Post 4 SEP
Thanks to all who commented to last week’s Post about buying a Handgun. I really appreciate the reviews!!! I was challenged by a friend about rifles: What do I buy??
Well, to me this is a no brainer: Buy a .22 caliber target rifle. Why?
1) Ammo is cheap when you can find it and buy it.
2) A great rifle to learn the principles of shooting!
3) Most target rifles are less than $230.00…when a good deal can be found.
OK, so what rifle is worth buying for a Novice shooter? Well, just like the hand gun article: The one you shoot best with!!!! Of course you and I can go into great debate on which one to buy: Lever action, single shot, Tube fed, magazine fed, and any other type that can be found out there. I learned to shoot on a Savage .22 caliber single shot bolt action rifle that my Grandfather MAC gave to me the summer I was 8 ½ years old. By far the best rifle I have to date. Since I got this rifle in early 1960’s….I kept this rifle to date and I still take it to the range to shoot. Never had to adjust the sights…after all, rear sight is the only sight that can be adjusted.
FOR THE NOVICE: More bang for the buck: Semi-auto tube fed or magazine fed is great for plinking (see previous article) and for consistent repetitive shooting. The bolt action is really great for conserving bullets due to time to load. I also like the feel of mine since it is so old…at least 60 years old. The sights are simple for older models and I highly recommend you look at the sights on these rifles before you buy.
I purchased my Granddaughters’ first rifle at age 2….a “Chipmunk” or “Youth” .22 caliber rifle. Don’t worry: of course I didn’t give it to her at 2 yrs. old…I waited till she was 4 and understood what Pap was saying to her. I explained what the rifle was for and how to hold it, how to carry it and most important…when to aim it. We went thru this little ritual for TWO YEARS before I felt comfortable if she could handle it. AT age 6 ½, I took her to a range when it would not be crowded and not many people there so she wouldn’t get scared of all the big bangs. We had a good lesson and she hit the swinging target about 5 times out of 200…….for her first time out she had the basic principle of sighting. She was so excited to shoot her rifle and when she did hit the target, she would look up at me and have this big smile on her face. She progressed and improved each time we went out and during the winter we would get the rifle out and practice aiming it in the basement and doing trigger squeeze and breathing. She understands the basic principles. After another couple of years, at age 9, we went on an unusual “cool” weekend in March. She was not able to aim her chipmunk rifle….she was too big for it. Her arms were too long for her to try to aim it. I was silently laughing to myself trying not to bust out loud…and finally after watching her struggle and her not hitting the target after a half hour…I finally suggested she try Pap’s old bolt action rifle. She really didn’t want to shoot it because it was “long” compared to hers and she refused. I started shooting it next to her on the bench and she saw that it didn’t “kick” any more than hers and I was hitting the target. She agreed and after about five rounds of shooting around the bulls eye, she announced she needed a new gun like mine……
After about 20 rounds of shooting mine, I started shooting a Marlin Model 60 tube fed rifle and she again saw I was on the bulls eye and firing pretty steady without reloading. I told her if she liked mine, she would really like this one. She didn’t offer any resistance and shot the heck around and in the bulls eye. She was hooked on the Marlin Model 60 semi-auto tube fed rifle………Amazing that Santa brought her a Marlin Model 60 Stainless Steel tube fed rifle this past Christmas…..How did he know that? Anyway, she shot the bulls eye out at 15 feet this past Feb at Vandalia Armory….Yes, shot it out right out of the box. However…the next time we went out, the sight was bumped and she couldn’t get it on paper. I couldn’t get it on paper either. After buying a laser bore sight, I got it close to the zero on it this past summer, but because the sight is plastic….I don’t like it. She still loves it, but I don’t like the plastic sight…All new Marlins come with a plastic front sights and I called Marlin last week and told them how disappointed I was with that sight. I will have to get an Armorer to put a metal sight on it and it will not be cheap. More on this subject in a future article. Marlin told me in order to keep the cost down on their products, they are putting plastic front sights on. Keep this in mind when you buy a rifle!!!
All major fire arms manufacturer’s sell target rifles from about $180 to about $4000. Yes, up to $4000 for a premier competitive target rifle (Anschutz).
BORROWING: Once again, I ask you to try a friend’s target rifle out and see how it feels. I have my Bolt Action Savage, Marlin Model 60 and a Winchester that belongs to my brother. The Marlin and Winchester are very similar and both are very well made. (Older models of course).
CONSIDER SIGHTS: Again…. I prefer Iron sights to plastic. Consider this also as the plastic tends to “wonder”. I also will not teach a beginner to shoot with a scope. I think that is “Cheating” by not learning the basics. Only when you want to hunt or do sport shooting or another type of reason I will not discuss, do you use a scope on a rifle. I’m not against scopes, it’s just that they have a specific purpose and yes, I have just one scope on all the guns I have…..just one.
INTERMEDIATE AND SEASONED SHOOTER: Here is where I have the best fun with my sons. Putting bullets closet to the bulls eye on paper with a 30.06, .308, 7 MM, 7.62x39 MM, or .223/5.56 MM. My rifles that I have vary from M4 Carbine, AR 15, M1 Garand, M14, SKS, or 1895 Mauser. Again, these are open sights except for the M4 Carbine which has a scope. It is really competitive when we shoot to see who gets the most bulls eyes. Dad’s sight is getting bad…so I can’t lie here……….the boys win here. Maybe after eye surgery they will be 2nd and 3rd again……HA!!!!!
TYPE OF FIREARM: The preference here is your choice of caliber. Need to consider the purpose of what you are going to use it for and how much you can afford. Assault rifles have come down in the few weeks.
COST OF AMMO: 7.63x39 MM is the cheapest right now, .223/5.56 MM, then a toss-up with the rest and when it is available and where you get it.
CONSIDER COST OF FIREARM: Buyer beware of used firearms. When you buy from a private seller, you can more than likely ask for them to go to a range with you to have you try it out. Of course, you should buy a box of ammo to shoot it unless you negotiate that in the buy of the firearm. I am always wary of buying anything that is used at a “GUN SHOW”. Deals stuck in the parking lot can be great, but you could also buy a piece of junk (More than likely). I personally would never buy a firearm in a parking lot, you are at great risk. During the last Gun show I attended in January….not only was I cold, but stupid. Prices were so high after the Connecticut shooting that deals were going down as people were outside waiting to go in. M4/AR 15’s were selling for $1500 - $2000, without even being tested. Boy, would I have made a mint on those deals if I were selling them. Costs now are down, so you can get a better deal by buying a new one rather than a used one.
Again: Use common sense and always ask if the dealer can do better. As I stated before, I can USUALLY beat a Dealer’s price, but may not be able to get the firearm you want depending on the brand. I will do what I can.
WANTED: I need more input on any topics that you would like to read about. Please assist me by contributing any type of information or anything you want me cover. I am not an expert by any means, but I know quite a few people that have some great knowledge in different areas.
I would like to get a Police Officer’s view on issues that relate to a CCW being stopped and your perspective on what you think. No names will be used. Please help me out. Safety is always an issue. Hope you saw the notice of defects for the M&P Shield on my Products page. If you have one, please check the link to the notice!!
Check the calendar on my website: I will be closed at different times this month. You can always make an appointment with me, so please call me.
Remember: Keep your finger off the trigger until you engage your target!!!!
11 SEP
Friends: I appreciate all the emails I have received on my articles lately. Please: if you would like to have an article on a specific subject, please let me know.
AMMUNITION: STANDARD, +P, or +P+
A friend asked me the difference between regular ammo and +P or +P+ ammo: here is the definition: +P is small arms ammunition that has been loaded to a higher internal pressure than is standard for ammunition of its caliber (see internal ballistics1), but less than the pressures generated by a proof round. This is done typically to produce rounds with a higher muzzle velocity,2 and stopping power, 3 such as ammunition used for defensive4 purposes. Because of this, +P ammunition is typically found in handgun calibers which might be used for defensive purposes.5
Magnum cartridges, such as .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum, are usually developed by greatly increasing the working pressure of an existing cartridge, and the resulting cartridges are typically different in some small manner to prevent them from being chambered in firearms not specifically designed for them. For example, the .357 Magnum is slightly longer than the .38 Special, the lower powered round from which it was derived. +P ammunition, however, is externally identical to standard ammunition of its caliber. This was done when the ammunition manufacturers lowered the pressure of their standard rounds (1972). +P ammunition was designed to replicate the performance of what had been standard pressure cartridges. +P cartridges are not recommended to be used in firearms of questionable quality.6
OK, so what does all this mean? BE CAREFUL!! If your firearm is not rated for +P or +P+, DON’T USE IT!! +P and +P+ are used for defensive rounds.
Pressure ratings: A 9MM standard cartridge may have a pressure of 35,000 psi and a +P cartridge may have a rating of +10%, around 38,500 psi. Any load over 38,501 would be rated +P+.
SAAMI: Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute. : (SAAMI) is an association of the nation's leading manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and components. SAAMI was founded in 1926 at the request of the federal government and tasked with:
- Creating and publishing industry standards for safety, interchangeability, reliability and quality
- Coordinating technical data
- Promoting safe and responsible firearms use
So you think if I just put some powder in a cartridge and put a bullet in it and a primer and you can shoot it? Guess again. There is so much fore-thought and research that goes into the firearms industry that it is a science by itself. There is always a chance that a misfire occurs in a firearm, so be careful! In case that happens: hold the weapon on the target and wait one minute before you take any action. Declare a cease fire and take appropriate action to eject the round, depending on the situation. Why wait a minute? The primer may still go off and charge the powder and you don’t want it to go off in your hand. When in doubt, ask for assistance from another shooter.
I do not personally own any firearms that are rated for +P or +P+ ammunition. If you do, send me a note about what you think and how it performs. After reading some blogs about the ammunition, the consistent concern of these owners for +P and +P+ is the recoil of the weapon. It was argued about the accuracy of the second round being fired at a target and the time it took to “get sighted” back on the target with the extra recoil versus a standard primed bullet. I thought that was pretty interesting, even if you are talking about mille-seconds compared to the standard rounds being fired. Fact is that a handgun (as discussed on previous article about your choice of different calibers) does not have an instant impact on a target unless it is a direct head/organ shot. A blog I read that an individual may not realize they are initially shot until the 2nd/3rd round is in them. That is pretty amazing unless you use hollow point or other devastating type ammunition for a target. The other concern from a law enforcement concern is that the target may be alcohol or drug induced, therefore noting that 2 to 3 rounds may not even have a direct impact, again noting location of striking vital organs as immediately taking the target down.
For the Sport Shooter: Standard ammunition would be my choice; again, +P or +P+ ammunition you are going to pay a premium. Again, the choice of the type of firearm you want versus your need is to be taken into consideration. New Firearms are stamped the caliber they shoot on the barrel or on the frame of the firearm.
As always, please pass on my email to your friends that may be interested in this site. I am always looking forward to meeting new people that are interested in target shooting as a sport or hobby. Please also note that if you are interested in purchasing a firearm, check with me to see if I can get you a better deal.
REFERENCES:
- Internal ballistics, a subfield of ballistics, is the study of a projectile's motion from the time its propellant's igniter is initiated until it exits the gun barrel. Courtesy: Army 1965, p. 1‑2
- Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun.
- Stopping power is the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target (human or animal) enough to incapacitate the target where it stands.
- Self-defense or private defense (see spelling differences) is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property, or the well-being of another from harm.[
- WIKIPEDIA
- WIKIPEDIA
POST 19 SEP
I have received some contributions for posts on my website on the Products Page, please take a look. One link is “Where to Fire?” thanks to NSSF and the other is “Slide Fire/Slam Fire and Its Legal”.
“Where to Fire” is a great site to locate indoor and outdoor range. Indoor ranges you will pay a premium to fire. I get more bang for the buck at ODNR at Spring Valley. Depends on what you want and need, so there are plenty of options out there for you to pick from.
“Slide Fire/Slam Fire” Look at the YouTube video if you are looking for a way to justify the expense of auto fire versus spending money….and I mean spend money. To convert an AR 15 with regular stock, about $460 including shipping…..oh and that doesn’t consider the ammo you will burn. So is the Slide Fire/Slam Fire option worth it………………OH YES BABY!!!!! I just have to figure out how to get that cash away from the wife to make it possible. Maybe Santa will come early again this year like he does every year when I find something I want.
After doing some research, looks like there isn’t much to changing out the Slide Fire/Slam Fire if you already have a collapsible stock. I will let you know how it goes when I change out my regular stock to put on the Slide Fire/Slam Fire stock. YouTube videos say there’s not much to it, but I am doing more research on it.
ACTIVE SHOOTER: Be aware of your surroundings and what people are saying and doing. I can get into a debate on all the pro-gun and anti-gun views, but that is NOT what my web site is about. I sell to people that I know or that are referred to me.
IMPACT OF SHOOTINGS: Like all other mass shootings, this will impact the gun and ammo business. Look for prices to go up. My prices are current as is and will not go up. Just when the market was getting better…….
SPECIAL ORDERS: If you see something you want, notify me immediately, these items are not available usually after a two day period. The items I had posted last week were available as of this past Tuesday night. Glock’s are flooding the market right now, if you want one; let me see if I can get it. Smith and Wesson are hit or miss, only available in very small quantities and I currently have only one type on my Wish List. Again, I need down payment to order for you.
.22 CALIBER AMMUNITION OUTLOOK: I’ve had 10,000 rounds of .22 LR on order since February and may get some in October. Can’t swear to it, but maybe. There is no guarantee that I will get some in October, but if I do and you want some, send me an email and number of boxes please. The boxes I have coming in are 50 rounds in each box. I’m looking at $4.25 to $4.75 a box…depending on my final shipping cost. As soon as I get it, I will let you know.
STRAW PURCHASES/SALES: Just remember, I cannot do “Straw Purchases/Sales”. Straw purchases can be illegal in the United States when made at a federally licensed firearm dealership. If the straw purchaser of the firearm lies about the identity of the ultimate possessor of the gun, he can be charged with making false statements on a federal Firearms Transaction Record. If a firearm is purchased as a gift, the transaction is not a straw purchase, and the person buying the gift is considered the end user. Straw purchases made outside of federally regulated dealerships are not illegal unless the gun is used in a crime with the prior knowledge of the straw purchaser, or if the ultimate possessor is not legally able to purchase the goods/services.
OHIO RECIPROCITY LAW: Please visit this site: http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/ohio-ccw-reciprocity-map as posted on my Products Page. This will give you an idea where you can and can’t travel with your firearm. DO NOT have your firearm on you when crossing over the state line that does not have the reciprocity law. You will be detained and LOSE your firearm.
Ohio CCW Facts: COURTESY OF BUCKEYE FIREARMS ASSOCIATION
This is a fast facts reference for Ohio CCW:
Basic Gun Safety Rules:
- Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
- Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- Know your target and what is beyond.
33 States Where Your Ohio CCW License Is Valid:
Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming
Firearm Transportation For Those With a CCW License Only:
- Handguns: loaded guns and magazines anywhere in vehicle.
- Long guns must be in a closed case, in a gun rack in plain sight, in plain sight with action open if at least 18” barrel, or in a compartment reachable only by leaving vehicle.
- Long gun magazines may contain ammunition and be anywhere in vehicle but not inserted in long gun.
Encounters With Law Enforcement (pedestrian or vehicle):
- Promptly inform officer you have a license and handgun.
- Keep your hands in plain sight and do not touch handgun.
- Comply with all officer commands.
Forbidden Carry Zones:
- Any law enforcement station or detention facility
- Courthouse or building housing a courtroom
- Govt. building (dedicated restroom, shelter, car park okay)
- Place of worship (unless specifically allowed)
- Any airplane and most airport buildings
- Institution for the care of mentally ill persons
- School zone (drop off/pick up okay if you stay in car), college or university (lock and leave in car okay)
- Child day-care center
- Liquor facility (okay if not drinking and not posted “no guns”)
- Wherever federal law prohibits the carrying of handguns
- Any building or property posted as a "no gun zone"
Thanks for taking a look at the website. I appreciate your business!
Remember: Keep your finger off the trigger until you engage your target!!!