Guns can be quit infectious! A successful afternoon on the range can be addictive, especially one where you can practice tactical defense, quiye satisfying hitting a moving target, bad guys seldom stand still....
Although I can't say I agree w/the content of this song, I'd heard of this song from someone while in high school.
Shooting...especially pistols is a finesse kind of thing, and women are MUCH better at it than the dudes are. One of the groovier gigs I did in the canoe club was a line coach. We used to take our female sailors from never having touched a pistol to knocking down "Expert" or at least "Sharpshooter" in just a few sessions....since they didn't have a lifetime of bad habits to for us to un-teach. 90-percent of it was the very empowering notion that when they walked onto the firing line they KNEW that they didn't know how to fire a pistol. After about an hour of instruction? It's just practice and fine tuning. Anybody been to a gun shop lately, or for that matter a WalMart? Look around the next time you venture into a sports store. There are a heckuva lot of "spur-less" pistols (think: Lady Smith) and pink trimmed rifles and pistols out there. It's because there are a LOT more ladies out there that are availing themselves of their Second Amendment rights. By the way....I'm not wild about spurless revolvers, since you deprive your self of the opportunity to both fire your first round in single action, and in very VERY rare situations the opportunity to go up a wrung on the ladder of force by thumb-cocking the weapon without having to actually fire it. It's like working the action of a 12-gauge shotgun. Sidebar: If you're a lady, and you're interested in carrying or for that matter just owning a weapon, DO NOT do what most guys do, which is to buy something that (they think) looks cool, shove a few boxes of shells through it and THEN try to figure out what the hell they're doing. That's why I started this rant with "If you're a Lady..." Usually? Ladies are a helluva lot smarter than guys are about this kind of thing. Try not to get all of your advise from your Daddy of someone like me that thinks that they know more than they really do. Most police departments either offer or have information on a real defensive firearms safety course. The NRA also offers some excellent courses and they have a certification process. I tinkered with the idea of getting cert'd as an instructor myself, but those thoughts have died of loneliness. There are MANY MANY misconceptions and differences of opinion out there about personal protection, weapon selection, warning shots, etc. That's human nature. Just look at this forum for some of the "debates" about oil changing and fuel selection. Same thing.....except gun nuts tend to be a little more polite. In a room where everyone is armed? That's just how it usually works.
My ex never understood why I would not climb or descend my stand "loaded" when hunting. To me, no deer was worth getting that excited over and having an accident trying to fire a shot. My best success in the field was being quiet and stealthy... and being successful - wait - isn't that a Prius thing?! After this reading this thread I need to find out about local gun club membership...
I learned this visiting a high school buddy in Pensacola. I noticed and was later told the Marine gate guards did not have ammunition because one had shot the son of a Navy officer who thought it was great fun to run the gate (or so I was told in 1971.) The way you can tell if a Marine gate guard has ammunition: Bad attitude - no ammo, the guard is trying to fake it. Polite, professional attitude - the guard has at least one full clip and probably one in the grip but not a round in the chamber (they are Marines!) Bob Wilson
Wow, this thread on gun owners was conservatively worded but everybody sure has been liberal with their opinions! Im a Prius driving, bubble gum chewing, Springfield XDM .40 carrying, dude myself. Im also gay with a partner of 15 years living in an significantly conservative area. Metro Detroit isnt exactly the pinnacle of acceptance either. The thought of somebody doing harm to us because of the way we were born was the motivation for both of us to purchase firearms and obtain our permits years ago. Especially after our lives being threatened several times and the police doing nothing and not even caring. I also dont have my firearm solely for the purpose of encountering any life threatening situation on the road - I drive defensively and will not engage with any irate driver. When confronted, I do my best to get away as quickly as possible. I wouldnt resort to discharging my firearm unless my life was imminent danger. A fist fight does not constitute that, a verbal confrontation doesnt either. The perp would have to be coming at me with a knife or gun with the intent to kill me. Everybody has different opinions on firearm ownership, etc... but I grew up in Detroit and live in Metro Detroit. After 32 years, I realize the value of the being able to carry. And btw, not that political views should have anything to do with it, but I identify myself as a liberal democrat with strong defense of the right to carry!
In my current vehicle, a van, I have placed a V-Line push button safe in the rear area, no quick access to the safe from the driver's seat. The safe bolts to the metal bed of the van with bolts that can only be removed with access to the nuts inside the safe, so nobody can steal the safe. The safe is 12" x 9" x 2.5". Top Draw When I do buy a Prius to replace my van I will want to install that safe. Does anybody know where I could install it in a 2012 liftback (not the v or c)?
Now you just gotta love this^!!!! Now where can you find a more diverse owner group than Prius owners? I think Prius owners are the happiest bunch out there, I find myself grinning every time I fill it up, still amazed it went that far on that little bit of gas! Who else is smiling at the gas pumps? Carrying brings with it a tremendous responsibility to know when to draw, also when does danger become IMMINENT DANGER? How do tell if if the bad guy wants to hurt or kill you? it gets hard to draw in time if you let them get within 15 ft of you, if threatened and you are in fear, PROTECT YOURSELF! at least draw and stand ready, and yes, try not to put yourself in bad situations in the first place, BUT sometimes they find you, I have gotten in threatning situations before at rest stops before, that is why I carry on the road.
You're 100-percent right both about the responsibility and the difficulty of carrying. It's like driving.......some people just aren't up to scratch, but we have to let everybody try. One big difference though......the USC (as amended) says nothing about a right to drive. Years and years of study, debate, arguments, and etc have been devoted to the "shoot-don't shoot" problem. If you've ever had to draw a weapon and work your way through this problem, you know what I'm talking about. When you're in the military and wearing BDU/ACUs, it's a lot easier. You're wearing an M-9 in a very non-concealed holster on your thigh, shoulder, or hip.....and you might even be carrying a rifle or shotgun to boot. Back in the Mesozoic era when I did the NCW thing, we taught the "Ladder of Force" approach, (I simplified it to the 4 S's....Show, Shout, Shove, and Shoot.) There's a huge jump in escalation between a visible holstered weapon and one that is drawn and aimed...even if it's aimed at the ground. There's a much larger jump in force escalation between concealed carry and drawing down. When do you do it? When do you don't? The military usually has an ROE (Rules of Engagement) flow chart, or directive, or instruction that is supposed to help guide you through the rocks and shoals of carrying not-so-concealed. However (comma!) there's a human tenancy to try and shove all situations into three or even thirty neat little categories and it doesn't work. Self defense comes down to this: If you take your shoes off at the end of the day? You succeeded. If somebody else takes them off? You might not have done so well. Just remember this. If you draw it, you'd better be damned well be ready to use it. ALL of it. AND a carry permit is just that. A permit to CARRY. It's usually illegal to brandish (draw) and even more so to discharge a firearm in a city, town, or within so many feet of a road or highway, and it's ALWAYS illegal to knock half inch holes in your fellow man (or woman) without a pretty good reason. There are lots of folks who don't like guns being legal. Criminals dang sure don't! If you carry...don't give the creeps any (*) er... ammunition.
It is the same way with hunting - the shot you fire can never be called back. That was ingrained into me during my hunter safety training... hence I only fire when I know I am definitely dragging dinner home. Anything else is a waste of good lead (target practice is in another league here). My oldest son packs his "heat" respectfully. I hope I have sent him into the world knowing what a power and a responsibility that is.... Good thread, for sure!
Multiple firearm owner, my daily carry is a Sig Sauer P238. Great gun and highly accurate and controllable. And the op is right, Prius has a diverse following. +1 if you're surprised this thread hasn't turned into an ideological rant and been banished to fhopol yet.