Because Gun Control...

...is on my "absolutely positively under no circumstances discuss this on Facebook" list, I'll link this article here (warning: it's long; 10k-ish words): http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/

Also, I made this for you:

Happy 6th of July!

Boy, it sure is a good thing handguns are illegal in Chicago: http://cbs2chicago.com/local/chicago.area.shooting.2.1072542.html. Heaven forbid I have one.

Buying guns over the weekend

As was probably very predictable, our little adventure into weapons purchasing was reduced to a matter of budgeting and practicality as opposed to my grand hopes of building a force of firepower no one could oppose. Yes, that’s right; I did not buy the Barret Model 82 and a MOAB. Ultimately it came down to costs and practical use. So this is what we got:

I of course still have my Beretta 92FS which I’ve had for a couple of years now. It weighs 32oz roughly and can hold a magazine in excess of 10 rounds (though some laws prohibit magazine that hold more than 10). It fires 9mm rounds. It’s good enough for the Marine Corps, so it’s good enough for me. Besides that, I like working with what I’m used to. As far as this weapon was involved over the weekend, I got more ammo for it.

Ileana got herself a Charter Arms Goldfinger .38 special. It is a small 12 oz. 5 shot revolver. While I myself prefer magazine fed handguns, Ileana preferred the reliability combined with the easy of handling. In case you didn’t know, revolvers are less likely to jam than magazine fed weapons, and they require significantly less maintenance which is another plus. The gun is small enough for Ileana’s small hands to reach everything. The light weight also makes it far easier for her to aim than my bulky Beretta 92.

We also got a Mossberg 500E shotgun which fires a .410 Gauge shell. It can hold up to 6 shells when fully loaded (including the one in the chamber). It fires the least powerful (common) shotgun round, but that comes with the advantage of not destroying our house or killing our neighbors on the other side of our townhouse’s walls should we need to disassemble someone dumb enough to wander into our house at 3am. While not the most manly of all available home artillery, it serves as the most practical solution after a handgun for general family defense. It has a short 18.5” barrel for easy(er) maneuverability down hallways and around corners and weighs in around 6lbs making it easy for everyone in the family to carry it. Because it is small, lightweight and fires a round that won’t knock the rest of my family back on their butts, I feel confident that my family can learn to use this effectively even in my absence.

We purchased some miscellaneous items like ammo, a waterproof case for the shotgun (you never know when you might be paddling down the street in a canoe with hurricanes the way they are), a holster to keep Ileana’s gun protected inside her purse, gun handling class for Ileana, etc. All in all, by the time we get Ileana’s carry permit, we will have spent just over a grand on this weekend. Now down the road, laws and budget allowing, we may purchase a rifle. I currently have my heart set on an AR-15, but I may have to do a little budgetary juggling since that alone approaches $2K. Like I said, I like what I’m used to.

Now that the election is over....

A couple bumperstickers I want.

One, "Palin 2012"

Secondly, something that summarizes these posts by Scott Ott and John C. Wright.

Over the last eight years, I've gotten so sick of the hatred and vitriol directed at the current president. You know, the bumper stickers that say "Not my president" or "Bush should be behind bars" or "Buck Fush" or "Bush is poopy" (yes, I did see that one; it reflects the level of maturity I expect from the left). Even the media (especially the media) had resorted to it. Did anyone ever notice how President Bush was never referred to as such in virtually any newspaper article? Every time I saw him referenced, it was always as "Mr. Bush".

Now that there's someone I don't like in the white house it's my turn to show that I am the better man, and refrain from resorting to such infantile name-calling. I'm thinking a bumper sticker like:

"Obama is my president. He may be a liberal hack, but he's MY liberal hack."

Also, it may be time that I stopped shirking my responsibility to defense of my family and bought a firearm, before they are banned. The advice of some guy on the internet is "First, get a shotgun. If you can afford it, a Benelli M4. If you can't, get a Remington 870, preferably a 'Police Magnum'. Barring that, a standard 870 in a minimum-legal length barrel configuration will do superbly. You can also get a plain 870 hunting shotgun and get whatever barrel you want for it. There's plenty of 870 aftermarket accessories to make it do whatever you want it to. Mossberg 500s run a close second, but the safety location makes some add-ons unwieldy. If it's going to be for home defense, get a flashlight add-on. If you've got the money, a Surefire foregrip is ideal. If not, pick up a Maglite LED with a pressure switch and a mount. But a light of some variety is essential."

Reasonable advice? I know there are at least two readers of this blog who are also gun owners. What do they think? Perhaps I should head to a local gun store on December 4th?