Friday, July 31, 2009

Reminder

I do live "out" as it were, & this year we are surrounded by cornfields, can't see the house from the road.
I usually don't go out without my gun, but today I wanted to get some weed spraying done, & lay some grass seed on some of the spare dirt we got in for the range, so that all went well, & I was out in the classroom, when suddenly behind me the door opened & this guy walked in.

Now lets review the first 10-15 seconds, I'm at the back of the room & someone I don't know has walked in & the only way around them is through them, & I've left my firearm in the house., I was able to reach over on counter, & picked up a knife, & there was a expandable baton nearby, but a loaded gun no where in sight.

Ok it was just elderly gentleman who had driven 100 miles to get his concealed carry license, while he waited.
I told him I would give him a schedule, & we only provided the training, & he would have to go to the sheriffs office for the license.

So ok, it was a false alarm, but a lesson learned

What if it had been someone just looking to score some stolen property, or someone bent on acts of violence? I do know a lot of people in my area know we do the training, & have a number of firearms on the property, so there is no reason to think I won't be a target.

I wasn't helpless, I could have used the knife or the baton, or could have produced an unloaded gun (True I would have known, but he wouldn't have), & I'm certified in defensive knife, & was certified in expandable baton as an advanced instructor.

So nothing happened, but it could have & I didn't have the most efficient means to protect myself.

So the reminder is you never know, and it was a lesson learned.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Newsletter from Sig

TACTICAL TIMES
Training Newsletter For Armed Professionals And Responsible Citizens
SPECIALS
Registrations must be made by phone with the Training Coordinator at 603-418-8181 to receive the advertised discount.End of Summer Vacation Special! Take the family to scenic Hampton Beach (only 15 minutes away) and take a week of phenomenal training at 30% off!Civilian Response to Terrorist ThreatsAug 22 - 23
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5MDAmOTQ3Mzc?cid=203&ccid=24

Learn the mindset, tactics, techniques, and likely targets of the organized terrorist. Geared toward the responsible, armed citizen, this course blends lecture, multi-media, and defensive firearms tactics into realistic skill sets for the prepared individual.Civilian Response to Terrorist Threats - Force-on-Force
Aug 24
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5MDEmOTQ3Mzc?cid=243&ccid=24

Taken after the 2-day course, or, as a stand-alone training opportunity, this course is a full day of Force-on-Force training scenarios against live opponents. Training takes on a whole new dimension when your targets shoot back.Extreme Close Quarters Battle - Long Guns
Aug 25 - 26
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5MDImOTQ3Mzc?cid=244&ccid=24

Learn to fight up close with your rifle or shotgun, from arms-reach to contact distance, this course will expose both strengths and weaknesses of long guns employed in typical home defense and urban scenarios.
Combine all 3 for a 5-day package. Regularly $985, specially offered at $690. Save 30%!Back To School Specials for August - Save 20%Low Light OperatorAug 10
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5MDMmOTQ3Mzc?cid=22&ccid=10



TACTICAL TIPSHOOTING UNDER STRESS

Sure, you go to the range when you can. Every year or two you take a professional class and tune up your skills. You may even get in some force-on-force training once in a rare while. However, if you are looking for an inexpensive bang for your buck to maximize and (more importantly) test your abilities under stress, then join your local gun club and compete in an action shooting match.Whether you shoot an IDPA® match, IPSC/USPSA® match, Steel Challenge® match, or 3-Gun, you are sure to put your shooting skills to the test. Action shooting matches truly test your ability to shoot, perform reloads, move and shoot, and think in a fairly stressful environment. No, there isn't anybody shooting back at you. But that 16-year-old kid who shoots before you and smokes the stage with perfect hits and a blazing fast time will make you work for your shots. Especially after you just finished telling him how many years you've been shooting and all the schools you've attended. Its go time now! You will be under the watchful eye of range officials, spectators, and other competitors. Believe me, this is stressful. It took me many years to get myself to a shooting competition. I always thought, "that's not my thing", or, "I train for the 'real world'". Well, let me be the first to tell you, when that 16-year-old amateur smoked me in a match, it was humbling, and it was the real world. Bottom line; the action shooting sports will increase your speed, force you to think and shoot, force you to move and shoot, and it will be stressful. Oh yeah . . . you'll have fun too! Guaranteed.
Adam Painchaud
Senior Instructor

To learn more, try these following courses:

Advanced Competitive Pistol w/ Max Michel
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5NDcmOTQ3Mzc?cid=292&ccid=25

Introduction to IDPAhttp://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5NDgmOTQ3Mzc?cid=170&ccid=24

Skill Drills for the Competitive Shooter
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5NDkmOTQ3Mzc?cid=178&ccid=10

Introduction to Competitive 3 Gun
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5NTAmOTQ3Mzc?cid=202&ccid=12

The Q Course
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5NTEmOTQ3Mzc?cid=232&ccid=10

Competition Handgun 250 w/ Ron Avery
http://sigarmsnews.com/L2wuaHRtbD8xMDA5NTImOTQ3Mzc?cid=259&ccid=10

I do find it interesting while Law Enforcement, the Government, & the Media will tell you to leave it in the hands of professionals, the training companies, know you may will need the training as you will be the one there when the smelly stuff hits the fan.
Barricades

Spent today building two plywood barricades. They are the stair step design.
The panels were easy to cut out, now just have to figure out the bases

Not sure weather I want to install the base to the barricade, or make it removable so that it's a bit lighter weight to move around, & if I make a removable base, I could use it upright, & sideways. I like the idea of a removable base, it will take a bit more engineering, but worth it in the long run.

The project has been on a back burner for a while, but recently another Instructor ask if I could use 6 sheets of 1/2 plywood, otherwise he was going to throw it away, so all I had to do was add the 2x4's

This one is 6 feet on the tall side, which is a bit to high for most shooters, but when laid on it's side it 4 ft.
But it gives you an idea, now just need to get some paint & a few other details....

These were built for range training, & not bad I figure final cost since plywood was donated to be less than $30 for both.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

New PARA..........Maybe

Saw the dealer today, he handed me the box, & I opened it to find the PARA LTC 45acp in stainless, not the 9mm LTC, so he is going to call them, & see what gives, since he swears he orderd the 9mm.

the story continues...........
Run we are all going to die

The news reported it was a clear plastic gun, so it does seem to be a lot of PSH, If it had been something that looked real I'd understand, but com-on clear plastic?

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Sotomayor confirmed by committee

So now we can count that senate vote, things will be stacking up for the 2010 elections.

First the Thune Amendment, now this, should have a clear understanding of where your senator stands
Production #'s

Number of guns made by company, by year & type
Good Advice for Newbies

Some instructors, will provide a loaner, some gunshops, those that have ranges usually have rentals, ask friends that already have guns. The thing is to get the Knowledge, & do the research to make the best possible purchase you can.

People new to the game, (usually women) get sold something that will never fit their needs, I have grown weary of seeing women, that were "sold" a double action only airweight .357 Mag, be alarmed or somewhat scared after setting it off the first time.

When this happens there are at least 2 things going on, number one my job as an Instructor just got harder, & two the student will not be returning to the dealer that sold them the gun in the first place.

To be honest a lot of gun dealers would be wise to refer customers to a trainer, then the student, can get the knowledge to "Purchase" a pistol that fits their needs. They are more likely to become repeat customers, rather than a one time sale.

What I have found is that 9mm semi autos work well for most women, & older adults, as long as the gun fits their hand correctly. The recoil is easier to control than most wheel guns.
With a couple of tricks racking the slide can be done without to much strain, & if they drove themselves to the store or to the class, a semi auto is not to complicated for them!

Also not to sound as I know it all, but women need the same tools the men do, if they are going to protect themselves, the cute little pocket pistols in sub calibers are not all that effective, & some of the new plastic wonder .380's that are so popular are a bit brutal to shoot, enough to get proficent with them.

If you are in the search for a gun for personal protection, consider a standard size(Service) gun or maybe a compact, but avoid a sub compact if you are planning on owning only one gun. Why? they are just easier & in most cases more comfortable to shoot. When compared side by side they really aren't much bigger. So they are not that much harder to conceal, and usually a lot easier to control when it comes to recoil.

If you can't find a class or a rental range, handle as many different guns as possible, find the gun that fits your hand, not to big, not to small, kinda of like Goldilocks look for just right.
Go to as many gunshops as is reasonable, no they are not all the same. It's like finding a mechanic for your car, when you find the right one, you keep going back.

Most newbies would be wise to take the same approch to buying a gun, as they would in buying a car, & for most they will take time to get to know various makes & models, & purchase one that fits their lifestyle. The gun is not a whole lot different.

Xavier covers it here also

Monday, July 27, 2009

National Debt Visual
Can't get mine to spray

And in October, police found dozens of casings sprayed from high-caliber weapons at the scene of a homicide on Sherman Way in North Hollywood, where gunmen wore ballistic body armor, Moore said.

Is it me, something I'm doing, none of mine spray, or perhaps mine are better trained?, I do have a cat that sprays, but then then it smells like newspaper in the house.

Of course the other joke here is "Michel Moore" any relationship to Michael???

H/T to: Robb


They have 1 and 2, hopefully 3 is coming soon................
NEW PARA!

I've really enjoyed the Para Gun Blog 9
But since they only made 10 I'd like to keep it in good shape. So I sort of ordered the Para LTC in 9mm, it should be in shortly. The reason I sort of ordered it I saw that CDNN had a bit of a clearance going, so I emailed my dealer & inquired about one, now if you will recall last week I was dealing with kidney stones, & was taking some strong stuff for pain, & well the wording in the email, the dealer assumed I wanted one, so he ordered it. He then emailed me & told me it was ordered, so I did respond a bit surprised, & he then reread the email I sent him, & said I didn't have to take it, since the email did sort of hint that I wanted him to check on it, not order it, but then he offered to sell it to me at his cost plus shipping, as it were a comedy of errors on both sides. So I decided what the hey?, and told him I'd take it.

Once I get it broken in as it were, I'll likely use it as my carry gun.
I will likely make all of my future 1911's Para's, but mostly because they are cool people that make cool guns.

Steel still impresses me

Did a 6 person NRA PPITH course this weekend
they brought an assortment of guns from baby Glocks & Taurus, an old P89 & the new SR9, & there was a Makrov, & 2 HI-Points, but one guy brought a Browning HP. The guy with the Taurus was the newest shooter & it showed, but he got better, he also got very interested in bigger guns before the class was over.
The rest were all about equal, but from the start the guy with the Browning lead the field, The SR9 was around 2nd place. but the guy with Browning was able to shoot as fast as the rest but his groups were tighter.

It's not to say someone with more training couldn't of shot the other guns better, but everyone in this class had about the same background, & training, how much quicker, the guy with a full size steel gun got better.

Little bitty plastic guns can be mastered, but it takes a lot more ammo, & time to do it.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

If you haven't got one


Get on line and order one they are free
I'd rather see a million

but 100,000 is a good start

Those that know me, Know I think women make the best students
The Gun did it!!!

Great post! on liberals view of guns
Loved this quote:

It took President Obama six months to pick a dog for the White House, but he wants Congress to pass a massive health care reform bill in two weeks!
People don't think they need training

Hey the bad guys are training they are planning they are prepared, why aren't you?
Say what?

Wednesday's showdown over a proposal, championed by the National Rifle Association, that would have gutted state gun-control laws across the nation.

That's like saying I don't have to abide by another states traffic laws when I drive there

HT to Dave Hardy

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

We WILL Remember

We will support those that sided with us, & fight those that were against us should they decide to run again. From The home state of Ohio, I knew both would go against us, Brown has always been a liberal asshat, & Voinovich always wanted to be!

Alphabetical by Senator Name
Akaka (D-HI), Nay Alexander (R-TN), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Yea Baucus (D-MT), Yea Bayh (D-IN), Yea Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Bennett (R-UT), Yea Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Bond (R-MO), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Nay Brown (D-OH), Nay Brownback (R-KS), Yea Bunning (R-KY), Yea Burr (R-NC), Yea Burris (D-IL), Nay Byrd (D-WV), Not Voting Cantwell (D-WA), Nay Cardin (D-MD), Nay Carper (D-DE), Nay Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Yea Corker (R-TN), Yea Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Yea DeMint (R-SC), Yea Dodd (D-CT), Nay Dorgan (D-ND), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Nay Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea Feingold (D-WI), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Nay Franken (D-MN), Nay Gillibrand (D-NY), Nay Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Yea Gregg (R-NH), Yea Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Yea Hutchison (R-TX), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Yea Johanns (R-NE), Yea Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kaufman (D-DE), Nay Kennedy (D-MA), Not Voting Kerry (D-MA), Nay Klobuchar (D-MN), Nay Kohl (D-WI), Nay Kyl (R-AZ), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay Leahy (D-VT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Nay Lieberman (ID-CT), Nay Lincoln (D-AR), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Nay Martinez (R-FL), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Nay McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Nay Merkley (D-OR), Nay Mikulski (D-MD), Not Voting Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murray (D-WA), Nay Nelson (D-FL), Nay Nelson (D-NE), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Nay Reid (D-NV), Yea Risch (R-ID), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shaheen (D-NH), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Yea Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (D-PA), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Yea Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Yea Voinovich (R-OH), Nay Warner (D-VA), Yea Webb (D-VA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay Wicker (R-MS), Yea

Friday, July 17, 2009

May change carry gun

Picked up a Colt 1991A1 compact (traded a HP for it)
Thinking about a 2 gun setup.

A S&W 1911PD (Alloy frame, night sights, CT laser), & the compact as a back up.

I've tried a fullsize Government model, but find it a bit heavy by the end of the day. But the alloy is lighter than my HP, so that's good, & going along with "One is none & two is one" a second gun is not a bad idea. I have full faith in the 9mm, but I haven't found a compact 9mm I like well enough to carry as a BUG.

A lot of decisions when chosing your carry gun, at least for now I'll stick with the Browning, & decide how I want to proceed.

I have a couple of Astra A-70's in 9mm, and they have been really reliable guns, I may just get a holster made for one them & carry it with the HP
But with the 1911 platform, if the primary went down, I could still use the full size mags in the compact.
I usually carry 1 or 2 spare mags, but the back up will likely be what's in the gun, with no spare mags
Ah decisions.

Update, well at this point sticking with 9mm, & for the moment will continue to carry the BHP, & later the new Para-USA LTC.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Yep she is bad news

WASHINGTON – Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor bluntly told a Republican senator there was no way she would say in the setting of a congressional hearing just how she'd rule on an important constitutional question.
Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma pressed Sotomayor for the second day in a row to say under what circumstances she might accept — or rule — that there is a "fundamental" right to bear arms, as opposed to an "individual," or less pervasive, right
Slow week

Been busy dealing with a kidney stone

Monday, July 13, 2009

I KNEW IT!!!

If you've ever wondered who's in control, you or your cat, a new study points to the obvious. It's your cat.

Friday, July 10, 2009

We are getting there











Another 6 loads of dirt have arrived, and hopefully if the weather stays decent we should have the rest next week & get the range completed, we are also getting around 100 tons of dirt for later additions or improvements






The target shed is also done, so we can now keep our steel targets out of the weather, & a friend brought me 6 more 55 gal. barrels, they make great barricades.

The classroom has been done for some time, but the old workplace was throwing away the countertop & bookcase, & they fit perfect in the end. The wall on the left is moveable, so if we decide to expand at any point we can open it up. It also features a restroom, electrial heat, & AC.

Turned 3 today

Yep, I started the blog 3 years a go today. I had all of 6 maybe 7 entries in 2006. Really started out of boredom, at my old job, but has been a place to post things from time to time.

I think I have seen more changes in the last 3 years than I did in the past 12. I got a bit more involved in the elections last year, than any other time in my life, left a company where I'd been employed for 27 years, fully self employed now, & making enough to pay the bills most months.

Walked away from the worst car wreck I'd ever been in. Attended my 1st two NRA meetings, got to go to Blackwater, & met some interesting people as a result of the blog.

I'm likely not as verbal, as some of the bloggers, or as entertaining, a number of them have talent I'll never have, but we will continue to ride this horse & see where we end up.

To those that read these words from time to time, thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to stop by.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Good News

from NRA-ILA:
Ohio Attorney General Signs Amicus Brief Supporting Second Amendment Incorporation
Please Thank Attorney General Richard Cordray!

Two-thirds of the nation’s attorneys general have filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to grant certiorari in the case of NRA v. Chicago and hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This bi-partisan group of 33 attorneys general, along with the Attorney General of California in a separate filing, agrees with the NRA’s position that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms, disagreeing with the decision recently issued by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Attorney General Cordray was one of the many who agrees that the Second Amendment is a fundamental individual right and signed the amicus brief.

I was beginning to wonder about the guy
Yeah But.....

I have seen it time and again, gun owners who do not support the movement, like their class of gun makes them special, well folks you are not special, they will find a reason to ban yours too.

I remember the guy telling me it would be good to ban those military looking rifles, then they would leave him & his hunting guns alone. I asked him what he had as I recall it was a Remington 870, I said the Military has pump action shotguns, so your Remington has a military look to it, it could get banned too.

Same story with a guy who owned a bolt action with a scope for deer hunting, if they got rid of those assault rifles, he would be fine, so of course I mention that the military snipers use bolt action scoped rifles, & anyone being shot at regardless of type of weapon, likely feel they are being assaulted. He couldn't perceive his deer rifle being viewed as a snipers deadly weapon of choice.

You may or may not be a fan of the NRA, but when you need a 600 pound gorilla in Washington DC, trying to preserve your gun rights, they are the only game in town. I'm not saying the other groups don't do their part, but no one else has the size & backing of the NRA.

Even if you only own one gun, join the NRA, or GOA or JPFO, or the 2nd Amendment Foundation, but do something besides bitch.

In the game ahead there will be no room for "I'm a gun owner, but"

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Anybody know anything about this?
Seems an Improvement


I misplaced (lost) my Gerber Presto over the weekend, so yesterday I picked up a Gerber FAST Draw, it was $10 less, but seems to work much better. The lock is more positive, it's easier to disengage, & does not slip into the locked position while in pocket. For most the clip is on the wrong side, it's placed just like the clip on my Jess Horn Spyderco, so it works well for what I am use to. It does seem faster than the manual opener, & may be an advantage, further testing is in order.

Thursday, July 02, 2009


Never had an interest, but...


Since there has been so much gum slapping about assited opening knives of late, purchased a couple of Gerbers at the local box store.

I usually perfer a typical manual opening Spyderco, with the hole in the blade, less to break.
With the Gerber, I find the lock a bit annoying, & wonder a bit about the life of the coil spring.
After carrying it around for a couple of weeks, I have found more than once that the lock has been activated in the pocket, which really slows getting the knife open, will continue to test these, & may try a SOG. But if I need something to depend on I'll stick with the Manual one handers like Spyderco or Benchmade.