Thursday, December 4, 2008

Gun Misconceptions

Why is it important to support your right to bear arms and stand against gun control laws?

Our 2nd amendment right to bear arms is the one guaranteed freedom we have as citizens is the one freedom that guarantees you the right to defend yourself, your property, your friends and family and guarantees your other freedoms.

Without trying to sound like a gun nut or anti-government (I’m not, I’m just for minimized government control) our founding fathers in this country understood all too well how quickly a government could get out of hand and oppressive of the people. They also understood that the power always must be with the people. To allow the government to become more powerful than the people is to openly invite government oppression.

I love this country dearly, and would gladly die in defense of our way of life. It is because I love this country and our way of life that I passionately defend the ideals upon which this country is founded. I personally believe that if you love your country it is your right and duty as a citizen to defend our civil liberties and protect the public peace. Being armed and vigilant against oppression (either by criminals or others) is every citizen’s responsibility.

If you know of someone who exorcises their right to bear arms for these reasons, thank them fervently for being a true patriot and for helping to defend our society.

[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.

---James Madison,The Federalist Papers, No. 46.

To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws.

---John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States 475 (1787-1788)

Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.

---Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787).

Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man gainst his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American...[T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.

---Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.

[C]onceived it to be the privilege of every citizen, and one of his most essential rights, to bear arms, and to resist every attack upon his liberty or property, by whomsoever made. The particular states, like private citizens, have a right to be armed, and to defend, by force of arms, their rights, when invaded.

14 Debates in the House of Representatives, ed. Linda Grand De Pauw. (Balt., Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 1972), 92-3.





Banning guns or imposing gun control laws makes for a safer society.

At first glance, this seems logical, but think it through to it’s logical conclusion.

Gun control laws only affect law abiding citizens. Criminals do not obtain firearms by legal means so laws that restrict a citizen’s right to carry and thus defend themselves only hurts law abiding citizens. Criminals will always be armed and have no regard for the law. Gun laws won’t even directly effect the availability of guns to criminals because criminals rarely obtain firearms through any legal means.





More guns on the streets means higher crime and poses a threat to public safety.

Yes/No. Once again you must separate the issue of guns being “evil” from the intent that a gun is used for. If legal, law abiding and peace loving citizens are armed and willing to defend themselves, their families, their neighbors and their countrymen from criminals then having guns in the hands of those citizens creates a drastic drop in crime. Not only will citizens be able to stop crimes in progress (the police can’t be everywhere), but the criminal elements will be more discouraged to act out when they aren’t the only ones armed.





Don’t take the law into your own hands, just call the police. Or It’s the job of the police or law enforcement to protect me, I don’t need a gun.

This is a very common misconception. The truth of the matter is that the police have no duty to protect private citizens. The supreme court of the US has said so and backed up this stance on many occasions.

Ultimately you are responsible for your own safety and you, as a citizen, have a responsibility to help law enforcement officers to uphold the laws of our society.

If a law enforcement officer ever tells you “never take the law into your own hands” ask them whose hands the law should be in if not a law abiding citizen? Ask them if they can be with you everywhere. Ask them if they have the manpower to do that and then ask them if they have the legal responsibility to protect you personally. If they know the law they already know the answer. Then thank them for doing the job they do every day.

See: http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/kasler-protection.html





Conceal and Carry Citizens are dangerous. Conceal and Carry laws allow criminals to legally arm themselves. Conceal and Carry Citizens should be banned from some areas.

Entirely untrue. All states in the US that issue conceal and carry laws require a criminal background check. Statistics have also been measured that show directly and overwhelmingly that citizens who submit themselves to the certification process, safety training and the responsibility to conceal and carry are FAR less likely to be involved in ANY criminal activity. In fact, statistics show in Texas that of all criminal activity relevant to the topic, CCL citizens represent LESS THAN ONE PERCENT of convictions. (See http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/convrates.htm )

If anything, you should openly welcome CCL individuals into public and private areas and businesses alike. These are the people that are most likely to help should you need it and are statistically much more law abiding than the average citizen. Personally I’m offended at any business that excludes or bans CCL weapons. They obviously don’t understand that those are the people they WANT as patrons.

I’m also dumbfounded as to why CC licensed citizens are banned from carrying in state and federal buildings as well as hospitals and places of business where more than 51% of business revenue is form alcohol sales. These are trusted citizens who have voluntarily submitted themselves to a background check, cleared it, attended safety classes and qualified on a firing range to ensure that they’re capable of using said firearm. As stated above, they’re also FAR less likely to commit criminal acts than non-licensed individuals. These are the people we WANT everywhere. These are the people we WANT armed to defend themselves and others. They have taken the initiative and responsibility upon themselves to do this. Banning them is a slap in the face.


Why should I oppose all gun control laws?

It has been revealed on many occasions that the strategy of gun control entities is the ultimate and outright ban of all firearms. They know they can’t do that here in America in one fell swoop. The people would never stand for it. Instead, they take a more sinister approach. The method currently in play is to pass as many small gun control measures as possible to desensitize the people (you and me) to seeing gun control passed (and thus our civil liberties eroded) a little at a time. They take impose a piece of control here and there. Little by little the laws are more and more restrictive because they build upon one another. You doubt this? Do the research yourself. It’s been revealed publicly several times. There is a plan, and it’s to disarm you entirely.

First you have to pass a background check (which I personally agree with).

Next comes the law that says how you must carry your weapon (concealed, unloaded, etc)

Then they tell you when and where you can carry (no schools, public buildings, government buildings, etc.)

Now you have to pay a fee to get licensed to carry a gun. We’ll also increase that fee over time to make it more and more difficult for the common man to afford their right to protect themselves

Then we’ll start banning certain types of guns (no automatic weapons, no high powered rifles, etc.)

Next we’ll require all citizens to register all gun purchases and ownership with a central or government agency. (we know where that’s going)

Then we’ll regulate how often, when and where you can buy to make it more difficult.

Finally, we’ll ban all guns everywhere under the guise that no guns means as safer society (we’ve already disproven that). We’ve made it very easy to collect these guns from the law abiding citizens who have complied with previous laws by registering. We simply go confiscate them, We know where they are.

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

---Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.





Aren’t Guns Dangerous?

The comedian Robin Williams once said “Guns don’t kill people, Apes with guns kill people” (as a comic quote supposedly given by Charlton Heston, spokesman for the NRA and well known actor in the Planet of the Apes series.

Fundamentally that’s true though. Guns are simply a tool. Like any other tool they can be used to do great harm or great good. Guns are simply a powerful tool. They have no bent towards good or evil. They are totally subject to the will of the possessor. Banning guns is not the answer. Guns are not the problem.

In fact, society would not be where it is today if it weren’t for firearms (or weapons in general). It’s true that guns make it easier to kill, but they’ve been used by many an army to fight for freedom and have been used by many and many a hunter to provide for their family and even more still by individuals to protect themselves, their families and friends and their property.

Guns are dangerous, yes, and safety is always a concern, however much good has come from firearms. Don’t discount the good because of an media villainy imposed upon guns. It’s not the weapon, it’s the wielder we should be concerned about.





Anti-gun control advocates like the NRA oppose all gun legislation.

Absolutely not. Groups like the NRA are pioneers of gun safety and training. They also support background checks for gun owners to make sure that proven criminals are not armed. However, we realize that there is a very fine line between protecting the public trust by making guns safer and impeding civil liberties. Legislation that restricts the types of guns available to the citizens or the quantity, quality or ammunition are adamantly opposed. Laws that provide safer and better products (such as firearms) or promote safety are always supported so long as they do not supersede civil liberties.




How can I help with these issues?
  • Talk to people you know, friends and family about these issues. Share what you’ve learned and ask them to do the same. A grass-roots movement is often the most powerful.
  • Join a 2nd amendment or gun-rights advocate group like the NRA . – one of the reasons I’m a lifelong member of the NRA is because they actively lobby to elected officials for the rights of Americans. If you don’t support these organizations (by word of mouth and with $$ via membership) they can’t do their job by representing you and helping to preserve your rights and freedoms
  • Exorcise your right to bear arms. Get a gun, learn how to use it. Learn how to be safe. Enjoy the sport of shooting in general if you can. You may find you like it. The surest way to lose a right is not to exorcise it.
  • Write your local, state and federal representatives about how you feel about these issues in general, and especially when you know a vote on a sensitive issue is coming up. I sent a copy of Right to Bear Arms essay to my city council, mayor, state senate and house rep, governor and my representatives to the US house and senate. This can easily be done via email with a little searching around on google.com (search for “who represents me"). If you don’t let them know how you feel, how can they represent you?
  • By all means, feel free to fwd this website to others as well. If you dont agree with other content on this site, just copy and paste what you want from this page or from my essays. I don't mind so long as you're not claiming credit for my work/writings.
  • Be aware of current issues. Again, I strongly encourage folks to visit the NRA website regularly. They have the most up to date information on current issues and legistation.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Starter gun links

A buddy of mine has a pistol and has been asking some beginner questions about how to clean his weapon, how often to clean it, etc.. He's also in need of some basic guidance on the whole topic so I sent him a list of the following links. Perhaps they would be useful to you at some point.

Good universal cleaning kit:

Must-have universal cleaning/lube - CLP Break Free. Same stuff i use in my videos. Makes cleaning/lube much easier:

Microlon Gun Juice - Get the 1oz dry film. You'll also need a heat gun but i'll loan you mine if you dont have one. This prevents rusting/seals the gun:

Important concepts in personal and home defense:

Cornered Cat: Overall great website on gun related issues. Especially tailored for women, but relevant to men as well:

4 universal rules of gun safety:

Shooting Basics:

Merddyn -
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Friday, July 18, 2008

Parable of the sheep

From: http://www.catb.org/~esr/guns/sheep.html

Not so long ago and in a pasture too uncomfortably close to here, a flock of sheep lived and grazed. They were protected by a dog, who answered to the master, but despite his best efforts from time to time a nearby pack of wolves would prey upon the flock.
One day a group of sheep, more bold than the rest, met to discuss their dilemma. "Our dog is good, and vigilant, but he is one dog and the wolves are many. The wolves he catches are not always killed, and the master judges and releases many to prey again upon us, for no reason we can understand. What can we do? We are sheep, but we do not wish to be food, too!"
One sheep spoke up, saying "It is his teeth and claws that make the wolf so terrible to us. It is his nature to prey, and he would find any way to do it, but it is the tools he wields that make it possible. If we had such teeth, we could fight back, and stop this savagery." The other sheep clamored in agreement, and they went together to the old bones of the dead wolves heaped in the corner of the pasture, and gathered fang and claw and made them into weapons.
That night, when the wolves came, the newly armed sheep sprang up with their weapons and struck at them and cried "Begone! We are not food!" and drove off the wolves, who were astonished. When did sheep become so bold and so dangerous to wolves? When did sheep grow teeth? It was unthinkable!
The next day, flush with victory and waving their weapons, they approached the flock to pronounce their discovery. But as they drew nigh, the flock huddled together and cried out "Baaaaaaaadddd! Baaaaaddd things! You have bad things! We are afraid! You are not sheep!"
The brave sheep stopped, amazed. "But we are your brethren!" they cried, "We are still sheep, but we do not wish to be food. See, our new teeth and claws protect us and have saved us from slaughter. They do not make us into wolves, they make us equal to the wolves, and safe from their viciousness!"
"Baaaaaaaddd!", cried the flock,"the things are bad and will pervert you, and we fear them. You cannot bring them into the flock. They scare us!". So the armed sheep resolved to conceal their weapons, for although they had no desire to panic the flock, they wished to remain in the fold. But they would not return to those nights of terror, waiting for the wolves to come.
In time, the wolves attacked less often and sought easier prey, for they had no stomach for fighting sheep who possessed tooth and claw even as they did. Not knowing which sheep had fangs and which did not, they came to leave sheep out of their diet almost completely except for the occasional raid, from which more than one wolf did not return. Then came the day when, as the flock grazed beside the stream, one sheep's weapon slipped from the folds of her fleece, and the flock cried out in terror again, "Baaaaaaddddd! You still possess these evil things! We must ban you from our presence!".
And so they did. The great chief sheep and his court and council, encouraged by the words of their moneylenders and advisors, placed signs and totems at the edges of the pasture forbidding the presence of hidden weapons there. The armed sheep protested before the council, saying "It is our pasture, too, and we have never harmed you! When can you say we have caused you hurt? It is the wolves, not we, who prey upon you. We are still sheep, but we are not food!". But the flock would not hear, and drowned them out with cries of "Baaaaaaddd! We will not hear your clever words! You and your things are evil and will harm us!".
Saddened by this rejection, the armed sheep moved off and spent their days on the edges of the flock, trying from time to time to speak with their brethren to convince them of the wisdom of having such teeth, but meeting with little success. They found it hard to talk to those who, upon hearing their words, would roll back their eyes and flee, crying "Baaaaddd! Bad things!".
That night, the wolves happened upon the sheep's totems and signs, and said, "Truly, these sheep are fools! They have told us they have no teeth! Brothers, let us feed!". And they set upon the flock, and horrible was the carnage in the midst of the fold. The dog fought like a demon, and often seemed to be in two places at once, but even he could not halt the slaughter. It was only when the other sheep arrived with their weapons that the wolves fled, vowing to each other to remain on the edge of the pasture and wait for the next time they could prey, for if the sheep were so foolish once, they would be so again. This they did, and do still.
In the morning, the armed sheep spoke to the flock, and said, "See? If the wolves know you have no teeth, they will fall upon you. Why be prey? To be a sheep does not mean to be food for wolves!". But the flock cried out, more feebly for their voices were fewer, though with no less terror, "Baaaaaaaadddd! These things are bad! If they were banished, the wolves would not harm us! Baaaaaaaddd!". The other sheep could only hang their heads and sigh. The flock had forgotten that even they possessed teeth; how else could they graze the grasses of the pasture? It was only those who preyed, like the wolves and jackals, who turned their teeth to evil ends. If you pulled their own fangs those beasts would take another's teeth and claws, perhaps even the broad flat teeth of sheep, and turn them to evil purposes.
The bold sheep knew that the fangs and claws they possessed had not changed them. They still grazed like other sheep, and raised their lambs in the spring, and greeted their friend the dog as he walked among them. But they could not quell the terror of the flock, which rose in them like some ancient dark smoky spirit and could not be damped by reason, nor dispelled by the light of day.
So they resolved to retain their weapons, but to conceal them from the flock; to endure their fear and loathing, and even to protect their brethren if the need arose, until the day the flock learned to understand that as long as there were wolves in the night, sheep would need teeth to repel them.
They would still be sheep, but they would not be food!


Merddyn -
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

CHL Primer

I did probably about six months of looking at manufacturer websites and formal gun reviews in magazines and independent websites, but mostly i got on forums and looked at what people were saying about the various models I was looking at.

Criteria:
Ok, to be a fair and thorough assessment we need to establish some criteria and talk about a few other topics. I should also state that we're doing this evaluation for the purpose of concealed carry, not which gun to shoot a charging wild boar with or which one looks the most like a rocket ship or which one looks closest to something Batman would use. Those may be good points to you, but they're beyond the scope of this analysis and ultimately not important factors in a defensive situation. So here we go:

Big gun vs Small Gun:
For someone new to concealed carry this is probably one of the top issues. Most of us almost automatically think we need to carry a small gun because it needs to be concealed. Well, concealment is important yes, but what's more important is ability to shoot comfortably and accurately. A buddy of mine has a sub-compact. It's a tiny thing. I could put it in my pocket in a pair of baggy shorts or jeans and you'd never know it was there. However, if I take out my big clod hopper meat paws and try to handle that tiny thing in a hurry is a real pain for me. It's uncomfortable and makes me feel like a pro-ball batter using a little league bat. It's just way undersized for my hands and I can't get a good positive grip on it.

That bad grip translates to bad shooting. Because I can't get a positive and consistent grip on the weapon my shots are all over the place. That's VERY bad. You are legally responsible for each and every bullet that leaves your gun. If one of your rounds goes off target even in a justified shooting and you hit a bystander guess what? You're going to jail.

You can hem and haw about conceal-ability all day and all night but when it comes down to it you had better carry what you can comfortably and accurately shoot over what is easier to put in your pocket any day of the week. You can ALWAYS adjust your carry style to compensate for a larger weapon. You cannot, however, make the gun magically grow bigger when you really need a good grip to save your (or your family's) life. The moral of the story is carry what you are comfortable shooting. If you have smaller hands and you're more comfortable with a small frame weapon then use that. If you need a larger weapon then carry a larger weapon and figure out conceal-ability later. Your first priority is to be able to be effective with your weapon.

A quick word on concealment:
Every person I've ever seen get get a CHL has obsessed over printing and making sure nobody can see the outline or any random corner, bump or hit that there's something under their clothing. You begin to obsess over it. We all go through that phase. STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT. Give your situation the 10-year-old test. If you're carrying your weapon and a 10 year old child can tell that you're wearing a gun without telling them what to look for then you should re-think your strategy. Otherwise you're just fine.

A bump or two here and there is easily explainable and common in this day of pagers, cell phones and misc. bat utility devices on our belts. If anyone ever asks you "hey, is that a gun in your pants or are you just happy to see me?" then just tell them you're happy to see em. If you want to be more polite and throw up a big red social flag that you're not comfortable talking about it just say "it's a medical device" and leave it at that. Odds are they'll take the hint. If you don't think you can say that with a straight face just rationalize it to yourself. That weapon could one day save your life. That means it's a life giving device and that makes it a medical device. :)

Caliber (bullet size):
IMO you should always carry/use the largest bullet size you can comfortably control. For me, that's a 45. My wife can SHOOT my 45 but she's all over the target with it and it makes her jump every time. Now when she picks up her 9mm she can out-shoot me. With some practice on speed she cold be down right surgical with that thing. She tried a 40 and that basically felt the same as a 45 to her. She's very comfortable with the 9mm and it doesn't make her jump at all so that's what she carries.

I have no problem double or even triple tapping (shooting rapidly) a 45 and am fairly accurate with it so that's what I carry. I have the forearm strength to carry a .50 if i really wanted to but who can afford to practice with rounds that expensive and I would likely hesitate before pulling the trigger so the .45 is a good choice for me. You have to go out and shoot various guns with various calibers to find out what's right for you. Believe it or not different guns have radically different feels to them shooting the exact same ammo so go to a gun shop that lets you test shoot or talk to your friends and find out what is most comfortable to you.

As a general rule though I would not go any smaller than a 9mm because it's not going to have adequate stopping power and there's generally not much need to go above a .45 unless you anticipate being mugged by a raging water buffalo. That leaves you the obvious choices of 9mm, .40 and .45. There are other calibers out there but those are probably your best and most common options.

Accuracy:
Asking how accurate a gun is, well that's actually kind of silly in most cases. So long as you pay over $250 or so for a quality pistol I can almost guarantee that the gun will always shoot more accurately than you can. Most pistols are usually capable of putting a 2 inch pattern in a target where most extremely accurate shooters are lucky to put a 3 inch pattern at the same range. The gun will almost always be more accurate than you. There are exceptions but that's a pretty safe general rule.

Reliability:
This comes down to two factors really. Don't buy a trash gun and put plenty of ammo through your gun to find out what it likes to shoot. A trash gun (super cheap... sub-$200 range) will almost always have problems even with good ammo. Likewise, even a good gun that you paid high dollar for may have a problem with certain ammo. Every gun is different. You have to try various types and manufacturers of ammo before you find what's reliable for you.

For instance, My Taurus 24/7 doesn't like range reloads or winchester white box (very cheap) ammo. The primers in those types of ammunition dont' always go off when the firing pin in my gun hits them. If I buy slightly better quality ammo than that the rounds go bang every time. A more expensive gun may fire the primers on the cheap ammo but have a problem ejecting or cycling other types of ammo. Each gun is capable of having unique properties so you need to find out what your weapon likes to use.

Magazine Capacity:
Without a doubt, the logic to go with here is "more is better". If you're an X Navy seal and you can kill 15 men with 9 bullets then you may be ok carrying a gun with 9 round magazines. But you need to ask yourself what you're going to do about that 10th guy when you're out of ammo. It's always better to have rounds left over than to face off against a bad guy and hear your gun go "click" when you pull the trigger. Choose a weapon with at least a 12 round capacity.

Warranty:
Quality weapons aren't cheap. You're going to probably sink at least $300 into your daily carry pistol and probably at least another $50 into a quality holster. Those aren't cheap investments (at least not on my budget). Do your homework and choose a weapon that's got a good reputation with the features you want and a manufacturer that will stand behind their weapon. This is one of the big reasons why I go with Taurus guns. They warranty the gun essentially forever no matter who owns it. That tells me they believe in their product and they stand behind it. If a manufacturer isn't willing to give their weapons a transferable lifetime warranty maybe you should ask em why they don't believe in their products. It should also be noted that Springfield Armory has a limited lifetime warranty but it is not transferrable to subsequent owners like the Taurus warranty does.
Beretta has a standard 1 year warranty. I am unable to find warranty info for Glocks or any other manufacturer please send it over and I'll add it here.
Safety Features:
This is hands down the most important aspect of the weapon you choose and will greatly dictate what weapon you ultimately go with. I tend to try and figure out what the worst case scenario might be and then try to plan for that. My worst case scenario involving having to use my gun to defend myself or my family involves me having to physically hold an attacker back (or maybe hold a door closed) while trying to draw and shoot at the same time. In such a scenario I want to be able to draw and shoot with one hand. I don't want to have to use both hands to chamber a round. I need the round to already be in the chamber.

That means I have to be comfortable carrying a weapon with one round in the chamber and cocked. However, I want some extra security. I want something that keeps some random bit of clothing (or anything else) from pulling the trigger unexpectedly and having the gun go off when I dont want it to. For that, I need a manual safety switch on the weapon that I can operate with the same hand i'm going to shoot with. That's basically a thumb safety.

To recap, my scenario rules state that I need to be able to draw and fire with one hand. That means I need a round already in the chamber with the weapon "cocked" and ready to fire. However, I don't want the gun going off prematurely so I want a manual safety that can be operated with the same hand I shoot with. A thumb safety (or maybe even a grip safety) will suit that well.

Ergonomics:
You want anything you're going to shoot to feel good in your hands. It should feel like a natural extension of your hand/arm. To me that means it should have a comfortable and natural/organic feel to it. It should curve to my grip instead of forcing me to curve to it's contours. This will allow for more comfortable practice as well as more accurate shot placement. A good that FEELS right is important. However, because this can be somewhat subjective and I can only give you MY opinion I will not rate this as pass/fail but will instead use poor, good, great.

Semi-Auto vs Revolvers:
Revolvers are the "old west" style guns. They were the original pistols. They have a round cylinder that holds the bullets and rotate the bullets around to the barrel every time a round is fired. Pros: very reliable. Cons: limited round capacity. longer on-average reload time
Semi-auto guns are the traditional guns we see in most modern movies and by far the most popular gun designs. They use magazines (aka clips) that usually hold more rounds than a revolver will hold. Pros: more likely to jam than revolver. faster reload time.
There will always be two sides to this thought. It boils down to capacity vs reliability. Semi-Autos will almost always beat a revolver in round capacity and usually in reloading time. However, revolvers operate on a simpler design principle so they're inherently more reliant and less prone to jamming. You could entertain both arguments and both would be correct, it's just a matter what you think is more important. I personally side with Semi-Autos so long as I put enough time in with my pistol to know what ammo it feeds reliably. I think that can be just as good as a revolver in reliability and give much more capacity for ammo. Your mileage may vary but that seems like the good choice to me. That being said, I would never smirk at someone choosing to carry a good revolver simply for reliability. I just hope they're REALLY good shots and don't run out of bullets before they run out of bad guys.

Popular Models:
I'm going to review the most popular conceal carry weapons that I'm aware of. Most of these will be poly(plastic) weapons due to a desire to carry a lighter weapon over a heavier one. Lighter weapons allow you to carry extra magazines/rounds for the same weight and are generally easier to conceal carry. I apologize to anyone who doesn't see their favorite weapon type/class/manufacturer listed. I'm just trying to cover all the bases without over complicating choices.
Because I'm only reviewing guns I have personally shot or have personal experience with some very good and popular models are missing. You may also want to check out these weapons: HK 45C, 45, P2000, and P30, Walther, Taurs PT145

The 1911:
Caliber: Pass - Available in several choices
Capacity: Pass - Although the standard magazines don't carry 12 rounds after market magazines with higher capacities are easily available.
Warranty: (depends on manufacturer)
Reliability: Pass - Several manufacturers make these
Thumb/Grip Safety: Pass - Grip safety and sometimes thumb
Ergonomics: Bad - It's a bit like shooting a 2x4, but remember this is just my opinion.

I did look at the 1911 and was honestly very impressed with the overall design not to mention a model that's been copied by so many different manufacturers has to have something going for it. what I didn't like was the weight vs magazine capacity. Most 1911 models have 9-10 round capacity. I want at least 12. I really liked the hammer and the grip safety though and that in itself almost sold me on a 1911. I could have went with a 1911 that had an aluminum body to save on weight but I wasn't sure I would be happy with weight. If I could have found a 1911 with the Taurus warranty, poly(plastic) frame and 12+1 rd capacity I probably would have went that way. Other notables on a 1911 are a distinctive trigger pull (the trigger pulls straight back instead of pivoting like most modern pistols) and they are generally on the heavy side from that perspective may not be ideal conceal carry options. If you don't mind the extra weight you'll find yourself a great many friends who carry these. It should also be noted that maintenance/cleaning is more intense with these and they seldom shoot excellent right out of the box. You may need to get it "tuned up" at a gunsmith for perfect performance. I don't know of many 1911 owners who have not had their weapons worked on at some point.
http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?series=19
http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?clicktype=1911

The Glock:
Caliber: Pass - Available in several choices
Capacity: Pass
Warranty: Fail - Not lifetime
Reliability: Pass - If you pull the trigger it's going off. Glocks are titans of durability and reliability. I just hope it's your finger that's on the trigger when it goes boom.
Thumb/Grip Safety: Fail - Neither option
is available without gunsmithing
Ergonomics: Bad - It's a bit like shooting a 2x4 even with after market grips


I looked at them VERY closely at Glocks because they're so popular. Several close friends either have Glocks are are big fans of them. Ultimately several things failed me on the Glock sale.

Lack of a thumb safety or grip safety. I know everyone talks about the trigger safety on the Glock but in my mind it's not really a safety in the traditional sense. If something, ANYTHING pulls that trigger it's going off. The Glock doesn't know the difference between my finger and a strap of stray clothing that catches when I'm re-holstering. That scares me. You could argue that it wouldn't matter if you didn't carry with one in the chamber. That's a valid argument, however a lot of the reason I went with a semi-auto over revolver was for capacity. If I can safely carry that one extra round that could mean the difference between life and death, i'm going to do so. I just don't feel that I can do that safely with a Glock. Also, as stated above, if I can't carry one in the chamber safely that forces me to use two hands to put one in the chamber. What if I'm using that other hand to do something really important to hold back a bad guy, hold a door closed on an intruder or something similar?

Ergonomics – I don't like the feel of a Glock in my hand or the overall styling of the gun. It feels like a 2x4 in my hand. I don't like that. Several models comparable to the Glock got the grip feel damn near perfect. The two that come to mind are the PX Storm by Beretta and the Taurus 24/7. They both feel very good in the hand. I would even venture to say that the Beretta is even more comfortable than the 24/7, though not by much.

Cost – Flat out, Glocks are overpriced compared to the competition. I will put my 24/7 against a Glock any day of the week in a defensive situation. If they both put holes in the bad guy I'm going to get the one that's easier on the pocketbook. You could argue that you could get an aftermarket grip to help with ergonomics and have a gunsmith install a thumb safety ($100-150) but by then you're several hundred bucks over the competition.

Warranty - Glocks don't have a lifetime warranty. They do have a decent warranty but it doesn't cover the lifetime of the weapon and I'm not sure it's transferable like some other manufacturers offer.
http://www.Glock.com/



Beretta PX Storm & Springfield XD
Caliber: Pass - Available in several choices
Capacity: Pass
Warranty: Fail/Pass - The Beretta only has a 1 year warranty, not good. However the Springfield has a lifetime warranty for the original owner. It's not transferable though like the Taurus warranty.
Reliability: Pass - Several manufacturers make these
Thumb/Grip Safety: Pass - XD has grip safety and the new XD45 is available with a thumb safety, PX has thumb safety
Ergonomics: Great/Good - PX feels great, XD could use some work but isn't bad.

I'm grouping both of these together because they're very similar.

Both of these are fine weapons. I personally found that the beretta looked to be a bit more poorly machined than the Taurus or the Springfield, but I honestly only looked at one specific PX Storm. The Springfield XD is a fine weapon, but honestly I found the grip better than the Glock but still a bit lacking compared to the Taurus. I do consider the XD 9 about one notch below the 24/7. Unfortunately Springfield still isn't offering a warranty like Taurus does. That settled those two models for me. Though, I have to note here that I have a lot of respect for the Springfield name and I really liked the Beretta styling. I have respect for both of these guns (way more so than the Glock) but neither one met ALL of the criteria
http://www.berettausa.com/product/product_pistols_main.htm

http://www.springfield-armory.com/xd.php



Taurus Guns:

The Judge:
Caliber: Pass - 45 Long Colt or 410 shotgun or a combo.
Capacity: Pass - Doesn't hold at least 12 though you could argue that 5 rounds of 410 could easily stop a large mob.
Warranty: Pass - Taurus Warranty is lifetime
Reliability: Pass - Revolvers are simple so therefore fairly reliable
Thumb/Grip Safety: Not sure
Ergonomics: Great - feels good to me especially with that nice Taurus ribbed grip that comes standard

I didn't want a revolver due to capacity... the last thing I want in a defensive gunfight is to run out of ammo after 5-7 rounds. However, that being said.... The judge is a force to be reckoned with. I will eventually get one of these to put on my night stand or perhaps in my glove box or both. Any run that would let me alternate 410 rounds and Colt 45s gives you defensive power that I'm not sure I can find the words to describe. Lets just say if I would rather have the judge when facing down a crowd of people or a charging wild boar even over my 24/7 45. I honestly may end up switching to the judge as my regular carry weapon in the end. It becomes a very real question of "do I really need 12+1 rounds of ACP when I can have 5-6 rounds of 410 and colt 45 alternating. " That's something I have to think more on. The judge wasn't an option I was aware of when I bought the 24/7 and i'm still not sure i'd be happy giving up that many rounds.
http://www.taurususa.com/whatsnew/index.cfm


Taurus 92/10o series
Caliber: Fail - Available in 9mm and .40 only
Capacity: Pass - Holds at least 12
Warranty:
Pass - Taurus Warranty is lifetime
Reliability: Pass - Quality manufacturing
Thumb/Grip Safety: Pass - Thumb safety standard
Ergonomics: Good - Not bad, not bad at all.


These are FINE weapons. I would opt for Taurus over Beretta any day because of cost and warranty. However I honestly had a hard time finding any of these in anything bigger than a 9mm and I had already decided on going with 45acp because it's the biggest round I can easily handle. I bought my mom a Taurus 92 and she damn near didn't get it after I took it to the range if that tells you anything. If I could find a 92/101 in 45acp I would probably own one. They're pretty, lighter than you would think and that trigger is SMOOTH.
http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=136&category=Pistol


Why the 24/7 Pro:
Caliber: Pass - Available in 9mm, .40 and .45
Capacity: Pass - Holds at least 12
Warranty:
Pass - Taurus Warranty is lifetime
Reliability: Pass - Quality manufacturing
Thumb/Grip Safety: Pass - Thumb safety standard
Ergonomics: Great - Feels surprisingly natural in the hand.


Well, at the time the OSS was still on the drawing board and the 809 wasn't even on the radar. Given a choice to buy fresh I would probably go with the OSS over the standard pro, though finding a good holster for the OSS will be even harder than it is with the Pro model because of the OSS's longer barrel. The 809 will be a better weapon than even the 24/7 Pro IF they release it in 45 acp.
http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?page=1

Cons:
Trigger is gritty, no hammer (purely personal preference), difficult to find aftermarket accessories for (though, that's not really the case anymore). The gritty trigger is a result of the 24/7's 2nd strike ability and is well worth tolerating the trigger feel for that ability.


Improvements on the 24/7 Pro:


The 24/7 OSS
Caliber: Pass - Available in 9mm, .40 and .45
Capacity: Pass - Holds at least 12
Warranty:
Pass - Taurus Warranty is lifetime
Reliability: Pass - Quality manufacturing
Thumb/Grip Safety: Pass - Thumb safety standard
Ergonomics: Great - Feels surprisingly natural in the hand.

If you look at the taurus 24/7 OSS I think they really improved on the basic design of the 24/7. I was actually going to trade up to an OSS because of the steel guide rod and the exposed hammer, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble because I was so happy with the gun I already had. I do consider the OSS a marked improvement over the basic 24/7 though. Don't worry about the larger slide/barrel. If you shoot better with it you can always work around concealment issues later.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?series=OSS


Taurus 809 series (soon to be released)
Caliber: Unknown
Capacity: Pass - Holds at least 12
Warranty:
Pass - Taurus Warranty is lifetime
Reliability: Pass - Quality manufacturing
Thumb/Grip Safety: Pass - Thumb safety standard
Ergonomics: Great - Build on the same grip/frame as the 24/7


An even better improvement is the 809 that's on the Taurus website. that honestly looks to be the perfect self defense handgun. It has all the features you could want. Hammer, thumb safety, decocker, aggressive styling. You get that 809 in a 45 acp and you've got yourself one heck of a gun. The ONLY thing i dont like about the 809 model is the takedown pin they're using that's similar to the Glock. the 24/7's takedown bar is easier to use.

http://www.taurususa.com/whatsnew/index.cfm




Merddyn -
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Friday, February 1, 2008

On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman

By LTC (RET) Dave Grossman, author of "On Killing."

Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always,even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for? - William J. Bennett - in a lecture to the United States Naval Academy November 24, 1997

One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me:

"Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident." This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.

Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful.? For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.

"Then there are the wolves," the old war veteran said, "and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

"Then there are sheepdogs," he went on, "and I'm a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed

Let me expand on this old soldier's excellent model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids' schools.

But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid's school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep's only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.

The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, can not and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.

Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, "Baa."

Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.

The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.

Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?

Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones.

Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.

There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage. Only one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population. There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These cons were in prison for serious, predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders and killing law enforcement officers. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted victims by body language: slumped walk, passive behavior and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself.

Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I'm proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.

Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury, New Jersey. Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to alert an operator from United Airlines about the hijacking. When he learned of the other three passenger planes that had been used as weapons, Todd dropped his phone and uttered the words, "Let's roll," which authorities believe was a signal to the other passengers to confront the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation occurred among the passengers - athletes, business people and parents. -- from sheep to sheepdogs and together they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.

There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men. - Edmund Burke

Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of police officers and soldiers I speak to each year. In nature the sheep, real sheep, are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way, and so are wolves. They didn't have a choice. But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a conscious, moral decision.

If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior's path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.

For example, many officers carry their weapons in church.? They are well concealed in ankle holsters, shoulder holsters or inside-the-belt holsters tucked into the small of their backs.? Anytime you go to some form of religious service, there is a very good chance that a police officer in your congregation is carrying. You will never know if there is such an individual in your place of worship, until the wolf appears to massacre you and your loved ones.

I was training a group of police officers in Texas, and during the break, one officer asked his friend if he carried his weapon in church. The other cop replied, "I will never be caught without my gun in church." I asked why he felt so strongly about this, and he told me about a cop he knew who was at a church massacre in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1999. In that incident, a mentally deranged individual came into the church and opened fire, gunning down fourteen people. He said that officer believed he could have saved every life that day if he had been carrying his gun. His own son was shot, and all he could do was throw himself on the boy's body and wait to die. That cop looked me in the eye and said, "Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself after that?"

Some individuals would be horrified if they knew this police officer was carrying a weapon in church. They might call him paranoid and would probably scorn him. Yet these same individuals would be enraged and would call for "heads to roll" if they found out that the airbags in their cars were defective, or that the fire extinguisher and fire sprinklers in their kids' school did not work. They can accept the fact that fires and traffic accidents can happen and that there must be safeguards against them.

Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain. But the sheepdog quietly asks himself, "Do you have and idea how hard it would be to live with yourself if your loved ones attacked and killed, and you had to stand there helplessly because you were unprepared for that day?"

It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are psychologically destroyed by combat because their only defense is denial, which is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror when the wolf shows up.

Denial kills you twice. It kills you once, at your moment of truth when you are not physically prepared: you didn't bring your gun, you didn't train. Your only defense was wishful thinking. Hope is not a strategy. Denial kills you a second time because even if you do physically survive, you are psychologically shattered by your fear helplessness and horror at your moment of truth.

Gavin de Becker puts it like this in Fear Less, his superb post-9/11 book, which should be required reading for anyone trying to come to terms with our current world situation: "...denial can be seductive, but it has an insidious side effect. For all the peace of mind deniers think they get by saying it isn't so, the fall they take when faced with new violence is all the more unsettling."

Denial is a save-now-pay-later scheme, a contract written entirely in small print, for in the long run, the denying person knows the truth on some level.

And so the warrior must strive to confront denial in all aspects of his life, and prepare himself for the day when evil comes. If you are warrior who is legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be "on" 24/7, for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself...

"Baa."

This business of being a sheep or a sheep dog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between. Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously. The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheephood and denial, is the degree to which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.

Merddyn -
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference