How many gun/shooting enthusiasts do we have here?

Got this last month.  I love it

https://i.servimg.com/u/f11/17/62/82/83/img_0610.jpg

Nice!  Welcome to the Kahr Club. 

I've never owned a handgun until recently, but have always had a couple of rifles and /or shotguns around for hunting.
Bought a Rock Island Armory 1911 a few months ago and love it. Plus Missouri became an open carry state so no permit required as long as it's not concealed.

Very cool!  I've been hearing great things about those RI 1911s.  The 1911 is such a wonderful platform.  I used one for that 4-day defensive handgun course I took in Nevada and did just fine with it.  

I'm looking forward to some day living in a free state where I can carry legally (concealed preferably, though open isn't a terrible way either).  Bassdude, do you think you'll get your concealed carry permit?  A full size 1911 may not be so easy to conceal... but a Kahr like mine or Stringfellow's would be perfect.

Kerrick wrote:Very cool!  I've been hearing great things about those RI 1911s.  The 1911 is such a wonderful platform.  I used one for that 4-day defensive handgun course I took in Nevada and did just fine with it.  

I'm looking forward to some day living in a free state where I can carry legally (concealed preferably, though open isn't a terrible way either).  Bassdude, do you think you'll get your concealed carry permit?  A full size 1911 may not be so easy to conceal... but a Kahr like mine or Stringfellow's would be perfect.

I probably will get a concealed carry permit at some point, maybe later this summer, but I doubt I'll try to carry the 1911. It's just too big unless you have a shoulder holster and a jacket, but I may get a smaller .45, like a Springfield XDS or something similar, for carry purposes.

I'm more of a casual shooter. I used to be more enthusiastic, when it was a new thing for me, but I have mellowed out since then. Now I only make it to the range once in a while.

I have a Kimber CDP in .45ACP and a Bersa Thunder .380ACP.

My state is now a constitutional carry state since the last election. I can carry without a permit.

ThomasEversole wrote:Agreed.  

I also researched regarding voting.  Looks like I could vote again as well.  Like the gun thing, "last I knew" I was permanently barred from voting or owning/using a gun.  I'm not sure if laws have changed since my conviction, or I just always assumed I couldn't anymore because of what someone said one time in one conversation, but either way...  it sounds like there is at least SOME common sense in those laws.

I work with a guy who was a convicted fellon and our former Governor reinstated his right to vote early on his way out of office (along with thousands of other people). So depending on the situation you could very well get your voting rights back early.

I have a shotgun and a rifle. I like hunting ducks, black grouses and rabbits.

^Nice.  I'd like to get into hunting at some point and learn how to clean an animal, etc.

Now that I'm no longer in California... there are sooooo many cool guns available for me to buy that I never could have before!  I hear kids are quite expensive though so this will be a great growing opportunity for me and being financially responsible hahaha...  I would like to get a full-size 9mm handgun though.  I like the looks of the CZ P10's...

Well, while a 9mm would be nice for target shooting and whatnot, it won't quite cut it were I to come across any angry bears, moose, or other large animals.  (We also have mountain lions and wolves here.)  So the 10mm it is!  I checked out the Glock 20 and think I will purchase one soon.    I'll feel a lot better on hikes having something that'll adequately protect from big critters.

If you were to need a pistol against a bear or other large critter, it would be close up.  A well aimed 9 MM with a hollow point would do the trick.  You might have to shoot twice, but the hollow point at close range would bring down a lot of things.  I wouldn't want to have to shoot a tiger or elephant with it, but it would stop (or at least scare off) many large animals that became aggressive to a hiker.

What does everyone think of the new 9th Circuit Court's ruling that basically makes open-carry legal in all 50 states?  I believe this will be challenged by the SCOTUS.  I don't know how I feel about open-carry as everyone can see you are packing.  I have grown comfortable having my pistol concealed where folks don't know I have it.

I have my subcompact 9mm with pretty spicy hollowpoints for my daily conceal carry which I think is totally adequate for the typical threats.  Though experienced folks around here unanimously agree that the 10mm is the way to go for larger predators/critters like bear or moose.  When your life is on the line, the old adage "overkill is underrated" seems quite appropriate haha.  Hollowpoints or not, I sure wouldn't want to go up against a charging bear with a 9mm.

I have mixed feelings about open carry...  It's very practical when hiking or fishing or whatever in the wilderness.  Open carrying in the city seems quite silly and unnecessary.  In addition to everyone knowing you have a gun, you have to be a master of retention: if you're not paying attention, someone could just grab it out of your holster and shoot you with your own gun.  I can't think of many/any good reasons to open carry in populated areas.  That being said, I am a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment and "shall not be infringed" means what it says.  So I think people should be allowed to open carry.  Also, in states like California where in many counties conceal carry permits are made unavailable, open carry is the only option (which is lame...).

Kerrick wrote:...So the 10mm it is!  I checked out the Glock 20 and think I will purchase one soon.    I'll feel a lot better on hikes having something that'll adequately protect from big critters.

I got my Glock 10mm and just sent in the slide to the factory to get night-sights put on it.  For $67 + tax, Glock will install tritium night-sights on your slide and mail it back to you.  That's a pretty dang incredible deal; I can't imagine they're making any money from that service.

Recently, I became the pastor of a small church in Davidson Co.  A friend of mine who is also a pastor nearby has invited me to their men's event on Saturday.  They are calling it Guns & Grub.  We pray.  We shoot.  We eat.  We shoot more.  We pray.

Sounds like a good Godly time!  Look out, paper targets.  Alldat's on da' hunt!

We started off with skeet shooiting.  Ya'll don't have to worry about alldat with a shotgun.  I can't hit the broad side of a barn with a bass fiddle when it comes to skeet shooting.

Now, with a handgun, you'd better run.  While he was speed shooting, I was as accurate as the guy who was there from the local sheriff's department!

Very cool!  Skeet shooting is a lot of fun, though I'm not too great at it either.  Near where I used to live was a place that was basically miniature golf with shotguns.  It goes without saying, it was awesome.  They had different stages where the clays would launch from diffrent angles, directions, and whatnot.  At one stage they even rolled on the ground.

A guy at our church hosts a monthly shooting contest which is a lot of fun.  It's timed and scored, but you're really just competing against yourself.  We practice engaging multiple targets, shooting while moving, drawing from a holster, etc.  We just make up fun drills too, like having to reassemble your gun first, running to another spot, and shooting multiple targets - all under time.  It's really good to practice under a little bit of stress.

Back in the 90's I used to carry a 9mm gun (don't laugh  ) around with me without a permit because I had a girl's jealous BF looking for me....finally had to get rid of it because at a wild party at my house one night, a Polish friend of mine (actually from Poland) found it in my desk drawer, picked it up, and pointed it at another friend of mine and said "bang bang you're dead".  The only English words I ever heard from him..lol.

After that....I decided not to keep guns around anymore...though I have been thinking about getting one again.. but bigger and more manly this time hahahaha. Actually, the 9mm was easy to carry and hide..which is why I went with it.

So the only thing I am shooting off right now is my mouth

Ain't nothing wrong with a 9mm!  I carry one daily and have another on my nightstand in case anything goes bump in the night.  (I'm currently shopping for silencers for my nightstand gun now...)

That's quite terrifying about your Polish friend.  Yikes.  Most folks around here are quite familiar with guns and gun safety.  But that could've been curtains for your friend.

What do you think you'd get if you bought a new gun?  What would the main purpose for it be (target shooting, home defense...)?

Kerrick wrote:Ain't nothing wrong with a 9mm!  I carry one daily and have another on my nightstand in case anything goes bump in the night.  (I'm currently shopping for silencers for my nightstand gun now...)

That's quite terrifying about your Polish friend.  Yikes.  Most folks around here are quite familiar with guns and gun safety.  But that could've been curtains for your friend.

What do you think you'd get if you bought a new gun?  What would the main purpose for it be (target shooting, home defense...)?

Home defense primarily (but would like to practice shooting at a range)...and also for my nightly Death Wish strolls through downtown Dover...   

Actually have no idea what kind of gun I SHOULD get...

Kerrick wrote:Ain't nothing wrong with a 9mm!  I carry one daily and have another on my nightstand in case anything goes bump in the night.  (I'm currently shopping for silencers for my nightstand gun now...)

That's quite terrifying about your Polish friend.  Yikes.  Most folks around here are quite familiar with guns and gun safety.  But that could've been curtains for your friend.

What do you think you'd get if you bought a new gun?  What would the main purpose for it be (target shooting, home defense...)?

Everyone always teased me saying 9mm was a chick's gun...so I guess that it is not accurate?

Bought4Life wrote:Home defense primarily (but would like to practice shooting at a range)...and also for my nightly Death Wish strolls through downtown Dover...   

Actually have no idea what kind of gun I SHOULD get...

Gotcha.  Well, for handguns a 9mm is a pretty good home defense round, as is .45.  Do you have nearby neighbors or share any walls?  Something to be wary of in a home defense situation is where that round is going if you miss.  For example, 9mm is generally a much faster round than the .45 and therefore is a greater risk for over-penetration, though you can buy ammo specifically made for this.  Also, a 12-gauge shotgun is a fine home defense gun, though not as fun at the range.

The other question is, what's your budget?  You have to take into account what kind of accouterments you want too...  A weapon-light is pretty much mandatory on a home defense gun and the good ones aren't cheap.

Bought4Life wrote:Everyone always teased me saying 9mm was a chick's gun...so I guess that it is not accurate?

Nah, so far as I know, 9mm is the most popular caliber out there (for pistols) and what most cops carry, professional shooters compete with, and citizens carry for self defense.  All my friends' carry guns are 9mm.  I sure as heck wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a 9mm!  I'd say a .38 snub-nose revolver is a girly gun.

Kerrick wrote:

Bought4Life wrote:Home defense primarily (but would like to practice shooting at a range)...and also for my nightly Death Wish strolls through downtown Dover...   

Actually have no idea what kind of gun I SHOULD get...

Gotcha.  Well, for handguns a 9mm is a pretty good home defense round, as is .45.  Do you have nearby neighbors or share any walls?  Something to be wary of in a home defense situation is where that round is going if you miss.  For example, 9mm is generally a much faster round than the .45 and therefore is a greater risk for over-penetration, though you can buy ammo specifically made for this.  Also, a 12-gauge shotgun is a fine home defense gun, though not as fun at the range.

The other question is, what's your budget?  You have to take into account what kind of accouterments you want too...  A weapon-light is pretty much mandatory on a home defense gun and the good ones aren't cheap.

Bought4Life wrote:Everyone always teased me saying 9mm was a chick's gun...so I guess that it is not accurate?

Nah, so far as I know, 9mm is the most popular caliber out there (for pistols) and what most cops carry, professional shooters compete with, and citizens carry for self defense.  All my friends' carry guns are 9mm.  I sure as heck wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a 9mm!  I'd say a .38 snub-nose revolver is a girly gun.

Hahahaha...awesome...thanks for all the advice

Sure thing!  I enjoy this stuff and am always happy to talk guns haha.

My daily carry is a Ruger LCP 2 .380 cal. I use Hornady Critical Defense rounds. It's always either in my pocket or on my ankle.

I have a Sig P320 Compact 9mm loaded with hollow points at home also and occasionally I'll carry it but it's just more comfortable to carry something smaller. I've lost some weight though so maybe I'll start carrying the 9mm more often again. I prefer appendix carry so it can be a little uncomfortable lol and usually requires pants/shorts a size larger.

Neither has a safety because... well... just gets in the way. The LCP has a trigger safety to prevent accidental discharge and most firearms these days have internal safety mechanisms so the chances of it going off without pulling the trigger are next to none.

You can actually open carry in Tennessee and I've done that a couple times but much prefer concealed.

I wish I got more time to go shooting. The range in my town is so expensive (overpriced). I wish I lived in the county instead of city, then I could just make my back yard my range.

^Nice!  Sig makes some great guns.  A friend of mine just got the Sig P365.  I was checking it out when we visited them for dinner the other evening.  It's really quite compact and has a capacity of 12 rounds (!!!).  Apparently they designed the magazine first and then the gun.  Pretty impressive for how compact it is.

My Kahr doesn't have any external safeties either which was one of the reasons I opted for it.  You don't want to forget to take the safety off in a life-threatening situation...  It has effectively a double-action trigger so it's very unlikely that it could accidentally go off.  Also, I have a kydex holster for it which is MUCH safer than a nylon/soft holster.

We can open carry here too, but you don't need a permit to conceal carry in Idaho so there's really not much advantage to open carrying unless you have a bigger gun.  I conceal carry my Kahr daily, but open carry my Glock 20 (10mm) when in the wilderness in case I run into any unhappy big critters.