I Am A Bad Husband

I'm here to confess and ask for forgiveness. I am a bad husband. First, I am a man so that automatically makes me a bad person but it goes deeper than that. Much deeper.

See, I've decided that Lu is smaller and weaker than most men (Shame! Evil! Sexist!) and therefore less able to physically fend off an attack from a larger and stronger male armed only with kind words and soiled underwear. To my everlasting shame and guilt I have armed her and forced her to take a concealed carry class and get her carry permit. Even worse I have subjected her to the horror of actually carrying a gun with her everywhere she goes.

It started so innocently. A shotgun and a revolver. Nothing really evil, just guns she could take to the range and have a little fun. But it progressed from there. A rifle. Just one, what harm could it do? But that apparently wasn't enough to satisfy my misogynistic tendencies. The gun buying went on and on, getting worse and worse along the way. Harder and more evil guns were purchased culminating in the two most vile decisions I have made. I bought her not one but two Evil Black Rifles with Evil Magazines. Ah, the shame, it burns me!

But perhaps the worst, the most evil thing I did was to buy her a handgun and holster for her to carry a concealed gun on her actual person. Yes, I am that bad a husband and man. I started with insisting she carry a notquiteevilbutstillprettydarnbad S&W Airweight revolver. I bought her a purse to carry it. An innocent purse may the Lord forgive me. Then I made her get a black leather holster for it and we all know just how evil that makes any gun. But I still wasn't done. I insisted that she take classes and even went so far as to teach her about self defense with a gun myself. But I still wasn't done.

See, Lu is a petite woman and carrying a large capacity handgun is difficult for her. So I went and bought a high capacity handgun for her in .22 LR that she can conceal and carry easily. And it's semi automatic and black! Does my perfidy know no bounds? Is there no end to my hatred for women in general and my wife in particular and their safety?

But it's even worse yet. As we were getting ready to head out to a nice lunch today Lu showed me her Airweight on her hip and asked me if her cover shirt was adequate. I was struck with how sexy a woman wearing a handgun was and overwhelmed with both admiration for her and a deep desire to throw myself at her and have my evil way upon her soft, womanly body.

My shame is complete. I have a wife I have encouraged to learn the martial art of handgun self defense and have so equipped her. Clearly I do not understand how much less safe such preparations have made her. Clearly I want some evil to befall her since all those loving, caring individuals on the left have made it clear that no woman is fit nor able to defend her life and honor with a gun. It would be so much better and safer for her to be at the mercy of some thug the left has encouraged and protected and allowed free reign across our society. I admit my criminal guilt and promise to never rectify this situation.

So there you have it fellow Subjects Citizens. I leave it to you to determine my fate. I accept the charges as levied against me but I will accept no plea bargain, make no apologies. I will proudly go to the reeducation camps secure in the knowledge that Lu is safe behind me with her gun on her hip.

And for anyone who decides that pretty, petite, middle aged woman is an easy mark please I give you this warning. Lu doesn't agree with the idea of disarming those who most need the protection of a gun and has made the conscious decision that anyone who attacks her or someone she loves deserves the pain she will dish out. And trust me on this, she can Bring It. That's her answer to the question of arming the fairer sex. Because she is the poster woman for 'Fairer Doesn't Equal Helpless' and no ignorant liberal mouthpiece is going to tell her any different. Pro Choice has more than one meaning kids. Something to keep in mind as you continue hypocriting all women as both too strong to need a gun and too weak to handle one at the same time. The real irony here is that sentiment is exactly 180 degrees wrong. Women are strong enough to handle a gun and (in many cases) just weak enough to need one. To deny women the means for self defense is to wish harm upon them all. Perhaps that is the real crime here?

I suppose all this does indeed make me a bad husband in the eyes of some but not in the beautiful blue eyes of the woman I love most. I am content. It is a verdict we can both live with.

Six

RifleCraft RS2 Sling - First Impressions

A bit back I stumbled upon the blog Art Of The Rifle written by Rifleslinger. It's a wonderful blog written by a man who takes his long range, precision shooting seriously. He's dedicated, intelligent, logical, methodical, open minded and talented. Mix those ingredients together and you have source of instruction and information pretty much unmatched anywhere else on the web. I have been an avid reader and consumer of his rifle knowledge ever since. He also has some great comments and interviews. If you're not following Rifleslinger let me recommend his blog in the most enthusiastic terms possible.

Let me back up just  a little here. A few years ago, just prior to my retirement, I bought a Springfield M1A. I got it for several reasons. The first was because I've always liked them and wanted one. The second was because California was, even then, actively campaigning against and banning all semi-auto magazine fed rifles. Among many others ARs and AKs were right out but the M1A was grandfathered in due to it's being what they considered a historic firearm. Much like the Garands. The last is because I know these rifles can be made to shoot long distances very accurately and the idea of having a rifle capable of accurate 600 yard shots while carrying 20 rounds in the gun really appealed to me.

The problem is I've just had too much to do. I've put off the build and made excuses for my lack of range time and effort. As a school trained police marksman who held the sniper slot on our Tac Team this was clearly unacceptable. Plus, as I read Rifleslingers posts I was reminded how rewarding and just plain fun accurately engaging distant targets can be. Work yes but difficult things mastered make the accomplishment all the sweeter. The big plus was when I found out that not only does Rifleslinger shoot very well and write even better he also makes his own custom rifle slings, the RS1 and RS2. I decided it was time to complete the M1A build and get to shooting again.

To that end I ordered a Bassett Machine low base scope mount and a new Rifleslinger RS2 sling. The scope mount has yet to arrive but I got the sling today. I want to say we finalized the order last Monday or maybe Tuesday and it was in my hot little hands today. It almost certainly arrived on Saturday but our post office does not do Saturday delivery and Lu and I were gone on Monday. That said, shipping was expeditious and appreciated. There's nothing a gunny hates more than waiting for a new toy to arrive.

I was after a practical loop style sling. I hate those that have the pad at the shoulder area for carry. They've always felt uncomfortable and awkward to me. Plus, no loop! I prefer straight slings that are adjustable and easy to both tote around and sling up with. Something simple and comfortable but effective for it's intended use, toting around a rifle and as an aid to accurate long range shooting.

Here's what I got. That's a Rifleslinger RS2 in black. Since I don't anticipate painting the rifle (at the moment anyway) I decided to go all evil black. Scares the antis better that way anyway. The main difference (that I can tell anyway) between the RS1 and RS2 is the loop. On the RS1 the loop stays more open where on the RS2 it's flat. More like a conventional sling until you need the loop. Rifleslinger advises that the RS1 is a bit quicker to get into and out of the loop but the RS2 is more to my liking and the extra time is pretty small and acceptable to me. It looks just like a conventional sling with a big old loop at the fore-end when you need it.

It's made by Rifleslinger in America from all U.S. sourced and purchased materials.

It comes complete and assembled. I didn't need sling swivels (the M1A comes with fixed swivels) but if you do he can supply them as well. I'll have to take it apart to get it on my swivels but Rifleslinger included detailed reassembly instructions.

You can get it with or without swivel silencers. I got mine with. In the interest of complete reviewer honesty I have to tell you that Rifleslinger threw the silencers in gratis. Not because he's trying to buy a good review (he's most emphatically not nor would I under any circumstances) but because he's a very nice guy I have gotten to know and respect and because he loves cops, even retired ones. Like yours truly. Plus there's my winning personality and natural charm to consider. If you want them they're only 5 bucks a set. More on cost later. The silencers are neat, well stitched together and made of what I suspect is more heavy duty nylon. I've had other slings and range bags where the silencers/webbing holders were cheap and quickly stretched to uselessness. These are an order of magnitude better though I'm going to test the heck out of them to see if I can make them fail.

The materials are quality and the manufacture first rate. I've got a Michael's holster and rig so I know good workmanship when I see it and I see it here. There are two buckles. One adjusts for overall length and the length of the loop plus holds the two sections of sling together. It's metal because it's going to be under the greatest stress and is a potential single point failure source. The other adjusts for length and is made of heavy duty plastic both for cost and because the plastic slides along the sling easier for quicker length changes. I have no idea how they'll do long term but that will come during testing. Both look and feel solid. Frankly, I was expecting both buckles to be plastic. The metal one where it needed to be metal was a very pleasant and welcome surprise.

The stitching is straight, clean and heavy. Nothing light, cheap or erratic. Nothing irritates me more than to order something custom and find it wrought with sloppy workmanship. None of that here. Multiple lines of stitching where you'd expect to need it and everything neat and tidy. The cut webbing ends were even melted and done professionally. It's a thing of beauty and it looks like you could pull a car with the thing. He includes sufficient extra webbing length to fit a wide variety of rifles. I'll end up fitting mine as exactly as I can and then trim off any excess though with the silencers it would be simple to keep the excess tucked in. The sling came so configured and the extra webbing was unobtrusive.

The webbing is actually kinda soft. It's a milspec nylon that feels, to my hand anyway, a lot like the old cotton GI slings we used way back when. I like it. It feels good and if it's anything like those old web slings should last forever. I still have an old M60 sling that must date to the 1960s. It's 1 1/4 inch wide and nicely thick. That thickness doesn't translate into stiff though. It's pretty supple right out of the box. I anticipate it'll get even better as it wears in.

This is the rifle the RS2 will be going on. As soon as I get the scope mount I'll put the whole thing together and get it out to the range. Scope is a Leupold 4.5x14 with mil dot reticle and target turrets. RS2 sling. Blackhawk cheek pad. I may or may not put a bipod on it. I'm trying to keep this already pretty hefty rifle as light as I can but only time will tell if I can get by with a shooting pack for a rest or not. Frankly, I'm beginning to have my doubts.

 My out of the box impression of the RS2 sling is overall very positive. It's light, sturdy, well built and is made of visibly quality materials. It is everything Rifleslinger has advertised. The icing on the cake is it's price. The RS2 I bought in black without swivels was just $22. The silencers add $5 and shipping was just a hair over another $5. My total was just $27.15, a very good bargain if you ask me. With sling swivel silencers the whole thing would cost out at $32.15, the price of a decent meal. Rifleslinger has done his homework on the cost/benefit analysis and put his effort and money where it's needed the most and kept the cost very reasonable. If you check your local big box outdoor store for slings you'll certainly find he's either at or below prices for slings nowhere near as well built nor as job specific. It comes in a variety of colors (depending on material availability) but I think he can get just about any color. I may test him someday and order one in Hot Pink for baby Girl. The RS1s run about 10 bucks more but for my money and what I need the sling to do the RS2 is nearly perfect. Hey a practical, beautiful, custom made loop sling for just a hair over 20 bucks? Pretty dang hard to beat.

Rifleslinger was also a pleasure to deal with. Responsive and positive. He even gave me some tips on my build since he's also an M1A owner. With his background, experience and knowledge it's fairly safe to assume he can help you with yours as well. I've always said I'll spend a little more to get good customer service as opposed to buying from the big box guys who don't really care about you or your needs. Hence my preference for dealing with folks like Michael. Rifleslinger is now in that category for me. He's my go to guy for long range shooting advice and has now become my sling guy as well. If I can spend a little less and still get outstanding customer service on a first rate sling? Yeah, I gotta admit I'm pretty much sold. Unconvinced? Here's an example of his attention to detail. He sent the sling with two zip ties attached. Simple line them both up at the swivels (with the muzzle up and the swivels facing you, to the right for right handed shooters) when you install it and the sling will be set perfectly with that half twist he recommends.

If you're at all interested head on over to this page and peruse the offerings. He has an options and pricing guide. Take the time to read about the inspiration for his creation and how he builds each and from what. He has detailed instructions on how to use a loop sling and why. He also sent along a PDF with my purchase giving instructions (with photos) on how to put the sling on the rifle. Which is good because I are a Luddite. Rifleslinger recommends a half twist in the sling for proper and comfortable placement of the forward hand when 'looping up'. He explains his rationale and gives a how to for that sling option. I'm going to give it a try myself.

As soon as I get everything together for the M1A I'll head out for a field shoot evaluation, not only for the RS2 but for the Bassett mount as well. I'm going to do my best to put the sling through it's paces and wring it out as thoroughly as I can. I'll do a write up on that soonest.

If you're like me and you need a sturdy, practical, field loop sling I encourage you to give Rifleslinger and his RS1/RS2 slings a look. If you're unsure whether or not a loop type sling is for you take a few minutes and go through his archives. I think you'll be convinced. I know I was.

Great sling. Thanks Rifleslinger.

Six

You're Not The Boss Of Me

I was considering the gun control debate yesterday as I was working on the kids room. I find that working with my hands is wonderful for freeing my mind to wander and consider. What I pondered was this.

The thing  that has struck me most is the idea that the current debate and doom shrieking coming from Democrats (primarily) is basically a smokescreen for taxes and social/defense spending (essentially). Oh, I don't for a second think that the institutional left doesn't want to disarm America. They'll do it in a split second the moment they think they can get away with it. When you consider that way too many 'conservative' Republicans voted for the 1994 AWB, the Affordable Care Act and the recent Fiscal Cliff Bill the idea that another AWB in some form might very well pass the House today isn't too far fetched. Whatever your take on his ruling (traitor or mad genius) Chief Justice Roberts' vote on the Constitutionality of obamacare makes me weak in the knees where a new gun control act is concerned. Heller and MacDonald notwithstanding.

Still, the Democrat rope-a-dope strategy idea has some merit. Pay no attention to the man behind the podium as it were. But even if so what do we do?

America is a unique country. Certainly in the modern world but it can even be argued that it is without peer in all of mankind's history. I'm not insulting any other country but the level of our individual liberties compared to anywhere else cannot be denied. The idea that you can have a country ruled by a Constitution that limits government and maximizes individual liberty. It's a powerful concept. Of course the Progressives, Socialists and yes, Communists have been chipping away at us for a century of more. There have been hiccups, problems and not a few dangers. Obama is certainly to be counted among the latter but he's hardly the first is he? A century and a half ago we had a nation divided and warring with itself. Both sides were Constitutionally flawed. One over State's Rights and the other that whole "All men are created equal" thing. We found out that living free is hard. It takes a certain kind of person to not just live in a free nation but to want to live as freely as possible. We may be less so than we were two centuries ago but we remain a free people.

The current problem is we seem to have a surfeit of folks who don't really want to live free at all. They like State control and want everyone else to like it as much as they do. Those who don't cherish liberty will never be convinced to a different point of view. But are they really now the majority? I don't think so and the current gun control atmosphere has convinced me they are in fact the minority.

The gun control argument isn't about children or safety or needs. It's about whether or not one wants to be truly free. The argument that other western countries have lower levels of gun crime is a non issue. I stipulate that this is so but it changes nothing. As I said America is Unique. The rules that apply elsewhere and to others doesn't apply here and to us. In all the world America is solitary in it's recognition of individual liberties above he needs of the State or indeed even the majority of her citizens. But the fly in that ointment is where the lines are drawn. In America those lines are as small as anywhere in the world. Yes, even now.

For instance. I keep getting the Fire In A Theater argument from my gun control supporting acquaintances. The idea that one cannot yell "FIRE" in a crowded theater as proof that if there are limits on the First Amendment so restrictions on the Second must also be legal. My argument? That is a false analogy and breaks down in the face of careful consideration. I can go this very day to the local movie house and have a conversation with my wife where the word fire is used often and with great enthusiasm and all without breaking the law.

"When we get home I am so going to FIRE up the grill and char some dead animal flesh."
"So I told the guy don't FIRE until your sight alignment and sight picture are perfect."
"In case the theater catches on FIRE the exits are there and there. We'll take the nearest one that is furthest from the flames."

You get the idea. It's not the word FIRE that's the problem but the usage, the context of the conversation and the intent of the speaker that makes it's utterance a crime. Likewise standing up and shouting "FLOOD" at the top of your lungs whilst running in circles, flapping your arms and wailing about not wanting to die in a torrent might also end up with you in the hoosegow with a date before the bar of justice. The actual word FIRE has little to do with it.

The whole gun control brouhaha is of a similar stripe. It's not the object it's the context, usage and intent that matter. Those things are reserved to persons and not objects. Here in America we understand that and if what I'm hearing and reading from others around the world is accurate more people than just Americans have a firm grasp on that concept as well. As goes America so goes pretty much everybody else.

We're different here. In spite of generations of public school indoctrination how many times have you heard a child say "You're not the boss of me!"? How many times have you said that or at least thought it yourself? That's because we still get our concepts of personal liberty and freedom with our very mother's milk. It's inculcated into the mind of virtually every child from the age of reason and isn't totally beaten out of our heads no matter which Ivy League school we attend. Here's an interesting bit of data. Check out this post and the graph over at Bob Owens' place. Democrats as the fastest growing gun buying demographic? Gotta love that but it points out a common fallacy. That a tipping point in personal freedom has been reached and those who are ready to surrender their liberties for free stuff now outnumber those of us who won't. It's slander and calumny that grows no truer with the repeating. More on the dole, clamoring for handouts and bailouts and all manner of social spending? Absolutely but go into just about any neighborhood in any city in the country and start shouting orders and see what happens. You'll be lucky if "You're not the boss of me" is all you hear. No matter who utters them, the idea behind those words is timeless. "I am no one's servant." That thought gives me hope. Rugged individualism may be a dying concept (though I don't think so and probably never will) but it's not dead yet. Not by a long shot. Those "You're not the boss of me" folks, even the ones who vote D and are in favor of all things liberal, are the very ones now buying up military pattern semi automatic firearms, their accoutrements and ammunition by the job lots. That hardly bespeaks of a population who hungers for chains.

The Constitution is a set of trip wires planted by the Founding Fathers. Tin cans filled with gravel and tied across liberties trail with string. Ready to warn of the impending arrival of unwanted visitors of hostile intent. Many rattled years, decades, even centuries ago. Some much more recently. But in all cases patriots have responded and the country has recovered. They have done the equivalent of shouting into the darkness "HALT! Who goes there? I'm warning you, I have a gun and I'll shoot you if you come any closer." When it comes to guns we have won victory after victory with Heller, MacDonald and Illinois just the latest. The 94 AWB expired because no one had the temerity to actively and rigorously attempt to enact a new version.

Until now.

I am so proud of the gun rights community. By and large they have fought tooth and nail against the latest attempts at incursions on the Second Amendment. Remember that Paul Revere wasn't alone. He was acting in concert with his fellow patriots in responding to the threats they faced. We are no different. Paul's spiritual ancestors can be found all over the media, new and old, espousing the same messages and warnings he did. "Peril is incipient. Arise and make haste. This far and no further." The gunnies have risen to the challenge and responded magnificently. I can't even link due to the sheer amount of posts, articles and letters sent. It's astounding and gratifying. It may very well be, as some have suggested (including me), that this attempt at gun control is no more than cover for other nefarious schemes and doomed to ultimate failure. I sincerely hope so but only a fool or a desperate man wagers the liberty of his children on a hope. Now is not the time to lessen either the pressure or the rhetoric. We must treat the current crop of gun banners as if they are making their last ditch, all or nothing, take no prisoners final grab for our liberties because they just might be. All other fights, fiscal, social, whatever pale to insignificance next to this battle for a basic human right. Either we are an armed nation or we are servants, obedient to those who are "The bosses of us all."

No enemy is ever defeated until he surrenders his sword or his crushed remains lay at your feet. The foes of freedom are implacable and legion. They will never surrender. Never admit defeat. Never stop. Vigilance and overwhelming force are the only responses available to We The People and we must never cede the battleground. Ever.

Six

Hello To My Czech and Slovac Readers

Thanks for stopping by and reading my scribblings. I think it's cool that you found the site and thought enough to not only read but link to one of my posts. Shooters the world over have the same DNA I think and we welcome you here. I invite you to leave us a comment or two on how things are done in your neck of the woods. Your views and opinions will always be welcome here. A Gunnie is a Gunnie no matter what language we use. Speaking of which, I really wish I could read yours, your site looks like it's a pretty good one.

That goes for all the rest of you from outside the U.S. I Know Garry from New Zealand visits us from time and leaves us his thoughts but I'd love to hear from all of you. You can't let the Kiwi's have all the fun!

It's a very small world these days indeed.

Six

Great. I Can't Get An Evil Black Rifle. Now What?

This post isn't for you gunnies. You folks are pretty much sitting on go and have been for a while now. But there are a lot of people out there who are either just coming into our world or who badly want to only to find themselves on the outside of the rifle window looking longingly in. If you fit that description this post is for you. I hope the rest of you will chime in with your own corrections/suggestions in comments or on your own sites to help out our new brothers and sisters. We need to lend all the encouragement and advice we can.

Ok. The panic buying is in full swing and it's worse than I've ever seen. Even here in gun friendly Utah the shelves are bare of anything that even smacks of tactical or military. Including rifles, handguns and shotguns. Throw in the absolute dearth of any ammo in most popular calibers and we're talking about shortages here.

If you've stocked up over the months and years you're probably good to go. But what if you didn't? What if you're just now waking up and understanding what the progressive politicians and the media are really up to and find yourself in need of something with which to protect your family and your freedom? What if you want, no need, that "assault rifle" that you simply cannot buy and may never get to if things go bad for us?

The Evil Black Rifles and their handgun counterparts are, for the moment, gone. Inventory that should have lasted a year or more has evaporated and I hate to say it but it may be a while before any come available again. Ditto the ammo and without that bang bang you ain't gonna get your shooty on no matter what. What's the answer?

Beats me. Kidding. I kid because I love. I do have a suggestion though you will undoubtedly find others, either more or less qualified than I, who can point you in different directions. Make to mistake here. This isn't a direct replacement for a modern military pattern rifle and I'm not trying to tell you it is. It's an alternative when you find yourself in need and those rifles either aren't anywhere to be had or priced way out of your ability or comfort zone. Kinda like right now. Ok, enough waffling. Presenting one answer to the "Holy Crap I Can't Get An EBR! Now What?" problem.

First off DON'T PANIC! Guns aren't going to be outlawed (probably). Take a deep breath and seek your center. Better now? Ok. But that doesn't really help here and now does it. There's a real shortage out there and prices are spiking.  There are alternatives.

That's a Winchester Model 94 in 30-30. Steel and wood in a light, handy carbine length rifle that carries easily, points naturally, and shoots well as long as you do your part and don't ask it to do more than it was made to do. It comes in barrel lengths ranging from 20 to 22 inches. It fires a 30 caliber cartridge that is perfectly adequate for either putting dinner on the table or a bad guy in the ground. The action is really easy to learn to manipulate and follow up shots are surprisingly quick once you get a basic mastery of the rifle. It has a tubular magazine that holds 5-7 rounds plus one in the chamber for a perfectly adequate response to most situations. The sights are pretty basic but there's a host of companies out there offering peep sights (for the tactically minded think Ghost Ring). Yes, the new price is a little Yikes but the used gun market is booming and nice, well preserved examples can be found starting around 600 bucks. That's about a nice used car below what a used AR is going for these days. Plus they can still be found on some dealer's shelves. I have one and I love it.

In this rifle my suggestion is to stick with 30-30. It's cheap, plenty powerful unless you're hunting Grizzlies in the Yukon (and even then I'm betting there have been quite a few taken with this venerable cartridge) and readily available. Every Mom and Pop store across the country will have at least a box or two laying around. If you shop around you can easily find it for under a dollar per round and two or three hundred will take you a very long way. Like most rimmed cartridges, reloading is relatively simple and cost effective. I've seen bullets ranging from 88 grains to 200. Lots of choices between those two extremes.

But wait, there's more. The Winchester can be pricey when bought new and some don't care for the older technology. Side ejection is for the purists and iron sight shooters mostly but what if you want to mount an optic or want something with a little better tech? There is a way. Say hello to Marlin Firearms
 

That is a Marlin Model 336C. Same caliber as the Winchester but with a few differences. The receiver is side ejection so the receiver is stronger that the 94 and it has provisions to easily mount either a scope or a red dot type sight.

Want it in a caliber other than 30-30? How about a handgun cartridge like 45 LC or 44 magnum? The 1894 will fit that bill well plus the magazine holds 10 plus one in the chamber.

I have one of each of those rifles but there is one additional to consider. Something a little bigger. Behold the 1895 in 45-70. Shoots anything up to 405 grain bullets and is adequate to take on anything you're likely to run into in North America.

I talked a little about reloading before but I want to address it again in relation to Marlin lever actions specifically. That receiver is stronger that most any other lever out there which makes hand loading all the more attractive. Your cartridges can be loaded up to maximum pressures so you can get the absolute best performance from them. I'll be doing another post on beginning reloading in the near future and I'll talk more about this but I wanted to put that out there for now.

What about a practice gun? You know how you can buy a 22 Long Rifle copy of the AR pattern rigles like the S&W M&P 15-22? Well there';s also levers that will fit that bill as well.

That's a Marlin Model 39A. A 22 caliber rifle with 19 + 1 capacity. Yep, you can cheaply train with the same gun you want to use for protection, just like the AR guys. Plus, it's a dang good rifle all by itself.

Prices on new Marlins that I've seen lately run from just under $600 to just over $900. Used should be a little better. Not bad considering.

Ok, I can hear it now. Lever actions? Really? How serious a gun can they possibly be? Do an internet search for Cowboy Action Shooting and the CASS then watch this video.




That's 10 shots, all for hits mind you, in 2.09 seconds. Ok, he's probably a professional shooter with a worked over rifle but that's still within the range of the possible and shows how flexible and capable a good lever gun can be.

Want something even cooler? How about a Mossberg Tactical Levergun 464 SPX? Maybe the ultimate in Evil Black Lever Guns.

There are also schools out there offering lever gun specific training. Look around and if you can't find one just ask a local trainer. Lever action barrels range from 16 to 24 inches and are adequate for anything from contact distances out to 300 and even 400 yards (depending on the gun/ammo/sighting system combination).

This is just a very small sampling of what's available out there in the lever action rifle world. There are many more manufacturers like Henry, Uberti and Rossi, just to name a few. This post is also not meant to be the definitive guide to Evil Black Rifle alternatives. There's a lot more out there. Remington has the Model 7600 pump action and the Model 750 semi auto, both rifles chambered in modern calibers. And there's a lot more where those came from. All reasonably priced and available.


The last upside, and one of the things that convinced me to invest in four lever actions, is the appearance. I can tote mine around most anywhere without raising a single eyebrow. Hey, it's a Cowboy gun, how dangerous can it be? Right? Well, in the hands of a trained and prepared rifleman it's about as dangerous as a personal defense firearm can be. But I won't tell if you wont. It'll be our little secret.

The bottom line is this. If you find yourself in need of a gun that will do just about everything you need it to do you can't go wrong choosing a good lever action rifle. They'll go anywhere and do anything. You can sit Junior and Juniorette down and teach them safe gun handling skills with the same rifle your own forebears probably toted across the range a hundred years ago. They're pure American and damn capable to boot.

Lever action rifles, still defending American freedom after a century and a half. You gotta love that.

Six

My "Why We Win" Entry

I talked about introducing a new shooter to the sport here. Let's call her B. B's husband works with Lu and he wants an AR in the worst way. As I said in that post I introduced B to shooting with 22s and most especially a 10-22. She had a ball and was talking about buying one even as they were driving away from the range.

Guess what? Yep, we now have a brand new gun owner, someone who has never owned a gun before in her life. She still has that great new shooter smell and everything (someone should bottle that, you'd get rich). Just a couple of days ago she purchased a 10-22 of her very own and is just as happy as can be. They went shooting at lunchtime the day after they bought it and she was trying desperately to get him to call in sick for the rest of the afternoon because she was having so much fun she didn't want to stop. He bought her pink hearing protection and she's now complaining about magazine capacity; she wants either larger mags or more of  'em and preferably both. That's just so full of win right there.

But wait, there's more. She called me and asked questions about an AR her hubby has been eyeballing. Is it quality, is it fairly priced, ammunition requirements, what do I need to know, etc. She's planning on buying it for him for Christmas. I was giggling over the phone and I still can't get the smile plastered on my face to go away. She may now suspect I am a crazy man.

Listen, this is one of the funnest and most rewarding things I've ever done. I was a police trainer for years and introduced my daughter (and soon my grandchildren) to shooting. I've bought and taught for Lu but this is the first time I've ever introduced a complete stranger to the gun world and I'm loving it. I now have a much better appreciation for all of you who do this regularly. And if you haven't I highly recommend the practice. Invite a non-shooter to the range, introduce them gently and with as much fun factor as possible and watch what happens. It's magical.

I may have to look into doing some civilian training. If it's as much fun as this has been I'm all in. Hey, I've got my NRA and FBI firearms instructor certificates. Anyone in Utah looking for some help? I'm fired up!

Six

New Gun And Range Report (Plus A New Shooter!)

I've written before about gun enthusiasts versus casual shooters, especially as it relates to Lu. She loves to shoot and is very good at it but she's a product of her upbringing and limited training. She is comfortable with single shots, revolvers, pumps, bolts and levers but semi-autos, either handgun or rifles, make her uneasy. She is never quite certain, deep down inside, whether or not she needs to do some sort of manipulation to make it go bang and she has to stop and really think whenever reloading comes into play. In a casual setting, one where she's just plinking and not training, she's fine but throw in pressured training and she has issues. It's a problem for us because I have based my home defense plan around high capacity semi-auto pistols and AR15 pattern rifles. Yeah, it's a problem. Again, that's totally my fault. I should have gotten her up to speed on semis a long time ago but I didn't and that is a massive failure on my part. One I am going to address.

I decided to start with getting Lu comfortable with the AR rifles first because if we can get her skillful with that weapon then a pistol should be much more simple. To me the best way to get her going strong was to ramp down the training aspect and give her a training tool she'd be comfortable with and was fun to shoot. Nothing makes training easier than having fun. Enter my answer. Mind you it's my answer. Yours may differ.

A S&W M&P 15-22. I considered just getting a .22 conversion for one of my ARs but one of Lu's complaints was the weight of the rifles. At 5 1/4 pounds the Smith is very light weight and I'll later go to work on one of the ARs to lighten it up considerably. Composite everything except the barrel, bolt and bolt guide rails the thing is really easy to carry and hold off hand.

The controls mimic the AR platforms exactly.

It's a blowback design with a light weight bolt so cleaning is much easier.

The guts seem pretty much AR standard, including the robust hammer. We had no failures to feed or fire and got good primer strikes. The trigger is fairly heavy but crisp with no appreciable creep or slack.

Enough about the technical aspects. How did it shoot? Very well. We didn't do any accuracy testing (the first range session was purely a fun shoot) but anecdotally I was very happy with it. It shoots very softly, as you'd expect with a .22 long rifle, and put every round in a 10 inch pie plate at 10 yards. That may not seem exceptional but one of the shooters was a brand new shooter. I'll get into that in a bit.

To address the training and gun handling issues I mentioned earlier my plan was to introduce Lu to the gun as gently as possible with no pressure or expectations. I even did all the magazine loading.We headed to the range with one of Lu's co-workers and his non-shooter wife. There was a bit of subterfuge going on here. He wants an AR for himself but she's resisting, not quite understanding the attraction. This was the perfect opportunity to slay two dragons with one bolt.

We started the day on the line with two Ruger pistols, Lu's MKI and my bull barrel MKII. Again, yours truly did all the magazine loading and gun manipulation (short of the actual shooting). The setting was low key with the emphasis on fun and trying some new stuff. Lu is well acquainted with her little Ruger so had her usual load of fun. The new shooter (TNS for short) was pleasantly surprised. She had a ball. The first thing I did was have a safety brief. The very next was to assure her that I was not not not one of those idiots who think it's funny to hand her a hand cannon and laugh at the results. I told her I wouldn't give her anything to shoot that would hurt or cause her discomfort. No YouTube follies here.

With that success in my pocket out came the rifles. We started with a pair of 10-22s because hey, they're 10-22s and who doesn't love those little guns? Both women had an absolute ball. All that was required was range safety and a good time. Smiles were in abundance. One of those rifles is Lu's so no manipulation issues were encountered and with the relaxed atmosphere she quickly got into a good groove. A good sign.

After about half a brick of fun it was time to bring out the New Gun. Lu was first up and I have to say that after the first magazine she had a grin plastered on her face that never left. I acquainted Lu with the controls but didn't ask her to manipulate any except the safety. Easy, gentle and fun. More will come later, and there will be a later. This gun did exactly what I hoped it would. Relaxed Lu and let her handle an AR pattern rifle with minimum pressure and maximum fun. She can't wait to shoot it again. In future range sessions I will be slowly adding in gun manipulation skills and tasks but only as she and I deem her ready.

Same with TNS though she was pretty much divided on which rifle she liked best. I also didn't fuss over her or give her too much input in this first of hopefully many more range sessions. She shot everything and is a natural shot. She had an absolute ball and never once missed, hence the short range and large target. If a new shooter has that much fun and initial success you're halfway toward making a true Gunny.

All in all it was a great day and an excellent purchase. I highly recommend the S&W rifle. It's light, easy to shoot, relatively inexpensive (I paid $569), 10 different kinds of fun and cheap to shoot. For smiles per dollar spent it's an absolute steal. Lu now has a rifle that she loves as opposed to one that she's intimidated by and that should make acquiring the skills I need her to have much easier. As she progresses I'll modify the AR I have set aside for her to make it smaller and lighter to more nearly mirror the little Smith. This has reinforced in me the idea that it's a bad assumption to make that all other shooters can simply pick up a gun, any gun, and shoot it competently just because you can. That lesson is now permanently impressed in what passes for my brain.

As for The New Shooter? That was pure icing. I talked with her husband just today and a 10-22 purchase is already being planned. I think we may have a brand new shooter joining our ranks and that makes me very happy. I'm not Keads or Dann yet but I am doing what I can.

A very good day indeed.

Six

On Training And Role Models

My feelings on training are no secret. I believe in hard, realistic and ongoing training. Train to win no matter the circumstances. In that vein it's important to choose your training role models carefully.

I am no fan of the current crop of "Tactical Ninja" type trainers. Putting people down range and shooting past them. Drills involving clubbing folks with perfectly functioning firearms. Courses of fire that bear no resemblance to anything real world. You've seen them all and they bear no comment other than "I'll pass, thanks."

Read this and think about who the author of the post is, what she's survived and what her training mindset is.  Then ask yourself who better to get your information and motivation from? The Mall Ninja or a Mom who's determined, motivated and realistic?

I know who I want on my team.

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Lu's Gun

There's a lot of information and opinion out there on carry guns, what, how and why. A lot of it is very good and some is downright awful. I think the final selection for a self defense gun is dependant on a few things. Shooter experience, needs, strengths, weaknesses and comfort level. Now add in caliber, reliability, ammunition capacity, price (and budget) and local laws. Throw it all in a big bowl, stir well and voila! A new gun is added to armory. Here's Lu's choice (and it was her choice) with the reasoning that went into it.

That's a Smith and Wesson Model 642, aka an Airweight. Price out the door was $421.00.

Specifications

Model: 642
Caliber: .38 Special +p rated
Capacity: 5 Rounds
Barrel Length: 1.875″
Front Sight: Integral Front
Rear Sight: Fixed
Grip: Rubber Grips
Frame: Small – Centennial Style
Finish: Matte
Overall Length: 6 3/8″
Material: Alloy/Stainless Steel
Weight Empty: 15 oz.

We looked at a lot of guns but the choices came down to three. The Ruger LC9, the Kahr PM9 and the Airweight. We already have a Sig P230 and my little Glock 26 but I don't particularly care for the .380 and the Glock is a bit large for Lu to tote around. Lu handled them all and has shot the Sig and Glock (as well as the rest of my semi auto pistols) and there the issue finally became obvious to me. She's massively uncomfortable with the semi auto pistols.

It's completely my fault. I spent so much time shooting, going to shooting schools and instructing others on all things shooting that I neglected her training and familiarization. Too busy with my career and subconsciously doing what I think a lot of other gunnies out there are guilty of. Assuming that everyone else is as nuts about guns as we are and that simple instruction will carry the same weight as regular range time and bullets down range. Oddly enough, it's not so.

I noticed that whenever I took Lu out to shoot one of the high capacity bullet hoses she immediately showed trepidation and hesitation. She'd take a gun she's shot before and handle it like it was about to sprout poison spikes. I could see the consternation and uncertainty on her face. I chalked it up to simple nerves and concentration and went on with the lesson, blithely confident that she was soaking up the instruction the same way I, or any serious gunny, would have. Contrast that with her handling of the revolvers. Then she was confident, smiling, happy and in control. Her favorite is her stainless Vaquero which should have told me something way sooner than it did.

Lu is a product of her environment and experience, just like the rest of us. She was raised on bolts, levers and revolvers. Our early life together was a continuation of those experiences as that was what was out there and what we could afford. When I transitioned to the world of semi autos I failed to take her along with me. Again, it's that gunny in me and the assumption I made that she'd simply absorb it all by osmosis or something. But she didn't. She's not a gunny. Oh, she loves to shoot and can do so very well. She loves her guns and the time we spend together making money into smoke, holes and broken bottles. But she's not a gun nut. She doesn't spend hours with the Cabela's catalogue or on the internet browsing forums and gun blogs. She doesn't read and remember everything she sees on the subjects of caliber, ballistics, holsters, ammunition performance, etc. ad infinitum. She likes the things she's comfortable with and knows well. She loves her lever and pump and Vaquero. She's not out there looking for the latest and greatest super duper whiz bang bullet hose and tactical ninja rig. She likes wood and steel and things she can understand without 40 hours of intense instruction. She's great under pressure but, like all of us, pressure she is equipped to deal with. Give her an emergency within the bounds of her competence and she's amazing. Take her out of her comfort zone and she's hesitant, uncertain and slow. We're all like that to one degree or another but we tend to forget when what we're talking about is near and dear to us. Like guns to gunnies.

But in the world of self defense handguns hesitant, uncertain and slow are threats to life and limb and that is unacceptable. Here's an example. When I took Lu out to shoot, say the Sig 226, I'd go over basic safety rules and hand her the gun. I'd go over the manual of arms, have her load up and point her at the target. You could see the wheels turning. I'd tell her "It's ready. There's no safety. Just point and shoot. When it's empty reload and do it again." She trusted me but always acted like there were things she was afraid to forget. She'd look at the controls as if she was supposed to know what they all did but didn't. In my arrogance I put it down to insufficient trigger time (as was indeed the case) but that wasn't the crux of the issue.

She liked shooting those guns but was afraid to trust her life to her ability to manipulate it correctly and competently in a crisis. Shooting for fun is one thing. Shooting for self defense is something altogether different. That was the heart of the matter.

By the time I realized my massive failing (and it is mine, not hers) it was very late in the game. We're in Utah now, not california and though the need for a CCW might not be as dear here as it was there, here we could actually get her a CCW as opposed to the People's Republic where we could not. And I was determined that she was going to have the option of going about armed. Now what?

Training was a potential solution but again, she's not a gunny. But she was competent on those things she knew well and was comfortable with. Bolts, levers, pumps and revolvers. She liked the bullet hoses on the range and within the narrow confines of no pressure shooting. Not so much when the pressure to perform got ratcheted up. Not her fault, it's not even a fault, it's just how she was built based on her experience and training (or lack of. Again, that's on me). So together we went shopping. A search for her perfect carry gun. The journey took us in a specific direction but I was determined that she'd have all the knowledge she needed to make an informed and comfortable decision. She shot every pistol we had and handled those we didn't. We left nothing out from semis to modern revolvers to SAA. It was very instructive for me. Now that I (finally) knew what to look for I could see it on her face every time she even handled a gun. With the pistols she was consistently hesitant and uncertain. With the revolvers she was happy, enthusiastic and confident. In the end she chose the Airweight.

She loved it from the very first time she picked it up. You could see her face light up immediately. Here was a small, lightweight handgun with technology she could understand and manipulate with confidence and speed. I let her choose, right down to the laser. The model comes from the factory either with or without a Crimson Trace laser. She chose no laser. The grip just feels better to her and comfort relates directly to shooting speed and accuracy. I'm good with that. All things mechanical will eventually fail and in that event your shooting skills will make the difference. It's also in a major caliber and since I'm a handloader I can tailor her ammunition to her abilities and needs. Done. Bought and out the door. Lu was giggly with delight.

We took it out on her birthday and ran a few cylinders through it. She's in love. How much so? The DO came out with us and brought her 2 1/2 inch 66. After shooting both Lu remarked that she no longer liked shooting the 66, a gun she used to adore. Stacked against her new Airweight it wasn't even close. Heck, I like it so much I'm considering buying one of my own and retiring the baby Glock. I'm definitely selling the Sig P230. She even did reloads sans speedloaders or strips with speed and aplomb. She manipulates it like it's an extension of her hand. This gun is right smack dab in the middle of her wheelhouse and darn if that girl didn't hit it right out of the park.

It's hard for me to convey how I feel about both my dereliction in her pistol training and my massively incorrect assumptions about her comfort levels with the tools I provided her with. For years I sent her out in the world with a Glock 19 she was ill equipped to defend herself with. My fault. Mine. I've learned a great deal from this though and am taking those lessons to heart. I hope I'm now a better husband and instructor than I was. Frankly, it'd be hard for me to have failed any more completely and a worse failure, in this context, doesn't bear dwelling on. If you're an instructor, whether for family or the larger public, it bears thinking on.

But now the ship has been righted. A few more range sessions and she'll be ready for her CCW class. I sent an e-mail to Michael at Michaels Custom Holsters and a new carry holster for a J Frame Smith will soon be in the outing. Anyone know the proper speedloaders and a good source? Like I said, the girl loves her new gun and wants all the cool stuff for it. It's incredible what happens when you couple the right shooter with the right tool. Amazing.

I feel incredibly good this morning. I've managed to correct a horrible oversight and equip my beloved with a tool that may save her life. That she loves it is pure icing. Today, I am a better gunny.

Six

PS: One thing I forgot to include. In California my wait for a gun was 10 days. I asked the clerk how long the wait here was and he said "It usually runs about 30 minutes but after the first time it's much shorter." Gotta love living in Free America!

God, Gals, Guns, Grub On Carrying

Dann brings the big guns out and intelligently opines on a topic near and dear to my heart. What do you bring to the gunfight? I wrote about this in September, Carry as much gun as you can, but Dann does it better.

While you're at it head on over to Brigid's place and peruse her writings on this as well as many other firearms subjects. Tam might have written one or two posts that might possibly be on topic. How about Miguel or Fred or Murphy's Law or Borepatch or Frank or Michael or Keads or The Mad Ogre or Rourke or Mr. Completely or North or ASM826 or Say Uncle or Breda or Kevin or Oleg or WhenTheBalloonGoesUp or, well, you get the idea (and my apologies to anyone I missed, it was unintentional. I get easily distracted by shiny things).

My point is that there's a wealth of information out there just in my blogroll. People who are educated and experienced and who have nothing to sell and no hidden agenda beyond a desire to voluntarily give of the knowledge they've gained in lifetimes of effort and sometimes dangerous work. People we should all read, listen to and heed. And they're just the literal tip of the iceberg. A casual perusal of their writings and blogrolls yields a veritable wealth of folks who have been there and done that when it comes to firearms and self defense. And here's the funny thing. None of them, not a single one, will look you in the eye and tell you they are the be all/end all of shooting and bad guy defeating. It's the instructors responsibility to justify their teachings and advice and everyone who opines on these subjects is presenting themselves as teachers or subject matter experts and yes, that does include me and this very post. Don't be afraid to call BS when you see it. A good instructor welcomes hard questions.

For me the bottom line is this. Do your homework. Ask questions (and in that vein question everything you're told). Be a cautious consumer. Take everything with a large grain of salt. Ask yourself (and whatever source you're considering) what they're selling, especially if it's themselves. I've been to a lot of shooting/self defense classes and all instructors are not created equal. By the same token, someone I hate may be the bee's knees for you. Like instructors, students are as different as their needs and learning abilities. It's your money, spend it wisely.

I'll end this scribbling with something I've said many times and will continue to say. The 'experts' may be right or they may be wrong on any given subject but which they are depends on you; who you are, what you want, what you need and what you can afford. Knowing that is the beginning of wisdom in a field rife with gadgets, charlatans, tactical cool, fan boys, big boys and a disappointing tendency toward a herd mentality.

Carry. Carry what you can, what you believe in, what you can afford but carry. Train. Beg, borrow or steal the best instruction you can find and afford. This is an area which surprisingly does not follow the 'you get what you pay for' meme. There's an awful lot of very good free information out there if you dig a little. There's also an awful lot of high priced ignorance and stupidity. Figuring out which is which and who is who is the essence of becoming and staying an informed shooter. Discernment isn't just a fancy word, it's a requirement. And if someone calls you a fool because you don't carry what they recommend or train the same way they do then consider the source, learn what you can of value from them and move on. Self defense is a subject that is vitally important and it's far too easy to get discouraged by the ramblings of the self described elite. The mall ninja meme is funny right up to the point where you've paid for it and the price might be very dear indeed.

A big Thank You to all the gunnies on my list (and those I neglected to mention). I have learned something important from each and every one of you. And it didn't cost me a thing except a little time. Your efforts may go essentially unrewarded on the web but they don't go unappreciated. I hope you continue.

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