Call me Ahab

posted by Caleb on Apr 11

Rachel Lucas linked to the Women and Guns podcast in her post here.  She then talked about bad range experiences she had where essentially complete strangers would come up and offer her advice on her form, even when her targets were better than the man’s target.

I’ve seen this as well, often well-meaning guys will offer advice to women on the range, and it just comes off poorly.  Seriously, don’t be that guy.  No one likes that guy.  If someone asks you for help, by all means help them out, but don’t offer unsolicited advice to strangers, especially women because it only furthers the negative “boys club” stereotype that a lot of people have about shooting ranges.

The one caveat is if something unsafe is going down - and then only if an actual Range Officer isn’t there to deal with the situation.  Even then, politeness is key, don’t be a dick about it.

The last thing I want to do is turn anyone off to the shooting sports, or to make someone feel so uncomfortable that they don’t come back to the range.  By doing that, you’re alienating a shooter, which means she’s not coming to the range (and spending money) which means she’s not shooting as much (and spending money on ammo) which hurts out sport.

posted by Caleb on Apr 10

It most definitely is.  I believe 2008 is either going to be the year we will look back on as the pivotal year that sent the gun control movement to join the temperance movement in the dungeon of political irrelevance, or it will be the year when gun owners snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  Which path we take is entirely up to us.

From Sebastian, commenting on Chris Cox’s belief that 2008 is going to the pivotal election year for gun owners.

posted by Caleb on Mar 27

You know how the cleaning process for black powder firearms involves firing off a percussion cap?

If you have cats, and do this indoors, you will regret it; although on the flip side I learned that cats can stick to ceilings given sufficient motivation.

posted by Caleb on Jan 17

If you are a convicted felon, it is probably not a good idea to post a video of yourself on Youtube that shows you brandishing firearms and telling the cops to come and get you.

Because they will.

Two alleged gang members who taunted the Miami Dade Police Department in a video posted on YouTube have been arrested by U.S. agents and charged with federal firearms violations.

I love it when criminals make law enforcement’s job that much easier.

posted by Caleb on Jul 26

Have you ever heard the one from the gun store commando? It goes “shoot ‘em outside and drag ‘em inside”, the idiotic logic behind that being that the fuzz aren’t going to prosecute you if the body is inside the house. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together and make a spark should know why that’s a dumb idea. Unfortunately for her, a woman in Michigan was apparently lacking the brain cells, and is now learning why moving the bodies is a bad idea.

Gardner and Johnson said it was then that the woman forced the second robbery suspect to drag the gravely wounded man onto her enclosed porch and then kick in the door to make it appear the robbers were trying to break into her home. She held the second suspect for police. Only then did she call 911 to report a break-in and a shooting, Gardner said.But after police arrived, they found “drag marks” leading to her front porch and other evidence that indicated she likely wasn’t telling the truth, according to Gardner.

In the end, investigators got acknowledgment that the incident occurred in the driveway and that the two men were allegedly robbing her because “she is a drug dealer and she was supposed to have had a large amount of money with her,” Gardner said.

The story previously mentions that the woman is being charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to distribute. I have a couple of thoughts on this particular incident

Thought One - Don’t shoot people outside and drag them inside. Cops are not stupid and will probably figure that one out. This woman’s shooting probably would have been completely justified otherwise, but she had to go and screw around with the scene and lie to the cops about it.

Thought Two - This is actual gun crime - two scumbags decide to rob another scumbag and one of them ends up shot. I would be very surprised if the drug dealer that did the shooting had obtained her firearm legally. I would be equally surprised if her would-be assailants were legally in possession of their firearms.

Thought Three - Nice shooting. A small caliber in the right place will get the job done; one round to the forehead and attacker number one was out of the fight.

The most important thought I’d like to take away from this wonderful little object lesson is that if you are ever in a self defense situation and are forced to plug someone, do not lie to the cops. Don’t plant a knife on the guy, don’t alter the scene, and don’t lie to the cops. I suppose the corollary lesson would be “don’t be a drug dealer”.
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