molonlabetn

Hey now... Dog is good people. He's simply imperfect, like the rest of us miserable humans...

On the other hand, the only evidence that any of this training, which is displayed so proudly, can be effective, is based on the performance of those people under fire. Courage is NOT a trained response. Practice and instruction is necessary, for sure! But don't forget that there are millions of people who have reacted effectively to deadly encounters without any formal training at all... So, I would submit that the probability of a person to panic or react in a given situation is based primarily on their mindset, regardless of their credentials. Acceptance of that premise in no way belittles the training which is recommended. It is merely acknowledgment of the fact that a coward will not be transformed into a hero through mere training and certification. There are examples far and near. Training is good... but understanding WHY it is beneficial, and accepting the consequences of that responsibility, is far better. So, no single facet in the development of a person prepared to defend themselves, or face combat, is independent or mutually exclusive of the others.

J. Bolton is 'da man'. We need more like him.

Marswolf & Saintsfanbrian are correct... and to put an even finer point on it, a cocked 1911 without the safety engaged is EXACTLY the same as carrying an XD with one in the chamber (firing-mechanism cocked, grip-safety engaged, no other manual safety engaged). The only difference in comparing the Glock, is that Glocks do not have any grip-safety (hence many police officers who now walk with a limp), although the action is still cocked (not completely, but still enough to discharge a primer if released).

Well, if it were me, I'd probably pick up a few gun or car magazines... but I usually listen to talk radio when I drive/ride. A couple of suggestions... - drink lots of water (to hydrate yourself before-hand) - stay away from caffeine and sugar (or you'll end up with the shakes when you're trying to concentrate on shooting) - maybe even try to sleep (unless you're the one driving!)

Achilles was a vain glory-hog who was in it for himself (Mercenary/Contractor for the Trojans). Whereas, King Leonidas truly personifies valor and bravery, to this very day (perhaps even more-so, in this day-and-age). Troy dissapointed me. Reasons being, I believe it is disgusting to glorify the pompous arrogance displayed by Achilles, and on top of that, I think Orlando Bloom is the personification of lameness. If Frank Miller and Zack Snyder keep with the true nature of the great story of Thermopylae, 300 will be the most powerful movie produced in the last 5-10 years.

direct link: http://tngun.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=156

The battle of Thermopylae is one of the most AWESOME stories of all time, especially as relates to resisting subjugation in the face of insurmountable odds (obviously I very much identify with the principles involved i.e. Μολὼν λαβέ , hence my screen-name ) http://www.thefiringline.com/HCI/molon_labe.htm I intend to see it several times in theatres, and own the DVD. I am hoping that the Montana Drive-In will open this film on the 9th... if not, I will be Fandango'ing tickets ASAP. King Leonidas can watch my back any-day. (yes, I realize that would be physically impossible... you know what I mean.)

??? Musta missed something... who do you think doesn't have 'balls' for not dueling with you? Or, was it a general insult to everyone who has never dueled you with toy guns? Maybe you were joking... (again, I must have missed something...)

Jiffy-Pop is JUNK! heh... I just realized that I halfway made jackdog's point by stating that method of grip might hold an advantage when using a derringer with a minimal grip, and his point was that it works best for him with pocket guns. Shows where my mind is... Kids, don't do drugs! ...sorry for being argumentative, my point was directed more towards the proper use of full-sized pistols.

I've been meaning to get one for the past 4 years... but I've always found something I wanted more, in the mean-time. When I do, it'll be a S&W 340PD or a pair of Kel-Tec PF-9s (one of 'em pink with chromed slide, for the wife, since she refuses to carry a revolver or any other sensible gun )

I have, that is the only reason why I feel that I can objectively say that doing this provides no benefit over a regular grip (since when you draw your index finger should be 'pointing' somewhat anyways...) The only situation in which this method might hold an advantage would be when using a derringer with a minimal grip.

Zero I like the ones I've got... and I haven't found a new one which meets my wants/needs yet in 2007. If we're talking about the previous 12 months... umm, 2... an XD-357 Service and a 16" CAR-15 'M4-gery' (which I am tempted to get rid of in favor of a Robinson Arms XCR or a Sig 556)

Difference is, we don't all share ours with everyone...

Yes! .30carbine delivers performance comparative to .357magnum (through similar-length barrels).... Or, another way to look at it is comperable to 7.62x39mm with slightly lighter bullets (110gr vs. 123gr), at lower velocities (1900fps vs. 2100fps). But, either way you look at it, it's head and shoulders above 9mm, especially using modern loads.

I'll be remembering you father, you, and the rest of your family. God Bless.

Adequete for close-quarters, to be sure. But, in that same-size platform, a rifle caliber is far more befitting, and certainly more effective. If you're not dead-set on a semi-automatic, then a good lever-action .357magnum would be very nice to have... It won't have the same volume/rate of fire as a .30carbine M1, but it will hit just as hard (since hopefully you wouldn't be 'praying and spraying' inside the house!!!).

I will say, in addition to my previous endorsment of an open-minded approach to selecting a first handgun, that after I had been shooting and carrying pistols for a few years, I wished that the Beretta 92F had been my first gun (as it was, it was my 4th). It was very controllable, accurate, easy to maintain, uber reliable, and used cheap ammo. I was able to learn more about shooting technique, practicing with that gun, than any other. Some other semi-auto pistols which are easy for new shooters to acclimate to (IMHO) are: Sig P226 9mm Magnum Research Baby Eagle Full-Size 9mm (or CZ75, Witness, etc...) S&W 5900 series Ruger P89 Springfield XD-9 Tactical H&K USP 9mm Full-Size Browning/FN High-Power 9mm Glock 17/34 There's a list to keep your eye out for when you are looking for pistols to try, you're likely to really take-to one or more of them more naturally than others.

Good advice. Try a few on for size, maybe even ask an experienced shooter to accompany you... Don't lock yourself into any particular gun until you have handled enough to understand what features you prefer, and why.

let's open up the debate a little more... < my apologies for going even further off-topic > What type of popcorn popper is most reliable for producing delicious snacks when the SHTF? Hot-Air Popper - ? Kettle Popper - ? Microwaveable - ? Jiffy-Pop - ?

Were you shooting Wolf ammo? Steel cases are suceptible to chewing up extractors, and having their rims deformed. Chromed chambers help with extraction, but steel cases do stick more often than brass. It could also have been a rough chamber... and, the AK feed issue might have been a magazine problem. Just some possibilities.

That makes sense... I see what you mean now Marswolf, and I agree.

Interesting... I've never heard that. I'll have to go pull that FM up... I assume that it's for use in special situations, as you said, not general practice? --------------------------------------------------- The only reference which I could find in that FM was:

Oops, I beg pardon... That's what I meant. Thanks for catching that.