Tennessean writing about AR-15, similar rifles

[QuietDan]

http://www.duffelblog.com/2012/04/pentagon-study-finds-beards-directly-proportional-to-combat-effectiveness/

 

I'm going to spoil the fun, just in case Brian Haas or others aren't read in.

 

The Duffel Blog is a spoof website, like The Onion.

 

Most of the stuff on it is not true, even if it ought to be.

 

However,

 

Regarding the Tactical Beard:

 

It is true that in some of the more basic cultures, a full beard and/or silver hair are a sign of manliness and/or maturity and garner respect in the culture. In Islamic culture, especially for some of the sects of Islam, a full and uncut beard is an indication of devoutness.

 

When you are dealing with other cultures, it's not your point of view, it's their point of view that is most often operative.

[midtennchip]

Brian:

I HIGHLY suggest reading the article below before finishing yours. Extremely well REASONED explanation of almost all the pro-gun arguments.

http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/

[gnmwilliams]

[quote name="QuietDan" post="866767" timestamp="1356237370"]I'm going to spoil the fun, just in case Brian Haas or others aren't read in.   The Duffel Blog is a spoof website, like The Onion.   Most of the stuff on it is not true, even if it ought to be.   However,   Regarding the Tactical Beard:   It is true that in some of the more basic cultures, a full beard and/or silver hair are a sign of manliness and/or maturity and garner respect in the culture. In Islamic culture, especially for some of the sects of Islam, a full and uncut beard is an indication of devoutness.   When you are dealing with other cultures, it's not your point of view, it's their point of view that is most often operative.[/quote] Plus, just like bow ties, beards are cool.

[Hershmeister]

[quote name='brianhaas' timestamp='1356235405' post='866728']Had a blast today at Charlie Haffner's place. Charlie was awesome and incredibly friendly and welcoming to myself and our photographer. And even more thanks to Bill Smith, who braved not only having his photo taken, but also print and video interviews. He did fantastic. As for me... well, we were only shooting at the 25-yard target since it was my first time with the AR. Fortunately, I didn't have any trouble hitting the target. Here's me not quite getting the hang of how to properly grip the gun yet. It was a beautiful gun. I was surprised at how little kick there was versus how loud and how concussive it was. Great day, great people, great way to kick off my holiday vacation. I'm off until January, when I'll probably be back reaching out to more folks to help flesh my story out. Hope everyone has a great holiday![/quote] Glad you enjoyed your shooting experience. Hooefully you can convey the fun of plinking and the near universal generosity of gun enthusiasts towards newbies. PS: lean into the shot

[Lumber_Jack]

You look like a natural. You've even got the tactical beard going.

"Tactical beard." I love it.

You're just one step away from shooting a Navy Seal movie.


Glad you had fun and got some good instruction. That's what shooting is all about.

[NRA]

Boy just when you thought you did not like all media. Then one with an level headed open mind shows up.  :hat:

Edited December 23, 2012 by NRA

[Motasyco]

Americans like iPhones don't they?  Why does anyone need an iPhone?  Why isn't the two-piece brick cellular telephone from the 1980's still good enough for everyone?  It's called progress.  Technology.  Evolution.  Americans like the latest, the greatest, the best, the most functional.  Why would we be happy with a sub-par, antiquated relic? 

Additionally, I suggest that there are likely more deaths attributed to the use of phones while driving in our country than there have been as the result of attacks with an AR 15.

[DaveTN]

Additionally, I suggest that there are likely more deaths attributed to the use of phones while driving in our country than there have been as the result of attacks with an AR 15.

Bingo.... I just have to laugh when I hear legislators talking about banning cell phone use while driving. This isn't rocket science, your family members have a better chance of getting hurt or killed by a soccer mom on a cell phone than by an AR at school or the mall. So why isn't it banned? Because our legislators do it. The key may be getting AR's into the hands of more of our legislators.

[dats82]

I have not read all the other replies, so I don't know if you found anyone.  I would be happy to meet with you and let you shoot.  However, I am a poor student and would ask the you pay the range time and ammo.

 

My opinion on the AR is perhaps a little backwards from what many people think of them.  I use my AR for primarily varmint hunting, but I never confuse the second ammendment to have anything to do with hunting.  There are two gun calibers that I own that I have no intention of ever being without.  One is a 9mm and the other is .223/5.56.  The reason why I will keep these calibers in my arsenal is because these are the most common calibers used by our own military.  I believe firmly that the second ammendment was constructed to provide protection from tyranny. 

 

When I decided to get an AR, I was looking for a varmint hunting rifle.  This purpose would have been met nicely by a multitude of fine bolt action rifles, but a great caliber to use would have been the .223. In order to meet my needs for a hunting rifle and more accurately exercise the signifinance of the second ammendment, I decided to purchase a hunting rifle that would also have interchangable magazines, ammunition, and parts from the military counterpart rifles.  So in reality, my AR is nothing more than a hunting rifle that just so happens to use similar components as our military rifles.  The same could be said for my bolt action deer rifle that was produced during the Vietnam War era.  It shares many components from the sniper rifles of that day.  Does that make is more evil?

 

I can honestly not justify any current "need" for an AR that would not be equally met by a bolt action gun; however, as our founding fathers had the foresight to understand, we must protect the right for us to own such weapons (military comparable) should the real need ever arrise.  The problem with this logic is that people like to ignore the thought that we may ever have to fight our own government.  They like to ignore the context in which this country was founded.  They like to ignore the fact that there are evil people in the world who would still desire that you be subserviant to them.  I am not a doomsdayer or prepper or conspiracist, but rather, I consider myself a realist.  God forbid it, but I understand that our need for such weapons will truly forever remain a very possible reality.

 

Good luck with your story.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Brian:

I HIGHLY suggest reading the article below before finishing yours. Extremely well REASONED explanation of almost all the pro-gun arguments.

http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/

Second this article. I'm a novice, compared to this guy, and have been preaching a lot of his stuff. He knows how to

write it better. :D Great article!

[ted]

[quote name="midtennchip" post="866777" timestamp="1356238051"]Brian: I HIGHLY suggest reading the article below before finishing yours. Extremely well REASONED explanation of almost all the pro-gun arguments. [url=http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/]http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/[/url][/quote] Now that was a real good read thanks for posting the link.

[Guest bkelm18]

Brian:

I HIGHLY suggest reading the article below before finishing yours. Extremely well REASONED explanation of almost all the pro-gun arguments.

http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/

 

That is an excellent article. I saved it in PDF form.

[mikegideon]

That is an excellent article. I saved it in PDF form.

Agreed. Read it yesterday. Of course, it probably won't do any good.

[221 Fireball]

Brian, back to the tactical beard ... looks like you're covered (pun intended) however, my other TGO friends might want to check this out to up those scores a bit   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZO_cKASmA8

[East_TN_Patriot]

I'm a little late to this discussion and I may have missed it said elsewhere, but another reason I like the AR platform is that I personally believe in the idea of an armed civilian population to be called into service in defense of the nation should there be a need for it.  Much like the Minutemen and militia of the American Revolution, I like knowing that I have a weapon capable of using the same magazines and ammunition as the US Military in the very unlikely chance that civilians would need to be called into service and use their own personal firearms. 

As far as the issue of gun control and the 1994 assault weapons ban, the National Institute of Justice did their own study on the effectiveness of that law and found that it had little, if any, effect on gun crime.

[Trekbike]

As far as the issue of gun control and the 1994 assault weapons ban, the National Institute of Justice did their own study on the effectiveness of that law and found that it had little, if any, effect on gun crime.

 

Now don't go trying to bring facts into the subject.   The truth has nothing to do with this.   

[TripleDigitRide]

As far as the issue of gun control and the 1994 assault weapons ban, the National Institute of Justice did their own study on the effectiveness of that law and found that it had little, if any, effect on gun crime.
 
Now don't go trying to bring facts into the subject.   The truth has nothing to do with this.   

It's all about the warm and fuzzy feeling.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Now don't go trying to bring facts into the subject.   The truth has nothing to do with this.   

 

 

It's all about the warm and fuzzy feeling.

Actually, that's exactly what this is about.  I have been engaged in some friendly debates with some very educated folks and the crux of their argument is that it doesn't matter if gun control actually helps because "we have to do something."  So, we do something that doesn't work or potentially causes more problems?

[Oh Shoot]

... because "we have to do something." 

 

Why Dubya went into Iraq.

 

- OS

[Jonnin]

do be sure to mention the fellow that was stopped by the CCW holder.  That supports the NRA stance that a good guy with a gun is the only answer. 

 

You were surprised by the low recoil because a lot of hype about 'high powered' rifles is spewed.  The 223 round is a small, lightweight round (its mass is 1/2 or so of a typical 9mm pistol bullet, and 1/2 as big around as well approximately) with a lot of powder and velocity behind it.   The standard rifle rounds of WWII were 30-50% larger in diameter (7-8mm vs 5.5), weighed much more (223 is 50-60 grains, many wwII rounds were close to 200 grains) and were traveling just as fast (2000-3000 fps depending, on par with the 223 round).  The 223 is maybe effective at 300+ yards but made for closer quarters, like 25-200 yards really.  My mauser is sighted in at 300 yards as the DEFAULT distance and has an adjustment knob to take it to 2000 yards.  It also will leave my shoulder sore for a week after 1 shot fired ... its many times more powerful than the 223 round.  The 223 round is, compared to all rifle cartridges, in the bottom 10% when measuring "physics" like momentum and energy.

[Guest robin.kempton]

I'd like for someone to research the rumor that an AR style weapon was never used in the Newtown, Ct. shooting. According to several of the reports from the incident, the AR style weapon was found on the seat of the car of the shooter and was never brought into the Sandy Hook elementary school. If this is true, was it intended as the preferred get away weapon instead. I'd like any and all comments on this, the reports seem kind of fuzzy on these facts and I'm really interested on the actual outcome of the incident. The last report that I read indicated that the shooter was found dead from self inflicted gun shot wounds from one of the two pistols he was carrying, where was the AR style rifle when he was found dead? Can somebody help me with this please, the facts are really hard to find on this one with everyone jumping on the AR platform when in fact it was probably never even used. Thanks for your help.

[Guest bkelm18]

I'd like for someone to research the rumor that an AR style weapon was never used in the Newtown, Ct. shooting. According to several of the reports from the incident, the AR style weapon was found on the seat of the car of the shooter and was never brought into the Sandy Hook elementary school. If this is true, was it intended as the preferred get away weapon instead. I'd like any and all comments on this, the reports seem kind of fuzzy on these facts and I'm really interested on the actual outcome of the incident. The last report that I read indicated that the shooter was found dead from self inflicted gun shot wounds from one of the two pistols he was carrying, where was the AR style rifle when he was found dead? Can somebody help me with this please, the facts are really hard to find on this one with everyone jumping on the AR platform when in fact it was probably never even used. Thanks for your help.

 

The rifle was the primary weapon used. The medical examiner concluded most people were shot with the rifle. The gun found in the car I don't believe has been 100% identified, but I've seen reports that it was a Saiga shotgun, and the few pictures I've seen of it I agree.

[MattCary]

The rifle was the primary weapon used. The medical examiner concluded most people were shot with the rifle. The gun found in the car I don't believe has been 100% identified, but I've seen reports that it was a Saiga shotgun, and the few pictures I've seen of it I agree.

 

Looked like a shotgun to me as well.

[vontar]

plus 1 on the tactical beard.

 

After No Shave November and also not shaving though Dec. I now have a tactical beard as well.

I went to change my picture but the picture I took looks like a person you would not want to run into in a dark alley

[Oh Shoot]

...I went to change my picture but the picture I took looks like a person you would not want to run into in a dark alley

 

I avoid large Irish leprechauns in dark alleys too, especially if they've been drinking!  ;)

 

- OS