Breda and Tam have stirred up the masses with two different posts about the gun world, and the various commenters showed just about every perspective from agreement, to envy, to jealousy, to dismissal, to out and out stupidity because one or both tromped on “their” pet belief… Now Jay, on the other hand, just does it to stir the pot 🙂 And Peter chimed in with a bit of background on Tam…
It’s not a wonder we (gun owners) are always under attack from both the right and the left. Rather than having open minds, people seem t0 ONLY want to advance their personal agendas, rather than taking a big picture look at what is happening, or actually admitting there may be another point of view.
1911 vs. plastic semi-auto vs. revolver- Honestly, who frikkin cares???
The are ALL hand held weapons, and ‘some’ of us actually have more than one type… So much hyperbole is out there that you could spend years trying to get to the truth. And if you did, somebody from the ‘other’ camp would give some example only “they” know about that “shows” their pet belief is right.
Open carriers vs. concealed carriers- Same thing…
Shotgunners (skeet/trap) vs. shotgunners (tactical/hunting)- Same thing…
EBRs vs. “hunting” rifles vs. “target” rifles vs. “patrol” rifles- Same thing…
What we NEED to do, if we can’t have open minds, is at least be courteous to those who differ with us.
Not everyone can afford a custom pistol/shotgun/rifle (or multiple guns period), not everyone has the option of multiple carry pistols, not everyone has the opportunity to shoot competitively, not everyone has access on a daily, or weekly, or even monthly to a range, and I’m not even going to get into the restrictions some ranges have…
Not all of us grew up handling/owning guns our entire lives, not all of us have worked in the gun business, not all of us have seen combat, not all of us have had to use a gun in anger, not all of us have had the opportunity to attend training classes for rifles/pistols/shotguns…
And sure as hell, not all of us are experts in ANYTHING gun related…
BUT, we all need to stand together against the gun grabbers, antis of whatever stripe, and those Hoplophobes who cannot stand the fact that we ‘civilians’ are allowed to own guns; Second Amendment not withstanding…
Do we do that???
Oh hell no… we revert to ‘type’…
Like the skeet/trap types that look down their noses on the tactical shotgun crowd and ‘agree’ with banning tactical shotguns (and forget that their precious $10,000+ 12 ga skeet gun will probably be part of that ban).
Like the ‘hunters’ who agree with banning EBRs because they are assault rifles (but forget that the 30 cal, 30-06, .308 and other calibers are also military calibers and could very well be subject to the same ban if they are anything other than single shot)
Like the C&R crowd that turn up their noses at anything ‘modern’ in pistol or rifles and agree with magazine bans (and forget all the Winchesters, Remingtons, and other rifles that will be banned because of their internal magazines), and some of the classic pistols that would go away too…
Like the 1911 vs. Plastic fantastic vs. revolver crowd… sigh…
Why???
Are we really that stupid??? Probably… And the antis and gun grabbers continue to chip away at us because of it…
Just because Heller and McDonald succeeded, we are not out of the woods yet, and America is one of the few countries were guns can be (for the most part) freely owned as long as you are not a criminal…
But there is definitely a segment of the left that DOES want to make us criminals through new and or more restrictive laws, rather than enforce the ones already on the books…
I would ask that you (the few that read my blog, and I truly thank you for that) stop and think before you post or comment and look at the big picture, not just your specific area of concentration/desire/knowledge.
Take a moment to consider there are other points of view, and others (like Tam, Frank, JPG) who really ARE experts and have done the research, done the testing, done the shooting and KNOW what they are talking about…
My Mother and Grandmother both used the saying, if you can’t say anything nice (or at least neutral) don’t say anything… And if you do, have your research done, and be ready to back up what you say.
And yeah, I’m STILL on that civility kick… sigh…
And no, I’m NOT an expert, but I do own and shoot 1911s, Glocks, Colt Revolvers, shotguns, EBRs, bolt actions and I ‘attempt’ to shoot in competitions when time allows…
And I would like to continue to have that ability. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I welcome your comments and impressions (good or bad, but civil please).
NFO- Well said! Sorry I may have fanned the fire a bit, but it was all “in-cheek”. As you point out however, we are all under attack and flamewars among ourselves does little good in the long run.
Do I have a 1903 Colt? Yep! Do I have a Kel-Tek P3-AT? Yep! Do I have two vastly different shotguns? Yep! ALthough I put a small slam on the Glock in my post I am a Glock certified armorer.
So although I view all of this as so much noise, you DO bring up very salient points.
Well said!
Great Post. My firearms are tools. So is my chainsaw. Many will sneer at my hand guns, rifle, and shotgun. I don’t care. I know how to use them; they go “bang” when I pull the trigger.
We all have a common enemy in the gun grabbers and should focus on keeping our freedoms. You are correct to point out we don’t need to divide and conquer ourselves.
Great post.
Days of Our Trailers has an example of what we’re up against here in Illinois and how devious the gun grabbers are.
http://daysofourtrailers.blogspot.com/2011/02/private-sales-and-background-checks.html
follow the links from his post for the whole picture
Great post – truer words never written.
Linked
A friend of my had a saying he used for these nattering nabobs.They have a ten speed mouth with a five speed brain.Their mouth is in motion before their brain is in gear.
Sheesh, I can’t even spell 1911…
Spot on!
That is one of the great rants of all time. Well said.
We are in fact our own worst enemy.
Good points, Sir.
YeOldFurt
I have said similar things for years.
I like all kinds of guns, including full autos. I shoot whatever I can afford and afford to feed.
I’ve tried my hand at a lot of different shooting games and liked all of them.
Lets hang together as shooters and not let the antis hang us separately.
Excellent post. I’ve pared down my guns from dozens to less than a dozen. Each tool for a specific task. But at the same time, I know that my choices are mine and yours are yours. Respect me and I respect you.
I’m an equal opportunity gun-nut. Wood, metal, plastic, it’s all good. Handgun, shotgun, rifle, carbine, yep. No -ism here 😉
And I’m still a baby gun-nut.
CHILI HAS BEANS!
Keads- Smartass 🙂 Thanks
WSF- Agreed!
HT- Thanks and good link!
Scott- Thanks!
Fuzzy- Agreed!
Groundhog- Good 🙂
drjim/TOTW/YoF- Thanks
Anon- Agreed! Definitely!
wire- Exactly!
Jenn- You’re just a nut…period 🙂
SF- Yep, otherwise it’s stew 🙂
Interestingly enough Jim, I have just finished reading the comments on Breda’s latest blog (OC/library issue) and waded through the “storm-in-a-tea-cup” of Tam’s post last night.
While reading the all the comments on these two threads I pretty much thought what you’ve so elegantly expressed here.
We need to stand together, rather than squabble over insignificant details.
If you don’t mind, I’ld like to link this in my blog too.
Still stuck on those Colt revolvers…
(Sigh). Don’t you know they turn the wrong way?
😀
Not a bad post at all… Even from someone who prefers the Prancin’ Pony over the One True Revolver…
(I keed! I keed!)
Well said.
It’s been my experience that those of us who make it a point to state that they aren’t an expert in a particular subject are often far more knowledgeable than those who do flaunt their supposed expertise.
Julie- Thanks and please do…
Newbuis/Jay- you notice I didn’t make ANY comments about S&W 🙂
AD- Thanks… You know me, I’m just a dumb old country boy from Central Louisiana…
amen to the 2nd amendment!
Great post Old-NFO. Just remember there are many of us in states like CA where carrying at all is at the discretion of the local sheriff. A right turned into a privilege with vastly different rules throughout the state. And a legislature (certified dumbest on the planet- nomination for galaxy has been submitted) which constantly tries ways to further limit the right. Their latest, which actually was passed but thrown out by the courts- limiting ammo sale quantities and prohibiting internet purchase of ammo. Here, every gun-owner is an ally.
My problem was not if a 1911 is better than a Glock or OC versus CCW but the total lack of civility and stupidity by some of the responders.
Your owning a gun and being a “defender of the right to self defense” does not make any less of a pompus ass for attacking these two bloggers in the manner they did.
Sorry NFO but I won’t stand with people who act like that. I wasn’t raised that way.
Gerry
Good post, Shipmate. There’s a whole lot of “MY way or the Highway” going on out there, and just not on the Gunnie Blogs. If this attitude continues, it’s going to be a Long, Hot Summer like in ’68. But if it does turn out to be a “Crazy Year” ala Heinlein, I think ANY kind of pistol/rifle/shotgun/halberd will be comforting to have at the ready.
Well put. Keep the focus on LIBERTY! Any infringment of our liberties is a loss. We do have so much in common. Do not dwell on the differences when they are truely meaningless. Support your brothers and sisters in arms. Heck, there are Jerks in almost every family, why be surprised or pissed to find them in ours? Peace through superior fire power!
Since it is your blog, and you aren’t really holding out for more than civility – I want manners, or I don’t come back to read. Ever try to count the times you do business with people that don’t respect you? Aside from the IRS annually?
My expert opinion, I want the firearms that have ammunition enough for the targets available.
NFO – Great post! That was one of the things I was trying to point out to folks during Breda’s kerfuffle. We are all on the same side here so there’s no reason we can’t be civil. Leave the incivility to the anti-gunners.
we all want to advance gun rights and the exercise of those rights.
So let’s go do it instead of attacking eachother over what are ultimately trivial differences.
I’ve been behind in my usual blog-crawl and didn’t know about the latest flareup until now. I own a couple of 1911s, a plastic pistol but not a Glock, and a half dozen wheelguns. I also have a bolt-varmit rifle, an AR, and a lever-action rifle plus a shotgun. I guess I represent just about all factions to one degree or another.
I don’t care. Flareups like these are one reason why I don’t gun-blog more often that I do. There are so many more bloggers who know more, shoot more, than I.
I finally posted something gunny yesterday about 1911s. I’m not in either 1911 vs. plastic faction. It was a coincidence.
I think I’ll stick to safer topics—like politics!
I just tend to like wheel guns.
Something about those others that disassemble and reassemble themselves, in order to be fired again.
I still like to shoot Lugers, even though they disasseble even more than others.
Good write-up, NFO.
Skul
And I tend to like lever guns for my rifles……
It’s like my Ham Radio hobby…there’s something for everyone, and no one mode or radio is perfect for all!
Point take.
I tend to forget that to some guns are a way of life. To me a gun is a tool to be used in an appropriate manner and at the appropriate. I forget some take this personally.
It does irritate me when people do things that are counter productive to their state goals.
We do need to hash this out so we can get on the same page. If not we risk losing our 2nd Amendment rights.
I’ll try to be a little more understanding.
Josh
Wow. I had no idea that there were these sorts of disagreements going on in the gun crowds (My husband has both handguns and rifles in the gun locker, and he’s looking to add a shotgun to the family. Different guns, different purposes.)
I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said something along the lines of “We must all hang together, or we will all hang seperately”…
Suddenly, lines from “The Life of Brian” are running through the old brain…
“We mustn’t fight each other! Surely we should be united against the common enemy!”
“…the The Judean People’s Front?!”
Well said! Sometimes I think we let a little bit of knowledge get to our heads (guilty!) and suddenly some feel not only equipped, but obligated to put down others with equally passionate but opposing feelings. This is a fight that must be fought on all sides of the aisle. There are already enough differences (race, religion, politics, etc…). We don’t need to manufacture even more within our ranks.
GREAT POST. Your ‘shotgunners’ meme shook cobwebs from my brain. Almost 20 years ago, I was working fraud investigations for a major credit card co. Just as in the public sector, we received letters and calls from actual ‘kooks’, on a regular basis. One such letter was a four or five page typewritten rant regarding the main reason for all the problems in the world was THE SISSY TRAPSHOOTERS! I’m not kidding! This guy claimed to be a real hunter. What this had to do with our financial business eludes me.
This is alleged to be a free country, we all have the right to our opinions, even this yo-yo. Let’s focus on the real issues, and save all our skins, even the sissy trapshooters.
Ben Franklin said it succently ” If we do not hang together, we shall most assuredly hang separately!”
Step up, You bastards or no one will be left when they come for You.
Woman- Agreed
Anon- Yeah, CA IS it’s own little world… sigh…
Gerry- Concur!
Les/,45/Earl/Mike- Agree with all of you, and yes Manners would have been a better way to state it.
Crucis- Good point, politics only has TWO sides (give or take), not the 6-8-10 in the gun world!
Skul/drjim/johskie- Good points all, but I really don’t know ‘how’ to put the genie back in the bottle so to speak, without getting people to take a step back and actually HAVE manners with others.
Mini- These arguments started as soon as there was more than one gun… 🙁 And your quote is dead on!
Joe- Yours is a good one also
Lawyer- You’re right, and it’s the “obligation” part that I have trouble with…
George- Yep, they’re out there! 13 years ago about 15 of us got run off from IWL by the benchresters…
PA- Good quote, and on the money!
Great post! What I’ve never understood is the folks who claim murders will disappear if guns are banned. Really? Are they going to ban poison, knives, clubs, sticks, and Barry Manilo music, too?
The husband & I discussed this for 45 miles…however many minutes that took to drive.
Neither of us get the bickering (and downright nastiness) at all.
As for what type of gun is the “best”…that varies from person-to-person. I prefer revolvers, but I danged sure don’t slight anyone who prefers something different. All the arguments as to what *teh bestest* is reminds me of grammar school and “my daddy is bigger than your daddy & can beat your daddy up” crap.
As to OC- I support it, but if you’re doing it just to appear cool, you’re doing it wrong. All of the “it’s my right” arguments in the world don’t rationalize overly advertising that you carry. And when folks who support the idea of OC are looking at you like you have two heads, it’s time to rethink your motives.
As always NFO, fantastic post. Well said and hopefully a few folks will take time to think about the way they come across.
(And Ruger Blackhawks are THE bomb, because MY DADDY liked them best) ***Ducking & running, while giggling.
Elm- Thanks
Snigs- Thanks… and I didn’t comment on those Blackhawks either 🙂
I’m about to leave for a local IDPA match. Out of respect for your preference for Colt’s DA revolvers, I’m going to shoot the four-inch Cobra I showed you when last we met.
I’ll see if I can remember which way the wheel turns, under pressure.
JPG- I wish I was there with ya! And for ‘some’ reason, I don’t think you will have ANY problems remembering! That is one pretty pistol! Shoot em good!
Snigs hit it on OC.
I’m confused here in MI.
We have OC and CCW.
If we CCW, then we can’t let our jacket fall open to reveal, or we’re brandishing (if I understand what my trainer said).
I’d rather not OC and be the first target.
Then again, use it or lose it.
Ed- Good point… I don’t ‘like’ pointing myself out as a target, I don’t wear a shoot me first vest either…
Darn, I just bought that vest. But not for that reason. Just cause I need more pockets. Maybe a sign like the cars: “No gun inside”?
LOL- Ed that’s one I never thought of… of course I WOULD be carrying…
Great post. And very true