Did I mention I owned an AR? See picture at the top of the blog. Some people think AR stands for assault rifle; this is incorrect and doesn’t fit the military definition, see Wikipedia entry. AR is for automatic rifle, aka black rifle. Because it’s scary looking some say Evil Black Rifle (EBR). Others who are familiar with the type will say AR, or AR 15 or M4. My favorite and my daughters is Zombie killer, or ZKM for Zombie Killin’ Machine, still have to pickup the chainsaw attachment.

So now you’re thinking I purchased it for stopping Zombies, not so. I was actually concerned of losing my rights of owning such a weapon with a new administration entering office. There had been many election year rumors and promises which disturbed me. I decided to buy before something was put into place to prevent me from owning one.

It took several weeks of research to determine what I thought was import and then looking at different manufacturers to compare offerings. Also, availability was a factor; I found there were others motivated for the same reasons as I, which began limiting supply. Many companies had orders placed that wouldn’t be filled for as much as six to ten weeks later. The opening screen to their websites advised customers to not call unless their order was older than eight weeks.

I was beginning to get a little desperate, not quite, but concerned. I had several models in mind and they couldn’t be found. If they were for sale on the web there was quite markup I wasn’t ready to pay. Then, at a gunshow in Chantilly VA I found the one I was interested in. It was a LWRC M6A2. This AR had some features that others didn’t which greatly influenced my decision.

Primarily it is a gas-piston operated gun. See figure. Typically AR’s use the hot gas of the bullet to actuate the bolts movement to the rear and eject the spent bullet, then load in a new one. This gun wasn’t like that; instead the gas operates a piston that pushes the bolt back performing the same operation as described. This keeps dirt and grime out of the moving parts, it also keeps the heat out. The bolt remains cool even if you shoot thirty rounds on full auto, all because its piston operated.

The other reason, the gun came with all the name brand after market upgrades I would have purchased anyways. So, with the concurrence of my spouse and American Express I now have my new gun.

Where to shoot? It’s not an easy answer. Unlike rural Pennsylvania, Colorado or Wyoming, in those states if you have enough land you can select the safest remote corner on your property and go to town. Reminder, always know what is beyond your target. Never shoot in an unsafe direction. However, those of us who live in high density populations must come up with an alternative.

Our quest for a location could begin at The National Rifle Association’s search website. Their search engine that will show locations after you input your address or just a zip code. Very useful if you’re in an unfamiliar place and need to do some practice.

In the vicinity of the NOVA Woodbridge campus area are several places I’m aware of. There is the Quantico Shooting Club. It is a very large facility. It’s located on the west side of I-95 across from the main base. They have a skeet range, trap range, several rifle ranges and pistol ranges. There are qualifications to be met for membership, in short: Any member of the Marines, Armed Forces, Regular, Reserve or Retired, or any dependent family member of the same, or any DOD employee or retiree. Former POWs, Purple Heart recipients, and veterans who served in combat zones, who are not eligible to become regular members, will be considered regular members for the purpose of holding office and voting. If you meet the criteria, you apply and pay a yearly fee for access. Not a bad deal for what you get.

There was a convenient indoor place called Shooters Paradise located on US 1, just north of Prince William Parkway. You could actually rent a gun from them and purchase ammunition and shoot it on their range. It was a great way to check out various makes and models of guns. Unfortunately there was a fire two years ago and they haven’t rebuilt.

Near Springfield is Gilbert Small Arms Range, another indoor range. They require a membership and fees but provide an indoor place to shoot and easy to get to location, its just off of I – 95.

If you life near I – 66 there is the National Rifle Association range located in their headquarters facility in Fairfax. You can shoot nearly any caliber there, up to .460 Weatherby – monster of a gun. Prices are from $18 an hour for non NRA members to $14 for NRA members. The range is also indoors.

These are just some of the locations in the local area. In my experience there are also hunting associations or clubs that operate private ranges and cost nothing to use. I haven’t found one I’d like to join, if anyone knows of one in the area let me know.

More information, I like information. Earlier I shared some frequently visited websites. Here are some more of my favorites.

www.theboxotruth.com or The BoxO’ Truth is a website that is run by gentlemen who goes by Old_Painless. With the help of others he conducts practical shooting experiments using everyday materials. You get to see the outcome for yourself, its very interesting. There are also many other practical minded articles about guns and self defense.

www.lwrci.com , is LWRC International website. They are an Automatic Rifle (AR) manufacturer of high quality guns. What set this company apart from others in my purchasing decision was the technology employed in several models of their guns. They implemented a short-stroke gas-piston operating system; this keeps the hot gas out of the upper receiver of the weapon, keeping it cleaner and far cooler then traditional gas operated AR’s.

www.dillonprecision.com, aka Dillion Precision Products is a maker of progressive reloaders and carry a complete line of accessories needed for reloading. When I purchased my AR, reloading seemed the only way to control the cost of owning such a gun. I had planned on purchasing a system by RCBS or Lee as my father-in-law had. However, during my search I found a used RCBS, the owner once learning of my objective recommended instead the purchase of the Dillion Precision system. I’m glad I followed his advice, shooters are like that. He gave up the his sale to help me out.

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com, Midsouth Shooters – another shooters supply. They’ve had items when others don’t.

www.nra.org, the National Rifle Association – like it says. Your advocate for gun rights. This is a great resource for information of all types and education. Become a member, pay your dues and let the professionals keep up with the law makers. When it’s important they’ll notify you via email or snail mail. They’ll ask for donations. Do/don’t donate, that’s up to you. In the end they are the 800lb gorilla on your side.

www.usacarry.com, USA Carry about Open and Concealed Carry Information and Community. They are a great resource for open and concealed carry information. It proved invaluable when I applied for and received my Virginia CCW card.

Well, time to throttle back the faucet of information. Want you to have time to absorb and explore those sites for yourself. Hopefully they are of some use to you. If nothing else bookmark it for later browsing.

While watching the Outdoor Channel on TV I ran across a short commercial featuring Larry Potterfield of MidwayUSA.com. He was demonstrating how to rate your concealed carry handgun. It was an interesting way of rating the defense factor of the gun and its owner. The system is based on the owner’s ability and type of gun used for defense, it measures the response time to for the first bullet to hit the target, the number of successive shots on target in the first 3 seconds. Points are awarded for the first shot, then the number of on target successive shots, then a lookup chart is provided that gives the knockdown factor of the bullet used. The total score is the rating of the shooter’s skill and gun capability combined. The system provides a basis for comparing your weapons results to others in the list. I like how this works, it removes the subjective or opinionated information from the equation and provides an objective score.

Well I’ve discussed a shotgun, handgun and I guess another handgun as a solution to self defense for the home. The choice of a semi-automatic pistol was the best for me. The physical size, stopping power and ability to hang a light on it were all pluses in my book. The fact that I can easily and safely store it also helped my choice. There is also something to be said about its portability. I confine that discussion to a different posting later and while I didn’t discuss cost, a handgun is likely to cost more than a shotgun. But that didn’t factor in my decision.

There are many reasons to have and not have protection for one self. In the end it made sense to me to have something for the home where I can defend myself and loved ones and do so effectively. To purposefully arm oneself for defense is a personal decision, with many possible consequences, only after one has conducted their own research should they decide whether gun ownership is for them.

In this post I was going to offer up Taurus Internationals revolver, “The Judge” as a compromise between a handgun and shotgun.The first time I saw it was at a gun show and it was an earlier model which took 2 ½ inch shells, there is a newer version which accepts 3 inch shells. The gun that can be loaded with a .410 shotgun shell filled with birdshot or buck shot and it can also shoot a regular .45 long colt bullet. Versatile weapon, definitely something that gives you a choice of load to use and I like that. At the same I don’t think of it as a sole home defense weapon. I’ve changed my mind after reading several other articles. Let me start with it only holds 5 rounds, just 5. For it to really to do its job and because of its low capacity it would have to be loaded with the .45 cal. long colt. This is a man stopper for sure and it will over penetrate. You could step down to #4 buckshot but its capability is reduced when compared to the larger 12 gauge shotshell as it does not pack the punch to stop someone. Physically the .410 holds less shot.

It definitely complements a person’s collection but it wouldn’t be the first or only choice for a self defense weapon. In snake country or on a farm where there are rodents this would be a very useful weapon to own. Additionally, where state and local laws permitted, it would be a great car gun. If I were a long haul driver whose truck had a sleeper compartment I’d have one in a second. I see one in my future, probably used, at the moment there are too many other things on my list. In the next post I’ll finish up this discussion and we’ll move on to something more interesting.

I decided on the Smith & Wesson M&P .40 with a Streamlight TLR2 flashlight/laser combination unit. Also, in accordance with my earlier discussion of keeping others safe, I’ve loaded it with what some people consider as special ammunition. Instead of using a full metal jacket bullet or jacketed hollow point , the first three bullets in my clip are frangible bullets. Frangible ammunition is made of finely ground copper /tin powder that is molded into a bullet when tons of pressure is applied. The advantage is upon impact with a hard surface; the bullet turns to dust and imparts all its kinetic energy into the impact area.

The likelyhood of the bullet passing through the wall or a person injuring someone else is far less due to its nature.
Now, don’t kid yourself. I said the first three rounds. After that, the other 12 rounds are jacketed hollow points. Again, in my opinion I want to protect myself and my loved ones. That being said if the first three don’t do the job I figure I’ve given the intruder the chance to retreat and whatever happens after is on them.
Again, safety in mind – its kept fully loaded in a safe. Enter the combination and I have access to it in a flash. Not something you can do with a shotgun. Also, its smaller than a shotgun and easier to handle. The attached light allows positive identification before pulling the trigger and the laser is very intimidating when the laser dot is on your chest. Next we’ll talk about the compromise between the shotgun and pistol.

Back to home defense. After reviewing the last post on the subject I wanted to add some additional information. There are defensive training resources out there that one can sign up for. The NRA has developed two courses that address personal protection. One is the Basic Personal Protection in the Home Course and the other is Personal Protection Outside the Home Course. Each are one day courses which cost anywhere from $150-180 and may satisfy some safety requirements you may be trying to fulfill. I recommend them to anyone that wants to become comfortable with using a gun for self defense. They are taught by NRA certified instructors providing professional instruction and materials. One of the courses will have you at the gun range shooting the same day. Instructors will even provide you a semi automatic gun to complete the course.

One more try, back to home defense. We covered the shotgun as a means to defend oneself. Now, lets talk about the handguns. There are two types, revolvers like those seen in the old west and civil war movies and semi-automatic pistols which we see in many of todays movie and TV shows. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

The revolver is the simpler of the two to use. Its design makes it intuitive to operate and easy to determine if it is loaded or not. A malfunctioning round doesn’t require special intervention to clear, just pull the trigger for the next round. They are easier to take care of with fewer moving parts and mechanisms to clean or oil.

Semi-automatics carry more bullets, from 8 to 33 rounds and faster to reload. They are slimmer in design making them easier handle and conceal for defense. Actual shooting of a semi-auto is easier as less strength is needed for pulling the trigger. Picatinny rails are common to semi-autos which are used to attach accessories to. Things like a laser light, flash light, or a combination unit of both. A telescopic sight or scope can also be attached. All of these are used to assist in identifying and aiming the weapon at the target.

As you can see each type has their advantages. A conservative belt and suspenders guy might decide a revolver is the way to go. That is because of its simplicity and least likely to malfunction. Then there are the throw as many bullets at’em as you can kinda guys. They are comfortable and familiar with their gun, capable of maintaining it and clearing a dud round if needed. Perhaps they’ve even added an accessory such as a flashlight to it. I’ll continue with what I chose in the next post. In the meantime a little entertainment.

Every now and then as I learn information I’d like to share it with everyone. Some of it interesting, funny or just plain cool. As I come across it, when I think I have enough, I’ll post it with links if I can. Recently when at a gun show I ran across some very cool looking guns made by Volquartsen. Without a better way to describe them, these are pretty “Sick”. They produce custom firearms in very specific calibers. I’m particularly interested in the centerfire .223 caliber rifles. They are produced with custom stocks and custom machined barrels. Mix and match to your liking. Follow the link to their site and take a look.

This interest of mine is expensive. It helps to be thrifty, there are a number of sites that I peruse when I look for additions or accessories. Here’s a list to start with:

AR15.com – a great site for AR15 information, lots of links to manufacturers and information about the AR.

Cheaperthandirt.com – they carry a plethora (he said plethora, yes I said plethora, enough about plethora) of parts, accessories, ammunition, tools, knives, holsters, all kinds of gear.

MidwayUSA.com –for the more serious shooter, they have everything for shooting, reloading of ammunition, gunsmithing and hunting.

Gandermountain.com – Initially, I considered them the Wal-Mart of sporting goods, lately their pricing hasn’t been as competitive as it used to be. They are more in line with Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas. They carry a large line of hunting, fishing and camping goods. They also offer a good selection of new and used guns. I visit so often my father-in-law says I should have stock in the place. It’s still a good place to look and touch a product and then see if you can find cheaper online.

Ammoengine.com – this is my most recent discovery and helps me maintain a level of thriftiness. The website collects data on ammunition prices found all over the internet. There is information on handgun, rifle and rimfire cartridges. Its broken down to the lowest common denominator price per single round or bullet. For instance, I can select a rifle round in the .223 caliber. I find that the website CheaperThanDirt has some for as low as $0.24 a round. Very helpful when it comes to restocking your supplies.

Those are my gems for now. I’ll post more I as I come across them.

What are the reasons for owning a gun? People will give different reasons, they’ll say for hunting, for protection, or home defense, maybe to exercise the 2^nd amendment rights, others cite Zombie defense. Yes, I did say Zombie defense. We can cover that in another post, as well as 2^nd amendment rights. That leaves hunting and home or personal defense. Lets look at home defense.

What is it? Just like it suggests. Possessing a weapon that can be used in defense of oneself and family in the home. That place you should always feel safe, your bastion from the world. Owning a gun can help one attain a greater level of certainty in the outcome should they find themselves in situation. I will leave the philosophical arguments for others to argue the merits of having a gun in the house for defense. My position is clear as everyone has learned from my previous post, I own a semi-automatic pistol. Instead, I’d like to discuss which type of gun for home defense.

Only two come to mind for me, shotgun or pistol. We’ll talk shotgun first. Length is important, not too long or it will be hard to maneuver. Most shotguns run in length from 36 to 44 inches. Imagine trying to run around the house carefully with a broom or dust mop handle positioned on your shoulder. Not an easy thing, bound to run into something. A lamp, a wall, perhaps you catch it on a open door. In this case shorter is better, more maneuverable. A Mossberg 500 Tactical Cruiser would be my choice. It’s a 12 gauge pump shotgun that is just under 29 inches in length. It has pistol grip instead of the normal stock and a hand strap attached to the pump fore end action. The strap is intended to prevent the gun from being wrestled from your hands. The gun is meant to be shot from out front of the body or at the waist. It’s my opinion that positive identification is critical in an encounter, so an additional accessory must be ordered, that is a light for night encounters. I would recommend a TACSTAR Light 121. It’s meant to be mounted to the magazine tube and comes with a remote switch to activate the light. Last is the ammunition. Need something that will knock down an intruder, but I must consider others household members and neighbors. In my case I live in a townhouse, I don’t want penetrate the drywall and hurt someone next door or in another room. There’s a good article which supports the use of number 4 buckshot. I agree with authors reasoning. In addition to loading the shotgun with that; I would also load my last shell as #4 birdshot. Remember, last one in first one out. The #4 birdshout would be my warning shot. It could be fatal, but I’d like to think I gave an intruder a chance to leave.

We’ll that’s my idea of a good home defense shotgun. But to be effective one must practice and not only yourself but anyone in the household that is likely to use the weapon. Take it to the local range and shoot several rounds. Get used to the feel of gun. How it kicks, how it aims. Use the same ammunition you plan to use at home. Practice at home. First, ensure the weapon is unloaded. Then, practice carrying the weapon at ready position around the house. See how it feels and handles, do this during the day. The rehearsal or practice will give you an idea what it might be like to clear your home. Then, do it again at night, with the gun unloaded. Turn off the house lights, turn on the flash light mounted at the end of the gun. Walk the house. See the difference between clearing the house during the day versus at night with a flashlight. Practice makes perfect, it’ll also make the neighbors talk, keep your blinds closed when you practice at night, a flash light going from room to room may generate a call by neighbors to law enforcement thinking there is a burglar in the house.

Hopefully this information will give you an idea of how to arm yourself in defense of you, your family and home. This is far from an authoritative source but I hope you find it thought provoking and assist with generating some interest and ideas for home defense. Next post we’ll cover the pistol as a home defense weapon.

Blogs are for ranting, right, right... so here I go. I return from vacation and I set to return the house to normal. I start by plugging in the electronics I’ve unplugged to save electricity. Lighting the pilot light of the hot water heater and turning up its thermostat. Go to the sliding glass doors and unlock the door stop or pull the broom stick. Set clocks, turn up the heat. Open the window blinds, bring around the trash. Take inventory, making sure everything is as it should be. Everything is in order. I haul the suitcases upstairs to the bedroom, crack one open and begin putting away the contents or tossing things into the dirty clothes pile. Amazing how big that pile is.

I continue putting things away and stub my toe on the metal box under the bed. Ahah! Forgot that. I reach down and drag out the box far enough to enter the unlock code with the five keys on top of the box. Nothing. No light, no beep, nothing. Hmm, I pull the box all the way out from the bed and set it on top. It’s never done this before. Not a good thing when the gun safe under the bed won’t unlock. Well no problem. It has a backup battery system and I’ll get a nine volt battery and get it open. This was one of the features that sold me on the safe. I head to the basement in search of the battery. Find one and return upstairs. Holding the battery against the external posts that will power the lock, I enter the combination. Nothing. Not a beep, no light. The wife is alerted to my frustration and attempts to help. We download the instructions for the safe and review the troubleshooting steps. I follow the suggestions with no luck. Still can’t open the safe which holds my Smith & Wesson M&P .40 semi automatic pistol equipped with a Streamlight TLR2 mounted light with laser. Granted this isn’t an emergency, but then again I don’t have access to my hand gun. Well, there is a third feature to this metal box, the keylock. Easily recognizable, it’s one of those fancy round, candy vending machine ones. Now where did I put it? Like I said its unique. But, I don’t recall seeing it since I purchased the box several years ago.

A small panic sets in. Where to find it? I begin to search all the locations that a responsible planning adult would store such a key. Such as the fire safe box, the downstairs gun cabinet, tool boxes, file cabinets, the spare keys ring in the kitchen drawer, many desk and dresser drawers. No luck. An hour wasted. I try the backup battery method, still no luck. The wife sensing my frustration suggests she might know where it is and disappears, returning with a round key. Sure enough, it unlocks the gun safe. She informs me I overlooked the jewelry box on my dresser. I restrain my inner voice from escaping, thinking how she could have saved me all that time. That’s payback for something. Just not sure what.

I pull out the gun, and spare magazine. I check the status of the gun. First, releasing the magazine, then pulling the action back and locking it in place, verifying the barrel is empty and gun unloaded. I set it aside and pull out the battery pack which powers the lock and change the batteries. No luck. I install another set and still no luck. I Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for troubleshooting and still nothing. I decide enough is enough and bring the box upstairs and return it to its location. I insert the magazine into the gun and place it into the safe. It will remain that way till I can email the manufacturer. With just the two of us in the house there is less of a need to keep the box locked. I still think it should be closed but, only if I can get the keypad operational. Locking it with a key and leaving the key in the lock doesn’t make any sense. Removing the key doesn’t work because I cannot get into the box without fumbling with the key and lock. Open and ready is how I’ll leave it, if I can’t get any help from the maker then I’ll ask Santa for a present. In retrospect that wasn’t much of a rant. Sorry, I’ll work on it.