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It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
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Yesssss. Just ordered my Original Henry (1860).
So I have never held or touched, let alone fired a firearm before.
I just scheduled an 8-hour Basic Pistol Safety class for a weekend in July which will include 4 hours of classroom instruction and then 4 hours of live firing of 16 different handguns with the caliber ranging from 0.22-0.45.
It will be like meeting your first love all over again. There is a reason there are 100s of millions of firearms in America. People that enjoy the sport of shooting and hunting can never just have one gun!
A friend of mine is a sport shooter in Germany, which allows him to legally own a handgun. It is much more restricted in Germany. He competes in a 10-inch target, 3 shots from holstered position with a certain time limit, like 15 seconds or something, I think at 50 yards. Or was it 150 yards? In any case, he is a regional champion and pretty good at it.
His advice for me was these three things before buying a firearm:
1) You have to have a foolproof secure way of storing it, especially if there are children in the house, but even if there are not.
2) You have to train with said firearm until it is second nature. If someone wakes you up at 2 am, you should be able to handle it half in your sleep in the dark. To make it easier, he recommended the exact same handgun for every adult in the household so that there is no confusion and no need to train on multiple types of firearm. In other words, you should be able to hand each other the gun and both adults should be able to use it well.
3) You have to decide whether you are willing to use lethal force. If not, don’t get a gun. Do not get one with the intent of just wielding it around and impress people.
For firearm owners that are responsible, most of that is implied. It is good practice to remember to re-visit the principles of firearm ownership now and then.
You will find what part of shooting suites you best. Some like their plastic guns and put thousands of rounds through them. I had my share of ‘black’ pistols and rifles and they just never did it for me. Now give me a revolver or a beautiful lever action rifle and I am in heaven.
#1 is bullshit imo. If you have small children, store it high up and hidden but easily accessible to adults. How can you defend yourself if you can’t retrieve your firearm? Stuuuupid.
If you have kids that are, in YOUR opinion, old enough, train and teach them.
There are fingerprint-released nightstand-top boxes and plenty of other secure but quick-access options.
Uhh, yeah but what if you have blood on your fingers or something? #1 Firearms advice from Germans is not that great. Every German I ever mat seemed to be a rabid anti-gunner. #2 A gun is a tool. It is not to be feared but respected. Make it 2nd nature that you can pick up any style of firearm and understand how to load, shoot, and then put it into a mode that is safe. This includes unloading etc.
I bought my wife a pistol years back. It sits in my safe because every time I take her to shoot it, she does not handle it with confidence. Thus in a high pressure situation I know that she will probably be more of a danger to herself than to an aggressor.
I think the class is a good idea. Maybe should send the wife because shooting is 2nd nature to me as I grew up with guns and am probably not a good teacher. My father didn’t hide his pistol. He kept it in a closet up high. I could reach it when I was a kid but I knew enough about shooting rifles and such to understand that I needed to leave it alone. Because if he caught me messing with it, my firearms privileges would be revoked. He was a stickler for safe handling.
My daughter doesn’t like guns. I gave my SIL an AR and a M92 Barretta pistol a few years back for some work he did for me. He told me that my daughter wouldn’t let him buy a gun. But since I gave those to him then it was ok.
I keep mine high up with the mag loaded but separate (but close by) from the weapon. It is in a closet close to the bed. I know exactly where it is and can load it very quickly if need be. I do not have any children in the home though. We are empty nesters unless the grandkids are over. The grandkids are still small and are not able to get into nor allowed into the bedroom.
Coded boxes that you practice opening. Takes about one second to punch the code. But he tend to be a believer in weapons loaded at all times – and tell visitors that. No way you can get shot by an unloaded weapon if everyone knows they are loaded at all times. And teach kids young.
murphy’s law will have the battery go dead on the electronic doohickey that unlocks it exactly the one time you actually really need to get it open. better to have it readily available. if there are kids in the house, keep it out of reach the same way you’d keep that nice old china serving dish from grandma out of reach , for when theyre too little to act reasonably.. once the kids are old enough to understand things like this (could be 5, 6, 7 , etc, depends. some people are 50 years old and still retards, others were mature enough at 5) they should learn how to properly use the weapons too!
Most likely in meters over there. 50, 100, 150 + 200 meters very common for silhouette pistol range here. Centerfire scoped pistols the norm. “prone’ In this case typically means on your back, one hand tripod-like supporting your head, gun supported along side of bended Knee. Had to check with a local, police range ‘qualifier distances of 10 feet, 7, 10, and 35 yds. Out to 40 yds for proficiency/marksmanship. Lowered standards locally to 25 yds max to ‘qualify’.
Rifle much easier to learn the fundamentals, .22 can’t be beat from any perspective. Basically, the little front sight thingy should ‘fill’ the notch on the back sight thingy, ‘flush’ or level across the top given the 2 sides of the back sight and the top of the front. If there is any ‘daylight’ between the 2 sides of the front and the back, center the gaps/make ’em even. Aim a 6 o’clock. must be tons of stuff on breath control online, don’t get anal about anything…Well, except for aiming at the EXACT same spot EVERY TIME as long as you are hitting the target. The goal is to get a grouping, the tighter the better. Once the tight group is achieved, there are multiple to correct/compensate. Beyond this scope, no pun intended.
Would recommend a revolver as being ‘safer’ for a beginner. Same basic techniques, speed loaders/holders if you picture yourself in the movies.
No more time currently, always like your posts.
I feel like I got homework now. If I put my mind to it, maybe I can figure out what all of these words mean. I don’t even know what caliber is. Is it the diameter of the bullet or something? Or the length? Is 0.22 a bullet with more or less umph than a 9 mm one? Do you drink your martinis stirred? And is caliber measured in inches? Or in cm? Or is it the shooter’s dick length in feet?
My hope is that at the end of the class I will get a wall plaque that says that I am now super cool and can be a Bond girl. That’s really all I hope to get out of it.
.22 caliber is inches. Now an AR shoots a .223. It’s pretty hot. A 22 that is rimfire not so much. 9mm was developed in Europe, hence the metric designation. 45 caliber is almost 1/2 ” in diameter. 308 Winchester is 30 caliber. But when fielded by NATO it’s called 7.62×51
Thanks for completing the confusion. 😉
No worries though. I am sure that that is what the classroom instruction will be all about. I bet your wife could benefit from a class like this. Here in MA attending such a class is a requirement for a license to carry. Plus background check and fingerprinting, I think. I am under no illusion that a single weekend class makes anybody proficient.
Loka,
You’re already super cool. 🙂
Should get you started…
https://www.americanfirearms.org/bullet-sizes-types-calibers/
Not sure about pistol/revolver shooting at 200 meters (or yards) … I’ve worked with NRA matches, 200 yards with a pistol is a far reach …
Unless you live far out in the boondocks, shooting at someone 200 yards/meters away is a bit of a risky business … not sure how you’d properly identify them as friend or foe … Folks I talk with recommend not engaging anyone at that distance unless you’re (a) sure they’re not friendly; and (b) sure that you can hit them at that distance.
Most crimes are committed ‘up close and personal’ … plan to engage your target within 25′ to 50′ at most … more likely 15′ or closer …
‘Prone’ is NOT on your back … it’s on your belly … ‘supine’ would be on your back …
200 meters 219 yds iirc. VERY common. 1/4″ , 5/16″ steel plate, nearly full sized Ram outline. Closer to the shooting station the thicker and smaller the target plate. most people hear ‘prone’ assume on your belly. NEVER been to a pistol shoot where it was called supine. You a lawyer? 200 yds with a rifle is comparatively nothing. Of course a variable power scope goes without saying for a rifle. Use to win some money on a regular basis at a local public range. Bet whoever that i could hit a clay pigeon laying on the embankment behind the 100 yd. targets. not measured in meters on any public range i use to visit. With a Beretta 92, 9mm of course. NEVER went to a public range alone for multiple reasons, also why i always had at least the 9 on my hip. After the deal was struck, i would sit at the bench. line up. if you are cocked a little sideways in any position/stance, Your body naturally is ‘locked’ a little. One axis taken care of. Breath control IS critical for precision shooting. Buddy was my spotter. sometimes i’d get lucky and hit it first shot…because i wanted to play at Carnegie Hall.
Usually missed the first shot, but i never took my eye off the target or so much as twitched. even shallow breaths, partially exhale before ya squeeze off the shot. If ya squeeze correctly, ya never know when the sear slips. buddy would say x” high/low. compensated, and sent another. Almost always connected 2nd shot, nearly invariably the 3rd. Did loose a few, but feel confident stating 90% to the good. With a Rifle, Long distance is where the money is.
My buddy? Ya could throw nearly anything you could toss in the air from golf ball to a beer bottle and he would hit it with ANY pistol 95% of the time. Couldn’t shoot a 3 shot rifle group worth a darn over 100yds.
Most of the boys ’round here got their first .22 at 10-11. For the most part we were allowed to venture afield without adults by 14 at the latest. We all knew that stupidity could kill. Remington® use to have decorative canisters full of LR .22’s, 550 rds iirc. Like $6 on sale at Kmart. Shelves full of the empty cans, made great worm containers.
Before the .22’s ‘Age of Independence’, Some fairly serious injuries from bb guns though, In the Hayloft. Most of us had Crossman 760? pumps. ALWAYS real safety glasses w/side shields. ‘Gentleman’s agreement’, 2 pumps for straight shot, 3, for multiple BB’s ricocheted off roof for the constantly hiding. NO FACE SHOTS. Usually 1400-1600 bale by late summer. Hot as hell but smelled good. Come fall, the word got around school. city boys wanted to come play. even with 2 pumps you knew when someone was hit. always made a noise, and they were out. Not many gentlemen in the city apparently. You can hear the difference in the sound between 3 pumps and 5 distinctly, especially when pointed directly at you. Blood was drawn, At least a dozen black eyes, equal amount of busted lips the next day at school.
At least we didn’t have to pedal our bikes 3-5 miles back town.
For your own legal protection, I would strongly urge you to get as much information as you can about your State’s self-defense laws … especially as they relate to when deadly force is permitted and where it is permitted.
Thankfully, many States have variations of ‘stand your ground’ or ‘home castle’ laws that permit the use of deadly force against anyone entering your home … but outside the home but still on your property is another issue … defense of others is another issue …
You don’t want to exercise your 2d Amendment rights and then end up being sued by someone’s heirs or their estate because you dropped them while they were threatening the life of 3d persons …
Also … educate yourself to not only the type of weapon you wish to use — but to the various types of ammunition — their strengths, their purposes … where to use each of the various kinds …
Best to you …
SSS
Loka,
Awesome!! You’re going to have a blast. Report back afterwards.
I almost feel a little sheeping to say that I think it might be fun! Will report back.
sheepish
Would you feel sheepish if you took a self defense class?
I have. Basically, just poke in the eyes and kick in the balls.
Truth is, unless you are a karate master, no weekend self defense class is going to make a difference in a physically inferior female to male encounter. The only thing it does is change your mindset, which might already be worth your while of spending a few hours.
Karate is worthless. Only really two I know of that are decent for self defence – Muay Thai, and Brazilian jujitsu. The first is close in fighting, and the second is grappling where they break your limbs or choke you out. Poke and kick is better than karate. Bite is good too in close quarters.
probably the most useful aspect of any kind of training in that category is not the specific rules or systems taught, but the opportunity to have even a very fake dress-rehearsal of a conflict/combat type situation. Getting into a real fight with no experience you will probably get your ass kicked. Being able to get into a fight where the other guy knows to make it real enough that you develop some reflexes and responses, but not real enough that he actually kicks your ass, is what you’re paying for. even some very basic aspects like, this is an unfamiliar situation, someone’s fist is flying into my face, gee shall i pause and ponder the new phenomenon? we often freeze at the critical moment because we’ve never experienced something like that before and our first reaction as peaceful civilized people is not to kill or strike whatever’s coming at me, but to analyze or communicate with it..
exactly four times in my life did i ever find myself facing someone who might (or did) strike me or try to strike me. one was a mere prank, being pushed over from behind, but i caught balance in time and did not fall down, but instead twisted around to face the prankster. another time was some drunk who totally at random decided to try to push me, frontal approach, with both of his hands. i surprised myself to find my own hands automatically rising up to get between his arms and push them apart and aside from me, and the swiftness of that reaction and its putting and end to the shove was enough to convince the drunk to pick on someone else. i dont know where that reaction came from but i was glad of it.
two other times were being slapped by women who absolutely deserved the insulting comment i had just given them, and found instead of anything civilized or reasonable to respond with, to slap me instead. i didnt ever consider striking or reacting to either. in one of those cases i happened to be carrying a bundle of rebar on my shoulder and just swinging that around could have easily smashed anyone’s face, would have been a waste of trouble on that person, but even with the slap i was entirely satisfied with having told the truth to her face 🙂
and one time when i house i owned was burglarized (i bought a near-demolition-grade fixer upper on the edge of the ghetto for close to nothing, fixed it up, resold it).. in a strange way, such that approaching i was not at all sure that someone was not still inside waiting for me (here i thought they were stealing my tools), i did go home and come back with a very mean&scary looking rifle with a big magazine, and a big flashlight in the one hand gripping the forestock, went up to my own front porch, inserted a mag (hollow points so i wouldnt end up shooting through a wall into a neighbor’s place), lock and load, and kicked in my own front door.
I knew that in that state , on my own property, wasting someone who had broke and entered, i was legally covered. the burglars had already left, it turned out. however enough of the gehtto must have observed that crazy mofo who is fixing up that house show up with a rifle and bust in his own front door, after that absolutely nobody fucked with that house, exactly zero beer cans, tires, not even a cigarette butt, was ever left on my property again. the hood had figured out that that guy is loco, leave him alone…
thinking back a couple deacdes on that episode, it might not have been the most level-headed response to being burglarized but i can’t say i was at all displeased witht he results.
but the basic fact is that most of us have never lived in an environment where we often encounter up close and personal a fight situation. some people go in for training to develop exactly that, some familiarity with the idea that something is now flying at your face, without it actually being lethal.
I think reading the book “The gift of fear” does more for self defense than any class, because it helps you to trust your intuition to avoid dangerous situations and people in the first place.
Karate is worthless? I beg to differ.
A blast? He didn’t say anything about the use of explosives …
Things are progressing a bit quickly …
Good for you … pay attention to your rights, responsibilities and (potential) liabilities when using any firearm … especially against either an intruder or in defense of someone else … these can be matters of grave (no buns intended) importance.
Get good ear protection for the range … many of these weapons are quite loud … and get a strong grip on larger caliber hand guns — the .45 ACP (M1911A1) can kick like a mule — and don’t even try a .44 Magnum …
Remember, though, the purpose of owning a weapon for self-defense: you must be ready, willing and able to take another human life — if you’re not there, nothing will likely put you there, and you might even be a liability to those around you.
That said … we need to be so very thankful that our Founders — men (and women) of great wisdom and foresight gave US the 2d Amendment … it’s for our benefit against any and all that threaten our freedom — whether a criminal, or a criminal government …