Zell959

Hey, anyone get a reply to pre-reg emails to Tom Richards for the Somerset match this weekend? My buddy shot him an email earlier this week and just hadn't heard back. Don't want to pester him, but just hoping to shoot in the match.

I think that your lists are pretty good. The one observation I might offer about your intermediate list is that, to me, it sort of seems tailored to the interests of someone who is 'into' firearms and has a long term goal of ultimately becoming pretty darned good at shooting. That's absolutely a great goal and there certainly is no such thing as having "enough training" to handle any situation, but I'm not sure everything you've got on that list is something worth teaching to someone that just considers firearms a necessary emergency option and doesn't gain much recreational value out of them. For example, your list includes: Moving while shooting Pieing out a room/corridor/stairs with a firearm Now I imagine that, when we're talking about an intermediate shooter, you're probably thinking in terms of just introducing the fundamentals of these skills [as we can probably agree that it takes extensive practice to actually get GOOD at doing these things]. If the trainee is someone that is going to go on to take more advanced classes/compete in shooting comps/etc, then that makes a lot of sense. But what if we're dealing with someone that's not necessarily going to turn around and log in A LOT of time working on those skills and/or pursue more advanced [and likely more expensive] training later on? Again, picture someone that doesn't necessarily enjoy firearms, but just doesn't want to be helpless if their home ever gets invaded. Are they really going to get much return out of emerging from that kind of training with the ability to very slowly backpeddle while shooting? I'm inclined to say, not really.

Certainly understandable. I think that's the right way to go. Consider it a .38sp +P revolver for all intents & purposes.

Nice site. Snaged 2 dirt cheap mags for every autoloader I've got. Won't trust them with serious work, but I'll gladly let them soak up the range use wear & tear in place of my factory mags.

I found some info & photos of ballistics gel tests done with shotgun loads that include some birdshot tests. I understand that this would not directly address the effect of heavy clothing, but the tests would seem to support the popular [but not universally held] school of thought that birdshot is a little light on penetration for defensive use, and heavy clothing might only heighten that shortcoming. Nothing on .410 unforunately. http://www.shotgunwo...ic.php?t=109958 That said, I think it'll be really cool if j0n has a chance to run a real life test with clothing involved. I personally have already sort of turned the page on the idea of using bird shot for my own HD needs, but this is just one of those subjects that I can't help but find incredibly interesting. One other thing I though I remembered seeing somewhere, but wasn't able to turn up when searching for my reply to this thread, was a substitute methodology to using ballistics gel that I though I had seen discussed by Doctor Gary K. Roberts at some point. Unless I'm literally imagining something I never actually read, I had thought that there was a certain combination of wet newspaper & jugs that he had more or less suggested to be "close enough" for getting penetration info without the expense & challenge associated with ballistics gelatin. I'll keep looking.

9mm : 300-750 (<10% reloads) .38/.357: 100-200 (75% reloads) .223/5.56: Usually 75-125 (90% reloads). Occasionally shoot an IDPA match w/rifle that adds another 100 rounds of factory .223 12guage: 50-75 shells (0% reloads).

You patch up the holes in a piece of swiss cheese

I agree. Plesantly surprising all around. The immediate under-cut of the typical Brady Campaign rhetoric was music to my ears.

I should probably at least mention that, even when I fired this ammo: the muzzle flash never actually became blinding, just very distracting. Even in the case of the AE223 that generated that kind of fireball out of my barrel, it never crossed over into being bright enough to really give me the flashbulbed effect.

BCM 16" stainless steel w/permanently installed thread protector.

I like 75 gr TAP. Even with the heavier bullet, most of what I found on the subject seemed to indicate that just about all .223 rounds [AP excluded of course] seem to break up & lose energy more quick than buck shot & handgun ammo. I've also had a chance to shoot it at night & whatever propelant they use seems to burn up pretty well before exiting my barrel, as the flash was not really a problem.

Wow...I was inclined to assume he was another victim of arbitrary NJ gun law nonsense at first, but that's very hard-to-justify behavior. A former LEO should of understood the outcome of such actions better than most.

Agreed. For example, I believe the UK goverment has been accused of 'massaging' crime statistics on more than one occasion. On the whole, as you've already indicated in this & another post, I'd be in agreement that it's likely best to consider crime too complicated a problem to easily compare across countries and/or easily attribute to only a few factors. That's why gun control fails. It's silver bullet politics at it's worst.

Agreed. Also, the terms of a contract can also always be challenged in court and contract terms that are particularly punative or slanted excessively to one party's favor will often get thrown out when challened in a legal proceeding.

http://www.threatmanagementcenter.com/ The whole site is gold, but I think the virtual tour gives the best overview of what they've got to offer: High points include traversing a balance beam while holding an airsoft rifle, the quad bag drill & quick deployment of a samurai sword. Should anyone doubt their credentials, feel free to check out their instructors page... :ph34r: EDIT: I can't stop looking at this site. This video is currently my favorite: #! Smooth is fast indeed...

Pro 2A people with treat someone who's simply misinformed on the subject of guns as if they're Paul Helmke. Misinformed Guy: "Aren't Glocks that gun that's all plastic they talk about in Die Hard?" Overzealous Pro 2A guy: "Oh my God! Of course not! That's F'n ridiculous made up anti-gun lies!!" MG: "Oh, sorry..." OP2AG: "There is no such thing as an all plastic gun! That's a friggin movie!" MG: "R-r-right...not real. Got it now..." OP2AG: "I'm so sick of all this...blah blah blah...second amendment...blah blah blah...Left wing media...blah blah blah...[Jefferson quote delivered with enough anger to make everyone present uncomfortable]...blah blah blah..." MG: "..."

There is plenty to be disgusted about, but that's nothing new. Personally, I'm energized by the success of everyone's efforts to push back on these bills. These people are NOT on our side, but the response was strong enough to drive them onto their heels and I'd like to think it's plant seeds of doubt that'll pay dividends when they review any other potential anti-gun laws that cross their desks. Perhaps I'm being naive, but I'm geniunely excited by this outcome the more I think about it.

You honestly don't get how that would come across as arrogant? Anyone that crosses you is human garbage?

Perfect. Find a couple of guys willing to waste dedicate their lives to finding evidence of those groups and I think you've got all the content you need for the next big reality show for Discovery

My point is that discussions of accuracy on gun boards are often worthless because everyone is functioning off the assumption their rifles shoot 1" groups at 100 yards with even crap ammo, regardless of what groups they're actually shooting when they head out to the range.

Brand fanatics Guys who respond to a legitimate criticism of an item they already own by throwing out relatively meaningless statements like "I've had 400 rounds through it without a hitch!". Particularly when the points of contention aren't even related to FTF/FTE problems. The fact that every rifle in existance is apparently able to shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards using factory ammo. The groups in question also appear to be vampires, as they always fail to show up in photos. Fans of .45 that love to tell you how powerful it is, then turn around and call the .223 underpowered. Cop out answers to valid expense concerns built around the statement "Isn't your life worth more than $X?"

The very thought of being hampered by a lack of forms when so much is diginatal Well done. You may not of heard it, but I gave that a very hearty golf clap.

Found an information page on it: https://www.usconcea...efits-RevA2.pdf My own takaways on it: -The coverage limits for civil liabilities are only available if the suit arises out of an act of "self defense", so one has to have already been cleared by the state as having acted in self defense in order for this coverage to apply to any civil suits against you. -The civil suit coverage likely includes costs of defense within the policy limits, so a long civil trial would quickly erode any available coverage for any judgement ultimately made against the coverage holder, and the limits are already a bit low to begin with for all but the platinum level. -This is not first dollar coverage for criminal defense. You're still on your own and will have to come up with funds for your criminal defense. This element of the coverage will, at most, help you recoup a portion of significant out of pocket expenses IF you have been found not guilty of any charges that were brought against you. So if you get railroaded by the state, which we have seen in the past & WILL see again, you are SOL for recouping those expenses. They add that there is a Legal Defense foundation that can bridge the gap for this financial exposure, but the criteria for the legal foundation seem to indicate you'd still be on your own to get a good laywer and it'd ultimately be at their discretion whether or not to help you. No matter how generous they may choose to be when offering such legal defense grants, there are no guarantees offered whatsoever. Basically, these membership benefits might have the potential to help someone get some money back when all is said & done, but this program does not seem like something a gun owner can count on to have their back right after a self defense shooting. You're still on your own to get a good lawyer and find a way to pay for that lawyers help. You're REALLY on your own if the criminal case does not go in your favor. This "protection" really only seems to kick in and play a factor when all the really important stuff is already over & done with, from what I can see.

Thank you for your dedication. It is very much appreciated.

Grew up in NJ and there are at least some things I like about the area, so would probably just venture over the boarder into PA. Honestly wanted to see if it was possible back when I was house shopping, but just didn't work based on the geography of my job & my fiance's job. From what I know of PA, it seems like a pretty good place to be a gun owner (excluding Philadelphia)