Greetings fellow enthusiasts! It is time once again for the Carnival of Cordite. If you are new, this is a weekly round-up of blog posts relating to guns, shooting, hunting, defense, and the law and politics of the Second Amendment. It's also a fun way to help contributors find new readers, so if you like what you see, be sure to further explore the many fine blogs linked below (as well as this one!).
And now...
* * *
None of our rights, including our right to bear arms, would matter were it not for the brave men and women who fight to keep us free. Mr. Completely would like to point out what's been happening at Walter Reed, where many of our finest are hospitalized:
And while we are thinking about the military, Hell in a Handbasket has concerns about where our armor might be ending up. The implications are scary.
* * *
In further follow up in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Michelle Malkin has more on gun banning and FEMA. Fortunately, it looks like the "powers that be" might be getting the hint.
Another atrocity in New Orleans involves the beating of an elderly man by the cops:
Xavier has the story and ponders:
If these attackers had not been cops, but Cripps, and Mr. Davis had pulled his Glock out and ventilated a couple of skulls, would he be held at fault? If not, then why are the police any different when they commit the same act?
More here.
* * *
As always, the Civilian Gun Self Defense Blog keeps us informed about the use of firearms in lawful self-defense. And it isn't just about criminals; it's about dangerous wild animals, too!
* * *
On to other matters legal, political, and such:
Uncle has issues with anti-gun bias and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Hmmm... a major city newspaper with a bias against our fundamental rights... should we be surprised?
And of course, that paragon of virtue, 60 Minutes, is also suspect.
But then, maybe bias is a good thing...
Publicola has both sides of the Harriet Miers debate: she may sound like a friend of the Second Amendment, but there are reasons to remain skeptical. As for me: I give GWB the benefit of the doubt. After all, he, with the help of Miers, brought us people like Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla Owen. I don't think he will make the same mistake his father did with Souter. And as for those who like to point out that Bush was "for" the assault weapons ban: remember, this is politics. When you know the House is going to let the assault weapons ban die, you can act like you supported the ban, knowing you won't have to sign it, in order to soothe the fears of your opponents on the left. I don't think for a second that, if the Congress were close to renewing the AWB, Bush would have been so blase about it. But maybe that's just me.
* * *
Gun pr0n!
The Freeholder is pleased with his first purchase using his new curio-relic license:
For those unfamiliar with the concept, it's like a mini-FFL that helps you obtain certain antique and collector weapons. And since that includes many fine battle rifles, it is well worth looking into for hobbyist and survivalist alike. Here is a link to a Shotgun News article on topic.
The Blogonomicon has another example of a "cruffle" gun, the Sistema Colt:
This will definitely NOT be a cruffler:
Another great resource for collectors: pawn shops!
Cowboy Blob is showing off four of his toys here, here, here, and here. My favorite of this bunch:
For some reason, the BDM just never caught on. But it is, in my not-so humble opinion, one fine pistol!
Irons in the Fire has an evaluation of the Taurus Tracker .45 ACP revolver:
Overall, I was impressed. Very light, quite accurate, well-made, smooth action. As a carry piece, whether hiking or in daily wear, it would work quite well.
And while I haven't encountered the .45 ACP Tracker yet, I think the .357 Magnum version is one of the best "all around" handguns: powerful, accurate, affordable, versatile. I would choose a Taurus Tracker .357 Magnum as my first center-fire handgun.
Which is better, AR or AK (and I don't mean the states!)? Well here's an idea: get both!
Anyone know what the heck this is?
And help Al choose his next Christmas present!
* * *
Remember I told you Kit and her Darling John are the cover models for a new book on handgunning? Well, scroll down to the bottom of this post for some early-ordering information. While there, enjoy some fine Montana photography! Yes, I know there's no action shots of Kit...
Oh, fine... here's this:
Looks like the new stock she told us about last week is a good fit!
* * *
On to safety matters:
Personal Protection Training & Firearm Instruction has information on the potential dangers of squib loads.
And clean your guns!
First, make sure the firearm to be cleaned is unloaded, with no cartridge left in the chamber. Not doing this could be noisy, and lead to more damage-cover problems.
Truer words are seldom spoken...
At what age can you teach children gun safety? New contributor SerandEz thinks at least as early as more controversial topics:
It's interesting how many on the left want kids to be required to learn about homosexuality at a young age; but when it comes to safety, ignorance is bliss. Sad.
Sad, indeed!
And whatever you do, don't be this guy!
* * *
Now that we are all feeling nice and safe, it is time to head to the range:
Baboon Pirates had a great day at the range, and met some other gun bloggers.
Matthew Maynard says "remember the postal match!"
Analog Kid has results from the September postal match, and targets for October. Be sure to send him hate mail!
More results here.
Mr. Completely has a new sight for rimfire handgun competition:
Read his first range report on the C-More here...
Those are .22 holes and 3/8" bulls!
Meanwhile, Wadcutter shows off some nice grouping with his 10/22-T and asks, "do I really need a more expensive scope?"
Here’s my suggestion for a rule of thumb: pay $1 for every yard you want to shoot your rifle at.
Good rule? Bad rule? Opinions? Educate me on scopes.
Well, I'll offer up my $0.02:
If you are a typical hunter, you probably do most of your shooting fairly close up; getting close is part of the thrill of the hunt. But you also want to be able to take a long shot, at least out to the maximum point-blank range of your rifle, or even a little beyond. For most rifles, that takes you out to about 300 yards or so. Beyond that range, you get into a new level of marksmanship, and the "average" hunter should consider getting closer before firing. So we are talking about $300 worth of glass for a 300 yard shot.
This gives you a pretty wide assortment of quality scopes, including many Leupold, Burris, Nikon, and other good brands. It keeps you out of the "high end" scopes from these brands. But for an average hunter, things look good.
Move on to varminting. The varminters I know tend to want to be able to shoot out to 600 or 700 yards. That's not to say that other varminters don't get more extreme. But the people I actually know limit themselves to these ranges at the extreme. In the $600-$700 price range, you can pick up some of the higher-end models from Leupold and Burris (my two favorites). Something like a Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20x, or a Burris Signature 8-32x makes an excellent high-quality varmint scope, and will run you around $600. Things look good.
Move on to the more extreme shooters. I personally know exactly one shooter who routinely shoots 1,000 yard targets. He has a NightForce scope that runs about a grand. His word, and I neither endorse nor refute it, is that you need this kind of glass at that kind of range. So again, the $1 per yard rule seems to hold true.
So, I'll side with Wadcutter's theory. Your results may vary.
Speaking of 1,000 yard shooting, TFS Magnum reports on the next generation of competitive shooting:
At what age should one start shooting? I say the younger the better!
As long as we are asking questions: what makes a handgun more or less "carryable" than another? Blogonomicon wants to know.
Do you like explosions? Me too! And I'll come right and say it: I believe the Second Amendment is meant to provide for the individual private ownership of devices like this! One of the aims of the Second Amendment is to allow a militia of free citizens to fight back against the oppression of a tyrannical government. And today's tyrannical governments have tanks. Plus, if a person can afford toys like this, why should he (or she) be prevented from owning them? We are innocent until proved guilty, yet we can be prevented from owning things that "might" be used for some unknown future crime; meanwhile, there is no "prior restraint" on free speech, yet there is on bearing arms... how is this consistent?
If live on or near Whidbey Island, mark October 30 down on your calendar!
And in case you are ever attacked by dinner plates, here's your guy.
Finally... this just in:
Countertop finds places to shoot in NEW JERSEY! Complete with many photos and a lot of narration. But be warned:
Its enough to make me do the happy dance nude.
Fortunately, there are no pictures of THAT!
* * *
Time for the blog of the week! Once again, through sheer power of quantity, the blog of the week is Mr. Completely!
Either the rest of you slackers need to send more posts, or else I'll have to disqualify him!
* * *
And now, this week's discussion question:
Are you a single-issue voter? Would you support a candidate (or a Supreme Court Justice) who had horrible ideas about most other subjects if he or she would play a pivotal role in protecting your Second Amendment rights?
* * *
That wraps up this week's Carnival of Cordite. To catch up on previous Carnivals, please see our main page. And to find many other excellent blog carnivals on a variety of topics, check out the ubercarnival.
Would you like to participate in the next Carnival of Cordite? E-mail your gun-related posts to:
c a r n i v a l o f c o r d i t e A T h o t m a i l D O T c o m
Or, use the handy carnival submit form.
If you enjoyed your visit, please stay and read my other posts on a variety of subjects, including Oregon and national politics, recipes, cats and more. And you can always show your appreciation with a donation to my college fund. See you next week, and until then, keep your powder dry!
I consider it an honor to be picked as blog of the week, and I'm glad that everyone is enjoying the posts at Mr. Completely.. Thank you!
If you ever make it to Western Washington, I've got keys to the range......
...........Mr. C.
Posted by: Mr. Completely | Saturday, 15 October 2005 at 08:29 AM
Squib load story. Just before Oregon started their CHL program, my dad, who had applied in advance for one, decided he needed some practice on the range, so I brought him up to the police range.
We were shooting with an empty lane in between us, he with a Walther PP in .380 and I with a .38.
Used to range sounds, I wasn't affected by the normal POW sound of the Walther, but then I saw my dad raise the pistol out of the corner of my eye and fire, but the sound was more like PHUT. Red flags. I immediately turned my head (not my weapon) and saw the copper nose of the bullet sticking out of the barrel. I yelled at dad just as he was squeezing off the next round and he stopped just in time.
Sounds can mean life or death. Listen up.
Posted by: Rivrdog | Saturday, 15 October 2005 at 12:44 PM
I response to the discussion question: Yes. The more our 2A rights are stomped on, the less chance we have of ever protecting any of the other rights.
Posted by: AlanDP | Saturday, 15 October 2005 at 08:20 PM
Response to the discussion question:
I have to agree with AlanDP. So long as I have my guns, I can protect the rest of my rights myself.
I forget where I read this,but I think it is attributable to H. Beam Piper. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me: A group of people with the right to own guns are citizens. A group of people without that right are subjects.
I choose to be a citizen.
Posted by: Fuloydo | Sunday, 16 October 2005 at 07:14 PM
I'm more or less a single issue voter, if the canidate running ain't right on the Second A, it's not very likely he or she will be right on my other issues.
BTW, if you're willing to pay $600.00 on an 8-32X Burris, no wonder you are always broke.
Posted by: Peter | Sunday, 16 October 2005 at 09:51 PM