Bushmaster AR-15: Good for hunting too?

Well hello folks, I have been on quite a long trip away from my blog as work and school have kept me busy. After my great day shooting and gun shopping today, I just thought I would share my thoughts on something that's been in the news recently, now that things have cooled down. The news has got me thinking about the Bushmaster AR-15, which will probably be banned in my communist state of California if these shootings continue. I would like to point out some of the great advantages of owning such a weapon: not only is it a great home defense weapon and a great gun for training to hunt, but it can be a great hunting gun. That 16 inch stock carbine AR style rifle at the local gun store can be bought for $600 and turned into $2,000 worth of merchandise with some simple additions. You want to keep burglars out of your house? Keep it the way it is and you have a great home defense gun. Want to take a nice deer hunting trip? Throw on a 24 inch barrel, a bipod and a scope, and you have yourself a nice .223 caliber rifle to hit a deer accurately from over 400 yards. Sounds like two guns for the price of one to me!! Anywhoo, let me know what you think. Some people say its not practical, but I say it sounds like quite the boy toy to me.

Idiots Should Never Own Guns

I got a little scared watching this video, I will admit, because I had been contemplating taking my friend out to the range with me to show him how to shoot trap, and he wanted to bring a 10-22 to plink around. I decided after watching him handle my unloaded (but theoretically loaded) Remington 870, and decided he did not have the safety and training to handle my firearms, so he will not be going to the range with me. This video affirmed what I had been thinking, because gun accidents really aren't about guns, they could be with cars too, because what makes it turn from recreation to an accident in the blink of an eye is stupidity and lack of handling safety. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, because I know all of my readers are trained gun owners, but it's still a great reminder to see what safety really means.

Handy Range Device

So here's that handy dandy range accessory I was telling you all about a couple days ago. You will have to excuse me not posting for a couple days, I was on the top of a mountain, here's a nice shot for ya'al. It was great to get away from the world for a while and enjoy nature. And yes, this really is California.

Ok now to the good stuff, here's a little trick I use when I go trap shooting, (sorry if you don't shoot trap or skeet, I'm sure you could use it for maybe some pistol and rifle use, But not likely). I've seen one other person on a gun range that uses it, so it's not my invention per se. It alleviates the need for a costly trap belt with the leather box and mesh bag. 

To attach the box of shells to your belt, you simply cut two vertical slits in the back of the box, feed your belt through, and tear off the top cardboard flaps, then presto! you have an alternative to a costly trap belt, and a simple way to have your shells near by.

Great day at the range

Went to my local Rod and Gun club today, which I don't normally do. I used to go to a couple other gun ranges less local, or out in the forest. But since I recently took ownership of a shotgun from my dad, a Remington 870 express magnum, I decided to hit a range. I was promptly welcomed by a couple of senior citizens who run the range, and met lots of great people, all fellow trap shooters and gun lovers. It was great to have a real conversation about guns, politics and everything else with people I can relate to. They really admired having a college kid on the range, and I didn't feel out of place at all with a bunch of 60 year olds, I felt at home. I shall plan to make trap shootin at the Rod and Gun club a regular thing, each wednesday. Feels good to have a home. Look for my post tomorrow, I took some good pictures of a handy redneck accessory for the range I like to use. Us gun nuts gotta stick together, so here's a personal thanks to all my gun blogging friends. You're the best.

The Secret .22 Caliber Ammo

I realize that many shooters in the gun community have a bad feeling when they think about purchasing a .22 caliber handgun if it is Semi-automatic, mainly because they have a tendency to jam. This is because there is often not enough propellant to eject the round while racking another into the breach. One thing ammunition salesmen will tell you to fix it? Buy Mini Magnum rounds made by a company such as CCI, who makes them in the 100 round trays as seen above. BIG mistake if you fall for this, such as if you have the Sig Sauer Mosquito or similar handgun. Buying mini magnum rounds can be a waste of money if you are only looking for a hotter load on the range. I suggest purchasing a brick of Remington .22 rounds, even though they look more generic. They don't jam as much, and they are a better bargain. So you choose, pay $35 for 500 rounds of mini magnum or $20 for 525 rounds of Remington gold, the better product.

Chick Lean

Is it just my imagination? Or do most girls have an extreme lean back when they shoot guns? Seems like no gun is immune from chick lean, I've seen it with shotguns, handguns, and rifles.Many times, I have even seen it contribute to the gun being dropped because of the awkward stance.Many theories are out there about chick lean, but the most common is that it is more comfortable for girls to position the weight of the gun more over the hips. Girls, is that about right? you tell me. Hey, I've even seen a few guys do it! Plain and simple, its just poor shooting stance, and only makes the recoil worse. To get a good competition shooting stance, one should lean into the gun, slightly forward, and position feet however feels most normal, but most likely staggered, not side by side.

Tell me about your own theories on why chicks lean back

Big Bore Rifles

Anybody fired one? Please comment if you have. The  closest thing I've fired is .50 MBG on a gun range here in the Communist state of California, which pales in comparison to the .700 Nitro express fired by the men in the video above. I would really love to meet someone with a big bore rifle just to try it out for size and have the obligatory knockdown to my butt. So other than big game hunting such as Elephant, Rhino or Bison, I see a great business: charge 10 bucks a shot to anybody brave enough to shoot it! But really, these big bore rifles do a great job at knocking down the prey with a single shot...okay sometimes two. If you're into big game hunting, or want to try it out, a big bore rifle like the .700 Nitro Express or 577 T-Rex is a must.

Olympians Sent Home for Gun Picture?

I know this is more of an International issue, but this is just ridiculous. Two Australian Olympic swimmers are being sent home becuase they posed with guns in a picture, at a California gun range nonetheless!! Isn't that the norm for two guys at a gun range to do, take a picture posing with guns when you go shooting? I personally like to have some evidence to show my shooting buddies when I go shoot a cool gun or find a new spot. The two are even being banned from using social media for a whole month: censorship and silence imposed by their government. What has the international community learned about guns in the last decade to send two fine athletes home for a picture? Obviously nothing, since these two young men did absolutely nothing wrong. They were fully within the bounds of the Second Amendment protections, yet they are being punished for digital evidence of what is almost being pegged as a "crime" against the Olympics and Pro swimmers everywhere, labeling the photos as innapropriate. Sounds like baloney to me.

Australian Olympic Swimmers

Full article can be found here:  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/gun-toting-olympians-leave-london-early-banned-social-172959543--oly.html