AVB-AMG

Before I purchased any guns, I rented quite a few handguns in different calibers, at the ranges I am a member at. My intention was to give each gun a “test drive” and experience the various subtle nuances between the design differences and feel of various manufacturers and models. From this exploration experience, I decided that I like full size 9mm semi automatics the best for general shooting, followed by .45 ACP semi-automatics. Since NJ does not allow CC, I really do not feel the need for a compact or sub-compact handgun. I may decide to pursue participating in one of the sanctioned pistol competition organizations, and if I do then I like the 9mm format. I learned to appreciate most of these guns for their reputations and proven reliability. I could see firsthand their individual unique aspects and variations in built quality fit and finish and different trigger feel and pressure required. I have been enjoying learning the differences and feel between a hammer vs. striker action; polymer vs. metal; light vs. heavy weight, various sight styles and configurations, different barrel lengths, and ultimately how they feel in my hand and the resulting accuracy in shooting them at various distances. My first handgun purchases have been new 9mm semi-automatic models and in the order of purchase were as follows: 1. Glock 17, Gen 4 - I have gradually modified this pistol with upgraded parts including a tungsten guide rod and spring, ext. aluminum magazine catch, Trijicon HD night sights, and the Ultimate Pyramid Trigger System. Most recently I purchased and affixed to the pistol on its rail a SureFire X400 Ultra LED light with green Laser. All of these upgrades have made a very noticeable improvement in my shooting comfort, enjoyment and accuracy at the range with this popular and simple striker action handgun. 2. Heckler and Koch P30L – I ordered this in the LEM iteration and V1 trigger. While the gun fits and feels great in my hand, the DA/SA does take getting used to with this hammer action and the resulting trigger pull weight and travel is quite hard and long. 3. Sig Sauer P226 MK-25 – The Navy Seal hand gun that includes the factory installed SIGLITE® front and rear night sights. I also had it upgraded with the factory provided Sig Sauer Short Reset Trigger (SRT) package which reduces the trigger reset travel by about 60%. It has a solid weighty feel due to its metal instead of polymer construction, excellent build quality, and a great feel in my hand, as well as being very accurate. 4. Walther PPQ M2 – I opted for the 5 inch barrel variation and also purchased aftermarket front and rear Dawson fiber optic sights to replace the standard sights. IMHO, it has the best standard trigger of all of these guns and is as good as the Ultimate Pyramid Trigger system that I added to my Glock. The 1” longer barrel does make a difference in accuracy on the range. EDIT: I recently purchased a new CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Custom 9mm (2014 model), to round out this diverse collection. Then on to a .45 ACP... It will be a tried and true traditional 1911, one of the very high quality semi-automatic 1911's from a very respected manufacturer with good customer service. AVB-AMG

InFamous: I am with you.... My first thought was the same: wedding rings = wedding bands. Duh!

I decided to purchase the Walther PPQ M2 with the 5" barrel that I recently picked up. So far, I really like how it feels, especially the trigger and its accuracy. I had the Gunsmith at RTSP add a set of Dawson fiber optic sights to the gun which makes a big improvement over the standard Walther sights. I also have a H&K P30L with the magazine release integrated into the trigger guard and it does take getting use to.... AVB-AMG

For my first 9mm pistol I decided to purchase a new Glock 17, Gen 4 which I have gradually modified with upgraded parts including: - a tungsten guide rod and spring - extended aluminum magazine release button - Trijicon HD night sights (orange front) - the Ultimate Pyramid Trigger System - Extended slide release Most recently, I purchased and affixed to the pistol on its Picatinny rail, a SureFire X400 Ultra LED light with green Laser. IMHO, each of these modifications have greatly improved the gun from its stock configuration, resulting in a much better feeling and more accurate shooting pistol. I intend for this modified Glock 17 Gen 4 to serve as my primary home defense pistol with magazines loaded with Speer Gold Dot +P 124 hollow point ammunition. AVB-AMG

The Gunsmith at RTSP installed Dawson Precision front and rear fiber optic sights that I had purchsed online directly from Dawson Precison, onto a new Walther PPQ M2 5" barrel 9mm pistol that I had ordered and purchased from RTSP. He was able to do the work the same day that I picked up and did the NICS registration at RTSP. The work required some minor filing of the recess on the rear of the slide to ensure a proper fit, which Dawson informs purchasers is necessary on this particular pistol. He (RTSP), did not charge me for the work and he did an excellent job. (I apologize for forgetting his name, but he is also a very nice guy.....) AVB-AMG

DearSlayer: To be fair, I certainly agree with you that after cleaning my gun(s) and having a beer, there is nothing better than a nice relaxing nap on the couch on either a Sat. or Sun. afternoon.... zzzzzzzzz. AVB-AMG

I considered using Break Free CLP but when I researched it I found many people who had used it in the military and had unfortunate experiences. Here is a repost from the reviews on the Amazon.com site for this product: "Waaaaaaay back when, CLP was adopted by the MIL as the issued CLP for the AR15/M16 platform of weapons. It was later used on the M60 machine gun, the 240 machine gun, and the 249 machine gun. The use of CLP ceased on the 240 and 249 once operators realized that wear was not being mitigated and that CLP offered little protection from the high operating temperatures and overall violence of the guns. They quickly transitioned to LSA and LAW, and GMD (oil, oil, and grease, respectively) to lubricate these weapons. Knowing several former M249-ers from the military, only one of them used CLP (because he had to, and hated it) and few used LSA. Most of them used MilComm TWB25, Mobil-1, Militec, & Slip2000 EWL. They all use the below listed newer lubricants on their AR15's now. I used it for a LOOOONG time because there was nothing else available. But, now there are alternatives. Slip 2000 EWL, Rand Nano-CLP, FIREClean, etc......all do a vastly superior job on lubricating and protecting my firearms. Further (and ironically), they also make them easier to clean than the even the LIBERAL use of BF CLP. Also, for AR15 owners, BF CLP is a failure and here's why: it contains particulate teflon. I can't think of a worse substance to insert into what is tantamount to the combustion chamber in an automobile engine (the tail of the bolt; i.e. the gas expansion chamber) than a thin petroleum distillate liquid with suspended pieces of particulate teflon. If anybody has every wondered why you have to scrub the base/tail of the bolt with so much effort and vigor when using CLP...it's because BF CLP actually makes this carbon build-up worse than not using BF CLP at all. Most old-timers don't realize this until they use one of the aforementioned superior lubricants and have that "ah-HA!" moment. I clean the tail of my bolt using a paper towel and a few twists of my wrist. No scrubbing. No chipping. No dental tools. No bench grinder. No brass brush. None of that. Also, CLP has petroleum distillates. If you have kids, pets....or just hate cancer, you wanna try and keep that stuff off your hands. The newer lubes I have listed are all available on Amazon and are all NON-TOXIC (i.e. no P-D's). Do yourself a favor and upgrade to one of the following......you'll be glad you did: Slip 2000 EWL 4oz Rand CLP 4oz FIREClean Just cut-and paste the above titles into the Amazon search box."

While the posted thread may be old, the topic certainly is, and will continue to be, an interesting ongoing discussion, since everyone has their preferred way of cleaning their guns and new and improved products are continually coming to the market.... AVB-AMG

I clean my 9mm hand guns after every use on the range. Not just because it is a good habit to have, but I find that the process is actually quite satisfying, providing sort of a therapeutic and relaxing aftermath to the focused concentration of aiming and shooting at targets at the range, in my constant quest to improve my accuracy. Some additional benefits in doing this are that I have a better understanding and appreciation of how each gun is put together and operates, as well as being able to see the effects of shooting different types of ammo through my guns and obviously preventing the buildup of carbon and metal deposits in the bore and inside the pistol body that could lead to fouling and failures. My approach iincludes “old school” cleaning process and tools, combined with “new school” technology, utilizing the most current advancements in chemical cleaning products, all made in America. The 20-step process I follow and products I use are: Old School: 1. Pour myself a nice cold beer as a primer and play some relaxing music. 2. Lay out my padded mats then cover them with paper towels to absorb drips of the solutions 3. Put on a pair of disposable latex gloves for protection. 4. Clear, safety check and disassemble my firearm 5. I use Pro-Shot Products for my gun care tools, including a coated cleaning rod that accepts threaded tornado brass bore brush, or spear tip jag or brass jag holder. (http://www.proshotproducts.com/) 6. I also have an assortment of double-ended vinyl composit picks to use with patches to get into small corners and crevices. 7. I use cotton patches and cotton tipped wood dowels or Q-Tips. New School: I prefer to use separate chemicals to clean and lubricate my guns, instead of using one product that claims to do both, (i.e. Ballistol multi-use spray or Break Free CLP). I find it hard to believe that one product will do as good a job of cleaning, lubricating and protecting all parts of a firearm, as compared to different products that are formulated to do one specific task and do it really well. Therefore, I use the non-toxic, odorless M-Pro 7 product line exclusively, using their specific products for each task, (http://www.mpro7.com/), as well as Mil-Comm Products for gun grease. (https://www.mil-comm.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=category&virtuemart_category_id=5) 8. M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner spray solvent for the pistol slide and frame, outside of barrel and recoil guide rod & spring, as well as the magazines 9. M-Pro 7 Bore Cleaning Gel for the inside of the bore of the barrel, letting is sit for 2-3 minutes. 10. M-Pro 7 Copper Remover Solvent, on occasion for the bore as well. 11. Nylon and Brass brushes for cleaning the inside of the slide and frame, (followed by using multiple cotton patches until thoroughly clean) 12. Can of compressed air to blow out any remnants of the cleaner spray to prevent buildup in any hard to reach nooks and crannys. 13. M-Pro 7 Bore Snake, used 3-4 times, (probably a bit of overkill, but what the heck....) 14. M-Pro 7 Gun Oil, used sparingly, where needed in all the usual spots that require an oil instead of grease. For the 1911, I use Wilson Combat 5772 Ultima-Lube II Gun Oil, as recommended by Wilson Combat. 15. Mil-Comm Products’ TW25B Synthetic Grease - When I bought my Sig Sauer P226 MK-25 it came with a small tube of gun grease, which Sig Sauer recommends highly. That grease is the American-made Mil-Comm Products’ TW25B Synthetic Grease. It has proven to have exceptional lubricating performance in adverse weather conditions which has made it the preferred gun grease used by US and European Military. I like the fact that once applied, this grease does not migrate or seep around to other areas of the gun, specifically the exterior of the gun, the way more viscous gun oil tends to do. The plastic, re-closable tapered tip is useful for applying a small drop or bead to specific or hard to reach areas. I use this grease for lubricating the rails of the slide & frame, whether it is metal-to-metal or metal-to-polymer, on all of my handguns. 16. Reassemble gun and use a silicone-treated cotton flannel gun cloth to wipe off any excess oil and fingerprints and leave a light silicone film on the exterior of the gun to prevent corrosion. 17. Also, wipe down all empty magazines with the silicone-treated gun cloth and insert one magazine into the gun. 18. Rack the gun multiple times to distribute the lubrication and dry fire it. Put cleaned gun into an appropriately sized Bore Stores P-2 Silicone Treated Gun Storage Case, (sort of a gun sillouette sock), for storage to prevent scratches and provide additional protection from corrosion from humidity. (http://borestores.com/index.php) 19. Dispose of the soiled paper towels, patches, latex gloves and Q-Tips. 20. Finish my beer….. AVB-AMG

Cameras Mounted On Guns Below is a link to a letter to the editor from the Brooklyn borough president, Eric L. Adams, published in the 4-14-15 edition of The New York Times. It is titled: “Cameras Mounted on Guns”. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/opinion/cameras-mounted-on-guns.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss While I agree with Mr. Adams that the unjustified killing of Walter Scott by Office Michael Slager in North Charleston, SC has highlighted a need for improving police-public interactions, I disagree with his proposal to mount cameras on the guns of police officers. First of all, it is a very naive idea, based on current camera technology, let alone very unrealistic and impractical due to gun/holster logistics, size of camera lens and recording hardware, let alone probably being a very expensive idea to implement. I believe, though Mr. Adams is sincerely offering this idea as what he thinks is a viable option, yet he has not really thought it through. While laser technology has resulted in some very good and useful tools for handguns and rifles, cameras are far more complicated. We should consider all viable options to improve how the police interact with the public, but not promote “knee-jerk” responses that lead to half-baked ideas that may sound like a good idea to some but are currently not practical. Cameras with audio recording that may be worn by police officers may possibly help in this regard, then again, after some time, may prove to be more problematic by removing any latitude that the officer may have exhibited towards a person, when his and their conversations were not being recorded. The analogy would be to a reporter interviewing someone using only a pen and paper and how they respond, versus using an electronic recording device and their being much more self-conscious in their measured responses. Only time and experience will inform us about this conundrum. AVB-AMG

As we all grow older most of us start to slow down a bit and loose some of our flexibility. Like many here, with our work and family obligations, finding or making the time to work out can be a challenge, but really necessary. While I also played sports in college, I used to also play Squash and get an excellent cardio work out in 45 mins. Unfortunately, I have not been playing as much over the past several years as before. I have never been a runner and thankfully, do not have any issues with my ankles, shins or knees. I like the previous suggestions about getting a dog, forcing you to walk it on a regular basis, but recognize that other responsibilities and limitations that go along with pet ownership, which does not work for everyone, nor me at this time. I work out 2-3 times per week at our local YMCA, using the various CYBEX machines and then either walk fast (4 mph) or run slowly (5 mph) on a treadmill for 20-30 mins. I will get my heart rate up to between 125 - 135 beats per minute. Also, since I work in Manhattan, if possible, I will consciously try to walk back to my office from a meeting, weather permitting. As has been stated earlier, walking a good clip for 20-30 mins.is an excellent form of low impact exercise. I first noticed the change in my stamina and speed in my early 50’s. When I took up pistol shooting last year, initially I would start to get “the shakes” in my right hand after shooting about 50 rounds. I realized that I was using muscles to shoot that I really had not been using much before that. So I modified my regular workout routine to include: 1. 30 arm curls with two 25 lb dumb bells at home, twice a day, once when I get up and once again when I get home from work to tone my biceps and forearms. 2. Use a Gripmaster Pro Edition once a day squeezing 150 times with each hand to exercise each to improve my finger grip strength. Also, I recognize that diet is key. I believe one can be smart about what we put inside of ourselves, combining sensible and healthy food most of the time, (during the week) and really tasty food and beverage on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. I enjoy a beer or cocktail before dinner and wine with dinner, knowing that the calories in alcohol go right to my waistline. About 15 years ago I gave up drinking all soda and foregoing adding sugar to my coffee and avoid all processed sugar items, if possible, (except for birthday cakes and some baked goods prepared by family members, especially during the holiday season). My wife is an excellent cook and I love to eat. Thankfully, she cooks very healthy meals for us during the week and then splurges, exploring new recipes to try for us on the weekends. I am responsible for buying the wine to go with her meals, which is fun. Finally, while I have been a night owl for most of my life, I now find that if I can get a minimum of 7 hours of good sleep each night that I function much better the next day, being much more alert and not making stupid mistakes on correspondence, etc. due to being tired. As a result of doing this, I no longer get the “shakes” when practicing shooting and I feel much better. Once I reach 60, I know that I am going to have to increase the frequency of my gym workouts just to maintain my stamina as much as possible. Essentially, I think we all know what we need to do and/or should do to be healthier, but sometimes find excuses to not do it. It requires the right attitude and desire to then be motivated to have the self-discipline to do whatever works for each of us to get into and stay in shape. AVB-AMG

Last year I purchased a 5.11 Range Ready Bag and so far it has worked very well for me. It measures 10" H x 21" L x 14" D It is very well constructed using a strong and durable, weather resistant 6000 polyester fabric, heavy duty YKK zippers, with both handles and shoulder strap and six zippered compartments. In the main center twin zippered flap covered compartment I carry my small padlocked plastic MTM ammo can and three (3) typical sized zippered fabric gun rugs with my pistols and 3-4 magazines for each pistol. In the two same size pockets on one side are my ear and eye protection. In the pockets on the end are my range ID cards, notebook, pen, reading glasses, (yes I need them.....), utility knife, flashlight and loose change container. The other large side pocket contains targets. All loaded up it can be on the heavy side, but I like the convenience of having everything in one bag that I can put in the back of my vehicle for traveling to and from the range. It is not inexpensive, but I think a fair price for the quality of the materials and craftmanship compared to other range bags I have seen. Mine is black but it is also available in a tan (sandstone) color. Here is a link to the 5.11 web site to see what it looks like: http://www.511tactical.com/range-ready-bag.html All of the glowing reviews on this web site convinced me to purchase it and I am very glad I did and was not disappointed. I think this bag will last a very long time. But carrying it, loaded with all of my "stuff" does give my shoulder a good work out...

I think this bill is a small step in the right direction, but still omits a number of basic tasks that most of us would consider normal. As Newtonian articulates, stopping for food is still not allowed. So if I want to get up early on a Sat. or Sun. morning to go to the range to practice, before the crowds appear later on, I still cannot stop at a local diner for breakfast, if I have a firearm properly stored in the back of my vehicle. It does not make any sense and is a real inconvenience, but if I were to do that, I would be breaking the law. While the chances of getting caught doing something like this are low, the concern is for that small chance of the unpredictable event happening, i.e. your parked vehicle getting struck by someone elses vehicle while you are ordering your eggs and bacon, or some other highly unlikely but still possible event. Oh well..... I guess I will have to enjoy breakfast at home before going to the range.

Krdshrk: Have you actually tried shooting the Polycase Interceptor ammo yet or are you just not interested in trying it out to decide for yourself? Once I receive my order of this new ammo and shoot it I will post my thoughts here. AVB-AMG

I have been educating myself on the various wide variety of hand gun ammunition available and the pros and cons of each. I have done a fair amount of research online and have asked a number of staff members of the ranges that I am a member of to determine what they consider to be some of the best 9mm ammunition to use in my semi-automatic handguns, (both hammer and striker styles), for range practice, as well as for personal/home defense, if ever necessary, that I will also occasionally practice with. My attitude is that I am willing to spend more money to get a higher quality ammunition that will be the most consistently dependable to fire as intended, burn cleaner than average to reduce carbon buildup inside my handgun, be more accurate if possible and in the case of the personal/home defense ammo, provide sufficiently adequate “stopping power” of an intruder/bad guy. Also, I want to support American made ammunition manufacturers and their factory workers and believe they are still among the highest quality available, avoiding foreign made ammo and its possibly questionable quality. From all of my inquiries and research so far, I have decided to use and have been very pleased with the results to date: Speer Lawman for training and Gold Dot for personal/home defense, both having long term proven track records for high-performance and consistently reliable ammo production. I like the idea that they use cleaner-burning propellants and more reliable CCI primers and users and reviewers stating that they have not had much, if any problems with these ammo lines. Also, I like the idea of using a training round from the same manufacturer that has a similar velocity and bullet weight to what I would use for my personal/home defense rounds. That way, my practice is more meaningfully realistic and appropriate. So these are the specific ammo lines I am currently using: For general range practice: Speer Lawman – 9mm Luger 124 grain TMJ Ammo - 53651 For personal/home defense: Speer Gold Dot – 9mm +P 124 Grain LE Hollow Point Ammo - 53617 (Note: This specific ammo is hard to find and is constantly out-of-stock at most retailers and online sellers, so I buy it when I can find it....) What are your thoughts on this ammunition for these purposes? Also, very recently, I have read (Guns & Ammo), the reviews from the 2015 Shot Show in Las Vegas of a recent addition to the retail market for ammunition: PolyCase’s Inceptor line of ammunition. From the PolyCase web site: PolyCase’s Inceptor™ line of ammunition features PolyCase’s patent-pending Cu/P™ bullets, made using the latest in injection molding technology, loaded in traditional high-quality brass. The 9mm 84 Grain RNP™ version of the Cu/P™ bullet is the Round Nose PRECISION, a solid-core injection-molded copper-poly bullet that rivals any competition-level target shooting round. The PolyCase ARX™ SELF-DEFENSE cartridge is the next-generation of personal protection projectile technology. Using advanced materials and design, the ARX™ is a non-expanding bullet that delivers terminal performance in a completely different way than traditional expanding (hollow-point) bullets. At this point, I am very intrigued and curious to try this new ammo design and have placed an order for both of these to try them out and decide if I agree with the stellar reviews: For general range practice: PolyCase’s Inceptor RPN - 9mm Luger 84 Grain For personal/home defense: PolyCase’s Inceptor ARX SELF-DEFENSE - 9mm Luger 74 Grain Has anyone else tried this new ammunition yet? If so, what do you think? AVB-AMG

On a related topic, for what it is worth, a local police officer told me several years ago that one of the easiest ways for thieves to enter a house with an attached garage in the suburbs during the typical holiday/vacation periods, either during the day or at night, is the following: 1. They check to see if any cars are parked in the driveway and if so, then check if they are unlocked. 2. If one is unlocked, open the door and check inside for a remote control to the overhead garage door and activate it. 3. Once the overhead garage door has opened, in about 50% of the cases, the door from the garage into the house is unlocked and they proceed into the house…. After hearing this, I make sure any of our cars parked in our driveway are always locked at night, let alone if we are away. Also, we arm our security system which also activates motion detectors in the garage. And yes, we close and lock the door from our garage to our house.

I agree with many of the previous comments, and in particular those by Dear Leader and illig. In northern NJ we have lost electrical power, land-line telephone, most cell phone service and cable tv/telephone, several times in the past 18 years primarily due to strong wind, ice and snow storms. The worst by far was Storm Sandy where our outage lasted 13 days and, like for many here, that was our “wake up call”. Precautions: Ideally, after this type of event resulting in an emergency scenerio, we would be able to stay in our home and ride it out for approximately two weeks. Our “lesson learned” is that we now have a minimum of 2 weeks worth of unrefrigerated canned food and water, along with an alternative food cooking/heating option. When the weather report indicates a possible strong storm approaching our area I will fill up all of our vehicles gasoline tanks and a 5 gallon gas jug, as well as a 10 gallon water container and get a sufficient amount of cash from our bank’s ATM. In the worst case scenario, we also have firearms, ammunition and the knowledge and practice on how to properly and safely store them and if need be, to use them effectively for self defense. In this relatively short scenerio, we would help our friends and neighbors to the best of our ability, taking a "we are all in this together" attitude. Stay or Leave?: If we cannot or chose not to stay in our home and/or evacuation is required, we have a Plan A and a Plan B on where we would go, or at least try to go. This begins with having one vehicle, fully fueled with all-wheel drive and good tires with room for us and key items. We have prepared key survival items in “Go Bags”, along with a list of items to take in case we need to evacuate our home. The degree of the emergency will be predicated on the extent and severity of the power outage or unexpected situation. Is it limited to being local in our neighborhood or town, or just in our county, or is it broader, i.e. state-wide or say the northeast U.S. or the entire country…? That reality will certainly influence one’s “bugging out” options and whether realistically it makes sense to attempt to leave your home to attempt to go someplace eles. Keep in mind that we are living in New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country. So assume all roads will be experiencing very heavy traffic that will be crawling along or clogged with many others in their vehicles with the same idea. What happens when you run out of gas? Will you possibly be worse off in that scenerio, if you have yet to reach your desired destination? A rational weighing of the options, chances for success and all of the various possibilities will be necessary to make the best possible chioce of what to do. After 2 weeks: Ultimately, I think most of us should be fine for up to two weeks without electricity. During that second week, let alone beyond, the main concern will be for obtaining food and potable water and people, primarily city-dwellers who do not have the space to stock up and store an adequate supply of both will be the first to panic. They will run out sooner and when they become desperate they will start by looting local stores and then things will rapidly deteriorate and general respect for civil and law-abiding society will crumble. This will result in gang rampages through apartment buildings, targeting the elderly and defenseless first to rob whatever food and supplies they can get. While we in suburbia think we are far enough away from this mob scene, we may be kidding ourselves. Not everyone is predeposed to preparing in advance or has the physical and financial resources to prepare for these “what if” scenarios and they will become equally desperate, just as fast as their urban brethren and may be knocking on your door, or worse, sooner than you think. Type of disaster: I am concerned that the combination of natural and man-made carbon dioxide and methane gas being released into our atmosphere is contributing to the acceleration of global climate change and what that may mean for the frequency and severity of our weather systems and events. Also, disaster can occur from not just Mother Nature, but from a terrorist-generated event, either physical or cyber, affecting our power grid, water supply and communications systems. Or it could be a health pandemic that rapidly spreads, forcing people to stay at home. In addition, a national and/or international economic crisis could also perpetuate a rapid downward spiral of our society, pushing us into another Great Depression with grave consequences for all of us. If the inequality of the classes continues to broaden, it could eventually lead to progressively worse protests, demonstrations, riots and escalating civil disobedience and unrest that may potentially become something much worse for the existance of our country as we know it. Finally, I am just now starting to become aware of and understanding the potential negative effects of the progress of artificial intelligence (AI) in our society and what that could mean for mankind… Bigger Questions: As far as the extreme “preppers” seen in these silly television programs, I always ask myself what are they going to do once they eventually run out of their incredible stock of supplies in 6,9, 12 or 18 months? If our society breaks down to such a degree that our population is in a mass panic, with chaotic disorder being the norm, where rule of law has disappeared and civilization as we have come to know it no longer exists, who would want to live in that type of world? What’s the point? Survival for what purpose? At that point, let’s all enjoy each other’s companionship, both intimate, social and intellectual, augmented by some of the finer man-made luxuries, such as some fine liquor, non-spoiled food, cigars and other selected pharmaceuticals and make what little time left in this world as pleasant as possible. As others have stated, I also believe it is prudent that we all prepare for surviving and protecting our respective families for a reasonable amount of time after some form of disaster. But I also strongly believe that it is important that we not live our lives in a state of perpetual paranoia and fear, dread or depression, due to thinking about "what bad things could possibly happen", while the odds them happening anytime soon are quite small. I try to remind myself that I along with my family are much better off than many others in our world, partly due to the "circumstances of birth", as well as a solid upbringing by caring parents and relatives, much hard work and some prudent choices along the way of what to do and what not to do. Also, to be most thankful for what we have worked hard to achieve and obtain, and most importantly, to appreciate waking up every day realzing that it is another opportunity to learn and enjoy ourselves and others while we are alive and, if possible, contribute something that in some way is or will be beneficial to our society that will last once we are gone. AVB-AMG

Here are some more links to web sites providing information on car shows in NJ, PA and NY: http://holtononline.com/carshows.html http://www.newjerseycarshows.com/ http://www.cliffscalendar.com/

We have riders on our Homeowner's Insurance policy for selected jewelry items and several other valuable personal property items. I also am interested in obtaining insurance for my firearms, in case of accidental damage due to carelessness or fire, ultimate destruction or theft. Many homeowner's insurance policies do not automatically cover firearms and one has to specifically add a rider to cover them. Even with these riders, most homeowner’s policies have very low firearm coverage amounts. Also, some companies frown upon gun ownership and will raise your premiums if you add the firearm rider, in addition to that stand-alone cost. I think that the NRA insurance policy may be one of the best deals available. The additional riders for homeowner's policies are considerably more expensive than the same coverage from NRA. If I continue to purchase additional firearms every year, I will have to adjust coverage accordingly, making the case for having insurance coverage even more important. As I understand the NRA gun insurance, it is essentially a secondary insurance, where your homeowner’s insurance policy would pay first to its limit, if you have firearms coverage, before the NRA insurance would pay. Therefore, there would be no double-payment, one from each insurer From what I have determined so far, the NRA provides at no cost to its current active members up to $2,500 of insurance through ArmsCare Firearms Insurance, but a member must activate this benefit. A member may elect to purchase additional coverage for an additional annual fee, which seems reasonable to me. ArmsCare Plus Firearms Insurance provides NRA members with protection for their firearms and accessories up to $1,000,000 in coverage. Rates start at just $65 annually for $6,500 in coverage. The ArmsCare Plus Firearms Insurance works in tandem with the $2,500 No Cost ArmsCare Firearms Insurance provided with one’s NRA membership. Purchasing this additional insurance your benefit will be automatically upgraded to full replacement cost. Firearms valued at $2,500 or more must be scheduled, however, serial numbers are not required to be submitted. Both of these NRA endorsed insurance plans covers insured firearms, air guns, bows and arrows against theft, accidental loss, and damage. Guns and gun accessories including scopes, rings, mounts, slings and sling swivels, which are attached to the insured firearm and are protected from the following: • Damage • Direct physical loss • Fire • Theft (Theft from a vehicle is covered when it is the result of breaking and entering a locked vehicle or locked portion of the vehicle.) Here are links for more information http://www.locktonaf...rmscareplus.htm Do any of you have this insurance? If so, have any of you ever needed to use it and, if so, what was your experience? AVB-AMG

Redlines: I had my photo taken at the RTSP range when I joined them. At the Gun For Hire range in Woodland Park, NJ they also take your photo when you become a member and your picture is put on your membership ID card which is on a lanyard that you can wear around your neck while at the range. I do not have a problem with that. Otherwise, I would assume that the photos help the folks behind the desk identify members by comparing their photos on their computer file against the person standing in front of them, making sure they are in fact the member they claim to be. I guess it could be somewhat plausable, even though rather remote, that someone may have eitehr borrowed, stolen or was lent the ID card and are using it to gain the less expense access to the range. In Manhattan, some office buildngs, including mine, still practice security measures enacted after 9/11 where you need to show a photo ID, usually a Driver's License, give the name of the person and company you are visiting, then check with that company to make sure they are expecting you, and then they will also take your photo, which may or may not appear on a temporary paper pass they give you to gain access through the security turnstiles leading to the various elevator banks. Is all of this overkill in my opinion....? Probably, but the Real Estate managment companies managing these buildings use these over-the-top security measures as a selling point to attract and keep tenants. Yet again, howard may be onto something regarding the vampire screening concept....... AVB-AMG

Since early January, these are the books I have either read or have listened to the audio version. I enjoy a mix of non-fiction and fiction, a good story, exposés, and biographies of influential people: 1. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown 2. Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least-Heat Moon 3. Sons of Wichita: How the Koch Brothers Became America’s Most Powerful and Private Dynasty by Daniel Schulman 4. Command Authority (A Jack Ryan Novel) by Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney 5. Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun by Paul Barrett 6. American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Jim DeFelice, Chris Kyle and Scott McEwan 7. Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II’s Most Audacious General by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard 8. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein 9. On His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller by Richard Norton Smith I am about to start this one: The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson AVB-AMG

This Studebaker would certainly help "part the sea" of bumper to bumper traffic for my daily commute into NYC....

For many of us, knives are like guns...., it is nice to have more than one. I like their looks and functionality. I think we all would agree that different knives have different qualities and are appealing for different reasons. I enjoy, marvel and respect the variety of materials and mechanisim designs, as well as the aesthetics that various knife designers bring to their knifes. I do not carry a folding knife for self defense, but for everyday utility uses, including to open envelopes and boxes, cuting rope, zip ties, packing tape, etc... Let's get real...If one's life is in jepordy, most sane people will look to run and escape to safety, instead of standing around and engaging some crazy s.o.b. low life in a face-to-face knife fight, where one's chances of getting seriously hurt are very high. For my EDC, that I carry during the week at work, inside my suit jacket is a: (the web links are to access photos of the knives and more info) • William Henry - B30-Blackbird Gentac - Carbon Fiber folding knife This is a smaller, very well made, high-quality, sleek and elegant, as well as very light, (1.6 oz) pocket knife. It is very similar in appearance to the Blade Magazine's "Overall Blade of the Year" in 2006, awarded to the William Henry Knives GenTac CTD. The body is titanium and the handle uses titanium bolsters with black carbon fiber inlays. The strong 3” blade is made from tungsten ZDP-189 stainless steel with a DLC coating. It also has a blue colored titanium pocket clip and a total open lenght of 7". http://www.williamhenry.com/knives/b30-gentac/gentac-blackbird-562.html During the weekend, depending on what I am doing and my mood, I will alternate between the following five folding knifes for general around-the-house and outside use: • Chris Reeve Carbon Fiber Sebenza 25 This knife is made in by Chris Reeve knives in Boise, Idaho. A key factor in any knife is the quality of the steel used. The Carbon Fiber Sebenza 25 utilizes American-made CPM S35VN stainless steel made by Crucible Industries, where the steel is heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of 58-59 for excellent edge retention and impact resistance. The blade is a beefy .140” thick and has a scratch resistant stonewashed blade finish. The thumb rest of the blade spine has textured jimping for positive grip. The blade is 3.625” long; an overall length of 8.335”. The knife weighs only 4.0 oz, due to the carbon fiber handle. The carbon fiber handle is lightly blasted for texture, yet the weave pattern of the solid carbon fiber is clearly visible. The Sebenza 25 has a frame lock mechanism along with the thumb lugs allow for easy one-handed opening and closing, as well as a solid 6Al4V titanium frame behind the blade when opened. The machine lapping on both sides of the handle creates a perfectly flat surface. This knife has specially designed phosphor bronze pivot washers, whose material was selected to reduce friction and is perforated to further reduce friction. Another feature of this knife is that it has a 1/8” ceramic interface between the titanium frame lock and the hardened steel blade. The ceramic interface provides an extended lock life by reducing wear on the lock.The knife has dual blue anodized titanium thumb lugs and it has a blasted titanium pocket clip along with a short black cord lanyard that has a machined and anodized titanium bead on the end. http://www.knifeart.com/carbonfiber25.html • Zero Tolerance ZT0560 Hinderer Design in black Based on Rick Hinderer design of his renowned XM-18, the US-made Zero Tolerance ZT 0560 blade is ELMAX powdered steel with stonewash finish for the extreme edge retention, high strength, and toughness. It’s pivot uses the KVT ball-bearing system for rapid deployment and a framelock with lockbar stabilizer. The handle is machined G-10 on the front and machined titanium on the back. ZT has skeletonized the liner and machined pockets in the titanium handle and framelock, finished with a deep-carry pocketclip . With black G10 front scale. Its blade length is 3.75 inches; closed length is 5 inches; and its overall length is 8.8 inches and a weight of 5.8 ounces. http://bladereviews.com/zero-tolerance-0560-review/ • SOG – Tomcat 3.0 (S95-N) This is the third generation of SOG’s first folding knife that won an award for Overall Knife of the Year in 1988. As a heavy duty folder it features SOG’s Arc-Lock that combines speed and safety in controlling the 3.75 inch VG-10 steel blade. VG-10 stands for V Gold 10 ("gold" meaning quality) and is a cutlery grade stainless steel produced in Japan. It features double thumb studs to allow opening with either hand. The handle is made of stainless steel and textured Kraton. Kraton is the trade name given to a number of high performance elastomers manufactured by Kraton Polymers and used as synthetic replacements for rubber. http://www.sogknives.com/tomcat-3-0.html • Benchmade - 810BK Plain Edge/ BK Coated Blade Contego This knife is part of Benchmade's 'Black Class', and is a Warren Osborne design. It is essentially a purely tactical blade, not an EDC utility knife. This quality constructed knife is very strong due to the CPM M4 steel blade, ceracoat blade coating and an aggressive reverse tanto profile and quality construction. It has a 3.98” blade length, since Benchmade wash consciously wanting to stay 0.02 inches within the 4-inch legal limit that many jurisdictions put on folders. It has no torsion bars, coils or springs propelling the blade, it should be able to escape legal scrutiny. http://www.benchmade.com/products/810 •Spyderco Para Military 2 Black Blade (C81GPBK2) Released in 2010 with several changes over the classic version, this 3.9 oz knife was made with more consistent manufacturing tolerances and employs their new Bushing Pivot System to provide a more fluid action. Its blade is 3.438” long, made with CPM S30V steel in full flat-ground black with a non-reflective diamond-like coating, with added surface jimping to both the spine and finger choil. The G-10 textured handle is narrowed at the end improving ergonomics, the handle and blade have been profiled thinner to eliminate hard angles and features a Compression Lock. http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-ParaMilitary2-Black-Blade-PlainEdge/dp/B004TXMFQQ AVB-AMG

Pizza Bob: I think you selected a very attractive knife and think that we have similar tastes in nice pocket knives. For my EDC, that I carry durijng the week inside my suit, to open letters and boxes, is a: William Henry B30-Blackbird Gentac - Carbon Fiber folding knife Here is a link to photos: http://www.williamhenry.com/knives/b30-gentac/gentac-blackbird-563.html This is a very sleek, elegant, nicely crafted, as well as very light, (1.6 oz) pocket knife. The body is titanium and the handle uses titanium bolsters with black carbon fiber inlays. The strong 3” blade is tungsten DLC coated made from ZDP-189 stainless steel. It has a blue colored titanium pocket clip. AVB-AMG

I think howard makes a valid point. Why give any outward hint as to what possibly may be inside your vehicle. Any gun-oriented decals or bumper stickers could be misinterpreted by a LEO who stops you for some traffic infraction, to possibly start asking questions about guns and potentially unintended consequences. (Yes, I understand from the previous posts on this thread, what the options are on how to respond). As a self-proclaimed "car guy" I shun putting any unnecessary or superfluous text or graphic items on the outside of my car’s body or windows, since I do not like the appearance of, nor am interested in being a “rolling billboard”. These may include: stickers, decals, automobile dealer advertising in the form of medallions or license plate frames, etc. Various NRA, Gun Owners of America, 2nd Amendment Rights, etc... decals that may possibly be interpreted to inform or depending on the size and visibility of it, even broadcast to other motorists, pedestrians and LEO’s that you may possibly be transporting a gun in your car, some being quite amusing yet still somewhat provocative…. Why even take that chance? AVB-AMG