Borepatch: I finally get my own gun

http://borepatch.blogspot.com ^ | 3 Dec 2010 | Borepatch

[smokingfrog]

I just got my first gun.

Kim du Toit used to blog about how a .22 was a household commodity, like sugar or flour. However, the People's Republic of Massachusetts made things enough of a PITA that we never jumped through the required hoops. Now we're in Georgia, and breathe free air, so it's a different story.

Because I no longer live in Massachusetts, I don't need special licensing from the State to own a gun. Even without special papers, without fingerprinting and background checks, I can own one - and ammunition (!) -without becoming a felon. What this make me, in a psychologically important way, is a citizen. Not a subject, not someone who has to ask "please" from some Government Functionary, but a free citizen who can be entrusted with the tools of power.

Funny, I haven't had the urge to go shoot up a school. According to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun **--Ownership--** Violence, this no doubt will overtake me any day now.

The Winchester 190 was a semi-automatic plinking/varmint rifle manufactured in fairly large quantities. It's tube fed, and the tube magazine is probably big enough to make this an "assault rifle" in New Jersey. This one has a 2x scope, and looks like it would be sweet for clearing out small, unwelcome four-footed guests. And since the two-footed ones don't want to get shot (even with a .22), it might have some use there as well.

But the meaning goes beyond the (quite modest) firepower of the rifle. It's a statement of freedom, the mark of a citizen, not a subject. We could use more citizens, not more subjects.

[smokingfrog]

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will...

My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...

Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!

[dogcaller]

Congratulations on your emancipation...never let a construct of Man usurp it again.

[ixtl]

Congratulations. I hope youy will continue to be (as most of us are) a responsible gun owner. Personally, I own several firearms, rifles, handguns, shotguns. I am 70 years of age, and have never shot up a school, church, or other facility.

“The right to buy weapons is the right to be free.” -A. E. van Vogt (The Weapon Shops of Isher).

[silentreignofheroes]

Welcome to The South,where the SEC rules.

Don’t know where in Georgia you moved to,but it’s likely 8 0f 10 trucks you pass has a rifle,shotgun or pistol in it.Plus you can eat grits.

[ReverendJames]

I’d buy one a month just for the heck of it now ... I own about a dozen rifles (four semi-auto) and two handguns. The biggest problem is keeping them all fed.

[Huebolt]

7.62 X 39 FMJ Warsaw rounds used to be about $54.00 per THOUSAND. I wonder what they are now...

[KoRn]

Congratulations!!!!

Once you get used to having that .22, go out and get yourself some REAL fun in an AR15. You WILL NOT be sorry. They have to be one of the most fun guns to own and shoot there is. Ammo is ‘fairly’ inexpensive too.

For defense, think of different types of guns for various purposes and ranges. Buy accordingly.....And get yourself a good gun safe.(weighing at least 1,000lbs and fire rated)

My small collection:

AR15 - 5.56/.223REM
PTR91 - 7.62x51/.308 (HK91/G3 Clone)
Saiga12 - 12 Gauge mag/drum fed semi auto
Mossberg 500 - 12 Gauge pump
Beretta 92FS - 9MM semi auto
HK USP45 Tactical - .45ACP
Springfield Armory XD40 - .40 Caliber semi auto

I still have a little work to do, but right now I can defend the castle from zombies, take it outside, short, medium, and longer ranges.

[ez]

When I bought my mini-14, I bought a case of .223 for $80. Now that case sells for $450.

[muawiyah]

Several of those trucks will have all three ~ rifle, shotgun and pistol ~ and some will have different sizes as well.

For some of those drivers there's very little wiggle room up front.

But it's not just the Souf'` ~ we were going up I65 from Seymour Indiana to Indy and lo and behold some guys in a pickup behind us passed on that causeway/levee at FlatRock about 85 MPH only to pull over as soon as they got all the way across. They jumped out, shotguns (slugs) in hand and started running through the muck towards what looked like a HERD of deer ~ Oh, my goodness ~ and a couple of 18 wheelers saw them and they pulled over, jumped out with shotguns in hand (slugs) and they also began mucking across the muck.

In some parts of this country there's no excuse for not having handy the right device to hunt ~ or whatever else you might want to do.

[libstripper]

I am 70 years of age, and have never shot up a school, church, or other facility.

Yes, but what if one of your guns finds its way into an SUV, the two conspire, go rogue together, and shoot up a whole kindergarten???

[IYAS9YAS]

Plus you can eat grits.

Grits, both a food and a spackle...
just kidding - sort of - ;-p

[PowderMonkey]

I received my first rifle at age 15. It was a .22 Mossberg target rifle (Model 144LS)with a 7-round magazine. Having been carefully instructed in its safe handling and care, I was deemed sufficiently responsible to have it. It as a big day for me. Bigger than the first time my folks turned me loose with family car. I kept it on a horizontal gun rack mounted over my bed. The rack had a small storage drawer for the rifle's cleaning kit...and ammo. In today's world, my parent's would have been criminally charged with child endangerment. I parted with that rifle at the age of 40 (times where tight and I needed the money). I sure do miss that rifle. It was a real tack driver. Got me a spot on the varsity rifle team with it, beating out competitors using Anschutz rifles costing thousands of dollars. I wish I'd never parted with it.

[silentreignofheroes]

LOL , reckon we’re everywhere.

[ReverendJames]

Not sure - I do go to our local gun show once a month ...I see pallets of 7.62 stuff in sealed cans but since I don’t own a gun that uses that round .... but to me, any ammo from the East is pretty dirty esp. Wolf ... several rounds went up the barrel of my Marlin .45 Campgun, jammed (without me realizing it) - changed mags. and blew up the barrel with a US made round ...cracked the furniture too ... Marlin did the non-warranty repair for just $75 ...

[silentreignofheroes]

Add more cheese for spackle.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Now that you own a firearm, please remember to do two things:

1) Practice with it. Truly this is an act of “being and becoming”, as you get used to using your firearm, then become comfortable with it.

2) Clean it, and clean it some more. Your firearm will be a happy firearm.

[Dick Bachert]

Excellent!! Put lots of rounds through it and keep plenty of ammo on hand. The way things are going here, you’ll need that rifle to take the local wildlife for food. I just hope we can stop short of taking the local cats and dogs. Although Col. Benjamin Martin did observe that “Dog makes a fine meal.”

[KoRn]

"Now that case sells for $450."

Maybe two years ago when everyone was running scared of 0bama. Right now, you can buy cases of .223 'range ammo' all day long for around $250-$300 per 1,000rnds. Now's the time to stock up!

[OneWingedShark]

?Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!

Related: National Anthem's Second Verse

[smokingfrog]

This one?

Mosseberg 44US