GeminII

It's better than Corker's response, which in my case made no allusion to the content of my message to him at all... That said, Cooper's response is not encouraging.

I got the "sharing your feelings" response. I feel cheated. RKBA. Logos>Pathos.

None can deny: a gun-toting, gun-rights-minded democrat is a good thing, and something that is essential in the battles we face to kill much of the ill conceived gun legislation coming down the pike. These are allies infiltrating enemy ranks. While still a democrat, I purposed it in my heart to become a responsible, law-abiding gun owner. Having never shot a gun, I bought one and qualified for my HCP. Since then, it's been consistent, dedicated, training and practice.   What can I say? Gun ownership has a way of shifting one's worldview to a more freedom-oriented perspective. For me personally, there was an "ah-ha" moment along the line. I am responsible for my own safety, as well as that of my loved ones, and even innocents in harm's way. The government cannot, and does not, fill this role well. This is a God-given responsibility. It is backed up by a God-given right. The Constitution testifies to this right. There are people who would (to their own detriment) nullify this right for themselves and everyone else for political expediency, or out of sheer ignorance. Along the same lines of thinking, there are a lot of laws for "the greater good" that are very authoritarian, unjust, and in general an encroachment upon individual rights. Seat belt laws, helmet laws, etc., come to mind. As it stands today, I am an example of what I used to call the political unicorn: a Constitutionally minded, gun toting, freedom loving, Black conservative. Kind of cracks me up, actually. And this came to be through stepping out into the unknown wilderness of the "gun culture" to mine if for all it had to offer. Great people, tasty freedom, lots of fun, self-reliance. I've got a LONG list of people to take to the range, most of them liberals. So far, every single person I've taken really enjoyed the experience and is interested in getting a permit. Whether they become conservative or republican doesn't matter to me. What matters is that they taste, in some measure, the freedom they've been missing. That is never a bad thing. The rest will follow.

I picked up my PPQ 9mm at G&L a couple months ago. Nearing 2k rounds now with no FTE or FTF, with a variety of ammo - so, very reliable. Feels great in hand, and I actually prefer the mag release, which can be actuated without changing grip or canting the weapon. Accuracy is dead on; even for the beginner it is a pleasure to shoot. In my opinion, it does everything well. The PPQ feels like an extension of the hand that shoots it. Surprisingly for its size, it carries well too. The gun is fully cocked when you rack it, so I consider it SAO. Trigger break is crisp, with a very short, tactile reset. A decocker would have been nice, but not at the expense of trigger perfection. The Magtech Baby Desert Eagle magazine ($30) is a perfect match for the 2nd gen Walther P99 mags that ship with the gun. I have had it in rotation from the beginning and performance is exactly the same as factory for half the price.

Oh my ... Removing foot from mouth... Apologies! That is a SWEET LC9 good Lady Sour Kraut! I was on the hunt for a Talo when I lost patience and grabbed a run o' the mill LaserMax model.

Great little gun! Yes, the trigger is long - but it's easy to get used to. I was surprised by the accuracy. Build quality is good, but the bluing on the barrel will wear quickly; if you don't like, you can just polish it ;-) Have about 800 rounds through it, no major troubles. I appreciate the safety features, but some have opined that they are overkill. Very satisfied with purchase, overall. Kraut, that's a beautiful Talo man. Niiice.

Hey everyone! I PASSED!!! Now I have my TN Handgun Safety certificate. Gonna run that down to the DMV tomorrow and keep the process moving. In the meantime... I have a LOT of practicing to do! My marksmanship is nowhere near where I want it at this point. There are some things in life that you know you were born to do, first time out. For me, this is not that! LOL! But I'm willing (and DETERMINED) to do this thing WELL. Exceedingly so. And so it begins!!!

Hey, thanks everyone for the welcome! So, I got it this afternoon: Ruger LC9 with the LaserMax Sight. I'm pumped! Now I want to take the HCP course ASAP. Not sure where yet. I'd thought Guns and Leather might be a good place, though a little far. In a thread on this forum I saw that the Armory (over on Kennilwood) also has classes and while more expensive, it's like 15 min away, so convenient. You guys have any recommendations? I can hardly wait to get started!

Hello everyone, my name's Rocky. I live in Nashville (born & raised here). By the time you read this, I'll have just bought my first handgun (as the topic says, I'm BRAND NEW). Anyway, I just happened upon this site while doing some research and I'm excited to learn all I can while taking my first steps in gun ownership. In time I hope to be able to contribute more. For now, I'm just a) excited to get started, pleased to have found this place, and c) looking to take the TN concealed weapon permit class within the next week or so!