Household Gunowners' Digest Information, Tips, and Support for the Private Gun Owner ------------------------------------------------------------ October 6, 2001 Volume I, #2 ------------------------------------------------------------ Gwen S. Patton, Editor wendy_lyn@unforgettable.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This is a FREE newsletter! Feel free to pass it along to friends, so long as you pass it along in its entirety. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------ IN THIS ISSUE ------------------------------------------------------------ => Words from The Range Bag => Review: Kel-Tec P-11 Pistol by Maggie Leber => Feature: How to Find a Range, Pt. II by Gwen Patton => Political Aims => News from the Home Front => Helpful Web Links => Submission Guidelines => Subscribe/Unsubscribe information ------------------------------------------------------------ Words from The Range Bag, by Gwen Patton ------------------------------------------------------------ I thought long and hard about whether to send a special edition of this newsletter. I had even written it, but decided not to send it. Why? Because we had already been inundated with more than enough information, data, and just plain hype that I didn't want to add to it. And, frankly, I didn't think I could, at that moment in time, make my statements fit the topic of household gun ownership. It has been 24 days since the attack, and I think I can do that now. Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Another day that will live in infamy. We have all seen the pictures, we have all heard the stories, we have all been inundated with the pleas for donations and help of various sorts. We have seen tales of incredible bravery, such as the sacrifices of the passengers on United Flight 93, who charged the hijackers and crashed the plane rather than let it be used as a weapon of terror. The telethon that lauded them was a thing of beauty. (Well, I could have done without Celine Dion.) But we have also seen the "Coming Together" concert, run by The Violence Policy Center and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, both notorious groups of gun-grabbers. I would be very interested in knowing how much money from that concert was going to humanitarian aid, and how much was going to anti-gun propaganda campaigns, campaigns that have no bearing on this attack. (Newsday reports that some proceeds will also go to the American Red Cross and the September 11th Fund, but percentages were not available.) We can feel secure in the knowledge that no guns at all were used by the terrorists. Only knives and "boxcutters". I find it reprehensible that the anti-gun propagandists are trying to pervert this tragedy to their own purposes, claiming that they are preventing terrorism "like the New York tragedy". If you hear these evil lies being perpetrated, shout them down! Guns played no part in this tragedy. This was done by a few men with sharp knives. Ironically, it is an Islamic proverb that says: a lone runner with a sharp knife can cut a hundred throats before dawn. Instead, it will likely be guns like ours that will protect our homes while our sons and daughters go to war, to fight for justice. We will have to be vigilant against reprisals at home from these cowardly assassins, who will seek once again to bring the skulkers with their hidden knives to America. The past month has been well spent putting back together the broken pieces of our hearts and the homes of those who have been hurt. But please keep in mind that this is not over. A Greyhound bus was crashed yesterday by a crazed lunatic who slashed the throat of the driver. It is unknown whether it has any connection to the 9/11 terror attacks, but it is a stark example that we must remain alert. Keep your eyes open, and your guns loaded. If you have been putting off purchasing your household gun, NOW is the time to get one! Make sure you have ammo on hand, and your permits are up-to- date. Don't go into restricted areas like Federal property or airports, or you will be very quickly apprehended...but be safe wherever else you go. Now is not the time for Condition White. The face of our nation has been changed, and it is time for vigilance. It is Condition Orange for all of us, at the very least. Keep your arms handy, to protect our loved ones and, if necessary, our Nation. --- Gwen Patton The Range Bag ------------------------------------------------------------ REVIEW: Kel-Tec P-11 Pistol by Maggie Leber ------------------------------------------------------------ OK, folks, this is *not* going to be a typical handgun review article. I don't qualify as an expert or collector, and to be honest I can count the different types of firearms I've actually fired on the fingers of two hands, with change left over. But I am going to tell you about my personal sidearm. Fate has brought us together and we've learned to live with each other: I'm talking here about my Kel-Tec P-11. (see: http://kel-tec.com/prod01.htm ). By profession I'm a software engineer. My other technopassions are aviation and amateur radio; and one thing a lifetime of those kinds of geekliness have taught me is: every example of fine engineering is an exercise in the art of compromise and balance between conflicting goals. In the case of a handgun for concealed carry, the main trade-offs are between firepower and weight and size. To be effective at it's primary mission--namely: stopping an agent of evil from doing violence to your person or someone you love--a handgun needs to be able to deliver bullets of sufficient weight at sufficient speed sufficiently close to where you intended them to go. This is combination of requirements is frequently summed up in the terms "firepower" or "stopping power". If the bullets are too tiny, slow, off-target, or insufficient in number to do enough damage to stop your assailant soon enough to *prevent* him from damaging you or yours, the weapon is just not doing its job. But if the gun is so heavy to carry, or so difficult to conceal on your person, that you leave it at home, in your car, in your purse or someplace else where you can't get to it when that moment we hope to avoid arrives, then you're in just about as much trouble as if you had no gun at all, or just "not enough" gun as described above. For me, The P-11 has turned out to really hit the sweet spot. It's not as small or as light as its cousin the Kel-Tec P-32, or other similar "mouseguns", and it fires the 9mm parabellum cartridge, which means it's nearly as powerful as the other bigger, heavier, pricier short-barreled handguns in that caliber from Beretta, Glock, Sig Arms or the other "big name" manufacturers. There *are* downsides to its low weight design. One is that the trigger mechanism is "double action only" (DAO). This means that all the energy that operates the hammer is stored in a spring as the trigger is pulled; there is no way to "cock" the hammer for later firing. This design, combined with the fact that the hammer must be lightweight enough to prevent an accidental discharge if the gun is dropped with a round in the chamber, results in a very long and heavy trigger pull. While I think this is a *desireable* attribute, especially in a handgun with no actual mechanical safety that is likely to be carried in a pocket, it can make the gun difficult to fire accurately. This is especially true for a shooter with weak or small hands who does not practice with the weapon regularly. Another downside directly due to the low weight of the gun is that it *must* be held firmly during firing to prevent jams. This effect is called "stovepiping" or "limpwristing". If the gun is not held firmly, and too much recoil energy is absorbed by the shooter's hand, wrist, arm and body, the recoil spring will not be sufficiently compressed, the slide will not make its full range of travel, and the ejector may not completely clear the spent shell, which then interferes with the feeding and chambering of the next round. Definitely not something you want to happen in a self-defense situation. This is enough of an issue for some shooters that Kel-Tec has recently discontinued manufacture of the P-40 version of this gun, chambered for bigger, heavier, hotter .40 S&W round, because too many owners have returned P-40s for factory service when there was actually nothing wrong with them. This is yet another case for frequent practice with the weapon... and an *upside* of this is that if you do achieve proficiency at firm grip and steady hold even when dealing with the heavy (about 8 lb) trigger pull and brisk recoil of this gun, you'll find that when shooting other handguns (like our current family 9 mm favorite, a FEG-made Browning Hi-Power), that your technique with that weapon has benefitted from practice with the more demanding Kel-Tec. There are also a number of interesting aftermarket accessories available, such as pre-ban Smith & Wesson high-capacity magazines which will expand the gun to 12 rounds (as well as providing an extended grip for folks like me with big hands), a belt clip (for carry without a holster -- I have one on my P-11 and it's very handy), and tritium night-sights for folks who anticipate action in dim-light situations. So, if you're intrigued by what I've told you about this gun so far, I strongly recommend you *try* one before buying. I also highly recommend the Kel-Tec Owner's Group website: http://www.ktog.org and the KTOG mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ktog ...for technical tips, care and feeding, and problem solving information. In summary, this gun may not be right for everybody. But in situations where it *is* the right balance (and the low price can be a part of that balance) it's *really* right. ------------------------------------------------------------ Feature: How to Find a Place to Shoot, Pt 2 of 3 by Gwen Patton ------------------------------------------------------------ Part II -- Gun Clubs The other kind of range is the Gun Club. Most gun clubs are outdoor affairs, and tend to be privately owned. They are not usually businesses like the ranges, and don't have stores attached to them. They may or may not have indoor range space, but it usually isn't as fancy as what you would find in a commerical range. It tends to be of the more primitive sort, with hand-mounted targets and range captains and the simplest of backstops. Limits on power of ammunition are common, with Magnum ammo being frequently forbidden. Outdoor ranges are far more common. Most gun clubs will have space for pistol, rifle, and shotgun, with much effort devoted to trap and sport shooting. You will find that the emphasis at these clubs is placed squarely on hunters. They practice not for self-defense, but for going out in the woods and shooting animals. The emphasis is totally different, and you may find that your needs are not truly met there. They will not have ammunition or supplies for sale, so you'll have to go to the gun store anyway, and many of the gun stores you might have to go to would be AT the ranges in the first place. Many gun clubs require that their members "pitch in" and help maintain the grounds from time to time. It's truly a club, not like the YMCA, where you buy a card and can go all you want for a year. You paid an initiation and dues, and are expected to perform duties to the club as well as reap the benefits. Sometimes there are extra benefits from this -- sometimes clubs can get training courses for little or no extra money, or they do not charge members like they would charge the general public. Keep in mind also that with an outdoor range, weather plays a part. If you are in a part of the country that has bad winters, you may not be able to practice for several months of the year because the range is under multiple feet of snow. It may be raining on the day of your big practice session. You may get to the range, get all set up, raise the gun to shoot, and it may start hailing. It is hot in the summer, cold in the winter, wet when it is rainy, dusty when it is dry. And HEPA filters keep the smell of skunk from bothering you in an indoor range! Outdoor ranges and clubs do have their advantages. They tend to be cheaper. A firing range can cost upward of $125 to join for a year. I have seen outdoor gun clubs that cost only $40 a year, after a one-time $50 initiation fee. In Pennsylvania, you can even find certain areas of State Game Lands where you can shoot for free, with certain restrictions. (No quick draw, only 3 rounds in the gun at one time, no rapid fire. Don't get caught breaking those rules...the fines are astronomical!) You get to enjoy the fresh air. Some clubs are actually "sportsmens' clubs", and have facilities for archery and fishing as well as for firearms, so you might find hobby interests there too. Also, the level of camaraderie at such a club tends to be higher, and they are more of a social organization than a commercial range. It is not uncommon for clubs to hold social events such as picnics, or even dances for the members. They also host events for other organizations, such as the NRA and the Second Amendment Sisters. You may find that involvement with these activities outweigh any negative aspects of the more communal nature of these clubs. There are also legal advantages to a gun club in some circumstances. For example, the state of New Jersey has some of the most draconian laws regarding firearms in any of the 50 states. The relevant passages state that if you are going to a gun RANGE to shoot, you must go directly there and directly back home, with no intervening stops, not even for gasoline. If you belong, however to a gun CLUB, and are going THERE to shoot, you may make intervening stops, say, for lunch, to get gas, to stop to go to the bathroom, to buy ammo at Wal-Mart, what-have-you. Why they made this distinction is anybody's guess...but it is there, and if you live in New Jersey (or another state with similar laws), it makes sense to take advantage of it. So, whichever you choose, indoor firing range or gun club, make sure you go as often as you can manage and practice, practice, practice! Next issue: Resources for Finding Clubs and Ranges ------------------------------------------------------------ Political Aims ------------------------------------------------------------ TRAVEL TO EXOTIC FOREIGN LANDS...AND GO ARMED! Are you looking for a new career? One where you can make use of your firearms skill *and* protect your country's citizens? If you are a U. S. Citizen under the age of 40, in good health, can get a Top Secret security clearance, and the prospect of travel and danger sounds interesting, you might want to consider the position of Federal Air Marshal! Duties: Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) respond to criminal incidents aboard U.S. air carriers, as well as other in-flight emergencies. FAMs are authorized to carry firearms and make arrests, while preserving the safety of aircraft, crew, and passengers. We don't have nearly enough Air Marshals to secure all domestic air travel in the U. S., much less in the US *and abroad. The FAA has opened up the floodgates, and has extended the age range from 37 to 40 in order to get more qualified personnel to apply. If you would like more information, check out the FAA's job posting for this position at: http://jobs.faa.gov/CIVIL_AVIATION_SECURITY.HTM -=-=-=-=-=-=- NEW BILL PROPOSES THAT PILOTS SHOULD BE ARMED On the other side of the coin, there has been a great deal of debate on whether to arm the pilots of U. S. airliners, whether to rely solely on armored cockpit doors such as the famous "El Al" door, or would an expanded Air Marshal program be enough to adequately secure our airspace. Many gun-owner advocates have called for the authorization of all citizens with concealed-carry permits to carry their firearms on airliners. Some of these proposals have suggested the use of specialized "safety" bullets such as the Glaser Safety Slug, others have not bothered, saying that a bullet penetration of an airplane hull would only require the plane to fly at a lower altitude, and would not necessarily harm the passengers or wreck the plane -- Hollywood's claims that a bullet would cause the passengers to get "sucked out" of the plane being on the same order as their warnings against vampires. There was even a hoax email circulating that the government of Brazil had passed a law allowing all citizens to carry firearms of .32 caliber or smaller on all Brazilian airliners. This was quickly quashed as totally false. But current polls show that 70% of Americans are supportive of arming airline pilots as a means of protecting the flight deck. Armed pilots are the first line of deterrence and the last line of defense in preventing a hijacking, and stronger cockpit doors and armed sky marshals will not stop or slow down determined terrorists. If you feel strongly about this issue, you should contact your Congresspersons. There is a bill before Congress to allow pilots to carry firearms for the defense of their planes. Email has a very low priority with our legislators -- faxes, snail-mail, phone calls, and even visits have far more weight. Tell them to support the Smith/Burns amendment to the Aviation Security Act. The Smith/Burns amendment, called the Cockpit Security Amendment to the Aviation Security Act, will ask Congress to enable pilots to carry concealed firearms as a means of defending their flight decks from takeover by terrorists. In related news, Front Sight, Inc., a Las Vegas, Nevada based firearms training institute, has pledged up to 150 million dollars in free gun training for airline pilots, if the FAA and the airlines will only agree to allow it. But all major media outlets have refused to play a 60-second commercial prepared by the company detailing this plan, stating that it is "not politically correct enough." Front Sight is remaking the commercial, inhopes the media will relent and allow it to be aired. -=-=-=-=-=- KIDS, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME... One thing you should definitely NOT do is "test" the security of your local airport by attempting to carry boxcutters or knives through the checkpoints. Dennis Knaus tried to do that at Philadelphia International Airport on September 25, and actually managed to get through security with four boxcutters in his briefcase. To his credit, he did contact the FAA to complain about the hole in security, claiming that he used them for his job and that he accidentally had them with him, but authorities did not believe his story. They say that he did it intentionally, to prove to his wife that it was not safe for her to fly to to Ireland for her sister's wedding. Knaus faces up to a year in prizon for carrying four boxcutters and two sharpened paint scrapers in his briefcase past airport security not once, but twice. He stopped to call authorities and report the breach before boarding his flight, but they arrested him before he could board. International Total Services, the company providing security at Philly Int'l has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Mrs. Knaus is re-thinking her trip to Ireland. ------------------------------------------------------------ News from the Home Front ------------------------------------------------------------ "Too often we hear about the bad cases, where firearms are used by criminals to do bad things, and too rarely about cases like this, where a gun was used by a dad to save his son's life," says Kelly Whitley, a National Rifle Association spokeswoman. "That's because guns are rarely used to prevent crime...if they were, wouldn't we hear about it more often? Wake up!" Well, it IS curious that we don't hear about guns being used to prevent crime, since they're used to do just that a confirmed average of 400,000 times per year (not counting Law Enforcement), and an estimated (from anecdotal evidence) 2,000,000 times per year. I have used my gun to defend myself from a potential rapist, who attacked me as I was leaving a rest stop restroom at about 5:00 a.m. He grabbed me by my hair and was dragging me behind the building, which left my hands free - thank goodness - to get my gun from my purse. Since it was not exactly a smooth ride, I fired into a dirt mound to scare him. He dropped me, and the short version is that he crawled on his belly around the building to the parking lot where we waited for a Highway Patrolman to happen by. It seemed like forever, but wasn't all that long, because they were patrolling...since there had been several rapes in rest stops in that area over the past few months. My daughter was being stalked, threatened, and on one occasion assaulted by a man she had been dating and broke off with. He did not stop until I went to his house and made absolutely sure that he understood that I would risk going to jail to protect my children, and if that meant I had to kill him, so be it. He stopped. Six years later, he killed another girl who broke up with him, and then himself. I also had to kill a rabid fox that was fighting with my dog, on my own front porch. Although it was dripping bloody foam from its mouth, it was tested and was positive. All of my animals had their boosters and were quarantined, and because we were hit with bone shards, and handled the animals that had been bitten, my daughter and I had the series of rabies shots. Now, what would you have done in any of those instances? Begged for mercy? Allowed your child to be stalked and possibly murdered? Let the fox keep attacking, and perhaps wander off to bite the neighbor's children? I would like you to answer a question for me: If we do not need guns to protect ourselves from criminals, why do the police have them? Thank you for your question, and I truly do hope that you either never need a viable means of self-defense, or that you get one. Be safe out there. In Liberty, Evelyn Logan Second Amendment Sisters http://www.2asisters.org ------------------------------------------------------------ Helpful Web Links ------------------------------------------------------------ Pennsylvania residents may wish to join the Pennsylvania Emergency Situation Report Email List (PA-SitRep). Free for the use of all Pennsylvanians, the PA-SitRep e-mail list caters to the users of Digital Cell Phones as well as PC based e-mail users. By subscribing to the list, you can INSTANTLY receive (on your cell phone or PC) the Emergency Situation Reports and Emergency Radio Net Activations that are posted to the list. For more information on PA-SitRep, go to http://www.pa-sitrep.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Submission Guidelines ------------------------------------------------------------ Household Gunowners' Digest is intended for the person who owns a firearm for personal protection, or for the protection of their family or loved ones. We are always looking for feature articles that address the needs of the everyday person who owns, or is looking to own, a personal firearm. We are not looking for articles geared towards hunting, law enforcement, or military applications. For complete guidelines, please see http://www.voicenet.com/~ardrhi/hgd-submit.html ------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright 2001 Gwendolyn S. Patton, Jeffersonville, PA. All Rights Reserved. Newsletter may be freely shared between individuals, provided that it is shared in toto. For reprinting of individual articles, please contact the editorial staff. ------------------------------------------------------------ To subscribe, send an email to: hgd-home-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To unsubscribe, send an email to: hgd-home-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Or subscribe through our home page at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hgd-home HGD has an open discussion group. All subscribers are welcome to participate. To subscribe, send an email to: hgd-discuss-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or subscribe through our home page at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hgd-discuss ------------------------------------------------------------ Household Gunowners' Digest is a publication of: Revolution Earth Press 163 N. Whitehall Rd Jeffersonville, PA 19403 610-630-9862 Editor-in-Chief: Gwendolyn S. Patton wendy_lyn@unforgettable.com Assistant Editor: Margaret S. Leber maggie@voicenet.com http://revolutionearth.wmnsnetbiz.com