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Sheriff Deputy’s Firearm Stolen From Gym Locker

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Kankakee, IL —

A Deputy had his off duty firearm stolen from a gym locker on July 5, 2019 while exercising at Planet Fitness, as being reported by local journalists.

We have learned that the firearm was in a backpack locked up inside a locker. Someone had broken in, stole the firearm and a pair of Beats Headphones, leaving the now empty backpack in a different, unlocked locker.

It is being reported that police officers have obtained surveillance footage of the crime and are currently reviewing it.

Analysis:

This is one of the reasons why I always try to keep my firearm on my body even when I’m at the gym exercising. There are a few reasons, in fact. First, if someone is about to play stupid games, they NEED to win a stupid prize.

If you’re going to attack me anywhere I may be, from working out at the gym, or playing Xbox on my downstairs TV, you’re going to win that stupid prize.

Second, if the gun is on my body, it drastically limits any negligence. Administrative handling of firearms is, more often than not, when bad things happen. Cleaning, de-holstering, re-holstering, etc., is when the negligent discharges tend to happen.

If I don’t remove my gun from my body and it remains in my holster, even while working out, there is almost no chance, barring a freak accident, that the gun will fire.

Third, the chance that some nut is going to take my firearm away from me is a lot smaller if the gun is actually on my body. It could still happen, but I’d feel a lot better about it if the gun was on me, than if it were locked in some shabby ass gym locker that a monkey could break into.

The moral of the story, and why I’m even “reporting” on it, is that if you have your gun, it should be on your body. When you’re working out, running, etc., I recommend one of these holsters.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Gun Show Tips

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Here are some simple tips for shopping the gun shows —

Know before you go:

This is a simple one, and may seem obvious. It’s also multi-faceted meaning that you need to know a lot of stuff. Bear with me here, this is important.

  1. What you want: This sounds stupid to say, but you should know what you’re looking for before you ever leave the house. Otherwise, and I’ve done this before, I’ve left with a bunch of stuff I wasn’t looking for, only to have a pissed wife when I got home. “Hey,” she says. “I thought you were looking for a hunting rifle why’d you come home with a pistol, a shotgun and 4 cases of ammo?”
  2. What is fair market price: Gun Shows are a great place to find some killer deals, but you have to look for them. What’s more, y’all actually have to know what a fair price is before you go. One thing I like to do is check Gun Broker and other similar websites for prices on what I’m looking for so I know how much I should be spending.
  3. How much you can spend while there: This one is huge because the last thing you want to do is go to the show expecting to spend a total of $300, and then accidentally spend the next month’s mortgage money. Having a solid number in your head that you can spend beforehand will help you save a lot of headache later on down the road.
  4. Download the right apps: Sometimes, you just find a great deal on something that wasn’t on your list. Again, I’ve been there and walked out with something that I wasn’t looking for. Hey, I collect guns. It helps the argument a lot if you can justify your spend. For example, if you walked by a pristine Springfield 1903A3 for $400, and you looked on Gun Broker and saw they were commanding about double that in similar condition, you’d be dumb to pass it up. Since you did that research on the fly, the wife may be more inclined to not stick you on the couch when you get home.

While at the Gun Show:

Here are some things you can do while at the actual show to help you get the best deal you possibly can.

  1. Timing is everything: As with everything in life, timing is one of the most important aspects to hunting for goods at a Gun Show. While a lot of folks like to go during the first few hours to scout out all the goodies, I’m a bit different. While I’ll go early on to scout what I’m looking for, I also return before the close. The reason why I go back, is because if they still have that item I was looking for they may be more willing to haggle.
  2. Don’t be afraid to haggle on price: Here’s the deal, the people manning the table at the gun shows are aware that other people are likely selling the exact same stuff they are. Because of this, they have to be willing to adjust their price if they expect to sell anything. Don’t be afraid to ask for a dollar amount off, or to bundle something together. What I mean here, is that if you’re buying a rifle and they’ve got a sling you want, ask for them to include it in the sale. Need ammo? Ask for a box if you buy a certain amount. It can’t hurt to ask, because you can always walk away.
  3. Don’t be afraid to walk away: If you find yourself haggling over price or a bundle and it’s not going your way, you’ll have to walk away. Many times, when the guy/gal at the counter is unwilling to move on price, it isn’t because they’re being a big dick. It’s hard to lose money on something and you really can’t expect them to go broke selling you something that they can’t make money on. Nicely bow out of the conversation, saying you may be back.
  4. Then, don’t be afraid to walk back: Just before the end of the gun show, don’t be afraid to walk back and see if they’re still firm on their price, if that piece of equipment is still there. Unless you were a dick, of course, because then they won’t want to work with you at all. Other than that, they may be more inclined to make a sale if they haven’t sold enough to justify the cost of going to the show.
  5. Follow the rules of the show, and vendors: Different shows have different rules. Different vendors have different rules. I always ask if I can handle a firearm before I touch one, even if there aren’t any signs that say I don’t have to. You usually earn instant respect if you do ask. And, there are always rules at the show you must follow or risk getting removed from the show.
  6. If you are carrying, or are a vendor, leave your holstered weapon in its holster: Do I really have to say this? Unfortunately, yes I do. I was at an out of state gun show once where a firearm was negligently discharged because someone felt the need to try out a holster with their carry gun that was loaded. Don’t do it. It’s stupid.

Websites/Apps to reference:

I like to do a majority of my research beforehand, but I also check things on the fly if there’s a corresponding app, or just using the browser on my phone. It looks like these apps were taken down but there are still websites.

  1. Gun Broker: This one is a must. I check prices on guns all the time on Gun Broker. Sometimes these prices can be inflated, but it’s a great resource for also checking on the fly. I have walked away from sales in the past because something I saw at a gun show was more than most of the vendors on Gun Broker had it. Checking that app saved me money.
  2. Ammo Seek: This one is also an app and a website, and I check it whenever I need ammo. It literally lists out all the web-based ammo sellers of a specific caliber, whatever one you entered into the field. It’s a great resource, and if you’re looking for ammunition you can check what everyone else is listing theirs for to make sure you get a good deal.
  3. Armslist: This is one I check less often, but is still a valuable resource to find out going prices on guns.

Other things to consider:

I wasn’t sure where to put these tips, so I’ll just give them their own category.

  1. Bring Cash: This kind of goes along with haggling over price, but is different enough that it deserves its own spot. You can say something along the lines of, “what if I can pay cash, what’s the best price you can do?” It may not get better, but a lot of vendors would rather not have to deal with their credit card processor to close a sale. If they can keep them out of it, it’s better for them because many credit card processors put a cap on the amount of sales a “high risk” store owner can do. It’s ridiculous, but that’s how it is. Plus, many of the times they have to pay somewhere between 2-5% of each sale to the credit card processor, another reason for them to want to avoid using them. If you offer cash, it usually helps.
  2. Condition: Sometimes it’s nearly impossible to check the full condition of a gun at a gun show. Many times the actions are locked and cannot be manipulated. It always pays to buy from a reputable shop who is willing to put some kind of guarantee on the item you’re buying. That way, if you purchased a turd, you can bring it in to them or send it to them, and tell them what’s going on with it. Often times, however, what you see is what you get.
  3. Never Assume: When I say never assume, I mean whether or not the gun is loaded. If you just happen to be at a gun show where the action isn’t locked, always check to make sure you’re not going to shoot someone with an accidentally loaded gun. It’d be your fault for not checking, as well as the guy who left a loaded gun out. It has happened.

Are there any other gun show tips you’d like to present to us? Let us know in the comments section, and also tell us which gun show is your favorite.

DGU: Don’t Trust Your Contractor

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This Defensive Gun Use story comes out of Michigan and took place about one month ago. I am just hearing about it and feel it is important to discuss. Why? Because a 63 year old man had to defend himself against a 24 year old who worked as his contractor.

In a true “you can’t trust anybody” type of story, a 63 year old man with a gun defended himself against someone he must have trusted enough to enter his home and do work as some sort of contractor during the daylight hours.

While it is unclear at this point what kind of work the contractor did for the older man, what is clear is that two shots were fired after the contractor forced his way into the home during what is described only as “early morning hours.”

It seems at this point as if the contractor canvassed the home and new that the 63 year old would be a weak, easy target. It seems at this point as if the suspect had seen something of value in the home and wanted to take it for himself.

This happened in the early morning and the 63 year old shot the suspect twice with his handgun shortly after he found the suspect had forced his way inside. The suspect was then taken to the Ann Arbor area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and, for some reason, he was released.

Police are said to believe that the suspect chose this house because the men knew each other from the contracting work.

You can read more on this story, here.

Analysis:

There are things we don’t know here. We don’t know what the suspect wanted, but can assume that it was to either hurt the man or take his stuff. Being that people don’t generally break-in to houses to drop off cheesecake, I believe he acted appropriately when he responded with deadly force.

More importantly, we don’t know how many shots were fired, nor what kind/caliber of gun was used. We can therefore not make any assumptions on what we’d do differently, in this regard.

What we can say, however, is that we can never trust anyone. We can never assume that someone is our friend after just meeting him or her. And, we can never assume that people have our best interests at heart because most of the time, they do not.

We don’t know what type of contracting work he did, but we can assume that he may have had free roam of the house, which is obviously not the best case scenario.

It’s always best to see the worker in and stay with him/her until they leave when you show them back out.

What are your thoughts on this Michigan defensive gun use story? What would you have done differently? Let us know in the comments below.

Beware the Poser Gun Publication

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I want to warn you of something that has been concerning me for the past several years but have never been able to point out until now.

Now that we’re a bit more secure with our current website traffic I feel like I can take the brunt of any backlash I may experience. Still, I have to tread lightly here and will not name anyone at this time. These are publications that have a lot more money than I do and I’d get slaughtered by naming them.

The warning, is that there are some publications out there who claim to be pro-gun, write some articles, and the people who own the website don’t even own a single gun as was the case for a big publication I used to work for.

Or worse, they’re owned by people who are actually anti-gun, as was the case for someone else I used to work for.

They do it for one reason: To make money off us. But it is my every intention to show you how to tell who they are with certain criteria.

There are a few different ways you can tell who these websites are when you get to them, but looks can be deceiving and these traits I’m about to show you aren’t the end all.

In fact, there is a major firearms website owned by anti-gunners with an editor who doesn’t even own a single gun and they are YUGE! Yuge as in fooling millions of gun owners each month as they continue to write gun reviews and news.

This publication has gone on record for firing people for being too pro-gun and taking a pro Second Amendment stance. It’s not good.

I can’t name them because, again, I’ll get my ass handed to me on a silver platter. Use your brain to try and figure it out.

So, how can you tell some of these websites? It all starts with knowing what is expected of a gun writer/publisher and checking that against what they’re actually doing.

For example …

Best Of Lists

Many of these websites only publish very topical articles. Think about things like “best of lists” or “top tens.”

Now, don’t get me wrong here. There are many great publishers out there who ALSO publish this type of content in addition to more in depth content, us included. However, is this the only stuff they’re publishing? If so, that’s a red flag.

Websites who are only focusing on those types of articles, like comparisons, or what I like to call “VS” articles, etc., are only doing so because those topics are easy to research and you don’t technically need to know anything about guns to write them.

They are just regurgitating information back to you that they read on some other, much better website where the people are actually dedicated to the Second Amendment. I know this because I have worked for one of them in the past before I knew any better.

You can tell these websites because that is the only type of article they write.

If a website only has “best of” lists, chances are good you’re looking at a website written by people who don’t know anything about guns.

They research articles written by knowledgeable folks and re-write the content in such a way that it ranks higher in search results.

Again, the key here is that they only write topical content that will rank well, and nothing else. A good indicator is to type in the word “review” into the search bar on their website. If no gun or gear reviews pop up, it could be because they suck.

Trade Shows

If you need more evidence, another indicator is when a publication never reports on gun-related trade shows like NSSF’s SHOT Show, the NRA Annual Meetings, etc. If you go to a website and can’t find any coverage, that should be a red flag.

This isn’t always an indicator, because these events are very expensive to go to and many folks just cannot afford to go. If that’s the case, they should be writing other types of articles.

But, this is an indicator, nonetheless.

The main reason why, is because in order to go to these events you usually have to prove yourself to be worthy. Sounds horrible, but it’s true.

Heck, even to go to SHOT Show’s Range Day you have to be invited by an exhibitor. Many within the industry believe that if you don’t go to range day you’re not legit. I see why. A few years back it was easy to get in to SHOT and everyone and their uncle went and it was a poor experience for many.

It has tightened up since then and last year was much better. They kept out the riff raff so to speak.

And that is one of the reasons why it’s so coveted, and one of the reasons why I make sure we’re on that list every year.

I want GunnersDen.com to be taken seriously. We therefore go to SHOT, NRAAM, and others to prove we’re worth it.

We are worth it, by the way, and I’m glad you’re here.

Go to whichever website you’re concerned about and type SHOT Show into the search bar. If nothing pops up, or it’s been a few years since they’ve gone, it’s worthwhile digging deeper.

Writers you’ve never heard of:

Let me start by saying that I am pretty sure you’ve never heard of me, and that’s okay. I’m not Jeff Cooper, Jerry, or Hickok 45. I’m not offended in the least that you’ve never heard of me.

You can perform a search for my name, either Josh or Joshua Gillem and see all the gun publications I’ve written for.

You’ll have to scroll through a couple of pages to get through the social media and other junk, but it’s there and that’s the key. You can verify who I am and what I’ve done to date.

I have verifiable experience on MAJOR gun publications and am even STILL the Managing Editor for ConcealedCarry.com. No joke, here’s a link to my author profile. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not tooting my own horn here … I’m trying to prove an important point.

It’s less about never hearing the writer’s name and more about seeing if that person has a history. I mean, this is a good practice to get into anyway just because you may be taking advice from this person.

Do you want to take their word for who they say they are? I don’t. Here’s the thing, any legit gun website will have at least one person on staff who has written for more than that one publication.

If they don’t, that’s a red flag. Now, it could just mean that this person has tried for years to break-in to the industry and couldn’t so he/she decided to branch out on their own. Sadly, there isn’t a real way to verify that beyond stalking that person.

But if they have only brief experience with that that one publication, it may be worth checking into further, or just disregarding altogether.

Then again, it isn’t that hard to reach out to one of the big pubs and ask for them to allow you to do a guest post. At least then you’re getting your name out there.

If the website in question violates this it’s a huge red flag.

No contact us or about us page:

At this point in the age of the interwebs, not having an about us or contact page is career suicide. There are still some pages out there that don’t have them and the only reason why this could be is because they’re hiding something. Or they’re stupid. Either way, I don’t want to take advice from that person.

Any website in any industry that you can’t learn about or contact is a red flag.

Pictures and videos:

Chances are good that these poser publications are only using stock images and other people’s YT videos because they have none of their own.

Anyone can go to YouTube and embed a video, passing it off as their own. If they do that, chances are good visitors won’t pick up on it and if they’re trying to say they’re a channel that has even a few hundred followers they get instant credibility.

I’ve worked for a place that told us to scrape content off YT and transcribe it to pass it off as an article. That’s when I started asking more questions. Granted, this was when Obama was still in office and they were capitalizing on the gun market being what it was, and fear.

Also, anyone can use stock photos. Heck, I still use stock photos in certain articles. Sometimes it just makes sense. But, if you’re looking through a website and they only have stock photos pulled from gun and gear manufacturer websites, chances are good they’re a sham.

By the way, most of our social channels to include our Facebook and YouTube, are still called Down Range Daily. That was our website for almost 3 years. I’m still trying to work that out. It’s just not easy to get changed.

Location:

This can be a tough one, which is why I put it last. There are some perfectly legit gun-loving companies behind enemy lines and that’s a fact.

But, if you know a certain publication is based out of California, Chicago, or any other super liberal place they at least deserve a second look.

Now, again, this isn’t always the case and this isn’t the best example of what to look for. But, if they’re in one of these areas and don’t go to SHOT Show or any of the other items on this list, they could be a turd.

We are based out of Western North Carolina, by the way.

Conclusion:

So why am I telling you all this? Because these websites are out there and we shouldn’t reward them. Take these tips to the bank, locate which websites they are, and don’t visit them anymore.

Avoid them like you do Starbucks and Target. I’m not saying you have to spend more time on my website, though I wouldn’t fight you if you did–but any of the pro-gun websites will do.

The best thing is to go with your gut. If you land on a page and you’re not sure because something seems off, it could be.

At some point in the near future I’ll put together a list of the websites I know without a doubt are run by good, pro-gun people. Stay tuned for that, because it’s in the works.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

New Zealand Gun Owners Pissed After Government Tries To Rip Them Off

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We don’t usually cover news that takes place outside of the United States of America, but some things have bearing on us here, in the USA. On the bare minimum things like what we’re about to discuss are great for teaching us what not to allow.

This time around the topic focuses on the mandatory gun buy back in New Zealand. This was something that was heavily lauded by American anti-gunners, and no doubt makes the mouths of Chuck and Nancy salivate.

However, reports are coming out that NZ gun owners are pissed and feeling ripped off.

Apparently, the NZ government has promised to not rip gun owners off during this gun buy back by offering up near market value for each firearm. The New Zealand government has put aside 208 million of their dollars for this purpose.

But, at least in the eyes of the gun owners who’ve seen the price list, many are not happy with the prices being offered on the now-illegal firearms.

Some history, in case your current abode is under a rock, a mass shooting at a Mosque in Christchurch, NZ took the lives of many worshiping Muslims, causing those in charge to demand a buy back similar to those in other countries.

New Zealand was the 17th most armed country in the world with fairly lax gun laws that allowed semi-autos, suppressors, and other guns/accessories we’ve grown to love here, in America.

NZ gun owners have until December to turn in amnesty firearms for the pittance being offered.

Police minister, Stuart Nash, said this:

The buy-back has one objective – to remove the most dangerous weapons from circulation … Police have detailed plans in place for the next step, which is the collection of firearms from the community. It will be a huge logistical exercise and is expected to get under way in mid-July

So far, according to the above-linked article, about 700 guns have been turned in and 5,000 guns have been registered which seems to be a slow start, for sure.

The part that’s apparently pissing off the gun owners, is the valuation put on some of the guns. About 208 million New Zealand dollars has been put aside for this colossal task offering up to 95% of the gun’s original value.

Each gun’s value is dependent largely upon condition and as little as 25% of the original value will be offered if the firearm is in considered to be in poor condition.

And, regardless of condition, the guns are said to be headed to a scrap heap.

The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners, a pro gun group, has said that for some of the higher-end firearms, the prices are way off. Council Spokeswoman Nicole McKee said this:

Some of the offered prices for higher-end firearms are well out of kilter. We’re talking thousands of dollars. It may get down to a point where we have to look at court action on behalf of our members, and that is something we will be looking at under advice from our lawyers … They said they would pay full value. They’re not, and 250,000 [firearms license holders] are starting to feel ripped off.

Going a step further some gun owners have said that they won’t turn in their now-illegal firearms, though I suspect that the number who will turn them in is far greater. Even the above mentioned pro-gun council is urging members to turn in their guns.

Another disturbing aspect of all this is that businesses like gun shops will be taking one up the old poop chute because they will not be properly reimbursed for business losses.

While they can receive market share value for the guns, some gun owners suspect that they’ll lose tens of thousands of dollars in this buyback scheme.

Let’s have this be a lesson to us here, in the Land of the Free … This is exactly what our opposition wants. They want a heavy ban on what they’d consider a “dangerous” firearm. You know, the fun ones like America’s Rifle, the AR-15 and other semi-automatic guns.

I think what’s most disturbing to me about this whole thing, is that the people of New Zealand are only upset about the prices being offered. Is that all we’d get upset about here in the USA? I suspect not because our Constitution guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

Then again, in an age of Netflix of Chill with so much comfort, smart phones, and all our heart’s desires at our fingertips, would we even fight? Would we even be willing to exit our own existential comfort for our rights and our children’s rights?

Or, will we just be upset over the price our government is offering us for the guns we’ve got?

I hope we never have to find out. Leave your thoughts in the comment section, below.

Texas to Allow Feral Hog Hunting Without License

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Widely viewed as a delicious nuisance to citizens in many southern states, the feral hog is known to cause destruction to land, ecosystems, and waterways alike. Current Texas law states that individuals can only hunt these animals once they’ve actually caused damage to land, which just changed.

SB 317, which received unanimous support in the Texas Senate and only two no votes in the House enables landowners to hunt hogs regardless of damaged property. These wild pigs have been proven to be a serious detriment to the lands they inhabit, and it just so happens that almost anywhere can be a suitable habitat for them.

A 2012 study by Texas A&M shows that almost 80 percent of the state is habitable for these hogs and their numbers are growing exponentially due to the relative even numbers between male and female pigs.

There was believed to be an average of 2.6 million feral hogs roaming around the state in 2012, and a population capable of doubling every five years.

The study says this:

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are non-native, highly adaptable, and cause significant ecological and economic damage in Texas … The average feral hog density in Texas ranged from 8.9-16.4 hogs/square mile from reported studies. By multiplying the density estimate to the total potential suitable feral hog habitat, we estimated the number of feral hogs statewide to be between 1.8 and 3.4 million, with the average being 2.6 million.

SB 317 was just signed by Texas Governor Gregg Abbott and is set to go into effect September 1, 2019. You can learn more about feral hogs in this article, which is referenced by many online publications

Bad Gun Shop Advice

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Everyone is an expert in their own mind. Much in the same vein, almost every gunshop I’ve ever been in has given out advice that was questionable. Before I move on, let me tell you a bit about me so you know I’m not full of bull manure.

I’ve been working for the gun industry in one form or another for about six years now. I’ve served as managing editor to a couple different gun publications, concealedcarry.com is where I’m currently fulfilling that role, and have even helped a friend in need out at a gun shop on more than one occasion.

I own this fine gun blog, a small ammunition distributorship, and a handful of other gun-related businesses.

More than that, believe it or not, I also clearly find my way into gun stores from time to time for my own guns.

Because of this, I’m always in ear shot, eavesdropping if you will, of all the advice given by well-intentioned folks percevied as “gun experts” just because they work at the gun shop.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many gun store employees don’t know much about guns besides makes and models.

A gun shop doesn’t make the employee an expert any more than my garage makes my truck a hot rod. I may tool around in it with my HEMI, but it’s still only a Ram 1500, not a big block Chevelle.

I have heard some advice given that would choke an elephant.

Some of this advice is just stupid, other things on this list are just downright dangerous.

Let’s get started —

Buy her a revolver

Charter Arms Off Duty
Charter Arms Off Duty snub in .38 Special

This is the one I’ve heard more often than the others, and I get it. I really do. In theory, a revolver is easier to operate than is a semi-auto pistol.

But, let’s think about the main reason why people are saying to buy your wife, girlfriend, mom, whatever, a revolver: It’s because they’re not strong enough to rack the slide.

Or, so is the fear.

But, here’s the thing, and this is what many people don’t understand: A lot of the time, if a man or woman cannot rack the slide on a semi-auto pistol due to a lack of strength chances are good that this person will also lack the finger strength required to pull the trigger on a double action revolver.

That may or may not be true for your loved one, and that’s why it’s super important to let your girl pick out her own gun. Don’t assume that you know, because trust me, you don’t.

I learned this one the hard way after I fell for this shoddy advice when I bought my wife a little snubby 38 special revolver that she couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with. She couldn’t put the squeeze on the trigger without moving her entire arm.

She shoots my Springfield EMP 4 flawlessly, however, and can manipulate the slide with ease, so that’s her gun.

The proper response to this is to show that person the proper method to rack the slide and the proper way to shoot the gun. Anything else can be a recipe for disaster.

This video by my good buddy Eve Flanigan shows how to rack the slide for weaker individuals:

Rack your slide on the shotgun (empty chamber)

This is another one that I hear quite often, and it boggles my mind, really. They say that all an attacker needs is to hear the slide/pump on your shotgun, to send them running in the opposite direction.

You know the sound, right? Ka-Chuk!

Here’s the deal, though … you make a huge assumption when you think any of the following:

  • That your attacker knows the sound of a shotgun slide
  • That your attacker cares that you’re armed
  • That your attacker has good enough hearing
  • That you’ll have enough time to chamber a shell

There is no guarantee any of those are true, and it’s never safe to assume when your life is on the line.

This is one that is outright dangerous. Never assume that your attacker will run away for any reason because sometimes their give a damn is just busted and they just don’t care.

Why? Maybe because he/she is just looking to get high and that’s the only thing on his or her mind. Bottom line, you don’t know, and you may not have the time to actually get a round in your chamber to find out.

No need to aim with a shotgun

This one blows my mind for real, and is another one that is downright dangerous advice. This one is largely dependent on how your specific shotgun is set up and choice of ammo. But, know this, the average shotgun at a hallway length will only spread out to about a grapefruit in size.

What this means, is that you do need to aim your shotgun to at least some degree.

When people describe how a shotgun spread works, they make it sound like there is some magically wide spread that happens and that the pellets/shot will just find their way to your attacker.

This isn’t always the case. And, really, why would you want it to be? If the spread is that large you run the risk of someone else getting hit by your shot which is clearly also not good.

You should always do your best to get on target, no matter what. Granted, every situation is different, but do your best.

If you can’t see well buy a Judge

I heard this one once and I about shat a brick. This is clearly not just bad advice but dangerous. This person was seriously vision impaired as in glasses only helped show shapes and outlines. The person couldn’t drive a car.

So, the gun store employee thought it a good idea to recommend a Taurus Judge because with .410 buck shot, they’re more likely to hit their target.

Listen to me, very carefully: If you can’t see, you shouldn’t be shooting guns. Period. Although, I guess you couldn’t read this, either. But still. If you can’t see, figure something else out.

I’m not sure what the right answer is here, because I’m sure your situation is nothing like mine, but if you aren’t even sure that the thing you’re seeing is an intruder, you shouldn’t be shooting at it.

I can’t believe I even have to say this, but one of the safety rules is to know your target and what’s beyond it. If you can’t see it, how will you know your target or what’s beyond it? Talk about dangerous.

I suppose there is something to be said about a belly gun. In other words, someone is right on top of you trying to molest you, kill you, whatever. Sure, I suppose there is a very narrow application there. Just as long as we’re clear that you’re not having a showdown at the OK Corral with it.

A 38 special is more effective because it’s longer

This is advice I was given once, and I just kinda looked at the guy, nodded my head, and then walked out of the store. This can be true, but isn’t always.

Don’t get me wrong here, .38 special is a decent round. You can see our .38 Special ballistics, here. I carry a .38 revolver from time to time, and think it’s a great round. I’m not bashing on it.

However, telling someone that because the case is bigger, the round must be more capable of stopping a threat, just isn’t always true.

Can it be true?

Sure, but .38 Special ballistics are similar to 9mm ballistics are, which is much shorter. There are many reasons why this is, but it goes much further than how much powder you can fit into a case, like case wall thickness, pressure ratings, etc.

This one isn’t dangerous, just stupid.

 

Pick this caliber because it’s best

9mm vs 45 vs 357 magnum
Left to right: 9mm, .45 ACP, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 5.56 NATO, 308 Wiin

The truth of the matter is that the caliber wars are a myth. None of the modern cartridges are better than the others on anything but paper.

Once you look at actual ER stats, as well as other things like successfully stopped bear encounters with 9mm, you’ll start to come to the same conclusion.

Are some calibers slightly more effective than others? Sure, I’m not an idiot. But, there is more that goes into it than that, like shootability, price per round which directly relates to your shooting frequency, which directly relates to how good you are with a gun, etc.

I was in a gun store once that didn’t carry any .40 s&w guns. When I asked why I was told it was because the owner believed .40 to be obsolete.

What Dafuq?

Whether or not they’re obsolete can be debated on another day. Their effectiveness against bad guys, however, cannot be disputed.

And, none of the other modern, mainline centerfire cartridges can have their effectiveness disputed, either. This includes .380, .38, 9mm, .357, .40, 10mm, 45, and a few others. They are all sufficient as long as the shooter practices with them.

This one isn’t dangerous, but is still stupid.

Spend this much on your gun

This one just irritates me. I went into a gun store with a dude I know when he bought his first gun. I won’t say what the gun was, but suffice it to say that it was a cheap gun.

One of the gun shop employees turned to me and said outloud in front of the guy, “why didn’t you have him buy a real gun?”

Strange thing, is that this is a real gun that goes bang with each pull of the trigger and he hasn’t had any issues with it to my knowledge. Is it something I’d buy? No. I did tell him why but it’s what HE liked. Who am I to bash on that?

He shoots it well, practices with it, and is reliable. Who am I to tell him what to buy?

And here’s the thing, and I know I’m about to blow some minds here, all guns fail from time to time, and I don’t care who makes it.

Here’s a novel idea, instead of being a colossal Douche Canoe, why not explain that because the guide rod isn’t made of metal these guns are more prone to failure? Don’t just prove to the guy/gal that many of the more experienced gun owners out there are D-Bags.

I’d hate to say it, but the same is true on the internet forums and social media pages. There are too many asses scaring away new people. Just stop it.

This one is only dangerous to new gun owners thinking we’re all idiots.

Only buy a Glock

A compact double stack pistol like the Glock 19 is a great concealment tool for some, and is large enough to serve as the understudy of a full size counterpart like this Glock 17

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone behind the counter at a gun store try to talk a buyer out of a Beretta or a CZ or any of the others. I’d be rich. Well, I’d have at least 15 extra bucks in my pocket–anyway.

Glock makes great pistols. But, just because you have an abundance of them doesn’t mean your customer wants to buy one. They aren’t the best for all shooters.

To some people there are just other guns that feel better in hand, and whatever that person shoots best, is what that person should carry on their body for self-defense.

It really is that simple.

And, I’m about to really blow your mind here … I don’t own a single Glock pistol. I just don’t have a need for one right now and I don’t care if you lose respect for me over it.

This one isn’t dangerous, just idiotic.

.22 should never be used for self-defense

There is a time and place for everything and that includes pistols chambered in .22.

Would I personally carry or recommend that someone carry a .22 caliber gun for self-defense? Not normally, no.

However, there are some guns out there that are great for this purpose, like the CMR 30. The CMR 30 is the kind of gun that’s good for recoil sensitive shooters and the magazine holds 30 rounds of .22 magnum.

Have you seen the ballistics on the .22WMR cartridge?

That little sucker is cruising.

Have you ever heard something in a gun shop that made you scratch your head a bit? If so, let us know in the comments below.

Virginia Governor Orders Special Session on Gun Control

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Virginia governor Ralph Northam ordered a special session to discuss gun control and how the state of Virginia can further limit the people’s right to keep and bear arms.

In a statement issued and captured here by USA Today, Northam said he’d look to institute universal background checks, place a ban on assault weapons and suppressors, invoke extreme-risk protective orders, only allow citizens to buy one gun per month, put child access prevention laws into place, and other gun control measures. You can watch a portion of the video here:

Northam also said:

The nation is watching. We must give Virginians the action they deserve … I will be asking for votes and laws, not thoughts and prayers.

In other words, hang on Virginians because you’re headed to the whitewater rapids. It’s about to get rough.

Northam and other Virginia anti-gun legislators wasted no time to take advantage of this tragedy.

According to USA today, he rejected claims that it is “too soon” after the tragedy to address the issues. Delays, he said, would only result in more deaths.

As of right now, we don’t know when the special session on gun control measures is set to take place. However, we’ll follow this story as closely as time allows and try to keep you updated as things change.

Keep your powder dry, my friends.

Trump Doesn’t Like Suppressors … At All

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Gun owners and pro-2A advocates across the nation are starting to call President Trump the most anti-gun president in recent history. This is based not just on some of his sayings as commander-in-chief, but also some of his actions.

The most recent of his turbulent remarks comes just days after the shooting that took place in Virginia Beach, VA where more than 10 lives were lost.

The shooter was an employee of the city and allegedly used two handguns, one with a suppressor–which is the topic of the president’s quote.

The above picture was pulled from the White House website when a reporter asked the president about suppressors, to which the president said he didn’t “like them at all.”

That comment left a lot of questions for everyone on both sides of the aisle, with many looking at past comments and actions of his for an answer.

Some speculate at this point that Mr. Trump said he doesn’t like the restrictions placed on suppressor ownership, because they’re so heavily regulated. Others aren’t so sure.

These other pro-gunners look back to Trump’s bump stock ban, where he was asked a similar question and gave a similar answer.

The result of those remarks was the turning in and destroying of several thousands of bump stocks and the re-writing of the definition of a machine gun to include those items in the language, effectively banning them.

At this point, time will tell how President Trump will continue to respond to suppressor ownership and if he will make an attempt to ban or re-write rules to make them even harder to acquire.

Suppressors are already an NFA controlled item requiring the buyer to jump through many more hoops: A tax stamp is required as well as a long wait time.

Let us know your thoughts on this, in the comments below.

Charter Arms Professional Revolver

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charter arms professional

If you didn’t know, I spent the weekend at the Concealed Carry Expo put on by the USCCA held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That’s a show that goes on every year with an organization that’s growing bigger with each passing year.

While gun companies usually hold off on new releases until SHOT Show or the NRA Annual Meetings, there were a few things released at the expo, and this new .32 H&R Magnum revolver from Charter Arms is one of those new guns.

While I don’t know a lot about it, I do have some stats given to me by the company and can say that this is an impressive little gun. The Charter Arms Professional, which is what it’s called, is a 7-shot 32 H&R Magnum revolver with a 3 inch barrel. It tips the scale at 22 ounces unloaded with an OAL (overall length) of just under 8 inches.

In this setup, the double action revolver felt great in my hand, but did have what I’d call about an 11 pound tall trigger pull. This Blacknitride+ beauty comes with a green “LitePipe” front site, and has a lifetime warranty.

I, personally, own a Charter Arms revolver, and am a fan of their affordable, yet reliable revolvers. This is one that has my interest because I do have respect for the .32 H&R Mag handgun cartridge. Ballistics wise, it sits somewhere on the lower end between .380 auto and 9mm.

This gun and its MSRP are currently not even listed on their website, and the paperwork I was given doesn’t have it listed. I did see a press release where they say it’s about $440, likely to be found under $400 after it actually hits the stores. I’ll see if I can follow this closely to find out its price, its release date, and to see if I can get my hands on one to test.

You can find our handgun ballistics chart here, where we show off a couple of different combinations. You can visit Charter Arms here. Let me know your thoughts on the Charter Arms Professional revolver, in the comments below.