gun control/news

IndyStar gets their database on

Posted on by Caleb

Apparently, the IndyStar has had a database of concealed carry permit holders up for quite some time.  Unlike the HTO’s database, the Star’s database only lists the number of permit holders in your particular zip code…but it’s also horridly out of date, as it doesn’t even include the 46037 zip code that was created when 46038 was split into two zip codes.

However, although the IndyStar’s database manages to be less of a public safety risk (but not by much) for gun owners, it also manages to be more insulting than the HTO’s database.  From NRA:

The searchable database of law-abiding carry permit holders is included in the “Public Safety” section of the paper’s website.

The paper seems to believe that it’s a matter of “public safety” for people to know how many permit holders live near them.  Apparently the Star thinks that law-abiding concealed carry permit holders are to be regarded with caution.

You stay classy, IndyStar. Of course, the database does contain neat information for muggers and other criminals looking to target unarmed people: statistics! Each zip code is broken down into demographics, i.e. how many women have permits, how many Asians have permits, etc. For example, in the 46038 zipcode, fully 15% of the permit holders are women.

The IndyStar has been kind enough to provide us with a toll free number though to call and complain: 1-800-669-7827 is their switchboard. Again, the Star is not publishing names or streets, just demographic information with the insinuation that gun owners are a public safety risk, and you should know how many live around you. If you’d like to see the database yourself, click here.

rifles/self defense/shotguns

The best of the worst

Posted on by Caleb

With regards to the post below on pistol gripped .410 shotguns for home defense, if my only choices for a home defense gun were between a Smith & Wesson M&P-22 (the .22 LR AR trainer) or a pistol gripped shotgun in any caliber, I would choose the M&P-22 every time. Assuming for the moment that those two types of guns (pistol gripped stockless shotguns and an the S&W) were my only choices, the .22 wins hands down for one big reason: only hits count. I’ve shot a ton of rounds though one of those, and if the balloon went up at midnight in my house, I’d much rather have a semi-auto .22 with 25 rounds in the mag than a 5 or 8 round shotgun that I can’t aim properly.

Sure, a .22 isn’t ideal, but a light, accurate, easy handling carbine with big ol’ mags that you can hit with in .22 makes a lot more sense than a shotgun that lacks a proper stock.

Uncategorized

Armed American Radio

Posted on by Caleb

Quick FYI, I’ll be appearing on Armed American Radio this Sunday night at 9pm Eastern time, hosted by Mark Walters.  Interestingly enough, in the “it’s a small world” category, Mark and I both write for US Concealed Carry Magazine – he writes The Ordinary Guy column, and I suppose I’m their token freelance gun games guy.

Check out the show on Sunday – apparently the Herald Times sent Mark an email about the database, and we going to shred it on air!

ammo/shotguns

Home defense shotguns

Posted on by Caleb

The proliferation of self-defense loads in .410 has started me thinking down a road that I normally wouldn’t go down, namely that of pistol grip shotguns.  See, normally pistol grip shotguns are fail upon fail when chambered in “serious” calibers.  The whole point of putting a stock on a shotgun is so that you can mount the gun to your shoulder and use your whole body to absorb recoil, thus making follow up shots faster.  So when you take that shoulder stock off the platform, you’re left with an unwieldy super-pistol that’s difficult to accurately aim and challenging to manage the recoil on.

With that in mind though, I recently happened on a Mossberg 500 in .410, that actually had a pistol grip on it.  Initially I looked at it like you’d look at something “created” by a cat, but then I got to thinking about the little shotgun.  Hefting it, it was light and pretty easy to swing around.  With the addition of a sling so you could shoot it SAS-style (the British Special Air Service used a technique of pressing their MP5s against all the slack in their sling) this could actually be a reasonable HD gun.

In .410, the pistol grip shotgun actually makes a lot more sense.  Then you get all the benefits of a short overall length, and with the light recoil of even the stoutest .410 loads it would be much easier to aim and manage recoil when firing without the benefit of a shoulder stock.  I do feel like the sling is a must have though, if for no other reason than it allows the shoot a way to retain the weapon if you’re in a CQB situation in your house, as well as providing a more stable firing platform when the shotgun is pressed out against the sling.

While a .410 is certainly not the “optimum” platform for home defense (the optimum platform being a 12 Megawatt pulse rifle that vaporizes badguys) I certainly wouldn’t volunteer to stand downrange and catch five or so rounds of Winchester’s new buck and ball load.

gun control

A life in fear

Posted on by Caleb

I couldn’t support gun control. I think most of you know that about me already, but after the events of the past week, I’ve discovered a new reason: advocates of gun control are afraid. One of the lines I have seen repeated several times is that “I want to know if my neighbor has a gun because I’m afraid of what they might do.” What a terrible life that must be – seeing monsters behind every fence, living in constant fear. It’s no wonder so many gun control advocates are mentally imbalanced, that kind of strain would be nearly impossible to bear.

ammo

Winchester adds .380 ACP to their "Bonded" line of ammo

Posted on by Caleb

From the Winchester Press release:

Winchester® Ammunition’s Supreme Elite™ Bonded PDX1™ line generated a lot of attention in 2009. To continue meeting the demands of consumers, Winchester has extended the Bonded PDX1 line by offering it in .380 Automatic and .45 Colt for 2010.

The Bonded PDX1 line uses the same technology the Federal Bureau of Investigation uses as its primary service round. The Bonded PDX1 is engineered to maximize terminal ballistics, as defined by the demanding FBI test protocol, which simulates real-world threats.

…

NEW Offerings:

Symbol Line Grain Jacket

S380PDB .380 Auto 95g JHP Bonded

S45CPDB .45 Colt 225g JHP Bonded

FTC stuff: I received nothing from Winchester for this post, I’m just printing a press release.  Anyway, if you’ll recall a couple of weeks ago, the post from ENDOTactical that had the Winchester Ranger penetration/expansion diagram – the bonded rounds performed much better when fired through barriers than the non-bonded rounds.  Introducing a .380 in the “bonded” format will provide another option for the literally hundreds of thousands of shooters that rely on the .380 for their defensive pistol.

Uncategorized

Gun Nuts Last Night: Fox News & Christmas

Posted on by Caleb

Thank God for Gun Nuts Radio.  After a relatively stressful day, last night’s show was the perfect thing for me to unwind, and unwind we did because it was absolutely a great show.  As an fyi, the first 10-15 minutes we had some issues with Breda’s audio, but that got squared away most rickey-tick.  On the show, we obviously talked the appearance on Fox News, but we also had a much lighter topic: Christmas!  Click here to listen to the show, or if you’d like a mobile version click here for the .mp3 format.

One of the things I’d like to reinforce is how utterly ashamed I am of the Herald Times.  The whole time this saga has been going on, the HTO has stood by their database, claiming it has nothing to do with gun control, even though a member of the Brady Campaign defended it for them.  What’s truly interesting though is that when the stakes were raised, the HTO didn’t have the courage to stand by their convictions and defend their database in front of a national audience.  Cowardice is a ugly word, but in this case it’s an apt description.

We then talked about 10 gun nut Christmas gifts – if you’d like to hear both Breda and my full list, check out the show at the links above, or by downloading it from Gun Nuts Host - Gun Nuts Radio: The Next Generation of Shooting | Blog Talk Radio Feed - Gun Nuts Radio: The Next Generation of Shooting | Blog Talk Radio Feed. A couple of the items from my list are available for immediate purchase, including the Gun Nuts 2010 calendar, the ammo from LuckyGunner.Com, and finally the fully customizable tactical coffee mug from The Gun Nuts Store.

We’re going to be taking next week off for the Christmas holiday, so spend time with your families and enjoy your Christmas. We’ll be back in full force on Dec 29th with another pile of awesome for you, so Merry Christmas, everyone!

news

Quote of the day

Posted on by Caleb

If someone is not a convicted felon or hasn’t been found to be a danger to themselves due to mental illness and they believe they can handle a firearm, we support their right to purchase one.”

That’s an awesome quote, coming from this article. It’s great to see that people are supporting the rights of disabled Americans to own firearms.

What makes it more awesome is that the above quote isn’t from the NRA, it’s not from a hunting organization – it’s from Peter Hamm of The Brady Campaign, America’s most irrelevant lobbying organization. Think about this for a minute: the Brady Campaign, which once pushed for a nationwide gun ban, has now lost so much ground on the national scene that they’re forced to debate (and lose to) amateurs, and issue statements in the media supporting the right to keep and bear arms!

I don’t know about you, but for Christmas I’m getting Paul Helmke a bottle of Wild Turkey, and a copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People.