Category Archives: Gun Fun

Rewarding Student Feedback

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A few minutes ago, I received a text message from former co-worker Vick:

Thought you’d like to see Mya’s 1 Shot 1 kill. The entire gun club came over and congratulated her.

It was 25 yards to the target and shooting with a Smith and Wesson EZ Shield in 9mm:

That is quite remarkable.

I have given lessons to Mya on two different occasions. The first was in 2019.

It is really rewarding to get this type of feedback from a student. The big smile is heartwarming. Knowing that they are continuing to develop their skills is wonderful. It’s gratifying that they are able to protect themselves and others. She is over 2,000 miles away and is getting support from others in the gun community is awesome.

Vic and Mya, thank you for sharing.

1931 U of I Women’s Rifle Team

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Via Chuck Petras @Chuck_Petras.

I graduated from the University of Idaho. My father and all three of my children attended school there. My ex-wife graduated from there, her mother and one of her sisters also graduated from the U of I.

One of my daughters got married on the campus. I once taught an NRA Personal Protection class in the basement of the building in the background of the picture.

California Non-resident Carry Permits

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Quote of the Day

A district court has ruled that members of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) nationwide can soon apply for a non-resident carry permit in California.

The United States District Court for the Central District of California issued a preliminary injunction in CRPA v. LASD, SAF’s legal challenge to the refusal of California officials to allow non-resident carry permits in the state.

“The judge ruled that as a SAF member your right to carry a firearm for self-defense doesn’t stop at the California border just because you are a resident of another state,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “This is just one more benefit of being a SAF member.”

Second Amendment Foundation
January 24, 2025
SAF MEMBERS ELIGIBLE FOR CA NON-RESIDENT CARRY PERMITS – Second Amendment Foundation

This will be interesting. I expect there will be some severe requirements for the application. Such as you must be present to apply and pick up the permit and perhaps even more in-person visits required. The price will be high. There may be requirements such as owning property or working in the state. I expect them to be very creative.

As I have friends and relatives in California, I will be inclined to get a permit. But that is going to depend on how difficult and expensive they make the process.

Wild Turkeys

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Wild Turkeys were introduced to my area of Idaho in 1985.I had seen them on the grade down to Orofino for several years. But I had never seen them at the higher elevations. Today they triggered an alert on one of the webcams around my gun range:

According to Google Earth, this would be about 3,125 feet above sea level.

Welcome to my place guys! I now need to look at getting a license to hunt turkeys. Brother Doug says they are tasty, but do not have near as much meat as domestic turkeys.

Federal’s Peak Alloy Case Technology

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Interesting… Patented steel alloy cased ammo allows higher pressures:

The technology of a stronger case allowing high pressures without case stretching and primer pocket expansion is very cool. They are pushing the maximum chamber pressure up to 80,000 PSI. This gives them ability to push high BC (0.645) bullets to 3,150 fps. This is a slightly higher BC and 250 fps more than what I can do with .300 Win Mag. And the cases can be reloaded.

I also find it very interesting that suppressors are going mainstream with this ad.

Ouch!

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Do not shoot guns into the air. Always know your target and what is behind it:

Via Chuck Petras @Chuck_Petras -> BattlecockActual @TheBattlecock

Boomershoot 2025

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Registration for the next Boomershoot, May 2nd -> 4th, is currently open for staff.

Registration opens for Boomershoot 2024 participants on Thursday 12/26/2024 at 6:00 PM Pacific time. Registration opens for everyone on Monday 12/30/2024 at 6:00:00 PM Pacific time.

Boomershoot has been called “The premier Long Distance Precision Rifle Event in the PacNW.”

For people wanting long range rifle training, the Precision Rifle Clinic is offered for two days prior to the main event.

It has received extensive national, regional and local media attention. Examples include:

  • The video from KING5 Evening Magazine was nominated for an Emmy
  • The Outdoor Channel
  • KLEW TV
  • Newsweek
  • Outside Magazine
  • Idaho Magazine
  • the Spokesman Review
  • Lewiston Morning Tribune
  • Chicago Reader
  • The Missoulian

You could watch videos about Boomershoot on YouTube for hours. But all the words, all the pictures, and all the videos cannot do it justice. It has to be experienced in person. People come from all over north America to participate or sometimes just watch. We have had people come all the way from England and, last year, Scotland to participate.

This is a sample of Boomershoot 2024:

Sign up soon to experience this unique and amazing shooting event. Don’t miss out!

Over a ton of explosives. Fun beyond measure.

Planning Against the Poor Planners

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Quote of the Day

If you survive the blast, and you survive the fallout, you’re going to have to survive the constant threat of mass home invasion from those whose disaster planning is just 3 days.

Tirno
December 19, 2024
Comment to Evidence of the Idiocracy

This is an excellent point. But once made, you realize there are going to be some exceptions. Maintain a large buffer zone between yourself and the hordes with poor planning. Doing this can minimize your risk of contact. The risk can be driven to almost zero.

Let time, distance, and others “thin the herd” before the Seattle hordes reach your underground bunker in Montana. Give yourself some good alarms and a thousand yards of open space in every direction. Then, with the right guns, ammo, optics, and shooting partners, you should not have a problem against the low life.

Of course, this is far easier said than done.

Interesting Caliber Selections

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A bolt action, multi-barreled, precision rifle, with a ten-round magazine. Very cool.

New Marine Corps sniper rifle is officially operational

The Marine Corps has officially hit full operational capability on its new sniper rifle a year ahead of schedule.

The Corps chose the Mk22 Mod 0 Advanced Sniper Rifle, manufactured by Barrett Firearms, a company widely known for their groundbreaking work in developing the .50 caliber sniper rifle, as a changeable, multi-barrel rifle to replace two existing long rifles and give shooters three caliber options within their main shooting platform.

Those caliber options include the standard 7.62mm, the .300 Norma Magnum and .338 Norma Magnum. The caliber diversity allows shooters to select a munition for specific missions that might require more distance or more penetrating power. The rifle uses a 10-round magazine.

The .338 Norma Magnum cartridge pushes a 300-grain Sierra Matchking out the barrel at 2,700 fps.

The .300 Norma Magnum cartridge achieves a blistering 3,000 fps with a 220-grain bullet.

Those are some interesting calibers for a 15.2-pound rifle. They must deliver some serious kick.

Get more information and clues on how to buy your own here.

I wonder how long it will be before someone brings one to Boomershoot.

Knowledge is Power

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Quote of the Day

Via a post on X from Chuck Petras @Chuck_Petras.

I suspect this may only work for very low-pressure cartridges such as .22 LR. And there may be some accuracy issues for the first few shots.

2024 USPSA Handgun Nations, 1st Place

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From the notes to the video:

Took home the Single Stack National Champion title at the 2024 USPSA Handgun Nationals.

Less than 2% separating Dave Sevigny and myself for the title in the end. Was one hell of a race the whole weekend.

Pistol used was a Rafferty custom guns single stack 1911 in 40 Smith & Wesson.

John is my son-in-law. Daughter Xenia told me about it two and a half weeks ago. But I just now got around to looking for the video.

Congratulations John! That is awesome!

The rain on day two must have been really miserable. I have shot a high-level match in terrible rain conditions, but I was well prepared and, it being a steel challenge match, I didn’t need to move from target to target. My heavy waterproof boots were not an issue. John appears to have shot the second day of the match in soaking wet feet.

Gun Laws and Violent Crime

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Quote of the Day

I’m not buying a Kirkland MP5 at Costco.

I prefer to buy my submachine guns from the vending machine at the gas station.

Grey
September 7, 2024
Comment to Prosecutors Call for AID for ATF

I am reminded that my brother purchased his first gun, a brand new .357 Magnum revolver, at a grocery store in Moscow, Idaho.

I also remember when guns were sold in the Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog and would be delivered via the U.S. Postal Service. I do not remember anyone buying a gun from the catalog, but I remember seeing the guns in the catalogs. At that time machine guns were also available.

The violent crime rate must have been out of control, right?

Here is the US violent crime rate by year from 1960 to 2008 (via Copilot, I don’t know why it would not produce data for any years past 2008):

The Gun Control Act of 1968 ended mail order sales of guns. That really put a dent in the violent crime rate, huh? And how about that “assault weapon ban” from 1994 to 2004? Yeah baby! That was some good lawmaking there.

I look forward to the return of the state of gun laws prior to not just 1968, but 1934. As I have stated before, my goal is to have machine gun shooting sports in high schools in less than ten nine years.

A Little Over the Top

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This is a fun read:

Gun clubs are becoming the new bingo halls for seniors. They’re places to meet friends, learn new skills, and swap stories. Who knew that gun oil could be the new smell of friendship? These clubs often organize social events beyond shooting, creating tight-knit communities for older adults.

It is a little over the top, but that appeals to my inclination to rub the noses of anti-gun people in a different view of things.

Ratshot, 50 BMG

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Quote of the Day

Via a post from Chuck Petras @Chuck_Petras.

I’m thinking the variety of rats are those where you want less forensic evidence left behind.

18 Reasons

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Suggested to me by Microsoft Start:

18 Reasons More Seniors Are Turning to Firearms Than Ever Before (msn.com)

A little bit on the click bait side of things, but not so much that I would complain much about it.

What Caliber for Four Inch Flying Venomous Spiders?

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Quote of the Day

Giant, venomous flying spiders pose challenges for residents and local authorities. Fear and apprehension are natural responses to the sudden appearance of such unusual and intimidating creatures. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential for Joro spiders to harm humans, especially if they feel threatened.

…

The pest company described the spiders as “hard to miss,” as they have a leg span of up to 4 inches and “a vibrant yellow and black coloration.”

image

JESSICA A. BOTELHO
June 5, 2024
Joro Spider Invasion: Giant venomous flying spiders spreading across East Coast (komonews.com)

Assuming you don’t have a good pesticide and an airplane to deliver the chemicals, what caliber do you use when the sky is full of these things? I could see using a 12 gauge Saiga with LOTS of 12 or 18 round magazines loaded with #8 shot. Be sure to have the explosives laid in case you need to clear your escape route.

But, I’m thinking I want an underground bunker with supplies to last until the first freeze. Then a tractor to work under those on the ground and use the handheld wand on the farm sprayer to thin out those in the brush and trees.

Enough Truth to be Funny

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Paul K. sent me a link to this meme, which is from Happy Little Memes – According To Hoyt:

image

It is not true. But it has enough truth in it to be funny. Very funny.

Bow Hunting Gangs For The Sport

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Quote of the Day

Kind of feel like my buddies would bow hunt the gangs for the sport of it.

JVW @JVWJWC
Posted on X, May 11, 2024

I know people like that.

Expert Firearms Rating Means Nothing

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Quote of the Day

“Navy, earned Expert firearms rating.” And everybody who actually knows anything about shooting knows that an Expert rating means literally fuck all and nothing. As a rule of thumb if you see somebody bragging about qualifying Expert in the military on twitter, what’s about to come next is almost guaranteed to be fucking bullshit.

“I’m comfortable with handling weapons.” Totally fucking irrelevant, and also, by my standards, probably blatantly false, and assholes who talk like this, odds are his idea of a shot timer is a sun dial.

Larry Correia @monsterhunter45
Posted on X, April 25, 2024

Other than firearms instructors who teach special forces, and one Army ranger who just barely edged me out, all the military only taught people I have knowingly competed against were… less than competitive.Most were not quite at the sundial for shot timer level but their accuracy was as bad as their time and they might as well have zeroed the stage and the match.

Their constitutional law qualifications were less impressive than their shooting ability.

Now is the Time

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Quote of the Day

If you’re untrained or rusty in the use of personal arms, now is the time to take a class or get in some range time. Remember, If innocent life doesn’t immediately depend on it—don’t shoot. And if it does, don’t miss.

Alan Korwin
October 14, 2023
Page Nine: Even Israeli Intelligence Didn’t Spot Them In Time— IS HAMAS HERE? Are we ready? (typepad.com)

The “If innocent life..” quote is often attributed to canebrake on Firearms Talk.

Closely related to the quote above…

This picture is from almost five years ago:

That girl is now a young woman in college. She and her father are meeting me at the range this evening so she can get some more trigger time.