Learn about guns before you try to educate me on guns

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Or the US Air Force vs US Army variation:
Some random soldier "Sir, the safety on your M9 is off." Me (USAF) "Oh, thank you, please let me know if it's ever on, cause that would be a problem!"

This stems from differences in how Army carries M9 in garrison, to how AF Security Forces (MP, or SP in the old days) carry.

Had a similar instance OCONUS. I carried my M9 in the same condition I (would) carry a DA/SA pistol here in the US: safety off, chamber loaded, hammer down. Had several voice their issue with that, but guidance by the base commander was to carry in the best way to defend against imminent attack, which the threat was constant of where we were. My solution cost about 25 cents. I used a black Sharpie marker to blacken the "red is dead" dots on the safety. So unless someone was looking closely at my sidearm, they wouldn't have noticed the safety was off. Had one non-gun person actually say that the safety was backwards because he couldn't see the red dot, and it must be on safe.

I have many credentials that speak for themselves when it comes to my knowledge of firearms. I am no expert and don't claim to be. But when our opposition thinks you can get a fully auto weapon at a dollar store, it doesn't take much to be educated on a subject.
 
Herrwalther, I love your sharpie solution! In the AF we train to draw and shoot. So, the gun is carried as you describe, round chambered, hammer down, switch on fire. Draw and shoot. Our course of fire is geared around that. Draw, shoot a double tap into center mass and one into the head. Decock, put on fire, reholster, - repeat.

But when our opposition thinks you can get a fully auto weapon at a dollar store, it doesn't take much to be educated on a subject.
In light of the recent Parkland event, I've been asked about my opinions by many at work, since they know I'm an AF reservist and a gun guy. Some will begin with the full auto mantra, some will ask about the powerful AR15s. Some about the "high capacity" magazines. Needless to say, lots of education going on! Coincidentally, my "real" job is at a college, imagine that!
 
I recently complimented a Sheriff's Deputy on her new M&P while we were standing in line at the gas station.

"Uh, thanks," she said, eyeing me suspiciously. After deciding that I was being serious, she added, "Maybe you can tell me, what does it mean?"

"Ummm........M&P? Military and Police."

"Oh, that makes sense then." :what::eek::confused:
Hey, at least she had enough sense to ask.
 
I saw a guy open carrying at the chick filet the other day. Wearing a NRA shirt and tactical pants. He had his pants tucked in and was using a IwB holster dang near in the small of his back outside of his shirt. My son looked at it, almost touched it and said CoooL, he is 2.5 and very tall for his age. I really wanted to tap him on the shoulder and ask him if he was hoping someone would shoot him in the back or what, but the wife was there and gets mad at me being a dick. Maybe he pulled his jacket off and forgot he was displaying his piece in a spot more convenient for anyone but him to grab.
 
Had one once where my Wife's aunt, said it was Illegal for me to have a handgun at 19, I had to explain to her that an 18 year old can legally own a handgun they just couldnt buy one from a FFL until they were 21, she never did believe me even when I showed her the truth. (Shes not invited to many family functions)
 
I am blessed to live in a very gun prolific state, where open carry is not common, but not frowned upon. I open carry in the woods, and on some trails.

I suspect that I will be "educated" at some point. I plan to yell "HAVE A GREAT DAY!"
 
I need to learn more myself (i.e. where to find legal codes regarding firearms and be able to quickly cite them) but I intend to open carry sometimes if only to attract these sort of conversations. Who knows, might get through a person or two.
 
Ha! Yeah, I hope I never have to use the gun I carry to "get through a person or two.":D
Just clowning around somethingbenign. I know what you meant.:)

Was going to fix it but decided it is worth the chuckle. Thanks for the reminder on proof reading. I can just see my middle school teachers waving their fingers at me.
 
I don't set out to correct anybody, but sometimes, I just can't let an ignorant comment go. Maybe it's why I'm a trainer? It probably is also due to my formative years in Uncle Sam's Misguided Children back a long time ago. Or? Maybe I'm just a contrarian type...

I'll sometimes ask, would you like to hear some details on "that" topic? I've brought up the CDC stats on leading causes of death, injury, etc... I bring up the average annual numbers of those killed by firearms, suicides, homicides, etc.. At some point either they get it, or their eyes gloss over. If they come back with the "to save one life" bit, then I may ask them "what law would have prevented that death?"

Funny twist, given the recent events, there are some folks at the College asking me what should they do if faced with something similar.
 
"to save one life"

The Maryland State Police repeatedly told the state legislature that they were refusing to spend manhours, time or money on that fiasco called the ballistic fingerprint database: there were better, more productive programs to devote resources too,

In response to a school shooting massacre, Canada imposed national registration of long guns; it lasted 17 years; it too did next to no good. For the money they spendt on that, they could have fully funded 2,000 additional police for $70,000 a year training, equipment, salary and benefits per officer for each of those 17 years.

Even Tim Lambert admits that the one billion spent on "buying back" 640,000 registered semi-auto and pump-action long guns had no measurable impact on violent crime and suicide trends in Australia.

Billions for "gun control" when other programs and policies could save more lives for the same or less cost.
 
I don't know how people open carry in an urban environment. Sometimes I'll do it just out of convenience, but I feel like a complete attention-seeking idiot when I do.
 
During a town festival show i had a 20 something wanting to showing off his "disarming skills" to his equally immature friends. I was in period dress and carrying dual Remingtons butt forward in slim jim holsters. We had just "robbed" the bank and were walking back to our "safety" area to get ready for the next show. (There are no live rounds anywhere allowed).
Anyway, he walked up and squared off and said he could disarm me easily because I was stupid wearing my guns like that. If he reached for them what would I do?

I told him that's what my fist was for.

We were shooting blanks of course and were empty anyway. You'd be surprised of the "experts" that cross the safety tape and try to pick up a gun at the loading and inspection table.
 
There is something about firearms that makes every guy think he can shoot and everybody is an expert in how readily available machine guns are.

I'm reminded of the Reagan quote: It's not that they don't know anything, it's that they know so much that isn't true.

Sadly, many people are "stuck on stupid", choosing ignorance because it fits their preconceived conclusion. I've ran across a few lately that were willing to have an actual conversation and take in facts instead of the bovine excrement they've been previously given. Sadly, we live in an emotionally driven society where facts don't matter as much as "feeling". Probably 3/4 of the people I talk to are too wrapped up in their "feelings" to pay any attention at all to what's going on in the real world. Unfortunately, I don't have "feelings". Show me superior data and I'll change my opinion. But if actual fact mattered to most people, we'd be talking about how best to solve the contributing societal issues. Instead, we're commiserating about extinguishing the brush fires of willful ignorance around us.

Anyway, I carry regularly and I carry concealed 99.99% of the time, simply to avoid unwanted contact with these types. I don't carry professionally anymore and I don't want contact with anyone who thinks it's a good idea to begin lecturing a random guy with a gun. They assume guns are magic talismans that cause unwarranted violence merely by their presence. But are somehow so certain of their own superiority that they are immune to the effects of that very same magic talisman. I don't get it. So I avoid the situation.
 
I would have the person explain the rationale for the question.
I’ve never been shot but I’ve had my classroom shot up and looked into the eyes of someone who wanted to kill me as he was getting ready to shoot me.

I’ve had students who came back from Iraq and Afghanistan with body parts missing.

So no I don’t know what it’s like, and I don’t intend to find out. But if I’m ever in a situation where someone is shooting people I hope and pray I’m not unarmed like the last time.
 
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