Poll on the .22 LR

When is it the best choice for personal defense?

Take the poll at GunPundit:

Personal Protection Survey

UPDATE: If you read the comments over at Gunpundit, don't miss this:

Something in the water today.

Self-defence on the road

More specifically on the road in motels/hotels. A really valuable piece here:

MOTELS AND GUNS...

The .38 Special gets some respect

Couple of good posts:

Thoughts on the 5-shooter

Five for sure

I'm a long-time fan of the Special and especially the J-frame:

In Defense of the 38 Special

Holsters redux

The "Ayoob Files" in the July/August American Handgunner throws some valuable light on the holster controversy.

It's the story of a 71 year old retired Marine who took on two armed robbers in a Subway.

After the criminals got the money( including the Marine's wallet), they forced the store manager and our hero into the backroom. The Marine instantly recognized the danger and looked for his opportunity to defend himself.

He was able to draw his .45 Para, kill one robber, and sent the other cretin fleeing with a slug in his chest.

The good guys won that round even under adverse starting conditions.

What caught my eye was the "tactical rig" the Marine was using to pull off this victory.

"A cheap nameless cloth holster [worn] near the middle of his back."

Pointless blog drama

Wow. James Rummel may be many things. "Irresponsible" would be way, way, way down on the list.

New argument, old problem. What advice should experienced shooters give to newbies? This time the subject is holsters. Some people are all hot and bothered because James suggested that the cash-crunched can make do with inexpensive nylon holsters. Predictable outrage followed from the usual quarters. Most of it misses the main point, the context, that James offers his advice:

The majority of people I help are dirt poor, and I'm also trying to keep them from spending much needed cash on uneedful things.

I've bought a boatload of holsters over the years. Most of them have been low-end Uncle Mike's. I rarely use them anymore, but i don't consider the money wasted. I got to try out a bunch of styles for a bunch of different guns. Eventually i figured out what worked for me. Then i could spend good money on quality merchandise confident that i was making an informed decision.

Plus, i've known people who carried in an Uncle Mike's for years. It works for them. How do i know? Because they CARRY in an Uncle Mike's. Since the first rule of gunfighting is Have a Gun, the Uncle Mike's seems to pass the critical test.


Related thoughts here:

Don't be French


First Handgun


More good sense on self defense

Great read

You Can't Have Too Many TOOLS - A Beginner's Foray Into Reloading

I first started reloading to save money. Then, i liked the idea of loading premium bullets. For a long time, neither one was a particularly good reason. Now, with ammo prices skyrocketing and inventories low, they make sense again.

The main reason i keep at it, though, is that i have an affinity for orphan or near-orphan calibers. If you shoot the .260 Remington or .41 Mag, reloading is the only way to get the maximum utility from your guns.

A good man gone

Jack Weaver, RIP

As Ayoob says, he "made a difference".

I'm pleased to say that i have the poster with the his autograph. It hangs in my man cave.

Smart talk on stopping power

The LawDog Files

I couldn't agree more

One of the pistols that I make no apologies for enjoying shooting is the Ruger MKII. Regardless of the misguided statements Bill Ruger made late in life, his rimfire pistol is an American firearms masterpiece. Even though it requires know how similar to a secret handshake to reassemble, the Ruger pistol is a very basic, simple instrument that gets the job done on a budget with a longevity that will outlast most owners.

RTWT

No matter what else i take to the range, my MK II always makes the trip.

Model 19: Still the best all-round all-round?

I’m a big fan of 38/357 revolvers in general and the S&W Model 19 in particular. Lately, though, I’ve had some second thoughts.

I’ve been reading up on the durability issue and that appears to be a glaring weakness. I’ve always known that a diet of full-house magnum loads was discouraged. The bigger concern is the cracked barrel problem.

Handloader had good write up in issue 248 and Gun Blast also looked at the problem.

It seems that the 125 JHP loads are a risk. That is, the most effective round has to be avoided.

For reloaders, there are plenty of work-arounds. (Handloader lists a bunch of effective loads that are well below max pressures.) When it comes to commercial ammo, though, cautious shooters are left with .38 +P. In other words, the model 19 becomes a model 10.

I still like the 19 for a host of reasons. A 158 LSW @1100 fps is nothing to sneeze at and will do fine as a general purpose load. It still wins the overall sweepstakes for “hits hard/ shoots flat” compared to the 9mm and .45 ACP.
But I’m a reloader so I don’t mind cranking a lifetime supply.


I also have to admit that there are some 40 S&W loads that stack up pretty well against the less-than-max .357 loads.

Self-defense weapons: let a thousand choices bloom

Great thoughts on the subject over at Hell in a Handbasket.