wjh2657

Westmoreland has two good meat and threes: Corner Cafe (HWY 52 and 231/31/6) Cathy's Country Cupboard (Left at the second traffic light going north.) Both are reasonable and really good country style food. Real friendly staff too. Eat in both at least once a week.

Raised in church. Found Jesus. Through Jesus found GOD. Realized what and who GOD really is. (which is what Jesus wanted us to do.) Realized church didn't really understand who and what GOD is. Left church. Still very much with GOD!

Come on up the ridge and take a look around northern Sumner and Macon county. Property taxes are low and property prices are still reasonable. You are one hour from Bowling Green, Nashville, and Hendersonville (lots of malls). You are around an hour away from Percy Priest Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, Dale Hollow and Old Hickory lakes. Just have to drive a little slower so you don't hit the deer at night. I don't know for sure which side God is actually with in this world , but I'm pretty sure he stops off for the fried chicken Sunday afternoons in Macon County! I am retired and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Used to love to sit out and watch thunderstorms. February 6, 2008, Lafayette, Macon County, 2230 hours. Tornado took our house from over our heads and buried us in the rubble. Totally wasted five neighborhoods, destroyed 50+ homes. After digging out I have lost a lot of my innocence about thunderstorms. I now watch weather on TV. It was Channel 5 that saved our bacon, warned us in time to get into closet which was the only thing not sucked up into funnel. Bravado and bravery are not even spelled the same! Mother nature can kick your a-- in a moments notice. I am much more fond of clear skies these days.

I have been a member of the Libertarian Party since 2001. For the record, prior to Reagan I was a staunch Republican. When I realized that the GOP was not free market and was controlled by Industry Giants, I bailed out. The sad fact is that both parties are controlled by big money and special interest groups and couldn't care less about you and me. Obama'/McCain, it doesn't matter. They both will serve their masters and not us. We apparently have a Supreme Court that is becoming closer and closer to the Constitution, so that is the only safeguard we have. We have professional politicians and they run a professional government. Professional means you do it for the money, and they are real pros! We could vote Mickey Mouse in and it wouldn't change one bit. Have you noticed that neither candidate has said anything about Repealing the Patriot Act and restoring private citizens' rights? The War in Iraq isn't the problem, the War Against the Middle Class is the problem. Join the NRA, vote against anti-gun politicians and pray that the Supreme Court keeps making decisions that let's us keep our guns.

Just spent a whole bunch of bucks and ordered (from Amazon) the rest of the (Redigitalized) Bond movies I couldn't pick up at Wally World. I grew up with James Bond and Sean Connery is Bond. Connery played him as the stone cold killer and never going to grow up kid that Ian Fleming wrote him up. Bond was never supposed to be too sophisticated or be a nice guy. He had some social skills but only if they got him what he wanted! Connery had the raw magnetism and just enough bad boy image to make it work. If I had to pick a successor though, Craig so far is the only one with the raw animal aura. The rest were too cute and too good old boy and school tie for me. Connery was the true Double O. smile shake their hand and then waste the SOB! And he always made you feel like he actually enjoyed his work! BTW nobody has reissued the Lazenby video and it is pretty much unavailable, so others seem to feel the same way about that movie.

I hope USMC doesn't follow suit. I liked both dress uniforms in USMC (wore both) But the one thing I really liked about Marine greens was that the only bright insignia on them was your rank,wings, badges and ribbons (including Pistol and Rifle Marksmanship badges). In short the only thing that stood out was what you as an individual had earned. You stood out in uniform because you had earned the right to stand out! Everything else was subdued and standard. Greens were more business like and appropriate when dealing with civilian counterparts too. The greens were a real professional looking uniform in the civilian environment. I have noticed that I can tell a Jarhead from a Soldier from the back on TV. The Gyrene's uniform fits , the other guy looks like he is in PJs. Not their fault and doesn't keep them from being outstanding fighting men, but they do look sloppy! MGysgt (Ret)

Being a certified old fart (on Social Security) I dress in loose, comfortable dockers, cords or jeans a size too big just to be comfortable. My shirts, sweatshirts and sweaters are likewise a size too big, just to be comfortable around the waist and neck. If anybody says anything, I just tell them I'm losing weight! With this given, a 642 in pocket holster or 640 in IWB present no real problems. I just grab something out of the closet. Old farts don't have to be fashion plates! I only make two concessions to carry: I wear substantial belts and have my front right pockets reinforced with extra material and stitching). Everybody around thinks grandpa is the most harmless guy in town! ( Alter ego: Mad Dog Retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant!)

Same here. I have several Semi Autos and enjoy them, but I carry S&W revolvers. I have had several scary experiences with bottom feeders at the range, all ammo problems, and it has turned me against carrying any for SD. Most of those BFs were 1911s or 1911 clones by the way. I carried 1911s for the better part of 30 years in USMC and had some bad experiences there too. I'm not dissing 1911s in particular, I think all semiautos are prone to possible ammo problems. I just trust a good wheelgun more!.

I keep doors locked and security lights on at night. S&W 686 is somewhere nearby (nightstand at night). But I like to relax at home, so I don't carry in house. Security measures will buy me time to get 686. I do slip my BERSA380 or 642 in my back pocket when I go out of the house for trash or go to garage however. Houses here are on 2 acres or more and there is a lot of dark space between houses.

Different situations in different areas. In our area we mostly have to worry about Gang type Wannabes. We rarely have any professional crooks or robbers. Mostly it is 14-22 year olds out to make their bones. I taught in a Class 3 DYD Group home (read reform school) for five years and in a Behavior Classroom (Alternative School) for four years. A juvenile or gang member is not going to run away because you have a gun. The more intimidating you are, the more "points" he gets with "his boys" for shooting you. If you are a cop, it is almost an automatic promotion. You don't want to look like a woos, just so ordinary that you aren't a trophy. The good old boys just out of the pen for Meth production are also wired to go after cops and bad-a-- good guys. The more common you are, the safer you are. I base all of this on my discussions with and studying case files of many "students" in for attempted murder. There was a time and place that the BGs were wary of authority and people who looked tough. Now a days those types are more targets than people to avoid. The Juvies told me time and time again that the safest place to be was in a herd and look like all the rest of the herd. The herding instinct works for humans too! The occasional odd ball nut that is out to get the whole world and attack the whole herd is going to be a threat no matter what you do. And I don't really believe that the "Columbine Kid" is going to be frightened by the appearance of an OC gun. He is just going to prioritize his targets (take out OC first!) I carry to have at least a chance to survive, but I have no illusions that it makes me any more immune to the kind of crazies we have out there. I don't change clothes in a telephone booth either!

I read a lot here about guys who like to advertise that they carry (Decals, Badges, big guns print across the room, etc.) Maybe I am totally off target, but my main philosophy is that I don't want the other guy to know I am carrying. If he knows I am carrying I have given him lead time to formulate a plan on how to take me. I want the S&W 64X to be a complete surprise at the last moment. I am not inviting the SOB to a duel, I am actually trying to avoid him completely. If the shtf I want to be the one with the surprise and the lead time. The first notice I have a piece should be the loud bang and the feel of several pieces of hot metal tearing into his thorax. If the incident doesn't go down I still don't want anybody else to know I am/was armed. I like the impression that I give that I am just a little elderly baldheaded grandpa. It keeps me from being involved in stupid things with stupid people in stupid places. I look harmless and overzealous LEOs don't normally target me as trouble, so if I don't get into a shooting bout, I will probably be allowed to walk away without further incident. If I advertise my armed status, I am going to have more problems than I need. I personnaly feel that those of us who carry should forget the politics and macho stuff and keep as low a profile as possible. I intend to walk in the crowd with only my wife knowing I am armed, nobody else needs to know. How do others feel about this.

Start this off with the fact that I am not a cop. I have served as an LEO in the past, but it wasn't a career. I have applied for an HCP and firmly believe in the right to bear arms (NRA Member). But the truth is this isn't 1876 and Tennessee isn't Dodge City either. Guns do draw attention. With all of the media coverage about innocent people being shot in public places, people are touchy about handguns being carried in public places. The other factor is nobody knows whether you are legit or not. I know there are paroled felons wandering around with a piece on them. Most of them are close kin of the folks who would call a cop on you, so they know that you may not be legit. The responsible citizen just went Condition Orange, probably good headwork on her part! I'm sorry but I don't like the HCP badge concept. Smacks too much to me of impersonating an officer. Bottom line, I fully expect that if I carry, I will from time to time be called down for it. Cooperate with the LEO, he's just doing his job, and you'll get back to what you were doing before. The officer walked you out to make sure he was clear of innocent bystanders in case you weren't legit and the incident turned ugly. This was good headwork on his part. Smart police practice is just that, not an attempt to deprive anybody of their rights. EDC as a responsible aware citizen and accept the public image. We who carry are only a small part of a much larger picture and we must learn to live with that.

I am currently in the process of going from 40+ years of Pistol Team (USMC and Police) (Target) shooting to Personal Defense (PD) shooting. I have sold my service length weapons and bought all short barrel guns for quick sight acquisition with my failing elderly eyesight. I have started drills at short range for point shooting and shooting fast. I mostly follow the "4X5" rule of contact. I hip shoot (one hand)at 3 yards, then two hand and one hand at five yards. I've learn to quit worrying about groups. I do this at the Indoor Range Club every two weeks.( I did attend Gunsite in the 80's and well remember the Colonel's axiom about tight groups mean you are shooting too slow!) It is hard, not worrying about 4-5" groups, but it is real as it pertains to street shooting. I do a lot of dry-fire drills with snap caps and speed loaders at home too. This type of shooting requires a lot more mind-eye-motor coordination and familiar habits than range (Target) shooting.

Try MAAS cream. I got a tube at Wally World. It is a little expensive but a little bit goes a long way, It leaves a clear finish, wax I believe, to protect the finish. I finish up my cleaning with MAAS now with all of my SS revolvers.

Ruger MKII/MKIII are always a good bet. I carried a MK1 50 years ago as my holster gun when trapping muskrat in Ohio. I have always had a variant ever since. I currently have a Ruger MKII 50th Anniversary edition, but with wood target stocks. Simple, rugged and accurate to boot. I'm primarily a wheelgun guy but with a .22 you are going to want the extra ammo capacity for plinking fun. Ruger MKs have never let me down!

I shoot .38 Spl, .40 S&W and .380 WWB from Walmart all the time. I have never had any problems with it. I am not a rabid Walmart fan, but face it, big business is both our government and religion in the USA. It has been that way since John Adams took the presidency, not an invention of this administration. Live with it or live in misery. Look up oligarchy in the dictionary and forget the High School Government class stuff. It is still the most pleasant country in the world to live in. I know, I have visited most of the others. In reply to dirty ammo. Ammo is an explosive powder, it burns and leaves residue. Bullets are made of frangible metal, also leave residue. In short, I expect gun to be dirty. As a retired Marine (thirty years) I always clean my weapons and relube them fresh after every firing. Also gives me a chance to check all the critical parts and make sure nothing broke or bent during firing. "Dirty" ammo is just ammo doing its job. Even "clean" ammo isn't clean enough to neglect cleaning. BTW. The Walmart in Lafayette is very shooter/hunter friendly. They will order for you if they don't have it. We also have a real nice Guns and Archery Shop (Antlers and Feathers) in town. So those you carping about availability, swing on up to Macon County. Pretty country with lots of critters too!

I edc S&W 642 or 640 (depends on weather) but I own a nice Bersa Duotone Thunder (.380) and it is an accurate and easy to shoot piece. It and my G23 are my favorite indoor range guns. I just like the feeling of confidence I get about reliability with wheelguns when my life could be at stake. If I were buying new in your price renge, Bersa is a safe bet and probably the best in price range.. If I were buying used, I'd look at a used 9MM. Just my thoughts. I'm not knocking bottom feeders, but be careful in ammo selection (try everything at range before carrying) and keep the piece very clean and well lubed.