My thoughts on the Candlelight Vigil.

Well, when I started this blog I had no intention of ever touching the pro/anti gun controversy except in facts, statistics, etc related to why I personally was choosing to be armed.  But recently I found myself reading about the candlelight vigil and couldn't help but form an opinion that decided it needed an outlet.  Thus, you get this post.

Some background:

• Jan 8th, the Brady campaign sponsored candlelight vigils to recognize and remember the victims of shootings.
• In response, the gun blogger community hosted a 'Counter' vigil of guns and candles started by Weer'd
• Response by pro-gun control community was less than understanding.

While each gun blogger has their own reasons for joining or not the counter vigil.  I don't believe it was anyone's intent to mock or downplay the seriousness of shootings and deaths.  Had the event not been sponsored by the Brady campaign, I doubt that it would have gotten such a response for the gun community.  But considering that the Brady campaign believes that the only answer to violence is taking away the weapons, those who believe in self defense decided (understandably) to voice their opinion as well.

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Here are my thoughts:

It is about the victims.  No, really!  Even for most gunnies that I know and respect.  We're not mocking the vigil, we understand the need to remember and grieve for friends and family who have been injured and killed.  However, for us it's also about the desire to solve the  problem.

Not by weakening ourselves, not by blaming the system*, and not by removing the tools**.  But by refusing to be the next victim.  For us (or at least me) it's about being aware that bad people exist and that each of us is responsible for our own safety.

I have never expected anyone else to do my homework, pay my bills, or generally smooth the path (though both of those positions are available if you want that job).  I am an adult, and part of that is personal responsibility and accountability.  Part of that responsibility is my own safety.

If we lived in a perfect world, I probably wouldn't be a gun girl.  Or at least not one interested in carrying regularly.  But we don't and I don't think we will in my lifetime.  It's been shown time and again that most of the time the police aren't there when you need them.  I have no intention of looking over my shoulder every moment, or being afraid to go somewhere alone.  Thus, I'm going to do the responsible thing and be ready and able to protect myself. 

Do I want to shoot someone?  No way!  I hope I am never faced with the need to make that decision, or even to have to draw my weapon in defense.  But I have no intention of relying on a system that has been proven to fail when people need it.

Yes, the vigils are important, the victims and loved ones have suffered.  The best way I know to reduce the number of people who show up at these vigils is by not becoming a victim or letting those around me become one.  I choose not to be another loss.  I choose to carry a gun.



*Though I do think there are undoubtedly some problem with the methods by which some people slip through the cracks (mental patients who don't make it to the list are not getting guns bay fault of the dealers).  But that's a thought for another day.


**That hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried.

My first pet peeve...

Ok, so I have a lot of pet peeves, just ask my husband.  But this is neither the time or place to go into my mania about shower curtains.  I have however, found my first firearms related peeve. 

I'm not really sure that's something to celebrate, but who cares.  Any excuse for a good party right?  Lets break out the noisemakers and paper hats.  Whith this celebration comes yet another terminology lesson.

These are clips:

 

This is not:

A clip is an ammunition retaining device.  It is used to hold rounds for insertion into a magazine or cylinder.  A magazine loads the round into the chamber of the firearm.  Your pistol does not use a clip.  It uses a magazine. 

Minute man review has also written about this terminology difference.  And does a much better job than I at explaining the difference.

In all honesty, it's not a big thing (what pet peeve ever is?), but I think th scientist in me gets twitchy with imprecision terminology.  You wouldn't want to confuse the many types of pipettes or get the wrong reagent when mixing a solution right? 

Although, now that I tihnk about it, missusing vocabulary bothers me in all aspects of life.  Perhaps that's why this video is one of my favorites.  No, not firearm related, but humorous none the less.

*pics from wiki commons, no clips in my house....

A Girl and Her Gun: The Give-A-Way

A Girl and Her Gun is doing an amazing give-a-way contest for money towards training. If you are a newish female shooter, go enter!

This contest just keeps getting better!  Look at this list of prizes.  I think it's growing every day!

• The Prizes- $300 toward any reputable basic self defense shooting course in the United States of America-provided by A Girl and Her Gun.
• 200 rounds of Ammo in either 9mm, 10mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP or .38 spl provided by the very cool ZerCool
• 100 additional rounds provided by the generous North
• 150 additional rounds provided by the generous and competitive Tango Juliet
• If you are in the Metro Charlotte area of North Carolina a basic pistol class and Conceal Carry Handgun Class or if you are not in the area a $50 gift certificate for gear(ie eyes, ears, range bag) provided by the generous and very competitive Keads
• 100 Rounds provided by the nicest of nice Scott McCray
• 250 rounds provided by the incredibly supportive The Calm Gun
• 200 more rounds by the extremely kind Old NFO
• A $50 gift certificate provide by the goddess of all Gun Goddesses
• Electric ear muffs and if you live near Northern Virgina, a personal consultant to take you holster shopping or an hour of one-on-one range time provided by talented and knowledgeable Female and Armed

Don't forget to read the blog while you are there.  She has a great story and good advice on many topics for women shooters, espcially those who are coming in from a victim standpoint.

Google says it's not me!

Went to the range today with husband.  I was feeling kind and decided to re-try the PX4 storm compact.  Suffice to say our relationship did not improve.  However, I did get lots of failure to feed and/or extract practice.  Woo hoo!  Really, shooting is less that fun when you go through 50 rounds having to rack the slide by hand for each one...

Upon finishing, we turned in the gun and the counter guy asked how it was.  I explained that we just didn't get along at all.  He seemed to think that I was limp wristing or something of that nature.  I explained that this is the only gun (other than a Kel-Tec PF9 aka stupid tiny gun) I've had any problems with.  I was perfectly willing to accept that there is something about me and the pistol that just didn't mesh, I was even going so far as to wonder is my cross dominance and the spiffy rotating barrel mechanism just made the perfect failure storm.  No matter how much I love the feel of it, and even though I'm super accurate with it, one round at a time just doesn't cut it! 

So, I get home and do a quick search.  The FTE problem is mentioned on many boards and several review articles.  Mostly with wither women or lighter ammo.  Turns out enough people have had similar problems that Beretta looked into it and now offers replacement guide rods and recoil springs for those that are too stiff and result in problems. 

Photo from handgunmags.com as I forgot to take the camera to the range.

Ha! It's not just me!  Well, it's probably just that I'm a girl or something since the husband had no problems even when intentionally holding very loosely.  I hate admitting that I'm weak.  It happens more than I'd like in a job the requires manhandling cattle, but at least now I know that there is a problem that is more than just me.  I can't tell you how happy that makes me.  It was really bothering me that I couldn't fix the problem, no matter how I held the gun, focused on and stiffened my wrist, aligned my arm, etc.

A new awareness

Some people who start carrying mention becoming more aware of their environment.  Who and what is around them, safety concerns, etc.  I haven't started carrying yet (though my snap-pak finally came in the mail!) so haven't expereince that yet.  But I do find myself more aware of firearms in TV and movies.

It's not that I didn't notice them before, but now I'm 'aware.'  I find myself trying to see what weapon a person is carrying, counting shots, and more.  But especially, I find myself annoyed by sound effects.  It's amusing now to hear the cocking sound while seeing a pistol without an external hammer.  Or hear a racking slide without seeing any hands move.


You'd think that in some of these big budget thing they'd make an effort to do the research and get it right.  Ah well.  I figure it's just one more thing to giggle to myself about.  I already find lab scenes and animal work (especially riding) to be amusing. 

What things do you see on screen and giggle or complain (if you are like my husband) about?