-Bristol-

Sling-Shot, as a lefty I'm very familiar. It has merit.

I had a small space hidden in a corner closet and filled it with a safe from Sentry. It happended to fill the space perfectly and the safe itself is diffucult to find. The confined location would make it more difficult to break in. It worked great for what my needs at the time.

You mentioned the TCP and I've been leaning that way. The look, trigger, and features pull me that direction. I've been reading whatever input I can find, personal testimonies mainly. Camparing the Kel Tek, the Ruger and the TCP; the TCP is the most recent entry and needs time to air out the design and manufacturing. So i'm still on hold. I purchased a new Walther PK380 back about 4 months and love it, it has been 100% from the start, but it is just in a different catagory due to size and features.

Holster choices for the PK380 are limited at this time. I have both the P22 and the PK380 and love them both but am always watching for new holster ideas to cover the PK380. Yes, these two are close in size but just because a holster is made the P22 doesn't mean it will alway fit the "slightly" larger 380.

The wife and I used a .22 for qualifcation. I had purchased a new Walther P22 and showed it to her the evening before we went the next morning for the class. She had NEVER fired it and yet shot 100%. It is that easy. Many have and many will use a .22 for self defense, however, there might be times when your thinking .45 and two extra mags.

I expect Walmart will eventually go away from handgun ammo. That's what Kmart did in most stores. Rifle and shotgun ammo is somewhat seasonal but handgun can not be tied to a season. Unless you consider "election season"

Yet another example of people who don't know what they are talking about and don't hesitate to step in it. This person probably thought they were an authority on the issue.

Another happy customer here. I have both the P22 and PK380 and love them both. I brought home the new p22 before she went to take the HCP course and she fired perfectly with it, 100%, even thought having never fired it before. The weapon is well behaved and ergonomic, always functions as it should. It just feels natural in the hand and I think that alone inspires confidence for new shooters.

Here's a drill I have had fun with. It is a timed event. Start by going to YouTube and search "Shooting El Presidente" and various examples will appear and several variations. We use milk jugs instead of silhoetts because they are reactive, in other words you hit them and they move. It is a double tap drill so if you hit in the first shot then you have to be prepared to follow the target on the follow-up shot. We also do not sit the targets all at the same distance but at 3 distances. And when you turn to face the target, you start with the closest and take it out first. There will be six targets total, two shots at each with a mag change in the middle. A total of 12 shots fired.

I served in the active army 4 years and NEVER carried a handgun, was never trained too. Only M16 with M4 launcher. But as a civilian, I've made the effort to become very familiar with my firearms, fired alot of ammo. Take the advice mentioned by some here and check around, maybe take a class to get a good foundation. Use speed drills, practice reload, malfunction failures, clearing your home, etc..............There are videos and books that offer good drills to practice.

It doesn't help much, but the web site at www.vacreepertrail.us says: On the Mount Rogers portion, hunting is allowed in season. Firearms may not be carried at any other time. Target shooting is prohibited. Among numerous other rules. I'm not really sure how to interpret that and they probably don't know the actual legal specifics either. I've ridden it many times, If you plan to go UP the mountain, The main weapon you'll need is good reflexes to dodge the crazy kids, teens and overweight Moms as they come down. That trail can be crazy crowded on a Saturday or Sunday. And there are people who camp along the trail. Shuttle services carry tons of people to the top so they can coast down. Good luck!

Beware of used Rugers, those with a 370 prefix in the serial number. There was a recall. The weapon was prone to discharge if dropped. They will retrofit the trigger assembly "plus some other functional upgrades that were added since the LCP’s introduction" according to their web site. Free of charge of course.

I've recently been reading everything I can find on these two, the Ruger and the Taurus. I've handled both and the Kel-tek as well. The feel, the features and the trigger seem to be selling me on the Taurus. Ruger wins in name recognition and reputation, sure, but after you've put a box down range, the feel, features and trigger begin to show-up. So keep talking, 'cause I still can't make up my mind.

As far as Walmart goes, I rarely see it in East Tn, Tri-Cities. I'm thinking "buy low, sell high" you need to hold off stocking up until the pipline fills completely. I've been shooting .380 for 25 years and I'm expecting it to return eventually.

Baby Glock at 19oz is a good example of what is out there, the Sig P239 40 runs up near 30oz. And if you don't like the Glock approach or the look, the market is thick with others. There is a compact Ruger 9mm that looks good. The M&P from Smith & Wesson might be another. The Kel-tek PF-9 is nearly too light, very snappy recoil. But I'd still go with the PPS.

I have carried heavier, but seldom do anymore. If you are concerned with weight, there are better choices now on the market. The Walther sure seems like a good choice, but alot here will come down to personal preference and the varied features or lack of. Holstering systems, etc. Lugging alot of weight around is kind of 'old school'

Now that's what I've thought about, extra copies of all my documentation. I know an extra DL copy is $10 but haven't check into an extra copy of my HCP. Those in the country illegally have the ACLU in their corner to defend them, better not ask them for any documention.

Me and the wife were permitted together and it really does simplify things, puts us both on the same page. She doesn't carry often and I can't get her past her Walther p22 she loves, but otherwise, it's all good.

I didn't realize it could be this complicated, but the "school" thing can be a factor. I seldom carry at church due to the way I normally dress and my selection of carry weapons has a gap that needs to be filled with something a little more concealable.

Both! are popular with me. Metal, aluminum, polymer, nickel, chrome, I like em all. I like to have a liitle of each. Kind of like with long guns, I love real wood, I love the laminates, I love the synthetics. Some are done well and some are done poorly regardless of material.

Looks great. I passed on one last year for $195, I should have taken it. I would like to see a revival of the old 7.62x25 cartridge. It has potential for something, just not sure what.

Pond Mountain for me also. Public but not too many people as long as you choose wisely on what time of day you go. Self service with a minimal fee. Two dollars I think.

One time fee would be nice. Someone needs to be making a list because we need to speak with one voice. One "Realistic" voice as to what is actually doable and what the legislators will buy into. I've read the entire thread and see some good ideas while some are not very well thought out.

I saw the Ruger a couple weeks ago (Tri-Cities Gun Depot) and it was really nice, reasonable price. Good fit and finish. I like the size.

I remember going to the polls years ago and there would be people representing the Communist Party on the ballat. Around here it was seen mostly during the presidential race. When communism collapsed in '89, they did NOT just die-off but were assimilated into the Democrat Party. Karl Marx' book "The Communist Manifesto" is now the Democrat play book. First comes socialism then comes communism. It is a very slow progression or by force.