Tag: guns

Catch .303

KevinLeave a comment

Via Mike comes this truly excellent story of Australian Ian “Robbie” Robertson, 77, an Australian sniper during the Korean war. Excerpts:

Snipers were issued with a modified version of the venerable Lee-Enfield .303 rifle used by British Empire troops since the Boer War half a century before. The sniper model had a small telescopic sight and a heavy barrel, but otherwise was little different from a million others lugged by Allied infantry in two world wars.

Robertson could group 15 rounds in a space smaller than his fist at 300 metres, hit a target the size of a man’s head at 600 metres, and was confident of hitting a man from 800 to 1000 metres if conditions were right.

—

They call Korea the forgotten war, but the old digger can’t forget it. “Every battle happened yesterday,” he says, his voice serious. “When people are trying to kill you, it concentrates your mind. You don’t leave it behind.”

—

Snipers often had to shoot in cold blood – rather than in the heat of an enemy assault – but that didn’t make them murderers. They were doing their sworn duty, under legitimate orders and the conventions of warfare, against an armed enemy trying to kill them.

Still, sniping is the dark art of conventional warfare. In America’s gun culture, it attracts a fringe celebrity status that supports a growing list of books and websites. Australians are more ambivalent.

—

The Chinese had a proverb: Kill one man, terrorise a thousand. It was true, and it meant that each day, with each death, his job grew more dangerous.

All snipers were hated, good ones were feared. The better he shot, the more desperate enemy officers would be to kill him to stop the loss of morale. This is the sniper’s dilemma: the more enemies you hit, the more return fire you attract and the more likely you are to die. Call it a Catch .303.

As always, read the whole thing.

For those interested, this is what Mr. Robertson used in Korea, the No. 4 Mk. I (T) sniper version of the British Commonwealth rifle:

More images are available here.

Remember: Only Four More Days Until BAG Day II!

KevinLeave a comment

Aaron reminds us that April 15 fast approaches. Not Tax Day, but Buy A Gun Day II.

I’ve already got mine, the Makarov I bought for my birthday. But if you got something back from Uncle Sugar due to Dubya’s tax cuts, consider picking up something that’ll piss off Michael Moore or Diane Feinstein, or at least get their panties in a bunch. Consider what you have to choose from!

A “Saturday Night Special” (for those of you with less discretionary cash,) an inexpensive firearm like a used S&W Model 10 .38 Special revolver.

A “Pocket Rocket” – for those a bit more well-heeled – a small handgun in a large caliber, like a Kimber Ultra CDP II

For those of you who prefer long guns, how about an “intermediate-range sniper rifle,” as the VPC likes to call them? In this case a Savage 10FP. (Yowsa! I’d like one of those!) or something less pricey, like a standard Model 10 GXP package. Either one will let you “reach out and touch” your target.

Or, for you scattergun enthusiasts, perhaps something for home protection? (Already got mine.)

And, of course, the pièce de résistance (assuming you aren’t willing to wait for the sunset of the AWB) there’s always the option of an FN-FAL, or an AR-15.

And finally, the gun that strikes fear in all those armored-limousine liberals, the mighty .50 BMG rifle! For the budget-minded there’s the single-shot Armalite AR-50, a mere $2,745.00 retail, complete with “Owners Manual, Lifetime Warranty, Tylenol and Ear Plugs.” But no ammo. Or for those who have earned a really good living exploited the downtrodden workers, there’s the semi-auto Barrett Model 82A1, a mere $7,300 retail, and the “weapon of choice” of criminals across these United States. Just ask the good Senator.

Well, there are just a few ideas for you. Now, go forth and shop! The recovery of the economy rests on your shoulders!

KevinLeave a comment

There’s a Police Force that Still Issues REVOLVERS?

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, here’s another example of the cluelessness of the media when it comes to firearms, and the double-standard between the honorable law-enforcement community and we mere peons.

And, of course, the obligatory reference to evil “assault weapons.”

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports on the police force’s desire to upgrade from revolvers to semi-autos. Let us fisk:

Police may switch to semi-autos

Rank and file police officers could soon holster identical firearms if the police chief gets his way. He’s developing a standardized gun policy to better protect officers with concern for not risking public safety, he said.

Remember that point.

“We must provide officers with the tools to combat the crooks who are better armed than we are,” said Police Chief Pete Alvarez. Alvarez’s officer survey indicates semi-automatic weapons are the gun of choice.

A cost of approximately $500 to $700 per gun for officers will be paid for using drug seizure money allotted for the police department, the chief said. Police officers are initially issued revolvers and now pay for their own semi-automatic weapons.

That’s a pretty sucky policy, I’ll grant. But here comes the evil “assault weapon” bit:

Police ability to protect and defend the public wanes when they’re caught in the open and run out of firepower while facing a bullet-spitting SKS assault rifle wielded by a gang member, Alvarez said.

It’s a semi-automatic rifle that fires more accurately from long-range.

“The SKS is a common weapon in Corpus Christi, and police are definitely outgunned,” said John Hornsby, 36, Corpus Christi police ballistics’ identification supervisor. “But I’m not a fan of the ‘one-size-gun-fits-all’ mindset.”

(*Sigh*)

First, the SKS is NOT an “assault rifle,” even by the (admittedly loose) Federal definition. It has a fixed magazine, no pistol grip, and only holds ten rounds.

It is a semi-automatic rifle, but then, so is the Ruger Mini-14 – a weapon excluded from the AWB that does take a detachable magazine. They both “spit bullets.”

Aren’t all firearms “bullet-spitting?”

And what, exactly, does “fires more accurately from long-range” mean? More accurately than what? What constitutes “long range”? The switch to semi-auto pistols is supposed to make the police equal to SKS-toting gangsters? Um, the SKS is a rifle. A pistol is what you use to fight your way to your rifle.

I’m supposed to believe the author of this is a Texan? Must be a Yankee transplant.

Gun uniformity is a law enforcement agency trend recently adopted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, FBI, Parks and Wildlife wardens and others, Alvarez said.

Because they are often in rural areas and might be chasing vehicles, the Nueces County Sheriff’s Department often uses weapons designed for more long-range use. The DPS already uses a semi-automatic weapon.

As a long-range handgunner myself, I call “BULLSHIT!” Revolvers are by far more suitable to long-range shooting than semi-autos, second only to single-shot specialty pistols. Semi-autos are better at “bullet-spitting,” though. (Remember that “public safety” quote, now.)

Benefits of standardizing

The benefits outweigh the concerns, Alvarez said. A standardized weapon policy would:

Enhance officer safety

Save costs by not duplicating training

Better protect the public

The Corpus Christi Police Department provides cadets with either a .357-caliber Magnum or .38-caliber revolver that holds six bullets and trains them with this type of gun. But about 80 percent of the 437 officers have received secondary training to carry semi-automatic weapons that have cartridges holding 16 rounds. The department has nine models and calibers approved for use, police officials said.

Uh, right. Well, he didn’t call them “clips” at least. Anyway, the cops have the choice of carrying a six-shot revolver, or a sixteen shot pistol. I know what choice I’d take. I’d much rather spit sixteen rounds between reloads.

When officers choose to shelve the department-issued revolver and purchase, out of their own pockets, a semi-automatic weapon, they have to complete a 10-hour automatic weapon transitional course before they’re allowed to use it in service. If the department adopts a standardized firearm policy, only the initial 40-hour academy weapons training would be required.

“This standardized firearm policy would save the department about $350 per officer by eliminating secondary training,” said Cmdr. Bryan Smith, in charge of police training. It will also reduce the ammunition inventory kept in stock at the firing range, he said.

“The benefit is creating one method of training with one trigger-pull that every officer would be expected to master,” Smith said. Guns come with different trigger pressures and grips.

Now there’s a newsflash.

Most buy own semi-autos

Most Corpus Christi police officers have chosen to buy their own semi-automatic weapons in the past 20 years, but opinions regarding the use of revolvers and semi-automatic guns are as varied as the types of weapons being used.

Assistant Chief Ken Bung has been reviewing responses from officers regarding a change to standardized weapons and says that most officers seem to prefer a .40-caliber semi-automatic weapon.

“We want a weapon that the biggest majority of our officers can shoot effectively,” Bung said. Of 58 responses to the chief’s survey, some of which represent several officers’ opinions, more than half favor a standardized weapon, Bung said. Twelve respondents thought more than one weapon should be authorized, and almost all wanted a semi-automatic weapon, he said.

The department is also reviewing research material from other police agencies, and Bung said they should make an educated decision “fairly soon.”

Surviving with revolvers

Some officers have survived tense situations with the standard-issue six-shooter.

“One officer was shot a few years ago before he cleared leather with his weapon,” said Cmdr. Jesse Garcia, the uniform police supervisor. “He emptied his .357 returning fire and had the barrel in the guy’s stomach when it finally clicked empty.”

But last November Officer Phillip Bintliff, 34, ran out of ammunition in a shootout in the 4000 block of Schanen Boulevard when a suspect shot him in the abdomen, Garcia said.

In the same shootout, officer Jose Smith, 28, was shot in the forehead and dropped his weapon, a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun that holds 16 rounds, and the suspect retrieved it to shoot police officer Israel Carrasco, 32, in the shoulder and leg, Garcia said.

“Hands down, the semi-automatic is the way to go,” Garcia said. “But it’d be like the department buying one size rain coat for everyone.”

Err, perhaps a poor analogy Commander. That way you end up with some officers enveloped in their raincoats, and some with their limbs sticking out in the rain.

It’s more important that the officer be able to shoot what he or she carries, as New Mexico State Trooper Lt. Don Day recently demonstrated when he used his single-action revolver – loaded with only five rounds – to stop a bank robber.

Some semi-automatic weapons have been known to jam.

“It depends on the quality of the gun,” Garcia said. “Any automatic has the possibility of a jam, but proper caretaking minimizes it, and officers are trained to clear jamming.”

Well, yes and no. If you’re wounded and “limp-wristing” the reliability of semi-auto pistols is definitely less than that of revolvers. Revolvers can fail, though it’s rare, and they’re far less sensitive to ammo quality, but when a revolver fails, it’s usually a major failure, not a “tap, rack, bang” semi-auto jam.

Calls for variety of weapons

Other high-ranking police officials voiced concerns.

“We don’t buy one size pair of pants,” said Capt. Mike McKinney, communications supervisor. “I don’t think we can buy one handgun and everyone be able to shoot it competently.”

Apparently Captain McKinney isn’t fond of the single-size issue raincoat.

McKinney thinks the department should have gun manufacturers provide a variety of guns for extensive testing.

“We need different size officers, with different skill levels, men and women, to shoot several hundred rounds from each firearm,” McKinney said. “That’s the only way to compare a cross-section and decide what’s best for the department as a whole.”

There’s a variety of ammunition to choose from for use with semi-automatic weapons, and it is an important consideration for public safety, Alvarez said.

Some agencies have different requirements.

“FBI agents use ammunition that penetrates and exits the suspect,” McKinney said. “Their thought is that the suspect will bleed out and drop sooner with two wounds.”

For local police, the ammunition of choice for semi-automatic weapons is a 124-grain hollow-point bullet made by Federal called Hydra-Shok, McKinney said.

Hollow point bullets take in fluid and tissue while tearing through a body, which causes the slug to expand and slow down, Hornsby said. Depending on the angle of the shot, distance and how it hits, the slug often doesn’t exit the body, he said.

Alvarez said the nature of the hollow points lessens the possibility that a bullet could exit an intended target and strike another person.

“We need to select ammunition with enough knock-down power to get the job done,” Alvarez said. “But not powerful enough to continue trajectory to others.”

“We’ve got to change with the times,” Alvarez said. “Criminals are better equipped and we shouldn’t be left behind.”

OK, now remember the bit about public safety? Check the graphic that came with the story:

Yet New Jersey makes civilian peon possession of hollowpoint ammo illegal, calling them “cop-killer” bullets, although the NYPD uses the 124 grain 9mm Hydrashok. But this article explains that hollowpoint ammo is safer for the public – that’s why the police use them.

I love the ignorance and logical inconsistencies the anti-gun crowd constantly exhibits.

It would be more entertaining if they weren’t so dangerous.

So… Gunshows are “Supermarkets for Criminals” eh?

KevinLeave a comment

Not according to J. David Phillips of Crystal River FL, and his experience is just about a duplicate of mine. Which is why I don’t go to Evil Loophole Gunshows anymore. Here’s an old rec.guns newsgroup post on the topic. Keep spewable liquids away from the keyboard:

Is your show anything like this one?

Arrive early. Usually a short wait to get in. For parking that is. Overpriced parking that costs more than show admission. Gunshow is usually held at the same time the Women’s Knitting Society Doll Show is held, and they open earlier, so all the good parking is snapped up. Oh well, I suppose no one in Florida has any right to complain about walking in the rain.

Now we’ve got the line to get in. Let’s see, there are three lines. Gee, this one is a bit shorter. Oops, why is it going so slow? Why the #### is everyone in MY line paying with loose change? Cripes, the other lines have cleared out twice over. Finally get to the booth. Oops, now it’s shift change. At 9AM?

A couple of sleezy looking good ole boys holding up the wall shout “Hey, what’ya got on that chrome AK? Does it have the switch on it ?”

Now for the line to get in. Everyone has to be checked for guns. No, I’m not carrying a gun. Thank goodness. The old geezer rent-a-cop is having trouble trying to figure out how to open someone’s 30-30 action.

OK, now we’re cooking with gas. Literally. I have to run the gauntlet of BBQ grill dealers.

Ah, a gun table. Looks interesting. Oops, spoke too soon. Someone must be kidding. These are parts guns and this guy wants 50% over MSRP? Move on.

Here’s a familiar sight. This old fella always has a table full of Winchester Model 71’s. The same table full. Meaning he hasn’t sold any for several years. I guess he’s just displaying his collection and is tired of saying they aren’t for sale, so he’s resorted to putting astronomical prices on them to discourage sales. At least that’s what I can figure out.

Oh look, the Beanie Baby dealer fom Ozello has managed to move closer to the front door.

Couple of ultra fat sleezy good ole boys holding up the South wall shout “Hey, what’ya got on that there chrome AK? Has it got duh switch on it ?”

Now I have to run the gaunlet of safe dealers who take your order but never deliver. My sister had to get the state attorney general involved to get her money back from one. Quickly move on.

Make quick pit stop. Wish I had gone before I left home. The facilities are so filthy that I cannot describe them here. Wish I had used the safe of the ripoff dealer to relieve myself.

Now I pass the snack bar. I could never figure out why it is located right next to the restrooms. People are standing in line for hotdogs that look like they’ve been cooking since the last gunshow. The smell of hotdogs and urinal mints must make some people hungry, I guess. Quickly move along.

This guy seems to have quite a crowd around his gun parts. Wait to get close to table. Dang. It’s all the pot metal 1911 bushings with built-in comp and bayonet lugs. Work my way out of the crowd and on to the next table.

More Beanie Babies from a dealer in Aripieka.

Now a jerky and sausage vender from Brooksville.

Darrel and Darrel come up to me and ask “Hey, what’ya got on that chrome AK? Do it have the switch on it ?”

Ah, some real gun parts. Unfortunately none for any of the many gun projects I have. but it’s good to know that if I ever get a Mondragon that this guy has cornered the market for firing pins.

More beanie babies from an idiot in Crystal River.

Say, here’s three tables with books. Let’s see… “How To Turn Your 10-22 Into A Thousand Yard Assault Sniper Rifle”. “How To Make A Fully Automatic 10-22 Assault Sniper Weapons System”. “Converting Your 10-22 Into a Fully Automatic Thousand Yard Assault Sniper Weapon”. Hmmm, I’m begining to see a pattern here. Move along.

Ah, the mountain man muzzleloader dealer. This guy seems knowledgable, reasonably priced, has lots of inventory and accessories, and is friendly. Too bad I’m not into muzzleloaders.

Here’s a fellow I can’t figure out. He is a collector. Yet he brings glass display counters. Six of them. Full of brand new guns with warranty. No 4473, cuz he ain’t a dealer. He’s a collector. Gee, wish I could be a collector and sell dozens of brand new guns still in the box from my collection each weekend. Course, if you are in ‘business’ , then you have to have a license.

Next is the eight tables of guns from a local storefront dealer. They are selling like hotcakes. Can’t be the price, because they are marked up even more than what they sell for in the store. After looking over the guns and hearing “You gunna buy or what?” from three different clerks, it begins to dawn on me that people are there for the abuse. I think they’re from Inverness.

Quickly move along.

Here’s a table dedicated to sniping. He sells sniper rifles, sniper scopes, sniper ammo, sniper clothes, sniper books, sniper bumper stickers, sniper posters, sniper conversion kits for 10-22’s, sniper jacket pathes and how to snipe video tapes. Quite a crowd too. The seller is telling some youngsters about the brave and noble Waffen SS snipers who would hold their fire while old Russian women crossed the street with their babies. Made sour mental note that perhaps Waffen SS snipers might be a level above Lon Horiuchi.

Stop at a little table with an interesting old pistol. Unfortunately, the seller is not there, as he ate one of the hotdogs and is soaking up some of the restroom mints, but his sister’s cousin’s daughter’s boy is, and he’s watching the table. Have to come back later.

Oh look, the magazine dealer. This old gentleman makes my visit worthwhile. His prices are pretty high, but it’s amazing the magazines he comes up with. I need a magazine for a Walther P-38 in 22LR. By George, he’s got one. New in wrapper. $60. Ouch. Buy it anyway. Have to make the parking and entrance fee seem worthwhile. Wish he’d sell out of his house, but no, only at gun shows.

More Beanie Babies from another idiot in Lecanto.

Bruce and Larry from Queer People, Inc, ask “What’ya got on that there chrome AK? Does it have the switch, sweetie?”

Another magazine dealer. Let’s see what he has. Lots and lots of bins of magazines for every imaginable military firearm since WWII. Uh oh, they are all USA magazines. But, they’re guaranteed for life.

And another book dealer. Let’s see. “How To Turn Your 10-22 Into a….” QUICKLY move along.

A pawn shop table. Cheap jewelry, watches and junk from a competitor in Crystal River. I guess he’s finally found out that one has to watch how much stuff they take into the store.

Another sausage and jerky dealer from the place next door to the pet store in Crystal River.

Alright! An old west firearms dealer. Rusted pre-war Win 1894 – $650. Rusted Iver Johnson topbreak 32 revolver with peeling nickel finish – $400. Halfway decent Colt SAA – note says it was owned by Jesse James. (sigh)

Another parts dealer. Yep. Lots of parts alright. Too bad they all are either demilled by being torch cut or look like they’ve been salvaged from a sunken U-Boat. Thought I heard someone say they’re from the Atocha, and found by Mel Fisher.

Here’s an interesting table full of guns. Decent prices. Decent looking old guns. Hey, just what I’m looking for. Says the bore is good. Can you please snip the ty-wrap so I can inspect the bore? Why not? Oh, you aren’t allowed to do that? Show management said so? How come all the other dealers do it? You won’t sell to me because I’m a trouble maker? Geeeesh, must be from that Hernanidiot club.

Surplus military clothing. Lots of it. Along with surplus moth holes. All at non-surplus prices.

Table full of cheap toys made by slave labor in communist China.

Oh boy, this looks interesting. Lots and lots of reloading equipment, much of it in older boxes. Might find some obsolete dies. Yep, just what I need. 25-35 and 32-40. I figure $20 each is fair. What? Do you know your price is double the new RCBS price? Take it or leave it? They got a lifetime warranteeee. Leave it.

A guy selling gun stocks. Do you have a stock for a pre-64 Model 94 Winchester? Looks around, slightly confused, then says his stocks fit all Winchester 94’s. Sorry, but no, they don’t, they are the same stock as the Win 1892. Well sonny, I’ve been in the stock biznuz for thutty yaars, and I oughta know.

Familiar looking cast bullet dealer. Lots of nice looking bullets. Ask him the same question I ask at every gun show. Do you have soft cast 45-70 and 45 Colt bullets with either SPG lube or no lube? I see, only hard cast with lube so hard it might as well be plastic. What’s SPG ?

Another gun dealer. Hmmm. Interesting Broomhandle Mauser. Say can I ***HEY MISTER YOU WANT TO SELL THAT SPRINGFIELD?*** look at your ***WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR THAT WINCHESTER?*** Broomhandle Maus- ***I HAVE A BAYONET TO FIT YOUR GARAND RIGHT HERE*** Give up and leave. He’d rather cast his line at fish going by than one nibbling on his hook.

Another Beanie Baby dealer from New York, shouting out ” Such a deal for youse”.

See an old acquaintence of mine that is a total gun show whore. Hey Samuri Davie boy, you sure have put on weight. How much ya got on that there chrome AK? Does it have the switch on it?”

A table with all sorts of old junk, none of it having anything to do with firearms, being manned by a kindly looking old lady. Politely smile and nod and move along.

Table full of project guns. All torch cut in two. Yep, they’d be a project alright.

Samuri sword dealer. I started feeling for my pocket gun and the switch on the AK.

Nazi collectibles dealer. Why are these guys always about 330 pounds, need a shave, have a tooth missing, wear plumber’s butt jeans and wife beater t-shirts and have their hair slicked back? Oh, the ‘DEATH TO ZOG’ bumper sticker is a nice touch. Skip whole row.

Demonstration row. Here’s a guy with a hotplate and tea kettle showing how his goop fog proofs your eyeglasses. I bought some of the stuff a couple of years ago from a woman with huge tits. Still have it, as it doesn’t work. Here’s a guy showing how his vacuum cleaner can pick up a bowling ball (will keep that in mind when the bowling ball buildup on my carpets gets out of hand). Here’s a guy selling a complete butcher shop kit. Bandsaw, huge sausage grinder, giant meat slicer, more knives than a Ginsu ad, everything to keep Jeffery Dahlmer happy. Here’s a guy selling a meat blade that attaches to your chainsaw to cut up your deer. Must be for the high volume hunter. What else? A knife sharpener. Carpet shampoo. Car wash. Kit for making 800 lbs of jerky. At least walking this isle was better than going by the hotdog and urinal mint stench.

More Beanie Babies from the Christmas Store down the street.

Table with lots of AR15’s. And the obligatory old geezer spouting off to no one in particular, “By gum, that be them thar ay-salt wippins thet be gettin the rest of ouh gun rayhts taken away, yessir. No self ray-spectun sportsman would evah own one o dem. No sir. They need ta be banned.” Notice at least he has a wide space around him. Maybe it’s a plan to keep from being jostled by the crowd. I think he’s the guy that sells the blowguns down the aisle.

T-Shirt vendor. Has t-shirts like “DEATH TO ZOG”. Gee, this guy is about 330 pounds, needs a shave, has a tooth missing, wear’s plumber’s crack jeans and a wife beater t-shirt and has his hair slicked back. Shake head wondering if he’s related to the Nazi collectibles dealer.

This table is loaded with all the gun gimmicks of the last 30 years. Glow in the dark sight paint. Folding 10-22 Assault Sniper Weapon Stocks with Flash Hider and Built In Bayonet Lug and Oversized Tactical Safety and Magazine Release kit. Barrel heat shield for 10-22 (they get might hot after conversion to a thousand yard fully automatic assault sniper rifle, ya know). Ah, this is interesting. Why I don’t know. A 150 round snail drum for a Charter Arms AR-7. At least when you’re living off the land you won’t have to reload all winter.

Jerky and sausage dealer from New Jersey, shouting ” Oy Vey”.

Bikers selling Harley parts for 20% above retail from one of the biker trash shops around Crystal River.

Mutt and Jeff stop by and ask, “What’ya got on that chrome AK? Duhs it have switches on it?”

Local gun club group who says they are raffling off a Winchester 22 Magnum rifle with a 3-9 scope. Raffle tickets are $10 each and go to defending gun rights and their building fund. What building? Free club patch, suitable for patching holes in your shirt. Ask them who won the last rifle they were raffling off. Sorry, can’t tell ya. Privacy and all that. Do you at least have a photo of the winner holding up his gun? Uneasy silence while they all look at each other with that “gee, maybe we’d have more credibility if we faked a photo like that.”

Guy with a few bins of gun parts and a HUGE-BY-LARGE sign that says I CARRY ALL GUN PARTS – JUST ASK!. Do you have a loading gate for an 1886 Winchester? No. Do you have a firing pin for an 1892 Winchester? No. Do you have an extractor for a Rem 788? No. (Hmmm, let’s try an experiment.) Do you have a kit for converting a Ruger 10-22 into a thousand yard fully automatic assault sniper rifle? Yessir, sure do.

Old woman at a table full of books. She weighs about 330 lbs, has a tooth missing, greasy hair and is selling books with titles like “DEATH TO ZOG”. She vaguely resembles someone. Shake head and move on.

Only a couple of tables to go. Getting hungry too. And need to make a pit stop. Figure I’ll drive to the nearest McDonald’s rather than risk the toilet mint aroma hot dogs and the filthy facilities.

And what are the last two tables?

Beanie Babies seconds from their factory.

And a guy who has REALLY figured out marketing. His table has jerky, 10-22 conversion books, rusty gun parts, old reloading dies, a few Nazi medals, and a rusted up top break Webley revolver, formerly owned by Jesse James.

My contribution? Parking fee, entrance fee, bought one pricey magazine, headache from the toilet mint smell, and two black tire marks out of the parking lot.

The only difference between Mr. Phillips’ experience and my own is that the gun shows out here have a lot fewer gun vendors, and only one “DEATH TO ZOG” booth.

I Suppose it’s the Gun’s Fault

KevinLeave a comment

Another hunting “accident” claims the life of a 14 year-old boy. Daddy shot him, thinking he was a hog.

Teen Accidentally Killed By Father While Hunting

A 14-year-old boy Jacksonville boy was shot and killed by his father Saturday morning in what the Baker County sheriff called a tragic hunting accident.

Dennis Plucknett was on a weekend trip in a hunting camp near the Georgia state line with his two sons, 14-year-old Alex and 17-year-old Jonathan.

Investigators said that about 9:30 a.m., Plucknett asked his older son to see if he could see an animal moving in the woods. He couldn’t, so he handed the .308 rifle to his dad. Thinking it was a hog, Plucknet fired one shot, hitting his younger son in the back of the head.

One more time, the ten simple rules of handling a gun:

1. ALWAYS CHECK THE GUN to see if it is loaded. Even if you just saw someone else check the gun, even if you know it is unloaded, ALWAYS visually inspect the gun before handling it further. This means opening it up to check any places where a live round might be hiding. Do this WHENEVER you acquire the gun–someone reaches under the counter in a gun store to show you a weapon–check it. You hand someone an unloaded gun to hold while you shift some ammo cases. When they hand it back–check it. It should be a routine matter of habit, anytime you pick up a gun or someone hands you one.

COROLLARY: Never accept into your possession a gun that you do not know how to check! Ask someone to show you how to check the gun first.

2. ALWAYS treat the gun as if it were loaded anyway. The following rules thus apply to any gun, loaded or not.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. If you are at a range, keep it pointed downrange. When reloading, be aware of where the weapon is pointing. It should be pointing at the target, or into the ground. If your weapon is holstered, your holster should direct the muzzle downward at a relatively acute angle, not poking out from under your arm to endanger everyone standing behind you. If you are hunting, keep your rifles pointing skyward if slung, or into the ground if carried, not aimed at your friend-in-front-of-you’s butt. Don’t lean on a rifle. Don’t cowboy-twirl your single-action revolvers. Don’t be a moron.

When cleaning or repairing a gun this might not be possible–it’s difficult, for instance, to keep the gun safely pointed while looking down the barrel. When you clean, either the action of the gun is open, or the gun is disassembled. Be cautious, and use common sense.

4. Unless your gun is ON THE TARGET, keep your FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER. Simple: on target equals on trigger, off target equals off trigger. Easy to say, but the trigger is a natural place to rest a finger when holding a gun. Don’t do it! Keep your trigger finger straight, resting against the side of the trigger guard. The only time the finger comes to the trigger is when the gun has been brought to bear on the target you intend to shoot.

Once you know this rule, you can watch nearly any gun-handling TV show or movie to see how commonly it is violated. If you are a TV cop approaching a possibly lethal situation, your gun should be at ready, pointed in a safe direction, finger OFF the trigger. Carrying the gun, examining the gun, drawing the gun from a holster–whatever. Finger off the trigger until the gun is on the target.

5. The oft-repeated, NEVER point your gun at anything you are not prepared to shoot. This doesn’t mean that if you have pointed a gun at something that you are obliged to pull the trigger. It DOES mean that anything you point your gun at could possibly take a bullet, whether you intend it to or not. It also means you NEVER brandish your gun or threaten anyone with it unless you are in an immediate life or death situation and you are prepared to use it. It means that it doesn’t matter if the gun is loaded or not–handle it as if it were.

This rule, again, is ridiculously ignored in movies. People are always gesturing to each other with their guns. Watch the arc that the muzzle covers when they do this. People who cross your body while waving their guns around are not your friends.

6. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. This means NEVER point or fire at anything that (1) you cannot clearly and unambiguously identify as a target, and (2) that would pose a danger to anyone were your bullet to stray, richochet, or overpenetrate. It means always knowing where your bullet has the potential to go. Be sure of your target.

7. Store and transport your guns safely. There is no strong concensus as to what constitutes safe storage and transportation, so it’s up to your discretion. Some people keep all their guns in a fireproof basement gun vault with their ammunition stored separately, other people keep their handgun loaded and on their person at all times. Investigate the options, and exercise your common sense. You should know that if a child ever acquires a firearm due to your negligence, you could be federally liable. Be aware that your vehicle typically stands a much greater chance of being burglarized than your home. Factory ammunition doesn’t constitute a fire hazard, but be careful where you store it. Investigate the options, make a formal determination about how your weapons will be safely stored and transported, and then stick to it.

A couple common rules of thumb are: never be separated from a loaded weapon–if the gun is away from your person, in your car, at home alone, etc, it should be unloaded. And never depend on hiding a weapon to keep it from a child.

8. Shoot with eye and ear protection. Simple, eh? Obviously in some cases (self-defense, hunting) you may not be able to, but you’ll be better off when you do.

9. The common-sense rule of threat avoidance: never do anything when you are armed that you wouldn’t do if you weren’t–i.e. intervening in a robbery, going outside your house to investigate noises, going to tell your drunken neighbor to shut up, etc. Think about leaving the gun behind. If you wouldn’t do it without a gun–DON’T DO IT. Call the police, swallow your pride, take the loss–whatever. Don’t carry a gun into a potential conflict where you feel you might need it. Avoid the situation. Simple advice, but sometimes difficult to follow. Don’t be macho, be smart. Editorial addendum: I don’t quite hold with this rule. If you believe it’s your duty as a citizen to, for example, intervene in a robbery, then having a gun would be advantageous. But that’s a choice you should make for yourself. If I hear a suspicious noise, then not taking a gun with me when investigating seems counterproductive if I think my home may be being burglarized. Sometimes threat avoidance is wrong, and it isn’t “being macho” to say that.

10. The tenth and final rule–never hand a gun to anyone that doesn’t understand and abide by these rules. Once they are holding the gun, it is their, not your, responsibility to handle it safely, but you have your conscience to live with.

(These rules stolen unashamedly from here.)

Ten simple rules, but some assholes never get it, and because of that, somebody dies.

(Edited to add: My apologies. This story was sent to me by reader Tricia. Thank you Tricia.)

Another New Cartridge

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There have been a number of new cartridges introduced recently, some say in an effort to boost lagging firearms sales because the new cartridges don’t do anything all that much better than the old ones. Maybe, maybe not, but one thing I believe is that cartridge development by the manufacturers generally follows the work of successful wildcatters – people who develop new rounds just for the fun of it.

I’ve been seriously considering getting a Thompson/Center Contender rifle barrel in the wildcat Tactical Twenty caliber, which is a .223 Remington cartridge necked down to .204″. There are (or at least there were) no commercial firearms barreled for a .204″ projectile, but there are several bullet makers producing bullets of this size – which means there’s a market for them. There are bullets available ranging in weight from 30 to 50 grains.

The wildcat Twenties include the .20 Squirrel, the .20 Ackley Hornet, the .20 Ackley Bee, the .20 Vartag, the .20 Vartag Turbo, the .20 Slammer, the .20 TNT, the Tactical Twenty, the .20 Terminator, the .20 PPC and the .20 BR.

The wildcatters have been having a field day.

At least one manufacturer has taken notice.

As I said, the Tactical Twenty is based on the .223 Remington case, and it pushes a 33-grain Hornady V-Max bullet out of a 26″ barrel at over 4200fps with reportedly excellent accuracy. This piqued my interest, but custom barrels and custom dies and all the other toys that go along with them tend to be on the expensive side, and I don’t have a lot of spare change laying around.

Well, Ruger has now introduced another new cartridge: The 204 Ruger. This is a .20 caliber based on the obsolescent .222 Remington Magnum case. According to Ruger:

When compared directly with either the 22-250 Remington or the 220 Swift, the 204 RUGER offers higher muzzle velocity and flatter trajectory. Because the 204 RUGER cartridge achieves a higher velocity with less propellant than either the 22-250 Remington or the 220 Swift, this new cartridge does not compromise barrel life. The 204 RUGER also offers lower recoil and muzzle report than comparable high-velocity, sub-caliber ammunition. Its conventional case shape avoids feeding problems and increased rearward bolt thrust associated with short and super short magnum cartridges.

You know, I’ve always wanted a Ruger #1.

Something like this:

Gotta start saving my pennies.

Well, THIS Should Stir Some Interest

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Do you read Silflay Hraka? It’s a multi-contributor blog that originated the Carnival of the Vanities (the August 20 installment to be hosted by Outside the Beltway). Well, now they’ve started what is sure to be a controversy. Contributor Captain Holley is going to recommend the four basic guns he recommends “to anyone beginning a gun collection.” The first recommendation: A bolt-action centerfire rifle in .308 Winchester.

Allow me to weigh in here. I think there are actually six firearms anybody who shoots should have. These are:

A .22LR caliber rifle

A .22LR caliber handgun

A centerfire bolt-action rifle

A “sport-utility” rifle or, as I call it, your Militia rifle – semiautomatic, detachable magazine fed, in a military caliber.

A shotgun

A centerfire handgun

Of course, you are more than welcome to own more than one of any of these six, but one of each is a minimum. In my case, I have a 10/22 for the rifle, a Ruger MkII and a Contender for the .22 pistol (and I have a serious jones for a Ruger Single-Six), I own several centerfire bolt-action rifles (mostly military surplus sporters), an AR-15, a Mossburg 590, and my Kimber Classic Stainless round out the collection. (I have more than that, but I’m not going to give a complete inventory.) I’m far from completing the collection, however. Next up, when I can afford it, will be a Contender rifle barrel, stock, and forend to give me my first single-shot rifle, chambered in the wildcat Tactical .20 caliber (33 grain Hornady V-Max bullet with a muzzle velocity of 4,000fps.) And eventually, I’d like an FN-FAL, and I’m still looking for a S&W 25-5 .45 Long Colt with a 5″ barrel, and…. Well, you get the idea.

I fully agree with Captain Holly’s recommendation of a Savage Model 10 with a 3-9×40 scope in .308, though. Inexpensive and accurate. But I’d recommend starting with a .22 rimfire. You’ll shoot more and learn more starting with something that doesn’t kick. Recoil is an individual thing, but I’m convinced it’s something you can learn to ignore (up to a certain point, and given reasonable ergonomics of the weapon.) If you start off with a rifle that whacks you pretty briskly, it’s decidedly off-putting. I’m now to the point where I can run 100 rounds through my 1917 Enfield (.30-06) off the bench with very little discomfort, but lot of people complain that the .30-06 kicks too hard. If I hadn’t spent a lot of time firing a No. 4 Enfield (.303 British) and a 96 Swedish Mauser (6.5×55) first, and just jumped in with the 1917, I might feel the same way. (I’m looking forward to getting my 48 Yugoslavian Mauser finished. The original military stock with the steel buttplate was a stout kicker. Perhaps with the new Richard’s Microfit stock with a recoil pad it will be just as comfortable as the 1917. So, if you’re going to start your collection with a centerfire rifle, the Savage Model 10 is an excellent choice – but get it in .223 caliber. Ammo is dirt cheap, and recoil is very light.

Reading the rest of Captain Holly’s recommendations should be interesting.

Just So You Don’t Think I’m Only a Fan of Modern Guns

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While I do like the FN P90 for its futuristic looks, I’m also a fan of older guns (though I personally draw the line at the front-stuffer charcoal burners). In fact, like many, I’ve lusted after one of these

ever since I saw “Quigley, Down Under.” This is, of course the 1874 “Quigley” Sharps made with loving care by Shiloh Sharps of Big River Montana. I would probably wimp out and get it chambered in the commercially available .45-70 rather than the shoulder-thumping .45-110 though.

It is a beautiful piece, isn’t it? Wish I had a spare $3.5k.

Kim du Toit Needs Help!

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Kim ran National Ammo Day last year, and was disappointed in the result.

So, as he says in this post, if he’s going to fail, he’s going to fail BIG! And he needs our help to do it. I suggest that all of us gun-bloggers go sign up and go spread the word.

Now it will be National Ammo WEEK, and involve two weekends in the fine political tradition of stretching the facts.

Let’s get moving!

Past Time for Some Gun Stuff

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During the effor to pass the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act Representative William Hughes (DGun-ban, NJ) tacked on an amendment that prohibited any new full-auto weapons to enter the civilian market following enaction of the law.

As a practical matter, this didn’t make any difference where criminal use is concerned, but it did have two interesting effects. First, manufacturers scrambled to make and register as many new full-auto receivers as they could before the ban took effect, and the existing pool of full-auto weapons suddenly skyrocketed in value. The result was that, essentially overnight, the pool of civilian possessable full-auto weapons doubled. And a lot of people who didn’t want one before, did now. Economics 101 – supply and demand.

Now, I’m not really a full-auto fan myself. They’re a lot of fun, but horrendously expensive to shoot much (and if you shoot a full-auto, any range time qualifies as “much.”) I’ve always wanted a classic Thompson, though. The Tommy-gun has always seemed a beautiful weapon. The original 1928 model, deeply blued, with a 50-round drum:

is a piece of art. And priced like it.

I wouldn’t pass up a belt-fed, either, and for that my tastes run toward the H&K MG3, which was an updated and rechambered MG-42 of WWII vintage. Instead of the original 8×57 round of the MG42, the MG3 fired the standard NATO 7.62×51 (.308) round – at 1200 rounds per minute. That’s a sound that has been described as “God tearing phonebooks.” Here’s one:

These go for in the neighborhood of $8k and up now.

But my real interest in a full-auto weapon is modern. I’m a science-fiction fan, and I like to watch Stargate SG-1. In recent seasons the stars have been carrying the Fabrique Nationale (FN) P90 submachinegun – this little beastie:

FN doesn’t sell this gun for civilian use anyway (damnit) but it looks so futuristic I’d really like to have one. It fires an specially designed 5.7x28mm cartridge and the factory round is a 31 grain FMJ with a steel penetrator and aluminum core at 900 rounds per minute. The small diameter (.22 caliber), steel penetrator, and very forward center of gravity allow the projectile to penetrate ballistic armor very well, yet still upset and tumble in the target. It does not, however, fragment well. Expensive, though – FN claims the price per round in 1,000 round lots at about $0.41. OUCH! Magazine capacity is 50. The magazine is perhaps the most unique thing about this unique firearm – it rides on top of the firearm and carries the rounds perpendicular to the axis of the bore. It’s not remarkably expensive, either. According to the FN site they sell for $1,350.

However, with the double-whammy of the Hughes Amendment and the fact that FN doesn’t sell that weapon on the civilian market, I’ll never get one it seems.

(Edited @13:30 to correct the Lautenberg/Hughes amendment error. Specifics of this legislation can be found here and here. I’ve got no excuse – I’m currently reading the last cite. Thanks to Publicola for setting me straight on that one.)

UPDATE: 13:50 – I swear this is a coincidence (great minds and all that) but Hell in a Handbasket made a post on the P90 Sunday. He even mentions Stargate SG-1. Is that weird or what?