show with no background check from so-called “private sellers”) should be closed?

No I do not. However, Senator McCain and I aren’t going to agree on everything. That’s part of being and individual.

– What did you mean when you described “attacks on our Second Amendment rights” as equivalent to gangs and drug use as something that would “harm family life?” [Eagle Forum Alaska questionnaire, 7-30-06.] Does this include efforts by groups like the Brady Campaign to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons?

What efforts? Every one of your alleged “efforts” I am aware of has been with the goal of disarming the law abiding citizens of this great nation. I need go no further than to point out your “blood in the streets” campaigns against trained, law abiding citizens being able to carry the most effective means of self-defense on their person.

– Do you agree with Senator McCain that background check approval records for gun purchases should be kept for 90 days instead of 24 hours, that ATF should be able to require gun stores to conduct inventory audits, and that crime gun trace information should be more widely available to law enforcement and the public? [See Senator McCain's statement on the Senate floor, 1-22-04.]

No I do not. Please reference my earlier comment on Senator McCain and I agreeing on everything. Furthermore, I would like for you to provide me with incidents where Law Enforcement has been denied access to firearms trace data in the course of, and relevant to, the investigating a crime.

Update! Thanks to Days of Our Trailers we have evidence that the Brady’s can’t decide on the facts when it comes to Bush’s support (or lack therof) of the Assault Weapons Ban. Not that facts has ever meant anything for the Brady Campaign.

Story time? Why not?

There is very little being reported in the world of firearms at the moment.  Everyone seems focused on the Presidential race and the politics surrounding that. As for me I just got done paying my annual house rent to the county (Property taxes for those of you in Rio Linda) so range trips will be a bit.

So inspired by BigRedKitty I figured I would regale you with a few tales of my Military Career.

I arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas in June of 1990.  I was older than many of my fellow trainees having been delayed enlistment for 6 years due to a knee injury (that also spared me the indignity of being in the Army,  but that’s another story).

We arrived on a Wednesday night and had the usual shakedown everyone goes through when they arrive.  I didn’t think it was all that bad and to be honest the short cadet who kept trying to get in my face made it very hard not to laugh. A couple of guys lost the contents of their stomachs which only got them more attention. When people tell you to do nothing to attract attention during basic they aren’t kidding around.  I was determined to stay under the radar.

The weekend came and we were still wearing the clothes we’d arrived in. Saturday night became a night I won’t forget.  Because of supply problems we were to get Uniforms the following week, so the Traning Instructors (Air Force P.C. Speak for Drill Sergeant) weren’t messing with us too hard.  I remember thinking if this was the worst it was going to get this would be a cake walk. Saturday night one of us cracked under the light pressure we’d been getting.

In the middle of the night the Fire Alarm went off.  I figured this was just a drill to screw with our minds a little bit and of course to deprive us of more sleep. It wasn’t; a member of our ‘brother flight’ had attempted suicide (I never heard for certain if he was successful).  The person who found him had panicked and yanked the fire alarm rather than using the call box to notify the Squadron Command Center. After a few hours we were allowed back into our bays and settled in to get a bit more sleep.  It was a sobering beginning to my time in the Air Force, but fortunately the hilarity that is standard military issue was about to ensue.

More on that later.

Buying a gun in an emergency

From Outdoor Life Blogs we have this report:

“I just left a sporting goods store and you would think that the number-one selling item would be plywood or potable water or gasoline right now,” he said. “Apparently it is AR-15s and .223 ammo. I watched at least 20 people buy AR-15s and cases of .223.”

As Hurricane Gustav bears down on the Gulf Coast people who remember the hell that was the aftermath of Katrina are thinking they should get ready for a repeat. The problem is, now is not the time to go out and buy a gun.

During the Los Angeles riots, as non-gun owning as the gun stores were being forced to close and there was a 15 day wait to pick up a gun one had bought anyway, residents realized that that they were defenseless.  More than a few called their gun-owning friends in search of a firearm they could “borrow.” Even Charlton Heston was asked by some of his anti-gun Hollywood colleagues for the loan of a firearm or two as parts of Los Angeles burned to the ground. A request he politely declined, though he did offer the safety of his home.

The reason is these people had no training in the use of these firearms.  Amidst the chaos there was no time for training or practice. Giving an untrained person a firearm would be the equivalent of giving a 12 year old an F1 car and entering him in the Indy 500.

Folks, the time to buy a fire extinguisher is not when you have a fire.  Nor is the time to buy a gun when the danger is on your doorstep.  As with the fire extinguisher you need to buy it when you don’t need it. Unlike the fire extinguisher you will need competent training and lots of practice to remain proficient in its use.

So I urge you if you think you may ever need a firearm the time to get one is now.  Then get training and practice, practice, practice.

Could it be England is waking up?

I am reminded of a poem by Martin Niemoller

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.