Guns

Lawmakers defend the right to bear arms at work

/ hsoi

News 8 Austin (Time-Warner Cable’s 24-hour Austin news channel) has a piece about how the Texas State Lawmakers are allowed to carry concealed weapons on the Capitol grounds and onto the House and Senate floors, but your average citizen doesn’t have that same ability.

“A citizen carrying a concealed weapon with a permit can come in to the Capitol and walk around and visit legislators at their offices,” Sen. Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen) said.

Citizens may be allowed to carry guns on to Capitol grounds, but their privileges are not the same as legislators. Members can and do carry guns on to the House and Senate floors, without restrictions. Citizens who visit those areas by way of the gallery have to pass through a metal detector and cannot enter with a gun.

“I don’t think that people who have a permit to carry a concealed weapon should be restricted from bringing a gun in to the gallery,” Hinojosa said.

Note: a Democrat legislator said that. 

What confuses me tho is a later comment by another lawmaker. Actually, let me splice this with her former comments:

It’s a known fact among state lawmakers that some of their colleagues carry guns at the Capitol.

Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-Tomball) supports the concept and also supports an open-carry law.

“It’s a matter of safety for the members of the House,” Riddle said.

… [insert above comments from Sen. Hinojosa] …

Riddle disagrees and said it’s because the Department of Public Safety guards know the lawmakers but typically don’t know the public.

“The difference is pretty elementary…we are well known,” Riddle said.

I’m a little confused. First, I thought Rep. Riddle was in process of drafting open carry legislation. Maybe it’s just a rumor because until we see it, it’s vaporware.  But it does seem to conflict with her above statements.

But what I really don’t get is the reasoning that “we’re known” so that’s ok. Remember in 2006 when US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney wasn’t recognized by US Capitol Police? The guards may not always know you, and just because you might be a lawmaker doesn’t somehow automatically make you a person that won’t do something stupid or act in a rash manner.

Maybe the DPS guards and lawmakers don’t know all of the public, but I can tell you something they can know: what a Concealed Handgun License tells you about a person. If a Texas citizen holds a Texas Concealed Handgun license that means:

  • You have a clean criminal history, including military service and recent juvenile records
  • Not be under a protective order
  • Not be chemically dependent
  • Not be of unsound mind
  • Not be delinquent in paying fines, fees, child support, student loans, etc.
  • Have 2 sets of fingerprints taken, one sent to the FBI for checking
  • Multiple background checks, including with the FBI
  • Complete required training
  • Must be able to possess and/or purchase a firearm, which on the BAFTE 4473 form states
    • You cannot be under indictment in or convicted of any court for a felony or any crime where you could be imprisoned for more than one year
    • Cannot be a fugitive from justice
    • Cannot be an unlawful user of or addicted to any sort of controlled substance
    • Cannot be adjudicated mentally defective
    • Cannot have been dishonorably discharged from the US Armed Forces
    • Cannot be subject to a restraining order
    • Cannot have been convicted of domestic violence
    • Cannot have renounced your US Citizenship, and must be a US Citizen
    • Then of course go through yet another background check before you can purchase the firearm

So as you can see, if you hold a Texas CHL, you’ve got to live a pretty clean life: not just a clean life up until now to get the license, but if you want to keep it you have to continue to live a clean life. So if someone possesses a Texas CHL, you may not know much about them but the police don’t refer to them as the “I’m a Good Guy” card for nothing. A CHL holder has been vetted by the system as a good citizen, and they have to remain a good citizen to retain that CHL. This doesn’t mean CHL-holders are angels — they’re human and make mistakes like anyone else can. But take a look at the crime statistics of Texas CHL holders vs. the general public: here, here, and directly from TxDPS. Nothing is perfect, but the crime rates by CHL holders are vastly lower than the general populace.

To me, this difference is pretty elementary: you’re a Texas resident CHL holder, you’re one of the good guys.

Texas Legislation Alert: HB 1301

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

In the Texas Legislature, SB 730 has already been introduced. Now HB 1301, the House companion bill, has been introduced.

If you live in Texas, contact your State Representative (and your State Senator too, if you haven’t chimed in on SB 730).

Page 56

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

The “Page 56” meme:

  1. Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.
  2. Turn to page 56
  3. Find the 5th sentence
  4. Post that sentence along with these instructions.
  5. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the closest.
  6. Tag your friends, lather, rinse, repeat.

The closest book to me is Principles of Personal Defense by Jeff Cooper. Page 56 is blank, so I’ll use what’s on page 57.

Self-control is one thing the sociopath does not usually possess.

Defensive Long Gun

/ hsoi / 11 Comments

A few weeks ago I was a student of KR Training’s Defensive Long Gun course.

The intent of the course is to lay the foundation for the use of a long gun in a defensive manner. While many such courses are about “defensive shotgunning” or “defensive carbine”, this course is unique in that it’s about the use of any long gun: rifle, shotgun, or pistol caliber carbine. The basic principles are the same regardless of the particular firearm: presentation, rapid acquisition of sight picture (cleardistinctfrontsightpost-press-cleardistinctfrontsightpost), shooting from standing, shooting from kneeling, shooting around barriers, shooting distances of 3-25 yards, cover, movement. Another nice thing about having any sort of long gun in the class is that you get to see the effects of other long guns. For instance, shotguns are wicked things but as the distance to the target increases it becomes difficult to control where every pellet lands (e.g. at 25 yards, maybe you’ll need to use a slug). Or as well, using an AR, where the sights are very high above the bore, when shooting at close ranges you really have to compensate with holdover. The class gives you an opportunity to not only pick up skills with your choice of long gun, but it also gives you a chance to see how other long guns fare in the same contexts, learn the strengths and weaknesses of each. The class does teach some specifics about particular long guns (e.g. good techniques for shotgun reloading), but for the most part you realize that the principles are the same.

The “defensive” aspect is using the long gun for self-defense (i.e. this isn’t a gunfighting course, this isn’t military training). The course is aimed for situations such as home-defense, or maybe you’ve got a lot of land and need to be mindful as you’re out working on your property (people in Texas can have vast acreage). There’s time taken in the course to talk about tactics, situations, mindset, law and legal implications.

One other thing that I appreciate about KR Training’s classes (mostly in the more advanced courses) is the use of FoF — Force On Force. This is using things like AirSoft guns with safety gear, which allows us to actually shoot each other. The purpose is to role play, to be in scenarios. It’s realistic training, and any martial artist can tell you that training “alive” is the best way to train. What I like about such training is it’s open-ended: you get put into a situation, you have to figure how to get out — and the answer often doesn’t involve shooting anyone. It enables you to be in as close to a real situation as possible, but no one gets hurt; in fact, usually what gets hurt is your ego (that’s fine). This is the time and place to make mistakes and learn from them, in a forgiving learning environment. I find these situations to be the most humbling and best ways to learn. It’s a shame I cannot take KR’s AT-2 Class on Feb. 28. If you can, you should.

Anyways, some pictures from the Defensive Long Gun Class were just posted. Here’s a couple with me in them:

KR Training Defensive Long Gun 2009 Class - Students shooting from kneeling

KR Training Defensive Long Gun 2009 Class - Students shooting from kneeling

KR Training Defensive Long Gun 2009 Class - Students shooting around cover

KR Training Defensive Long Gun 2009 Class - Students shooting around cover

I have to say, all of this has entered into changing my choice of home defensive firearm.

Range Report

/ hsoi / 4 Comments

Went to the range with my buddy, foo.c. Apart from the cold wind cutting through us (and blowing uprange, right into our eyes), a nice day at the range.

One thing I love about gun-folk is how friendly most are. On the rifle range there were only 2 shooters: myself (foo.c was spotting, then we’d switch off) and another gentleman. Foo.c pointed out the other guy was shooting an SKS then a Mosin-Nagant. We stopped our shooting to watch the other gentleman fire his Mosin-Nagant, and the wicked fireball that came out the barrel with each shot. It was a thing of beauty, and we could only imagine how cool that would look at night. 🙂

The gentleman noticed we were talking about his rifle, so we all got to talking. He took an interest in my M1A Scout Squad, asking questions, and I think I may have convinced him to buy his own. He then let us shoot his Mosin, and I gotta tell you… that was fun. Never shot one before, kicked more than I expected, but boy it left me giggling. I’ve gotta get me one of those for myself.

On the downside, I just don’t like XS Sights. I put a set of XS Big Dot 24/7 Express sights on my Springfield XD-9 Service model. I did this because I wear glasses, and if something went bump in the night and I didn’t have my specs on, I’d still like some way to see the front sight. So I thought I’d try out the XS Sights to see if they would help. Well, my eyesight is so poor that without my glasses on I still can’t see the big front dot. Still tho I thought I’d give ’em a whirl. And over the months I’ve had them and used them I’ve discovered I just don’t like them. Yes they are very fast to acquire, and they certainly work for their purpose: as a defensive “fighting gun” sights they ought to hit the bad guy where it counts. But I just don’t like how they line up. If I want even a small degree of accuracy, it’s tough to get. Today I was just shooting 6″ paper plates at about 10 yards, the big dot front sight covered the plate completely, but even then I couldn’t hit the plate (I was constantly hitting high). The way to use these sights is to put the big dot over what you want to hit and press the trigger. So that’s what I was doing, and I wasn’t hitting what I wanted to hit (tho I was grouping ok). Now sure, if this was a bad guy and I put the big dot over center mass, it’d be effective enough. But sometimes I want a little more accuracy, and I just don’t get that out of these sights. Sure, you can compensate, but the way the sights work, it’s just tough for me to get that.

Don’t get me wrong. I think the sights are really cool and very good for their intended purpose. I know there are people out there that swear by them and I wouldn’t tell them they were wrong. But for me, these just don’t work. Recently I tried out a set of Dawson Precision fixed sights: a 0.100″ red fiber optic front with a fixed all-black rear sight. That worked out great for me: fast to acquire (the fiber optic front vs. the all-black rear), and where I would aim the bullet would go no matter the distance: I had no problem hitting a small 6″ popper “on the shoulder” of a no-shoot at about 25 yards. I just can’t “point and click” and do that with the XS Sights. The XS might work for you and I certainly think they’re good for what they are, but they just are not right for me.

So, time for me to ship my XD-9 off to Springer Precision for new sights and some other work.

Duck dinner

/ hsoi

I’ve been encouraging the wife to buy different things at the grocery store. Doesn’t necessarily matter what, just let’s break out of ruts and try some new things.

So this past grocery shop she came home with a duck. This isn’t the first time we’ve eaten duck, but is the first time we’re prepared it at home. We figured to start with a simple recipe: stuffed with apples, some onion, wrap it in bacon, roast it in the oven, and it turned out ok. Gave us a lot to think about for the next time (e.g. gotta make a sauce).

When the Mrs. told me the price of the duck my jaw hit the floor. You know, I can buy a couple boxes of birdshot for my 12 gauge for that. I could come home with more birds and have more fun doing it. 

Yeah, I’m about “this close” to starting hunting.

 

Update: I forgot. I was corrected. Birdshot and duckshot aren’t the same thing (lead issues). Duckshot’s more expensive. Still tho, it’ll be more fun and more satisfying. 🙂

A Simple Experiment

/ hsoi / 3 Comments

What I’m about to say I’ve said before, but after reading this, I think it bears repeating in a post all its own.

The post over at Hecate’s points out that the police were nearby… about 200 yards away in an adjacent parking lot. The responding officer was on the scene about a minute after the 911 call went through. But yet, 5 dead, 1 wounded, and the gunman was nowhere to be found.

Moral: even if the cops had to protect you, even if they wanted to protect you, they can’t. They just can’t be everywhere all the time. They just can’t respond fast enough to save you and prevent tragedy.

Some still refuse to believe this. So I offer this simple experiment. I find this useful to present in either a one-on-one or small group discussion. Usually it’s met by stunned silence because people don’t want to think about such things, especially such things happening to them. I only hope it gets people to seriously think about taking care of and responsibility for themselves. NOTE: I’m not actually advocating doing what I write below; it’s a presentation of a  hypothetical situation for the purposes of discussion. 

Continue reading →

KR Training

/ hsoi

For firearms training in the Austin, Texas area, there’s none better than KR Training.

Karl just redid the KR Training website (looks good), and added a LOT more classes for the coming months.

I’m a graduate of many of the KR Training classes, and am taking more in the future. It’s top notch training with a great instructor. There are those that know their stuff but can’t teach, then there are those that can teach but don’t know their stuff; Karl’s one of those few that knows his stuff and can teach. One thing I think he’s especially skilled in is helping beginners. He’s friendly, he’s personable, his knowledge is vast, and what’s also nice is that Karl doesn’t rest on his laurels. Karl keeps up with things, he’s willing to challenge established notions if it leads towards a better end result, and he’s an avid competitor.

Whether you’re a seasoned gun owner or someone looking to take their first step into firearms ownership, I recommend getting formal training. If you live within a few hour drive of Austin, I recommend checking out KR Training.