Les Jones

Assault Weapons Will Be Legal Next Year, and I'm Stoked

"A politician normally prospers under democracy in proportion ... as he excels in the invention of imaginary perils and imaginary defenses against them." --H. L. Mencken, 1918

The sunset of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban is getting me excited. I'll be able to buy an assault rifle of my very own!

I'm libertarian on social issues, which makes me liberal on many social issues, but gun control is one area where I've never agreed with liberals. Depending entirely on the police for protection from crime has always struck me as being a poor plan, and the crime-deterring effects of gun control have always been questionable. If a criminal is willing to break one law (against robbery, homicide, etc.) there's no reason he won't break a gun law.

The Assault Weapons Law was a trendy law, designed to make it appear that Congress was doing something about a series of high profile but non-representative crimes that were in the news in the early nineties. This was similar to attempted bans in the early eighties on "cop-killer" Teflon-coated bullets that had never actually killed any cops.

Even with Democrats controlling the House the assault weapons bill barely passed on a 216-214 vote. When the Republicans regained seats in '96, Bill Clinton blamed it in large part on political fallout from the ban.

The law outlawed "scary weapons" that met a bureaucratic set of guidelines on largely cosmetic factors, such as pistol grips, flash suppressors, and folding stocks. There was no correlation between the guidelines and reality. Specifically, the ban used a point system that prohibited any weapon with more than two of 1) detachable magazine 2) pistol grip 3) threaded barrel/flash hider 4) collapsible stock 5) bayonet lug 6) grenade launcher. Since most guns of military heritage have a detachable magazine and a pistol grip, they already had two points that couldn't be avoided. It was if - instead of making it an offense to break the speed limit - Congress made it an offense to own a car that had more than two of 1) a steering wheel 2) a transmission 3) a spoiler 4) mag wheels 5) a hood scoop 6) a chrome-tipped exhaust.

The one practical effect of the ban was to outlaw magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. Many high capacity magazines were already in circulation, and the ban did nothing to remove them from the streets. Having to constantly reload is one of the annoyances of sport shooting. Being able to buy a big clip is getting me pumped up about my birthday in October, 2004. I can finally get an AR-15 or Uzi with a legit clip.

Anything that could properly be called an assault rifle has selective fire: it can be fired one shot at a time, or in multi-shot bursts (either fully automatic or in fixed bursts). Oddly enough, the assault weapons ban only affected semi-automatic weapons, which fire one shot per pull of the trigger.

Without a renewal, the ban will expire on September 14, 2004. With Republican control of Congress and no Congressional elections between now and then, the ban's demise is almost certain. Still, it never hurts to sign the petition to let it expire.

UPDATE The NRA has released a video response (requires RealPlayer) to CNN's misleading segment on the ban. CNN asks a gun expert to demonstrate the difference between a currently-legal rifle and a similar rifle that will be legal after the ban expires. There should be no difference, since the guns fire the same ammunition. But in demonstrating the guns' firepower, the gun expert fires the banned gun at cinder blocks, smashing them. He then fires the legal gun at a different target, while the camera rolls on the cinder blocks, which of course aren't damaged because they weren't being shot at!

The second half of the CNN segment shows the banned gun firing in fully automatic mode (like a machine gun). The ban has no effect on fully automatic weapons, so in fact that gun's status won't change at all, and it shouldn't have been used for comparison . The inclusion of a fully automatic rifle is either an intentional red herring, or symptomatic of the ignorance of the reporter and his supposed gun expert. Either way, it doesn't reflect well on CNN.

MORE UPDATES Clayton Cramer has phone numbers for contacting Congress. Cramer has another post discussing the cynical politics on both sides of the aisle: Democrats who know that most Americans don't want gun control but need to give lip service to their anti-gun constituency, Republicans whose constituency is mostly pro-gun but who don't want to turn off urban voters, and a president who is saying he'll sign the bill if it comes across his desk but who tells his fellow Republicans to make sure it doesn't cross his desk.

Which One Should I Buy?

• AR-15.com - History and mods for the AR-15/M-16/H4.
• Bushmaster - AR-15 rifles and accessories
• Israeli Military Industries - Uzi Submachine Gun

Gun-Fearing Wussies in California

Under the headline STOP SCARY GUNS Pathetic Earthlings writes:

When I commit a crime, I like to use ten thousand dollar rifles and four dollar bullets. Fortunately, California has put a stop to me.

The next time you see a shady character at the bus station, watch out! He might be packing a BMG .50 calibre rifle. You know how crackheads are: they're all the time carrying $3,000 guns that are four feet, two inches long and weigh 25 pounds. These guns are perfect for today's new breed of high-tech, steroid-ingesting supercriminals. (I kid.)

And now to Fisk the San Fran Chron article above.

The Assembly approved a bill Wednesday that would add a high-powered rifle to the state's list of dangerous weapons.

The Assembly could save a lot of time by writing "All weapons are by definition dangerous. Duh."

The .50-caliber BMG rifle is currently classified as a long gun, just as a hunting rifle, but is far more powerful, said Assemblyman Paul Koretz. "This rifle can accurately hit targets more than one mile away," he said.

Brrring. Brrring. Hello?

"I'm a mile away pointing a gun at you. Give me your wallet."

The gun was built for military, not civilian use, Koretz said, and was among the weapons that the Branch Davidians possessed during the 1993 standoff near Waco, Texas.

The Branch Davidians probably had spoons and Pokemon cards, too.

Under the bill, a criminal using the weapon would face up to 12 years in prison.

Why does the weapon used matter? Does bigger caliber mean a bigger crime?

People who already own the gun would be allowed to keep them, but would have to register with the state Department of Justice. "It requires a permit for people to buy them in the future," Koretz said. "If terrorists want to buy them, hopefully we can catch them and prevent that."

Oh, so you mean terrorists as well as criminals are using these guns?

Opponents of the bill said the gun hasn't been used in any crimes in California and is mainly used by competitive target shooters. They said the bill was an attempt to whittle away Second Amendment rights.

So to answer my question: nope, nobody's using these guns for crime or terrorism. This is another case of politicians wasting meeting time and government resources protecting the public from imaginary dangers. The article gives the last word to a member of the Assembly who has some sense.

"There's really no difference between this weapon and any other rifle out there," said Assemblyman Rick Keene, R-Chico. "We're proposing to regulate them because they're scary looking."

I'll trot out my H.L. Mencken quote again: "A politician normally prospers under democracy in proportion ... as he excels in the invention of imaginary perils and imaginary defenses against them."

The bill was approved on a 42-26 vote, sending it to the Senate.

The attempted ban on .50 caliber weapons is another example of what Kim Dutoit calls gun-fearing wussies trying to outlaw weapons because they look or sound scary, not because criminals are using them. Other examples are so-called assault weapons and teflon-coated "cop killer bullets" (that had never killed any cops).

Speaking of Dutoit, he has a great example of the emotional reaction people have to scary-looking guns. From his review of the Ruger 10/22, one of the most popular .22 rifles in the U.S.:

Oh, one last thing [says Dutoit]: if you want to be mischievous, you can substitute a MuzzleLite stock for either of the above rifles, and make your harmless lil' ol' .22 rifle look like something from Sarah Brady's worst nightmares:

The best part, of course, is that the rifle is no different from its original function, it just looks more scary.

Happy Independence Day

Melissa and I are going to Marty's bonfire tonight. We're going early and taking a couple of guns with us to celebrate the way our founding fathers would want us to: by firing hundreds of rounds of ammunition from our constitutionally-protected arms.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

UPDATE: The new pistol worked out great. I put about 50 rounds through it, and it got another 30 or so rounds from other folks.

The old rifle that I finally managed to track down a replacement tubular magazine for needs work. It had trouble reliably feeding rounds. It's off to the gunsmith for the old Winchester. Financially, I'd be better off selling it. Sentimentally, it was my first gun and I'd like to keep it.

Marty's brother Philip loaned me a Marlin Model 25 .22 magnum bolt-action rifle, which is accurate enough to drive nails with. I had never shot the gun before, and I managed to hit two inch metal swivel targets at 40-50 feet, 4 out of 5 shots, with iron sights. It's a great rifle. I offered to buy it if he ever gets tired of it, but he was too smart to take the money. See Kim Dutoit's recommendations for great .22s under $500.

The metal "shooting gallery" target was lots of fun. You shoot four metal targets which swivel up onto a bar. Shooting the fifth target above moves the bar and resets the targets. Cost for the rimfire version was about $35 at Wal-Mart. A local gunstore has a centerfire handgun version for $90.

.410 Handguns and Some Excellent Gun Links

I mentioned the Thunder Five .410 bore shotgun revolver a few weeks ago. It's apparently no longer made, but I found two more .410 handguns.

The American Derringer Model 4 is available in .45 and .410 shotgun. It's so small and light I'd be seriously concerned about damaging my wrist. Pass.

In a completely different category is the Magnum Research BFR revolver. With a big frame, long barrel, and optional ported muzzle, it wouldn't be any harder to control the .410 than it would be to shoot a .454 Casull or a .45-70, which the big revolvers are also chambered in. In fact, the .410 would be the easiest of the three.

Another option would be a to buy a .44 Magnum and load it up with snake shot. Same effect, plus you get the option of bullets for long-range precision, and .44 Special loads for target practice. There are plenty of offerings, from the original Smith & Wesson "Dirty Harry" Model 29 or the newer S&W Mountain Gun to the Ruger Super Blackhawk, Ruger Vaquero, and Taurus Titanium Tracker, to mention a few.

Gun Links

Kim Dutoit's Gratuitous Gun Pics
Chuck Hawks
Gallery of Guns reviews section
Alphecca's Weekly Report on Gun Bias in the Media
Smith and Wesson Discussion Forum
The Gun Zone: Rules of Gunfighting

The first rule of gunfighting? Bring a gun.

My New Pistol, and Places to Shoot in Knoxville

I found a list of shooting ranges local to Knoxville: Guncraft Sports off of Lovell Road, and John Sevier Hunter Education Center.

Guncraft is just minutes from where I work, so it was the natural choice. I went for the first time tonight and signed up for a three month membership, which includes free, unlimited range time, a 20% discount on classes, and a 50% discount on gun rentals.

Guncraft Sports rents a wide variety of pistols ($7.50 for the first, $3.75 for each additional gun) and automatic weapons ($20 for your choice of an Uzi, H&K MP-5, or a pseudo-M16 firing 9 mm shells) for use on the firing range. If you rent their guns, you have to buy their ammunition. If you bring your own gun you can bring your own ammo.

They also offer classes, including the mandatory course for Tennessee's shall-issue concealed handgun carry permits ($85, $75 in advance, second and fourth Saturday of the month). Tuesday is Ladies Night: ladies shoot free, and men shoot for half price if there's a lady in their firing lane. (Ladies Night for a gun range is funny. It's OK to laugh.)

I got to shoot Starke's Glock 21, which is Glock's full size .45. I love the light weight and the three dot sights. Recoil is very controllable. Glocks are simple, too. You've got a trigger, a slide release, and a magazine release, and that's it. To be the full size model in the largest caliber it isn't big or heavy or hard to control. I'll have to try the compact and sub-compact models.

Starke got to shoot my new pistol, the North American Arms Black Widow. I bought it based on recommendations from Chuck Hawks and Kim du Toit, and I'm not disappointed.

It's a tiny .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) revolver in stainless steel that weighs just under 9 ounces. I bought the conversion model that includes an extra cylinder for firing .22 LR ammunition, which is dirt cheap and available everywhere. Being a revolver, it can also shoot snakeshot. Barrel length is two inches. The picture to the right is about 75% actual size. It may be the smallest gun that's actually useful.

Using a combination of silhouettes and Shoot-N-C targets, the gun shot extremely well with CCI magnum hollowpoints. Despite its small size, it has excellent Pachmyr grips and good, drift-adjustable, dovetail sights. I tried the adjustable target sights in the store, and they have a great sight picture. It's arguable whether they are appropriate for a gun of this type. One of the things that sold me on the gun is that it points well: extend your arm and you're on target.

Two improvements I plan on making: First, I'd like to paint the front sight red or orange for better visibility in low-light conditions. Second, I need to make the drift-adjustable rear sight drift less. It gets nudged too easily. I was having occasional problems seating the cylinder, but I realized why late in the session. Sometimes I didn't push the shells in all the way and a shell rim was sticking out of the cylinder. I eliminate that problem now by running my thumb over the shells before loading the cylinder.

PS Melissa told her dad I was going to the range tonight, and he said he didn't have me figured for a gun guy. I'm a little left of center on some things (somewhat less so than I used to be), but I've always loved guns. I became a lifetime member of the NRA around age 14. My friend Jay is the same way: liberal, votes Democrat mostly, but loves guns. It's the East Tennessee in us.

PPS Since 1964 every Democratic president has come from south of the Mason Dixon line.

PPPS Democrats need to get off the Gun Prohibition bandwagon, and Republicans need to get off the Abortion Prohibition bandwagon and Gay Marriage Prohibition bandwagon, and they both need to get off the Drug Prohibition bandwagon. Americans don't like having their rights restricted by the government, and they don't like the side effects of bureaucracy. Of course, sometimes Americans like having other people's rights restricted, but never their own. You have to show people how restricting other people's rights ultimately infringes on their own.

PPPPS Have you noticed how your cell phone is handy, but other people talking on their cell phones are annoying? Same deal. Don't think about controlling other people's freedoms. Think about maintaining your own freedoms. Infringing on someone's behavior should only be done if their behavior endanger's others. Several studies strongly suggest that talking on a cell phone while driving might be an example of a behavior that needs to be regulated.

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Melissa Learns to Shoot, and a Pair of .22 Target Pistols

Melissa has never shot a gun before, so I offered to take her to the local pistol range, Guncraft Sports, which I've blogged about before.

GunCraft requires that all shooters take a short, 15 minute orientation session before using the range for the first time. The range attendant was very helpful. Once he found out that Melissa had never shot a gun before, he spent some extra time with her, going over basic gun safety and the basic operation of the gun controls for the guns we were renting: safety, magazine release, and slide release. Kudos to the staff at GunCraft. The person who did the orientation for my first visit was likewise patient, professional, and safety-conscious.

I had Melissa practice handling and firing the gun before loading it. Then we worked on firing live ammo. Her grip was awkward at first, and a little scary. It's a bit frightening to watch someone handle a loaded gun for the first time. I showed her how to wrap her fingers around the thumb grooves on the grip, and she did much better. Once she understood how sights are supposed to line up, she did great, hitting 9 out of 10 times. That's really impressive when you consider that she forgot to bring her glasses (she's slightly myopic).

Initially, I loaded and unloaded the magazine for her, and worked the slide to chamber the first round. By the third box of ammo she could do it herself, and only needed help when a gun jammed. (I kept an eye on things just to be sure. She tried to load a magazine with the bullets facing the wrong way, which was kind of cute.) She also caught on to using the target trolley and taping over holes in the target so she could count the hits for the next magazine load.

Browning Buck Mark vs. Ruger Mark II 22/45

This was Melissa's first time shooting, so .22 target pistols were the natural choice. They're lightweight, have very little recoil, and the ammunition is inexpensive. We chose two guns from the rental counter at Guncraft: the Browning Buck Mark and the Ruger Mark II 22/45. Melissa was excited about the Browning .22 because one had played a role in an episode of NBC's Law and Order.

Similarities
Both guns have adjustable target sights that are big and blocky, with a clear sight picture. Both feature 10 round magazines that are easy to load thanks to thumb-friendly follower buttons we could use to compress the magazine springs. The sights are mounted to the frame, so they don't move back with the slide.

Differences
The grips on the Buck Mark have thumb grooves that mated perfectly with my hand. Balance is excellent. The 22/45's integrated slab grips didn't inspire the same confidence. With the Buck Mark's backstrap design I could comfortably wrap my thumbs around the handle for a secure, two-handed grip.

	Browning Buck Mark	Ruger 22/45
Barrel	4"	5.5"
Length	8"	9.5"
Weight	32 oz	35 oz
Retail	$309	$359

The Buck Mark we shot had a blued steel barrel. Our 22/45 had a stainless steel barrel, but you can get yours in blued steel to match the receiver color. Like all 22/45s, the receiver is made from fiberglass-reinforced polymers rather than steel. Being made of stainless and polymer, this model Ruger is largely impervious to corrosion.

Both guns weighed about the same, though the Browning balanced much better. The Ruger seemed muzzle-heavy, which resulted in the front sight wandering around. After two boxes of shells Melissa developed a preference for the Browning, and shot it the rest of the evening.

The Buck Mark's controls were much easier and more definite to operate. (I could only find right side pictures of the Buck Mark, which unfortunately don't show the controls.) The 22/45's slide release was a little finicky for me, and very finicky for Melissa. One design nitpick: all of the Ruger's controls look like buttons, but in reality only one of them (the magazine release) can be pressed inward. The other two are switches that must be thumbed up and down. Not only is the design confusing, it's poor ergonomically. Controls that are moved by sweeping motions need broad, flat surfaces, not conical buttons.

The biggest difference was in the trigger. The Ruger trigger was just OK. The Browning trigger was a delight. It required just a short, light press, which is what you want in a target pistol. I could easily touch off a round using the pad of the first digit of my index finger.

Conclusions
Comparing two similar pistols side-by-side is enlightening. It reminds me of wine tastings, where you compare, for instance, two Australian Chardonnays. Even though they're similar, the differences stand out in sharp relief.

Of the two, the Browning was our favorite by far. At just $309 for this mid-line model, it's a steal. Both guns are available in higher-trim versions. Another pistol in this same price range is the SIG Hammerli Trailside, which has been the subject of rave reviews.

Melissa had lots of fun, and I think she's trying to talk Allison into going with us one night. Next time we may shoot a larger caliber, like a .380 or 9 MM.

A night out at the pistol range was relatively cheap. We didn't pay any range fees because I'm a member and Melissa is a lady (and Tuesday is Ladies Night). Rental fees for two pistols plus 200 rounds of ammo totalled just sixteen dollars. That's cheaper than two movie tickets and a trip to the concession stand.

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Carry Permits and Self Defense

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."
- George Orwell

NEW YORK POST: Which celebrities pack heat in New York? SayUncle and AlphaPatriot beat me to the press with this one, so I'll have to sex mine up. Whose pistol is hot - Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Howard Stern, Don Imus, Donald Trump, and Tommy Mottola. They all have permits. Whose pistol is not - William F. Buckley, Chazz Palminteri, Paul Sorvino, Joan Rivers and Steven Seagal. Their requests for permits were rejected.

And as is typical when carry permits are issued at the discretion of authorities, there's an element of corruption and favoritism: "As The Post first reported, ex-NYPD license head Bernard Petrofsky was accused by police brass of rubber-stamping permits for Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry in exchange for concert tickets and backstage passes." Corruption and cronyism are why many states are going to shall-issue permits, which mean that authorities have to issue permits to all qualifying citizens. You know, just like they issue driver's licenses to everyone who qualifies.

Clayton Cramer's article in the current issue of Shotgun News covers Alaska's new Vermont-style carry laws, and nuances of carry laws and reciprocity between states. (Yep, it's the Clayton Cramer who blogs.) Shotgun News has a web site, but the article doesn't appear to be online. Packing.org is another good resource.

MAD OGRE: Guns of the Matrix. A rundown of all of the guns used in both movies.

DONALD SENSING: Thoughts on the Second Amendment and the fundamental dividing line of civilization.

Do not count on the police to maintain domestic tranquility in the final analysis. Their role is certainly important in enforcement, but they are reactive. They do not generally stop criminals; they apprehend them. But no criminal actually believes he will be caught, else he would not commit the crime.

Furthermore, there is no moral difference between the homeowner who protects his life or property with a gun and one who does not but summons a police officer. If the police arrive on time (problematic), they use violence or its threat to protect the law-abiding. The unarmed homeowner has merely "contracted out" his wielding of deadly force or the threat of it. (In my view, for an able-bodied man or woman to do that is morally cowardly.)

This is very similar to something that Kim du Toit's wife wrote:

I expected other people to protect me. I expected my husband to do it when he was home and I expected a cop to be there to rescue me if something happened to my husband. Yet I was perfectly happy for a criminal to be shot, by someone else, if he threatened me or my kids. Shame on me.

It was the realization of that hypocrisy that finally pushed me over the edge. I should not expect others to do for me what I am not willing to do for myself. I was the one whose morals were all screwed-up. How dare I think that someone else should risk his or her life for me (be it my husband or a police officer) if I wasn't willing to lift a finger for anyone else or even myself?

It was after this realization that the real meaning of the Second Amendment became crystal clear. Not only did I have the right to defend my country and myself, I had the RESPONSIBILITY to do so.

HERITAGE FUND: Stop lawsuits against the gun industry.

Range Report: Smith & Wesson 686 .357 Magnum

If I could only have one handgun to last a lifetime, it would be a .357 revolver with a four inch barrel, adjustable sights, in stainless steel. Lo and behold, that's the gun I shot tonight in the form of Smith & Wesson's 686.

Why would I prefer a revolver as my one and only gun? Simplicity, for one. With even minimal maintenance, such a gun will last a lifetime. Revolvers are easy to clean, and there are relatively few parts. Unlike an automatic, a revolver has only a few springs, and none of the springs are compressed when the gun is stored, so they last a long time.

Revolvers are also much less picky than automatics about the ammo they shoot. A .357 can shoot light-kicking .38 Specials, higher-velocity .38 +P rounds, and full-on .357 Magnums, depending on how you want to balance recoil and velocity. They also shoot a wide variety of projectiles - snakeshot, hollowpoints, Glaser safety slugs, ball ammo, or flat, target-punching wadcutters.

The 686 uses S&W's L frame (their "large" medium frame), which is sturdy enough to cycle tens of thousands of rounds of .357 and soak up the recoil, though .38 Special loads will be more comfortable for the shooter. With a four inch barrel it balances and points well. Besides which, it just feels good. "Comfortable heft" isn't a cliche with this gun.

The S&W lockwork is smooth and predictable. Once I got used to the two-staged trigger, I could squeeze through the first stage to rotate the cylinder and cock the hammer, then squeeze gently through the short, final stage to drop the hammer. Shooting one handed with my offhand in my back pocket also produced high-scoring targets. Sight picture is excellent. For best accuracy, you can always cock the hammer and shoot single action.

Minor nitpick: the S&W stock rubber grips felt great, but about half the time the top of the grip blocked one of the empty hulls from ejecting just right. I'd probably replace them with slimmer boot grips.

Smith & Wesson has a wide variety of .357s in different metals, barrel lengths, sights, and capacity (from five rounds to eight). At the lower end of the weight scale is the 340 at 12 ounces and five shots with a shrouded hammer. The weight savings are due to the smaller J frame and the use of Scandium and titanium instead of steel. I'll test one of the S&W titanium Airlites soon.

One of the most radical S&W .357s is the 386PD, a K frame, Scandium/Titanium model with light-gathering sights that fires seven rounds and weighs just 18.5 ounces. There's also the Performance Center 627, which holds eight rounds. It's an all-steel N frame with a five inch barrel. Weight is 44 ounces.

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Armed Pilots and Air Marshals

MASSAD AYOOB: In a little-known incident from the 1970s, an armed 737 pilot named Glenn Hieronymus stopped a skyjacking to Russia.

MSNBC: U.S. decided to withdraw air marshals, but reversed policy with 24 hours. The decision to withdraw air marshals was motivated over budget constraints.

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE: Plan to arm pilots delayed by bureaucracy, political interests. The contract was narrowly drawn to favor Smith & Wesson pistols. Found via Kim du Toit.

Range Report: Two .40 calibers - SIG P229 and Glock 23

This week it's Switzerland vs. Austria in the battle of the forties.

It's a fair matchup. Besides being chambered in the same caliber, both guns are compact versions of larger service weapons - the SIG P226 and Glock 22. Both have blocky, drift-adjustable sights that will take plenty of abuse. Each is resistant to corrosion, but for different reasons. Glocks have a polymer frame, with a Tenifer finish coating the remaining steel parts. The SIG I shot was stainless steel.

SIG P229
The SIG is a double-action pistol. It can shoot from a cocked hammer position (single-action) or uncocked hammer position (double action). The first shot from an uncocked hammer has a long, heavy trigger pull. The recoil from the first round drives back the slide, cocking the pistol for a shorter, lighter pull for the second shot.

Transitioning between two trigger pulls is one of the challenges of double action automatic pistols, and requires some training time. Once I got used to it, I could put double taps a few inches apart at seven yards. When shooting single-action only, fuhgedaboutit - this pistol is phenomenally accurate, producing tight clusters and ragged holes. Bullseyes cry when the SIG's nearby.

One advantage of the long pull on the first shot is that you're less likely to accidentally fire a round while drawing the gun or reacting to a noise in the middle of the night. That's also why double actions are popular with police departments. In the event of a shooting, your opponent's lawyers will call a light single action pull a "hair trigger."

Racking the slide chambers the first round and cocks the hammer. When it's time to store the SIG (loaded or unloaded), you need to decock the hammer, since the SIG, like many double actions and almost all revolvers, doesn't have a safety. (Neither do Glocks.)

The P229 I shot held 10 rounds of .40 S&W. Pre-ban 12 round magazines are also available, though the prices will remain high until the ban expires in November, 2004. (The ban has a clause that allows law enforcement agencies to get clips larger than 10 rounds.) Because the magazine had been limited to less than its intended capacity, it was easier to load than is typical for large-caliber pistols. Even with a beefy magazine, the SIG's grip feels great, filling the hand without overwhelming it.

P229s in .40 caliber can also shoot .357 SIG, which is a .40 S&W case necked down to 9mm (.355 inch) diameter bullets. I didn't have the chance to try it, but apparently you just change out the barrel to switch between the two calibers. SIG also makes a 9 mm version that holds 10 or 13 rounds in the magazine.

Glock 23
Glocks have a unique "safe action" mechanism that isn't exactly single or double action, though it's officially classified as double action by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. (Alcohol, tobacco and firearms? Hey, there's an idea for a fun combination! OK, maybe not.)

When you rack the slide on a Glock, it partially compresses the spring that controls the striker. If the striker were to accidentally release without the trigger being pulled, there isn't enough spring tension to fire a cartridge. Pulling the trigger back compresses the spring the additional distance needed so that it has enough force to ignite the primer.

The result is a trigger pull that's light, or at least can be. Typical trigger pulls are about five pounds, though many police departments use much heavier triggers because of liability concerns. For all you you need to know about Glock triggers, see this Chuck Hawks article.

The Glock's other claim to fame is its polymer frame that drastically reduces weight. Like all Glocks, this one has a tactical rail in front of the trigger guard for attaching lighting systems, laser sights, and other goodies.

Conclusion
The Glock's advantage is its light weight thanks to the polymer frame. The SIG's big advantage is its incredible accuracy. If I had to carry one I might choose the Glock for its light weight and slimmer profile. For accuracy and the sheer pleasure of shooting, though, I'd choose the SIG.

	Glock 23	SIG P229
Capacity	10, 13, 15	10, 12
Weight empty	21.2 oz.	28.1 oz
Barrel	4.0"	3.9"
Sight Radius	6.0"	5.7"
Length	6.9"	7.1"
Height	5.0"	5.4"
Width	1.2"	1.5"
Origin	Austria	Switzerland

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Are You a Gun Nut?

Here's a typical scenario. Someone mentions they have X number of guns, where X is greater than 1. Someone who doesn't like guns says "Geez, why so many?" The implication being that the other guy is a gun-wielding maniac.

Now you could try to explain that each gun has its uses, but why bother? Face facts, pal, you're a gun-wielding maniac. Fortunately you're not alone.

A Field Guide to the Maniacs
A person who has more than one gun: gun-wielding maniac.

A person who has more than one knife in the kitchen: knife-wielding maniac.

A person who has more than one screwdriver in the toolbox: screwdriver-wielding maniac.

A person who has more than one towel in the bathroom: towel-wielding maniac.

A person who has more than one pen in the drawer: pen-wielding maniac.

A person who has more than one coat in the closet: coat-wielding maniac.

How many guns do I have? Too many to count, but only because I'm really lazy when it comes to counting.

Range Report: Para-Ordnance LDA .45

I dropped by the range after work to shoot some leftover .45 ammo. Which gun to shoot?

I didn't realize the rental counter had a Para-Ordnance LDA model. At a glance, it looks like most 1911-style autos, but there's a difference. The 1911 design was single-action only. The LDA ("Light Double Action") is double-action only (DAO). After each shot, the hammer returns to the de-cocked position, like a revolver.

The "Light" part of the name is no joke. Figures I've seen quoted in the press indicate a six pound trigger pull, and that seemed about right for the example I shot. Six pounds isn't a hair trigger or even a target trigger, but that's the point - with a medium trigger weight, accidental discharges are less likely. The trend in law-enforcement is towards double-action or double-action only designs to reduce liability.

At six pounds, the LDA's trigger is still lighter than most revolvers, which makes sense. A double-action revolver's trigger has to turn the cylinder and cock the hammer. With an autoloader, the trigger just has to cock the hammer. (Don't ask me why the LDA's trigger is lighter than most regular double-action pistol triggers. That I can't explain.) The trigger action is smooth, with a definite two-stage pull.

This was the full-sized model with a five inch barrel and double-stack magazine. Larger models (like the one pictured here) are available in high-capacity versions with as many as 14 rounds of .45 caliber. Para offers smaller models with shorter barrels and grips, and single-stack magazines that allow a thinner profile. The smallest versions also have flush, de-horned hammers for snag-free concealed carry.

So how does it shoot? Not bad. Not quite as accurately as the last 1911-style .45 I shot, a Kimber. That could be because of the DAO design, the double-stack magazine, or the fact that the Kimber was brand new and this rental model had been fired quite a bit.

Of the three possible factors, I'm leaning towards the double-stack magazine being the main culprit. Jeff Cooper is convinced that a single-stack design is the only reasonable approach for .45 caliber that products satisfactory results. I've noticed that I shoot guns with large magazines and consequently large handles less well. That may be one reason I've never taken to Glocks. I'd like to try one of the single-stack LDAs to test the theory.

Read more Range Reports for other guns

Fatal Shooting Reported at Guncraft Sports (Updated)

There's a report of a fatal shooting at the Guncraft Sports pistol range in Knoxville:

September 03, 2003 12:55 PM - FATAL SHOOTING AT GUN RANGE: Knox County deputies confirm that a person has been shot to death at Guncraft Sports on Dutchtown Road in west Knox County. Crime scene investigators and detectives were called to the scene around 10:30. There's no word yet on whether the shooting was accidental or deliberately self-inflicted.

Guncraft is the range where I shoot, and is about half a mile from where I work.

A FEW MINUTES LATER: I drove down to Guncraft at 1:19. There were five Sheriff's department vehicles and a video cameraman on the scene.

UPDATE: The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that it was an apparent suicide:

A woman rented a handgun Wednesday at a West Knox County firing range and apparently fatally shot herself in the head, authorities said.

Knox County Sheriff's Office Capt. Larry Hunter said authorities were alerted at 10:48 a.m. that a woman was shot at Guncraft Sports Inc., 10737 Dutchtown Road.

Hunter said the woman, who had been in the gun store in the past, rented a pistol and proceeded to the indoor firing range. As at least two other people shot weapons on the range, the woman apparently shot herself in the head.

Hunter said detectives intended to review a videotape of the range shooters to ascertain if the woman shot herself. The Sheriff's Office did not release the woman's identity, but the Toyota Tercel she drove to the firing range bore a Knox County license plate.

Bob Wiest, co-owner of Guncraft Sports, said he had never had a customer commit suicide in the 56 years the business has operated.

Gun Review Roundup

Kim du Toit reviews the Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine.

GunBlast reviews the new Stevens side-by-side 12 gauge, Smith & Wesson .500 Magnum, Kimber A-22, and the Kel-Tec P3AT, the world's lightest .380. I have a pump 12 gauge, but I'm hankering for a side-by-side, too. Either an English sports model with hidden hammers, or a lupara with exposed hammers. As Jeff Cooper notes, a model with exposed hammers can be left loaded with all of the springs at rest, like a revolver.

Chuck Hawks has a bunch of new articles, including reviews of the Ruger Old Army cap and ball revolver, the new S&W .500 Magnum cartridge, Remington 673 Guide Rifle, and Uberti New Model Army 1858 cap and ball revolver. Those are just the new reviews. Browse through the firearms section of his site and look for the "new" icon to find all of the articles he's uploaded recently. Chuck and his contributors have been whittling their pencils to stubs.

Guns & Ammo reviews the Kahr PM9, CZ P-01, three Para-Ordnance LDA models, Benelli shotguns, and Ithaca's new slug gun that's probably more accurate than any slug gun before it.

Quick Gun Links

There's a gun show tomorrow (Saturday) at the Knoxville Expo Center on Clinton Highway. I'm going with my friend Jay. If any other Knoxville folks wanted to go but didn't have anyone to go with, email me.

A group of gun-loving bloggers have put together the Shooter's Carnivals as a central point for their gun articles. SayUncle found this library of targets in PDF format.

Jeff Cooper's latest commentaries are up for September.

Notes from the Smokey Mtn Gun Show

Jay and I went to the Smokey Mountain Gun Show yesterday at the Knoxville Expo Center. Here's a summary of what we saw. If you have a 9 mm or .40 caliber pistol, be sure to read about the Kel-Tech Sub 2000 carbine, my pick of the show. You'll also be interested if you need a light system for your shotgun, or have an interest in French pinfire guns of the 1800s.

We found a piece of local history at the show. In the picture at right Jay is holding the Commando, a .45 caliber Tommy Gun look-alike once manufactured in Knoxville, Tennessee. We also found a single shot shotgun marked "Volunteer Arms" with a hang tag saying "paint it orange and white." I had never heard of the company, but according to this page they were headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, so the Volunteer name is apparently a fluke. Too bad. It could have been the official boarding weapon of the Vol Navy.

I didn't buy any guns, but I picked up a bore light, range bag, and rifle bag. I also snagged some ammunition, including some short, light-recoil 12 gauge shells that looked interesting.

The best thing I bought was an Advanced Technology light clamp and a TacStar light switch for my Mossberg shotgun. The clamp holds a standard Mini-Mag or other 1" flashlight below the tubular magazine. The switch replaces the Mini-Mag's tail cap, and has a curly cord running to a pressure switch that I mounted on the shotgun's fore-end stock. Tapping the switch turns the Mini-Mag on and off. It's a complete tactical light for about $40, as opposed to $300 or more for a SureFire or similar lighting system. (Later: I've decided the switch is flaky, so I'll use the light's own on/off switch instead.)

Continue reading "Notes from the Smokey Mtn Gun Show" »

Range Report: SIG P232 .380

I'm not a big fan of .380s, or double actions, but the little SIG was one of the few guns at the range that I hadn't shot, so I tried it reluctantly. I was pleasantly surprised.

The P232 has one of the best double action mechanisms I've ever used. When decocked, the hammer is still partially cocked, which makes the first shot lighter and shorter than most DAs.

	SIG P232
Capacity	7+1
Weight Empty	16.2 oz.
Barrel	3.6"
Sight Radius	4.7"
Length	6.6"
Height	4.7"
Width	1.2"
Origin	W. Germany

After the first shot, double action autoloaders cock the hammer, making for a trigger pull that's lighter, but not necessarily shorter. Often, the second trigger pull is just as long, but the first stage of travel is extemely light because the trigger has no resistance. With the P232, the trigger doesn't return to the fully forward position after the first shot, so there's no takeup in the single-action trigger pull.

These two features make the 232 very easy to fire quickly and accurately. The sights are big enough to get a good sight picture, and feature a red front blade. The grip was just big enough to get a good purchase, and had rubber stocks that provided a secure grip that easily tamed the modest recoil.

The magazine release is on the bottom of the handle, which makes it a two-handed affair that's a little slow to operate. The gun I shot was stainless steel for ease of maintenance. Other finish options are blued, two-toned, and Nitrox.

If you're in the market for a .380, the SIG P232 would be an excellent choice. If you can handle the recoil of the more-powerful 9 mm, the Kel-Tec P11 and Glock 26 are about the same size. I'll post reviews of both guns in the next week.

Read more Range Reports for other guns

Tennessee Handgun Carry Permits, Part I

Last Saturday I took the required class to get a handgun carry permit in Tennessee. I took the class at Guncraft Sports in Knoxville. Cost was $75 for the one-day class, including the written test and shooting qualification.

Some other stores offer the class a little cheaper, but I gladly paid a small premium for Guncraft. Their staff has continually impressed me with their knowledge, professionalism, and commitment to safety. Starke has taken the class from another range and from Guncraft, and felt that Guncraft's was the more professional and informative. I was impressed with the instruction, and I'll post more about that later in part II.

The written test is about as hard as a driver's license test. The qualification was 12 rounds at 3 yards, 12 rounds at 7 yards, and 24 rounds at 25 yards. You need a score of 70% or higher to pass. You don't have to shoot with the gun you plan to carry, so you can shoot with a .22 target pistol if you prefer. Guncraft rents guns for $7.50 an hour, and they sell ammo.

If you don't own a gun, I'd recommend renting a gun. You'll learn a lot during the class, and will be better prepared to buy a gun afterwords. If anyone reading this isn't comfortable shooting and would like some practice before the class, email me. I'll take you to the range, pay your fees, and teach you to shoot. No joke. Just email me and I'd be glad to help.

As part of the class, we watched a video from the state of Tennessee that explained the laws concerning carry permits and the use of deadly force. Here are some notes from the video and some of my reading outside of class. Parts of this apply to Tennessee only. For other states, consult your local laws.

Deadly force and criminal law

• You can use deadly force to prevent death or serious injury to yourself or a third party. Beware of blundering into a scene and making a split-second decision as to who's the good guy and who's the bad guy. You could shoot the guy with the gun, only to find out he's an undercover cop, or another armed citizen like yourself.
• In Tennessee, if a person illegally enters your home, you have broad rights to use deadly force, even without the threat of death or serious injury. You do not have to retreat, though retreating to a bedroom or other room may be helpful in the event of a civil trial. It may also be helpful for your psyche - shooting another person is not something to take lightly - but if you feel threatened you have to protect yourself and your family.
• You cannot use deadly force to protect property. If they're stealing a hubcap they're not a threat to life or limb.
• You cannot use deadly force to make a citizen's arrest, or to stop a fleeing criminal. If they're fleeing they're not a threat to life or limb.
• You're responsible for all of the shots you fire, including misses that hit innocent bystanders. Use aimed fire. "Spray and pray" is a bad idea.

Deadly force and civil law

• Even if criminal charges aren't pressed against you, the person you shoot can file a suit in civil court, as can their estate.
• Even if the person you shoot is convicted of a crime for assaulting you, they can file a civil suit against you. The other guy can literally sue you from his jail cell. What else has he got to do?
• "Guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt" is the standard for criminal trials. For civil trials, the plaintiff only has to prove a preponderance of evidence. In other words, the creep in jail who's suing you got the benefit of the doubt, not you.
• In civil court, the state does not provide for your defense. Unlike the creep who was convicted and is now suing you from jail, you have to pay for your own attorney. (Tort reform is sounding better and better, isn't it?)
• If you shoot someone in your home, your homeowner's insurance will not pay for your defense. Consider Pre-paid Legal, or an umbrella liability policy. Or forget spending money on a gun and get a life insurance policy: if the creep kills you, the insurance company will pay out to your beneficiaries.
• Cheer up, in spite of all of the above. Even if you get taken to court, you're still alive. It's better to be tried by twelve than carried by six. Want to take control of your life? Put money in your savings account so you can mount a legal defense against the creep or his estate. You invested in a gun and an alarm. Invest in a legal warchest. If you don't use it, it will come in handy for your kids' education or your retirement.

Think about how a jury would see things

• The next time you're buying home defense ammo and you have a choice between "Marksman" and "Predator" brand, think how "Predator" brand ammo sounds to a jury member who has never shot a gun in his or her life.
• Keep your defensive weapons close to stock, and never disable safeties. For example, you may know that pinning the grip safety shut on a 1911-style auto will reduce trigger pull by a pound or two. That's all well and good, but the opposing counsel will use that modification against you. "The defendant purposefully disabled one of his gun's safety devices because a hair trigger is more important to him than the safety of human life."
• If you use hollowpoints, a common strategy for opposing counsel is to accuse you of using "dum dum rounds." He may even mention that expanding bullets are outlawed under the Geneva Convention. This is nonsense, and it's apparently pretty easy to beat: just remember to have someone from local law enforcement testify that they use hollowpoints because they're more effective at incapacitating an assailant, and because hollowpoints are less likely to over-penetrate and strike an innocent bystander.
• Also consider using Glaser Safety Slugs, which are highly effective incapacitators that are designed to prevent over-penetration. The fact that they have a jury-friendly name is a bonus. You could also take Kim du Toit's advice and use the same ammo that your local police department uses.
• On the other hand, forget about the myth of "shooting to wound." Shooting is shooting and reflects the use of potentially deadly force, and may result in death despite your best intentions. Shooting someone in the leg to wound them could open their femoral artery, which will cause death by blood loss in minutes.
• While you don't shoot to wound, you don't shoot to kill, either. Shooting the other guy to stop him may result in his death, but incapacitation, not death, is the goal. Another way to think of it: you don't shoot to kill, you shoot to live. If you don't incapacitate him, he'll kill you.

Where you can't carry a gun

Even with a carry permit, there are lots of places where a gun is off-limits, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious (some laws apply only to Tennessee):

• Airports
• Most court facilities
• Federal parks
• Public facilities, including city parks and greenways.
• School grounds, including public schools, private schools, and colleges.
There's an exception when dropping off students, as long as the gun stays in the car and isn't handled.
• Any private property where a notice is posted. In Knoxville, that includes all of West Town Mall.
• Anywhere alcohol is served. In addition, you can't carry while you're drinking. In Tennessee, there's no threshold or blood alcohol level. No drinking whatsoever is allowed while carrying.
• Violating any of these laws can result in criminal proceedings and/or the loss of your permit.
• With all of those restrictions, most of us will keep our guns in the car or nightstand most of the time, and only occasionally carry them. Carrying pepper spray is still a good idea for all of the places where guns aren't allowed. Even when carrying a gun, pepper spray is a good idea, as it's sometimes a more appropriate response to lower levels of conflict.

When you carry a gun, you can't get in fistfights

If you carry a gun, you have to walk away from fights whenever you can, even if it means swallowing your pride. Let's say someone is yelling at you and calling you and yours names. What do you do?

• If you pull a gun and shoot him for calling you names, you're a murderer, plain and simple. You can only use deadly force when faced with the loss of life or limb.
• If you punch the guy, things can get out of control. If he starts winning the fight and gets on top of you, do you shoot him? If he pulls a knife, do you shoot him? In either case, you're the one who started the fight by punching him, so you could be guilty of murder.
• If you draw your gun and try to intimidate him, he may not back down, and you're forced to either back down or shoot an unarmed man.
• Maybe he isn't unarmed, and drawing your gun will provoke a gunfight.
• If you get in a fistfight and try to draw your gun in the clench, he could take your gun and kill you. Now he's a murderer and you're dead.
• The best strategy is to keep your cool and move away. Being called a name never killed anyone. If he follows you and assaults you, you may need to draw your weapon. If so, you're in a better legal position, since you tried to retreat and he initiated the fight.
• If you're in a tight spot - you can't get away, but there isn't yet sufficient reason to use deadly force - saying "back off, I have a gun" isn't the worst thing you can do. Say it while your hand is on your gun in case he draws his, but keep your finger off of the trigger until you're forced to shoot.

What about carrying your gun out in the open?

Unlike some other states, Tennessee carry permits are permits to carry, not concealed carry permits. However, there are lots of reasons why open carry is generally a bad idea.

• With open carry, you lose the advantage of surprise. The attacker gets to choose the time, place, and victim. By carrying open, you've revealed your secret weapon.
• Say you're present in a bad scene, like a bank robbery or hostage situation, such as the recent case at Dyersburg State Community College. The bad guy has 11 hostages and one of them has a gun strapped to his hip. Put yourself in his shoes. Who would you shoot first? (Note that - since it was a college campus - the students and teacher in that class had been legally disarmed by the state. Criminals, crazies, and terrorists will continue to attack where there are victims who are least likely to fight back.)
• While it seems crazy to attack someone with a gun, the instructor mentioned a motive: maybe the bad guy needs a(nother) gun. Since you decided to carry in the open, the bad guy can see what a nice pistol you have, and since it's your gun it can't be traced back to him.
• Carrying a gun openly will make lots of people nervous, including friends and family members. It will also attract unwanted attention from police and security guards everywhere you go.
• If people start carrying in the open, more businesses will post notices that guns are off limits, and there will be fewer and fewer places to carry. Open carry is a losing strategy for our side.

The emphasis in the class was that having a gun is a grave responsibility, and isn't to be taken lightly. We discussed 9/11, and the fact that the fourth plane didn't reach its target because of the actions of ordinary citizens, the very people who comprise the militia mentioned in the second amendment of the Constitution.

What's next?

Now that I've passed the class, I have to go to the DMV and fill out an application. I'll pay $115 (cash, no checks) and the state will run a background check. Applicants must be 21 or older, can't have any felony or DUI convictions, can't be under a restraining order, and can't have been committed for drug or alcohol treatment. It will take about six weeks to get the permit.

For more information

Handgunlaw.us - great information on carry permits by state, plus handgun information.
Massad Ayoob - Police officer, firearms instructor, lethal force instructor, gun writer, and expert trial witness in shootings. Read the Ayoob Files for post-mortems on gunfights to see what happened during the shooting, and what happened afterwards at the trial.

LATER: Guncraft Sports is now Coal Creek Armory. I haven't had a need to take their CCW class, but the staff is even better than before, in my opinion.

Knoxville Gun Show and Quick Gun Links

I am so gonna buy one of these. Well, unless it's a parody or something.

There's a gun show this weekend in Knoxville. The Mike Holloway Gun Show in the Smokies is Saturday and Sunday at the Jakobs Building at Chilhowee Park. If my schedule works out I'm going with SayUncle. Here are my notes from the last show.

Jeff at Alphecca has the Weekly Gun Bias Report with some good linkage, and a picture of pistol-packing J. Lo and Ben. Well, unless it's a parody or something.

Jeff Quinn at GunBlast has a review of the Kimber Pro DCP II .45 auto.

Open Carry in Ohio?

Claytom Cramer has a solution to the recent court ruling supporting the ban on concealed carry in Ohio - carry guns openly:

I have been told (although I have no authoritative source for this claim) that part of what drove West Virginia to pass a non-discretionary permit law a bit more than a decade ago was people starting to carry openly, because there was no way to get a permit--and the West Virginia Supreme Court had decided that the restrictive licensing law that West Virginia had was defective.

Back from the Gun Show

Went to the gun show today with SayUncle. There was a light turnout at the show, but we had a good time. (Later: here are SayUncle's notes on our encounter with someone who was probably an undercover BATF agent.)

One interesting thing we found was a specimen of a Thunder Five, the 5-shot .410 revolver once made in Piney Flats, Tennessee. Asking price was $499, and it looked like new.

We also ran across a four-shot .357 magnum that I remember from the '80s. It was a sort of pepperbox design, with four, non-rotating barrels. I've forgotten the name, though I think it began with "Cor" something.

I really liked the Mossberg .410 pump shotgun we found. I have a soft spot for Mossbergs anyway, and this was a handy little gun with a forward pistol grip. If I had any use for a .410 shotgun I'd have bought it.

I'm narrowing down the short list for my next handgun. It'll be a .357 or .38, a Smith &Wesson, with a short barrel. I've shot the 342 (5-shot, small-framed, titanium, 1.8" barrel). I looked at a 386 today. It's a 7-shot, medium-frame, titanium model with a 2.5" barrel. A little bigger, but with much better sights and two extra rounds. It's also an incredible $700 with tax. That will involve the ceremony I like to call the Unclenching of the Very Tight Fist.

I really like the Hi-Viz sights in the Express sight layout. The light-gathering sight system really works. The green sights worked best for me.

As far as purchases, the only thing I bought was some beef jerky. But, hey, it was Crocket Creek, which just happens to be the world's best beef jerky, made in Maryville, Tennessee. Their factory is on 411 south of Maryville, and they have a store that's open to the public.

I've Been Suspended from Google Adwords

Google Adwords suspended my account. I was bidding on the keyword "e-commerce" and related terms. Why did they suspend me? Because I talk about firearms on my blog.

Bear in mind, Google allows people to buy AdWords for many questionable products, but they won't allow me to discuss legal gun ownership. Google needs to produce a legal reason why they can't sell advertising to gun-related sites. Otherwise a lot of people will assume their motives are political. Meanwhile I'll move my advertising to Overture.

Here's the email I received:

Continue reading "I've Been Suspended from Google Adwords" »

Bowen Classic Arms in Louisville, TN

I have an interest in guns, and a special interest in guns manufactured here in Tennessee. By a mysterious succession of links I ran across Bowen Classic Arms. It's not just a Tennessee company, it's a Louisville, Tennessee company, located in my own zip code. They re-manufacture classic revolvers and rifles, from Colts to Rugers and Smith &Wessons.

Unfair Fights are the Way to Go

Clayton Cramer quotes this email from Professor John J. Donohue III, who is anti-gun:

You can always grab a baseball bat or use your fists to defend yourself and the vast majority of the time that Lott or Kleck thinks a gun was used defensively, the bat or fists would have done just fine. I don't know what the net effect of guns is, but neither do you.

Cramer notes the obvious exceptions to "always." Maybe you're outnumbered, maybe the criminal is carrying a concealed weapon, or maybe they're simply physically stronger than you are. There's a reason guns are considered the great equalizers.

Beyond that, though, is a simpler argument. Why shouldn't a respectable citizen have every advantage against a criminal? Reading between the lines of some of the anti-gun arguments, there seems to be a naive belief in the concept of a fair fight. If I'm being attacked, the last thing I want is a fair fight. I want a fight that's completely unfair, in my favor.

Range Report: Silenced Walther P22 (.22)

I recently had my first chance to shoot a Walther P22, and with it my first chance to use a silencer.

With the silencer in place, I heard something I had never heard before: the bullet plinking off the metal backstop of the indoor range. Normally the report of the gun drowns out that sound. With the silencer, the plinking sound drowns out any report. (LATER: here's an MPEG movie with sound of a silenced P22. Why didn't I think of that?)

I also discovered something cool to do with a silencer. Open the slide and blow air down the barrel. A tongue of smoke will chimney out the barrel and linger by the muzzle.

Some people will ask, aren't silencers illegal? Silencers are legal, but to buy one you'll need to pay a $200 transfer fee to the BATF, fill out lots of paperwork, and have a squeaky clean record.

A silencer would be handy if you live in an area where shooting is legal, but the noise bothers your neighbors.

The Walther P22
The P22 is clearly not intended to be a target piece. The designer's choices - double-action trigger, three-dot sights, compact size - all point to a defensive weapon.

	Walther P22
Capacity	10+1
Weight Empty	16.9 oz
Barrel	3.4"
Length	6.3"
Height	4.5"
Width	1.1"
Origin	W. Germany

Come to think of it, one of the women in my CCW class had a brand-new P22. Personally, I'd question using a P22 for defensive use. Automatics in this size are available in calibers - like .32 and .380 - that are much more effective than the .22, but still have manageable recoil for even small shooters (the woman in my class with the P22 was about 4'10"). And anyway, a revolver is a better bet for someone who will rarely practice with a gun or spend time maintaining it.

The P22's handle is very short. By wrapping my little finger underneath it, I got a decent but not great grip. Magazines with grip extensions are available, but aren't much more comfortable.

Out of 100 rounds, I had one misfire, half a dozen jams, and three or four failures of the slide to lock open after the last round fired. In one case, the slide catch released unexpectedly. In another, the cartridge caught on the magazine and wound up sticking straight up out of the action. Clearing it involved locking open the slide and prying the cartridge rim out of the magazine. Those problems may have been unique to this sample, but they didn't inspire any confidence in the gun.

The P22's safety and magazine release are ambidextrious. The magazine release is part of the trigger guard. It's similar to the H&K USP pistol. I can't comfortably operate the magazine release on either gun, using either my thumb or index finger.

All in all, I just can't see much purpose for the P22. It isn't a target gun. Because of the caliber and poor reliability, there are better choices for a defensive gun. Any good brand of .38 revolver will be simpler and more reliable. For a small defensive automatic, a SIG P232 is a better choice. For a target .22, I'd prefer the Browning Buckmark.

UPDATE February 19, 2006

I've shot three newer P22s since this one, and none of them have had these problems. It looks like Walther has solved the teething problems these early pistols had. One of them had a problem with randomly dropping the magazine while firing, but Smith &Wesson (the importer) took care of the problem at no charge. If you liked the P22 but were reluctant to buy one because of reliability problems, it looks like it's safe to buy one now.

Read more Range Reports for other guns

Full Auto Glock

John of Argghhh! has a MPEG Movie of Full Auto Glock Pistol

Hat tip to AlphaPatriot.

UPDATE: Here's the same video via YouTube's bandwidth.

And here's a cooler video with a full auto Glock equipped with a shoulder stock and (at the end of the video) a double snail magazine.

That's Not A Knife... This is a Knife

Robber trieds sticking up a clerk with a fake gun, clerk realizes it's fake and pulls his real gun. I saw it on SayUncle and InstaPundit first, but One Hand Clapping has the writeup that came to my mind, too.

Range Report: Glock 26 and Kel-Tec P11 (9 mm)

With more states switching to "shall issue" carry permits, more citizens are carrying concealed weapons. Consequently there are more small guns on the market, and in larger calibers. This week I look at two baby 9 mms. I was curious to see how well such small guns soaked up recoil. I found that recoil was manageable for both guns. Experienced shooters shouldn't have any problems.

Kel-Tec P11
The P11 has three things going for it: size, weight, and price. Cost is around $250, which is amazing for a 9 mm. Granted, it doesn't look expensive, either, but it's a lot of gun for the money.

The P11 was clearly designed for concealed duty. A few years ago, a gun this small would have been chambered in .32 or .380, but the P11 shoots the more powerful 9 mm. Thanks to a polymer frame, it weighs just 14 ounces, which is lighter than all but the titanium models of Smith &Wesson's venerable J-Frame .38s, long the standard in hideout guns. Even with a full magazine the weight is just 20 ounces.

The P11 uses a double-action only trigger: each shot requires a long, heavy trigger pull. A DAO trigger is safer, since the long, heavy pull makes you very aware of your trigger pull. This could be a good feature if you're pocket carrying (it means you're less likely to give yourself a 9 mm vasectomy). Small as these guns are, though, a holster of some kind is desirable.

The trigger pull, for my tastes, is just too long. The anticipation of waiting for the trigger to finally fall is ruinous to accuracy. For best accuracy, you're not supposed to know exactly when the gun is going to go off, but the trigger pull shouldn't be so long that you have to wonder if it's ever going to go off.

Glock 26
The Glock 26 has the standard Glock trigger, which is pretty good. Like the Kel-Tec, the trigger pull is the same weight and length from shot to shot. Unlike the Kel-Tec, the trigger weight and length are very reasonable.

The 26 is built on Glock's subcompact frame. If you have a larger Glock in 9 mm the 26 will accept the same magazines. The unit I shot was equipped with a Pearse magazine grip extension, which made the handle long enough to be comfortable. One Glock isn't very different from the rest, so I won't repeat myself. If you're interested you can read my last Glock review.

Conclusion
The Kel-Tec is a decent gun for the money, and has a good reputation for reliability. If you can train yourself to overcome the long trigger, it's a bargain. It's especially good if you need a gun that small and light. However, if I'm ever shopping for a baby 9 for holster use and have the extra 250 bucks, I'd gladly spend it on the Glock 26. The difference in construction quality and trigger make it worthwhile. My friend who shot both guns with me agreed: with money no object, the Glock 26 is the better gun.

Followup Notes
This weekend I went with SayUncle to christen his new Glock 30. The Glock 30 is the .45 caliber version of the 26, and is similarly impressive. The other week I reviewed the Walther P22 and mentioned that a woman in my CCW class had one. I questioned how good of a choice that was for a defensive weapon. Apparently she did, too, because when SayUncle and I saw her at the range this weekend she had traded in the P22 for a Glock 26 and loved it.

	Glock 26	Kel-Tec P11
Capacity	10+1	10+1
Barrel	3.46 in.	3.1 in.
Length	6.29 in.	4.6 in.
Height	4.17 in.	4.3 in.
Width	1.18 in.	1 in.
Weight Empty	19.75 oz	14 oz
Street Price	$500	$250

Read more Range Reports for other guns

Alphecca's Weekly Report

Jeff has the Weekly Check on Gun Bias posted. I don't link to these every week, but this one's a doozy. He's all over Dustin Hoffman and Ellen Goodman for wanting to be on the NRA's enemies list, the Symantec Internet filter that blocks pro-gun sites, and lots more.

Burma Shave

These pro-gun signs in Champaign County, Illinois are getting some attention. I saw signs like these when I drove up to visit Melissa in Chicage two years ago, though Melissa recalls that it was I-74 instead of I-80. The ones getting play in the press are:

Dialed 911
And I'm on hold
Sure wish I had
That gun I sold.

Some of them are more corny than pithy. If you've got better ideas, there's a contact email on the Web site.

Range Report: Ruger P95C (9 mm)

In a recent review of the Ruger P90, Massad Ayoob mentioned something astonishing. Clay Harvey studied .45s and wrote a book, Everything You Really Need to Know About Choosing a .45 Automatic for Self-Defense. After shooting a large number of guns and looking at repair rates, he declared the P90 his "first choice for an all-purpose defensive pistol."

The P90 series is available in 9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 calibers. I shot a 9 mm P95.

The ambidextrious magazine release is the best I've ever used. I could easily reach it with my thumb or index finger. With conventional designs your finger pushes the button inwards. With the P95 your finger rocks the button forward, which I found more natural. If equipped with an ambi slide release, I think I could reach it from either side, too.

	Ruger P95
Capacity	10+1
Weight Empty	27 oz.
Barrel	4.5"
Length	7.25"
Origin	USA

Some of the Rugers use an alloy receiver. The receiver on the P95 and P97 models is made from a polymer. It's reminiscent of the Ruger 10/22. The handle is slightly blocky, but comfortable, with molded-in grips. The P95 and P97 versions are about $50 cheaper and five ounces lighter than the alloy receiver models.

The white dot sights are pretty good. Bigger or brighter dots would have helped.

All of the Ruger centerfire service pistols are double action. You have your choice of a manual safety, a decocker, or a double action only (DAO) trigger pull. (The picture accompanying this article shows the DAO model.) The double action trigger pull is somewhat long and heavy, but better than most DA triggers.

At $350 real world price for a centerfire autoloader, it would be hard to beat the Rugers, particularly with their reputation for reliability.

Read more Range Reports for other guns

US and UK Murder Rates

There's been a lot of debate about the affects of the UK's gun control laws, with much comparing of murder rates between the two countries. That comparison may be apples and oranges. Hat tip to the Smith &Wesson Forum.

The murder rates of the U.S. and U.K. are also affected by differences in the way each counts homicides. The FBI asks police to list every homicide as murder, even if the case isn’t subsequently prosecuted or proceeds on a lesser charge, making the U.S. numbers as high as possible. By contrast, the English police "massage down" the homicide statistics, tracking each case through the courts and removing it if it is reduced to a lesser charge or determined to be an accident or self-defense, making the English numbers as low as possible.

National Ammo Day

Today is National Ammo Day, and this week is National Ammo Week. Buy ammo to show support for the firearms industry in the U.S. I plan on picking some up at the gun show this weekend.

Technology vs. Culture

Clayton Cramer links to this St. Louis Today editorial. It ostensibly argues that the proposed Missouri concealed carry law is unnecessary: "In St. Louis, the people most likely to want concealed weapons really don't need them. Just look at the numbers." The statistics the editorialist uses to back up that assertion are fascinating:

Here are some amazing true facts, courtesy of the St. Louis Police Department:

Between Jan. 1, 2001 and last July 11, the city recorded 300
homicides - a little more than 10 per month. Of the 300 victims, 234 (or 78
percent) had a felony criminal history. Of the suspects arrested in these
killings, 88 percent had felony criminal histories. That percentage would be
even higher if people suspected of multiple killings had been counted more than
once.

Seventy-three percent of the 300 victims had a history of using illegal drugs
or a criminal history involving illegal drugs. Sixty-five percent of the
suspects had a drug history. Sixty-eight percent of the victims had illegal
drugs or alcohol in their systems at the time of autopsy.

Of the 300 victims, 265 were black and 258 were male. Fifty-six percent were
between the ages of 17 and 30.

Thus, if you are a middle-age white male - those considered most likely to
apply for a concealed-carry license - and you don't drink or do drugs or hang
around with people who do, your chances of being a victim of homicide in St.
Louis are almost zero.

Like a lot of people in big cities, he extrapolates the urban situation he's familiar with to the entire state. Missouri is a big place. I imagine there are hamlets with one or even zero full-time law-enforcement officers, and no inner-city to speak of. Yet they still have crime.

The statistics he uses are fascinating for other reasons. For one, he effectively argues the point that there's no reason not to have a concealed carry ban law. Most of the people who take advantage of it (like me) are statistically unlikely to use a gun for illegal purposes. He's also effectively shown that the presence of a gun doesn't spontaneously cause crime. So where's the harm in having legal guns or carry permits?

He also reveals the truth about shooting statistics. (I'll go out on a limb and say that the majority of the murderers used firearms for their weapons, as opposed to less-efficient clubs and knives. I'll go further out on that limb and say that the criminials used internal combusion engines for their transportation, as opposed to less-efficient horses.) Most of the violence is criminal-on-criminal, or drug-related. It makes sense to let law-abiding types keep their guns and legally carry them.

Most of the violence is also black-on-black. Steven den Beste wrote about reasons why young, inner-city black males might be more prone to violent crime. You can argue the "root causes" of that fact (most likely that it's whitey's fault), but the fact remains that a lot of the crime in the U.S. is by and against young, inner-city black males, is cultural, and has nothing to do with legal gun ownership. Banning "Saturday night specials," "sniper rifles," and "assault weapons" won't change the cultural problems that lead to the use of guns for illegal purposes. I don't claim to know what the solution is, but gun control ain't it.

Gun-grabbing Idiocy in Jersey

I've been wanting an assault rifle. Well, it turns out that I already had one and didn't know it. According to New Jersey, my Winchester 170 with a 17-round tube magazine is an assault rifle. Of course, if I take it to Jersey I could be arrested and face five years in jail, like this guy. For a .22!

Range Report: Ruger Mark II (.22)

The Ruger Standard Model was designed by Bill Ruger himself and introduced in 1949. The company improved the design and introduced the Mark II in 1981. It's now the world's best-selling .22 pistol.

The Mark II's single best feature is its slim handle. It's small enough to fit any adult hands, and most kids' hands, too. Ruger offers the Mark II in blued or stainless steel, with barrel lengths from four to 10 inches. Prices start around $250.

	Ruger Mark II
Capacity	10+1
Weight Empty	~40 oz.
Barrel	4 to 10 inches
Origin	USA

The grip angle is steep, similar to a Luger. Ruger also offers the 22/45, a .22 target pistol with the grip angle and control placement of a 1911-style .45. I prefer the Mark II's slimmer grip and more ergonomic controls. I'm told that the Mark II is also much easier to disassemble.

As with the 22/45, I shot the Mark II against the Browning Buckmark Camper. The Buckmark was once again more accurate for me thanks to its great trigger and balance. I did prefer the slightly finer sights on the Ruger out at 25 yards.

Even though the Buckmark is a better gun out of the box for the average shooter, the Ruger wins in the area of customization and after-market accessories. There are no end of replacement barrels, triggers, stocks, sights, and magazines, and you'll find more custom gunsmiths specializing in the Mark II. The Ruger also wins if you or yours have small hands.

Read more Range Reports

Gun Show Notes (Buckmark, Johnson, M1, CMP)

I hadn't planned on going to the gun show today, but around 2:00 I got bored, and figured I'd shop for a .357. I couldn't decide on a revolver, but one of these followed me home:

That's the Browning Buckmark Camper. The one that followed me home has a green Tru-Glo light-gathering front sight. I knew I was going to buy a Buckmark eventually, and the price was great ($259). There were more deals today than at the past three shows. I also picked up a lightly-used red dot sight for $12 for my Winchester .22 rifle.

The dealer also had the camo model in various configurations. I'm not really a camo kind of guy, but he pointed out that the camo versions have a slightly improved slide: they have "wings" on the back that make it easier to grasp. If you are a camo kind of guy, that's another reason to go that route.

I saw one rifle that I had read about, but had never seen in the flesh: the U.S. Johnson 1941, which saw limited use in World War II. The Johnson is built around an internal, rotary magazine, hence the pot-bellied stock.

Most people have never heard of Johnson's rifle or his light machine gun. Melvin Johnson could have been as well-known as Garand or Thompson, but for the contingencies of history:

The rifle was undoubtedly quite a good design, but the US Army had, in 1936, committed themselves to the Garand, and since the Johnson design offered no advantages, it was turned down. It was, however, purchased by the Dutch government in 1941 for use by the Netherlands East Indies army and some 50,000 were made; the loss of the Indies to the Japanese prevented completion of delivery, and the US Marines took the remaining rifles since they were having difficulty obtaining their share of Garand production at the time.
- Ian V. Hogg, The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Firearms

The one pictured will set you back $6,250 on Gunbroker.com. The sample at the show was a bargain at $2,500. Johnsons shoot the .30-06, so in theory you could shoot them if they weren't so collectable. People who want a US military .30-06 to shoot buy the surplus M1 Garand, which is available for as little as $300 through the Civilian Marksmanship Program, though the $300 jobs are pretty clapped out, and any of the CMP guns may need some gunsmithing or even a new barrel to perform well. Surplus parts, clips, and accessories are available in abundance.

The CMP is another historical oddity. It was created in 1916 to train young men to fight the Keyser in the trenches of Europe. It survives to this day, though Congress transferred management of the program from the U.S. Army to a non-profit 501-(c)(3) corporation in 1996.

Range Report Index (Gun Reviews)

These are all of the gun reviews I've published. This index will be updated when new reviews are added to the site.

Armalite AR-7 (.22)
Bersa Thunder (.380)
Browning Buckmark (.22)
Glock 23 (.40)
Glock 26 (9 mm)
Glock 30 (.45)
Hi-Point (9 mm)
Kel-Tec P3AT (.380)
Kel-Tec P11 (9 mm)
North American Arms Black Widow (.22)
Para-Ordnance LDA (.45)
Para-Ordnance LDA Carry (.45)
Ruger 22/45 (.22)
Ruger Mark II (.22)
Ruger P95C (9 mm)
Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle (.303 British)
SIG P220 (.45)
SIG P229 (.40)
SIG P232 (.380)
Smith &Wesson 22A (.22)
Smith &Wesson 317 (.22)
Smith &Wesson 686 (.357)
Walther P22, silenced (.22)

Secrets Revealed: Democrats Touching Evil Guns

This is why Democrats don't trust people around guns: it's a reflection of their own unsafe gun handling skills. You can actually see the gun's shadow on Regis's face as Gore prepares to bust a cap in him.

Don't miss the pic of Al Gore looking down the barrel of his M-16 in 'Nam.

UPDATE: The link above went away, but I found another copy of the M-16 pict here.

Anti-Glock Article in the Detroit News

Via SayUncle comes this anti-Glock article from the Detroit News.

The article recounts stories of accidental shootings involving Glock pistols, which are extremely popular with U.S. police. Whether the stories are the result of operator error or machine error is open to debate, but the accompanying graphic includes this line "The Glock has no safety features that prevent it from firing if the trigger is accidentally pulled."

As Uncle says, you don't generally accidentally pull the trigger. Guns are designed to fire when the trigger is pulled, just as a car is designed to go forward when you press the gas while the car is in gear.

Back to that graphic for a second. It's true that the Glock doesn't have a manual safety. Revolvers - which all police departments used for decades before switching to auto pistols, including Glocks - don't have manual safeties, either. In fact, revolvers lack all of the safeties listed in the article's accompanying graphic, except one: a long, heavy trigger pull.

That difference probably explains most of the Glock accidental shootings in the article. Most double action revolvers have much heavier trigger pulls (roughly 12 pounds or more from the factory) than most Glocks (typically five pounds or so). Five pounds isn't a hair trigger or even a target trigger, but it's pretty light for a service weapon when your adrenaline is pumping and your natural reflex when grasping something in your hand is to squeeze your fingers.

There are some legitimate concerns about having such a light trigger on a gun with no safety. That's why a lot of police departments use heavier trigger sears (like the 8 pound New York trigger, or the even heavier 12 pound New York Plus trigger).

Continue reading "Anti-Glock Article in the Detroit News" »

Israel Phasing out the Uzi

Israel is no longer training troops on the Uzi. IMI will still produce the gun for foreign sale. Via Pathetic Earthlings.

Gun Porn: Smith &Wesson N Frame Snubbies

I'm starting to get an itch for a large-frame, snub-nosed revolver. I'm thinking about an L frame*, seven-shot Smith &Wesson 686P .357 magnum, but these N frame, snub-nose S&Ws sure are nice.

The one below is an eight-shot S&W Performance Center 627 with Spegel grips. This example from SmithNut has two cylinders, one unfluted and one fluted. If you want one of these you'll have to look on the used market. S&W still makes an eight-shot Performance Center 627, but it's only offered with a 5" barrel.

* In increasing order of size, Smith &Wesson has the J, K, L, N and X frames. The smaller I frame isn't made any more. The J frame is mostly used for snub-nosed backup guns. The K is medium, the L is slightly bigger, and the N used to be the biggest and baddest. Dirty Harry's .44 Magnum was an N frame.

The X frame is the new oversized frame S&W developed to shoot the .500 S&W magnum cartridge. Popular Mechanics and Shooting Times also have good S&W 500 articles. Read the PM article for technical details, and the others for a practical perspective.

P.S. Smith &Wesson recently re-designed their Web site. It now shows suggested retail prices, and you can link directly to individual guns. That's the good news. The bad news is they switched from Cold Fusion to PHP and changed their file extensions, so all of my old S&W links are fubared.

Smith &Wesson Cam

The Smith &Wesson Cam. See what that rascally gun is up to.

ClipDraw and Saf-T-Block for Glocks

SayUncle reviews the ClipDraw and Saf-T-Block.

Quick Gun Links

Guns and Ammo reviews the Beretta Neo .22 pistol. I haven't shot this one, so I'd be interested in anyone's opinion of it. Chris at Guncraft likes his.

GunBlast looks at the Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum and the Glock 37 in .45 GAP.

Kim du Toit changes his stance on guns. Har har.

Donald Sensing has opened a hornet's nest by criticizing the military's Beretta 92 pistol and 9 mm ammo. As the blogfather notes, there's nothing wrong with 9 mm if you can use the right bullets. The Geneva Convention prohibits hollowpoints, so the military is limited to ball ammo.

Buying a First Gun, Getting Started Shooting

Rich Hailey is asking for advice on buying his first guns, namely a self-defense handgun, home defense shotgun, and a hunting rifle. Several of us are coming up with answers. Here's mine.

FIRST RIFLES
I like Jeff Cooper's advice that most people only need two rifles: a .22 and one medium-bore centerfile rifle. He named the .308 and .30-06, but lighter rounds like the .30-30 and .270 wou