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Well, Dante joined the family on Sunday! We start training with him in a few weeks. Great little guy... now if he would just learn to go to the bathroom outside.

I started training with SI and Randy Harris in 2012, primarily with handguns, though I have taken 2 one-day shotgun classes and a one-day carbine class. I like Randy's instruction style, he is local, and I can learn a lot from him (unless he gives me an excuse to find a new training org) He knows his stuff: https://suarezinternational.com/randy-harris/ This was my first two-day close range rifle class and the content did not disappoint. Day one started with some classwork and then it was out to range for dry work; gun manipulations from standing, kneeling, and prone. Here is where we focused on muzzle and trigger finger control, for me it started me on the habit of engaging the safety when my hand leaves the pistol grip or, at a ready position with no immediate threat. We then made sure our guns were dialled in, meaning it will hit a target at 25 yards if I do my part. My gear = HiPoint Bullpup and M1 carbine. I brought my AR, but had too much fun with the others. Worked out of pockets - no battle belt / chest rig. You CAN be tactically practical with a pocket load out, but have a plan (and place) to retain your mags. I am investigating the simple dump pouch for future classes. The reason I mention my kit is it makes no difference what your gear is, as long as it is functionally safe and my goal is to train like I would most likely use my stuff. I also hope it encourages the guy or gal like me, competent with a self defense long gun, but a basic static shooting background, to get more experience (with ANY quality instructor) Before you upgrade your gear, upgrade yourself. Comparing my two carbines: for home defense, inside the walls, the HP Bullpup is the winner - both short, compact, and 9mm. The M1C is a better choice for multi purpose use, simply more effective at longer ranges and is more fun to shoot. Sights: red dots are awesome for closer quarters, I have a budget model on the HiPoint. You probably want some kind of BUIS - batteries die, electronics break and rain can obscure your dot or reticle. The M1C has the traditional ladder peep sight - my challenge is I don't pick up the sight picture quickly and they don't seem be the best design for movement. With this particular carbine (low sight to bore) at less than 20y, if you have good alignment, contact points, and decent trigger control, you can cheat and look over the rear peep. Does rain impact a peep? Not me, but the student with the Galil had to blow water off / through his. What about my AR? Well, it's back in the bedroom armory. Shooting. I was pleased with me performance and believe when the light bulb went off, my confidence really soared. I realized shooting a carbine puts the muzzle out to an equivalent distance of full pistol extension. With a good cheek weld, it's a super long barrelled pistol with the added benefit of using more contact points to hold it steady. Sounds like a "d'uh" moment, but I had to experience it to learn it. What I should have done is practiced more pro-active reloads, but keep trying to run dry to transition to my pistol. And I did try, with the option of 1-5 shots during live fire, I took all 5. Get to end, 1-2-3 rounds left. Side note, the rebuild on the M1C was successful. 250 rounds, 2 FtoFeed, identified weak mag springs. Worked going to my weak side for 85% of the drills - only lefty in class. Still accurate, even for the "he's not down" shots to the beak. What I was most amazed at was my John Wick like pistol skills. The drill was transition to pistol. Working to my weak side, my carbine was unslung, so I had to secure it, muzzle down, stock secured with my right arm. All of my one handed pistol shots were right on the beak, 4" or so, with no flyers...and I haven't shot live in weeks. Dry fire practice is working for me. Regarding slings, find what works for you, but the two-point seems to be the most versatile with ease of gun manipulations. I mention this in case you have to switch shoulders - can you or do you have a plan to unsling or detact yourself from your gun. Other guns represented: we had a AR pistol, Kel-Tec RDB, Galil, AK47, 3 other ARs, and my two odd balls.

Where is the rest of him? Just kidding, nice looking pup. Daisy the Blue Tic Hound gives 3 howls, her highest praise.

My suggestions for using an off or maligned brand in any class. 1. Make sure it runs so you don't fulfill the stereo type. 2. If you have a backup, make sure it works. If your boutique brand breaks, don't expect anyone else has a higher knowledge base than you to fix it. 3. Be an expert on it's manual of arms; your instructor may have been there and done that, but more than likely with common for area firearms. 4. Honestly evaluate your firearm. Does it reliably work for your needs? Does an upgrade exist or make sense vs. stepping up? I shot my HP with TS stock extensively before the one-day class, never failed. In class, I kept up with 6 10-round mags, proactively reloading and topping off during group change overs. I upgraded to the bullpup because it's tacti-cool and lucked out because is functional as well. The biggest question I have is how much price impacts longevity, assuming similar round counts, +/- to offset pressure stuff. Meaning, will my HP be as functional like my 1944 M1 carbine? Perhaps price reflects, to some degree, the equivalent to residential, commercial, or industrial use?

Here's some practical advice if you're starting to look for a home defense carbine or equivalent Unless you have a shooter or can buy a beater to rebuild, pass on an M1 carbine. Ammo is not stockpiled anywhere but on the net, $20/50. Off the shelf, $30/50. Zombies attacking, you check the WalMart, you're out of luck. Not to mention parts. A HiPoint in 9mm - it will get the job done for $300ish. If you want a Bullpup - pass. Too many reliable 9mm carbines and SB ready pistols for the same or less of an investment. If you've more money than sense, a HP Bullpup in .40/.45/10mm is possible. In 9mm, find one with mag compatability with your primary pistol - now you've got something. Mag compatibility brings in the AR /AK pistol. It's small and compact for close work and if your wife is bunkered down with a full size AR, you have more options for ammo management. You are potentially discharging a rifle indoors, so a handgun chambering may work best for your situation.

Illinois is SERIOUS when they say no swimming or fishing in this area

The reason that wildlife management came about.

Here's one of mine. Used birch plywood with a clear poly finish, and plastic T mold on the edge. Crappy pic...

If I had the discretionary income at the moment, probably so. That being said I don't see it being a "better" option than a Sig P365, so it's really like making the choice between a $800 1911 versus a $1800 one. If you see the value in the all metal construction, fit and finish and overall feel then it may be worth it to you. A quality piece for sure but from a purely "value for function" perspective it's overpriced.

Bit of a change to my technique as described before. I seared first, then a "low and slow" approach (oven set to 170° until internal temp was 138°). It worked well as you can see.

That is entirely too orderly. You have plenty of bench space not covered with crap.

Now now we cant just up and leave over differences of opinion....hell that's gonna happen in any group or forum. Its ok for all of us to have conflicting view points this isnt fox news or CNN. Ya know maybe this subject is just a bit too heated ...lets go back to just talking about guns, shooting sports, etc

I'd cut the damn guns up if they paid me. It's business. What a bunch of whiny dogmatic jerks some of you are. Proof that the right is as stupid as the left. Adios.

Honestly if one wants a modern Hipower buy a CZ...its basically the hipower modernized.

Just thought I would post a picture of my Rescue dog. I kind of think we rescued each other. . I don't know who owned here before but she is very well trained and I began learning this by accident. I was messing with her one day and I said I have to sit down and she sat down. Then I tried lay down and she laid down and I said roll over and she rolled over. She loves to play fetch both on dry ground and at the lake . I sure there are many of you that remmember the story behind my reason for getting her as many many folks here helped me in a time of need when I lost my Kasey and many of yall, contributed to allow me to have Kasey Cremated. At that time in my life I didn't know if I could take care of another dog so I decided to give it some thought. Well the house was empty with out Kasey begging for snacks or wanting to go out so I thought it won't hurt to look at some rescue dogs and I did look at probably 50+ dogs and they were probably all great dogs but I had just not felt it was the right one till one of the girls brought Darby to the visiting room . I knew in about 1 minute that this was the one going home with me . We visited for about 15 minutes and it took a few minutes to get her to more attentive to me and then even show signs of warming up to me . It about 10 minutes she was in my lap and the girls that brought her into the room where satnding behind the glass and 2 of them was crying. I told them to get me a collar for her. She was going home with me and it was only then that I learned she was scheduled to be put down in 3 days. She had been at another rescue center for 6 months before being transfered to this one and she was on her 87th day there and their policy is 90 days if they transfer in from another facility. So she saved me and I saved her. Her bed is a Twin size memory foam Matress and i just added the old comforter and threw Kaseys old one in a box after washing it so it is stored.

Don't believe he is far off from the truth !!!!!

3” 1 oz slug to the left cheek below the eye from about 45 yds. Dropped with no squeal like a rock. I had it processed there. Good chops !!!

Awesome!! Decent weather. Beautiful property. Checked and reconfirmed zero on my rifle and the retical was screwed up!!!!!! Thank gosh I brought a shotty! https://imgur.com/a/pL9BE GREAT cutters https://imgur.com/a/1VRWr

I've hunted several times with Loshbough in Crossville. Very good outfit, excellent dogs and some really big boars back in those hollows. I can also recommend Alabama Hog Control if you want something a little more extreme. Night time hunting w/ thermals. We dropped 14 pigs out of a single sounder last year. It's an immense amount of fun. Which leads me to a shameless plug. The Music City SCI chapter is having an auction for hunts on March 15th, and there just so happens to be a nice hog hunt right here: http://www.icollector.com/1-day-Alabama-Night-time-Hog-Hunt-for-2-Hunters_i29121350

Probably should have put this on the wild pig thread

He got 1 shot in the 2 years he hunted them and he was up a tree hanging by his legs and 1 arm and shot the ho at about 8 feet away and he had got all the hog hunting he wanted right then and there..................