Firearm

Years ago now, and for months, my intensely Republican friend Owain and I were discussing the Second Amendment, mostly late into the night after drum and dance practice.

You see, even though I'm a Democrat, I am also an intensely strong supporter of the First Amendment. I will fight to support other's peoples' right to completely disagree with me. Anyone who doesn't support my right to disagree with them hasn't taken the time to truly understand what the meaning of the Bill of Rights really is. Only when people are truly free to express themselves can constructive progress be made about any topic.

Well, in April 2007 I decided to put my money where my mouth was about the First Amendment, by supporting his right to own guns--even if I didn't--by joining the National Rifle Association (NRA).

The NRA monthly magainze, of course, covered the case of the Washington D.C. gun ban vs. Heller. That law was written in a way that actually made it illegal to move a firearm from one room of your house to another.

For those who really know me, you know that I'm very interested in law. (My mom told me since I was a kid that I'd make a good lawyer.) I started following the case pretty intently. When the arguments were presented to the Supreme Court, I downloaded and read the entire script of the arguments.

In doing that reading and other research, I discovered what the Founding Fathers had really meant. I've subsequently talked with a lawyer/author who has written extensively about the legal issues related to the use of deadly force in my state. He stated in our conversation that the supplies that the British soldiers were sent to confiscate were the colonists guns. Yes, the very reason that we a free country was because of the "government" of the time trying to confiscate our guns. (See the Battle of Lexington and Concord Wikipedia article for more details.)

Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2008. The day after a few of us went out shooting (for my first time since I was a very young kid, and only once at that). I got to shoot quite the range of firearms, from small to (relatively) large: .22 semi-auto pistol, .22 rifle, .32 semi-auto pistol, 9mm semi-auto pistol, .38 revolver, .40 semi-auto pistol, .44 semi-auto pistol, .45 semi-auto pistol, a 30-06 rifle, and a pistol-grip 12-gauge shotgun.

December 7th. We go up to the range to shoot, but the lanes are full, and we get there too late to wait for one to open. We go back to the new gun counter, and there are four salesmen showing guns to twice as many customers, something like a dozen (probably many more) handguns are shown during the hour. I picked up just about everyone of them, to see how they felt. Nothing special. I can't really understand how anyone can fell comfortable with any of them: handle is too thick, or the balance is way off (being a sword fighter, I understand a weapon's balance and being "tip heavy"), or something.

Just for giggles, I ask the salesman to pull out a specific one, because I'm curious. That ended up being a pricey decision that evening!

Well, I'm still a Democrat. But I am now also the owner of a very nice sidearm, the name of which many people are familiar. Well, anyone who has seen a James Bond flick, anyway! Yes, the one, the only, the Walther PPK. When I picked it up, the balance was truly, amazingly perfect for me--"the clouds opened up and the angels sang!". It is an elegant design, and exactly the caliber I want to carry (.380 ACP). The .380 is a less powerfull version (slightly shorter, less gunpowder) of the 9mm. There are many reports of 9mm rounds overpentrating (once they hit the intended target, they continue through to other unintended targets).

To go with the firearm, a year-long membership at the range. And the CCW (carry concealed weapon) class. And the cleaning kit. Oh yes, a holster, too.

It's been a month now, and I've been to the range nine times with that amazing piece. If I'm going to own it, I'm going to know how to use it, safely, properly, and skillfully.