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Hmmm.
Ok, well I guess we ought to start with some "words of wisdom" here. Please understand that I am in NO way representing anyone else's opinion but my own, and I have come to these opinions from listening to wiser heads than mine, as well as through practical experiences. So while I am not an "official" expert of any kind, many people with experience with weapons and combat hold similar views as my own.
First off, PLEASE do not buy or use a weapon of any kind with the idea that they are expensive toys or cool gadgets. This is the very first DEADLY mistake anyone can make with a weapon of any kind. The second deadly mistake is thinking/feeling that a weapon makes you stronger, faster, better, cooler, or more protected in any way. This is simply not true, and I cannot emphasize that more strongly. The very instant you pick up a weapon of any kind, you immediately place a very large target on your back, period. In many cases, simply having a weapon on you, brandished or not, increases your likelihood of death 110%. If one is armed, one is a perceived threat, actual or potential, and there are many out there who will simply terminate a perceived threat rather than disarm them. So remember, when you are armed, death is always at your right hand, and always watchful. I cannot tell you how many people are routinely killed with their own weapons. There are many reasons for this, but one of the bigger ones is that they relied on the mere possession of a weapon, and the feeling of safety it gave them to protect them. Also remember how many people are killed and injured every year by "unloaded" guns.
Weapons are tools, and like any tool, it takes both knowledge and practice to use a tool well. One would not ask a musician to take a stone chisel and create a "David", nor would one expect a fry cook to design and build a house. Even a screwdriver can kill you if used improperly or unsafely, and weapons are the same. A good place to begin learning about weapons is to go to your local firing range and ask lots of questions. Don't worry if they seem like stupid questions, everyone has to start somewhere. If it is available, take a gun safety course. Sometimes you can find out information on safety courses at your local probate court, or wherever your local municipality issues concealed weapon permits. Certainly the police station will have some information, if nothing else, they will know where to look.
If you have never handled or fired weapons before, I would advise starting with rifles. They are a bit more unwieldy than handguns, but it is also a lot harder to hurt yourself with a rifle than a pistol. Always treat firearms as if they are loaded, no matter how many pieces they are in, and never cross someone's body line with the business end of a firearm unless you mean to kill them. When you carry a loaded weapon, always make sure the safety is on, and point the weapon at the ground, or in a safe direction where you will not hurt someone if it accidentally discharges, and never point a loaded weapon up in the air. A bullet can carry a LONG way, and a falling bullet can injure someone as badly as if you shot them deliberately. I would strongly encourage you NOT to handle firearms alone. Accidents can happen, and you would not want to have a serious accident in a situation where no one could get help for you.
A local firing range may have weapons available to rent, so you can get a feel for different calibers and makers. They generally want you to buy the ammo for the rental weapons there, so they know what quality ammo is going through their weapons. This can be expensive, but firearms are expensive tools to buy and supply anyway. As a general rule, the break-in period of most firearms is around a thousand rounds of ammo. That does vary a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer, but it is a generality. So you can see that dropping a couple hundred dollars in researching weapons is really a drop in the bucket overall.
As far as calibers goes, the .22 has the longest accurate range, and the .45 has the most overall devastating hit in the handguns. 9mm, .38 and .357 calibers are virtually the same size bullets, but the cartridge length, and powder load vary considerably. 9mm and .38 bullets tend to tumble through the air, and 9mm usually have a powder load heavy enough to push the bullet clear through a body. .45 and .357 bullets usually have a powder charge heavy enough to push straight in, and tend to blow extraordinarily large exit holes in bodies. .22lr cartridges (lr stands for long rifle) are supersonic, have very long range, and tend to tumble around after entering the body, doing a huge amount of internal damage, equal to the damage done by a .45. That just covers the most popular calibers of handguns, but you get the idea.
Other than the .22, none of these calibers should be used at a greater distance than 25 feet without expert training. In general, when people get into firefights, they are not usually more than ten to fifteen feet apart, so if you are training for personal defense, you should become consistently deadly at twenty five feet. Don't forget, there are only three reasons for firearms. One, hunting. Two, target shooting for pleasure or competition. Three, killing people, for whatever reason. As you can see, two out of three reasons involve death, and never forget that. Firearms are the most efficient and user-friendly weapon publicly available. Even children can kill with them. Training and safety are very important to use these tools properly.
I know I have harped on how dangerous firearms are, and how important safety is, and I probably sound a lot like folks you know that disapprove of weapons. Honestly, if you went to any well trained military personnel above the rank of corporal, and asked them about weapons, you would likely hear the same things. The same goes for any experienced police officer. I don't disapprove of folks having weapons, I disapprove of folks having weapons and being ignorant about the tool they choose to own. I would be pleased if everyone capable of being responsible with one would learn about and own firearms, personally. Historically, an armed society is a polite society.
Looks like I wrote another novel!!
Hope that helped a little!
Black Rose
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The Firing Range (Read 15030 times)
