My new addition from Streichers...(Firearm owners, post up your pics inside)

No better or worse than the slide closing on a pistol or an AR going into battery, IMO.

Bodyguard? Hell no, that thing is a pile of steaming dog crap. You'd be much better off with a Sig P320 or similar if it's a nightstand gun. If you're carrying it, I still wouldn't buy a Bodyguard. Come visit at Arnzen, we'll go over options with you and get you set up and ready to roll. Do you have a permit to purchase or carry yet? If not, it's not a bad idea to go to the local PD and get that ball rolling as well so you're ready to purchase once you decide which is the best fit for you and your situation.

 

Bodyguard is pretty bad. I admit that I owned one for a short while. Heavy trigger makes it hard to shoot straight. If you want a small 380, take a look at the Kahr CT380, P380, or Glock 42. I regularly carry the P380 and it is a very nice pistol. Finicky till you get it broken in, but it has been flawless for me.

For a new owner, I believe it a good idea to get as nice of gun you feel you can afford, and then get plenty of ammo to practice with along with the necessary equipment. Signing up for instruction may not be a bad idea either. Practice is important with any new skill being learned and if you plan to use it for defense, you need to practice a lot. Contrary to what a lot of motivational speakers like to say, people do not rise to the occasion, but will fall to the lowest levels of their training when the poo hits the fan.

On a sad note, I may be putting off a trip to Arnzen for the 320 till I get this sorted out...

 

That's seriously ****ty. Were you driving or parked when it happened?

 

Driving on the U of M campus. I was in the left lane minding my own business when a Hyundai sonata driven by someone unfamiliar with campus roads decided to take a left turn from the lane to my right. Good thing I have a dashcam and got video of it. I generally hate driving on campus due to all the out-of-town drivers who don't know where they are going, inattentive distracted student drivers, students who text and walk and have their headphones on, and idiot bicyclists who think they own the road and they can ignore the laws of physics.

 

Go to Bills Gun Range and rent a few guns to get an idea of what you like and are comfortable with. Depending on the day, I like many others who enjoy shooting would be open to taking you to the range.

 

Dropped the WRX off at Schoonover's in Shoreview. Initial look gives an estimate of around $8k, maybe more if they uncover further damage and will take about 3 weeks to fix. I was joking with the guy there if he would total it out, I'd go get a STI. In the meantime, I have a Chevy Cruze to roll around in. That is one weak engine... I do like how it has an exterior trunk release latch, unlike the WRX.

I agree about not racking slides or doing more than you have to in a defensive situation. My go-to home defense weapon is my trusty Remy 870 that I keep fully loaded and with a shell in the chamber and safety on. It lives in the safe next to my wife's weapon of choice, her custom AR-15. All I need to do to make it ready is drop the safety and it is ready to fire, same goes for my wife's rifle.

The light is a really good idea. We have one on both our defense weapons. I have never been a fan of lasers so I don't use them, but my wife likes them and has gotten very good with using them. I figure they are one more thing to fail in a "oh crap" situation and practice using tritium night sights instead. To each their own.

I also favor 9mm. Partly for the decent power and mild recoil, but also for the cost and availability of ammo. I like to shoot and believe in regular practice, so I will put thousands of rounds down range annually. Expensive ammo just makes it harder to practice more and that never helps.

 

Thanks guys! I'll keep all of this in mind. Time to get the wife on board which shouldn't be a problem once she shoots. I know she'll love it.

I'd be interested in a range day if someone wants to set something up. I've been to the Osseo gun club and liked that place.

 

I feel movies and other media have portrayed firearms and their usage in an inaccurate manner, leaving many people to have false assumptions about guns. For one, I've always hated when the main character would rack his shotgun to make a point during some conversation or to "end the fight". To me, that meant he was either running around with an empty chamber during a gunfight, or he just shucked out one live round that he probably would have liked to keep. And they do this multiple times in some movies...

The sound of a bolt closing or pump being racked is a distinct sound, at least to me. Rather than chambering my weapon, I'd rather yell loudly to the intruder that I am aware they are in my home and they are to leave and the police are on their way. Not every home is armed and I would rather maintain that possible element of surprise rather than entice someone with nothing to lose to start shooting through walls and doors if they are armed.

Another is that most guns do not deliver the kinetic energy to create a "one shot stop" and drop a guy or even knock him back. Mythbusters did a test with a pig carcass hanging from a hook that was shot with a variety of commonly available calibers up to 12ga. IIRC, only the 12ga. was capable of just knocking the pig off the hook and not any further back. Rifle rounds just went through.

I'm with Shorty in positive target ID before your finger gets inside the trigger guard. I've heard of multiple tragic stories of homeowners accidentally shooting friends and family who came home late and were in the kitchen rummaging for something. Homeowner got scared, grabbed a gun, and fired at a shadow that later turned out to be dad, son, etc. Or the one time my hunting buddy's uncle who shot a farmer's cow while out deer hunting because he was too quick on the trigger before IDing the target. Thankfully, the farmer was cool with it and they just split the meat.

If one is serious about home defense and plans to incorporate a weapon, an emergency plan is highly recommended. It sounds a little tacticool and cheesy, but one needs to keep track of family members (especially children) and plan out safe rooms, protocols, etc. It may seem stupid, but when adrenaline is flowing and everyone is panicking, it is real easy to overlook even the simplest thing.

Yes, going to Bill's to rent and try guns is a great idea. A gun might feel good in hand at the shop, but might feel horrible when firing.

 

This is inaccurate or misleading, IMO, since one of the largest factors you're trying to create is cavitation. There's a reason why the industry has moved from the term "knock down power" to "stopping power".

 

True. My point being that movies depict people getting knocked off the floor or out windows after being shot with a handgun just isn't realistic. The Mythbusters test was the only one I could think of off the top of my head that showed a soft target the weight of a human adult would not get knocked back even after being shot with rifle rounds.

 

So are you guys trying to tell me that "the ballers" in Hitman aren't realistic...?

 

I'm still sticking with my critical duty 45ACP +P's and my 300Blackout V-Max for my personal defense rounds of choice. Shotguns are very meh to me for personal defense, even if loaded compared to the alternatives.

 

Took advantage of the new floor sale Arnzen is having this week and ordered a Sig 320 subcompact in 9mm with night sights. Depending on how work goes, I might stop by this Wednesday early evening, unless that is not convenient for you guys with the floor work going on.

I dunno why, but I like shotguns. Maybe because my father used a 12ga. and a head of lettuce to demonstrate the lethal power of firearms to me when I was a kid. Gave me a healthy respect for guns that I never lost. Figured a shotgun would make a better close range defensive weapon than a rifle due to ammo versatility and all that.

Curly, have you got a suppressor for your 300blk?

 

Wednesday should be no issue, we're trying to keep the floor guys at bay until after we close in the evening... just trying to reduce any risk of someone getting hurt or something as the store is a construction zone.

Also, yes, yes I do have a can that I run on everything from my 5.56's up through my 308's and everything in between. I have the Sig SRD-762Ti-QD.

 

True true. I have short-shucked the 870 more than once in shooting skeet/trap and blew a follow-up shot. I do regularly practice with my tacticool 870 at the gun club, but I'm never under any stress when at the range. Maybe I should try to get into paintball or airsoft groups as a means to practice weapon handling under some pressure. Suppose airsoft would be better since they actually mimic real firearms.

I figure with shotguns, I have a choice from various shot sizes to slugs, to even less-lethal rounds like rubber shot, beanbags, or rock salt (does that even do anything, or would the wad still kill at that range?). I'm by no means an expert at tactical gear and use - more like an armchair ballistician and enthusiast.

If I had a gun trust set up, I'd like to build a suppressed SBR in 300blk. I think that would not only be a cool range gun, but also good for hunting and home defense. Wasn't there some controversy about the braces being used on AR pistols? I seem to recall there was some issue the ATF had with the Sig brace a while back.

Cool, yeah, I'll try to stop by Wednesday to pick up the Sig. If the weather warrants it, I'll be the idiot wearing the Subaru Rally Team jacket (or shirt and tie) and driving a silver Chevy Cruze. I hate that car...

 

They ship them with an ATF approval letter, the intent of the device was approved as such and they didn't ever specify a proper use so they really haven't been able to find a legal leg to stand on in terms of the Sig brace.

I absolutely love my 300blackout pistol, huge selection of very potent ammo choices. Note that none of them are less than lethal, because I'm not trying to become friends with someone who broke into my house and has the intent to do harm or damage to my loved ones or myself.

I'll be the fat guy with the beard, possibly wearing a green underarmor hoodie (unless the weather is nice, then probably an HK or Wilson Combat polo).

 

Shouldn't you be batin' or something? Get in the shoutbox if you're going to be useless.

 

Let me know when you need help with the asses, I mean assets.

 

Am I required to own a firearm in order to take part in these naked hammer festivities?

 

This is mnsubaru, more dicks are always allowed.

 

Got a chance to try out my new Sig P320 9mm Subcompact. Picked it up at Arnzen and met Curly. Nice meeting and talking with you!

Shoots great and ran through 250 rounds without a single failure. This was with a new gun straight out of the box without any cleaning or lubing. I may get the small grip module later on. Anyone know if the small grip is both thinner and have a shorter trigger reach, or just a shorter reach and same thickness?



Also received some new carry ammo to try in my Kel Tec P32. Lehigh Defense Xtreme Cavitator 50gr. solid copper bullet with an unusual bullet shape that supposedly creates a better wound cavity than the traditional JHP, but offers the benefits of being a solid non-expanding bullet. Functioned flawlessly in my P32. Normally not a fan of the .32acp, but it carries great in a pocket holster in my dress slacks.

 

Yes, the entire circumference of the small module is smaller, and thus thinner with a shorter trigger reach.

 

Nice. Got any in stock? I'll stop by to check them out.

 

Doesn't look like one is currently in stock, http://arnzenarms.com/catalog-search?search_api_views_fulltext=320+grip

I'm assuming this JUST sold out, as I think we had a couple of the smalls in stock still last week (with or without rail I can't recall).

 

Good news is, once we get over the 41P/F hump times should drop down pretty significantly. We're seeing May forms right now, and have heard we should see June any time.