Do you know what you shoot?

[oldman45]

I learned this afternoon that there is a smart sheriff in Caddo Parish, LA. He announced today they would be offering the training needed for a state concealed weapons permit for $100 per person. The course includes the required firearms training, firing range requirements, fingerprint cards, photographs and the assistance in filling out the forms.

Since he has the deputies anyway and has the range and classrooms, just think about the added income to his budget. Say just 1,000 people take advantage of this over a five year period, his Parish just took in an added $100,000 for free since it will not cost the Parish any additional money and he has 1,000 more people armed and safely instructed on the use of firearms.

More sheriffs should take advantage of such opportunities.

 

[USAF385]

If I'm in a store that has ammo hidden away where I can't even see it, I may ask what they have in whatever caliber I'm looking for instead of asking for a particular brand / weight etc. Luckily most of the places I go to have the ammo out or in full view so I can see what they have and ask for exactly what I want.

I have a buddy in a shop who gives customers bullets when they ask for bullets... that confuses a lot of them.

 

[walter o]

I am a gear head and have been one from birth . A firearm is basically a machine and i have yet had one that i have not taken apart ,so like any machine i understand what to use in it to make it work ammunition, oil , cleaning fluids . Some owners are just that owners, some shooters are just shooters.I remember talking to a young person whose father owned the company i worked for ,telling him how to repair something in his house .He said he didn't need to know how because he would hire someone to repair it .I tried to explain that he needed to know ,so that he would not get ripped off.Not a worry he didn't see the point .Some gun owners just want to own a gun to be safe ,they think that's enough .Most every one on this forum wants knowledge about their firearm's.Amazing what youcan learn by listening.

 

[The Highlander]

I remember stories about the guys that swore they used the 30-30 in their military rifles. Not old enough to have heard any of them, but I remember hearing about them.

Love reading newspaper stories about the .9mm handguns used for various reasons too. Dang, that's tiny. Of course they are probably backed up with a .12 gauge full-auto pump shotgun.

I did overhear two fellows talking at a Hunting License Course discuss why in the world the book mentioned a 28 gauge shotgun...everyone knows they dont make anything like that! Just 10's, 12's, 20's, and 410's!

I do NOT want to fire a 410 gauge shotgun!

 

[nostraDONus]

I stopped at a local hardware that rebuilt a new store a year ago. They have a firearms area. I just wanted to take a look since I hadn't been in there since the move. Ahead of me was a 130 pound soaking wet gentleman dressed like a gang banger with the pants to the thighs, big oversized droopy shirt, Timberland boots and a bandana. With him was his 200 pound+ girl....sister....I don't know. They were looking at the handguns and asking.......
"Why do the 25 look bigger than the 22?"
"I like a 9. How many do this one hold?"
"Ooooooh....that one kind of purty...."

I know they have to respond to all customers but if either one of those two had a permit to purchase God help us all. I turned and walked away. Didn't want to know if a purchase were made.

On a side note, last night someone was walking or driving around about a six square block area here and firing off 10-15 rounds every 20 minutes or so. Police couldn't find them. Perhaps my friends from the gun shop made a purchase and were testing it out.

 

[rburg]

Yer' askin' way too much.

The Constitution doesn't demand a test to exercise a right.

Many gun owners don't care. Its OK. If they want help, sometimes I try to gently offer it. And sometimes the clerk resents it. They're behind the counter and they know it all.

Often we manage to purchase a gun that is still new in its box. And it was owned by grandpa, who passed on. And Dad kept it in his dresser or closet for the last 50 years, too. They still have ammo, the stuff grandpa bought in the 1930s.

The kind and delicate thing to do is suggest they bring the gun, or any ammo or empties along with them and come back. It prevents some confusion.

My FILs handguns vanished when he died. We know where they went, along with his cases (plural) of 22 target ammo. Cases, not bricks or boxes. At least the screwed up nephew has the right ammo, lots of it.

Anti gun groups for years have been trying to figure out how to make ammo deteriorate and become non-functional. I'm thinking their goals may be parallel to some of our esteemed posters here. If you have a gun that might be 50 or 80 years old and hasn't fired all of its first and only box of ammo, I see nothing wrong with the current owner just depending on what they have. American made commercial ammo lasts nearly forever. And I think that part is good.

 

[oldman45]

Yer' askin' way too much.

Often we manage to purchase a gun that is still new in its box. And it was owned by grandpa, who passed on. And Dad kept it in his dresser or closet for the last 50 years, too. They still have ammo, the stuff grandpa bought in the 1930s.
.

Ironically, a good friend 's father passed away. The man was in his 90's and a WWII vet, having fought in two major battles. At some point in time, we do not know when, he bought a .25 semi and two boxes of shells for $12. His son found them as he was clearing the man's estate up and gave it all to me. The gun was never fired and still had the grease covering it that guns used to come packed in. I cleaned it, which took time since the grease was almost like glue, and then I fired it, using the shells that was bought with it. I still have that little gun in the box it came in.

 

[feralmerril]

I am sure every person that doesnt know as much about guns as I do, has knowledge in areas that I have no knowledge or intrest in.

 

[Smith357]

Yer' askin' way too much.

The Constitution doesn't demand a test to exercise a right.

Yup, My father has a .38 S&W revolver that he bought for Korea.
Does he even know it's a K frame? No. Does he care how many scews it has? No. Does he care what brand of ammo he buys? No. He does know it's a .38 Special S&W Revolver and it saved his life when the chips were down and the Chinese were comming over the hill. That gun has been in his nightstand since before I was born.

He does not go shooting very often anymore, he is spending his retirment on the golf course. The last time we went to the range about ten years ago he and his old beat up S&W put all his shots in the black and that's good enough for for him.

 

[one_fast_ls1]

How about the one who buys a .45 because it's the biggest they can handle, and end up not liking it because of the recoil. Or the ones who buy a Glock and can't figure out how to field strip it if their life depended on it.

I know what I buy- I know what I want. But my interests are probably alot different than the ones who don't know what they're talking about.

I like 'dem 'dere holler points. Winchester PDX1 if I can find it in my caliber, otherwise it's Gold Dots in medium weight.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

This has been a very informative thread. I now know why I cant fit those 45 boolets into my model ten!

 

[USAF385]

I do NOT want to fire a 410 gauge shotgun!

Why not? It would be fun! Perfect for... shooting ticks. Considering the .410 bore would be a 68 gauge if measured by gauge, a 410 gauge would be...... pretty tiny.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

This thread reminds me of when I went to a computer store several years ago and asked if I could upgrade the memory on my computer. The guy started asking me about bus speed, memory slots, DDR1 or 2, pins...on and on. I didn't know. I still don't know and don't care to.

 

[one_fast_ls1]

Great example! Us gun owners have computers. I personally know enough to get me by with upgrades, speed, etc. but most gun owners don't know that. Same as computer geeks who want a pistol for self defense. They don't know what we know, but they still have it.

 

[625smith]

I shoot whatever I load in the "man cave".

 

[TACC1]

I know there are a lot of ignorant people out there with guns. and
sometimes I get scared when I see their handling skills. Still, I'd
rather see that, than a total society that thinks that "someone" will
protect them in times of need. At least they're on the right wavelength!
I pass along what little knowledge I've got when I can, and hope for
the best. TACC1

 

[oldman45]

I know there are a lot of ignorant people out there with guns. and
sometimes I get scared when I see their handling skills. Still, I'd
rather see that, than a total society that thinks that "someone" will
protect them in times of need. At least they're on the right wavelength!
I pass along what little knowledge I've got when I can, and hope for
the best. TACC1

You bring out an interesting statement.

How many die each year from accidental shootings and how many die from gunshots from a stolen or borrowed gun that was improperly stored?

I think kids today are not being brought up around guns and lack respect for others or themselves and they go wrong in life using a gun they know little about. One case I worked this year involved a 5 yr old fatally shooting a 3 yr old sibling with a gun taken from a night stand.

 

[truckemup97]

Great example! Us gun owners have computers. I personally know enough to get me by with upgrades, speed, etc. but most gun owners don't know that. Same as computer geeks who want a pistol for self defense. They don't know what we know, but they still have it.

Yeah, but my computer has never blown up in my face because I put the wrong size hard drive in it....

There are some things you can use with just a little knowledge, and they won't hurt you. Then there are things that could kill you or someone else.

 

[one_fast_ls1]

Yeah, but my computer has never blown up in my face because I put the wrong size hard drive in it....

There are some things you can use with just a little knowledge, and they won't hurt you. Then there are things that could kill you or someone else.

It was a simple comparison- just trying to make a point. Than you have to get all serious and logical on me...

 

[40cal]

You can teach an IGNORANT person, then they will be knowledgeable.
But... STUPID is forever!