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Personal Heat

Michaelson

One Too Many
Messages
1,840
Location
Tennessee
Retro Grouch said:
I have elk and bear tracks in my back yard. :eek: No moose, yet. I'm more inclined to a .45-70. :D

Tom


WELL then...I'll coat my .44 mag with bacon grease, and while they're out there eating my revolver, you can nail 'em with your .45-.70! (grins) Regards. Michaelson
 

Retro Grouch

One of the Regulars
Messages
202
Location
Colorado
LOL :D :clap

The bears usually make a spring run through the area testing the trash holding facilities. One of the neighbors had the side of their shed torn off for the tasty morsels inside.

Tom
 

Kaela

Vendor
Messages
115
Location
California

that's a lot of weapons to take in, why, all I've got is a switchblade, just showing it would solve any disputes that might come up- right? it seems that any 40s gal has got to deal with guys looking at her. I could stop wearing the clothes (no, I couldn't) but honestly! I would fancy a stiletto, but those are a little too mean, and heavens knows I'd probably accidently stab myself through my purse!
 

The Wingnut

One Too Many
Messages
1,711
Location
.
While I commend your taste in trying to stay vintage with your choice of personal defense, take it from someone who used to carry one...a switchblade is a good way to get yourself in BIG trouble. It's a lousy weapon, and a big liability. The only real purpose for a switchblade is intimidation, the sight of a blade flicking out and the accompanying snickt will only scare off the more cowardly of assailants...provided, in your case, that you can get it out of it your purse in time. Get caught by the law carrying one, and you're in LOTS of trouble. Same thing goes for butterfly knives, at least in CA..they're classified as switchblades by the language of the law. Possesion of any blade that falls under the switchblade definition is a felony.

A good modern folder, such as a Benchmade with an axis lock or a Kershaw with an opening 'assist' will be just as fast - if not faster - than a switchblade, some will open and close with one hand and not even require touching the blade, and they're far better made than a switchblade. They're legal at ANY size to carry concealed in California - look at PC 653k and PC 12020.

Proper knife fighting / personal defense will prevent your assailant from ever seeing your weapon or even know that you have it until they're wearing it, point-first...that's still not enough to outright stop most determined attackers, unless your first strike is VERY lucky. If you're determined to keep a knife for personal defense, make sure you supplement it with some training and LOTS of practice handling it. I'm able to get my knife out and open in less than one second, even in a seated position. I can reverse my grip in the blink of an eye while still retaining full control. This only came from years of practicing over an elevated soft surface(in this case, my bed).

My switchblade sits in the back of a drawer, collecting dust...the Benchmade that replaced it was 10 times the cost, but I've carried it far longer, and haven't been afraid to use it for everyday tasks such as opening letters or boxes, even in front of a uniformed polieman. The warranty is incredible, too...I sent it off to have a part replaced, and they refubished everything on it except the frame for free, including sharpening!

Last but not least...don't ever bring a knife to a gun fight. In other words, you never know what you're up against. Assume the other guy is packing a gun. A knife is a desperation 'last-ditch' weapon, when you have no option other than to stand your ground and fight, after you've tried escaping or getting help. Flashing it may only prompt someone to tell a cop and get you in more far trouble than if you'd simply walked away.
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
The thing I would stress the most about carrying any sort of weapon is that if you are going to carry it, you have to be prepared to use it. If you don't think you can kill another person you shouldn't be carrying a knife or a gun. And as Wingnut just said, proper training is essential. If you don't know how to use your weapon, it can be even more harmful than not having any weapon at all.

That said, all weapons are compromise weapons. A knife is a really lousy weapon against a pistol, but a pistol is a really lousy weapon against a rifle or a shotgun. Having any sort of "edge" that you can get when you run into trouble is the key, and a knife can be that edge. Most sane people don't want to take someone with a knife on unless they have some great advantage (like a gun.) So a knife can help make up for a lot of the size/weight/skill difference which would otherwise be key in an unarmed fight.

Personally, I don't feel well-armed without a pistol or revolver of some sort although I am not really obsessed with the caliber or magazine capacity. Pretty much anything .32 ACP or larger is fine with me.
 

Mr. Jason

Familiar Face
Messages
78
Location
Chatham Co., NC, USA
heat

I have a Winchester 12 12 guage shot gun. I don't carry it around but I do use it to shoot varmits.

Wish list: street sweeper, automatic 12 guage shot gun

As for the questions: I have killed a handfull of opossums and raccoons with the 12 guage. They have never shoot back and I have never been hit. I kill sick chicks with a shovel but that dosen't really count as heat does it.
 

Badluck Brody

Practically Family
Messages
577
Location
Whitewater WI
Issued a Plastic 9mm !!!

I hate the thing! But she is basically "foolproof" and with 17 rds I know how to make her sing! Personally I came up with the issued 1911's that were probably originally issued to my grandfather in WWII.

I would also like to add, that though I hate trying to hide the thing, especially during the summer... When I visit family in Milwaukee or Beloit or even just to and from work. I feel better knowing that if it's the last thing I do, that I can/will protect my family and do what's right. I've taken too many lumps as kid to think there's such thing as a fair fight!

Besides,.. like a wise man said, "if you can carry and don't. Just look in the mirror and say "Baaaaa"!

What he means is when the wolves comes a calling, you can either cower like sheep or show them critters some teeth and bite back like a sheepdog!

Personally, "I'm gonna go out swingin', if I'm gonna go out."

Brody
 

colorblind

New in Town
Messages
23
knife

I am not a knife instructor or any type of unarmed defense. I am a firearms instructor. I did take a week long course put on by Benchmade last January. One of the big things that I got out of it was that if someone was on you trying to get your gun it was difficult to get a lockblade ready for use. We also were given neck knives which I liked a lot better and were much easier to use.

Not the advice of a knife expert just an observation of a novice.
 

sandysot

New in Town
Messages
43
Written on his epitaph: He brought a knife to a gunfight!!!

I have these pistols, among others, in my home:
Walther PPK .380 in blue.
Colt SAA .45 long colt (7"bbl in blue,NIB).
Browning 9mm Renaissance model (engraved nickel).

I recommend against carrying any weapon on one's person or in one's auto.A one-foot long piece of steel reinforcing rod in a rubber outdoor frying pan handle should be sufficient to disuade or defend against most road rage and can be kept quietly on the floor of the auto.A good sense of humor is indispensable.I often refer to other drivers antics by saying that they drive almost as bad as I do.
 

shamus

Suspended
Messages
801
Location
LA, CA
About 3 years ago I was in the market for a nice knife to carry. I've always carried a pocket knife as I grew up on a farm and it was needed. So my left pocket has always had one...

But I wanted a bit bigger knife. I looked at all the new lockbacks, many names I've never heard of as they came out after I was "into" knives.

I remember the benchmade, but for the feel... I chose the Microtech Socom.

It felt the best in my hands. Super fast opening with one hand or a flick of the wrist.

The only drawback is it's size. It must ride on the side of my pocket but it is comforting to know it's there.

I think a blade is much more intimidating than a gun. Yes I would rather have neither but being cut is an ingrained fear of man. Being shot is not. Everyone knows what it's like to be cut. Few know what it's like to be hit with a bullet.
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
I agree that a blade can often be more frightening but for slightly different reasons. People seem to be generally more willing to try to cut someone than to try to shoot them. Knifes are generally more common and using them is often more casual than the use of a gun. To some extent I think the perception that knives are not lethal weapons increases people's willingness to use them in a fight versus firearms which are perceived as lethal weapons.

In terms of survivability I would say that I would rather be cut than shot. It is generally more difficult to kill someone with a knife than a gun. A gun can turn even the most inexperienced amateur into a deadly weapon, whereas to some extent it takes a certain amount of strength, skill and effort to kill someone with a knife. Plus, the location and extent of knife wounds is often easier to discover by doctors than gunshots. Even if they find the bullet entry wound the total extent of the damage and path of the bullet often takes a while to discover and often that may be too late for the patient.
 

BrooklynJack

New in Town
Messages
12
Location
Brooklyn, NYC
Speaking from personal experience, getting stabbed is all kinds of unpleasantness. As Berkov said, the very site of a flashing blade is enough to cow most folks, but no more than a gun (loaded or unloaded, pointing one at someone's head is probably enough to get them to flinch). And, while I cannot say with authority what one experiences while and after getting shot, the sight of a knife sticking out of your hand or arm will make you very agitated. But, and thankfully, the two cats doing the stabbing wasn't a pro, or else this would be tougher to write. Heck, I'm pretty sure they were spookified by the sight of it, too.

Also, as Berkov says, and having experienced the one, I'd rather be cut than shot. Knife wounds can be traumatic, and, as anyone who's had some schooling knows, there was a number of years (maybe three or four) before the advent of guns where knives were actually the tool to use for doing some killing! But bullets are tools of physics, and there's a lot of different ways they can make a body dead.

That having been said, on my wish list would be a nice, solidly constructed double-action revolver. Perhaps in tribute to our Russkie friend, a Nagant.

You could use one of those to clean out a clog in your john (don't ask me how) and it'll still fire. I got nothing against automatics, but the trick is that the ease of squeezing off shots with 'em is so tempting, and, while I got a steady hand, I do not have discipline. With a revolver, less ammo and possibly slower firing speed means you make your shots hit.

Plus, in case the guy you're trading lead with has a revolver, odds are that seventh bullet in the Nagant will come in REAL handy. Six and they're done. You still got the lucky seventh.

And, when it comes to making your presence felt without giving too much business to the morgue, a good, taped up and sturdy baseball bat never fails. Some copper pulls you over and asks why you're carrying one in the middle of the street, you just say you're heading to the cages or to the park and everything's Jake.
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
If you are worried about shooting being too easy with an automatic then a Nagant really is the gun for you. The trigger pull on the 1895 Nagant is absurdly hard because of the way the action is designed.

After messing with the Nagant for a time, I picked up my Smith & Wesson .38 and tried dry firing it. I would say shooting the Smith double action might even be easier than shooting the Nagant single action! And after the Nagant, shooting the Smith on single action was like a hair trigger on a dueling pistols. The gun had fired before I even realized I pulled the trigger.
 

Alan Eardley

One Too Many
Messages
1,500
Location
Midlands, UK
Gee, you guys are worrying me! Does everyone in the US go around 'packing'? If so, why? What's to be so scared of?

I've just spent some time working in Pakistan with a quick trip to Waziristan and Afghanistan. Apart from Iraq these are the most dangerous areas in the world for a Westerner at the moment, I never felt sufficiently threatened to take up arms.

I wouldn't so much mind being wiped out by extremists who are fanatically opposed to my race, religion and the politics of my country. Fair enough, I say... But I'd be really p155ed off if I was killed by someone who just wanted my wristwatch or credit card!

Alan
 

shamus

Suspended
Messages
801
Location
LA, CA
I've always thought that it is "americans and their guns" that keep people not from america from messing with americans on american soil...

The news makes it sound like everyone is packing and (this next part is true) murder by guns happen here every hour.

It's the fasination of guns I think that draws americans. Our country was built by the gun. But not every american with a gun is shooting it at random.
 

MK

Founder
Staff member
Bartender
Strange

Alan Eardley said:
Gee, you guys are worrying me! Does everyone in the US go around 'packing'? If so, why? What's to be so scared of?

I've just spent some time working in Pakistan with a quick trip to Waziristan and Afghanistan. Apart from Iraq these are the most dangerous areas in the world for a Westerner at the moment, I never felt sufficiently threatened to take up arms.

I wouldn't so much mind being wiped out by extremists who are fanatically opposed to my race, religion and the politics of my country. Fair enough, I say... But I'd be really p155ed off if I was killed by someone who just wanted my wristwatch or credit card!

Alan

That is odd. I would be VERY mad if some whacko terrorist wanted to off because I wasn't a muslim. In fact, it is easier for me to understand the human weakness of a poor person/drug adict giving in to theft than the arrogance of the join us or I will kill you crowd.

On another note.....those who feel no need to own a firearm....do you lock your doors at night? Are you "scared" of being robbed or hurt?.......or are you just taking proper precautions?

Something to think about.
 

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