How to become a Gunsmith.

http://www.gunsmithschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/gunsmith-school.jpg

Source: http://www.gunsmithschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/gunsmith-school.jpg

I’m the least mechanically inclined person you’ll ever meet, a “do it for me” kind of guy. My love of firearms is mostly about shooting and defending them. So when it comes to making or modifying them, I need a gunsmith. That’s why I’m glad Mr. Laban submitted this blog:

Becoming a Professional Gunsmith: Quick Reference and How to Guide
By Laban Graves

 

My journey to becoming a successful gunsmith started at quite a young age, it sprung from necessity as most worthwhile ventures do.  I’m from central Texas originally, and I had been a passionate white tail slayer since I could carry a rifle.

At the age of 12,I was permitted to hunt alone, my weapon of choice at the time was a Marlin 336y 30-30.  I had it outfitted with a decent Redfield scope. At the time I favored walking over sitting in a blind.  An hour or so into my hike, I came within 70 yards of an 8 point buck with a nice drop tyne on the left side.  He was helping himself to a few licks off of a salt block, and being on the correct side of the wind, he was in big trouble.  I got into a prone position, regulated my breathing, took aim at his neck, and fired my shot.

I’d like to brag and claim one shot one kill, but not on this day I’m afraid.  I shot a tad low, and wounded the poor creature hitting him square in his right shoulder joint, and basically taking his right leg off.  Unable to run away properly the animal was thrashing around in pain, and grunting like I had never heard.  I quickly worked the lever on the rifle, ejecting the spent case, but returning the lever to battery and inserting the new cartridge was problematic to say the least.  The lever was completely stuck in the rear position, and in my panic I was unable to realize the mechanical issue at hand.

My grandfather had gone over the basic operation of the fire arm with me numerous times, and as a proud “always prepared” Boy Scout, I had the proper tools on hand to fix the problem.  Within two to three minutes I had the problem fixed and was finally able to end my quarry’s suffering.  That was my first lesson in basic repairs, and to this day simple fixes like that is a large part of my business.

My first bit of professional training began at a small junior college in Kilgore Texas.  It is one of the top ranked hands on programs in the country, and lucky for me was only a short distance from where I now reside in the piney woods of East Texas.

The hands on instruction and techniques I learned while there have been pivotal to my success, and as an alumnus you are permitted to use the equipment on campus for life upon completion of the program.  That in itself is very helpful, as metal lathes, and some of the other necessary equipment are very expensive to purchase out right, especially when you are first starting out in the business.

There are several online resources available out there as well.  I was interested in the prospect of online study in this field, and a friend of mine suggested the course offered by Penn Foster.  I enrolled after researching the program, and completed the course in about four months.  I found the curriculum was easy to understand, and appreciated the fact that you could view all the resource material online, as well as receiving hard copies in the mail, which you can retain for further reference if need be.  While I did find the information easily approachable and understandable, I would recommend a program with a hands-on approach, as nothing can compare to hands on training in the care of a competent instructor.

Recently I came across another helpful tool that has helped me expand my business considerably.  The American Gun Institute or AGI for has been in business for twenty years now, and offers how to courses on in DVD format, covering topics from simple maintenance all the way through building complete firearms and customization like glass bedding and accurizing. Prices for the source material are very reasonable, and bundles are available which contain multiple courses as well as the necessary tools for completing the job.  Most courses are given by master gunsmith and instructor Bob Dunlap, as well as a host of very competent and without a doubt the best gunsmiths in the business.  I have had the pleasure of speaking at length with President Gene Kelly several times over the past year or so, and the man is a class act and the real deal.  As I mentioned previously, in my opinion, nothing can compare to quality on hands training from an experienced pro.

A quick online search will return information regarding schools in your area, and proper research on your part will help in your decision a picking the right program for your needs. Whether you are attempting to make this vocation your prime source of income, supplemental, or just as a hobby, gunsmithing is a great skill to possess, especially in the current political environment, where our right to bear arms is constantly under fire.  Being safe and knowledgeable about this topic helps break some of the stigma associated with gun ownership, and if you are a somewhat mechanically minded individual you will no doubt find the subject material both fascinating and enjoyable.

 

Unarmed Passenger Stops Armed Robber.

Liberals love stories like this because it makes them think they don’t need a gun.

SEATTLE (KING) – Prosecutors have released video of a confrontation on a Seattle Metro Transit bus between a gun-wielding robber and a rider.

The images show the man react quickly when face-to-face with the pistol, then pull the gun from his hand and begin tackling the suspect.

That suspect, 19-year-old Trevonnte Brown, is charged with two counts of First Degree Robbery and one count of Attempted First Degree Robbery.

As the bus wound through West Seattle November 25th, video shows Brown getting on and rob at least one woman, flashing a gun in her face and taking her cell phone quietly.

Video then shows Brown approach a man sitting immersed in his own cell phone. As soon as his eyes notice the firearm, he grabs its end, jumps up, rips the gun from the suspects hand and begins throwing punches.
Source: http://www.wwlp.com/news/national/bus-rider-stops-would-be-robber

Here’s the truth:

1. The criminal had little experience with firearms.

2. The criminal could have fired his weapon the minute his opponent grabbed it.

3. The criminal could have been stronger than the man who started beating him up.

4. Grabbing a stranger’s gun can result in an accidental firing depending on how you pull the weapon.

5. Shooting the criminal would have been better, you don’t even need to shoot straight as long as you’re close enough.

Suffice to say, while I congratulate the courage of whoever went Jackie Chan on Brown, it’s not something I would have done.

We are men, we fight with guns. First fighting is fine for MMA and Karate Movies, but in the real world, we rely on our guns, not our fists. That’s how I see it.

You don’t agree? Fine, you go ahead and play Rocky Balboa with the next thug you find, hopefully it won’t be a Trayvon Martin who would have won if it wasn’t for Zimmerman’s gun.


Things Gun Haters Say.

Todd Stauffer wrote an interesting blog about the nutty things those Salon writers are telling us about open carry.

An interesting piece in Salon this week seems to have discovered (bless their little San Francisco hearts) that ‘open carry’ is a “new craze” (ahem) out here in flyover country.

But, now that they’ve caught on, the piece does take a fascinating look at some of the psychology of open carry and presents a case for the idea that open carry actually contributes to violence instead of curbing it.

How can that be? Here’s a couple of the key points they make:

People with guns tend to see guns, even when they’re not there. Result: higher chance of shooting an unarmed “threat.”

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that when people are holding a gun, they’re less capable of evaluating a threat than they would be if they didn’t have a weapon in their own hands.

The presence of a weapon can make a hostile environment more hostile.

Since 1967, researchers have been observing the “weapons effect,” a phenomenon in which the mere presence of a weapon can stimulate aggressive behavior. Of course, a person doesn’t respond to a gun the way a cartoon bull reacts to the matador’s cape; we aren’t spontaneously enraged every time we notice a firearm. But empirical research has repeatedly shown that when people are already aggravated, seeing a gun will motivate them to behave more aggressively.

Your body responds involuntarily to threats, and the presence of weapons is frequently interpreted as a superior threat in a given environment.

“The ‘threat superiority effect’ is the tendency for people to be able to pick out very quickly in their environment things that might pose a threat to their security — anything that might be dangerous,” explains Isabelle Blanchette, a professor of psychology at the University of Quebec. “People have a tendency to be able to see these things before they see other things.”
Source: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/weblogs/politics-blog/2013/dec/19/does-the-weapons-effect-mean-open-carry-contribute/

Not bad, Stauffer, but next time spend some time disproving the allegations Salon makes instead of reporting on them.


How to Buy a Gun Safe

Can you afford a gun safe? I can’t, maybe in the future:

San Bernardino, Calif. – Cannon Safe has created a step-by-step guide for finding the perfect safe for your home.

“The great thing about this guide is that it’s a one-stop source for all of the factors that should go into buying a full-sized safe, including size, location, fire rating, optional features and much more,” said Aaron Baker, president of Cannon Safe. “Seven Tips for Purchasing a Safe helps you prioritize your needs and select the right safe for you and your family.”

Statistically, the biggest risks to valuables stored in homes are burglaries and fires.

According to a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation titled Crime in the United States, 2011, there were 2,188,005 burglaries in 2011. Victims in these crimes lost an estimated $4.8 billion worth of property and the average loss per victim was $2,185.

Recent data released by the National Fire Protection Association, in a report titled Fire Loss in the U.S., indicates that a home fire occurs every 85 seconds in the United States. In 2011, $6.9 billion in property loss occurred in home fires.

Seven Tips for Purchasing a Gun Safe by Cannon Safe by AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Read more: http://www.ammoland.com/2013/12/seven-tips-for-purchasing-a-gun-safe-by-cannon-safe/#ixzz2nx1AH34K
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution


Pro-Gun Party Crashers: Oath Keepers.

Somebody give Karen Rubin some Preparation-H, Ms. Nazi is experiencing butthurt over a mixed crowd at gun control forum.

The greater Great Neck area got a bit of a shock during the recent Reach Out America Gun Reform forum held at Saddle Rock School.

The forum was practically overrun with staunch gun rights advocates – Oath Keepers they call themselves – who did their best to take over and dominate the meeting.
Source: http://www.theislandnow.com/opinions/columnists/article_a4ff6c36-68d4-11e3-9ca7-001a4bcf887a.html

I know, right? We’re EVERYWHERE. How does the chant go? We’re Here, We’re Armed, We’ll Drive you Mad.

OK, I suck at chants, but you get my drift.

You know what I noticed? Not a single one of the Oath Keepers dared show any compassion whatsoever for the victims of gun violence – not the Newtown children, brutally murdered exactly one year ago, represented on stage by Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel of Newtown, who had to console a family whose child was murdered that day.

You know what I notice? Not a single gun hater ever celebrates the woman who shoots her rapist, the store owner who shoots the burglar, the teenage son that defends his family from a home invader. So kiss my ass, Rubin. We’re the ones who stand for freedom.

But what I couldn’t figure out is why these people, who claim that only good guys get guns and you need more good guys with guns, wouldn’t support universal background checks (essentially an expansion to close loopholes that presently leave 40 percent of guns purchased without checks), when they already support existing background checks?

I tell you why, because it’s a lie. There’s no universal cocaine checks, universal crack checks, universal stolen weapons checks. Background checks imply that criminals give up when they fail to pass them, they certainly do not. As for loopholes, there will always be loopholes you dumb Nazi. You close one loophole, ten more appear. Want to do something about crime? Then start arresting FELONS that fail a background check when they go to the gun store. Laws without enforcement are stupid.

The Oath Keepers were completely unmoved, though by the facts presented by Amy Wright  of Mayors Against Illegal Guns that the legislation explicitly and categorically prohibited a federal registration (a felony) or confiscation. But they dismiss this, ignore it, obfuscate or simply lie -  not unlike the style of attacks (“death panels”!) that have been attached to Obamacare.

Ha! Trusting MAIG on guns is like trusting the Klan on African-American issues.

The Gun Rights No Matter What folks are also shape shifters, skilled at contorting to dodge a question, deflect and divert.

For example, instead of addressing the easy access to military-grade weapons meant for the battlefield and ammo clips of 30, 50 and even 100 rounds by deranged individuals, criminals and terrorists, they shift the focus to the woeful inadequacy of mental health, yet the same gun violence advocates are the ones who block health care reform – Obamacare as a subjugation of freedom – that puts mental health in parity with other health care.

Lady, ALL WEAPONS have been used in the battlefield at some point of another. Ever heard of a service revolver? But let’s address the issue, are you good at math? 3 magazines with 10 rounds equal one magazine with 30 rounds. See? Your gun control will stop NOTHING. As for Obamacare, that has nothing to do with mental health. You want reform? Then make it easier to put a loony in the loony bin, that’s far more productive than treating everyone like they’re a crazy dangerous killer waiting to snap.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, In an interview with John Hockenberry of NPR’s “The Takeaway” (Sept. 16, 2013), said, “.. the Second Amendment is outdated in the sense that its function has become obsolete. ..When the nation was new, it gave a qualified right to keep and bear arms but it was for one purpose only, and that was the purpose of having militiamen who were able to fight to preserve the nation.”

How convenient, you quote from a woman that hates America, a woman that told foreigners that the South African constitution is better than our constitution. Why not quote Scalia and Thomas? Why not quote the founding father’s?


NH Man Pulls Gun on Carjacker.

The great equalizer does it again.

The Soviets had Heroes of the Soviet Union, we have Heroes of the Second Amendment:

NASHUA, N.H. (CBS) —- Paul Jensen was sitting in the driver’s seat of his Ford Taurus in a hospital parking lot in Nashua when police say James Paul suddenly opened up the passenger door.

“As he started to get in, I didn’t have time to think about it, I just reacted, by the time he got in my car, I had my weapon out and pointed at his head,” said Jensen from his home in Nashua today.

Jensen had his loaded handgun within inches of the stranger’s head, holding him at gunpoint until police arrived.

Officers would shut down the area after hearing about a gun in the parking lot.

In court today, James Paul, 33, was charged with trying to steal the car as well as with tampering with a fire alarm. Police say he ripped a sprinkler from the ceiling in his jail cell after his arrest.
Source: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/12/18/nh-man-pulls-gun-on-would-be-carjacker/

James Paul is a real nice guy, and thanks to Mr. Jensen, he’s going to be in a nice cold cell for awhile.


Minneapolis Gun Owner Saves Muslim Shopkeeper.

Minneapolis has a lot of Muslims, some with green cards, some citizens, but few with guns. That’s why Mohammed Ahmed is lucky Matt Dosser has a permit to carry a concealed gun.

Inside his neighborhood market, Mohamed S. Ahmed was screaming for help after a pair of armed robbers had left him bleeding.

Outside the northeast Minneapolis store, two men pounded on the window, trying to get back into the University Market after Ahmed managed to lock them out.

“They seemed really agitated, super agitated,” said Matt Dosser, who was walking by about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. At first, “nothing made sense, then I saw the gun.”

Dosser, who has a permit to carry a gun, reached for his own weapon.

One of the robbers “turned around and looked at me,” Dosser recalled. “He stared at me. I had my weapon up. I didn’t point the gun at the person. I had it at the ready, out of the holster.

“His buddy said something to him,” Dosser continued, “and then he had this surprised look on his face, and they both ran to his vehicle and took off.”

Source: http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/236392921.html

Police said Matt Dosser “acted with honor” and probably saved the life of store owner Mohamed Ahmed. Of course, police also said:

“When people get a permit to carry, they are instructed not to intercede into a crime that is occurring. It’s solely for personal protection.”

Sure, the old “mind your own business, let us worry about crime, slave.” Sorry Mr. Cop, but if I see my fellow man in trouble and I have the power to intervene, I’m not waiting for you to show up.

Dosser, 41, said he typically keeps his gun concealed, as permitted under a 2003 Minnesota law, “especially in the city.”

“I am thankful they passed conceal and carry,” Dosser said. “Police can’t be everywhere.”

 

He said he “came close” to using his gun about eight years ago while getting lunch for his tree-removal crew in north Minneapolis. Two men were stomping on another man, he said.

“ ‘I’ll shoot you if you don’t stop kicking that guy!’ ” he recalled yelling. The kicking stopped, he said.

Aren’t guns great? Unless you’re Bruce Lee, you can’t beat the crap out of two men and then save the guy who’s getting kicked, but with a gun, the most powerful visual aide in the world, you can bring human garbage to their sense without getting your hands dirty.

His [Ahmed's] head is still hurting nearly a full day later and with seven surgical staples in his wound, Ahmed said he has no second thoughts about trying to overpower an armed suspect.

“He could have shot me regardless,” he said.

“I had a gun put to my face,” he said Wednesday afternoon while back at the store, on 37th Avenue NE., to clean up the mess left by the attack. “I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”

Then get yourself a gun, Mr. Ahmed. If you’re an American or green card resident, that is your right. I won’t lie to you, I’m not fan of the Muslims but I respect their rights. Just stick to being a shopkeeper and let us serve pork in our public schools. It would also be nice if you could dress like a normal American and not wear turbans, but that’s up to you, not me. Oh, and please join the NRA, remember, Obama didn’t save your ass, Mr. Dosser did.

 

 


Sheriff in trouble over free gun permits.

There are lots of “free” things the government gives that bother me. This isn’t one of them.

BEAVER — A county audit of a western Pennsylvania sheriff’s office found that authorities gave out free gun permits and might have broken state law.

The Beaver County Times reported Wednesday that the draft audit found that the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office gave away hundreds of gun permits at free or reduced rates.

Controller David Rossi said he provided the audit to the sheriff’s office last Thursday. Chief Deputy Jay Alstadt said the sheriff’s office will try and cooperate with the controller’s office.

Beaver County Sheriff George David is awaiting trial on charges he threatened a political campaign worker and an online news reporter. David denies the charges and remains in office because county officials are powerless to remove him, but a judge banned him from parts of his own department.

Source: http://www.goerie.com/article/20131219/NEWS06/312199929/Audit%3A-Beaver-County-sheriff-gave-free-gun-permits

Why is that a bad thing? Do we not own the government? Are they not supposed to work for us? Look at all those other “free” things I don’t give a crap about.

Public libraries: Who needs them? I have a Kindle, I download books for next to nothing.

Public parks: In New York City they’re leasing them to private companies that keep them clean and allow some commerce. That’s better than getting raped while jogging.

Public artworks: I have no problem with some artist donating a sculpture, but when the city of Chattanooga pays $65,000 for some elephant sculpture nobody likes, yeah, that bothers me.

So free gun permits? That should be a given, assuming the Second Amendment isn’t enough, which in my opinion, that should be the only gun permit anyone needs.

Oh well, it could be worse. Have you seen the “Wastebook”?

Mass Destruction of Weapons – (Department of Defense) $7 billion

As the U.S. war effort in the Middle East winds to a close, the military has destroyed more than 170 million pounds worth of useable vehicles and other military equipment. The military has decided that it will simply destroy more than $7 billion worth of equipment rather than sell it or ship it back home.
Source: http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=e7359436-1572-414e-8acc-0222cad1c7d5

 

All those beautiful weapons destroyed, and then we have the brass bitching that they don’t have enough money. Really? How about NOT DESTROYING the weapons we already paid for? No wonder Lord of War’s Victor Bout was making a killing with arms smuggling, if Uncle Sam doesn’t destroy them, Victor will buy them from them.

UPDATE:

Under state law, the state gets $1 for each concealed-carry permit, and the county where it was issued receives $19. There’s a $5 application fee, and if the permit is approved, and the permit costs $15 more.

Sainovich said there’s nothing in the state law that prohibits a sheriff from waiving or reducing the fee and does not provide penalties if someone doesn’t collect the fee.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/beaver/5284514-74/county-david-gun#ixzz2nzJaiqYK


MAIG & MDA Join Forces.

Russians talk about the “devil’s grandmother,” but here in America it’s gun-hating mad mothers we have to watch.

Outgoing New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns on Thursday will announce that it is joining with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a year-old grassroots campaign launched the day after the Dec. 14, 2012, shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

The combined group will align Bloomberg’s deep pockets with the strong social network and media savvy the mothers’ group brings. The billionaire founder of Bloomberg News said last week that he’ll “devote extensive resources of my own” to the effort.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/18/nra-bloomberg-mayors-against-illegal-guns-sandy-hook/4115843/

And why the partnership? Obvious, Moms Demand Action couldn’t raise enough money on their own while MAIG is bleeding mayors left and right.

It’s laughable when John Feinblatt, MAIG’s chairman, talks about the mother effers filling “the intensity gap” when it comes to grassroots rabble-rousing.

What a joke, these people have the intensity of a mosquito landing on top of a rhino. They’re window dressing, astroturf, they’re not a real movement but a front group, no different than those communist groups Stalin used to fund in America.

The mainstream media thinks “if they write it, they will believe it.” Perhaps that’s why their headline was: “High-profile gun control groups join forces.”

Yeah right, neither of these groups are high profile. I’m willing to bet that most people know what NRA stands than they do when you say MAIG or MDA.

In fact, I bet most of the ones that recognize the acronyms of anti-gunners are the patriots fighting for the Second Amendment.

So why give the enemy publicity? Why mention them at all? Because you can’t destroy what you can’t see.

We’re watching you MAIG and MDA, you will lose.