Firearm Hobbyist Catch-All

The Taco test was hilarious.

Hey gang. I have a radio guy at WBEZ, the Chicago NPR station, looking to talk with someone who got into guns thanks to their time spent with video games.

Unfortunately, my own path to gun ownership wasn't quite that linear and I wasn't able to help him out. If you'd like to chat send me a PM.

"Videogames made me an AWM whore!"

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:

"Videogames made me an AWM whore!"

AWM is for noobs Scout takes real skillz.

Went ammo shopping today with expectations in check. I've seen shortages in the past. But I've never, EVER, seen the humble .22LR sold out. Every brand. Every (quality) grade. Everywhere.

ringsnort wrote:

Went ammo shopping today with expectations in check. I've seen shortages in the past. But I've never, EVER, seen the humble .22LR sold out. Every brand. Every (quality) grade. Everywhere.

Yep. People are freaking right the hell out.

I found some .22lr yesterday but they wanted $17(!) for a box of 50. That's $2 less than 9mm.

Going to my first Appleseed next weekend and just got an email from them saying that they are changing the course of fire due to the lack of .22LR.

I guess a normal course is 500 rounds for the two days and it's being reduced to 300.

some other zach wrote:

Going to my first Appleseed next weekend and just got an email from them saying that they are changing the course of fire due to the lack of .22LR.

I guess a normal course is 500 rounds for the two days and it's being reduced to 300.

That's extremely reasonable given the current situation. Along this same line of thought, I cannot imagine being a competitive shooter right now. The time and expense of simply trying to find and maintain sufficient quantities of "your" chosen match ammo would amount to a part-time job.

Best of luck at Appleseed next week!

The ammo shortage looks like it will get worse before it gets better due to DHS wanting 21 million rounds.

https://marketplace.fedbid.com/fbweb...

Edwin wrote:

The ammo shortage looks like it will get worse before it gets better due to DHS wanting 21 million rounds.

https://marketplace.fedbid.com/fbweb...

That's a massive order by any measure, and all of it 9mm and .40S&W pistol ammo. This impacts me directly. And since I absolutely will not tap into my current supply without a ready means of replacement, my next trip the the range is postponed indefinitely.

On the plus side, the weather down here has been 60s and 70s all week. And there's apparently no shortage of 12 gauge skeet and target loads. Guess I'll have to to start playing the country gentleman, drowning my sorrows drinking "Arnold Palmers," and breaking clays on lazy weekends.

I'm hoping ammo is readily available soon because I just found a goal for me to hit for next year.

I hope to do this right and run the course of fire in a guayabera, linen pants and straw panama hat.

Picked up a Mosin Nagant M53 today, beat to high hell stock, but all 4 numbers match up, barrel isn't pitted and the trigger is actually fairly crispy. Can't complain for 150 plus 20 for sixty rounds of surplus ammo.

Just skimming the thread. What is the deal with the ammo shortage? People still think Obama is going to take their guns?

I'm considering getting a gun but I have to some research to do first so I don't kill someone or more importantly myself.

Some of things I was thinking about.
I don't currently own a car, can I carry a gun on a bus.
Where should I go for training.
Do I need a gun for fun (targeting shooting) and another for defense
What are the risk of my gun being taken away in future legistration
How should I store the guns considering I live in an apartment.
How will I carry the gun outside or even should I.
A few days ago I seen someone stealing mail. Could I have pulled a gun on them? I wouldn't have.
Is there a alternative to the NRA or are they ok if used only for info.

Not asking for answers, just some stuff I have been thinking about.

Knocking at a few on your list...

Apartment ownership depends on your lease... many apartment buildings explicitly ban firearms, no matter how they're stored. When we last moved, we made sure our new place didn't have that clause so we could legally store at home.

Ownership and concealed carry are two very different questions with two separate answers, depending on your situation and risk tolerance.

Seattle doesn't have much happening for ranges, but there are a few nice ones on the Eastside.

Baron Of Hell wrote:

Just skimming the thread. What is the deal with the ammo shortage? People still think Obama is going to take their guns?

I'm considering getting a gun but I have to some research to do first so I don't kill someone or more importantly myself.

Some of things I was thinking about.
I don't currently own a car, can I carry a gun on a bus.
Where should I go for training.
Do I need a gun for fun (targeting shooting) and another for defense
What are the risk of my gun being taken away in future legistration
How should I store the guns considering I live in an apartment.
How will I carry the gun outside or even should I.
A few days ago I seen someone stealing mail. Could I have pulled a gun on them? I wouldn't have.
Is there a alternative to the NRA or are they ok if used only for info.

Not asking for answers, just some stuff I have been thinking about.

1. Yes but it must be concealed. Open carry is not allowed on the bus in Washington.
2. West Coast Armory, InSight Training (handgun, long gun) or The Firearms Academy of Seattle.
3. Depends on what you find fun (Pistol target, rifle target, skeet, etc) and your situation for your defense.
4. Depends on your state and type of firearm. In WA, things look ok for now. Some other states have legislation going through that would.
5. A good safe from Ft. Knox strapped with steel bands to your water heater or if you can afford it, attached to a stud and floor.
6. Carry to where and to do what? What kind of gun (Handgun/long gun)? Do you have a concealed license? See RCW 9.41.050 and RCW 9.41.060
7. NO.
8. The only other alternative that I know of is the NSSF but they are pretty much in line with the NRA on policies.

I'm just across the water if you ever need a guide, help, someone to go to the range with or someone to show you the basics.

Baron Of Hell wrote:

Just skimming the thread. What is the deal with the ammo shortage? People still think Obama is going to take their guns?

I'm considering getting a gun but I have to some research to do first so I don't kill someone or more importantly myself.

Some of things I was thinking about.
I don't currently own a car, can I carry a gun on a bus.
Where should I go for training.
Do I need a gun for fun (targeting shooting) and another for defense
What are the risk of my gun being taken away in future legistration
How should I store the guns considering I live in an apartment.
How will I carry the gun outside or even should I.
A few days ago I seen someone stealing mail. Could I have pulled a gun on them? I wouldn't have.
Is there a alternative to the NRA or are they ok if used only for info.

Not asking for answers, just some stuff I have been thinking about.

That's a complex list. I know you're not looking for answers, or a lecture for that matter, but I'll toss a few ideas out there for consideration.

Task one prior to considering personal firearm ownership is KNOWING the gun laws and regulations of your city, county, and state. Understanding your "rights" verses the actual law of the land may help you with your decision of *if* to buy and *what* to buy.

If you don't own personal transportation, I'd strongly review the regulations for the various forms of public transportation you may consider using going to and from your local gun range. If a local gun range is not accessible to you using public transit, I wouldn't buy a gun. Period.

Gun clubs, gun ranges, and most gun stores can typically provide you with information about training classes for new gun owners. If you've had little or no experience, get training on your new firearm!

An argument can be made for the "golf" analogy when it comes to guns; a different "club" for a different task. Once you know your legal options for gun ownership, choose a weapon that interests you and is best suited for the training and practice opportunities local to where you live. When starting out, chose *one* weapon that matches your interest and stick with that. Proficiency in one gun is far better than multiple guns that you never or will rarely use.

Legislation is an ever present risk for all of our Constitutional rights. I personally would not worry about legislative changes to gun rights. Most of the more suitable weapons for first time gun owners aren't in the proverbial "cross-hairs" of lawmakers. I accept and respect that others here may disagree.

Your state and/or your local municipality may have regulations regarding the safe storage of weapons and ammunition. I think many owners here would agree that a gun safe of some kind is essential to securing your weapon(s) regardless of local laws. Also, other common sense ideas such as using trigger locks on all weapons, storing ammunition away from your weapons, and not keeping a loaded weapon in the home is highly advisable under most circumstances. Granted, some legal yet high risk professions may warrant keeping loaded firearms.

Check your local gun laws for how to legally transport your weapon to and from a public or private gun range. Under most scenarios, it is unwise if not illegal to display a firearm in public. If you feel the need to carry, consider taking your state's Concealed Carry License class.

The rules vary by state and municipality, and while it is possible that some jurisdictions may allow you to "display" a weapon to a thief robbing your property, it is probably unwise to escalate a crime occurring outside the home. Unless your life or your family are at immediate risk, the prudent first reaction to a theft situation would be to call 911 and engage the police. Let the professionals handle it.

Lastly, the NRA question. That's P&C territory I won't try to touch. I will say that the NRA has tremendous potential as a training and educational resource. Also, your local state may also have a "rifle association" that's more focused on training and education in your community rather than just the raw political issues we're seeing debated on the national stage.

One of the reasons I have been looking at going long distance timed and untimed shooting for a while is in anticipation of precisely this kind of ammo inflation. It is entirely possible to have afternoon at the range with a .308 bolty and 50 rounds if you're trying to put holes through coins.

A decade ago I'd keep my used brass with the silly pipe dream of someday getting into reloading. I wonder how much I could sell it for now.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

A decade ago I'd keep my used brass with the silly pipe dream of someday getting into reloading. I wonder how much I could sell it for now.

Don't think about it. It's like wondering how much your old baseball card collection would be worth now if your mom hadn't thrown it out 20 years ago.

No, I mean I still have it all. .44 mag, .40 S&W, some 9mm, .30-30 and .223.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

No, I mean I still have it all. .44 mag, .40 S&W, some 9mm, .30-30 and .223.

If you've got enough quantity I'm sure you'll have no shortage of interest in the current market.

Paleocon wrote:

One of the reasons I have been looking at going long distance timed and untimed shooting for a while is in anticipation of precisely this kind of ammo inflation. It is entirely possible to have afternoon at the range with a .308 bolty and 50 rounds if you're trying to put holes through coins.

Save the coins and use old beer and soda bottle caps. Same challenge and possibly more interesting to look at. It would certainly be the best use of a Schaefer Light bottle cap ever.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

No, I mean I still have it all. .44 mag, .40 S&W, some 9mm, .30-30 and .223.

How many cases do you have for the .40 and the .223?

TigerBill wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

No, I mean I still have it all. .44 mag, .40 S&W, some 9mm, .30-30 and .223.

How many cases do you have for the .40 and the .223?

I'd have to count them. Some have been packed in a box for over 15 years, across 2 moves. .40 S&W makes up the bulk of it. I'd say at least a couple dozen 50 round boxes of empties.

Got a safe ordered!

The Franklin from Liberty. It should be delivered sometime mid march. Got a fairly overbuilt one from what I was looking at initially because the thing is forced to live it's life in the garage. And I can't seem to teach the kids how to push the button that closes the garage. At least it'll be quicker to move in.

If you're going to put it in the garage definitely anchor it to the floor and or the wall. Both if you can.

Wrapped up my first Appleseed this weekend have to say the instruction was top notch. Even at 36 shooters for six linesmen each of us received quite a bit of personal attention.

We spent much of Saturday going over safety, npoa, breathing, sling use and smooth trigger pulls. I think we used about a 100 rounds between zeroing in, a couple slow practice AQT's and one round of red coat targets.

We spent a couple hours Sunday morning reviewing then moved onto timed AQT's. The first AQT was aborted due to someone's rifle malfunctioning. We finished it off but it wouldn't be officially scored. The next four went off without a hitch.

I was using a bolt action with globe sights and had a heck of a time trying to get off all 10 shots with in the allotted time for the standing to sitting position change. I believe they were two 200 yard targets (reduced for distance), 2 shots in the left, magazine change, three more shots in the left then five into the right target. Total time is 55 seconds. AQT 2 and 3 were tough, maybe getting off six or seven shots, but I got into a rhythm for 4 and 5, getting all ten shots off and on target.

Saturday and Sunday were my third and fourth time ever firing a gun. Turned in my third, fourth and fifth AQT's for scoring and got a 173, 184 and 201, respectively. I think this shows how well the instructors did their jobs.

Three people made rifleman (AQT score 210 or over).

If there's one at range in your area I can't recommend it enough. Looking forward to the next one in April and hopefully I'll come back with my rifleman patch.