analog_kidd

My wife has finally come over away from the darkside and decided she likes shooting enough that she wants her own gun. We went to the range and she tried a few on, and really liked the Bersa 380. I'm thinking of buying her one for Christmas. I really like the look of the dou tone, which has some matte black and some nikel finish. What surprised me is that the one that I think looks better costs less than the all black model. Like $40~$50 less. Usually I pay more for the one I like, so this seems really strange to me. Does anyone know why there is this price difference, and is there a problem with the nikel finish that may cause problems in the future?

Actually in the info paper we got it said cash or "certified" check. I guess he missed the certified part. For me it was no big deal at all. I only deal in cash, that's all I ever use.

I know it will probably take a bit longer, but a kid can hope, right? After my class, I realized that I did not have my birth certificate. I had to send off for one from Florida, so it took about three weeks. Wish I had checked before I took the class. Then after all that waiting, like an idiot, I forgot to bring it with me to the DMV. DOH! Had to go back home and get it. My son went to put in his application on the same day and only brought a check. Cash only! He thinks that they really don't want citizens to have their permit, and so they make it really difficult to get it. He said they can kiss his ***, he is going to get it, no matter how many hoops he has to jump through! I kind of agree. Why can't they put in a fingerprint kiosk at the DMV? The setup looked really simple. Just a laptop, a little scanner and some software. My closest location was a UPS store, and it was manned by a teenager who did my prints. This could / should be done right where you put in your application. I had to drive all over creation to find the closest location. Anyway, I got the whole thing done in a day. Even though the paperwork said you had to wait a day after calling to make an appointment and actually getting printed, they told me that was incorrect and I could do it anytime. Now I just have to wait.

Right now I just have a cheap .22 rifle, but I think a Ruger Mk III is in my very near future. Ammo is so cheap, you can spend an entire afternoon plinking for $10.

What molonlabetn said. I pretty much had already made up my mind when I bought my XD9. I researched it like crazy, and liked what I heard. I started off knowing I wanted something like a Glock. When I went and looked at them, I held the XD and it just felt better in my hand. Every person I have ever spoken to that owns an XD says the exact same thing. What really drew me to it though was the grip safety. This is my first handgun, and my wife was a little uneasy about owning one. We have grandkids. The safety was just an extra bit of peace of mind for her. By the way, she is now toitally on board with guns, adn even wants one of her own for Christmas. I also like the indicators that show it is cocked and chambered. I am very happy with it. The more I shoot, the more I like it.

I teach the Dave Ramsey program at our church, and I am always amazed by the lack of knowledge folks have about smart finances. We churn out graduates from public school, that know all about how to apply a condom, or about really useful things like how a single cell amoeba reproduces, but they don't even have a clue about how simple compound interest works, or about the benefit of early investing in a 401k or IRA. We teach to save up a 10% down payment, then make sure the mortgage is no more than 25% of your take-home pay. With that formula, most people can afford a house. It really boils down to common sense and self discipline. Many of todays young marrieds want to start off with what took their parents 25 years to get. It's dumb for them to bite off more than they can chew, and it's dumb for the mortgage company to approve it. I think both parties share some the responsibility for the problem, but ultimately the homeowner is the one who has to pay up. Unfortunately, it's become almost the norm to just file for bankruptcy these days.

Thanks for the offer Phantom6, but I will be out of town for that shoot. It seems like every time I go into Frontier Firearms, someone is bringing back a holster, and they seem pretty OK with exchanging it. I'll probably head that way and see what they have. I'm pretty flexable, so I'll probably be OK with whatever I decide on anyway. I also may take your advice and go look at Greene's. I know they don't sell guns there. Do you think they would have a problem with me bringing mine in to see how it fits?

n3rd.

I can't verify this "friend of a friend" story, but it is funny regardless. This guy gets a letter in the mail stating that he ran a red light and is being ticketed for it. Included in the letter is a picture from one of these red-light cameras, with him in plain view, running the red light. This guy is a jokster, so since they sent him a picture of him running the red-light, he writes out a check, takes a picture of it and sends in the picture. A week or so goes by, and he gets another letter from the same people. Inside was another letter stating he needed to pay the ticket, and this time a picture of a set of handcuffs. He paid the ticket.

That may be the funniest thing I've ever heard.

I'm looking for recommendations on a good concealed carry holster for my XD9. I'm fairly new to handgun ownership, but I do go to the range regularly, have taken the carry class and the NRA pistol class. I'll be getting my carry permit here in a few months, so I need to start looking for a holster. I've searched these forums and it looks like a lot of folks like either the Don Hume 721, or the Bianchi Carrylok holsters. I like the looks of both, think I may like the just behind the hip position, and the price is definitely right. My question is, really about the CarryLok system. I really like the idea of the gun being secured to the holster. In reality though, is this a big deal? I mean, how often does a pistol slip out of a holster? For instance, getting in and out of a car, running to the car in the rain, etc. I'm not real crazy about a holster with a strap that snaps over the pistol. It seems to me that it would just be another thing to have to undo to get the gun out if needed. The CarryLok looks like it would be a pretty fluid motion of disengaging the lock and removing the gun. Is this true? Thanks in advance.

In the 4th grade, I had an Evil Knievel lunchbox. He was one of my childhood heroes. Very sad news indeed.

Oddly enough, my wife and I drove past this intersection the day before the incident. She was driving and I pointed out the cameras. I jokingly said that I was surprised that someone had not taken some shots at them yet. Maybe I should start joking about winning the lottery

Heard about this on the radio this afternoon... http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/departments/newsroom/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003659418 NEW YORK The Mail Tribune in Medford, Ore., filed suit Oct. 12 against Sheriff Mike Winters to obtain a list of Jackson County's approximately 6,500 holders of concealed handgun licenses. The paper is trying to learn how many teachers hold such licenses. The issue arose out of other another suit, in which a high school teacher challenged the Medford School District's ban on employees bringing guns on school property. The Mail Tribune has looked into the matter as a school security issue. Responsible for the handgun license list, Sheriff Winters denied a request, first made over a month ago, for the list, citing reasons of privacy and safety, according to an account in yesterday's Mail Tribune. Calling the list a public record, the newspaper maintains that refusal to disclose it is illegal, adding that other sheriffs' offices have turned over such documents. Reporter Paris Achen quoted Editor Bob Hunter as saying, "This is information bought and paid for by the public, and the public has a right to it." Hunter said the Mail Tribune said has no plan to publish license holders' names, seeking the information only to understand the reach a ruling on the Katz lawsuit could have. Among other things, licensees are required to sign and application that states that the license is public record. The paper noted that Multnomah County has released license holders' names, birth dates and license numbers to The Oregonian and Willamette Week in Portland. The Sheriff's office there handed over its list reluctantly, fearing the information would be used for identity theft or credit card fraud. The paper further noted that the director of the Oregon Firearms Education Foundation, which is financing Katz's suit, recognized that the licenses are public records, even though he would prefer to see the licensees' privacy protected.

I was just wondering, how many people log their time at the range? I notice that many of the users here know exactly how many rounds they've fired from which gun. With a couple of guns and frequent visits to the range, I can see how that information would get forgotten. If you do log your shoots, what information do you write down?

WOW!

Excellent piece. As a Christian, I initially struggled (a little:)) with handgun ownership. You found lot's of verses to support your (our) point of view. I really don't like it when people, right or wrong, base their belief on just one sentence in the whole bible. Thanks for a great post!

There is also Frontier Firearms, West of Oak Ridge. It's near the intersection of I-40 and Hwy 58. Their phone number is (865) 376-0793

I heard somewhere that 68% of all statistics are completely made up on the fly. No, wait, make that 54%.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm definitely getting the permit the first time my work schedule and the class schedule coincide. Looks like it may be next month before that happens. Until the permit comes though, I think I'll play it safe and unload the magazines. It'll only take a moment, and it sounds like it could save countless hours of potential frustration.

I just recently became a first time handgun owner, and am still trying to figure out some of the "rules". I'm planning on taking the carry class in a few weeks, and then get my permit, so my question won't matter much in a few months, but here goes anyway. I thought I saw a discussion on a different board about carrying loaded mags in the car on the way to the range. According to some of the users, some states consider a loaded mag illegal, even if it is seperated from the gun. In my situation, I have a pickup, so no trunk is available. I keep the gun, out of reach behind the seat, in the case, and unloaded. I keep the bullets in my glovebox. The last time I went to the range, I had a loaded mag, and just put it in the glovebox with the bullets. In TN without a carry permit, do I need to unload the magazine when transporting? Thanks

I live in Oak Ridge, and it appears I am nearly in the middle of these two public ranges. I saw on the TWRA web site a little bit of info, but not much. It wasn't very specific about the locations and I can't even find the road for Royal Blue on any map web site. I was hoping someone here could give me more info on where to find these and what to expect when I find it. Are there any restrictions, fees, etc? Thanks

Thanks for the advice. I think I will take it. I wasn't sure if you needed some time under your belt or not to take the class. I like the idea of forming good habits early, and not having to break bad ones. Are all classes basicly the same, or does anyone recommend one location over another?

I'm a first time handgun owner and I just picked up a new XD9. Spent about an hour with it on the range at Coal Creek in Knoxville and love it. I can see how this is going to become an addictive hobby. I was talking to my dad who lives in NC, and he said that they have a public outdoor range near him in a national forest. They only charge a few $$ for parking. Does anyone know of any ranges like this near the Oak Ridge / Knoxville area. Or is there anywhere a person can just go and legally shoot out in the woods somewhere? I need to get some practice before I go take the carry class. Thanks, David

Everyone, Thanks for your replies. I feel much better now.