humor

You know you've made it when

Posted on by Caleb

You have a drinking game created about you. You watch the live webcam feed during Gun Nuts Radio, you’ve probably seen me on camera doing what I do best, which is talking with my hands. Apparently one of our regular watches/listeners decided to create a drinking game based around my on camera antics. There are rules and everything!

1. He changes hats – drink
2. He mentions para, lda, or blackhawk serpa – drink
3. He stands or sits – drink
4. He gestures wildly – drink
5. He talks about frangible bullets – drink
6. Whenever he talks over the caller or guest – drink
7. He asks breda something – 2 drinks
8. He ambushes Breda with an unknown topic, you slam the rest of the drink
9. But if you post drink to the chat room first, you don’t have to drink and everyone else does.

I do have to say, I have a small concern that following these rules will get someone killed, because in the course of a given night, there is a good chance I’ll do everything on that list.

revolvers

Emiliano Zapata Ruger Vaquero

Posted on by Caleb

Ruger has made a limited run of New Vaquero revolvers to commemorate the Mexican revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata.  The wheelguns are going to be distributed by TALO, Inc.  Normally, I’m not a fan of lavishly embellished guns – anything that makes me less likely to take a gun out and shoot the wheels off it feels like I’m doing a disservice to the firearm.  However, I generally make an exception for single action revolvers, as that particular style of firearm is so ingrained our nation’s collective consciousness that using is a platform for artwork seems almost appropriate.

Bianchi Cup

One week

Posted on by Caleb

My goodness, it’s Tuesday already. A week from today I’ll be in Columbia, MO for the 30th Anniversary NRA Bianchi Cup. How time has flown, as it seems like only yesterday we had Tom Hughes from NRA on Gun Nuts Radio to talk to us about Bianchi Cup. I am tremendously excited about getting to shoot this match – it has been a personal goal of mine to compete in Bianchi ever since I first heard about the match in 2001. Eight years later, I’m getting to achieve that goal.

Someone asked me the other day why I’m practicing for Bianchi if I don’t expect to win; since Dave Sevigny and a lot of pro-shooter types are going to be shooting in Production. Well, just because I don’t expect to win doesn’t mean that I don’t want to give it my best run – I’m an IDPA shooter by trade, and the practice for Bianchi Cup (which involves a lot of tightly controlled shots under strict time limits) has improved my IDPA game as well. Those long, tight shots that you sometimes get on matches used to be my least favorite thing, but as I practice for Bianchi Cup I find I’m less intimidated by the concept of a 20 yard shot at an IDPA target.

Starting next Monday, it’s going to be an “all Bianchi Cup” week, not unlike my SHOT SHOW coverage. Hopefully, I’ll even manage to get pictures posted live from the event, if I can convince the technology shamans to let my Sony camera interface with my Eee PC. We shall see in that regard.

My biggest fear? Shooting the mover. For some reason, I have created a monster out of the mover, a beast which haunts my dreams…lurking…waiting to dash across my view in 6 seconds while I fumble at my holster like a high school freshman at a girl’s bra strap. You know, or something like that.

NRA

Gun Nuts Tonight: BlogBash!

Posted on by Caleb

Tonight will be Breda’s last show before the 2nd annual 2ABlogBash and NRA Annual Meetings in Phoenix.  As such, the focus of tonight’s show will be the 2ABlogBash, past and present.  Starting at 9pm Eastern time (as always), Breda and I will be talking about what she hopes and expects to see at the Bash/Meetings, as well as some highlights from last year.

If you attended the NRA Annual Meetings or 2ABlogBash last year and would like to share you thoughts on the event, please join the conversation live by calling 347-539-5436 after 9pm Eastern time!  Also, we want to hear from you – what do you want Breda to see/do at the show, what kind of coverage do you want to hear about on Gun Nuts from her?  Call in to the above number to suggest topics, booths, and items of interest that you’d like to see covered from the NRA Annual Meetings and 2ABlogBash.

But to do that, you have to listen live to Gun Nuts Radio tonight at 9pm Eastern time at www.blogtalkradio.com/gunnuts!

Beretta/news

Beretta Announces First Quarter Results

Posted on by Caleb

From the Tactical Wire:

On Tuesday, Beretta U.S.A. Corp. announced first quarter results. “We are extremely pleased by our commercial pistol market sales”, said Gary Ramey, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, “First quarter sales are up 66% compared to last year. All of our pistol families are performing very well, and we are trying to keep up with the increasing market demand”.

Apparently, the PX4 Storm has been a pretty big seller, along with Beretta’s 92 series of pistols, as people are gobbling up high capacity autoloaders as fast as they can hit the shelves.

blogs/self defense

Trail Safe

Posted on by Caleb

Michael Bane’s book Trail Safe is now available – get your copy. Here’s what the book is about in Michael’s own words:

The most important parts of the book are the tools for understanding risks and awareness, avoiding escalation and understanding the fundamentals of a “decision tree.” Those elements are independent of where they’re exercised and form the basis for my hit television series, THE BEST DEFENSE.

He’s not kidding about them forming the basis of The Best Defense, either. I’ve been watching my Tivo’d episodes, and if there is one lesson that show repeats over and over again, it’s “be aware”.

IDPA

I should probably be glad

Posted on by Caleb

Back in early February when I was cruising IDPA.com looking for major matches to attend this year, I had thought about making the drive down to South Carolina to shoot in the SC State Championship. Unfortunately, as often happens, life interfered and prevented my attendance. In retrospect, this was probably a good thing, as I would have only experienced crushing defeat at the hands of Bob Vogel and Team EOTAC.

Bob Vogel, a police officer from Wapakoneta, Ohio, won the Stock Service Pistol title, finished high overall and led Team EOTAC to a total of five titles at the South Carolina IDPA State Championship held April 25 in Gaston, S.C.

If you go on to read the entire press release, Team EOTAC won Stock Service Pistol, Enhanced Service Pistol, and Custom Defensive Pistol in the main match, as well as Bob taking top LE honors and the best overall match score.