Any of you guys carry?

[VehiGAZ]

WTF do you need to carry a hand gun around?? Are things really that bad over there? Or is it the whole nuclear weapon thing, if everyone has one they won't get used?? Or do you just shoot the **** out of each other?

Oh, settle down there across the pond! Ya'll know what kind of rednecks we are here in the US! This should not be news...

Between the cash and the drunks, anyone who owns a bar (like Riff Raff) needs to protect themselves as a matter of course. Ditto for a LOT of other professions - so yes, in some ways, things CAN BE that bad, depending one one's circumstances.

But most people that carry guns in the US don't need to - they do it just because they want to or because they can't very well distinguish between what they hear on the news and what happens in their life. I tried concealed carrying a couple of times when I lived in a more firearm-friendly state, and I did not care for how it felt - it was like I was deceiving everyone around me, including my good friends.

[nfpgasmask]

Oh, settle down there across the pond! Ya'll know what kind of rednecks we are here in the US! This should not be news...

Hey now, speak for yourself! We're not all rednecks over here!! I really hate the stigma that comes with gun ownership. Yes, I have guns. But that doesn't mean I am some uneducated goober. It doesn't mean I hunt and kill defenseless animals. It doesn't mean I am a "gun nut". I'm sure I am a little "off" compared to most people, but....

Bart

[newthings]

Only when I go to Portland.
I feel less safe but more aware.
S&W 5 shot 357 AirLite, hammerless, Crimson Trace, Glazer Safety Slugs in 38 sp.

The gun /self defense mentality is a product of our national permissiveness toward bad guys. We are left to defend ourselves. Secondly, we import a lot of trouble that has not benefited from the good things growing up in America teaches. (Hay, it used to count for something) Look to the four points of the compass to see sources of threat (Viet Nam gangs, Mexican gangs, Russian gangs, and even the drugs and bombs coming in from Canada.) American can’t decide if drugs are not to be tolerated or taxed. The people like Three Strikes and You Get Life, but we cannot afford to keep bad people in jail. I personally like Three Strikes and Your Dead – Today, on TV, pay per view, but free to prisons for the inmates viewing pleasure.

The pendulum continues to swing.

Keep your head on a swivel.
Roy

[VehiGAZ]

Hey now, speak for yourself! We're not all rednecks over here!! I really hate the stigma that comes with gun ownership. Yes, I have guns. But that doesn't mean I am some uneducated goober. It doesn't mean I hunt and kill defenseless animals. It doesn't mean I am a "gun nut". I'm sure I am a little "off" compared to most people, but....

Bart

I assumed that our British brothers would not make these subtle distinctions and figure any gun-owning American for a redneck. I cannot say for certain that they'd be wrong to do so, either...

[Todd Adams]

Ya know it is all about freedom. I have the freedom to own firearms and have extended that freedom through training and an FBI background check to be able to carry a loaded weapon. It is plain and simple besides the fact that I grew up with guns. My dad bought me my first .22 at age 7 and I practiced on a firing range in our church basement with my fellow cub scouts. Guns have always been part of my life and my kids as well. Guns have to be respected but are safe in trained hands. We have one town here in Utah that it is illegal not to be armed in. Guess what, they don’t have a crime problem.

With that said I refer to the first post and question. Sigs are great guns, one of the most accurate hand guns I have ever shot, very tight grouping. My favorite is my 9MM Baby Eagle made in Israel, again very accurate. My wife has a Tarsus Millennium 9MM which weighs in at 9 ounces without the magazine. We both carry the very small North American Arms .22 mag revolvers made here in Utah. Someone asked me what all trpohies were when I posted a picture of my home theater. Half were for the Jeep the others were for shooting.
Todd

[kodiak]

“Ooh, guns, guns, guns! Come on, Sal! The Tigers are playing...tonight! I never miss a game.”

I’ve been a lot of places and I’ve always felt safer in pro gun citys. All you need to do is check the mugging statistic. There’s not one place in Salt Lake City I’d feel unsafe waking in. But you go to a place like Baltimore in cretin parts of the city you start to feel like the stop signs are optional. Don’t get me wrong, I love Baltimore. I’ve had a gun for as long as I can remember and I’ve always felt more free because of it.
If you declaw a community and make them rely solely on the government to protect them all you get are more crime scenes to be investigated because the only ones that will be armed are the perps.

P.S. I love my "Sig GSR 1911" and my "Browning Hi Power". You can keep your Tupperware guns.

[psychos2]

As far as the glocks jamming mine never did.And I have not heard of any jamming from my brother in law that is a nys trooper and they all carry 9mm glocks. I believe it is more the ammo than the gun. It says something in the owners manual about using the correct ammo. Cheap out on the ammo and what do you expect. And I believe It says not to use reloads also . I shot many rounds through the Glock I had and never had a problem. Another reason for guns jamming is not keeping them clean. A Glock would still be my first choice. And I did a search for the AMT Back-Up in .380 caliber And the forums talk about how much the jam. shawn

[nfpgasmask]

I believe it is more the ammo than the gun.

I would have to agree here. Some guns are more sensitive to crappy ammo, some are not. Cheap-o Federal brand 9mm did jam once or twice in the G17 I mentioned above now that I think of it. But then, the cheap Russian Wolf 9mm works flawlessly in it. So go figure.

Personally, I like firearms that cycle anything you stick in there.

Bart

[Riff Raff]

I believe it is more the ammo than the gun. It says something in the owners manual about using the correct ammo. Cheap out on the ammo and what do you expect. And I believe It says not to use reloads also . Another reason for guns jamming is not keeping them clean. And I did a search for the AMT Back-Up in .380 caliber And the forums talk about how much the jam. shawn

PSYCHOS2--- You are absolutely correct on two(2) points: Using only store bought "over-the-counter" factory ammo is key (no "reloads" of any kind), and the other point is to always keep your firearm clean.

You mentioned you saw in a blog/forum about the AMT .380 Back-Up jamming. Yes, the "feed-ramp" leading into the chamber as a new round is fed from the magazine is very finicky, and will catch the edge of a poorly crimped casing on a bullet. In addition, the AMT .380 Back-Up doesn't like long pointy bullets like the Winchester Silver-Tip, as they can get kinked on the feed-ramp due to the long pointy nose of the bullet.

There are three(3) cures to prevent the AMT .380 Back-Up from ever jamming, they are:

1. Have the feed-ramp professionally "polished" by a certified gunsmith.

2. Use only factory bullets that have a more "rounded blunt style" nose, as they feed a lot easier and don't have edges to catch on anything. Examples are: Black Talon, Hydra-Shock, Blue Glaser Safety.

3. Keep the AMT .380 Back-Up cleaned and well-oiled at all times, and test rack the slide many times while feeding bullets to insure proper function of the feed-ramp, magazine spring and slide action recoil. WD-40 is amazing stuff!!!

I have had my AMT .380 Back-Up feed-ramp "polished" by a professional gunsmith; I use only factory Black Talon ammo with one always in the chamber; and I clean/oil it with WD-40 and perform "test-rack" function daily while I drink my morning coffee. I clean it daily to catch any possible "little fuzzy's or pocket lint", since it is carried in my rear pants pocket.

Further, I take it to a gun range at least monthly to test fire it. While at the gun range; I also pretend & practice being robbed, so when I draw my weapon from my back pocket, I simultaneously flick the safe lever to "fire" as I'm pulling it out of my back pocket and immediately fire multiple live rounds down range. I have live-fired this scenario & practiced it so many times, that it is now common habit with me. I am fully confident if I am ever held-up by an armed robber, that there will be a very dead perp with several well placed rounds of wicked Black Talon in his chest. I sincerely hope that day never comes; however, I am well rehearsed for it should it happen. My AMT .380 Back-Up has never, ever, jammed in function-test or live-fire; but then again, I take very good care of my guns because my life literally depends upon it.

The other handgun's I own are:

Two(2) LAR Grizzly in .50AE caliber (1 is all-blue & 1 is two-tone chrome/blue).

Two(2) LAR Grizzly in .45 Win-Mag caliber; 1 is all-blue & 1 is a rare one-of-one State of Colorado Governor's Presentation handgun w/14K gold engraving & white pearl grips, mint, never fired, in original Cherry-wood case with beveled glass lid valued at over $3,500 per Gun Digest Bible.

One(1) C.O.P. 4-bbl derranger in .357 Magnum caliber.

One(1) S&W, Model 59 in 9mm caliber.

One(1) AMT Back-Up in .380 caliber (daily carry).

Next Gun: Para-Ordnance "Wart Hog" Sub-compact in .45 ACP and/or Para-Ordnance P-14 LDA "Limited" in .45 ACP.

WISDOM--- Regarding "home protection": The key to safeguarding yourself and your family in your own home is to have a very good Home Alarm System which will give you an "early warning" of intrusion (dogs work well also, providing the intruder doesn't throw him a steak to chew-on). It is the "early warning" sound of the alarm which will allow you to wake-up from your deep sleep and give you enough time to grab some sort of protection (Firearm, Kimber-Guardian Angel, Baseball Bat, dial 911, etc).

In reading the scenario you described; I think a good Home Alarm System would have prevented (or at least slowed) the perp from entering undetected with a knife to begin stabbing while someone is fast asleep. A gun would not have helped in this situation; too little, too late (you're hand-to-hand at this point). You've got to have some sort of advance early warning in order to respond properly. Hell; empty soup cans tied to a string works well, as long as your "ear" is trained to listen for that particular sound. Bottom Line--- Sure get a handgun if you like (Check out the "Para-Ordnance" brand, I like .45 ACP); but by all means, please also consider a quality Home Alarm System in order to give you some sort of an early advance warning to take action. If you have no warning, then you have no response. Riff Raff

[circmand]

will have guns.

Look at a list of US cities and their laws regarding guns. You have D.C. our capital that until recently even cops could not keep guns in their homes and it was one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Ditto NY City Baltimore, Chicago etc. Look at cities that allow gun ownership like Houston and Dallas while by no means are you safe walking through downtown in the hood at midnight flashing a wad of cash but the fact that you may have a gun is a deterent.

[Ldub]

[QUOTE=kodiak;151220]Come on, Sal! The Tigers are playing...tonight! I never miss a game.”[QUOTE]

Gotta love it when someone whips out an obscure quote from "Robocop"...

WELL DONE!

[VehiGAZ]

an obscure quote from "Robocop"...

THAT'S it!!! I knew the quote but couldn't place it. I was going to try to track that one down on imdb.com...