Post by matt on Sept 29, 2015 14:11:23 GMT -5
I have been mulling this over as a potential article and I thought maybe I would float it here first. It's long. Sorry.
One of my best friends in this world and a former college professor of mine writes a blog called God, Gals, Guns, Grub. Dann is also one of those unsung local trainers who is doing yeoman’s work educating new shooters, young and old, on how to use a firearm safely for fun and defense. You won’t hear his name tossed around on a national stage but he has trained literally thousands of people over the years between NRA courses, 4H shooting sports, and state mandated CCW training. He is also a thinker and a realist, which is kind of rare in the defensive training world.
He penned an article that laid out a very common conundrum facing shooters – a limited budget. However, there is some urgency with this particular case because the potential firearm owner in question had no experience and a very real, very immediate need for protection to go along with that limited budget. Basically, the women in the article needed a firearm and some training yesterday but had a budget of $246: godgalsgunsgrub.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-home-defense-gun-and-ammo-for-246.html
If someone like that posted on a typical internet forum, they would be given a variety of answers that ranged from “just save longer until you can afford an XYZ” or “just get a 12 gauge shotgun” or “just get a [mythical] $100 police trade in revolver”. None of this advice would really meet this person’s immediate need or reflect her experience with a gun (which was zero). Additionally, many of the suggestions would max out her budget on the gun alone leaving nothing for ammo to train with even just an afternoon at the range.
Dann suggested that she get a Ruger 10/22 which would likely be scoffed at by most but I think it makes tremendous sense in this case. It was likely the only realistic advice she received.
The ease of use reflects her experience. Nearly anyone can hit a man-sized target nearly as fast as they can pull the trigger on a 10/22 with just an hour of instruction.
The cost is realistic for her situation. The rifle itself is affordable and the cost of ownership is low as well thanks to the low cost of .22LR ammo.
They are readily available. Wal-Mart has them and any local gun store worth a darn will have at least one on the shelf. That bit about availability at Wal-Mart is more important to new shooters than you may think. I know many people who bought their first gun and even overpaid at places like Wal-Mart or Gander Mountain just to avoid the intimidation of their local gun store.
So, in this particular case, I had my head wrapped around it and it made sense. It was okay to recommend a .22 here but surely not in other situations. Right?
The real stretching began when Dann and I started to discuss other situations where something like a 10/22 wasn’t just a cheap choice, it was probably the best choice. My thinking has really began to change on the subject.
Everyone knows a guy who has decided that he needs a gun to protect his family at home. You know the guy isn’t going to practice, he isn’t going to carry it, and he isn’t going to spend a lot of money on it. His shooting buddies say he needs an AR-15 carbine with a red dot and a light and sling and 10 magazines and so on…
The guy is so turned off by the cost of firearm ownership that he never buys a gun because he doesn’t want to spend the money or if he does buy one he never shoots it. Is he better off for not buying a gun at all? Is he better off for buying the “right” gun but never using it? Maybe if someone had given him some advice about which was the “right” gun that actually made sense or his situation, things would be different.
Think about the dynamics of a family. If you as head of household are being assaulted in some way, would your wife or children be more comfortable with a 12 gauge shotgun or the .22LR that they actually know how to use and have spend hours behind plinking on the range. Could a child even operate a 12 gauge shotgun or handgun effectively in a pinch? Maybe but a responsible pre-teen (or even younger) can easily operate a .22.
Those of us that immerse ourselves in firearms and training can tend to be so tone deaf. In our heads, we know that arming good people with just about anything is a good thing, but our verbalized thoughts seem to suggest that people shouldn’t even bother buying a firearm unless they are going to buy an XYZ or better. We forget that there is a reason Ruger sells millions of guns more than any other US manufacturer yearly. There is a reason companies like Hi-Point and Taurus continue to exist. The truth is that most firearms media does not reflect that average gun owner. We can talk until we are out of breath about “buy once, cry once” or “what is your life worth” while the average firearm owner just gets turned off because $500 is more than they want to spend.
There are people who are realists about these things. Dr. Sherman House has developed a course of instruction that can bring people of any age up to speed on the defensive use of a .22LR carbine. In my opinion, people like him are doing a really great thing by meeting new shooters where they are rather than setting a high bar for entering into the ranks of gun ownership.
The pages of the Armed Citizen column in American Rifleman almost always have a story of a person (sometimes even a child!) defending himself or herself with a .22LR. If that is what a person has and they are familiar with it, they would be better off with it than no gun at all or an unfamiliar gun.
Certainly, the .22LR is not a great choice in terms of terminal ballistics but a 10/22 and some training are a heck of a lot better than a family with no recourse when their door is kicked in. It is a good choice for those with limited budgets. It is good choice for those with limited strength or mobility. It is a good choice for families and hopefully it leads to actual training and an understanding of better options. A .22LR carbine is probably a more realistic self-defense option than most gun guys care to admit.
One of my best friends in this world and a former college professor of mine writes a blog called God, Gals, Guns, Grub. Dann is also one of those unsung local trainers who is doing yeoman’s work educating new shooters, young and old, on how to use a firearm safely for fun and defense. You won’t hear his name tossed around on a national stage but he has trained literally thousands of people over the years between NRA courses, 4H shooting sports, and state mandated CCW training. He is also a thinker and a realist, which is kind of rare in the defensive training world.
He penned an article that laid out a very common conundrum facing shooters – a limited budget. However, there is some urgency with this particular case because the potential firearm owner in question had no experience and a very real, very immediate need for protection to go along with that limited budget. Basically, the women in the article needed a firearm and some training yesterday but had a budget of $246: godgalsgunsgrub.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-home-defense-gun-and-ammo-for-246.html
If someone like that posted on a typical internet forum, they would be given a variety of answers that ranged from “just save longer until you can afford an XYZ” or “just get a 12 gauge shotgun” or “just get a [mythical] $100 police trade in revolver”. None of this advice would really meet this person’s immediate need or reflect her experience with a gun (which was zero). Additionally, many of the suggestions would max out her budget on the gun alone leaving nothing for ammo to train with even just an afternoon at the range.
Dann suggested that she get a Ruger 10/22 which would likely be scoffed at by most but I think it makes tremendous sense in this case. It was likely the only realistic advice she received.
The ease of use reflects her experience. Nearly anyone can hit a man-sized target nearly as fast as they can pull the trigger on a 10/22 with just an hour of instruction.
The cost is realistic for her situation. The rifle itself is affordable and the cost of ownership is low as well thanks to the low cost of .22LR ammo.
They are readily available. Wal-Mart has them and any local gun store worth a darn will have at least one on the shelf. That bit about availability at Wal-Mart is more important to new shooters than you may think. I know many people who bought their first gun and even overpaid at places like Wal-Mart or Gander Mountain just to avoid the intimidation of their local gun store.
So, in this particular case, I had my head wrapped around it and it made sense. It was okay to recommend a .22 here but surely not in other situations. Right?
The real stretching began when Dann and I started to discuss other situations where something like a 10/22 wasn’t just a cheap choice, it was probably the best choice. My thinking has really began to change on the subject.
Everyone knows a guy who has decided that he needs a gun to protect his family at home. You know the guy isn’t going to practice, he isn’t going to carry it, and he isn’t going to spend a lot of money on it. His shooting buddies say he needs an AR-15 carbine with a red dot and a light and sling and 10 magazines and so on…
The guy is so turned off by the cost of firearm ownership that he never buys a gun because he doesn’t want to spend the money or if he does buy one he never shoots it. Is he better off for not buying a gun at all? Is he better off for buying the “right” gun but never using it? Maybe if someone had given him some advice about which was the “right” gun that actually made sense or his situation, things would be different.
Think about the dynamics of a family. If you as head of household are being assaulted in some way, would your wife or children be more comfortable with a 12 gauge shotgun or the .22LR that they actually know how to use and have spend hours behind plinking on the range. Could a child even operate a 12 gauge shotgun or handgun effectively in a pinch? Maybe but a responsible pre-teen (or even younger) can easily operate a .22.
Those of us that immerse ourselves in firearms and training can tend to be so tone deaf. In our heads, we know that arming good people with just about anything is a good thing, but our verbalized thoughts seem to suggest that people shouldn’t even bother buying a firearm unless they are going to buy an XYZ or better. We forget that there is a reason Ruger sells millions of guns more than any other US manufacturer yearly. There is a reason companies like Hi-Point and Taurus continue to exist. The truth is that most firearms media does not reflect that average gun owner. We can talk until we are out of breath about “buy once, cry once” or “what is your life worth” while the average firearm owner just gets turned off because $500 is more than they want to spend.
There are people who are realists about these things. Dr. Sherman House has developed a course of instruction that can bring people of any age up to speed on the defensive use of a .22LR carbine. In my opinion, people like him are doing a really great thing by meeting new shooters where they are rather than setting a high bar for entering into the ranks of gun ownership.
The pages of the Armed Citizen column in American Rifleman almost always have a story of a person (sometimes even a child!) defending himself or herself with a .22LR. If that is what a person has and they are familiar with it, they would be better off with it than no gun at all or an unfamiliar gun.
Certainly, the .22LR is not a great choice in terms of terminal ballistics but a 10/22 and some training are a heck of a lot better than a family with no recourse when their door is kicked in. It is a good choice for those with limited budgets. It is good choice for those with limited strength or mobility. It is a good choice for families and hopefully it leads to actual training and an understanding of better options. A .22LR carbine is probably a more realistic self-defense option than most gun guys care to admit.
controlling doesn't even require them to change what they are doing. it just requires them to a heive or maintain a state that YOU desire. They could be within that parameter, with 1-2 idiots. Make an example of the idiots and the crowd, most times, settles. Works in classrooms too, but without the firearms and the violence. As much as Isreal is fucked up, they still have certain rights to free assembly. 