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Seth Kantner: Wonderful memories of the amazingly accurate black gun
Anchorage Daily News ^ | January 12, 2013 | Seth Kantner

Posted on 01/13/2013 10:08:22 AM PST by thackney

There's been a lot of talk in the news lately about guns. AR-15's have been getting attention again.

Back when I was a kid, it seemed like most of my dad's guns were old and brown, hand-me-downs from various acquaintances.

My brother Kole and I bought our first center-fire rifle when I was 16. We didn't exactly plan to. We ran our dog team to Ambler just to sell wolverine skins -- and came home with an assault rifle.

I sure wanted my own hunting rifle back then. We'd had plenty of run-ins with moose, and climbed a few trees when bears were around and watched wolverines run out of range. I wasn't happy rarely getting to borrow my dad's old Springfield 30-06 with the steel butt plate and baggy iron sights...

Kole and I had my .22 rifle in our sealskin scabbard on our sled, but I wanted something a little larger. At that time Mark Cleveland had a store down by the river in Ambler. Mark would order you a gun -- if you pointed one out in his big catalog, gave him the money and waited.

My dad suggested a Remington .243, but of course he needed to be the one to order it and he believed "waiting" to be a smart policy. "Let's just wait and see," he said. In other words, some year in the future we might order a gun. At that point Mark would have to get around to mailing in the order and then we'd wait more months for it to arrive -- sort of the great-grandfather to the background check.

Around that time, many local hunters switched to .223 caliber rifles. People liked the small bullets and the semi-autos for chasing caribou and wolves. The wooden-stocked Ruger Mini-14 became popular...

(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: ar15; banglist; hunting
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1 posted on 01/13/2013 10:08:31 AM PST by thackney
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To: thackney

Ah, another “We really don’t NEED this type of firearm” article, seeking to divide gun owners into factions that turn against each other. Duly filed in the “ignore” folder.


2 posted on 01/13/2013 10:20:16 AM PST by Charles Martel (Endeavor to persevere...)
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To: thackney
People liked the small bullets and the semi-autos for chasing caribou and wolves.

Caribou get up to 600/700 lbs. .223 seems a little on the anemic side for such large animals.

3 posted on 01/13/2013 10:25:07 AM PST by Sherman Logan
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To: thackney

This socialist turd supported Murkowski and Obama. He can’t lie fast enough to create his platform.


4 posted on 01/13/2013 10:25:07 AM PST by Lion Den Dan
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To: thackney
It seems a little backwards, a little out of hand. As if gun owners are asking a bit too much. I like my assault rifle just fine and understand the thrill in gripping one, firing one. But if it would help a tiny amount toward keeping innocent kids and honest folks safer in our country, I'd give it up. Same if I had any drum clips or grenades. Or land mines. Of course I don't believe guns make people go crazy; I think TV and video games are far worse, but these are basically assault rifles after all.

An accurate hunting rifle was what my brother and I were after three decades ago in Ambler. That was more than we had, more than most of our forefathers ever had. We didn't need a black gun.

An enjoyable read and trip back in time, at least it was until I got to the last couple of paragraphs. At that point, his logic lost me.

5 posted on 01/13/2013 10:25:34 AM PST by GBA (Here in the Matrix, life is but a dream.)
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To: thackney

Great article until you get to the very end, where the author turns weenie:

“It seems a little backwards, a little out of hand. As if gun owners are asking a bit too much. I like my assault rifle just fine and understand the thrill in gripping one, firing one. But if it would help a tiny amount toward keeping innocent kids and honest folks safer in our country, I’d give it up. Same if I had any drum clips or grenades. Or land mines.”


6 posted on 01/13/2013 10:26:37 AM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: thackney
I’d give it up.

OK Seth, you go first. Hint:2A is not about hunting, Seth.

7 posted on 01/13/2013 10:31:41 AM PST by TurboZamboni (Looting the future to bribe the present)
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To: thackney

“But if it would help a tiny amount toward keeping innocent kids and honest folks safer in our country, I’d give it up. Same if I had any drum clips or grenades. Or land mines.”

So, creep, turn ‘em all in. No one is stopping you from surrendering your weapons. Just leave the rest of us alone in your pursuit of libtard utopia.

And, I’m about sick to death of hearing it’s easier to track a Honda than an AR. The Honda is registered at a state level, NOT federal. And, for the record, I don’t agree with that registration, either. Started only as a revenue tool for the local and state governments, IMO.


8 posted on 01/13/2013 10:37:42 AM PST by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. 01-20-2013: Still seeking change.)
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To: thackney
So true in rural Alaska. ARs are second nature, everybody has ARs with 2 points around their neck on snowmachines. I really like the 16 inch barrels, short buttstocks and the quick shooting red dot/ghost ring Acogs when riding 4 wheeler back in on narrow trails. The kids and I have killed all kinds of caribou and blk bear with our ARs. Nothing like catching wolves on the river or around caribou with an AR across your chest. The newer shorter models sure beat my old Colt pre ban with the carry handle which you really have to respect when you open up cross country. That carry handle will bounce up and hit ya in the mouth quick.

Now, I do realize that our second amendment has nothing to do with hunting, but we use them just the same. Rural Alaskans traditionally have used cheap old military guns, M1s, SKS, M-14s, and just luv mini-14s. Funny thing is ever since we picked up the 6.8, 338 fed, and 308 Scar; we never shoot the 223s much anymore. I don't remember how to post picts or I would post some fresh meat picts with ARs.

9 posted on 01/13/2013 10:38:02 AM PST by Eska
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To: thackney

I don’t much care about high cap magazines. They just make the piece heavier and, for me the whole point of the AR is that it is lightweight. But if you give an inch, they take a mile. A good example is the whole “Assault Weapon” nonsense. A true assault weapon is select fire - capable of full automatic firing. The media beats us over the heat with this assault weapon nonsense day in and day out to the point that any repeating arm is now called and assault weapon. The goal appears to be to so confuse the issue that when “Assault weapons” are banned it will include your lever action 30-30 and 1911.


10 posted on 01/13/2013 10:38:02 AM PST by Chuckster (The longer I live the less I care about what you think.)
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To: thackney
End of article:

An accurate hunting rifle was what my brother and I were after three decades ago in Ambler. That was more than we had, more than most of our forefathers ever had. We didn't need a black gun.

Useless pukes -- the article and the author...

11 posted on 01/13/2013 10:38:27 AM PST by piytar (The predator-class is furious that their prey are shooting back.)
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To: Sherman Logan

Usually caribou are not even half of 600-700 lbs, and are much less tough to kill than elk, for example.

Alaskans can take caribou for ‘subsistence’ and historically have frequently used cheap military surplus rounds.


12 posted on 01/13/2013 10:41:29 AM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: thackney

I bought a Mini-14 that was used to hunt black bear, the owner used it successfully for many years, he did feel it was underpowered but it also gave him a challenge to conquer, shot placement.

Being a hunter in Alaska I use a .338 unless its moose and the 12ga slugs work just fine.
If I had to do wolf control though I would use an M1A.

While the AR does make accurate follow up shots its STILL a small bullet.


13 posted on 01/13/2013 10:42:49 AM PST by Eye of Unk (AR2 2013 is the American Revolution part 2 of 2013)
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To: thackney

Assault rifle, clip instead of magazine and shooting caribou at hundreds of yards? Something doesn’t sound right about this article. The Second Amendment isn’t about hunting, it is about resisting an authoritarian government and defending oneself against those who would harm you.


14 posted on 01/13/2013 10:43:31 AM PST by em2vn
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To: thackney
"We ran our dog team to Ambler just to sell wolverine skins -- and came home with an assault rifle. "

Assault rifle?

Anti gun term. Assault rifles are similar to, but different than rape rifles, arson rifles, kidnapping rifles, or robbery rifles.

15 posted on 01/13/2013 10:44:09 AM PST by GregoTX (Federalist)
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To: thackney

Whata bunch of horse pucky.


16 posted on 01/13/2013 10:45:56 AM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Eska

I don’t think anyone got their hands on surplus M14s.


17 posted on 01/13/2013 10:46:29 AM PST by em2vn
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To: thackney

By your (foolish) rationale, there are a whole host of 1 st amendment and other protections you dont “need”, so you should have no problem allowing them to be usurped right? The 2nd amendment is not about hunting and it never was. The 2nd doesn’t “give” the right, it proscribes government infringing on a universal god given right of self defense. “Rational” gun control people don’t even understand what they are arguing about. Amend the Constitution or STFU and quit your unconstitutional overreaching.


18 posted on 01/13/2013 10:46:35 AM PST by 1malumprohibitum
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To: thackney

I guess wee can all get along in sod houses and seal skins eh Seth?


19 posted on 01/13/2013 10:47:08 AM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: thackney
I don't understand the point of this article. He goes to great lengths to point out that his "black gun" is just an accurate hunting rifle, says he's safer having it at home, then says:

"I like my assault rifle just fine and understand the thrill in gripping one, firing one. But if it would help a tiny amount toward keeping innocent kids and honest folks safer in our country, I'd give it up."

Well, will banning black guns keep anyone safer? How about that Ruger Mini? That's a pretty hot little number. How about my Remington 7mm mag that can handle loads generating over 3,400 ft lbs / 3,300 fps? Confiscate those too? How about 5 shot 20 gages? How about anything with pistol grips and more then 1 shot?

20 posted on 01/13/2013 10:47:39 AM PST by uncommonsense (Conservatives believe what they see; Liberals see what they believe.)
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