She is Blind

America spoke today, and proved its blind folly by choosing Barak Obama as the next president. We cannot see through the cataract of this momentary financial situation, and have made a desperate choice. Obama will do good things for the economy- at the expense of the liberties and basic practices of this great nation. Pray that the leaders of this nation will make wise decisions, and not allow the many foolish policies Barak wishes to institute.

Guess its time to look into that AR.

Can't see the Forest

Well, in an overwhelming stew of political opinions, its time to throw mine in. First, I'll just say it, I'm a McCain/Palin man and its not just because they are pro-gun.

I am amazed by the support that Obama is receiving. Sure, we need change. No doubt. Economy is falling apart, absolutely. George has failed us? I'd say yeah, and I voted for the guy.

But what kind of change do we want? Can Obama fix the economy? Maybe. I think he could probably do some good things. I think our country's financial state may improve with his leadership.

But at what expense?

There are some things more dear than the dollar. There are things more precious than our checkbook. There are things that need to be protected beyond our IRA.

America. What it is, what is was founded to be, what it could be. A repair of a fractured economy crafted by Obama's hands would come at the expense of our country's integrity. Obama is dangerously un-American, flirting with socialism, and would be bad for the heart of our great country. And no, its not because he's black and has a name like Barak. I'm not that ignorant.

He is a confident and poignant speaker. He carries himself with grace and ease. He exudes a feeling of calm that immediately seems to quiet even my worries. But in these hard times, its quick to fall in love with the image that is Obama. However, while he carries himself in a way that is reassuring- I fear what he'd bring to America.

The fact is that right now, people can't see the forest through the trees. We are so caught up in gas prices, stock markets, failing retirement funds, and bad home loans that we are blinded. Obama looks like a giant dollar bill floating down to save us and we are grasping at it with all abandon. Anything that doesn't look like George Bush is an oasis and we are desperately running toward it.

But perhaps, its just a mirage. It looks so good, seems so real- we need a taste of that refreshing water. I fear though, that Obama will give us nothing but a mouth full of sand.

We want a better economy. We want out of Iraq. We want to be comfortable and happy again. Obama may fix a battered economy, he may pull us out of a war but....

What will the bottom line mean for your checkbook? Many call him a socialist.

Do you see him as our Commander in Chief? John McCain has been in battle.

Does he support the moral compass of America? Our morality is in shambles.

Is he the best thing for America? Or is he more interested in change for the sake of change?

Will he protect Constitutional rights or rip them away? Americans have had the right to bear arms since its conception, and Obama is heavily anti-gun of every kind.

Choose wisely. Think beyond today. Think beyond your hurting checkbook. Any new president will enact healthy change for the economy. Don't crucify McCain because you think he's George Bush. Don't drink the sand. Stop and look through the trees. See the forest.

Man Nurse

My great-grandma, bless her heart, always refers to me as a "Man Nurse".

"Are you still going to be a Man Nurse" she would always ask me while I was in school.

"Yeah Grandma, its the only kind they'll let me be"

She would reply with an approval because all those women need someone to help lift, people are just too darn heavy now.

I can't say my main motivation to take up nursing was to help other women lift stuff. What is it about nursing anyway- this reverse sexism thing?

There are male nurses but never female nurses.

I thought maybe the world was getting over that until I started working in the PACU. The first time I was in the locker room, I headed over to a rack of scrubs and found this:

Man Nurse = Man Pants. Now where is that Man Top.....

Competition Rig

Well, my competition belt finally arrived......2 days after the last meet of the season. It took almost a month. I have a Safariland bucklelss 2 layer belt- one inside the pants loops and one out.

Right now I have an Uncle Mike's Law Enforcement paddle holster but I'll be replacing that. Not sure exactly what yet.....maybe something Safariland or maybe just a Blade-tech. I don't want a race holster because that is nothing like what you'd actually have in real life.

I'm using Comp-tac mag carriers. They do the job. I need to get 1 or 2 more.

Nobody's Perfect

Well, you can't place them all perfect, can ya? My first target from the first time I shot a G17. See lower left.

Glock 23

After selling one of my guns I used some of the money to finance a new purchase. Glock 23.

Yes, thank you ladies and gentleman, Tarak has again joined the bandwagon. What? This is his second Glock? Pathetic.

Whatever, they work.







I bought this gun with the purpose of carry/self defense. I wanted something bigger than my J-frame and in a larger caliber, but a little cheaper to train with than a 45. It rides in my nightstand. It often has a place in the bag I'm carrying. Now that its fall I can carry in an IWB holster with a sweatshirt, heavy shirt or coat if I want. Also looking forward to taking it hiking/camping/backpacking as it holds up well in the elements.

Featured above is my strongside nightstand-type holster by Cheap-Target-Nightstand.

I plan on replacing the terrible Glock factory sights, of course. I'll be getting different sights on my Glock 17 for competition, and will pull the nightsights off of that and put it on my new G23.

Fit and finish is all fine and dandy. Came with the usual: case, 2 mags, speedloader, lock, paperwork. It cost $499. Its chunky in my hand- there are certainly any number of guns that feel better in the grip, but I'm used to my G17 for competition, so I wanted the same platform for a carry gun. Its comfortable enough.

Shoots as well as I can shoot it. I would have to say it does have quite a bit of snappy recoil that took some getting used to. Made my wrists hurt a bit after about 150 rounds.

After some slow fire I worked on point shooting at close ranges, as that's what I anticipate I would need it for. After a bit, my groups began to clean up. At first, they were all over.




I have a cheap nylon holster that it sits in in while in various bags, etc. I picked up an Uncle Mikes IWB holster for $10 that actually works fairly well, though the cheap Velcro release leaves much to be desired. I will be getting better holsters for it. For ammo I have 185 gr. Federal Hydrashocks, which is in pretty much any gun I carry.


Overall, I'm happy with the 23 and think it will serve me well for its intended purpose.

What Have I Done??

Well, I did it.

I sold my 1911. My only 1911. Why? Well, this year I have bought 3 very nice guitars and associated gear, 3 pistols, quite a large amount of shooting gear, I've exponentially increased what I've spent on ammo, and I got myself completely set-up for backpacking and took two trips. That's a ton of money I spent on hobbies people. And I wonder why I struggle to buy a house. We are talking thousands. Two of my guitars alone brought me in around 5k. That's fine and good, this stuff will all last a long time if I take care of it.

In the meantime I wanted a carry/home defense gun that was larger and had greater capacity than my J-frame, but wasn't as large and heavy as my Kimber 1911. I also want new sights and trigger work on my Glock, would like a shotgun, and an AR-15. Well, see above paragraph. I just can't keep digging my my pockets for more guns this year.

It seems I wasn't shooting my 1911 often, nor did I seem to enjoy it much. I like shooting Production class in IPSC so I was sticking with the Glock. Also, I really wanted that carry/defense gun and felt I couldn't wait.

So, I sold my 1911.

And now I'm freaking out. What was I thinking? Maybe I was thinking, I don't know. All I know is, suddenly a 1911 seems like the best gun in the world, and I don't' have one. A 1911 is now way up high on my gun wish list. In fact, I'll most likely get a shotgun, then a 1911.

The only question is this: What 1911? I need to wait and see what happens with competition next year. I may decide I need a full size since that's what so many people use. But, if not....if I am digging the Production thing, then I think I want a commander size 1911. I'm thinking either Colt Combat Commander or a Kimber Pro.

Though I'm still full of doubt and sadness, I will give my new Glock 23 a fair review. Besides, it is working out well for me and its intended purpose.

2nd USPSA 2 Gun Match

I shot my second full 3 Gun USPSA match today. Talk about a day of fun! My only bummer is I love to shoot pistol and we just don't shoot that match. My score and overall performance was overwhelmingly better than my first match.

My times were better, I never had a target I failed to engage, I didn't have hits on any no-shoots, and I only had one miss in 5 courses of fire. That is remarkably better. I still am not happy with how well I'm shooting pistol when I'm on the timer, I'm pulling my shots.....everything is still hitting center mass, but still has room for improvement.

I'm finding more and more and more that trigger pull is so essential, even more so when you're "under fire". Just that steady, smooth press. If I try to shoot 100 miles and hour and abandon all accuracy then its worthless. There were several stages that if I had slowed down just a tiny bit- added maybe 5 seconds to my total time, I would have scored higher due to better hits.

I did, however, have one of the best single times on the steel plates in my group. Draw, engage to plates, move and engage 3 more, under 6 seconds :)

So all said and done, I scored 3rd out of 6 in my division. I scored 3rd on 3 different courses of fire where I was just chasing some very good shooters.

The bad news....the outdoor season is over :(

Missing in Action

So, if anyone does actually read this, you'll notice its been a long time since I've posted. What can I say, I've been lazy. I have lots of stuff upcoming to post about- shooting match, sold a gun, buying a gun, needing new sights, trigger jobs....so stay tuned.....

New Blog

Well, I have mulitple people that want to read my "funny" blogs but dont' want to sift through the "gun stuff". Thus, The Beehive has been born. Check that one out if you want a laugh.

Gym. Rats.

I decided I better have one of my semi-annual trips to the gym today so I can justify my $40 a month membership. Also, I'm just getting fatter so its not a bad idea.

As my sebaceous glands pour forth a fountain of sweat, I take stock of the situation around me. Old lady on my left. Pregnant women doing aerobics on the basketball court. A decrepit older man crawling off a weight machine with help from his cane. A host of buff, muscular men hefting very large amounts of metal.

Still I feel good about myself until I lock eyes with the man I'm calling Herman. Herman is easily mid-60's with thick brown plastic frames surrounding his very large glasses. Those glasses are older than I am. He wears a large orange sweatshirt and brown pants. He holds himself up by his forearms on an apparatus which suspends his legs and supports his weight in such a way that his neck has disappeared. He looks like a 65 year old Simon Birch.

He locks eyes with me and holds the stare for a moment as he effortlessly raises his legs forward and up in a sort of backwards mid-air sit up, demonstrating far more abdominal strength than I.

And I feel ashamed.........

Changing My View

Recently I was going to be receiving a patient. 58 year old with Down's Syndrome, Alzheimer's, Personality Disorder, OCD, and a history of being combative.

Very quickly we decided not to recover this patient in the usual open PACU bays, but in one of our private rooms.

The patient is brought in, he is intubated, and while be for awhile. He is still completely out of it after receiving ketamine, midazolam, and anesthesia. He is 100% unresponsive. I settle in close by his side where I can monitor him and his airway. I chart away, thankful for a chance to do paperwork right away, but also with an ominous feeling that when this guy wakes up it will be with bravado. I have gloves, a syringe for the ETT, and suction on standby. His caregiver arrives, sits in a recliner and turns on the TV.

She is watching ABC's "The View".

Have mercy! Could there be any worse show on earth? It is torture. The slow, rhythmic, misty breaths coming from my patient's T-piece puff off as a time keeper. Each breath is chalk mark on my cell wall reminding me that this is going to be a long recovery. Anything has to be better than The View. I can't believe women watch this.

I feel like I'm sitting in the hen house listening to five old birds cluck. No words, just angry clucking....

Creepy Massage

I was just musing about my first massage. It was a birthday gift in college. But I'm pretty excited for it. Who doesn't want a massage? I check into the Salon ready to go, but already feeling a bit....odd. I mean, for me, its a bit invasive.

I'm ushered into a small massage room. Its what you expect. Dim lights, cheap fountain in the corner, reeks of incense. There's a shower in the corner full of stuff....I hope its not for me.

"Go ahead and take off as many clothes as you want. A lot of people go naked, but some people just strip to their underwear."

...

As much as I want? What I want to wear is a goose down parka while some stranger caresses my jiggling body. I want to not feel like a beached whale and have someone I don't know start feeling me up. But, I suppose the massage will be less effective that way. And lets just come out and say it. At this point, I'm in college, doing the saving-yourself-for-marriage thing, and I'm the v word. That's right virgin. So virgin Chris is stripping to his skivvies, crawling into a bed in the middle of the room, and waiting for a burnt-out hippie named Marge to come rub him down.

And in walks Marge.

You think the burnt-out hippie part was a joke? No. 50-something white woman. Frizzie hair adorned with dreads and beads. A dress that could only be made of hemp, or possibly the beard hairs of a goat. You know, the kind of lady that only drinks from a Mason jar, doesn't own a car, makes her own soap, and works by the light of a natural beeswax candle.

In a sultry, dusky, Mary Jane influenced voice she coos, "Is this your first massage?"

"Yeah".

"Oh, that's wonderful. Would you like some music on?"

"Sure."

"What do you like?" At this point, I had just joined the college jazz band.

"Well, I like jazz"

"Okay, I'll put some on".

Apparently, we have miscommunicated at this point. To my horror, Kenny G begins floating ominously from the $25 boombox on the counter. I shiver slightly and decide its okay.

"How's that?" She asks. "Uh....great. Great. He's good" I sputter.

"Okay, I'm going to begin." Oooookay.

I begin to be rubbed and massaged and kneaded by Marge. Kenny G wafts seductivly through the air as Marge engages in oil-laden strokes of my legs. Kenny sings to us......Ba da da ba da ba da, ba da da doo....... It does feel nice. However, full body means....well a lot of the body. 90%. But you know, even if you don't drive to Houston, you can still feel a little country at the Texas border.

Suddenly, my body is confused by mixed messages and she rubs my thighs.

Mmmmmm....

Mmmmmm....

MmmmmmMARGE! SICK! No! Retreat!!

Ba da da ba do be da, ba doo bee dwoo da.......

You are not helping me here Ken!

And yet, it feels good. Thighs being rubbed....good......Marge touching me....bad.....Baseball, cold showers......

Fortunately, its time to flip on to my stomach. She's now massaging my back and its feels good. My face is in the little open donut thing facing down, but my eyes are closed. I'm oblivious for a moment to the word. Hence, I don't notice as she sits on a stool facing me, her legs under my face. I don't notice that her hemp-dress-concoction has a slit in it. I don't notice that the slit in her dress is really quite high, that perhaps her woven wonder has fallen to each side of her legs. I don't notice I'm the in the lap of.....luxury.

Until I open my eyes...

To a suprise....

Margie's thighs.

The Burning!! The pain! Why doth thy dress part in such high flight? My nose is in the holy of holies here, and I want out! Suddenly, "Danger Zone", the theme song from Top Gun is flying through my head and I'm wondering if its possible to get "the clap" in my nose.

But suddenly, praise my maker, the massage is over. Like an embarassed youngling I wait with the covers pulled tightly until she leaves the room. I get dressed. I'm given a water bottle. Apparently they notice the sweat on my brow. Should I be smoking or something now?

I'm ready to leave and before I can get through the door Marge fires out, "Hey, what are you doing right now?"

No way. This lady did not just ask me that......

"Uh, not much."

"Could I get a ride somewhere?"

You've got to be kidding me. I am finally free of a rather awkward hour, and its instigator needs a ride. But I'm a nice guy. "Sure."

I give Marge a ride to the mechanic about 10 blocks away, she thanks me, and reminds me to drink plenty of water or I'll be sore. Yeah but what about the psychological damage lady? As she gets out of the car, I feel like I should be asking,

"So....do I call you sometime?"


...I choose instead to say thank you, and pull away a bit faster than the speed limit.

Patriot.

I love this country. Its true that she is sick; she is broken. But I love her. Don't take her for granted.

First Shooting Match

I finally shot my first competition match. USPSA 3-gun. Shotgun, Ar-15, pistol. I had a blast. So here's the deal. I felt good about how I shot. For a beginner, not bad. I have never held an AR-15, and I haven't shot a shotgun in about 12 years. I shot the AR pretty well, scoring some difficult hits. I shot the 12 gauge with no problems but loaded very slowly. Pistol was fine. In the end, however, I placed last in my division. I think it was okay. One course I was 8/11 and ahead of some fine shooters.

I did, however, get several "good shooting" comments from better shooters. One of the really good shooters said, "You know, for being brand new, you're really pretty good at this". That was reassuring. I'm definitely looking forward to shooting more. Now I need sponsors so I can afford to shoot often! I'll be checking out some matches in Omaha, NE this fall, and will compete in winter indoor league here in Sioux Falls, SD.

Beauty

Sometimes, if you stop for a second, and look past the busyness, you remember we live in a beautiful world.

Shot in the Wallet

This Sunday I'm shooting a 3 gun match at the local USPSA club. Pistol, Shotgun, and AR-15. Ran to the store to get the ammo I need. I bought cheap stuff (not Wolf cheap, but its not a bag full of Hornady or something).

200 rounds 9mm

60 rounds .223

25 rounds #7.5 shot lead shells

$80+

I hate that.

Accessorizing

I think I finally understand women and all their accessories. Purses, earrings, shoes.......

For men its called...gear! Shopping for it, comparing it, buying it.....even organizing it all. I think I love gear.

This week I've had a blast picking up new stuff:

Uncle Mic's range bag. What a great little bag for 45 beans. Holds plenty of ammo and all my gear for shooting. Its my first range bag actually designed to hold shooting gear and I love it.

Also picked up some Peltor Tactical 6s electronic muffs. Looking forward to trying those out. I'll probably review them after I've warn them shooting.

Starting getting the beginnings of my competition rig. Stuff I'll being using for USPSA and hopefully some IDPA too. I have some Comp-Tac single mag carriers and an Uncle Mike's Police Gear kydex holster for use with my G17. The comp-tac stuff is okay. Will do the job. The holster is a little disappointing. I've loosened the tension screws as much as possible but it still draws pretty hard. I think I'll be ordering a Safariland 007 holster- it will work for USPSA and IDPA. I also already ordered a Safariland double buckleless belt, but it won't be here in time for the last competition of the season.

Will be picking up at least one more 17 round mag for the Glock this week. Also picked up some snap caps......pretty much any little thing that looks good, I've been grabbing up! Here's to gear!

You know You're a Male Nurse If....

You know you're a male nurse if......


...the "Personal Care Kit" (aka first aid/med cupboard) for the employees of your unit has more space dedicated to feminine hygiene products than anything else.

....there are pumping rooms for your co workers. And its not for pumping iron.

Ammo Shifts

I love to shoot. I'd probably shoot every day if I could.....with a host of different guns.

But alas, the price of ammo. Its crazy. I used to only shoot every few months....3-4 times a year.....200 rounds each time. So less than 1000 rounds per year.

I'm trying to shoot a lot more without breaking the bank amidst my other hobbies (expensive guitars, backpacking). I'm probably shooting 300-500 rounds a month, and I'm just starting to dip my toes in this compeition thing.

So, I've been picking up hours at work just to pay for shooting/competing. I find myself measuring pay not in dollars/hour but rounds/shift.

I can sign up for "critical call" on Saturdays. I get $70 just to stay in town and be on call, time and a half if I get called in. Just being on call is probably 350 rounds.

Thus, the "Ammo Shift".

Life Skills

Recently, a new Nursing Assistant joined our department. She is in the Air Force reserve. She is a jet mechanic.

You know, sometimes you hear people trying to sell the military: "Join the military, and you'll learn all kinds of useful skills for life."

So I asked her, "how's that jet mechanic thing helping you out?" It of course is not. I asked if any skills transfered like fixing a lawn mower or someting. Nope.

I can just see it now....

"Honey, I asked you to fix the vacuum"

"I did"

"It sucked the carpet off the floor..."

"....So?"

"It shot it out the back and fired off a missle!"

"Yeah, we've been having trouble with that....."

Loaded?

Recently, I made the decision to begin carrying a concealed weapon. If you are someone how knows me, and followed this link from facebook or something, and think I've gone crazy, check out My Stance on Gun Ownership and Use for a thought out description of why I think this is wise.

Anyway, my family was not so crazy about this idea, but I got them to accept it. They knew I was buying a S&W J-frame, etc. So my first weekend I came home after I bought it, I was carrying. No one noticed.

The subject came up, and somehow I mentioned I was ordering a better holster. "Holster?" Dad says. "Then everyone would see it."

I decided maybe we just need to take all the fear and mystery out of this, and talk about it. I revealed I was carrying, with the plan to unload the gun, show it to them, discuss it. I proceeded to safely unholster the gun, point it away from everyone, and unload 5 rounds of .38spl.

"Its loaded??!!" bursts out my sister. "Why would you carry a loaded gun?!"


........Why on earth would I carry an unloaded gun? That's called a $450 paperweight.

The Four Gun Laws

1. Treat every gun as if its loaded.

2. Never point the muzzle at anything you do not want to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.

4. Be sure of your target, what is in front of it, and what is behind it.


If followed religiously, these 4 rules will prevent any inadvertant disharges/damages/or deaths related to a firearm.

My Stance on Gun Ownership and Use

Recently I've been taking a lot of heat for my gun hobby and "obsession". Now its true, I've ruminated a bit on guns lately. I'm a passionate person, when I find something that captivates me, I do tend to focus on it a bit. Truth be told, my recent surge of interest is the result primarily of the financial freedom required to purchase and shoot said weapons. AKA, I graduated from college two years ago and actually have money now.


Indeed, I am not obsessed, but have been under a bit of scrutiny. You see, in South Dakota, everyone has a closet full of shotguns and rifles. Hunting anything that moves in encouraged and understood, but bring up a handgun and its as if you confessed to terrorism. In fact, a few years ago, while eating lunch with my coworkers on an ICU nightshift, I caught quite a bit of grief.

"Handgun? Why do you need a handgun? You going to rob a bank?"


No. I'm not going to rob a bank. But I do support gun ownership, use, and carry. And so, I present My Stand on Gun Ownership and Use. Warning, this may be long!

1. I believe in gun ownership. I believe that adults who have not been convicted of felonies or have committed acts to otherwise prove irresponsibility or major mental illness have the right to own firearms. This country exists because normal people were armed, and were therefore able to fight Britain and establish the USA. I do not live in paranoid fear of our government or fear of hostile takeover by another country.

However, I do believe a responsibly armed citizenry is healthy, and is the proud tradition of our country. Indeed, our country owes its existence to the ownership of firearms. In fact, the first shots fired in the Revolutionary War were resultant from the attempt to disarm a local militia so that they could not fight for their freedom.

2. I believe in the use of firearms for personal protection. I believe that if the life of yourself or another is clearly threatened and endangered, the use of firearms is just and acceptable. I do believe there is a difference between murder and self defense. Thus, I believe in the right to carry; whether open or concealed. I do not have a Napoleon or Rambo complex. I do not wish to see people killed for the mere act of sadistic violence or the feeling of power.

I believe this use must be reserved strictly for the defense of life and limb. I do not support shooting a thief who is running away from the house, drawing a firearm when one feels a bit "scared", or going into obviously dangerous situations if they can be avoided. I believe in the avoidance of confrontation if possible. Owning a firearm does not take the place of common sense, awareness, and wisdom.

I do believe in situations such as Virginia Tech and the Omaha, NE mall shooting that citizens who were armed, trained, and competent with firearms could have prevented or limited deaths and injuries.

The world seems to be in a state of declining morality, with an increasing disregard for life. I do not live in paranoia; however with increasing crime, an uncertain economy, and more awesome acts of violence, I believe it is prudent to be armed and competent with a gun. We do not know what tomorrow holds.

Again a gun is never, ever, ever, ever to be used or even drawn from its holster unless there is a clear and obvious threat to life. Period. No one should know you have a gun unless they are trying to take your life.
3. I believe in responsible firearm ownership. Owning a gun does not make one armed. It is my opinion that most "accidental" gun deaths do not occur because of the innately dangerous characteristics of guns. I believe it is due to ignorance and irresponsibility. See The Four Gun Laws.

If one makes the choice to own a gun, I believe it is their responsibility to become competent with it. Shooting instruction, practice, and knowledge of the gun is a must. This is doubled for one that wishes to carry in public.


Wise decisions must be made. A loaded handgun in the nightstand may be appropriate for me, but I have no children in the house. Holsters must be used. We must consider not only ourselves, but those around us. Guns must be stored responsibly, used responsibly, and never treated as toys. Note that all my comments regarding ownership and use come with responsibility, training, and competence. It is not acceptable, in my opinion, to own a gun that will ever be used for defense, hunting, or sport, and have never trained with it.

Do not carry without a permit! Follow local laws! Know what is appropriate and legal!


4. I do not believe gun ownership increases gun crime. I believe that the majority of gun violence is committed by criminals who operate outside the law. Increasing gun control, making it difficult for law-abiding adults to own guns, and driving up the price of ammunition will not, in my opinion, decrease gun crime. Only rarely do we see an average, decent person who snaps and goes on a shooting rampage. This is an unfortunately rarity which receives heavy press. Take away guns, other means will take their place. Bombs, etc. Crystal Meth is reeking havoc on the nation but we have not made the components illegal. Nor have we outlawed cars. Alcohol Prohibition is what birthed organized crime and terrible violence.


In fact, I believe that disarming the general public will only provide an easily preyed on populous for criminals. They will have guns. We will not.




5. I believe in gun ownership for sport. When respected and used correctly, guns make up for an enjoyable sport that many engage in. Clay pigeon shooting, competition handgun shooting, rifle ranges, and hunting are enjoyed by many around the nation.



6. I believe in gun ownership for utility. At the end of the day, guns can bring home the bacon. Hunting is sport, but can also provide food. If the world around us crashed (again, I am not paranoid), firearms can be used to secure sustenance.

7. On Religion. I do not believe that any of the above mentioned clashes with my christian belief system. If the taking of a life is based soley on self defense, I do not see interference with biblical commands. There may be an argument waged on the grounds of "turn the other cheek". However, this would likely gather varying opinions.

Kimber Custom II

Well, what can you say about a nice 1911 style gun? It is, of course, great. Accurate, feels good in the hand, and everyone says "Ooo, those are a nice". Now I know there are plenty of people that think a 1911 is only good if its a Colt or Springfield or whatever. Around here, Kimbers are very well liked.

Story time.

I had no desire to own a 1911 or a .45acp in any format. I thought the former was old, washed up, clunky, and heavy, and the latter was just huge. However, I was scheduled to go on a hiking trip in possible "bear country" and thought I would like to bring something a little stronger than 9mm. I decided to get a .45acp, and since I was stupid and wasn't thinking about the fact that they come in all sorts of polymer based pistols which are quite affordable and light- I set out to buy me a 1911. Price was everything so I settlted on no other but....

Taurus.

I had been to 3 different stores, everyone recommended a kimber, but I thought, nah, too much. I headed to a store and had them cracking open a Taurus for me. While they were, I saw a gun I hadn't noticed before. It was another Kimber, the Kimber Custom II. And it wasn't so darned expensive!

The Kimber was $699, the Taurus was $549. There were two things I wanted in my 1911- beaver tail and nightsites. It had a beavertail. No other decent brands that I stumbled across did. Sure, the Taurus had all the bells and whistles- including nightsites- and I'm sure its a fine gun- but I didn't need every option.

I'm thinking at this point...$150 to upgrade from Taurus to Kimber. If a good gun lasts a lifetime......$150 isn't a big deal. And I'd say the Kimber has a better chance at longevity. Though nightsites would be another chunk of money, I decided to go for it. Kimber it was. The salesmen were happy to upgrade me I'm sure.

And thus I discovered 1911s! Or should I say, I discovered what a trigger pull can be? The 1911 is an old design, but man does it make for a good platform. The Kimber shoots well, and I love the trigger on it (of course).

Suddenly falling in love with the look of an ol' 1911, I immediately ordered rosewood grips for it. Though they have the Kimber logo on, it seemed to give it more of a classic look than the black rubber. I also added Trijicon nightsites since I planned on using it as a defensive type gun.

The darn thing shoots amazing. My friend who is a police officer took me out shooting. He shot a Glock 22, and I shot my Kimber. Now, of course he is at a natural disadvantage against me with a totally different trigger. And I don't think the average policeman would want to carry a 1911. But the long story short is I shot quite a bit better than the policeman. My groups were really quite great.

The only drawback- hollowpoints. I've only tried one type of HP, but I get at least one failure to feed in every mag. That's right, every mag. I need to try some other types though, and intend to. For now, there are FMJs in it.

Ironically, I never took it hiking, as I determined bears were not the primary worry, mountain lions were. Since weight was a huge deal, I ended up taking my G17 with DPX rounds.

Since that was the case, I debated selling, and even had a proposed buyer. Everyone was saying, "don't sell that gun", and I knew it might be a mistake. I intended to sell, fully knowing that someday down the road, I'd get another 45. Well, decided making a buck now and spending 2 later didn't make much sense. Even my non-shooting girlfriend hi-fived me when I decided to keep it.

The only bummer- have you seen the cost of ammo lately? .45acp especially is just crazy. That was another driving factor to sell (really the main one). But, I'm young, and hopefully my income will increase. However, the cost of ammo has me seriously considering reloading, so I am keeping an eye out for used stuff for sale.

All in all though, really can't go wrong with this one!