North

I'm not...

2013-02-27T11:53:00.000-06:00

I'm not gone. I'm not out. I have not given up on my obligations.

The Gun Blog Black List

2012-09-17T18:14:00.000-05:00

I'll continue to keep the list of blogs updated at the Gun Blog Black List. If you know of any gun blogs that are not on that list, but feel deserve to be, please mention your recommendation here (or there) and I will consider adding them.

-North

Bought My First Gun

2012-07-16T10:46:00.003-05:00

Important dates:

3/28/2011 - Shot my first gun as an adult

3/17/2012 - Successfully completed the NRA Basic Pistol Class

                             7/14/2012 - Brought home my first gun

     My, what a difference a year and a half makes...I went from timid hoplophobe to grinning proudly as I drove home from the gun store with my new firearm tucked safely in the trunk of my car.

     A little background. Since completing the NRA course, I've seriously considered buying my own gun. My husband owns multiple handguns and shotguns...but not only do I really not consider them mine...they are really too big for me to shoot. My small hands make many handguns really unsafe to control successfully. I completed the NRA course with my husband's S&W Sigma 9mm, but just barely. It turned and wiggled in my hands and I knew I needed a gun sized for my hands.

     Since then, I've been collecting makes and models of guns in a list, those that were recommended to me, those that I found online while researching smaller handguns. I thought I knew what I wanted, I really did. It took the wise direction of a female gun store clerk to clarify my intent, and to turn me in the right direction.

     2+ weeks ago, a powerful storm came through my area, and the resultant power outages significantly interrupted business in the DC area for multiple days. The engineering firm I work for wasn't spared; our server was dead in the water for several days despite the juice being switched back on. So I had some time on my hands. I decided it was finally time to visit a local gun shop and see what I could see.

     I'm not going to name the store - because honestly, I didn't have a positive experience. I entered the shop and realized ( as I told North later... ) I was the only clam in a sea of franks and beans. I was shown A LOT of guns by a well meaning young man. He asked me a few questions, then proceeded a conveyor belt of guns towards me so I could feel the grip, the weight. After a dizzying array of guns cycled by me, I had a better feel for what I wanted in a gun...but not a lot of confidence that this was going to be my gun store. I left the store, having the Bersa Thunder 380 forefront in my mind as the most comfortable gun I was shown.

     Most of the engineers at my office own guns - they are an odd assortment of highly educated good old boys who like to hunt. I talked about my experience with one of them, and he immediately recommended I seek out a woman who works at a shop near his house...about an hour away from me in area near where I lived in High School. I made the decision to go there last Saturday.

     Immediately upon entering The Gun Shack, I saw the difference in the 2 shops. This one had a clerk who smiled at me and said "Welcome!" upon my entry into the store. I didn't feel eyes upon me as the lone female in the store. I spied a woman behind the counter in the back; I knew this was where I needed to be. She smiled at me, and we began to talk. My level of experience. My interests. My intentions. Firearms my husband already has at home. Next time I was aware of the time, I realized I had been there for 20 minutes, and she hadn't shown me one gun yet. We mutually decided that for my interests ( First, target shooting and marksmanship, and secondarily, personal protection ) - I would look at .22 caliber guns. My level of experience is low. My confidence just above a novice. I've proved to myself if push comes to shove, I can and will pull the trigger on the Sigma. The Sigma will be for protection in the home. The gun I might buy will be for building my confidence and improving my skills.

     She didn't produce an array of guns for me to try. She showed me two. Just two.

     The first was the Walther P22 with a 5" target barrel. I immediately liked the weight of the gun, and it felt comfortable in my hand. It was balanced well - and I liked that it looked like a lot more gun than it actually is.

     The second was the Ruger R22. I liked it as well, but instantly upon handling it, knew the Walther was much more suited to me.

     I didn't hesitate. I was comfortable with the store, the clerk, the gun. I bought the Walther P22 on the spot. I didn't need to look further.

Before I picked up the gun on Saturday, my husband was looking in a box in the back of his closet to see how much .22LR ammo he actually had in the house. He came out of the bedroom with a look of wonder on his face - he was holding a very small gun I had never seen before. He had stumbled upon the first gun he ever owned besides his service weapon - an Erma RX22 manufactured some time in the late 60's early 70's. All steel with hideous molded plastic grips. Heavy as sin. Missing its magazine. Filthy as hell. And he grinned at it. He told me he used to carry this gun for protection when he was stationed in Nevada. I studied the little gun, and he said "I want you to have it, even though it's beat to hell. See if the Gun Shack has a magazine and replacement grips for it." Of course, they didn't.

Anyone know where I can get replacement grips and magazine for an old Erma RX22?

I sent a text to North. It said simply "This morning, I owned zero guns. It's just after lunch, and now I own two." ( Insert big cheesy grin here )

This has been a life changing process, overcoming my fear of firearms. My husband giggled at me upon my return with my new gun. I had a pamphlet from Marylandshallissue.org, the advocacy group working to get Maryland's ridiculously restrictive CCW laws repealed. As I showed the pamphlet to my husband, he kissed me on top of my head, and laughed at "his Annie Oakley." I had to giggle a bit myself.

What a difference a year and a half has made.

(Guest post by Maura.)

You are better off...

2012-07-10T18:55:00.000-05:00

if you don't follow the instructions.

-North

Robert A. Heinlein

2012-07-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

-North

http://baconporn.org/

2012-07-06T15:35:00.002-05:00

Ha!

http://baconporn.org/

-North

Everyone says it so well

2012-07-04T17:29:00.001-05:00

Go to my side bar or the blog lists at the Gun Blog Black List and read what is said about our country's Independence Day. The love for country, despite what selfish people are doing to it, is heartwarming.

-North

1911 Night and Day

2012-07-03T06:40:00.105-05:00

Meet "Night and Day", two of my guns. Both are 1911 and this is the first time I have photographed them together.

The smaller gun is a Colt Defender. This little gem has a nickel and stainless finish. The Defender is a 3" barrel gun in .45 ACP.

The larger gun is a Colt Lightweight Commander. This gun has a black anodized finish and a 4.25" barrel. It is a Wiley Clapp TALO.

The triggers on both guns are outstanding They are a delight to fire at the range. They both have vertical ribs on the front of the trigger, the Defender has three holes hollowed through the trigger.

The grip on the Defender is wrap-around textured rubber and is shaped for finger grips. The back of the grip is ribbed.

The Commander's wooden grips are textured on the side of the grip. The metal front and back of the grip are also textured.

The sights on the Defender are three paint dots. This view of the Defender is a picture focused on the front sight.

This view of the Commander is a picture focused on the front sight. The Commander front site is a brass cylinder.

Below is a view of the hammers on the back of the Defender (on your left) and the Commander (on your other left).

Below is the grip safety on the guns.

When I'm not looking, the guns like to spoon.

Top view of slides. Defender/Commander left/right.

Defender.

Commander.

Commander magazine: 7+1 .45 ACP.

Defender magazine: 7+1 .45 ACP.

Defender and then Commander with slide open.

That this longing for you follows wherever I go
In the roaring traffic's boom
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you
Day and night, night and day

(Cole Porter)

-North

From a year ago: On Honesty and Trust

2012-07-02T13:07:00.002-05:00

I have a couple of people in my life that are completely honest with me just as I am with them. This spoils me. It is a phenomenal aspect to relationships, however. An honest relationship is a treasure to cherish, something to nourish. Rewarding.

Think about all of the interactions that you have with people. Everyone puts on at least a little mask. Everyone pushes away at least a little to protect themselves. Many people push away a lot - hide as much as they can. You know, as you read this, that you do. If you don't then the result is often painful to you. So you resist being open to people. And you likely assume that the person that you are interacting with also wears a mask.

I'm not talking about criminal-level lies and dishonesty. I'm talking about people hiding a little bit of truth from you. Often under the guise of protecting you, but dishonesty is selfishness - they are only protecting themselves.

Take the humorous "does this dress make my butt look big?" question. The answer is a lie because it is easier than dealing with the dynamics of this situation's truth. Without the mask you may have to face things about yourself that you do not want to face. Things you subvert and hide.

My issue is that I can be blind sided by people that I hope will be honest with me. I always make the first move with honesty. I take people at their word. All to often when I share myself in this completely honest way I get hurt. I then come to realize that I've only seen a mask on the other person.

Very often it is as painful for me to be dishonest with someone as it is to be honest. I will always pick the route of honesty, even to my own detriment.

There are a lot of people I know - a lot that wear this mask. For some the mask is so heavy that it burdens them more than it dissuades me. If the sh!t hits the fan, I'll keep them at the flashy end of the boom stick. Other people wear very light masks - they can be in my camp along side me. Very few, very very few do I trust completely. And they know who they are because I've been fully open and honest with them.

I have a couple of these honest relationships. It isn't magical: it has to be worked at. The foundations for honesty are acceptance and trust which I think are very unnatural for most people. I wish more people would work at this. It is a lot of work, but very rewarding. It is the ultimate "I have your back" when you can turn to someone who you trust completely.

-North

A Gun Blogger's Bookshelf - What is on YOUR Shelf?

2012-06-30T15:01:00.001-05:00

This is half of my gun book collection.

Any recommendations? What good gun books do you have on your shelf? Show pictures of YOUR gun book collection!

Other half here: http://gunblogblacklist.blogspot.com/2012/06/gun-bloggers-bookshelf.html

-North

Meeeooow!

2012-06-29T08:16:00.000-05:00

Ha ha! Not a cat.

Coyote tails.

For you is coyote 3 syllables and rhymes with tea, or 2 and rhymes with boat?

-North

Thursday Extra: Wednesday's Whiteboard Words of Wisdom

2012-06-28T15:40:00.002-05:00

-North

Wednesday's Whiteboard Words of Wisdom

2012-06-27T12:22:00.002-05:00

-North

Yesterday was shot

2012-06-27T08:12:00.001-05:00

The guy at the range and I talked. We figured that only a very small fraction of a percent of married couples would want to go shoot clay on their 25th Anniversary.

After shooting in 90 degree weather, a transformation into a little black dress. Fine dining with an elegant lady. I was fixated on her for the entire meal.

Mrs. North is an incredible woman.

-North

Very Happy Day

2012-06-26T08:24:00.001-05:00

An nondescript but caring engineer became forever bonded in a religious and social ceremony to a lovely, honest, and generous woman on this date. This time around the interval is such that it has a perceived equivalency to a shiny precious metal - the 2nd investment metal you might think of.

http://northwest1524.blogspot.com/2012/02/at-first-sight.html

http://northwest1524.blogspot.com/2012/02/in-my-heart.html

-North

Shooting at the North range

2012-06-24T20:22:00.000-05:00

I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The trip was just a healthy stroll from my door.

But I need to do some mowing because my weeds are out of control.

After this the plans for grilling burgers had to be cancelled, because the winds kicked up.

9 mm weapons being compared: The Beretta F92 and the Taurus PT92. I had a tighter grouping with the Taurus, but the Beretta was closer to target. Trigger on the F92 was smoother. My wife preferred the Taurus - that is the one of the two that she has.

-North

Fire Dance

2012-06-16T23:36:00.000-05:00

Had a beer and started a fire.

Thanks to the magic of chemistry, the fire did a colorful dance late into the night.

-North

Forstner Service

2012-06-16T15:58:00.001-05:00

Long overdue project was to spin one of these Forstner bits around and around in the right location...

To put locks on a cabinet.

It isn't as secure as a safe and wouldn't stop a determined thief. But it will keep nosy relatives from snooping.

Right now I just have my self defense ammo stored in there, but I will stuff some computer backups in there and other important things that are not quite important enough to be in the safe.

-North

Praise

2012-06-15T05:43:00.002-05:00

We cannot be too Circumspect how we receive Praise: For if we contemplate our selves in a false Glass, we are sure to be mistaken about our Dues; and because we are too apt to believe what is Pleasing, rather than what is True, we may be too easily swell’d, beyond our just Proportion, by the Windy Compliments of Men.

-William Penn

It is people of substance and people of character that have built the quality things in life. People that put their backs into what they do and toil to accomplish remarkable things. The end result of what they have built is what matters to that industrious individual, be it skyscrapers or written word.

The people that work to create something of substance will stand behind their results. If those results better the lives of people, then they have accomplished something honorable.

If a person's purpose for creating something is merely to gather flattery from others, they are undertaking a shallow and narcissistic pursuit. If something is made for others - presented to the public - only for the temporary light it shines on the presenter, then the work will prove itself to be unremarkable. So much so that the effort will need to be done again and again in order to recapture that fleeting moment of praise.

-North

Flag Day

2012-06-14T11:13:00.001-05:00

When Freedom from her mountain height

Unfurled her standard to the air,

She tore the azure robe of night,

And set the stars of glory there.

Joseph Rodman Drake, The American Flag

-North

Wednesday's Whiteboard Words of Wisdom

2012-06-13T05:20:00.002-05:00

-North

Gun Rights

2012-06-12T18:22:00.004-05:00

Some people don't want others to have any guns at all, as if taking guns away from the law-abiding (people that don't commit crimes) will somehow prevent those that commit crime from acting as criminals.

There are other people that want some gun rights removed. Just some.

That begs the question: what are a person's "gun rights?"

My answers may not be yours, but I see three distinct rights that all stem from the Second Amendment.

1) The right to a gun for the purpose of hunting. Perhaps when the 2nd was drafted we were talking about a long gun that was technologically far behind the rifles and shotguns of today, but still you have the right to a weapon that creates a projectile to kill game to put food on your table. 200+ years ago everyone was responsible for hunting and gathering. Just because now many Americans can go to Whole Foods for tofu it doesn't mean that there aren't a great many people that still hunt their own game. All people have a right to feed themselves.

2) The right to a gun for self-protection. In a dream world there is no person-on-person violence. In the real world a lawful citizen carrying a gun has an effective means to protect himself and his family. A woman can carry to protect herself against sexual violence. A gun can protect your home and property against violent thugs. Guns save lives.

3) The right to protect ALL of your rights against oppressive actions. "An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject." Americans fought and died to obtain freedom from tyrants. Americans fought and died to keep that freedom. Americans will fight and die if our freedom is attacked.

So to those that want to take away some gun rights: Which is OK for you? Hunger, death, or slavery?

Which one? OK. You first.

-North

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Open Thread

2012-06-12T09:37:00.001-05:00

No restrictions.

Leave a comment if you still drop by. Talk about anything.

-North

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Shiny Zombie Killer

2012-05-21T19:02:00.001-05:00

Taurus PT 92 9mm.

Update:

My first magazine that I fired through this new gun. 16 rounds, 21 feet. 2" square.

Something to do with my hands

2012-05-07T08:36:00.004-05:00

Since I had a bad headache on Sunday, I decided to try to distract my aching head by doing something with my hands.

They are up for grabs.

Solid dark purple - claimed by A.J.
Teal/multicolor - claimed by Sandy.
Pink for kymber!

All claimed! Thank you!

I'm done for quite a while.

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