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Pistol sights

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221–230 of 331 posts

Re: Pistol sights

#221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Circumstances requiring engaging with pistols == bad day for everyone I've shot a bit, but only rimfire long guns, air rifles, and air pistols. The pistols were harder to shoot by a _long_ margin, and I can imagine it'd get orders of magnitude harder w/ more recoil, noise to promote flinching, etc. etc. So with your comments in mind, and my own limited experience, do you have any idea why every Police-critter here…

Here in the UK, police aren't routinely armed. We rely instead on specialist firearms officers who usually perform a rapid-response role but sometimes patrol high-risk locations. Over here, it's actually much more common to see a police officer equipped with a sub-machinegun or a carbine rifle than a handgun. Firearms are used as a tactical resource to be deployed as needed, rather than an insurance policy for ordina…

The cops in the US (at least in my area) have patrol rifles and shotguns, which are typically kept in the vehicle.

I think with recent events in the UK it shows that rapid response is too slow; your cops need guns.

Re: Pistol sights

#222
post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Citation? If such a round exists I'd be very interested to see it. Of all the 5.56 vs drywall tests I've seen (and there are lots out there), they never make a hole in drywall larger than 5.56 unless it has yawed, and even then it is a keyhole no larger than the un-deformed round. To make "a huge hole" in drywall it would have to expand massively and immediately, and I've never seen a 5.56 round capable of expansion…

FBI decided that, "[i]n every test, with the exception of soft body armor, which none of the SMG fired rounds defeated, the .223 penetrated less on average than any of the pistol bullets...". [0] http://www.olyarms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=vie...

Ok - but that is ballistic gelatin penetration. The comment I replied to claimed both expansion and lack of penetration in drywall, neither of which is at all a realistic expectation for extant 5.56 rounds, to my knowledge.

Re: Pistol sights

#223
post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious about how you think about your feelings here. What do you think makes these things seem 'awesome', to you? When I was a kid, I definitely thought that guns were 'cool', in some sense. I thought about them, I read about them, and I desired access to them. As I grew up and came to understand that (in the general case, and certainly for hand guns and the stuff mentioned above) guns are tools designed to end…

Awesome = fun to shoot. I have a 50 BMG and multiple black rifles. The only reason I don't have full auto is they are too expensive, but I have shot them many times.

>> The only reason I don't have full auto is they are too expensive

...not to mention illegal

Re: Pistol sights

#224
post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yeah 50 caliber sniper rifles, fully auto machine guns and AR-15s look and sound scary... The word you are looking for is "awesome"

I'm curious about how you think about your feelings here. What do you think makes these things seem 'awesome', to you? When I was a kid, I definitely thought that guns were 'cool', in some sense. I thought about them, I read about them, and I desired access to them. As I grew up and came to understand that (in the general case, and certainly for hand guns and the stuff mentioned above) guns are tools designed to end…

Think about the "designed to end human lives" a little more. What's really designed to end lives is a gallows, an electric chair, gas chamber, etc. Guns are designed for combat, not just killing.

And not just any combat. The strong and numerous attackers don't really need better tools for hurting the small, lone, and weak; they can do that just fine already. Guns are for the weak to defend themselves against the strong. They let the little old lady stop multiple attackers. They let the lone rebel fight back against the oppressive government. The gun is civilization and democracy.

Re: Pistol sights

#225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really is a waste of time in my opinion. Despite appearances from the media, if someone in the US does not want to see firearms in their life, it is very very unlikely that they will ever see firearms (besides police officers') and even more unlikely that they would see a loose one that they should pick up to clear. It's advice on par with telling someone to set aside money in their retirement for a nuclear bunker.

I think your analogy oversteps -- it's really more akin to teaching people how to use a fire extinguisher, even though they're unlikely to ever encounter a fire. According to the ATF[1], there are more firearms in America than people. The idea that you might live your whole life and never see one is far from a given, though rurality vs. urbanality almost certainly affects this, as well as the carry laws in the area y…

I was going to use CPR as an example. How many people have been trained in CPR vs. those who have actually used it?

That said, the strength of my recommendation is not very strong, but if you're asking, "Why should I take a pistol class?", general safety is a good reason.

Re: Pistol sights

#226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are starting from a compromise. A reasonable thing would be to almost totally restrict pistols, but the Constitution hasn't been amended on the matter since the days when a rifled barrel on a long gun was cutting edge technology, so we have people walking around with highly dangerous concealable weapons. I mean, I wouldn't want to face someone wielding a machete anymore than I'd want to face someone wielding a bag…

> but at least with the machete they are going to have to physically work quite a bit to kill each person they want to kill. Without meaning to be glib, this is exactly the reason I would not recommend a machete to my grandmother for personal defense, but I would recommend her a Ruger LCR, or a Smith & Wesson M&P. The fact that she is physically disadvantaged against almost anyone would do her harm is a use case that…

Hence the old saying "God Created Men and Sam Colt Made Them Equal!".

My approaching-70 year old father will be retiring to the middle of nowhere, along with his wife. What's he going to do if someone breaks in - fight them? He's an old man with COPD. Call the police? They're an hour away. But with a good dog to alert him to intruders, and a good gun he can reach for? He can protect himself against anyone, no matter how much of a physical advantage they might have.

Re: Pistol sights

#227
post #51

Anyone who is diehard anti-gun for personal use, I recommend taking a pistol class from a reputable organization, and keep an open mind. No one is telling you to get a license or buy a gun, just go take a class. They will teach you all about safety, how to shoot, gun cleaning and maintenance, and all of the basic skills needed to properly own a gun. Then if you are still diehard anti-gun, great! But if you have no ex…

Anyone from the tech or startup community who is willing to be in Las Vegas area for 2-4 days and is reasonable sane/not a criminal/etc, I'd be happy to help to a class at Front Sight for free (you'd need to pay for ammo, about $100-200, and rent a car/accomodations/etc)

Re: Pistol sights

#228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm always shocked and amazed that progressives rail against "abstinence only" sex ed and then turn around and promote the same thing for firearms.

Why compare sex and firearms? Sex: - Fundamental to life - Something every human is capable of, and that (except for Slashdot users ;), most experience in their life. - If consensual, a source of pleasure and love. Firearms: - A tool which can be used for a varierty of purposes - Must be purchased, i.e. it is a choice. - I suppose one could compare firearms training/use to martial arts, in that it can have personal b…

>In schools, on campuses, or in places of worship

Arbitrary rules. In that case, no guns allowed in grocery stores, zoos, museums, public places of gathering, anywhere where one might find humans.

Re: Pistol sights

#229
post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious about how you think about your feelings here. What do you think makes these things seem 'awesome', to you? When I was a kid, I definitely thought that guns were 'cool', in some sense. I thought about them, I read about them, and I desired access to them. As I grew up and came to understand that (in the general case, and certainly for hand guns and the stuff mentioned above) guns are tools designed to end…

Awesome = fun to shoot. I have a 50 BMG and multiple black rifles. The only reason I don't have full auto is they are too expensive, but I have shot them many times.

Can't reply to child comment that says automatic weapons are illegal. Kind of silly to say that on the internet - the OP could be in a country where they are not, or where the concept of "illegal" is ill-defined or irrelevant.

Re: Pistol sights

#230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Awesome = fun to shoot. I have a 50 BMG and multiple black rifles. The only reason I don't have full auto is they are too expensive, but I have shot them many times.

>> The only reason I don't have full auto is they are too expensive ...not to mention illegal

They're actually not completely illegal. You need an NFA stamp for things like full automatic rifles, machine guns, most silencers, short barreled guns, and the stamps are often very expensive. Which is why you probably don't see many full automatic AKs being used in crime.
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