Madness

Barely an inch long and less than a quarter inch wide, and more than likely the first 'real' gun most of us shot, the .22 rimfire is the most used cartridge in the world- probably even more than BBs.

In the 'normal' world, .22 rifles held to the same basic configuration as 'real' rifles and pistols. If you bought a .22, it probably looked just like Dad's (or Grampa's) deer rifle. Just smaller. Well, kind'a, anyway. Bolt action, lever, pump, semi-auto and single shot.

After being around for half a zillion years in its current configuration, Idaho based CCI ammunition decided they were going to get on the bandwagon of 'hi power' and 'hi speed' .22 ammo and developed the MiniMag and Stinger series. And the race was on to see who could develop the 'best' .22 round around.

For my money, it's the CCI Stingers- not knocking the other makers, but Stingers really have some ZING! and they function in every .22 weapon I have, and that's a lot of guns!

Around 1960, someone decided to start using Mattel, Inc., to manufacture weapons and the era of plastic guns evolved, beginning with the Colt AR16. Every weapon manufacturer in the world jumped on this wagon and now produce millions of 'plastic' weapons yearly.

Today, these plastic (though not entirely plastic or Mattel Tinkertoy) have been made in every caliber imaginable- except one. You could walk into a gun shop or discount store (that sold guns) and purchase an AR15 in .223, .308Winchester, or half a dozen other calibers. You can even buy a barrel for your .223 that is chambered for .22.

But it was not not specifically a .22.

Guess what.

Last visit to the club's indoor range sure was an eye-opener as to what's happening in the world of the little .22. At the loading bench, where most people usually shoot pistols/revolvers, there was an array of M15 look-alikes. All chambered for .22.

Of course, they were all enthusiastic about displaying and handing around (keep the muzzle downrange!) their newest weapon for inspection. One een went so far as to allow 'moi' to shoot his Ruger SR22!

OOPS!

A little Internet action and an amazing discovery was made. Many manufacturers have caught on to the military look-alike .22, both American and European. (I'm imagining that much of this has to do with 'prepper-itis' and the vast number of 'prepper gurus' who advocate a .22 for survival, some even for self defense use. But I may be wrong. It might just have to do with how many people just want to shoot as much and as cheaply as they can.)

Smith and Wesson (www.smith-wesson.com) has come out with their latest creation, the M&P15-22, and they're pushing the envelope with an advertising campaign sure to ignite the hearts and minds of every small-arm shooter alive. Did I mention it's American made? MMMMM, delicious and, as the ad says, 'pure adrenaline'! And if it's like other S&Ws I've shot, it really will 'kick brass'. I couldn't find a price for it though I've heard it's on the lower end of the dollar spectrum for this style of rifle.

The first of the breed I have been allowed to play with, the Ruger SR22 ( www.ruger.com ) is almost a whole new rifle, yet based on the 10-22 action. It handled well, balanced nicely and uses the same magazines as the 10-22, which is wonderful interchangeability. I liked the pistol grip configuration- a lot easier on my wrist, which doesn't like to articulate the way it's supposed to. Blasting off 35 rounds of .22 LR to the target downrange was nothing but fun. (Honestly, even more fun than blasting 35 rounds downrange with my 'regular' .22- which is a Remington 597.)Not to be outdone, or even left out of the game, Colt has come out with their M4-22LR. Nothing says "Black Rifle" like a Colt (BIG grin here), the 'original' Mattel gun. This is one rifle sure to catch on with aficionados of Colt and original M15 actions. Go to www.colt22rimfire.com to see their catalogue.

Coming from the European market, but made in American factories, is the SigSauer 522. Right- it's a clone of big brother Sig515 series military weapons. Head to www.sigsauer.com to view their offerings. (Special note: the Picatinny rails are compatible with components for all the 'bigger siblings' of these weapons. Flashlights, scopes, lasers, whatever your heart desires to throw on.)

I've tacked on an 'estimated MSRP' for these weapons, but as with any item in demand and particular locale, prices will definitely vary so check your dealer.

But now the really 'good news' for all those who really don't have oodles and oodles of cash to throw at getting their very own Black Rifle...
There are two companies doing quite a bit of advertising for their 'aftermarket' products. To whit: composite stocks that will turn your .22 into a true Black Rifle.

Advanced Technology International, an American company based in Milwaukee,WS. (www.ATIgunstocks.com), has been around quite a while. When the original issue stock went out on the .303 British inherited from Dad, I had visions of relegating the rifle to a wall decoration. Chance, and common cruising the aisles of a local sporting goods/gun shop, my eye fell on an "ATI Enfield Stock". At the lowly price of $59, I felt it was worth the cost just to be able to shoot the old Enfield. It definitely was, and is.

True to their claims, ATI customer service is excellent. (I discovered this due to not knowing the model .303 I had - I know: put "DUH" face here!- but a phone call to the company and they squared me away, no cost. Their stocks are guaranteed, period. No questions. Pictured above is the ATI stock for Marlin Model 60's- and it fits all model 60s. Remove your old stock- save the screw- drop the action in the new stock, put in the screw you saved, and go have fun scaring the local Sarah Brady club with your new Black Rifle.

For those who love their SKS's but hate the stock, ATI has just the thing for you, too. The new, light, lifetime guaranteed SKS Fiberforce stock. Check their site- you'll be amazed at what they offer and for very reasonable prices.

The rifle carried behind the seat of my truck is a Remington 597 with plastic stock. (Not really 'plastic' plastic, but the same thing.) I like the durability and consistency of the stock, the fact that it won't warp when wet or humid or rot due to same. But I do have an bone to pick with RemInc. about it. They told me I can't put a sling on it. If I do, I void all warranty expressed or implied. And at my age, a sling is not a toy, it's necessity. So I've been kinda grumpy about it.

Enter www.promagindustries.com. Notice above the stock configuration for the Remington 597. Will my 597 soon sport such Black Rifle appearance? (Grin.) At $199 (suggested from site), it may be a while since that's more than the rifle cost, good as it is and as much as I like it. But that bayonet mount is appealing...

The Marlin 870 has been my Squirrel Rifle for decades. It's my go-to rifle for nearly everything small bore, even survival. It's the only rifle in which I've spent more for accoutrement's than the rifle, and I baby this baby. Being the tack driver it is, I don't mind and for silhouette shooting I love it. (I remove the bipod, though rules don't specify I have to, I just can't use it.) Because of wrist problems, I'm in search of a thumbhole stock for it as well. Perhaps one day ATI or ProMag will make one.

Junior has a Ruger 10-22 and it's not babied at all. A really great rifle and probably the most recommended by survivalists and the most revamped rifle on the market, there are more after-market products for the 10-22 than most hot rods.

But it comes from the factory with a birch stock- sturdy and serviceable, but it is wood and the Kid's has tendency to "warp and weft" as soon as he sneezes.

Once again, wandering through the local gun store, the eye made its second ATI discovery (and the reason for this post). ATI made a stock for the 10-22 and it actually looks good. The price was right- again, $59- and it made the change-over from wood another simple "save the screw", drop in the action, and replace the screw.

And it does make the Ruger look like a Black Rifle. Being lighter than the SR22, the rifle handles wonderfully and the thumbhole/pistol grip configuration is heaven to the wrist. The rifle is even light enough to hold pistol fashion.

The Simmons 4x scope, made for the SKS, adds a Black Rifle appearance- he had an Aimpoint Red Dot on the rifle, but batteries tend to die and the Kid decided to make a change. Wise move, in my opinion. I much prefer the scope- and the Red Dot will go elsewhere (grin again). For magazines, he uses RamLine 30 rounders that give the banana clip appearance. A bonus to using the banana mags is the mag-release button is easier to hit with his thumb while grasping the magazine and pulling it out.

Not that I'm trying to sell weapons or stocks, and sure ain't getting a kickback from anyone for ads... but if you'd like to have a Black Rifle in .22 caliber, odds are you can find one to suit your wallet. Even if you have to drop the action in yourself. From the initial shooting of Ruger's SR22 to shooting the Kid's ATIRuger, I'm convinced there's not only a market for either product, but a big market.

And, as you can tell, this 'kid' has gone from being one who "doesn't need" a "Black Rifle" to one who will probably have one- if for nothing else but to harass Sarah Brady.

Bless God, God bless.

Shy III

Don't turn the page!

Okie dokie, Folks- don't turn the page or run away- just doing some playing around. It's still the same old me.

I was playing with another blog and liked the look so much I decided to make them 'similar'- the other has a little different look. Hope you like whatcha see now. Content won't change- still the same old mindless rantings.

Picked up a new toy and just had to do some playing with it as well.

More to the point, I ain't much on little toys, but saw this and just had to get it for a BUG. Now to find an ankle holster (oh, yah- sure I will... why'd anyone wanna carry a gun on the hardest part of the body to reach?) for it.

What you're looking at is an Iver Johnson .22 long rifle pistol. Ten shots, Double Action/Single Action design, semi auto, of course. It's a .22 caliber, but it doesn't digest the 'standard velocity' ammo too well. The recoil spring is so strong they don't have the OOMPH to work the action, but it sure does like Stingers and MiniMags. MMMM, so do I! Stubby little barrel, for sure- about two inches long. In my hand the whole thing is concealed. Hmmm, I wonder...

As to accuracy. Well, we won't talk about that beyond CQC, but that's what it's for. Close quarters. I kept the grouping down to ten inches at 25 feet, so I reckon it's "good enuff for wut it's for". Maybe this summer, or even this winter if it warms up some, I can get the group a bit smaller cuz I won't be shivering and shaking. We'll see.

So Happy New Year/early birthday present (HA! I have a real gun in mind for that!), James.

Bless God, God bless.

Shy

Reality Check On Mental Attitude

Reading some of the reports on the terrorist action that went down in Bombay/Mumbai last week, I had to shake my head in wonder. Then I started wondering.

Some of the reports mentioned the photographer whose shot graced the pages of many world newspapers: the young terrorist, carbine in low carry, proudly waltzing through the corridors of the train station (I think it was train, anyway). Hiding beside the police, the photographer was screaming for them to shoot the attackers- yet all held their fire. Too, most of the SWAT people in attendance also did not fire when the opportunity arose.

My radar flicked on and I began to wonder about this situation, did some poking around and found a couple stats that surprised me.

Seventy percent of soldiers in combat will not fire their weapons at a human being.

Utterly astounding.

And it's even worse for police, who are not- theoretically- trained to kill folks, but to help.

Yet it goes along with another study I read where-in American Marines were asked if they'd fire upon other Americans. I forget the number, but the majority said they would not. I'm thinking it was along the lines of 60%+/- .

So, grinding the worn out gears in my head, I was/am more convinced than ever why there will be either: A) UN 'blue' helmets brought into the country, or B) a foreign nation will have troops 'smuggled' in country (such as China- I feel- is doing now as it controls some of our ports, especially in California); or C) our new fearless leader will be arming his Ghetto ACORNS, who have no fear or loathing to shoot anyone, or D) troops are now being amassed near our borders (recall the huge gun cache found in Mexico and everyone is thinking 'drug wars'? uh-huh...drug wars, all right), or possibly E) a combination of 'all the above'.

As I think of this, I smell 'conspiracy theory' rambling through my noggin.

Then I remember who our new Fearless (uh-huh, you bet) Leader will be next month. Maybe not so conspiratorial after all. At least, not on my part. (Shhhh...I can hear you laffin', so knock it off!)

Now, what has this to do with prepping? you hadda ask, din'tcha?

Consider those hordes of the Dark Lord's Gestapo tramping through the cornfield, taking whatever they want, killing whatever they want, imprisoning whomever they want.

Consider the Mad Max group of motorcycle Zombies coming to do even more damage- cuz they don't take prisoners. Well, male ones, anyway.

Now look in the mirror at that sweet, honest, hard-working American who wants only a few things: freedom and liberty, love and family, to be left alone to prosper or fail. Does that person you're looking at seem to be the kind who can actually shoot someone who's just stealing some food from the larder? Can that person looking back actually send a bullet at someone who's probably thinking of doing the same at you? More, does that face in the mirror look as though it can slip a knife into the ribs of someone who is attacking them? Will that sweet, kind, loving person be able to purposely throw a kick at someone's knee and smash it, crippling them for life? Or, after putting five bullets center-mass, will that person be able to lower the sights and put a final shot in the middle of the attacking abdomen? (No, not the head- it's a moving, small target too easy to miss under duress.)

In all the women's self defense classes I taught, I always had to ask the participants up-front if they believed they could hurt someone on purpose when that person was trying to hurt them? Then I got a bit down and dirty, wanting to know if they could poke someone in the eye while that someone was attempting to rape them. Or could they bite off an appendage that found its way to their mouth? What about grabbing a man's gonads and tearing them off if they had the opportunity. (The classes were gritty, trust me. And we didn't pull our punches.)

If anyone felt they would be unable to do it, I told them the class was not for them.

Reason being, if you can't see yourself protecting yourself, then you won't protect yourself. Simple. Sad, though sometimes it doesn't work that way in reality.

Same with pistol practice, or rifle. Is all you're shooting at a bullseye on a piece of paper? If so, the next time you're around town, check the number of people wearing bullseyes on their chest.

It's mental conditioning: you have to see yourself shooting a person (IF you have to) not a target. It's the same with military and law enforcement. They begin with weapons zeroing on targets, then quickly switch to human silhouettes. The smart ones sometimes even put clothes on the manikins to prevent training the eye to look for bullet holes instead of sighting for a second/follow-up shot.

Psychology in action.

And they fire thousands of rounds in practice knowing they're practicing to kill human beings.

Logically, the next question has to be: Are you going to be one of the 60-70% who can't shoot at another person?

Or are you going to fight to live another minute, a day, a week- until the next time?

It's going to take some hard, hard people if the SHTF the way some are imagining or intimating it's going to be. And quite possibly, as FerFal has pointed out in Argentina, life could get very, very bad, very fast in America.

A gun is only as good as the person operating it. It has no mind of its own to decide for us, to know when to and when to not shoot: it's all in the hands of the driver.

Next time you shave yourself, ask if that is the face of a man who will go to all lengths to protect those he loves.

The next time you put on your rouge, ask if that's the face of a woman who can do anything she has to that will save the lives of those she loves.

Tough questions. Tough choices. Tough lives ahead. Let's be tough enough to do what we need do.

Bless God, God bless- let us pray our lives never need those answers.

Shy

Ballistically Speaking...

Mayberry got his Mosin Nagent today! HOORAY!

And my response to him got me to wondering just what he should do for his battle-sight zero, which got me to do some googling- a new experience for me. (I google something about as often as I eat Okra.)

Okay, enough about my eating habits.

Lots of times we hear people talking about, "I hit it at point blank range." Then ask them what the range was and they say something like "twenty yards". Okay, sounds good to me. Or they'll say something like "300 yards". Okay, I get out the salt shaker and ask next, "What're you zeroed at?" IF they know, they might say, "One hundred yards."

Let me back up a bit to last month.

Being a member of the local shooting club, we have a yearly deer hunting sight-in days for hunters who are not members, so we gather some volunteer members and help these people zero. Mind you, deer hunting up here (MN) is big business and the woods are loaded with nearly half a million hunters each November. Perhaps three-fourths will get a deer, plus or minus a few percentage points. But I digress again.

This 'hunting zero days' is the biggest event we have each year. Hundreds of people show up to zero or get their rifles zeroed. Always, always, always, there are people- young and old- who will ask a club member to zero their weapon. Usually the weapon is a .308, 30-06, .270 or larger caliber- the monsters like .300 Weatherby mag. So the club member will donate a shoulder and experience and zero the rifle, all the while talking to the owner about his shooting habits, how long they've had the weapon, etc. We'll explain where each shot goes (using out spotting scopes) and what we're going to do to change the point of impact.

The owner who has the club member do the shooting usually responds with, "Oh, got it last week cuz the 'old gun' was a little small/old/rusty/wrong caliber/I like this one better/etc." Asked if they've ever shot the gun, their response is about 99% "Nope."

So then we'll ask them to shoot it a few times.

Notice, please, everyone wears earmuffs or plugs, even the spectators, so the noise level is kept down a little- but with ten or more folks on line shooting at once, it can get LOUD!

Quite often the gun owner will say it's not necessary, they 'trust you' with the zero. Many times the person will take position at the bench and snuggle up to the stock, look through the sights/scope and blast a shot downrange. A good number of them miss the bull, some even the target. While they shoot, the club member will watch them, not the target, cuz we know where that bullet's going to go if all things are equal.

Many times, the shooter is over-gunned, afraid of the recoil, bothered by the noise when the trigger is pulled, jerks the trigger rather than caress it, or moves their head before the shot, or will hold the gun away from their body. Some just really don't like shooting but hunt 'cuz it's 'expected' of them, so they buy a rifle and go with the gang for a week to chase deer through the woods.

It's the first group we're gonna talk about, though.

You gotta hold that rifle close as a lover, tight to your shoulder and don't flinch as you ease back the trigger- you shouldn't even know when the shot goes off, just feel it. And you should see the strike on the target (more or less) as you do the 'follow through': keep the sight on target after the shot. (Same with a pistol: do the sights recoil to the target picture?) That is how you learn to 'call your shots'.

Now back to Mayberry's M-N. Cool. Learned some interesting stuff.

Oh, Point Blank Range, first. Federal Cartridge defines Point Blank Range as that distance from muzzle to point of zero to impact from zero where an eight inch drop is terminated. In other words, PBR (not the beer) is that distance your bullet drops to a depth of eight inches below the muzzle. But it ain't always that simple. The 'zero' is the deciding factor.

Using my 30-06 as an example: using 150 grain Federal bullets, I zero it to be 3 inches high at 100 yards. Using that zero, my PBR is from muzzle to 300 yards. That's the distance that, if I put up an eight inch plate, the bullet leaving the muzzle would hit the plate dead center, and at 175 yards will hit the top of the plate, while at 300 yards it will hit the bottom of the plate.

Clear as mud, huh? That's pretty much a simplified description of PBR and a battlesight zero. It gets a lot more complicated if you really want to get into it: wind direction/speed, air temp, clear/cloudy, cold bore or hot...a lifetime can be spent just learning this stuff.

All right, I promised Mayberry's M-N zero.

From what I found here>>> 7.62x54r Ammunition Evaluations , my estimate is he should zero about 175 yards for a ten inch plate out to 300 yards. Beyond that, gravity begins doing it's best thing: pulling hard. My example is with Czech ammo, 148 grain ball ammo. If he really wants to find out a more exact point of aim, he will have to go through the tables with one of his bullets to verify the headstamp markings, load, manufacturer and year of manufacture.

Still, it was fun to do some sneaking around and I want to thank Mayberry for giving me a fun hour of play. Thanks, Mayberry. :-D

Oh, hopefully some others out there with new M-Ns or other weapons, will find this a bit useful as well.

Bless God, God bless,

Shy

PS: I wonder if I should put that composite of Old Glory and my Marlin on the banner? Any thoughts?

Shy

Storm On Horizon

Something is definitely happening in the heavens.

I'm no prophet, trust me, but when this neighborhood gets two shootings and a knifing within a week span, there's trouble on the stoop. That kind of incident happens up here maybe once every four or five years- during my lifetime, anyway. What can I say about it? What kind of powers in the Heavens are at work here?

A reading of Scripture will tell us: "We war not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities in Heavenly places." Those powers and principalities are working overtime because they know their "time" is near.

How can we be certain of this, know from our own observations? Look around at the societies around us and weigh what you see with Scripture. Simple to do and it won't take a prophet to see we are very near a catastrophic time in our lives. All of us.

Every man, woman and child on this planet.

Here in the United States, compare Scripture with what is happening in the financial markets. "A loaf of bread will buy a bag of gold." At the moment, it's taking half an hour's work to buy a loaf of bread, so it's getting close. "The final war will be fought for heat." Really. Look it up: Old Testament verse. Not only is the price of gas for our vehicles climbing, so are heating fuels for our homes. In a few years I have no doubt we'll be fighting with Iran and other Mid-East countries, especially if Pelosi and her ilk continue to get their way. It doesn't take a prophet to see that, just someone with their eyes open to the world around them.

"A man's enemies will be his own family." Consider what is happening to the very foundation of America: the family. Fathers neglecting their own children; forsaking the vows they made their wives for a romp in the hay with someone else's wife; the very education the children are receiving in the schools they attend; the odorous methods being used to accelerate illicit homosexual/lesbian and other "alternative" lifestyles - especially how Hollywierd is promulgating the trend on national television; think about what is happening to children daily in their own homes- rapes, murders, the drugs and slovenly habit of video games and computer 'freedoms' and television heroes(ines); consider also the way they are fed a diet of unhealthy food, Mickey D's and the ilk that makes our lives "so much easier".

What is happening to the very homes we so value in this society, that give us "the American dream"? People- many who did not deserve the loan(s) they got for the home(s) they didn't earn- are losing these home(s), living now in vehicles or on the street or with family/friends. And what is happening to alleviate that problem? Our government is giving our money to the companies that made the faulty loans and to the people who did nothing to earn either the money or the home(s). Whatever happened to companies rising or falling by their own merits/greed rather than being rescued by government?

Consider the implications of the upcoming Presidential elections. What do you see happening that should certainly alarm your sense of "Get the hell out of Dodge"?

So many around me feel we will be electing a young know-nothing, prejudiced, ignorant and foolish man with an equally prejudiced, foolish wife. A fool who will readily give away the country he claims to be a citizen of just so he can look sleek and cool, an esquire among peons. (Not that the alternative is a whole lot better.)

Which brings me to the point of this post: IMnotalwayssoHO, we'd better be getting our shit together, because someone is going to try taking it and giving it to a foreign country or others who certainly have not earned what we have.

This society is turning a corner to a rapidly devalued dollar, worthless on all markets, to unprecedented crime- murder, rape, robbery, theft- on the streets of our cities, in our countryside. There will soon be two wars happening "on the home front": a class war- those who have the power and those who have taken it- and a race war, because regardless how the election goes, the colors will not mix well and will more violently attack those they perceive as being the oppressor- combined among them will be the religious elements and the political. A revolution is coming and it won't be pretty.

So, folks: get your bullets, bandages and beans lined up. Start with the bullets cuz we're going to need them. Bandages because we're going to need them. Beans because no one else is going to have any and will need them.

No, IMO, there will not be a "total system breakdown" (but I lay no claim to 'expert' in this area) but it's going to get ugly: depression, rebellion, riots, hunger and crime, more hunger and crime, homelessness and starvation. Those who have not will get it from those who have and are not willing to protect it.

So if you value what you have- your family- then be prepared to protect and help them. Set your mind to this task, be not afraid to defend what is yours to keep or give away, but let it not be taken from you. Most, be humble before your God and know He is with those who are "not afraid to protect their home" (check the Scriptures); love your family and be willing to die for your family and brother, to protect all and to help all. For it is this very reason He has set you free: to be free to share your love and His, to care for the widow (who are widowed indeed) and orphan, thereby showing what great love He has for you, His child.

Not to protect and coddle the criminal and murderer, but your family. Don't be mistaken: "the times, they are a-changin'" (to paraphrase a local hero), be ready to change with them.

All who know they were born in the wrong century will soon discover themselves within that century.

Coming next: what I've done and am doing to prepare for the shit flying.

Shy III

Self Defense

Following is an Email from a friend of mine- which I haven't checked the veracity of, but it has the ring of truth to it. Included after are some of my thoughts on the subject.

"...Shooting in Butte, Montana
Shotgun-wielding pre-teen vs. illegal alien home invaders; Butte, Montana November 5, 2006.
Two illegal aliens, Ralphel Resindez, 23, and Enrico Garza, 26, probably believed they would easily overpower home-alone 11 year old Patricia Harrington after her father had left their two-story home. It seems the two crooks had never learned two things: They were in Montana, and Patricia has been a clay shooting champion since she was nine.
Patricia was in her upstairs room when the two men broke through the front door of the house. She quickly ran to her father's room and grabbed his 12-gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun.Resindez was the first to get up to the second floor only to be the first to catch a near point-blank blast of buckshot from the 11-year-old's knee-crouch aim. He suffered fatal wounds to his abdomen and genitals. When Garza ran to the foot of the stairs, he took a blast to the left shoulder and staggered out into the street where he bled to death before medical help could arrive. It was discovered later that Resindez was armed with a stolen 45-caliber handgun he took from another home invasion robbery. That victim, 50-year-old David Burien, was not so lucky. He died from stab wounds to the chest.
Thought for the day: Calling an illegal alien an 'undocumented immigrant' is like calling a drug dealer an 'unlicensed pharmacist'. "

I think Patricia deserves a Medal of Honor. The NRA journals publish a column named "The Armed Citizen" and this could well appear in it if not already. Almost daily we hear of instances where a loaded firearm in the hands of a competent shooter saves either their life or that of someone else.
Nationally, only someone living in an Afghani cave has not heard of the shootings in Colorado this month, where-in a 24 year old man (name withheld to prevent ANY recognition or claim of fame) killed 26 year old Tiffany Johnson and 23 year old Philip Crouse and wounded two others at a Youth With A Mission education center then went on an hour later and attacked a church 60 miles away. There he was stopped by a former policewoman on volunteer duty as a monitor. Three well-aimed shots brought the murderer down. This former police woman also deserves a Medal of Honor.
Here is a story worthy of more than three night's news coverage by mainstream media. Instead, libs and gun-control advocates will spend millions of dollars touting legislation where honest, law-abiding citizens should be removed of their right to carry and, if needed, use a firearm. And the media will gleefully push this noise for weeks on end.
This would not have occurred if liberals and democrats had their way.
Rather than being stopped, the killer could well have done much more harm to more people, to making more families childless, fatherless, motherless. Of course, no lib or democrat wants to be repeatedly told such facts, being blind to truth is a common heritage to them.
More buildings, churches and schools included, need to remove the signs from their doors- as did the Mall recently invaded by another crumb. Oh, yes- they removed the signs AFTER the attacks and- what was it?- 18 people were killed and wounded? At least the church was smart enough to have armed security patrolling the building. If the Mall had allowed legally carried weapons inside, more than likely fewer people would be attending funerals.
It causes me to feel bad to be using these random acts of violence for a BLOG to promote a Constitutionally given right, but like the news media and libs and democrats, I feel compelled to defend what is mine. That includes the right to own, carry and use firearms. Not just for sport shooting as I do, but hunting and protection as well. And, yes, protecting others less inclined to defend themselves. Even libs and democrats.
'Nuff said.

Shy Wolf III

Gun Control

Got a good chuckle from a friend who viewed my BLOG a few days ago. Actually made a suggestion for a BLOG and I had to laugh at him.
"You've got to be kidding?" I asked.
"Not at all- serious as a heart attack. You gotta do it."
Thinking about it a while now, I imagine he's right: I do have to write about gun control, one of my favorite topics. So, with apologies to Mark Twain and Sam Clements, here goes. Oh, yes- and to whomever it was that wrote about Ransoming Red Chief, Mr O'Henry.
Liberal Democrats have long considered gun control a very major issue to their campaigns. Right alongside abortion and equal rights for all but whites. Of course, we all know who they hold as Exhibit Number One on their list of heroes: that Austrian with the funny Charlie Chaplin moustache who made an attempt at dominating the world. Some of you in reader land may recognize him as a German named Hitler. He took away the guns and nearly took over Germany, murdering about 12 million Jewish people on his way.
So, my answer to the Soros bunch, and others of his ilk, is a simple solution to the question of, "How do we get better gun control in the United States?" Perhaps not so simple, when I think about it: there will be some major costs involved. Naturally, rich as they are, these people can afford to help all us "lesser" individuals by footing the bill for the whole country.
To begin. Here you go, folks: a lesson on how to control guns in America.
Let us start with stature of the individual, since not ALL Americans are built the same. Some are tall, others short, a majority in-between. Too, some are 16-penny slim, others fat as walrus. Most are probably in-between. As well, some are fit as fiddles, others about as fit as cooked spaghetti. Again, many fall in-between. So proper gun control begins with the category of "Get a gun that suits your stature."
If you have big hands, something along the lines of a Colt 1911 full-size will be no problem for your grip. However, if you have weak arms, drop to a Colt 1911 Combat Commander size: it's smaller frame and lighter weight will aid your control. My suggestion is a caliber such as the century old .45 Colt ACP, or the more modern .357 or .44 magnum. A 9mm is okay if you like to fire off lots of rounds. If, like my Lady, your hands are a bit smaller than a man's, or if you're just effeminate, go for one of the smaller, light-weight 9 mm's on the market. They're kinda wimpy in firepower but make up for it in number of rounds you can expend at one sitting. Well, not a "sitting" per-se, but without having to reload. If you are kind of the squeamish type and feel handgun combat range is kinda too close for comfort, you can go the long-gun route. Beginning with a .22 long rifle (don't waste time with less), you can easily learn to handle this and extend the combat range a few feet. But if you really want to stop an altercation, nothing works better than a 12 gauge, best is the pump action for repeatability of firing, but my fave is a twin barrel: over/under. (Only because I like the looks and have a pump as well :) . Naturally, there are some out there who really want to control a situation and nip it in the bud. For those really gung-ho types, there is a true long-gun, a rifle with man-sized calibers such as .243, .6mm, 7mm, 308, 30-06, etc. With these babies, you can pick off an argument before it even becomes a thought.
Naturally, you'll want to insure yourself that YOU have proper gun control. To do this, get a set of grips (for pistols or revolvers) that fit your hand and aid in reducing recoil so follow-up shots are more easily accomplished. If you like, get the barrel ported so muzzle blast is used to help tame recoil on those big honking smokepoles. Don't worry about silencers or flash suppressors- the idea is to scare poop outta the critter if you miss with the first shot and lots of noise and light may well do that. For shotguns, have a good recoil pad installed on the butt or buy a shotgun that has an action that dampens felt recoil thru mechanical means. Rifles can be more well controlled through recoil pads and stock configurations. Naturally, smaller calibers will have less recoil than the big boys, but what the heck- we're men and we can handle recoil. Well, maybe: my rifles all have Uncle Mike's recoil pads. Come to think of it, so do the shotguns. Another method is to have the barrel ported on these if recoil or a follow-up shot are prime concerns. Not that I have problems with following up shots from the 30-06 with just the pad, but some may and these help. Also, a bipod on the working end of a rifle helps gun control, also.
Which brings us to the second part of good gun control legislation.
Once we all have a firearm that FITS us, thanks to the millions of dollars our enemies have, we need to learn better gun control. There is a simple solution to that, as well, but does require some effort. Since the Libs have lotsa money to spend on gun control, it won't matter, though, so we can all afford to have the absolutely best optical sights made put on our weapons. What's the best? You decide. Some people like Fords (I do) and others like Chevvies (I do) and some even like those cute little foreign imports (my Lady does). Get whichever you prefer. After all, it's the Libs and DNC who'll be paying for it.
Now that we have our weapons fitted and glassed up- oh: don't forget a couple VERY good flashlights to illuminate our night time targets- we can go to the range and get some major input on gun control.
Regardless what you get: .22, .380, 9mm, .44, .45, .357, .308, 30-06, .50BMG, you're going to need to learn PROPER gun control.
THAT begins between your ears.
First: NEVER assume a gun is empty (or loaded, for that matter); always check!
Second: NEVER point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot. In other words, keep it pointed DOWNRANGE!
Third: (and maybe most important) keep your finger AWAY from the trigger until ready to shoot.
Fourth: there are ten commandments to gun safety, every one viable and important and more than the scope of this dissertation. To learn more, go to http://www.nra.org/ and take a safety class.
Now that we've covered the basics, understand that good gun control begins with knowing where that muzzle is pointed and that there is a bullet in the chamber. Now you need to learn that most important part of gun control: target acquisition and finger twitch.
Target acquisition isn't all that hard. For purposes of this demonstration, we're going to assume it's a paper target but we all know better: since Libs and DNC seem to think guns are only for killing people, that's what we are thinking as we sight. Don't believe me, just ask one. Oh, yes: also, killing poor little Bambi. Don't worry that more Bambi are killed by cars every year than hunters. I digress, 'scuse me. Back to targets. Two things concern us here: our target and what's behind it. We want to have a clear picture of what we are aiming at. If you can't identify it, forget finger twitch. Ditto if you have an unsafe backstop.
Triggers are not pulled back like a dentist pulling a tooth. Nor are they yanked back like a carpenter pulling a nail. They are squeezed ever so gently, like your baby girl's nose in play. And , like the bugger you pull away, should be a surprise when it goes off. When it does go BANG!, count "One". The second BANG count "Two", etc- so you know how many you've shot off. Keep track so needing to reload won't be a surprise. This is where REAL gun control begins: learning proper sighting and trigger control. If you can't see the target, you can't hit it. If you can't hit it, you missed and may as well not have shot. So lots and lots of practice is mandatory. Which we normally couldn't afford, but since the Dems are paying for the ammo, we can waste a couple here and there so long as we practice diligently and hit what we aim at.
And there we have it- a short discourse on gun control. Much of this is tongue in cheek, as you can see. But it's very serious as well.
Liberals and Democrats (usually one and the same) want world domination and the only way to accomplish that is as Hitler did in Germany. An unarmed populace will be easy prey and when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. The honest citizen will be defenseless, as we are when liberal gun control laws are passed. Statistics prove that when firearm ownership is banned, crime against the people rises. Don't take my word for it: research it. And don't take a lib's word on it, either. Weigh the facts, then decide.
If less crime is wanted by the populace, enforce the laws already on the books: hang the murderers and rapists and child molesters; imprison the thieves and make them fulfill the entire sentence, no time-off for good behavior. No plea bargains, no insanity pleas- anyone who commits a crime or murders or molests another has to be insane anyway, so why allow it as a defense? And allow any honest law-abiding citizen who wants to to carry protection against the criminal element. Guns don't kill people- they protect them.
Naturally, everyone can find holes in arguments about guns taking lives or not, it just depends on your view. What about cars? How many people are killed by drunk drivers each year? Yet the drunks are on the streets, driving again- legally or otherwise. They should be in prison as far as I'm concerned before they kill again.
What about the abortionists? More children are killed yearly by "doctors" than all the criminals in the last hundred years. Of course, tell a Liberal or Democrat that they're killing their tax-base and they won't understand at all. But they are. All because some woman decided her appearance was more important than a life. No, don't use the rape-incest-medical reasons argument on me: it doesn't matter since the number is minuscule compared to those killed for appearance sake.
So if any Lib wants to tell me guns kill people and should be taken away, then let them create laws to eliminate all forms of killing. Of course, that would be a consistency and we know Libs and Dems can't be consistent in anything. Or honest.
Shy III