yellowhand
07-11-2010, 03:06 AM
Here in the Southwest, south east Arizona to be more exact, most all of you have heard we're having a little problem with some of the folks on the Southern side of our Border and their travels north. People who have never owned a firearm, are purchasing weapons in great numbers. Four miles north of the border, where I live, pretty much in the middle of the problem, most folks are now going armed at all times except for the larger towns and cities and we don't have many that meet that definition.
As the new folks purchase weapons, we older hard headed folks are being asked a lot of questions, and one that comes up a lot is, what gun and just how much ammo and spare mags would I need, if the problems get up close and in their faces. If one dials 911 in this location, 45 minutes to an hour or more is about normal response time.
Several of us came up with the following, based upon weight, local conditions, and expense.
AZ is an open/closed and also CCW state. You may carry without a permit here conceled.
So handguns are a first choice for many new people.
We came up with a four inch 38/357 revolver, if only one handgun is in the home.
New shooters don't handle recoil well at first, so 38 takes care of this in the beginning until they gain confidence.
Medium size gun fanny packs handle the 38/357 revolver, as well as a half dozen speed loaders.
It's hot here and people dress in shorts and tee shirts, so fanny packs are how many people go. You also blend in with the runners and exercise nuts.
Fanny packs also travel well where people gather, church, temple, theaters and stores.
Ammo suggestion is 100 rounds, two boxes at the home, with another box once a month for practice. We offer to reload for new people, at cost, they are not used to dropping paychecks for the next new thing that shoots, and when they first get started, costs is considered heavy for them.
After we get new people taking first steps for their own protection, we ease them into conversation and also a range outing to fire a rifle. We start them off on a 22 auto most of the time. They learn about mags, increased distance or range of weapons and don't get beat up with recoil! Depending on how they do with the first session, the 22 LR, firing a few rounds from an AR platform in 223/5.56 that just happens to be handy, gets them over their fears of shooting a real military rifle and round.
Of special note: Please don't hand a new shooter a 300 Winchester mag on a 7 pound bolt action and say go for it! IF we can ever get them back to a range, it takes many hours to get their confidence back up and over their fear of massive recoil.
People new to firearms are not like us. Most have never learned anything about firearms except what they hear on CNN. They have learned to fear the weapon, not the jackass holding it.
We work them slowly into the shooting sports and protection of their families. We don't tell them about our war experiences, we don't arm them with N frame Smiths in 44 mag. Our goal is to come out the other side of the job, with a new shooter, armed well, able to shoot at a reasonable distance, 15 feet of so, and one that trusts us to not scare them to death or tear up their shoulders.
We do this here for a simple reason. Every person that can shoot, defend them selves and their homes is another person that can deter crime, and the criminals that could face us, if left unchecked. And also vote for THEIR gun rights as well as ours.
A single mother of three teens who I'm teaching to shoot, as noted above, asked me today if SHE could learn to shoot. A year ago, this lady was anti-gun. If I do this properly, come November she will be a solid pro gun vote.
Anti- gun folks are just budding gun nuts we have learned to turn around with a little time, patience, and ammo.
If we don't teach them about guns, teach them to shoot, spend time with them at the range, the anti gun people will spend the time to turn them against us.
Any and all ways to do this better will be gladly accepted...
As the new folks purchase weapons, we older hard headed folks are being asked a lot of questions, and one that comes up a lot is, what gun and just how much ammo and spare mags would I need, if the problems get up close and in their faces. If one dials 911 in this location, 45 minutes to an hour or more is about normal response time.
Several of us came up with the following, based upon weight, local conditions, and expense.
AZ is an open/closed and also CCW state. You may carry without a permit here conceled.
So handguns are a first choice for many new people.
We came up with a four inch 38/357 revolver, if only one handgun is in the home.
New shooters don't handle recoil well at first, so 38 takes care of this in the beginning until they gain confidence.
Medium size gun fanny packs handle the 38/357 revolver, as well as a half dozen speed loaders.
It's hot here and people dress in shorts and tee shirts, so fanny packs are how many people go. You also blend in with the runners and exercise nuts.
Fanny packs also travel well where people gather, church, temple, theaters and stores.
Ammo suggestion is 100 rounds, two boxes at the home, with another box once a month for practice. We offer to reload for new people, at cost, they are not used to dropping paychecks for the next new thing that shoots, and when they first get started, costs is considered heavy for them.
After we get new people taking first steps for their own protection, we ease them into conversation and also a range outing to fire a rifle. We start them off on a 22 auto most of the time. They learn about mags, increased distance or range of weapons and don't get beat up with recoil! Depending on how they do with the first session, the 22 LR, firing a few rounds from an AR platform in 223/5.56 that just happens to be handy, gets them over their fears of shooting a real military rifle and round.
Of special note: Please don't hand a new shooter a 300 Winchester mag on a 7 pound bolt action and say go for it! IF we can ever get them back to a range, it takes many hours to get their confidence back up and over their fear of massive recoil.
People new to firearms are not like us. Most have never learned anything about firearms except what they hear on CNN. They have learned to fear the weapon, not the jackass holding it.
We work them slowly into the shooting sports and protection of their families. We don't tell them about our war experiences, we don't arm them with N frame Smiths in 44 mag. Our goal is to come out the other side of the job, with a new shooter, armed well, able to shoot at a reasonable distance, 15 feet of so, and one that trusts us to not scare them to death or tear up their shoulders.
We do this here for a simple reason. Every person that can shoot, defend them selves and their homes is another person that can deter crime, and the criminals that could face us, if left unchecked. And also vote for THEIR gun rights as well as ours.
A single mother of three teens who I'm teaching to shoot, as noted above, asked me today if SHE could learn to shoot. A year ago, this lady was anti-gun. If I do this properly, come November she will be a solid pro gun vote.
Anti- gun folks are just budding gun nuts we have learned to turn around with a little time, patience, and ammo.
If we don't teach them about guns, teach them to shoot, spend time with them at the range, the anti gun people will spend the time to turn them against us.
Any and all ways to do this better will be gladly accepted...