National Park Gun Ban
The National Park Gun Ban will end in February of 2010. It was a success for the pro-gun crowd that the gun ban was repealed, and the only consolation for the other side is that the ban will not take effect until 9 months after the law was signed.
Being able to carry weapons in National Parks will allow for greater self defense against criminals and animals. These huge swaths of land are so beautiful and pristine, yet are full of unwitting danger from humans and animals. Many people are overwhelmed with the beauty of the parks, and their senses are overwhelmed. Criminals know this.
National Parks are a great place for criminals to operate. People are not usally local, are unaware of their surroundings, and missing persons are a regular occurance. Tourists are typically full of money and many have their guard down as they just want to relax and spend time with family. People can be killed and kidnapped and the criminals have lots of places to disappear to and hide. These National Parks are huge and primitive. The old rules of basic survival are very important.
Being able to defend yourself and your family should return to the top of the list in these dangerous areas. Animals and criminals can be unexpected, and know the surroundings much better than you will. Carrying a firearm at least evens the playing field between the good and the bad.
Mafia Gun Joke
An old Italian Mafia Don is dying and he called his grandson to his bed.
“Grandson I wanta you to listen to me. I wanta you to take mya 45 automatic pistol, so you will always remember me.”
The Grandson replied, “But grandpa I really don’t like guns, how about you leaving me your Rolex watch instead.”
“You lisina to me, some day you goin a be runna da bussiness, you goina have a beautiful wife, lotsa money, a biga home and maybe a couple od bambino, some day you goina come hom and maybe finda you wife in be with another man. Whata you gonna do then? Pointa to you watch and say, “TIMES UP”?
Ballistic Terminology
Basic terminology of ballistics is important. Bullets, Cases, Primers, etc can be confused an misinterpreted by many.
The Cartridge is a unit composed of the bullet, case, primer, and propellant. Cartriges are also referred to as rounds or ammunition (ammo).
The primer is the round button on the bottom of the cartridge that is contacted by the firing pin of the firearm.
The case is the brass or aluminum body that contains the everything, including the bullet, primer, and propellant, and fits into the firing chamber of the firearm.
The propellant is the explosive gunpowder that explodes to move the bullet forward. It is carefully metered to create an explosion that will not harm the firearm, while providing maximum power to the projectile exiting the firearm.
The bullet is the actual metal that leaves the gun after pulling the trigger. Bullets are composed of lead, lead alloy, copper, or several other materials depending upon the manufacturer. Bullets come in many different shapes and sizes.
The most common bullet is the Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullet which is a round-nosed projectile covered with a thin layer of copper known as a “jacket.” This layer allows the bullet to travel down the bore at a higher velocity than with pure lead bullets.
The second most common bullet type is a Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP), which expand upon impact. This action allows for a larger damage area and limits the penetration into objects beyond the intended target. Jacketed Hollow Point is the most common self-defense ammunition.
Dummy rounds that do not fire can be used to practice operating the firearm without the wasted ammo, noise, and safety issues associated with target practice.
Bullets are not cartridges, just the piece that leaves the barrel of the firearm.
.50 Caliber Ricochet
I recently saw a video on Youtube that shows what is supposedly a .50 caliber ricochet. I have no background on who did this video or if it is fake or not, but I think it would be very difficult to stage.
It is amazing to see that he didn’t get hurt. It is unbelievable that it could have enough energy to come all the way back at him, and do so in such a straight vector.
Another good example to show a safety lesson. A paper target with a heavy earthen backdrop is the safest way to target practice, and this is another demonstration to this fact.
Don’t Overlook the Weight
One of the things to consider when purchasing and outfitting a firearm are its weight. The final weight after ammo and addons must be carefully considered for those that will be carrying the completed weapon. It is easy to be at a show or gunshop and think that a weapon is lightweight. But by the time ammo is loaded up, and additional features are added on, the weapons can quickly gain weight.
The carry time will help determine allowable weight. If a pistol or shotgun is used only around the house, heavy units will not be a problem. But if a weapon is being carried for long periods of time, it can quickly become unweildy. Hunting rifles and shotguns that are used on foot as opposed to sitting must be comfortable to carry and still be quickly brought up to shoot.
A pistol that is being carried for self defense must have a holster that will handle its’ weight. The holster must be strong enough and must be able to distribute the weight across the area of carry. An Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster that is holding a heavy weapon could put undue stress on that side of the body, and on that side of the clothing. Accidental appearance of the weapon could happen if one side of the waistband is overloaded.
The weight of weapons can be minimized by carefully selecting a weapon after very carefully considering the intended use of them. Consideration must be made for personal comfort and operation under fatigue.
Weapons can be lower in weight by using shorter barrels, lower ammunition counts, and lightweight stocks and specialized alloys for the weapon itself. These will have other affects on firearm performance, but can be good tradeoffs depending upon the intended application of the firearm.
