Sidecarist

Sometimes the only thing we can do is take care of ourselves and not become part of the problem. Civil unrest is not something I thought I'd ever see. I hope it doesn't escallate...

Probably not the best 1st post a bit out of left field... but giving you the benefit of the doubt I'll say... Stay out of the way and don't give the LEO's another person to worry about.

That could make a guy jumpy!

I'll attest to GT's work as well. Don't hesitate if you see what you want though it will be gone in a flash!

The 1911 design is just fine, I have several that are great and as near 100% as anything else I have. The real issue with the 1911 these days is that companies like kimber have tried too hard to make them into something that were never intended to be. Match accuracy guns for defense. To me those two are mutually exclusive. If you want to spend $1500+ on a 1911 go ahead but don't expect 100% reliability and match accuracy from a factory gun. The small gain in accuracy costs too much in reliability for a defensive gun. Serial production doesn't allow for the hand work it takes to make one run and be that tight. Plenty of gunsmiths have made a good living doing that for those that will pay the cost... I used to carry a commander and would still be using it daily if 9mm ammo hadn't improved so much. Now I choose a P320 in 9mm same size more capacity and I don't care if it gets a bit uglier from daily carry. I didn't change because of reliability.

My shirts arrived yesterday. They look great. Thanks!

Regardless of this case I think Chucks point is how do we interact with LEO's to make sure that we are seen as the good guys and don't find ourselves in the same situation. For me its about clear communication and removing any threatening behavior from my side of the transaction. If possible have my ID out and ready. Roll all the windows down if possible to make the interior of the car/passengers visable. (turn on the dome light if its dark). If the officer asks me about being armed/weapons I will tell them. If not I keep my mouth shut. If I do tell the officer that I am armed that's exactly how I say it. NOT "I have a Gun". Then I ASK the officer what they want me to do and do it. Only once was I asked to step out of the car and disarm myself. It was done professionally. I have sympathy for LEO's in general for the work they do and the danger it puts them in. They have a professional duty to protect the public and themselves. I respect that and do my level best to never make them think of me as any kind of threat. Most LEO's have treated me with similar respect in return. We may never know the actual events of this case. It doesn't look good at first blush for any number of reasons. Its a sad thing that a man lost his life. I hope that it does get figured out.

Go to a rental range and spend a few bucks on trying a variety of guns. Glock has a slightly shallower grip angle that works for some better than others. If you are looking at striker guns. the Sig P320 is a good option because of its convertibility between compact & full size etc. I have 2 P320 compacts and like them a lot. My wife's has a small grip module on it and that made a big difference for her. The FN pistols have a good rep and the new Ruger has gotten some pretty good reviews. There are so many options that if you are new to pistols the best option is a rental range where you get to shoot them not just hold them. Good Luck!

I've seen this done and its not as simple as you would think. Turning the barrel is easy enough. Keeping it straight is the hard part. I learned from an old benchrest gunsmith many years ago. He had a special barrel straightening press he built himself after seeing how Shilen and Douglas straightened their blanks after drilling, but before rifling. It's VERY hard to see if the bore is straight after it has been rifled. Stress relieving/cryo treating can help but it isn't a cure all You could go through all the time and expense just to make it shoot poorly after all. My opinion is buy a new barrel in the profile you want.

They have a very nice rebuilding program. It wouldn't surprise me if they go over the whole press for you. It sucks when something reliable breaks down. As Dwarren says man made stuff can and will break. Let us know how it turns out!

I remember a NIKE base near Buffalo NY in the 60's when visiting my grandparents. They sure made an impression!

I have a Grendel P10 380ACP Its a horrible piece of junk. I can't with good faith sell it to anyone so its now a curiosity and a paperweight.

I've been a 1911 guy for decades. A 1992 vintage combat commander in SS is one of my preceded carry guns. Sig P229 also. I have Sig Legion 226SAO that competes for my affections with the 1911. I also have a 220 carry that fits that bill. Flocks run great, but I don't shoot them well with the grip angle. I picked up a Sig P320 that fills that bill now and it is now my ugly gun lighter that the commander, more ammo, and it works well for me. Bolt guns older Savage 110, or an 03A3 Springfield, or Garand. AR's simply work well and you can customize them endlessly but they are a bit soulless. Shotgun is Mossberg 500 in 410 or 20ga depending on the need, or an old police issue Ithaca 12ga pump. Oh forget it I'll take one of each...................

+1 on the armor gear. It ain't always comfortable but kind of like carrying concealed. It's not much use if you aren't wearing it... I spent a couple weeks changing my wife's bandages because it was too hot for the mesh jacket... she still regrets that day when she wears a short sleeve shirt. The flip side is I've been run off the road twice in 25yrs and I was bruised but just bought a new jacket! Wear it!

I gassed up at that station a week ago. Not at 2AM, but just the same, you never know what will happen. I hope that it is proved to be righteous and that the Good Samaritan doesn't suffer any negative effects.

It is an emotional issue for sure. I have always attacked it with logic, but recently have become more aware of the emotion behind it. I see it more clearly as an argument about blaming "bad things" rather than "bad people". I think this is why violence like we are seeing in Chicago, Baltimore, and others is largely ignored, or blamed on drugs, guns, race, religion, etc. It's the belief in sensitivity to others feelings that makes some people so resistant to logic. This thought process is pervasive now. Participation trophies, micro aggressions, assault by thought. If you can come up with a way to drill through this emotional armor, then there is a chance...

After some thought. I'll add these comments. If possible remove any labels such as republican/democrat etc. The media and many experts are doing a good job of making this an "us against them" argument "gun owners against peaceful people" when speaking to non gun owners about this the problem is making the issue personal to them, yet most people never experience real violence in their lifetimes. The feeling of helplessness that is communicated in the press by anti gun writers works because no one wants to be a "victim" of gun violence. No one wants to be victimized by a thing called a gun. It's easy for uninformed people to be against a heartless "thing" rather than admit that they could become a victim of someone violently crazy. Its not about mental health, its about a world full of victims that are happy being placid and depending on others for protection thinking if only they can take away the thing that makes it easy for someone to be violent. They miss the point that the "thing" (gun) is fairly unimportant. Violence it the important issue and the way to prevent most violence is to be an unattractive target. I'm a big guy and I almost never feel intimidated/threatened by anyone. My wife has had many experiences of feeling unsafe around others. No one wants to take guns away from the sheep dogs (police), or the attack dogs (military). They only want to take them away from the people that are unknown to them. People fear the unknown, how do we get them to take responsibility for themselves? They fear those that are tougher and stronger, or even just willing to take responsibility and be the first line of personal defense for themselves. How do we get them to want to be their own sheepdog? Another important fact that is nearly always left out is that gun owners are as a rule more law abiding than average. This is a statistical fact that is easily proven, but it doesn't fit the narrative. I have a friend that when he learned that I am a gun owner/collector admitted he wasn't sure what to think. Luckily he was open minded enough to discuss it and in the end admitted that his perception of guns was the problem, not his perception of me. He had good experiences with me that were provable, and no bad experiences with guns, only a perception from the media... I like this thread because we ALL need to work to change public perceptions away from THINGS being bad, to sometimes people do bad things... In short gun violence is about violence, not guns... Sorry for the long post.

I'll agree with you very nearly 100%... However as a father of 2 millenials I have learned that kids in public school are being socialized in a way that takes away personal responsibility and directs blame at things rather than people. As they have both gotten older and had to face reality in the workplace and life in general I hear them say more and more that I was/am right but it's still unfair... Much that I tried to teach them is lost or buried. Time will tell if they can grasp that there are winner's and loser's in life and the thing that usually makes the difference is personal responsibility. Life is not fair, bad people exist, bad things happen, etc. Things don't make people bad, guns, coal power plants, V8 engines, religion... the list is endless. Regardless it is easier for them to say guns are bad, than to say a bad person used a gun. This is a blind spot for many people and some simply will not open their minds... I applaud your efforts and agree that the conversation needs to change the trick is to get them to listen in the first place.

We have a winner.....

His wife? With Cuff cases!?

Welcome! Good folks here, super helpful.

While I think he is harmless, I wouldn't want to hang out with him. I seriously considered trying to talk to him about poor judgment and the poor image he presented, but I don't think he would have cared, and likely would have been insulted. No sense in creating a scene in the walmart gun dept...

In fact that was his complaint... too heavy. He had a belt around his sweat pants. It was tight enough to cut off circulation. Wish I had a pic, but no opportunity to do it with out asking him permission and I didn't really want more conversation....

I was approached in the Walmart in Dayton last week by a fellow OC a high point 45 in a belt slide. I was looking at ammo as I waited for others to complete their shopping. He tried to start a conversation about poor customer service and also asked what I carry. While he was nice enough, the way he approached me wasn't confidence inspiring. I politely excused myself and moved on. I think others would have been less accepting. I did notice others giving him a wide berth. Open carry in that situation needs the most competen, positive face put on it.. Just my 0.02$

Savage model 24 22 hornet over 20ga If I hadn't sold it. Never seen another one in that combo, it was from the 1950's