Selected Measures of Unintentional Injuries, U.S., 2002-2006

Source: National Safety Council Report

Now, with such a HIGH RISK of death from falling, poisoning, even choking or drowning, you would think that our overbearing federal government would be banning poisons or continually trying to educate us on poison safety or creating legislation to better control poisons, or accidental falls or even choking.

You would think that the media would be doing hatchet segments on how unsafe walking causes accidental falls or shows about poison safety.  But no, they’re going after the least likely cause of accidental death on the chart - Guns!

In 2006 there were over 50,000 deaths caused by falling, poisoning and choking.  I don’t remember any news stories focusing on THOSE accidental deaths!  Clearly the media who feels the need to babysit us and make sure we’re safe from ourselves and our big bad guns is being extremely irresponsible by not warning us about walking and chewing really good.

Check out this 20/20 “Report” misleadingly titled “If I only had a gun”

This preposterous presentation presents a “study” that concludes that having a gun in a classroom shooting scenario does you no good.  They take a few college kids and “test” them on their reaction to a scenario where they have to defend themselves with a gun.  The gun skills of the test subjects range from none to range skilled.  The results?  20/20 finds and concludes that having a gun basically means you’re going to get killed.  They also find that even if you get your gun out, you won’t be able to shoot anyone.

So let’s look at what they actually did here.  They grab a few kids, most who don’t know how to use a gun and “train” them.  They put an unfamiliar weapon in their hands, let them shoot it a few times on a range and put them all in a baggy shirt.

The first guy, “Joey” isn’t used to carrying a gun.  They put a holster on his belt and position it in his front right, then put his shirt cover over the gun.  Then, AMAZINGLY when a shooter comes in (who is a firearms instructor) Joey, who has NEVER practiced pulling his gun from the position they put it in, can’t get his gun out!  Wow!  I’m shocked!  Any decent gun owner who is going to carry practices pulling his gun hundreds to thousands of times.  This kid fumbles in a shirt that isn’t his and can’t pull a gun that isn’t his from a place he’s not used to pulling a gun from.

Then they show the youtube video of the moron officer at a school that was bragging and showing off to some kids, with a LIVE round in the chamber (while showing kids!), and shoots himself in the foot.  They use this video of a guy who should have been fired immediately as a demonstration that “even officers shoot themselves”.

Then they run “Danielle” through the same scenario.  This untrained girl actually manages to get her gun out AND shoots the perp.  Problem is, she has no idea how to use cover.  She just stands up and starts shooting.  Amazingly, she gets shot!  Then they try to make a big deal about that the apparantley only shot she got off didn’t go where she thought it did.  Instead of a head shot, it was a leg shot.  Danielle actually did pretty good, with some training she might be a decent gun owner.  She needs to learn to take cover and empty her gun.

Next they show “Brian” running through the same test, only with two shooters this time.  Brian stays in his seat while he tries to get his gun out.  Amazingly they shoot him several times.  Then a cop stands their and explains that motor skills deteriorate during a tense scenario.  Duh, that’s why we train repeatedly so that our muscle memory takes over!  You can’t possibly pretend that these kids have any kind of motor skill training to deal with these situations.

Then, hilariously, Diane Sawyer shows that gun haters can’t shoot either.  Just check out her face when she’s pulling her weapon - she clearly thinks it’s a stupid joke.

Then they clearly state that without training you’re not going to react well in these situations.  Duh.  You would think that they’re point is going to be that if you want to carry a gun you NEED to get training!  Nope, it’s that it’s hopeless and pointless to carry a gun.

Next “Chris” who has a lot of range experience is put through the test.  Guess what!  Chris can’t get his gun out!  Again, not his baggy shirt, not his gun, not a weapon in a place he’s used to drawing from.  He takes cover and fights with his gun to get un-holstered.

They sum all this up by saying that you have to be trained to handle a gun properly.  But the problem is, that ISN’T their point, their subtle inferred point throughout the video is that it is useless to have a gun, you have to rely on the cops.

The next segment titled “When older kids find guns” starts off with a bunch of sad clips of kids who got a hold of guns and kill someone.  These are definitely bad situations, but what they don’t talk about is how rare they are or that it’s irresponsible gun owners that lead to these situations.

In their next scenario, they plant a couple guns in a drawer and have some kids pack them up - so they find the guns.  They are observing what they do with the guns.  These kids CLEARLY are not familiar with guns at all, and the “owners” that left two loaded guns in a drawer in their garage and told some kids to pack them up are the ones at fault here.

The first kids just dumped the guns in a box - while looking away from them as if they then wouldn’t exist!  The next set of kids FREAK OUT about them and try to clean their fingerprints off them.  The next set of old teenagers determine the guns are loaded, check for safety and then go get the adults.  One of the kids, who clearly is in awe of a gun, checks them out (he acts like he’s never seen one before).  The next idiot points it at his face while he’s checking it out.   Then they have someone come in and ask “can you tell if it’s loaded by looking down there?” and these kids who clearly know nothing about guns look down the barrel.  And on and on.

To me, the main point of this segment ought to be make SURE your kids know how to use guns, that they know how to be safe with them, that they don’t think it’s a toy. My own teenage boys KNOW how to handle guns, they know how to clear them and they know how to safely use them.  My younger kids wouldn’t be in awe of a gun if they came across them, they’re used to seeing them.

They wind it up with a kid who accidentaly shot his friend saying that he wishes the President would make sure guns are locked up, away from kids.  Well, I wish gun owners would do that, but the President certainly shouldn’t be doing that!

Here are some quick stats on causes of child deaths, notice where guns come in and consider what we’re doing to keep kids safe from drowning, suffocating and swallowing stray objects:

Here are some real numbers of accidental child deaths per year:
Cause ………………………..Number (Ages 0-14) ……Number (Ages 0-4)
Motor-vehicle ……………………………..2,591………..819
Drowning …………………………………….943………….568
Fires and flames …………………………….593……….. 327
Mechanical suffocation ……………………601………..508
Ingestion of food, object…………………… 169 ……..169
Firearms ……………………………………….86………….19
Source: Figures are for 2000. National Safety Council, Injury Facts: 2003 Edition, at 10-11, 129.

There’s more but I think this is enough for now.

I’m sick of “news” segments that take tragic gun scenarios and spin them into anti-gun garbage.  How about some responsible reporting advocating that gun owners be RESPONSIBLE!  We insist on our 2nd Amendment RIGHT, but with all rights come RESPONSIBILITY!  Including the right of the free press!

Here’s a great article about this video from Gun Owners of America.

60 Minutes does a hatchet job on the 2nd Amendment.

Watch CBS Videos Online

I do not, CAN NOT understand the mentality of these people who believe that by disarming citizens they can decrease violence!  I feel for the victims and families of the victims of Virginia Tech, but it’s ridiculous to think that by closing the so-called “Gun Show Loophole” that they’ll be making a difference in anything.  The other guy had it right - if everyone who wanted to be was carrying a gun at Virginia Tech things would have been  a LOT different!

I’m also tired of all these bureaucrats who think they understand guns and what gun owners want to do with them.  I own AK-47’s and SKS’s - and several other rifles.  I hope to never have to shoot them at another person, but whatever may go down in the future, if it’s bad I will NOT be standing by un-armed wishing I had a gun to protect my family!

The biggest problem with this “report” is the complete failure of 60 minutes to apply any kind of logic to their report.  They start off talking about the ammo shortage and gun/ammo price increases.  They then end up basically saying that because they don’t believe Obama won’t do anything about guns right now that there must not be a reason for the shortage - or something, it’s kinda confusing.  But, they are acting like it’s silly to think any of that.  Well, the bottom line and the fact of the matter is that whether Obama and Congress want to go after guns or not, America BELIEVES that he/they will/do.  Background checks have gone up 30%, ammo is nowhere to be found, guns are doubled in price.  The reason is that all those people who thought they could just go pick up a gun if they felt the need to are suddenly realizing that they just might not be able to - and they’re doing something about it!

I’m so sick of politicians, more sick of useless news celebrities and even more sick of the lazy, worthless Americans who don’t know or understand the Constitution.

(hat-tip to my buddy @ekimatuan for pointing me to the video)

I try to celebrate the 2nd amendment as often as I can - by going shooting with my friends!  Here are some photos of a couple recent shooting trips in Utah and Idaho.

Me and an AK47 = Love

Part of our group at the range west of Utah Lake

The SKS is a fun gun to shoot!

Working the Move and Shoot pistol range in Idaho

Our lineup on the Rifle Range - AR-30, BMG .50 and on

Firing the H&K

We also blew up some Tannerite, watch the white dot in the middle of the hill!

After shooting, our group went snowmobiling

Me by my sled

Thinking her sled was a gun, my wife killed a tree.

This weekend a big group of us are going snow camping and will be doing some long range rifle training on Saturday.  Thank God for Guns!

What do you do to celebrate the 2nd Amendment?  Share you story with us as a guest author!  Also, our readers are welcome to come on shooting trips with us - we love to learn and to teach!  Let us know if you’re interested.

Our 2nd Amendment rights are severely threatened by the incoming Obama Administration.  Gun owners are all to aware of this as we notice that gun shops can’t keep guns in stock and ammo shops are having a hard time keeping ammo in stock.

The socialist idea that banning guns of any type will somehow deter crime has been shown to be ignorant stupidity time and time again.  Anyone who still thinks that gun-ban and gun control laws do ANYTHING to protect citizens are either completely naive or just blatantly STUPID.  All that happens when you take away guns from law abiding citizens is help criminals gain confidence that nobody will shoot back at them.

These videos document the sadness and frustration of ex-gun owners and other citizens in England as they completely lost their right to own a firearm.  They also document how since banning guns - gun crime has skyrocketed out of control - to the point that the police carry firearms and wear body armor. (h/t @cboyack)

We MUST NOT allow ourselves to be dis-armed!  Somehow we’ve got to get the anti-gun Liberals to understand that disarming law abiding citizens will NOT lower crime.  Check these out:

The British called - They want their guns back!

Americans, Protect your gun rights at all cost!

There’s still more to do, but GeeksNGuns is finally getting some badly needed attention!  As the site overhaul continues, we’re also looking for other people who are interested in writing with us.  If you would like an outlet to write and rant about 2nd Amendment rights and their continued attacks by the Government, gun and shooting education, gun reviews or anything else about firearms, please let us know!

The inauguration of  gun-ban Obama seemed like a good day to launch a renewed committment to protecting our right to bear arms.  If you aren’t already a member, we invite you to celebrate the inauguration of our new President by joining the NRA TODAY!

Just in case you’ve missed it through all the hype, here’s the rundown on Obama’s history as a gun control freak (from gunbanobama.com):

The presidential primary season is finally over, and it is now time for gun owners to take a careful look at just where nominee Barack Obama stands on issues related to the Second Amendment. During the primaries, Obama tried to hide behind vague statements of support for “sportsmen” or unfounded claims of general support for the right to keep and bear arms.

But his real record, based on votes taken, political associations, and long standing positions, shows that Barack Obama is a serious threat to Second Amendment liberties. Don’t listen to his campaign rhetoric! Look instead to what he has said and done during his entire political career.

FACT: Barack Obama opposes four of the five Supreme Court justices who affirmed an individual right to keep and bear arms. He voted against the confirmation of Alito and Roberts and he has stated he would not have appointed Thomas or Scalia.¹⁷

FACT: Barack Obama voted for an Illinois State Senate bill to ban and confiscate “assault weapons,” but the bill was so poorly crafted, it would have also banned most semi-auto and single and double barrel shotguns commonly used by sportsmen.¹⁸

FACT: Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.¹

FACT: Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.¹⁵

FACT: Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.³

FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a 500% increase in the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.²

FACT: Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities.⁴

FACT: Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.⁵

FACT: Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.⁶

FACT: Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.

FACT: Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.⁷

FACT: Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and “research.”⁸

FACT: Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.¹⁰

FACT: Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.¹¹

FACT: Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.¹²

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.¹³

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.²

FACT: Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.¹⁴

FACT: Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month handgun purchase restrictions.¹⁶

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on the resale of police issued firearms, even if the money is going to police departments for replacement equipment.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory firearm training requirements for all gun owners and a ban on gun ownership for persons under the age of 21.⁹

1. United States Senate, S. 397, vote number 219, July 29, 2005. (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00219)

2. Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization general candidate questionnaire, Sept. 9, 1996. The responses on this survey were described in “Obama had greater role on liberal survey,” Politico, March 31, 2008. (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9269.html)

3. United States Senate, S. 397, vote number 217, Kennedy amendment July 29, 2005. (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00217)

4. David Wright, Ursula Fahy and Sunlen Miller, “Obama: ‘Common Sense Regulation’ On Gun Owners’ Rights,” ABC News’ “Political Radar” Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, 2/15/08. (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/obama-common-se.html)

5. Illinois Senate, SB 2165, March 25, 2004, vote 20 and May 25, 2004, vote 3.

6. “Fact Check: No News In Obama’s Consistent Record.” Obama ’08, December 11, 2007. (http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/12/11/fact_check_no_news_in_obamas_c.php)

7. “Candidates’ gun control positions may figure in Pa. vote,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Wednesday, April 2, 2008, and “Keyes, Obama Are Far Apart On Guns,” Chicago Tribune, 9/15/04. (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_560181.html)

8. 1998 Joyce Foundation Annual Report, p. 7.

9. “Obama and Gun Control,” The Volokh Conspiracy, taken from the Chicago Defender, Dec. 13, 1999. (http://www.volokh.com/posts/1203389334.shtml)

10. Illinois Senate, May 5, 2002, SB 1936 Con., vote 26.

11. Illinois Senate, March 25, 2003, SB 2163, vote 18.

12. “Clinton, Edwards, Obama on gun control,” Radio Iowa, Sunday, April 22, 2007. (http://learfield.typepad.com/radioiowa/2007/04/clinton_edwards.html)

13. Chicago Tribune blogs, “Barack Obama: NIU Shootings call for action,” February 15, 2008, (http://blogs.trb.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/barack_obama_comments_on_shoot.html)

14. Barack Obama campaign website: “As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment . . .” (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/urbanpolicy/#crime-and-law-enforcement.)

15. Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Barack_Obama_Gun_Control.htm and http://www.ontheissues.org/IL_2004_Senate_3rd.htm) Oct 21, 2004.

16. Illinois Senate, May 16, 2003, HB 2579, vote 34.

17. United States Senate vote 245, September 29, 2005 and vote 2, January 31, 2006 and Saddleback Forum, August 16, 2008.

18. Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee, March 13, 2003. To see the vote tally go to: http://www.nrapvf.org/Media/pdf/sb1195_obama.pdf.

This is important and will take you less than two minutes - and you don’t have to speak to a single person!

IMPORTANT - PLEASE VOTE ON GUN CONTROL BY PHONE AS DIRECTED BELOW ASAP! - TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE GUN CONTROL.

Subject: Gun control in Cook County, Illinois
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008

Greetings all:

Please take the time to voice your opinion regarding our rights which are supposed to be protected by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

It seems Larry Suffredin and his cohorts on the Cook County Board are up to their old tricks again. In order to justify passage of gun control ordinances designed to close all gun shops and ban and confiscate most guns owned by citizens of the county, the Cook County Board is conducting a telephone poll where callers can vote for or against the gun control ordinances. If you would like to participate in this poll (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF COOK COUNTY TO DO SO), please take the following steps:

Call 1-312-603-6400 and select Option #1 when prompted. At the next prompt, select Option #1 again. Then, when prompted to vote on the gun control ordinance, press #2 (this votes AGAINST gun control).

Please consider forwarding this alert to all your relatives, friends and acquaintances who are interested in the cause of freedom and liberty and ask them to participate in this as well.
You might also wish to post this alert to any and all Internet bulletin boards or blogs to which you belong

This LITERALLY takes less than 2 MINUTES!  Please, do it now - you do not have to speak to a single person, let these idiots know that we care about gun control laws!  Make the call, then spread the word!

In the last couple weeks I’ve had several friends ask me for advice about what kind of gun they should get - they’ve never or do not currently own one. I’ve thought about writing this post a few times but I’ve hesitated because I don’t consider myself even close to an expert on guns, I’m just an enthusiast. I got asked again this morning though and realized that even my limited knowledge is more than some of my friends have. So here it goes, first gun suggestions for those who don’t have a gun but feel the need to get one - from a simple enthusiast, not an expert. Incidentally, if you’re an expert (Jayce) please add commentary to this post!

The first thing I ask back at my friends is this:

What do you want a gun for? There are a couple answers and they affect recommendations. Here are the basic categories:

Home Protection:

Concern about home invasion is often one of the primary motivators to arming yourself. The best weapon choice for this (in the authors opinion) is a shotgun in tactical configuration. This means having an 18 inch barrel with a pistol grip. Tactical config isn’t required, but it makes the weapon more maneuverable and useful in a combat situation.

Why a shotgun? First and foremost there is a good chance that when you’re defending your home, especially if it’s against an intruder that is in your house, your going to be doing some dangerous shooting. The walls of your house will prevent shot from passing through and killing someone on the other side whereas a bullet has a good chance of punching right through two layers of sheetrock and hitting your kid who’s sheltering in their room. Secondly, one of the most recognizable and frightening sounds in the world is a shotgun caulking - especially if you don’t know where it’s coming from - psyops at its finest. You can also load a round into the chamber by hand without making a sound if stealth is needed. Third, with the wider pattern that a shotgun provides, you have better odds in a heated fast moving situation of acquiring and hitting your target. With a pistol you have to be much more accurate which can be difficult with adrenaline pumping in your veins and your target dodging you.

The other, often overlooked issue with a shotgun is ammo. With a pistol you’ve got a clip with x rounds in it and you can easily have a few spare mags with you. With a shotgun you basically have a pocket full of shells. If you’re fully loaded you’ll have 3-8 rounds in your weapon depending on choke configuration, you should have a side saddle mounted on your shotgun that will hold another 5- 8 rounds as well. Beyond the 8 - 16 rounds you’re carrying in/on your gun, you either have to fish rounds out of a pocket/bag or use the weapon as a club. I strongly recommend that you purchase a bandoleer or two. You can get them for about $10 bucks and they hold 50 shells each. I personally have two bandoleers that are loaded with shot shells and a 25 shell belt that is loaded with slugs as a critical part of my home defense arsenal.

When it comes to purchasing ammo for a shotgun there are lots of choices out there - most of them are for bird hunters. I don’t bird hunt and I don’t have any idea what size shot you use for what. I buy copious amounts of the cheapest shells I can find. Right now that means a box of 25 at Wal-Mart for $4.67. The other ammo I use for my shotgun is a rifled slug. These babies turn your shotgun into a monster weapon. A slug is a reverse hollow chunk of lead shoved into a shotgun shell. It’s solid on top and hollow in the back, it’s one huge chunk of lead. Slugs run about a buck a piece unless you can find them on sale.

If you’re able to get more than one gun for home defense, a pistol is definitely next in line. A pistol is generally more accessible and regardless of what I said above, reaching for a pistol is better than scrambling to get your shotgun and ammo. If you’re able to arm yourself with both a pistol and a shotgun during a home invasion, the pistol gives you a much cleaner kill shot than the shotgun. Use the shotgun to enable the kill shot.

Personal Defense (out of the home):

I think most people know the answer to this one - it’s a pistol. The real question is what caliber do you get? Unfortunately that is a very personal answer. I personally prefer a 45 with a 380 as backup. The best way to learn what you want to use is to contact your local shooting ranges and find one that rents weapons. Go there and spend the money to be able to try out several different weapons and find the one that you like - then go buy it. If you’re in Utah, come out to one of our shooting events - even if you don’t have a gun yet - and try out several different guns. You can be assured that almost everything will be represented there!

Hunting:

The clear answer here is a rifle. The unclear answer is which caliber to get (again). There are a couple ways of looking at it. If you’re standing on a hill full of good armed folks, what caliber rifle will be most represented? In other words, what is the most commonly available bullet? There are differing opinions on this - some say 30-30 others say 30.06. I think either way you’ll be covered. I’m going to recommend a 30.06, but a 30-30 will do just fine. Both these rifles are capable of taking down pretty much anything. Once you’ve got your basic rifle covered, you may want to branch out into other calibers.

When it comes to ammo, rifle ammo is some of the most expensive. 30.06 ammo runs about $12-$25 for 20 rounds. I suggest stocking up at least 500 rounds for a TEOTWAWKI situation and plan to be very careful with them - if possible, stock up a few thousand rounds - those bullets could represent your ability to eat properly one day.

Militia:

Lots of people are thinking about community protection these days, mostly protection from roving gangs in a TEOTWAWKI situation. So, what weapon is best for militia participation? It depends on several factors. If you’re budget conscious, you’re probably going to want to look at a weapon that uses a 7.62 class of ammo. This includes the AK-47, SKS, and several other rifles. AR-15’s are sexy but they’re expensive and commonly use the more expensive 223 ammo. An SKS will serve you well and can be had for $200 - $500. An AK-47 will also serve you well and can be had for around $450 - $800. An AR-15 will start at around $1,000.00. Then of course you can get into the bigger weapons like AR-30’s and the BMG .50 - all of which will run you a lot more money.

Accessories and other common questions:

With each of these weapons and protection classes, you need to also think about several other things.

How will you carry ammo? For ammo in magazines, how will you carry magazines? One excellent solution to this is to purchase a combat vest. You can get them in dozens of configurations, but look for ones that will hold magazines and for your weapons and has other accouterments that meet your combat preference. A fully prepped combat vest with a holster built into it will provide you with one stop grabbing in a tight situation. A clip on belt prepped with your holster and a magazine holder will work as well.

Magazines - how many should you have? The common answer among enthusiasts is “as many as you can get”. I would strongly recommend having at least 3 for each weapon. This allows, if your in an in-place combat situation, for someone to be reloading your magazines for you - hopefully quicker than you are emptying them.

Ammo - how much to get and how to store it? Most military surplus stores carry ammo cans, these are excellent for storing your ammo in. If you buy ammo in bulk, it will usually come loose in an ammo can already. Ammo cans are easy to grab, hold lots of rounds and will keep your ammo dry.

Safes - What do I do about storing my weapons? The answer to this question has several variables. Are you trying to protect from theft, destruction? How many guns do/will you own? And several others. Safes can run from $100.00 to $10,000.00. For me personally, I have a gun safe merely to keep my kids out of the guns. It is a simple keyed safe that I got from Wal-Mart for $100 bucks. There are drawbacks to this but I would rather spend my money on more guns than on a place to anchor them. Again, that’s just my preference.

Scopes - Do I need a scope for my gun(s)? If you are intending to use your rifle for hunting, you better have a scope on it. Without one you’ll probably just waste all your ammo on not killing anything. You’ll also probably want to scope your militia weapon. We’ll have to do a scope review in a later post.

Cleaning - What do I need to clean my guns? A weapon is an investment. If you don’t/can’t take proper care of it you’ll need the government to bail it out and that probably won’t happen. You’ll need to have bore brushes for each caliber weapon you have and a bore cleaner to go with it. You’ll also need gun oil and rags to clean everything. Wal-Mart has a great wooden box basic cleaning kit for $35.00 that will get you started. From there you’ll need to add to it. I suggest keeping a separate set of tools with your gun cleaning kit so you don’t have to hunt for them when you need them. To keep your wife happy, buy a drop cloth to clean on, it makes an oily mess! You can find step-by-step video instructions for breaking down, cleaning and re-assembling almost any gun on youtube. When I buy a new gun I always first completely dis-assemble it while watching a video tutorial on youtube. This gets me familiar with my weapon and lets me make sure I have any specialty tools for that weapon in my kit.

Ownership - You’ve got to OWN your guns. This means being completely familiar and comfortable with them as possible. Go shoot regularly (come with us) just to remind your body what it feels like to fire each weapon. Be familiar with all the mechanisms in your weapons so you’re able to repair and clean them when needed. When you NEED your gun is not the time to be trying to remember what steps you have to take in order to enable it to fire. Range time doesn’t need to eat up your whole day. Grab a gun after work or on the weekend, go to a range, fire off a few mags and come home. This isn’t target practice, it’s familiarization. But you’ll need to target practice too

Conclusion:

These are answers to the questions I get asked a lot, if you have other questions, please ask in the comments - I and the other active shooters on this site will be happy to help! Right now, our future ability to purchase and own firearms is in question - if you don’t have one yet, get a gun while you can! Don’t be embarrassed about not knowing what you need/want - we enthusiasts are all too happy to dump our opinions on you!

We’re putting together a meet-up at the gun show this weekend with Utah Preppers!

We’re thinking about also doing a quick shooting meet-up after the show.

The short version is to meet this Saturday at 9 am at the South Town Expo Center.  The long version and all the details are here on Utah Preppers - hope to see you there!

Wow we had a lot of fun!  This past weekend several of us got together just outside of Eagle Mountain to do a lot of shooting.  Most of us brought a son or two along so in all we had about 12 people there.  We spent 3 1/2 hours doing a lot of shooting and checking out different guns.  Here’s a qik movie that HumanCell shot at the end of the day when we were starting to load back up.
We’re hoping to do another one of these before the end of the month, probably the weekend after this one.  This weekend of course is the last gun show of the year - we my try to do a meet-up there.

The nice thing was that we had the whole place to ourselves - we could easily have 50 people come out there and have a great time!  Hopefully we’ll get a larger turn out next time, we’ll announce it more than a couple days ahead of time