Gun Nuts

If you’ve spent more than 2.5 seconds on internet gun forum, you’ve probably had someone tell you that M&P pistols aren’t accurate. I feel like a lot of it is overblown, because how many people are really shooting their guns at ranges where a real lack of accuracy would be noticeable? But, in the interest of science, I decided to pull at random one of the 5 M&Ps we have in the house and see. The gun selected was an M&P full size, with a 4.25 inch barrel and Sevigny sights. It’s an older gun, we’ve had it for at least three years.

I don’t know where it came from, but for some reason women new to handguns, and especially interested in concealed carry, are always told to buy revolvers. Sometimes, women should buy a revolver. For example, if they like it, are proficient shooting with it, and have found it easy to conceal. It shouldn’t be everyone’s automatic go-to though, and here are a few reasons why:

Frequently in discussions about various types of criminal assault I see people discussing their intention to “hold” a criminal assailant for the police to come and collect. Naturally if some hammerhead just kicked your door down or threatened your family you want to see that sucker cuffed and stuffed into the back of a cruiser. It’s a perfectly natural desire…but remember that surviving the encounter in one piece is more important than getting to watch the bad guy perp-walked and locked in a box. Attempting to “hold” somebody for the police can expose you to grave peril.

One of the truly great minds has passed. Fair winds and following seas, Louis.

I had some technical difficulties with camera gear this morning, resulting in me shooting the video in one manic take on my Blackberry. But the video speaks for itself: I really, really like the HK VP9.

Even on the tough days, this job is pretty radical.

The World Speed Shooting Championship, aka Steel Challenge is happening this weekend. The last time I was able to get numbers, there were fewer than 30 entrants in the match. Report from the “on the ground” indicate that there isn’t even a super squad.

HOUSTON, Texas – With seven division stage wins and the second fastest overall time, Comp-Tac Victory Gear‘s Gordon Carrell took the Enhanced Service Pistol division title this past weekend at the Carolina Cup IDPA Championship. This marks the fourth time in the past seven years Carrell has won a division title.

By now you’ve heard of Paul Hendrix, the USPSA Range Officer accused of cheating. Posted on the Area 6 Facebook page today, here is his “apology” and resignation:

To the members of USPSA Area 6.
I have spoken with people that I trust and respect their views.
In review it appears that I have fallen short in safeguarding the trust and duties place with me in this sport.
I apologize for those shortcomings.
I accept the full responsibility for my shortcomings, as well as, any pain or embarrassment caused.
I have resigned my membership in this great organization.
At some point in my future I hope to rebuild that trust.
Humbly Submitted,
Paul Hendrix

Many people, myself included, are rather underwhelmed by Paul’s apology. I hope that USPSA does the right thing and continues their investigation into the cheating allegations and if they are found out to be correct, issues a lifetime ban on Paul Hendrix from the sport. His resignation appears to be nothing more than an attempt to circumvent the proceedings against him and calm the storm.

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (June 19, 2014) – Colt’s Manufacturing Company congratulates sponsored shooter Maggie Reese on claiming her third IronMaiden title at the MGM Ironman 3-Gun competition. Reese competed in the Open division and finished with 509.0427 match points. She also won the IronMaiden title in 2011 and 2013.

Do you have a Glock 42? Do you need a frickin’ laser beam? Crimson Trace lasers for the Glock 42 are now available direct from CTC.

I spent the last two weeks open carrying as part of my OC Experiment. I wanted to get a first hand feel for what OC was really all about, and why people would choose it as a primary method of carry. At the end, I was frustrated, not with OC or my interactions with the public, but with my interactions with hardcore OC advocates. You can read the final summary post here.

Time is not on our side. Time is an awful, cruel mistress, the worst zero sum game of them all. For every second you spend doing anything, that is time that you cannot spend doing something else. For shooters, time spent on the range shooting is frequently time away from work, from family, from other hobbies. I’ve been rolling this one around in my head for a while – how can people make the most out of their range time? If I could only pick a few simple drills, what would those drills be?

All two tone guns should be blue on the top end. Not the other way around.

Top: Mossberg 930 SPX with extended magazine tube, for 10+1 rounds of 12 gauge goodness.
Bottom: Remington 870 Tactical in FDE with Magpul furniture, 6+1 total capacity.

Both of these shotguns would do just fine in a defensive situation, and being a bit of a traditionalist I actually prefer the pump gun. But it’s hard to argue with the capacity and shootability of the semi-auto. Next week we’ll have a shotgun video up talking about patterning, and showcasing these two guns plus a Beretta 1301 Competition!

Today’s the last day I’ll be OC’ing as a primary means of carry. Two weeks was enough. I didn’t have any run-ins with the cops, no one tried to talk to me on the street, none of the negative consequences I anticipated occurred. Yet, I’m still exhausted, and the reason I’m exhausted is because of Open Carry people.

I can’t believe this video is almost 4 years old. We straight up murdered bowling pins with shotguns. It was fun.

As I’ve been open carrying for these articles, I’ve been forced to ask the question over and over again. Why Open Carry at all? I touched on this in part 5 a little bit, but I want to flesh it out today and really talk about it. In answering my own question, why OC, here’s what I’ve come up with as reasons people open carry.