In general, modern firearms are very reliable. It's rare for a firearm produced from a major manufacturer to have problems that aren't related to substandard ammunition or magazines. If a firearm should encounter a problem, most manufacturers have a policy to repair at no cost to the owner, shy of perhaps shipping costs. I've experienced this with both Smith and Wesson and Ruger in the last 5 years. Neither resolution was speedy, but in both cases an issue was remedied to my satisfaction. The Ruger firearm repaired was even one that I had purchased used. It's hard to find manufacturers that stand by their products like that.
Neither of my problems were caused by the manufacturer, btw. My issue with the Ruger Vaquero was traced to aftermarket springs installed by the former owner. It seems one of those failed. It's amazing that Ruger fixed it at all, much less for free. My issue with a S&W involved an improperly sized barrel included with my pistol, a barrel provided by a vendor. Yes, S&W failed to quality check that part, but once it was brought to their attention it was replaced without issue.
I have guns that I have thousands of rounds through and haven't needed to replace any parts. Most firearms made today are very durable and reliable. This thread isn't about those- it's about guns that aren't offered by manufacturers, guns that people commonly assemble themselves, AR-15's.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Where to Buy a Gun
If you are new to firearms, you may be wondering where a good place is to buy a gun. Much like buying an automobile or a new washing machine, there are a variety of places you can get one. I have some advice, don't go to a big box store.
By "big box" I mean places like Cabelas, Walmart, Dick's, Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mountain, Academy and other big stores that sell sporting goods. If you aren't very familiar with firearms, those are bad places to buy a gun. There are a variety of reasons for this.
By "big box" I mean places like Cabelas, Walmart, Dick's, Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mountain, Academy and other big stores that sell sporting goods. If you aren't very familiar with firearms, those are bad places to buy a gun. There are a variety of reasons for this.
Monday, December 10, 2012
How 22's Rock
I went to a shooting event last weekend. It was a great time, I met new people, did some things well and realized how much improvement I need in other areas. There was a mixture of long range shooting, close-quarters work and some timed drills, including a string of 27 targets ranging from 20 to 400 yards with a couple hundred yards of running in between stages. That was fun!
On that drill I managed to miss the least amount of targets, but I did miss all three shots at 400 yards. That was annoying, especially since I took forever setting up for those shots and getting my breathing under control. But it was still fun, and I got some great exercise running along with other people as the timer and score keeper. After everyone ran that drill, people were bushed, so we slowed it down a bit and broke out the 22 rimfire guns. While observing (and timing) people shoot I realized something.
Everyone was faster and more accurate with 22's than with centerfire handguns.
Yes, everyone. Every person who shot that drill with a rimfire and another gun was faster and more accurate with the 22. From the guy who is competitive at 3-gun matches to the relative newbie, every single person was both more accurate and faster on the handgun drills shooting a 22 than the centerfire pistol of their choice. Our fastest shooter cleared 10 targets at 20 yards in less than 5 seconds with a Ruger 22 handgun. His best time using a 9mm was 7.x seconds and he missed two of the targets. Other people had similar results.
This is why I don't hesitate to recommend a 22 as a person's first handgun, even if it is their intent to only own one handgun. It's the best tool to develop skills and safe habits. It's 5x cheaper to shoot than the cheapest centerfire cartridge. And a person is unlucky enough to have to use a firearm defensively, it's highly likely they will be able to shoot faster and more accurately than with a more powerful firearm. In defensive use of firearms, the most important part is hitting your target, and people prove to me time and time again they do that better with 22's than with other calibers, even people who are competition level shooters.
And quite honestly, I think 3 well placed shots with a 22 will compare favorably in a defensive scenario to 2 less accurate shots with something more powerful. I'm not suggesting a 22 is better for the purpose, only that it brings something to the table.
On that drill I managed to miss the least amount of targets, but I did miss all three shots at 400 yards. That was annoying, especially since I took forever setting up for those shots and getting my breathing under control. But it was still fun, and I got some great exercise running along with other people as the timer and score keeper. After everyone ran that drill, people were bushed, so we slowed it down a bit and broke out the 22 rimfire guns. While observing (and timing) people shoot I realized something.
Everyone was faster and more accurate with 22's than with centerfire handguns.
Yes, everyone. Every person who shot that drill with a rimfire and another gun was faster and more accurate with the 22. From the guy who is competitive at 3-gun matches to the relative newbie, every single person was both more accurate and faster on the handgun drills shooting a 22 than the centerfire pistol of their choice. Our fastest shooter cleared 10 targets at 20 yards in less than 5 seconds with a Ruger 22 handgun. His best time using a 9mm was 7.x seconds and he missed two of the targets. Other people had similar results.
This is why I don't hesitate to recommend a 22 as a person's first handgun, even if it is their intent to only own one handgun. It's the best tool to develop skills and safe habits. It's 5x cheaper to shoot than the cheapest centerfire cartridge. And a person is unlucky enough to have to use a firearm defensively, it's highly likely they will be able to shoot faster and more accurately than with a more powerful firearm. In defensive use of firearms, the most important part is hitting your target, and people prove to me time and time again they do that better with 22's than with other calibers, even people who are competition level shooters.
And quite honestly, I think 3 well placed shots with a 22 will compare favorably in a defensive scenario to 2 less accurate shots with something more powerful. I'm not suggesting a 22 is better for the purpose, only that it brings something to the table.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Knowing Your Firearm
There is no replacement for practice when it comes to developing skills with your firearm. As well when you practice you can determine the attributes of your gun. Like all mechanical objects there is some variation from item to item, and the sooner you discover the qualities of your particular one the better off you will be. Only through practice will you found out what a given firearm and ammo combination is capable of in your hands.
For instance, I know from practice that I can't take a standing shot at a deer that's more than 75 yards away and ensure it's a killing shot. Only by doing this in practice did I ascertain my limits. The ammo and certainly the rifle I use are more accurate than that, but I can't keep every shot inside a 6" circle when standing at a distance any further than that. I can keep most of my shots inside 6" at longer distances, but for hunting standards I will only take a shot if I know it's an ethical shot, not a wounding one.
For instance, I know from practice that I can't take a standing shot at a deer that's more than 75 yards away and ensure it's a killing shot. Only by doing this in practice did I ascertain my limits. The ammo and certainly the rifle I use are more accurate than that, but I can't keep every shot inside a 6" circle when standing at a distance any further than that. I can keep most of my shots inside 6" at longer distances, but for hunting standards I will only take a shot if I know it's an ethical shot, not a wounding one.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Cleaning Your Guns
First, let me say I clean guns a lot less than I used to. When I was a new gun owner I would take apart and clean guns every time I used them. Why? It's what my dad did. We only used guns to go hunting, and when we came back home we'd clean the guns. It seemed pretty reasonable to me at the time.
But compare that cycle to how we maintain other mechanical objects and it doesn't really hold up. I don't take apart and clean my bicycle every time I use it. Or my chainsaw. Or my car. In fact, I pretty much never take apart, clean and re-assemble my car. I do enough maintenance to keep it in good working order. I've adopted that same approach with my firearms.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
All Hail the Police State, NYPD Edition
I'd been slowly compiling a number of stories on the excesses of the NYPD, and now Salon has gone and done a great job for me. It's worth a read- this is the directions many modern police departments are trending.
None of this is new, it's been slowly building over years. New York City was even the subject of my very first police state post.
None of this is new, it's been slowly building over years. New York City was even the subject of my very first police state post.
All Hail the Police State, part 12
Today brings us news of armored surveillance trucks being deployed around the country. We've seen local police departments working with the Department of Homeland Security to acquire military hardware, now they are using some of the hardware and other assets to spy on people.
Take this story, for instance. People are suggesting they are being harassed by the police parking this vehicle in front of their businesses. Or this account in another city of the same thing. It seems this may be the newest trend in law enforcement.
That makes sense though as the police take their inspiration from the military. The military is increasingly using unmanned drones to do surveillance and attacks, so it's reasonable the police would follow suit, especially now that courts are ruling police can place cameras on private property without a warrant and provide evidence to convict people in court.
Take this story, for instance. People are suggesting they are being harassed by the police parking this vehicle in front of their businesses. Or this account in another city of the same thing. It seems this may be the newest trend in law enforcement.
That makes sense though as the police take their inspiration from the military. The military is increasingly using unmanned drones to do surveillance and attacks, so it's reasonable the police would follow suit, especially now that courts are ruling police can place cameras on private property without a warrant and provide evidence to convict people in court.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
It's Quiet in Those Woods
Over the weekend I went deer hunting with a friend. Sadly, I saw less wildlife than I normally see in my backyard. That's OK, more years than not I get a shot on opening day, so it's OK if I get skunked once in a while.
But since I'm an optimistic sort, I always bring a gun suitable for squirrels should I fill my deer tag early into the trip. My friend does as well, and this year we each had something new that is designed specifically for hunting.
My friend brought a Gamo Whisper. It's a single shot air gun with an expansion chamber at the muzzle designed to quiet it up a bit. It's effective. Many people don't realize how noisy powerful airguns are. The idea is one can use something like this for hunting small game and not disturb wildlife, and this air gun does a reasonable job of that.
You know what else does a reasonable job? A silencer (or suppressor) on the end of a 22 rimfire gun. After 18 months of waiting, my Silencerco Sparrow finally cleared paperwork and I was able to take possession of it. It's fantastic, I couldn't be happier. I had it mounted on a Browning Buckmark with a 5.5" barrel for this trip.
But since I'm an optimistic sort, I always bring a gun suitable for squirrels should I fill my deer tag early into the trip. My friend does as well, and this year we each had something new that is designed specifically for hunting.
My friend brought a Gamo Whisper. It's a single shot air gun with an expansion chamber at the muzzle designed to quiet it up a bit. It's effective. Many people don't realize how noisy powerful airguns are. The idea is one can use something like this for hunting small game and not disturb wildlife, and this air gun does a reasonable job of that.
You know what else does a reasonable job? A silencer (or suppressor) on the end of a 22 rimfire gun. After 18 months of waiting, my Silencerco Sparrow finally cleared paperwork and I was able to take possession of it. It's fantastic, I couldn't be happier. I had it mounted on a Browning Buckmark with a 5.5" barrel for this trip.
A Sore Palm Sticks Out Like a Sore.... Palm
Worse, I think. I always have questioned scenes in movies where people take a knife and purposefully cut it across their palm. I can't think of many worse places to have an open wound, especially if a person is in the middle of doing stuff. But no matter why a person in a movie or TV show needs blood, whether it's a blood oath, to feed a monster or whatever bizarre plot device was chosen, it's likely they will draw a knife across their palm and let the blood drip.
Cutting anywhere else makes more sense, especially if you want to avoid pain and infection when you want to use that hand. Us bipeds, we like to use our hands.
Anyway, this point was driven home over the weekend when I fell and cut open my palm. It's annoying and has been constantly in the way. I'm going to plan on not doing that again, next time I'm going to fall sideways and take the cut to my arm or shoulder. That's much more practical for a person who likes to do stuff.
Cutting anywhere else makes more sense, especially if you want to avoid pain and infection when you want to use that hand. Us bipeds, we like to use our hands.
Anyway, this point was driven home over the weekend when I fell and cut open my palm. It's annoying and has been constantly in the way. I'm going to plan on not doing that again, next time I'm going to fall sideways and take the cut to my arm or shoulder. That's much more practical for a person who likes to do stuff.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Panic Buying, part 2
Earlier this year I wrote a post capturing my thoughts on panic buying. Back in 2008 I told my friends that Obama was very unlikely to ban guns during his first term. He wants to be re-elected, and supporting a gun ban would potentially alienate some voters. In his second term I think it's more possible that a gun ban will make it through both houses of congress and get signed by our new president, but I think it's still unlikely.
That doesn't prevent panic buying though. The day after the election my favorite online place to buy ammo sold out of all their 9mm target ammo. They still have some fancy expensive 9mm ammo, but all the basic stuff is gone. They had 40, 60 or 70 cases (1,000 rounds each) of some of the brands the day before. That's just in one caliber, they sold it all less than 24 hours after Romney gave his concession speech. I'm sure they moved a lot of ammo in other common calibers as well. If history is any indication, we face months of short supplies and higher prices. If you are a regular shooter and have enough ammo to get you through the next couple seasons, it's best to avoid becoming part of the problem. No reason to pay inflated prices today when prices will be back down in a year or 18 months.
That doesn't prevent panic buying though. The day after the election my favorite online place to buy ammo sold out of all their 9mm target ammo. They still have some fancy expensive 9mm ammo, but all the basic stuff is gone. They had 40, 60 or 70 cases (1,000 rounds each) of some of the brands the day before. That's just in one caliber, they sold it all less than 24 hours after Romney gave his concession speech. I'm sure they moved a lot of ammo in other common calibers as well. If history is any indication, we face months of short supplies and higher prices. If you are a regular shooter and have enough ammo to get you through the next couple seasons, it's best to avoid becoming part of the problem. No reason to pay inflated prices today when prices will be back down in a year or 18 months.
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