hoplophobia

Guns & Radio

Posted on by Caleb

I do apologize in advance for the following rant, however I’m in a bit of a foul temper this morning, having received about 6 inches of snow yesterday; locking my keys (no spare) in the truck, and finally this morning being treated to the following profound babble on my radio.

Allow me to set the stage for you, if you will. In the Indianapolis Metro area, there are approximately three morning radio shows. There is the Bob & Tom Show on 94.7, Stuck and Gunner on 103.3, and finally the Village Idiot Smiley Morning Show on 99.5. Before I continue, I should mention that 99.5 relentlessly hypes the Smiley show, so if you’re listening even when the fool isn’t on, you’re likely to hear at least 1,907 promos for his show in a 30 minute span. So, one day about 4 months ago, I took leave of my senses and tried to listen to the show. WORST. IDEA. EVER. I cannot with words even begin to convey the absolute, utter banality of the program. My only conclusion as to its seemingly inexplicable popularity is that everyone that listens to the show is a moron, that fear was unfortunately proven all to correct by their motley assortment of call-ins.

However, I am digressing from the subject at hand. During my lovely, icy commute this morning (Dear City of Hoosiertown – next time it snows, don’t use a zamboni to plow my subdivision), I was changing stations on the radio and happened across the Smiley Morning Show. My normal response to anything but music on 99.5 is to immediately punch the “next station” button on my radio, but this morning I lingered. The idiot host was mentioning how his family had a tradition that every Christmas they would go out into the backyard and plink cans with an air rifle. Apparently, the young children are allowed and encouraged to shoot as well, under adult supervision. “Well, that’s not so bad” I thought to myself, “Maybe this guy’s not a total idiot after all. You know, that’s actually pretty good when I think about it.“

Ah, but my inner monologue spoke to soon. No sooner had the thought passed my frontal lobe than one of his idiot minions opined “Wow, I can’t believe you’re introducing children to guns. That’s really dangerous.” This caused a whole chorus of agreement from the mewling sycophants that they call “co-hosts”, and Smiley immediately agreed that children should not shoot guns because “Guns are Dangerous”.

Right about then, I lost the ability to see straight, as Red Curtain of Blood (thanks Kim) descended across my vision. I wasn’t angry because some idiot on the radio has an opinion – that’s his right and good for him. I wasn’t angry because the idiot on the radio’s opinion runs contrary to my own. I was angry because the entire show collectively went “Oh yeah…guns…icky. Kids should never even SEE guns”, and then the topic was never even discussed. It was done in such a flippant way, that the average person probably wouldn’t have even noticed it.

This is exactly what people are talking about when they refer to an “anti-gun bias”. It’s so subtle that if you’re not paying attention, you’d just write it off as par for the course. Suzy Soccermom in her Yukon probably didn’t even notice because it’s so common. It’s what you expect to hear. If one of the trained monkeys had spoken up and said “hey, there’s nothing wrong with teaching kids to shoot with an airgun, especially since it sounds like that’s a fun family activity with safe adult supervision”, the show would have been getting calls from Hell to breakfast about how they were advocating unsafe behavior. I’m relatively certain that the trained monkey would have been hauled in front of his or her boss for a little talking-to, just to make sure.

Of course, the advantage to this situation is exactly what you see here. I hear anti-gun bias on the radio, I can go on the internet and complain about it. It’s really all I can do, short of emailing the station (which I’ve already done); put the word out that guns aren’t bad.

You know, I think I’m going to go swing by Gander Mtn. on my way home and pick up an air rifle.

shooting

Armed and…responsible?

Posted on by Caleb

I was having a discussion with some folks on a defensive shooting scenario which rabbit-trailed into a discussion of the responsibility that being an armed citizen carries with it. I’m not talking about safe gunhandling (although that’s important) rather I’m thinking of whether or not someone with a CCW has a duty or obligation to come to the aid of another person whose life/person is in danger.

There seem to be a couple of schools of thought on this issue, which I’ll divide into three major camps. Camp A would say “Absolutely, being armed gives you the obligation to assist if at all possible”, Camp B would say “Absolutely not, your only obligation is to defend your life and the lives of your family”, and finally Camp C seems to say that “You should do what’s appropriate to the situation at hand.” Of course, that seems kind of wishy-washy, but at the same time I’m more comfortable with that than I would be the absolutism in Camp A or Camp B.

Obviously, I think that a balance between Camp A and Camp B is necessary. Since I am no longer involved in the military or law enforcement, my “obligation” to defend others ends at my family. Were I to witness someone being violently assaulted, while I would desire to aid this person, it would seem reasonable to only do so if it were possible to not compromise my ability to defend my family. No matter what, the safety of my family always takes priority over that of a stranger.

It is however much easier for me to say that while sitting behind my comfy computer, not hearing someone cry out for assistance with my being in possession of a means to their aid. I have the luxury of thinking about what my response would be in a hypothetical situation, if it actually occurs that won’t be a luxury I can afford.

Bottom line – my family comes first. No matter what it takes, if that’s violence, retreat, or doing nothing, I’ve made the choice that my family must always be the first priority. Sure, every situation is dynamic, and I don’t know what could happen. That’s why I have to make this decision now, before something happens, because if it does the time for decision making has passed. Then it’s time for action.

Edited: Upon re-reading my post, it seems that I do in fact support the absolutism of Camp B when it comes to my obligation. I realize I’ll probably take some flak for that, however I cannot escape the conviction I have that it is my moral obligation to put the life of my family ahead of that of a stranger.

sports

COLTS WIN!

Posted on by Caleb

COLTS WIN!
Well, it is official, the Indianapolis Colts are the champions of the Football World. I do believe that at this very moment, Rex Grossman is being crucified by the Chicago press, and although he is not entirely undeserving of blame it seems that more rational folks are distributing the blame with a little more equality.

Well, here’s my take on the game, for all four of my dedicated readers – starting with the pre-game show.

Pre-game Coverage

Let’s see, it was about 5:00pm EST when I realized that the next sportscaster that said the word “legacy” in conjunction with Peyton Manning was going to get a bullet right in the wishbone. Honestly, I love Peyton, I’ve had the opportunity to meet him once, but he’s just a person. He plays a game for a living, and plays it well, but stop talking about him like he’s some kind of messiah. This is getting old, fast.

Cirque de Soliel was weird. They always are weird. Not only were they weird, but Gloria Estafan was just bad. Thank god that kickoff came when it did.

1st Quarter

I remember thinking to myself right before Adam kicked off “I hope Hester doesn’t run it back for a score.” Well, that didn’t work out too well for me, but whatever. Honestly, all I remember about the 1st quarter was that no one seemed to be able to hold on to the ball. When Hunter Smith flubbed the hold on the extra point, I almost had a heart attack – you can ask my wife. Finally, the 1st quarter was over.

2nd Quarter

I don’t remember much about the 2nd quarter to be honest. We had some awesome grilled ham & cheese sandwiches or something, and I had a few more beers. The most shocking memory of the 2nd quarter was after driving down the field with a few seconds left, Adam Vinatieri trots on to the field to knock down an easy 36 yard field goal…and missed. It’s okay, the Colts go into the locker room at the half up by 2 points. Then came the half-time show.

Half-time

Hmm…Prince. When I think NFL, I think…Prince? No, not really. It was truly awful; easily one of the worst half-time shows I’ve ever seen. Especially when he busts out with a goddamn Foo Fighters song. If you’re going to have Prince play the half-time show, he should probably, oh, I don’t know, play his own damn songs. Plus the fact that it was absolutely pouring buckets on him the entire show didn’t help. He looked like a drowned rat at the conclusion of the show.

3rd Quarter

Apparently, going into the locker room was the last time that we were going to see the Bears, as they certainly didn’t show up in the 2nd half. First drive of the 2nd half, Colts go down the field and pick up another field goal. Then they do it again, bringing the total to 22-17 (the Bears got a field goal, I don’t really remember when). So off we go the…

4th Quarter

This was it, right there. We were up by 5 in the 4th quarter, and all of a sudden Rex Grossman throws the ball right to our 2nd string cornerback, who takes it back TO THE HOUSE for six. Right then, I realized that this game was almost over; that feeling completely solidified on the next Bears possession when Grossman “gross-ly” underthrew Bernard Berrian on the deep route and Bob Sanders, the heart and almighty guts of the Colts Defense picked off the ball. That was it. The Bears would sputter out one more attempt, but with less than five minutes on the clock and needing two scores, they just didn’t have what it takes.

Post game

Peyton Manning got the MVP, which isn’t a surprise. I would have like to see it go to Dominic Rhodes, for 113 yards and a TD; but this was Manning’s time. Quite frankly, I rather enjoyed Tony’s speech when he had the Lombardi Trophy, it is refreshing for me to hear a sports figure give the glory to God and for me to feel as though he honestly means it.

Ahab’s Thoughts

All in all, this was a great game. For the Bears fans, I don’t think that Rex Grossman should bear the brunt of the blame, especially if you keep two statistics in mind. First off, the Colts ran the ball over 40 times for 190+ yards and a touchdown. 190 yards on the vaunted Bears defense allowed the Colts to control the ball for almost 40 minutes of the game. When you have the ball for 2/3s of the game, it makes it a lot easier to walk off as the winners.

If Chicago is looking for someone to blame, put that blame squarely on the shoulders of the Bears’ defense. They absolutely failed to get the Colts off the field when they needed to. Sure, they pretty much shut down Harrison and Wayne, but that doesn’t help when Joe Addai catches 10 balls for 66 years. It seemed like every time it was 3rd and 8, the Bears would lock down the corners, and Peyton would just dump the ball off to Addai for 10 yards.

Defense really does win championships, as evidenced last night. The better defense got the other team off the field on 3rd downs, forced 5 turnovers, and converted one of those directly into a score. The Colts came out and punched “bigger, more physical team” right in the mouth.

Congratulations to Peyton, Tony, and all the Colts. Once again you have demonstrated how not only to win, but to win with a class and dignity that is rare in modern sports. I’m proud to call Indy my home, and proud to have the Colts as our team.

Uncategorized

Wisdom of the Duke

Posted on by Caleb

It’s Friday, that means it’s time for more Wisdom of the Duke!

“I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people and I expect the same from them.” From “The Shootist”.

I like this quote, especially since it goes very well with my post on manners from a couple of days ago. Essentially, it’s John Wayne’s version of the Golden Rule; which quite honestly is an excellent way to live.

Treating others in the manner that you expect to be treated is a fantastic way to go through life. Do not be surprised however when others refuse to treat you with the same dignity and respect that you grant them. Those people may be criminals, liars, or simply just rude people. In such situations, you can only be responsible for your own conduct. Expect other people to treat you with respect; don’t be surprised when they don’t.

It’s what John Wayne Would Do.

humor/shooting

Wouldn’t it be neat

Posted on by Caleb

So, I’ve been fondly thinking of items/services I’d like the gun industry to produce. Things I want and why, basically.

Ammo

I want Wolf to produce a run of 9mm Largo ammo so I can actually take my Destroyer Carbine to the range without wincing every time I pull the trigger and see $1 fly downrange.

I want Aguila to figure out a way to shoehorn that 60 grain bullet into a .22 WMR. Actually, I’d like any manufacturer to do that.

I want someone to neck down a .32 case to take a 40 grain bullet from a .22 WMR. Make the round hit 1300 FPS from a 3 inch barrel and call it the .22 Lightspeed.

Would someone please make the .38 S&W load with the 200 grain bullet again? The British .38/200 was an awesome round.

Guns

Get Marlin to make a bolt action carbine with a 16 barrel and a fixed magazine that can loaded via stripper clips/single rounds…chambered for .45 ACP. Like I said in the Survival Carbines post, I don’t know what I’d use it for, but I’d buy two.

Somebody make a new gun chambered in 9mm Largo.

Get Walther to scale up the design of the P22 for small centerfires like the .32 ACP, or better yet, my “new” .22 Lightspeed.

I want EAA to make a version of the Bounty Hunter single action with a 3 inch barrel and no ejector rod. Keep the plow handle grips though. I’d buy 3.

I really, really want someone to make a double action revolver about the size of the SP101 that’s chambered for .40 S&W and uses full moon clips to hold the rounds. Come on. Tell me that wouldn’t be awesome.

That’s pretty much the sum of my “wouldn’t that be neat” list.

humor

Take your damn hat off

Posted on by Caleb

This is well off the usual subjects of guns, politics and survival; however it something that I feel just as passionate about as I do for the aforementioned topics. The subject of today’s little screed is manners, or more accurately the deplorable lack thereof amongst my generation, the kids currently in college, and those little bastards in high school.

My father was old school when it came to manners; I was raised in the school of “No elbows on the table-take your hat off indoors-get the door for others (especially ladies)-yes-sir-no-sir-three-bags-full-sir”. I have tried to continue in that vein in my own adulthood, and although I sometimes forget to get the car door for the lovely Mrs. Ahab; you will never see me with a cover on indoors, especially in a restaurant. There are a lot of little things that I wonder how and why we stopped doing them, but my real hot buttons are as follows.

Hats
TAKE. YOUR. GODDAMN. HAT. OFF. You are indoors; you are in a damn restaurant, you take your bloody hat right off. I don’t care how freakin’ cool you are with your silly-ass pre-faded Abercrombie hat, take the damn thing off. For whatever reason, this pisses me off to such a degree that I literally want to knock the covers off of people’s heads when I see them in restaurants.

I would amend the rule to say that if you’re in an indoor mall; you don’t need to remove your cover. Hell, I’d be happy if I could get people to just do it in restaurants, church, and meetings. Or my house.

Doors
For whatever reason, this isn’t as big a hot button for me as hats, but it still bugs me. If you get to the door first, pull it open for the person behind you. Man, woman, child, just open the door. It’s polite. If the person is A)a lady, B)elderly, or C)struggling with packages/gear you had better open that door for them.

If you’re married/dating, you should open EVERY DOOR for your wife. Even I’m not perfect in this category, however I have witnessed “young gentlemen” dash into stores to escape the cold while their lady has to pull the door open herself. Not appropriate.

Table manners
Keeping your elbows off the table is pretty easy, what really bugs me is when I eat with people that do one of two things. Either they don’t know how to hold their fork correctly; rather they grip it in their fist like a child, or they lean their mouths down to the plate and shovel food into their gaping pie-holes like some sort of cavemen. Sit up straight, hold your fork correctly, chew with your mouth closed, and don’t you dare talk with your mouth full.

A way to have to fun with this? I refuse to respond to people that talk to me with their mouths full.

National Anthem
Back in June (or July), I went to a baseball game in one of the western states. When the National Anthem was sung, most of the people stood up, most of those people took their hats off, and a few of those people actually put their hands over their hearts. Good for them. For the rest of you people, even if you’re standing in the concession line waiting for your hot dog, stop talking, remove your cover, and place your hand on your heart. I don’t care if you hold up the entire line because you’re standing stock still and silent during the song. It’s not that long, you can do it.

I could go on and on about little things that upset me, however the stuff I’ve listed above are really the hot keys. These should be things that anyone who dares to call themselves an adult should do all the time. I won’t even mention saying “please” and “thank you”, because any human being should do that.

The other reason for writing this post was to hold myself accountable to my standards. The Kind and Beautiful Mrs. Ahab reads my blog, and I have no doubt that if I fall short in any of the above categories, I will be rightfully taken to task for so doing.

One last thought directly primarily at the 17-20ish audience. If you do not currently open doors for ladies, try it with your mom the next time you have a chance. You might want to have a plan in place for when she faints over dead from shock, though.

What Would John Wayne Do? He’d open the door for someone else, and he’d take his hat off indoors.

Uncategorized

Airguns

Posted on by Caleb

I love airguns, I truly honestly do. Like a lot of people, my first exposure to shooting was over the barrel of an airgun, in my case the Crossman 760 Pumpmaster. That rifle took a devastating toll on the aluminum can population of my hometown, as well as a few birds (they were ruining the apple trees) and two jackrabbits. Actually, the jackrabbits were the hardest of the two, because you had to hit them just right for the pellet to do the trick.

For a while I stopped shooting airguns, because without the noise and flash, they sort of lost the interest of a teenager. It makes sense, because nailing cans at 10-25 yards had become easy; plus I got my first real rifle (which I still have to this day). Everything changed when I went to the Academy. I joined the pistol team, and shot NRA collegiate pistol; where I was re-introduced to airguns. This time though, these weren’t the $40 Wal-mart specials, my airgun was a precision Hammerli that would literally shoot three pellets into a group .177 inches in diameter. At first, the new shooters on the team didn’t want to shoot air pistol, because it wasn’t nearly as cool as Standard Pistol, or even Free Pistol.

This lasted until I figured out that shooting more air pistol made me that much better at the other disciplines, especially Free pistol. If you’ve never shot Free Pistol, it is one of the most challenging marksmanship events out there. It’s actually quite similar to Air pistol in that you shoot 60 shots over the course of a couple of hours at teeny little targets. The benefit of Air pistol was that because there’s almost no noise with the airguns, and no felt recoil, it allowed me focus entirely on my trigger squeeze and sight picture. So, I started shooting more air pistol, and lo and behold I got a lot better at shooting Free pistol, and even Standard pistol.

For a while after the Academy, I got away from Airguns for quite some time. I (once again) was only interested in the smoke and noise that came with “real guns”. That was up until about this year when my wife and I bought our house, and I switched careers to something that allows me a little bit more time to focus on shooting. The extra time I’ve been spending at the range has once again rekindled my interest in airguns as a training tool for marksmanship. That is coupled with the fact that floor plan of my house is totally large enough to accommodate a 10 meter air pistol set up (don’t tell my wife). Just set a pellet trap at one end with a target clip, and let the fun begin. It’s really, really cold in central Indiana right now, and that limits my range choices rather significantly. Since it’s too damn cold to shoot outside on the farmland; and a lot of the indoor ranges frankly suck, shooting air indoors allows me to practice what I enjoy doing without a)Freezing my tuckus off and b)spending a tonne of money on range fees.

Don’t dismiss air pistols/rifles because they’re not as “cool” or whatever. Sight picture and trigger control don’t change, no matter what you’re shooting. If you can’t make it to the range but you’re interested in improving your overall marksmanship skills, look into air guns.

Here’s a drill I used to do when I was shooting competitively. When I got done practicing Air pistol for the sake of competition, I’d do a drill that would help me practice for Rapid fire in Standard pistol. This would work with a target air pistol, or one of the fun blasters that’s set up to look like a real gun.

Start with the pistol held out at a 45 degree angle from your body, or if you’re using a two handed grip, start at low ready. Bring the pistol up and acquire your sight picture. As the sights align, prrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssss the trigger; don’t slap it, spank it, jerk it, or do any of the other vaguely wrong sounding things that you can do to a trigger. Just press it until the shot breaks. Go back down to low ready, (reload if necessary), and repeat for a total of 10 reps. I would start at 10 feet, 10 shots, then move back to 20 feet, 10 shots, than 30 feet, 10 shots. This drill really helped me when it came to the Timed Fire and Rapid Fire portions of Standard pistol, as I was used to acquiring and excellent sight picture in a “relaxed hurry” and pressing out the shot.

Have fun, and if you’re indoors please buy (or build) a pellet trap. Your wife does not want you shooting airgun holes into the drywall.