wjh2657

I field strip and clean with CLP after every range visit. Detail strip and clean about every third visit. As a trained armorer, I am picky about reliability and carefully inspect working parts every couple of months during detailed cleaning. I field strip,clean and lube once a week on my carry piece, fired or not. I cringe every time I read about feed and fire failures, along with accompanying explanations about what is wrong. Sorry, but they usually sound pretty much like dirty weapons and lack of lube! Have a friend who is a gunsmith and he informs me that I am pretty much on track. Most guns that come to him have dirty actions and/or parts that were cracked for a long time before they finally failed. It seems that the same people who pooh-pooh regular cleaning and inspection are the same ones that are real quick to advise expensive gunsmith solutions for everything that goes wrong. It does no good to have an uber-piece that throws a 200+grain slug with guaranteed 1 shot stop capability if the gun won't work when needed! I hope I never have to draw my CCW, I already have my share of recorded kills, but I sure as hell don't want any surprises or disappointments when I do! MGysgt of Marines

You are about to join the most elite brotherhood of warriors in the world. Anything you do after this will only pale by comparison. " Chaplain, you go to heaven and you get a harp. I go to heaven and I go on the guard roster!" MGySgt of Marines 1961-1991 (all Active Duty)

Louisiana Hot Sauces for flavor (I like the vinegar touch.) Wasabi when I really want something hot. Love wasabi on beef, begs for a large Kirin or SingHa to wash it down!

Anybody besides me change guns when they change their seasonal clothes? I just cleaned and waxed up my 642 and retired it to the safe until spring. Out came the 640 for the cold weather clothes. I really do prefer the heavier steel J Frames, just can't carry one in summer slacks! The 640 will alternate through Pocket carry (cords), IWB and OWB (wool slacks.) I just ordered a Stinger Belt Holster (OWB) for the 640. Thin sweaters call for pocket carry or IWB. Hoodies, coats and bulky sweaters allow the OWB (most comfortable.) Yes, I know I probably could carry a Wilson modified 20 MM AA in an OWB (or at least somebody here will swear they do!) but I keep my SD to a simple drill. The 642 in warm weather, the 640 in cool weather and the 317 for lots of cheap muscle-eye drill. All with the same COMPAC grips so I grab the gun the same way every time. At my age I have a memory challenged learning curve and I have gone with a simple system. I know where everything is, what I need to do (with a minimum of conscious effort) and what is going to happen at the other end. BTW, house gun is whatever I carry all day. So right now it is 640 in mattress holster. Same logic prevails ,with me being half awake, the gun and I are old friends, nothing different to remember or at worst forget! Beware of little old men with smiles on their faces!

The United States is not a Democracy (Democracy as an absolute has failed every time it was attempted) but on Oligarchy loosely based around the framework of a representative republic. Even in the beginning there was a ruling privileged class in America as there is in every country. We do have more individual freedoms in this country, far more than in any other country, but they are held at the pleasure of the ruling groups. I think we are and always will be more free than other countries because we have so many factions competing for top dog in the ruling groups. No one group seems able to stay in power long enough to take everything away from us. A revolution would just cause a shift in the ruling groups, we are too big to operate with popular rule. We live with two kinds of socialism in our country: Populist socialism: take care of the working class and the less powerful groups in our society. Can be used to an excess and stifle progress and innovation. National Socialism: take the government's money (tax dollars) to keep the industrial and financial base lucrative and operative. Leads many times to "rape and pillage" by Corporate CEOs. There is very little competitive Capitalism left in our country. Most companies of any size are kept afloat by government subsidies and lobbied contracts (tax dollars) Most of the ranting so called Capitalists in our country are actually National Socialists and fear free market and competitive capitalism. We are living in a period right now where National Socialism is losing its effectiveness and become almost totally dependent on the government to survive. With the government takeover of the Banks and some industries, we are rapidly becoming one of the largest socialist countries in the world. And this came from the right wing of our government, not the Populist Socialists. The extreme right wing of any government will tend more toward National Socialist instead of Capitalism and free enterprise. The other side is that extreme swing to the left by Populist Pocialism tends toward Marxism if left unchecked. Free enterprise and free market capitalism with a concern for public welfare and education is in the middle not the right or left. Both forms of Socialism are bad routes, and the only hope is to keep them in check. as we are stuck with a two party system, with one side National Socialist and the other side Populist Socialist, we cannot depend on either party to hold a moderate path for any length of time. By changing the hold on the reins of government between the two parties often (every four years) we may be able to keep the pendulum swing towards the middle. I personally feel that as voters we need to restrict either party from keeping power too long. Eight years is too long for either party and allows them to damage the system. Yes I am a Libertarian and very much a moderate conservative.

Does a saloon become a church because it is Sunday? Or is it still a saloon? I don't think I would risk prison and/or losing my HCP forever (felony conviction) just because I was trying to test the law. I think it would depend a lot on just how important it was to the local prosecutor to get a conviction. If he wanted one hard enough I"m pretty sure you would lose. Lawyers do funny things with "intent" of the law, regardless of the wording. I don't normally carry inside a restaurant anyways. I have evaluated every place I eat at and have come to the conclusion that the people are packed in too tight. It is an almost certainty that some of the slugs are going to over penetrate and take out an innocent bystander. With my luck it would be some kid or a pregnant mother of five! Just my own call, not necessarily preaching the point.

Does a saloon become a church because it is Sunday? Or is it still a saloon? I don't think I would risk prison and/or losing my HCP forever (felony conviction) just because I was trying to test the law. I think it would depend a lot on just how important it was to the local prosecutor to get a conviction. If he wanted one hard enough I"m pretty sure you would lose. Lawyers do funny things with "intent" of the law, regardless of the wording. I don't normally carry inside a restaurant anyways. I have evaluated every place I eat at and have come to the conclusion that the people are packed in too tight. It is an almost certainty that some of the slugs are going to over penetrate and take out an innocent bystander. With my luck it would be some kid or a pregnant mother of five! Just my

I have a prepaid legal service. One toll free call anywhere in the U.S. and I have a lawyer rolling. Shop around there are several good services in every area. By the way, this was covered in strong detail at our HCP classes in Galatin. Recommendation was a lawyer on retainer (Can be expensive) or legal service ( usually cheaper but just as effective.) I have laminated card in wallet right under HCP that I hand to LEO, smile, shut up and call my service. You need t have a pre-planned legal backup if you carry!

Ford Chrome Yellow auto touch up paint on the front sight of all of my snubbies. I picked yellow because it works best for me, try your own colors. I see yellow, go boom! I started painting my sights after my first S&W 19 (Red Insert) where I found I could shoot better with it than my other guns. Then at Gunsite they told us we could paint front sight for quick acquisition and that just reaffirmed earlier conclusion. You can pick it up at Wally World or any good auto parts store. By the way, most Walmarts have stopped carrying model kits and craft paint, so it can be very hard to find anymore.

Some good replies here. Just to let you know I didn't mean it as a trap, "splintered door and crowbar in hand" will mean 5 fast reports from my J-frame also. My question was when no weapon is visible and you have waited too long to react, wouldn't letting them escape be the safest route? Take a good hard look so you can identify them later and return to a ready mode. Holding anybody at gun point sounds terribly risky to me, if you fire at them later because they try to get up it will sure look like an execution. Might go in Texas with Mexicans as BGs but I don't really think it will fly under the "Self Defense Litmus Test" in Tennessee, especially if the BGs turn out to be relatives of a lot of locals. I think the Castle Doctrine is only a help if you are startled or there is a forcible break in. Somebody coming through an unlocked door or you catching them inside during a burglary might well be outside the pale of CD, with the old SD rules coming into play. I don't really know, but I won't feel real comfortable with it until we see some case law. Meanwhile, I do lock my doors, ADT is turned on and S&W is by the bed. I am going to have splintered door and siren blaring when the LEA arrive.

Below is the link we used for HR 1907 (proposed CD law.) Others in forum have posted other, probably more current links. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ The information about instructing the jury is in the book: Carrying a Handgun for Self Defense in Tennessee (Third Edition) ,John L. Harris III, pp 74-85. Remember here, This was just a discussion and I asked others for info. I am not stating any legal case here. A lot of the doubt was raised by the personal experience of the Public Defender and Prosecutor that were present in the original discussion. Needless to say they didn't give any references that I could quote, although similar case law info was in the book referenced.. The point brought forth by the attorneys was that the prime "litmus test" is still going to be the plea of self defense , based on a reasonable fear and a reasonable reaction. Castle Dictrine did not change the wording or conditions for reasonable fear other than that you can presume the worst. However the prudent or reasonable action may still be construed by a jury to mean seeking cover (safe room) and warning the perpetrator. If perpetrator did not enter room than you taken reasonable force and action and deadly force was avoided. If you took no action but to meet the guy and blow him away in your living room, is it not possible that a liberal jury may feel that excessive force was used and convict for manslaughter? If you are watching TV and door suddenly comes crashing down and a guy who is not a LEO (how do you tell? A lot of cops look pretty scruffy these days.) come rushing through the door, we were pretty sure that you are covered to open up COM and do your duty. If you are in the same space and there is no time, you do not have to retreat. If you have to cross over to other rooms to check on children and encounter the BG, we were pretty sure you can fire if you encounter him while he is moving toward you. The point is that you still have to meet all of the conditions for Self Defense. Whoever told you that the prosecutor has to prove you didn't fire in self defense is not totally honest with you. The prosecutor only has to raise doubt in the minds of the jury as to self defense. You don't determine anything in court, the jury decides whether it was self defense or not. It isn't what happened that counts, it is what the jury thinks happened that counts (personal experience from sitting on jurys.) I am still running my house drill for nightime break-in (us in bed)to stay in bedroom as safe room (no kids and mom and I still sleep together!) and warning I have called police (we have ATD and siren will probably be going too). Unless he fires into bedroom or enters bedroom, very unlikely I will fire. A macho hero's reward in this type of case could be a number and a cell, as well as family on the street because you lost the house in a law suit. At 65, and current financial situation in U.S. it is not something I can worry about after the fact. Are you totally immune from the "reasonable fear and actions" part of the self defense law because you are in your home? I honestly don't know, my lawyer buddies felt it was possible for the shoot to go down against you. This ain't Dodge City and I ain't Bill Hickock!

I am thoroughly confused about "Castle Doctrine" as it applies here in Tennessee. I need help from folks who really know (LEO, Lawyers, Instructors, etc) 1. Duty to retreat and reasonable grounds : (HR1907) "Under this bill, a person who is not engaged in unlawful activity and is in a place where such person has a right to be would have no duty to retreat before: 2) Threatening or using force intended or likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the person has a reasonable belief that there is an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, the danger creating the belief of imminent death or serious bodily injury is real, or honestly believed to be real at the time, and the belief of danger is founded upon reasonable grounds" It is my understanding that the jury can still be instructed in the principle of duty to retreat and may consider that in their findings of reasonable grounds for fear. In short if the shooter could have retreated the threat may have diminished or disappeared and therefore shooting was not based on reasonable fear. Reasonable grounds for fear is determined by jury, not individual's actual perceptions at the time. In other words, jury decides from their perception of situation if there was reasonable grounds for fear. Protection from lawsuit: (HR1907) "The court would award reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, compensation for loss of income, and all expenses incurred by a person in defense of any civil action brought against the person based upon that person's use of force if the court finds that the person's use of force was justified." If the jury decides against me (not Justifiable homicide) I stand to lose everything, including the "castle". There is no "blanket" protection against civil suit just because the shooting occured in my house. In short everything still depends on jury and their decisions. Nice words , but it seems to me that I am under exactly the same rules in my house as I am on the street. The law does not say I can shoot anybody for breaking in my house at night. I can only shoot them if I can prove to a jury that i was actually in threat of my life ( as per the normal argument for self defense.) That means an actual assault upon my person or my wife, started within a reasonable distance (30' or less) by somebody with a deadly weapon. This argument is based on observed SD cases in court (Case Law) and not the letter of the law. I am not arguing about the law, I just think it is important to understand what it says before I become a guest of the state.

Globalization only works if it goes both ways. If they sell their stuff here and we don't sell our stuff there (or we don't make stuff to sell anymore!) then it doesn't work. This is situation we are in right now. We don't even have a healthy domestic market because we don't make that many items in-country. Helping shareholders and stock brokers isn't the answer, that is "dead" money that only goes to make rich people richer. American Industry needs a boost(conditional low interest loans dependent on staying here in the States). American companies need to open/re-open American plants and American Consumers need to buy American goods. (Anybody notice how many times that word American cropped up?) We are not globalized. We just buy foreign goods while the foreign economies don't buy ours. Sounds dangerously like being a sucker in a con game to me!

I don't advertize anything, either with stickers on my car or with my style of dress. If for any reason, I have to come down like a load of bricks on some guy, I want it to be a complete surprise! Mild mannered grandpa turned super trouble from out of the blue! Do not underestimate the value of shock!

Most presidential elections are determined with a difference of less than 1-2% of the popular vote. I know the Electoral process actually decides the President and not the people. On the other hand I think it is important that history show that most presidents do not have a mandate from the people as they like to claim. When he speaks about the people of the United States wanting something done, he is only speaking for approximately half of the people of the United States. The popular vote is the only way to document this. At any one time, an administration's policies are only desired and supported by half or less of the population. Kind of gives you a different perspective doesn't it? Approval polls only reflect one issue and usually only what the media has pumped up. The popular vote shows the actual feeling of all voting citizens. If you don't vote than you have not offered an opinion and are sheep and bleating is not worth listening to! Voting, if nothing else, is going on the public record as to how you feel. Given that, even votes for independents are not "lost" but serve as an indication of dissatisfaction with both candidates. Presidents are not kings and chosen by GOD, and like Prime Ministers, you don't have to believe that every thing they do is "right". Now if we can just get the Presidents to understand that!

Sympathize with you bro. I have not only gotten puffier but older and less coordinated too. Had to sell my 1911s and switch to lightweight .38 snubbies. I pocket carry now. Side result is that I find I carry more often now as it is more comfortable and easier to be less self concious about the pistol being with me. The Glock was one of those "too good a deal to turn down" things, I don't carry it yet. I tried small autos but had some issues with all of them ( I'm not going to go into a bashing mode here) they just didn't work for me. I am still stuck with a jamamatic small auto but it will probably go in trade for a K-Frame Smith before too long.

I have owned over a dozen 1911s and clones over the years. Full sized and Commanders were all super guns. An Officers' Model and Detonic shorty were nightmares (FTF and FTE). I also owned some shorty 9mms-same problem. Based solely on my own experience, stick with Commander or Service size in 1911 system for SD weapon. Commander or clone is not that hard to conceal BTW and is one sweet piece! I left 1911s because I got older and more forgetful (revolver for KISS!) and I started pocket carry. 1911 is still one hell of a gun.

I live near a large community of Mennonites. Within their community, they live by their religious laws and customs. they don't expect others to do so. Outside their community boundries, they live by the law of the land. They acknowledge that when they enter into the outside community that they are bound by the laws of that community. They don't change all of their customs but they speak English ( they have their own language within their own community) and follow the law. They live by their faith, but can interface with the outside. Consequence is that we honor their customs when we enter their community (we buy a lot of produce from them.) Before I enter the Mennonite area I remove my EDC and place it in the trunk Gun Vault. We are careful in our dress (nothing offensive) and very careful in our language. It can be done, problem lies in dealing with any faith (not just Muslim, Judaism doesn't bode well with Christians if you read the Talmud, and there are others including Christian sects, mainly OT based, that don't put much value on our lives) that feels it has the right to impose their religious/cultural laws on the community at large. I don't mean to slight the Jewish people, because they have exercised tolerance and usually obey the laws of our society better than most of us do, but when you start quoting scriptures potential lies there for hard core groups to be troublesome just it does with Christian groups Islamic groups need to decide if they wish to follow only their religious laws or recognize societal laws as binding when in that society. After that is settled, then we as a society can determine whether they are part of our society or if they are some sort of threat to be dealt with. That doesn't mean we can force them to become Christians in custom if not in fact. There must be a way that they can stay Muslim if they wish.

Consumption of the alcohol should be the criterion. I like to eat at a lot of places that serve alcohol (Chilis, Appleby's, O'Charleys, Logans, etc.) and if I were carrying I would not consume alcohol. As it is now I cannot and do not carry in those places. If I don't drink then nothing has changed from eating at McDonalds. I do drink, but normally only at home. I am not a closet drinker but I have to drive anywhere I go and I can't drink and get back in a car. At home I pick a time that I feel relatively safe and make a compromise. I take the gun out of my pocket and place it in the Gun Vault next to my bed. I don't handle it at all until the next morning. It is readily available but I do not have a tendency to inadvertantly set it off. The trouble in being inebriated is not so much silliness as clumsiness. Your reactions are too slow and you are much more likely to do something wrong and pull trigger inadvertantly. The same would prevail if I were out drinking. Consumption should be the key. That pertains to LEO and HCP. If bar/restaraunt owner feels differently then he has legal right to post. Then LEO and HCP have the right to choose not to eat in that establishment.

For ccw the only difference would be in how well you take care of your weapon. If you are willing to wax/oil your gun finish on a regular basis, a blued gun is fine. Stainless also takes some care but is more forgiving if you get lax. If you are carrying IWB, stainless is usually preferred because of the perspiration problem. The same prevails however in that this isn't a real problem if you wipe down and recoat your gun everyday you carry. Police detectives carried blue S&W 36s for decades and many of their guns are still around with almost pristine finishes. I pocket carry, so it isn't as much an issue. I like stainless just because you see the stuff you need to clean and I just feel a little more comfortable that I have cleaned the weapon thoroughly. If you are Concealed carrying, weather shouldn't be the issue it would be in an open holster duty weapon ( although most of those are and have been blued!) I wipe my gun down with a soft cloth before carrying everyday and I wipe it down again with a soft cloth at night before putting on the nightstand. Every three or four days I put a fresh coat of Johnsons Wax (thin coat!) on it. BTW most of my guns are stainless steel! I'd go more for what kind of price I can get on the gun than I would by what finish it has. It is going to be concealed remember?

Maverick 88 , short barrel, 12 guage, pump and way cheaper than any of the sporting shotguns. Maverick is just a less frilly Mossberg 500 with a military type safety and black epoxy instead of bluing or camo. I use handgun (revolver)for house gun and I EDC with a TN HCP, but even the revolver takes a lot of practice to really be safe and efficient with it. I have also been shooting handguns for 51 years! Shot gun is best used from a fixed position in a safe room. Don't try room sweeps or wandering around outdoors looking for bad guys! Anybody jumping you out of dark will probably get the shotgun away from you. Get behind bed, aim shotgun across bed at door. Easy drill, awesome results!

I'm a conservative, but I seriously believe that this is financial blackmail. We are told that people will lose their jobs. I'm sorry, but they already have, at current rate of moving out of US, industry will have taken all of the jobs away to other countries by 2010 anyways. Anybody that believes that this is a "loan" is a fool, not one dollar of the money from later resell of these properties will end up back in the Treasury. This is one great big end of tour award to their financial masters by a corrupt government. most of the CEOs that set this mess up (and profited greatly) are now cabinet members or presidential advisors. We have a gun at our head and no good solution in sight. It is time to tax the rich, not just them, but let them carry part of the burden for their mess. This was not a natural disaster, but the result of one great big greedy drive for personal wealth. Banks and other institutions acted totally irresponsibly in lending money to people who couldn't pay the money back. they then sold the mortgages to somebody else. Sooner or later it hits the truth that the home owner cannot pay for a home that is way more than he needed to begin with. I have many empty new houses around me. Young couples with one child contracted for 5 and 6 bedroom house with three car garages but the couples were making less than $75,000 between them, and the Banks lent them the money. Now the bandits that lent the money want the Middle class (the real taxpayers) , to cover their mistakes so that they can still reap a profit. Do I have an answer? No I don't, I don't think there is an answer that will benefit the average American in any way. We have been raped, and now they are ordering us to pay the rapist for his services!

Moot point. the UN building is not in New York. The UN building is in a unique situation where it is not a part of the country they are situated in. He did not speak in New York, he spoke at the UN. We didn't let him into country, he entered the free corridor to the Non-American soil of the UN. Iran is a member of the UN and they have the right to voice their opinions, that is what the UN was built for. Do I believe it works completely? No, the UN hasn't prevented any of the little wars and petty rebellions around the world in the last couple of decades that have been killing millions of innocent civilians all around the world. It has however had good success in humanitarian efforts and efforts to feed and give medical care to children all over the world. It is the UN, not the US. If the leader of Iran stood up and spoke at Rockefeller center, I'd see reason to be upset. Speaking at UN? No, I am not going to get upset.

Talking Glocks to me is like a whole bunch of people at a beer party. They will all agree that Ferraris are great cars and that BMWs really rock. When they leave the party they get into their Chevy pickups and head home. Glocks are the Chevrolet pickups of the semiauto gun world. they are not the prettiest nor the most intricately engineered, but they are what most people slide into their holster. I drive a Chevrolet and I own a Glock 23. Not really unhappy with either one. they both fit my income and my lifestyle. Most important they get the job done. No, Glocks don't suck.

Personal feeling: any kind of activity that lets you handle your weapon with live ammo is worth the time, just to get you familiar with gun to the point you don't have to think about how to operate it. A few thoughts about real SD scenarios: I am not going to rescue hostages. Too old for Delta Force. As a civilian I don't really believe I have the authority or legal right to get into this business anyways. I am not going to take long range shots (long range is anything over 7 yards) as I am no longer a sniper (was once) and again if they are that far away, don't think it's going to fly as a SD in court! Its going to happen real fast and I don't think any training is going to really prepare or spoil me for shooting at a cursing, screaming. rushing target at 10-15 feet in a parking lot or my living room. Familiarity with the weapon is again going to be the key. Tactics just went South! I am not going to confuse any of my training with what is now happening. I am going to be scared s---less and I am going to empty 5 .38s into COM as best I can, and pray the SOB goes down. I am not an LEO, I'm a little old man with a gun, and I don't get enough of any training to screw up my tactical mindset or develop bad habits. Again any shooting I can get in to make me feel comfortable with a gun is going to help, not hinder me. If you can do it and have fun too, go for it! If it is a real SD incident, which means you are jumped in a surprise move, you don't have times to make mistakes in your OPPLAN, because there is no freaking OPPLAN! Draw, Point, Shoot, again and again, and pray the attacker goes down. Everything else is SWAT and Delta Force. This is mainly a SD forum and I'll bet that 95% of the real situations most of the guys here will ever have to face will be just as above. I spent 30 years in the USMC, lot's of that in combat, and all I want now is to be left alone. The CCW is for people who can't do that to the point of endangering me. Ranting and ravings of an elderly, opinionated, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant of Marines. That doesn't make me an expert but it does make me dangerous!