JimB1

Hmmm, I don't get that much mail, maybe one a month or less. They did used to call on the phone almost every day which pissed me off. I told them politely to stop a couple of times and that didn't work so the next call I just yelled at them for a bit, they haven't called again -Jim

Had 4.5 years left on mine since I upped it to 5 over the summer but I just upped mine to the lifetime with the $25 quarterly. Thanks for posting this. -Jim

You paid a fine so I am guessing that somewhere in there was a form where you pled no contest or something to get into the program so that probably counted as a conviction. Just a guess though. -Jim

So I put in two orders; 1 for the federal champion that I originally posted and 1 for the CCI mini mag with the rebate. The federal champion one was canceled by them as out of stock and don't have a restock date. The CCI showed up yesterday. Seems that Gander's web site isn't realtime so even if it says in stock, it may not be. CCI was a good buy though with free shipping and a rebate and it did ship to NJ... -Jim

I know that used to be the case but NJ was removed from their list of places they don't ship ammo to recently. Not sure exactly when it happened. I'll let you know if they cancel my order. So far they sent me confirmation of the order. -Jim

Wow, that was quick...

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Federal-Premium-Champion-Target-Ammo-22-LR-40-Gr-LRN&i=443265&aID=510J2&merchID=4006#&siteID=VCSYInvXQp8-PvnAdqgsiFcZ7WmNUnwOug Limit 5 but with free shipping it's one of the better 22lr deals I've seen in a while. -Jim

Ordered some 38/357 FP 125g and 45 SWC 185g when I was ordering a few other things. I don't reload a lot so 250 of each should last me a bit along with what I have already. Thanks for the heads up on it. -Jim

I have a p220 and it was a great choice. Simple manual of arms, 22lr upper available makes it cheap to practice with, (amazingly) simple breakdown for cleaning, good combat sights, everyone talks about the da/sa thing but it's a non-issue. If it's a range gun, just shoot sa only, don't use the decocker. I practice with it da/sa and like that long first pull better then a safety. I have read about the high bore axis but in reality, I have never found it to be an issue. I guess it's all about whatever you are comfortable with. The angle of the grip on the Glocks is way more of a deal breaker for me then the da/sa of the Sig. I could probably get used to that too if I wanted to but I like the M&P and would probably go that way if I wanted a striker fired. To the OP, Don't discount revolvers either. I just picked up my first, a Ruger GP100 Match Champion and it is a great shooter with a simple manual of arms and reloads pretty quick with speedloaders. Cleaning is a little longer (6 chambers ) but a lot of fun to shoot. 38 special has very light recoil from it haven't run any 357 though it yet. I think I would trust it as a range, competition or defensive weapon with the right ammo of course. So there it is, something for everyone out there, try as much as you can. Rentals are great for this too. I have rented a lot to find out what is comfortable to me. JMHO -Jim

In no particular order: Ask lots of questions if you don't know something. Better to sound silly then have something bad happen. Get training! Learning from friends is fun but the pros have lots of experience and the training plans are made to make sure they don't miss any pertinent details. Practice. Once you learn to shoot safely, practice safely until it is second nature. Make sure you are familiar with the manual of arms for whatever you get. (safeties, loading, unloading, clearing chamber, etc) Check the breakdown and cleaning of the gun you are looking at. Some are really a PITA and others are majorly simple. Determine what the usage will be (Hobby/range gun, home defense, etc) and if anyone else will be using it (wife, kids). If someone else will be using it, are they capable of using what you are buying? (I.e. Heavy slide pulls and big hand grips aren't conducive to something the wife will have in the bed stand when you are away on a business trip or whatever) Check the price of ammo for the caliber you are looking at. Determine if you are OK with the price for spending X on practice or hobby use. Decide how and where you are storing it. Locked away from kids if needed and not easily accessible to theft. Find ranges near you. It stinks to have to plan a whole day around going to shoot because the range is an hour or more away. That's all I got off the top of my head. Good luck with it.

Anyone who asks about what a militia is or doesn't seem to understand that in the context used, it means the body of the population not a small subset or formal organization. I refer them to James Madison's entry 46 in the Federalist Papers. Since he was the primary author of the Constitution, I would expect him to know what he was writing. It is very clear what the second amendment is and what it was made for. I suppose saying "it's a living document" is supposed to negate the fact that there is very explicit and eloquent documentation on this issue made at the time and by the framers describing exactly what they meant. btw, in the context used in the second amendment "well regulated" meant " in working order" there are several well documented cases where militia groups were called upon to use their own weapons during the revolutionary, 1812 and Civil wars. During the revolutionary war many militia groups had old or vastly obsolete weapons and the fledgling US government was unable to arm them properly. They wanted to ensure that future calls for militia volunteers would have working weapons. "Federalist No. 46 (James Madison) The only refuge left for those who prophesy the downfall of the State governments is the visionary supposition that the federal government may previously accumulate a military force for the projects of ambition. The reasonings contained in these papers must have been employed to little purpose indeed, if it could be necessary now to disprove the reality of this danger. That the people and the States should, for a sufficient period of time, elect an uninterrupted succession of men ready to betray both; that the traitors should, throughout this period, uniformly and systematically pursue some fixed plan for the extension of the military establishment; that the governments and the people of the States should silently and patiently behold the gathering storm, and continue to supply the materials, until it should be prepared to burst on their own heads, must appear to every one more like the incoherent dreams of a delirious jealousy, or the misjudged exaggerations of a counterfeit zeal, than like the sober apprehensions of genuine patriotism. Extravagant as the supposition is, let it however be made. Let a regular army, fully equal to the resources of the country, be formed; and let it be entirely at the devotion of the federal government; still it would not be going too far to say, that the State governments, with the people on their side, would be able to repel the danger. The highest number to which, according to the best computation, a standing army can be carried in any country, does not exceed one hundredth part of the whole number of souls; or one twenty-fifth part of the number able to bear arms. This proportion would not yield, in the United States, an army of more than twenty-five or thirty thousand men. To these would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties, and united and conducted by governments possessing their affections and confidence. It may well be doubted, whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops. Those who are best acquainted with the last successful resistance of this country against the British arms, will be most inclined to deny the possibility of it. Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of. Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. And it is not certain, that with this aid alone they would not be able to shake off their yokes. But were the people to possess the additional advantages of local governments chosen by themselves, who could collect the national will and direct the national force, and of officers appointed out of the militia, by these governments, and attached both to them and to the militia, it may be affirmed with the greatest assurance, that the throne of every tyranny in Europe would be speedily overturned in spite of the legions which surround it. Let us not insult the free and gallant citizens of America with the suspicion, that they would be less able to defend the rights of which they would be in actual possession, than the debased subjects of arbitrary power would be to rescue theirs from the hands of their oppressors. " And if there is any other doubt, here is the original draft of the second amendment. There was an opinion held by several founders that the federal government should have a strong standing army and that training the entire populace to use weapons would be prohibitively expensive so it was shortened to remove disparaging comments about standing armies and remove anything that may cost them money in order to get consensus and ratification. "That the people have a right to keep and bear arms; that a well regulated Militia composed of the body of the people trained to arms is the proper, natural and safe defense of a free State. That standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, and therefore ought to be avoided as far as the circumstances and protection of the community will admit; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power." Sorry this was so long and lots of quotes, trying to help a fellow NJ guy out. We need all the help we can get here -Jim

Worked for me but try this one: http://weeklyad.dickssportinggoods.com/h/m/dicks/weeklyad/browse?flyer_run_id=82056&locale=en-US&type=2 They have Federal Ammunition Truball $1.98 Price After $2 Mail-in Rebate and Federal Top Gun Shotshells $5.48 both in 12 and 20 gauge. -Jim

Sale starts today, limit 2 per customer. I just got two boxes at Dick's in South Planfield. Not a bad price for the 525 box... Circular is here: http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=67248336&ab=Header_Shop_Circular -Jim

Just put an order in for some stuff and if you use the code "5tenoff" on a $99 or more order you get free shipping and 10% off. I had some 22lr on the order and it gave me 10% off on it so it looks like it it's good for ammo too... -Jim

Yeah, I was going to say I have seen a lot of used police .40s for sale lately. I am guessing there are a lot of PDs going to 9mm. Supply and demand may begin pushing .40 down... -Jim

RVPL = Raritan Valley Pistol League900 match is a bullseye match type and can be 22lr or center fire (usually 45 acp but I think for 900 matches you can use 38 super or 38 special as well but most use 45) 900 being the max score so 90 shots to the match. At Lake Island it is always 25 yard indoor slow, timed and rapid fire. Bullseye s also a one handed shooting match. From Bullseyepistol.com: "NRA conventional pistol competition consists of firing slow, timed, and rapid fire. This is done at 50 and 25 yards outdoors and almost exclusively at 50 feet indoors. Generally an outdoor match will consist of 20 shots, slow fire at 50 yards (2 10-shot strings, 10 minutes per string), 20 shots, timed fire at 25 yards (4 5-shot strings, 20 seconds per string), 20 shots, rapid fire at 25 yards (4 5-shot strings, 10 seconds per string), and the National Match Course (10-shots, slow fire at 50 yards, 10-shots timed fire, and 10-shots rapid fire). This match consists of 90-shots for a possible aggregate total of 900 points. For a 2700 aggregate this match is fired once with each gun; .22 caliber rimfire, centerfire, and .45 caliber. Many match programs call for only one or two guns, that is a 900 or 1800 aggregate." It's a fun, but really challenging type of shooting but requires a lot of concentration and skill to play it well. At the up side, after you shoot at 25 yards for a while 10 yard shots are pretty simple. A lot of the better shooters are pretty ambidextrous too and can shoot strong or weak hand equally well. (Not me ) -Jim

I'm at Lake Island too but I haven't been shooting in the matches, just practicing at it. A few of the guys keep goading me to just do it even if my scores are horrible but I just am not that much of a massochist... Maybe in the fall when they are back to shooting RVPL in Carteret, if I am going to embarrass myself, might as well just be at my home range and not make the club look bad. LOL -Jim

Perfect! Thanks Sandy!

Thanks for the offer Dave. Let me think about it. Like I said, I have never used a holster and I don't think I am quite ready to jump in yet. I just want to get an idea of what is going on first. A lot of people say it's boring to watch but honestly I have been practicing for Bullseye shooting (poorly ) for the last three years and have watched, and helped out at, several matches without getting too bored so I doubt this will bore me LOL. Now, Nascar, Tennis and Golf I get bored out of my mind watching, go figure (no flaming all you NASCAR, Golf and Tennis fans, to each their own ) -Jim

Well, I don't own any holsters (or gun belts for that matter) and have never drawn from one so that's one reason not to jump right in... -Jim

Just wondering, I've seen a couple of these on TV but I thought it'd be cool to go and check one out. I might think about shooting one sometime but I think I'd need to get a better handle on what it's like. I'm pretty sure if I wanted to I could use my P220 or 1911 for this sort of thing. I downloaded the beginners guide to check out requirements but it's not the same as just going and watching for a bit. Any ideas on it? Thanks -Jim

Man that sucks. I had fairly simple surgery on my knee a few years back for a torn meniscus (not sure I spelled that right) but they also told me the tendons were stretched because I had been favoring it for so long and that they might need to go back in later and shorten them which is a little more complicated. I just deal with a little looseness around my kneecap though it bothers me a little sometimes but not enough that I feel I need to go get the surgery yet. Hope everything works out for you, joint issues are really tough... -Jim

Not sure of the website flyer but I got the flyer in the mail. The link I posted goes directly to the safes though and the prices there are the sale prices...

Just an FYI, The latest flyer has the Field & Stream gun safes listed as $399 16 gun, $499 24 Gun, $749 32+6 gun, $899 40+8 and $1099 48+8. I just picked up the 24 gun and it seems to be a decent safe for the price. They loaded it in my truck and wouldn't even take a tip for doing it too! http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/family/index.jsp?s=A-StorePrice&fd=Field+%26+Stream&categoryId=4414544&ff=Brand&fv=91202%2FField+%26amp%3B+Stream&fg=Brand&page=1&searchSort=TRUE If anyone is looking for a deal on a safe, they are worth a look. -Jim

It was a one day sale thing for the holidays. I got it a lot sooner then they were originally saying. Used it last night on 100 45 acp cases. Does a nice job. 20 minutes to clean once fired brass. I checked Cabalas web site and I only saw the 1l and the 8L so I guess they are still filing orders for the massive amount they sold in that one day sale. Originally they sent me an email saying I wouldn't get mine until May but then it just showed up a few weeks ago. -Jim